Codex - The Covenant

Halo: The Covenant Codex I decided to do this instead of a Aprori Guard codex b/c a Guard 'dex is hard enough to make. If you really want to play them, use Tau and take your Heavy support and such from the Guard codex.

Anyway, The Covenant are a really interesting bunch and bring a whole slew of new weapons, units, and tactics to the game so I'm making a codex that represents them well enough. I've seen some crazy excuses for Elites to beat entire armies (It is actually true, look at Halo: The Duel, Fal "I can bitch slap Titan-Size Hunters for Tuesday" Chuvamee can make the Ultrasmurfs shit themselves, but then again their smurfs) and Covenant warships to be able to break the back of a Segmentum fleet but I call bullshit on all that fan-boyism. Depends on the calcs for both sides really.

Discussion is more than welcome for this codex

Army Special Rules

For the Great Journey!- The near insane religious zeal of almost all Covenant forces stems from the belief that by achieving the goals of the Prophets, such as firing the Halo array, they will become like gods themselves. Armed with this faith, they will gladly throw away their lives to see the Great Journey come to fruition. Any unit with this rule or that includes a model with this rule counts as Stubborn and may regroup even if below 50% unit strength

Favor of the Prophet- Elites and Brutes share a fierce rivalry that borders on infighting constantly in order to be the dominant militant arm of the Prophets. Elites detest being led by Brutes, and vice versa. An army that has an Elite Overlord as an HQ may take Elites as Troops choices. An army that has a Brute Chieftain as HQ may take Brute squads as Troops chocies. If you have both as HQ's you lose the Troops benefit for both.

Covenant Equipment

The united forces of the Covenant employ a wide variety of technology and weapons, either that gleaned from study of Forerunner artifacts or by separate development through constant war.

Weapon Table	Range	S	AP	Type
Plasma Pistol	12"	4	6	Pistol, Overcharge
Overcharged Pistol	18"	5	5	Pistol, Haywire
Plasma Rifle	24"	4	6	Rapid Fire, Overcharge
Overcharged Rifle	24"	4	6	Salvo 2/4
Plasma Repeater	18"	4	6	Assault 2, Overcharge
Overcharged Repeater	18"	4	6	Assault 4
Plasma Cannon	36"	5	5	Heavy 3
Needler	18"	3	6	Assault 2, Twin-linked, Super-Combine
Heavy Needler	36"	6	5	Heavy 2, Twin-linked, Super-Combine
Needle Rifle	30"	3	6	Rapid Fire, Sniper, Super-Combine
Covenant Carbine	30"	3	5	Rapid Fire, Sniper
Beam Rifle	36"	3	3	Heavy 1, Sniper
Concussion Rifle	18"	4	-	Assault 1, Concussive, Blast
Brute Shot	24"	3	6	Assault 1, Blast, Bladed
Spiker	18"	4	5	Assault 2, Pinning, Bladed
Fuel Rod Cannon	48"	8	4	Heavy 2
Fuel Rod Beam	36"	8	3	Heavy 1, Lance
Plasma Launcher	36"	7	3	Heavy 3, Twin-linked, Blast

Ranged Weaponry

Covenant Plasma Weapons- The Covenant chiefly employs a wide variety of plasma weapons in their arsenal, although not quite as destructive as their 40,000 counterparts. Complex force containment chambers gleaned from the Forerunners, however, allow their weapons to be wielded much more safely, with no risk of harm to the user. A large number of Covenant plasma weapons will have a secondary Overcharged profile that can be used instead of the normal profile given. If you choose to fire the Overcharged profile, the whole squad armed with similar weapons must do so. You may only use the Overcharged profile once per game, for each unit armed with such weapons.

Covenant Needler Weapons- More specialized weapons in the Covenant armory fire armor piercing crystal shards that have a limited tracking intelligence that allows for fired needles to hit targets unerringly. When these shards manage to penetrate armor they then explode, causing massive trauma similar to that of an Imperial bolt weapon, though a reaction between a cluster of needles causes a much larger explosion more akin to a frag grenade. If the model suffers an unsaved wound from a weapon with the Super-Combine special rule, resolve an additional hit with the Blast template centered over the model

Brute Weapons- Brutes tend to use their own special brand of firearms, all of which features sharp blade attachments to make them more suitable for the melee of close combat that most Brutes favor. A ranged weapon with the Bladed special rule counts as an additional close combat weapon.

Melee Weaponry

Energy Sword- While the blade is composed of plasma, the sword‘s hilt is a magnetic field generator that projects two envelopes of magnetic energy, which contain the sword‘s plasma. With sufficient momentum and force a plasma sword can cut into the thicket of armor. A plasma sword is a power sword that is AP 2 on the charge.

Gravity Hammer- is a large hammer that serves as an excellent and powerful melee weapon. It is a highly symbolic Brute weapon that is analogous to the Elite's Energy Sword. This powerful weapon can also be used to manipulate gravity, allowing it to push opponents away orpull them towards the wielder, as well as deflecting incoming projectiles and in some cases, create a miniature Black Hole for the lulz. The Gravity Hammer is a Power weapon that doubles the user‘s strength but reduces its initiative by 2

Vehicle Wargear

Elite Shielded Armor- 4+ armor save, 6++ invulnerable save

Brute Armor- 4+ armor save

Grunt Armor- integrates a methane breather system for Grunts, and provides a 5+ armor save

Jackal Shield- Provides a 3+ cover save at all times. However each time the unit is called upon to make a save in any phase, it takes a cumulative -1 save modifier until the next player turn

Jackal Major Shield- Provides a 2+ cover save at all times. However each time the unit is called upon to make a save in any phase, it takes a cumulative -1 save modifier until the next player turn

Covenant Vehicles=

Covenant Land Vehicles

Ghost:A light recon vehicle, akin to a Imperial Bike. Fast, quiet and maneuverable. Comes with two light-Plasma Cannons that does as much damage as a Bolter (Fluff wise), have a unique ability that will do ramming damage when its boosters are boosted. However it is weak and vulnerable.

Wraith:Covenant MBT, but functions more akin to a Mobile Artillery, can come equipped with shields that gives it 3+ armor save. Has a unique special ability called "Scorched" which allows the Wraith to shoot out a flaming sticky plasma gel that dose the same damage as a Meltagun but with the ignore cover save ability. Has a slightly lower range then a Basilisk and has a boost function making it faster. Main disadvantage however is that like all Covenant vehicle, it is based on quantity rather then quality, thus is weaker then most WH40K tanks and artillery.

Locust:Covenant Mining vehicle converted into a anti-building and anti-tank weapon. Automatically comes with a very strong energy shield that gives it 6+ armor save. Armed with a single but very powerful Mining Laser that has an incredible range, equal to that of an Imperial Basilisk, this gives it very high damage against tanks, heavy tanks and mechs. Has a special ability called "Overdrive" which sacrifices its shield strength but boost its AP value by 3+ Main disadvantage is that it cannot fire on the move, making it vulnerable to flanking.

Spectre:A covenant light troop transport, armed with a medium plasma cannon, has mostly similar stats of a Imperial Tauros.

Revenant:Medium anti-heavy infantry vehicle from the Covenant. Combines the speed of a Spectre with the firepower of a AT gun. Armed with a light plasma mortar, that although slow, once it hits a target, does as much damage as a plasma-cannon. However they are as vulnerable as a Spectre or Ghost.

Shadow:Covenant troop transport, can carry up to 10 models, slower then WH40K counterparts but is much more tougher and its equipped with a Heavy Plasma Cannon, dealing massive damage over a short time.

Chopper:A Brute made vehicle, have mostly the same stats as a Ghost but is slower, comes with two light anti-vehicle cannons and has a special ability called "Charged" which does 25% damage to tanks, and instantly destroys lighter vehicles.

Covenant Air Vehicles

Banshee:Main Covenant scout plane, weak and slow but comes in obscene numbers and could be produced cheaply and quickly. Armed with two light plasma cannons and a single Fuel Rod Cannon for added anti-tank damage. If equipped with a Phantom or Lich, their damage output almost doubles.

Vampire:Covenant anti-air vehicle, armed with one Heavy Needler Cannon, Stasis cannon and two medium plasma cannons. Slow, but dangerous to all air vehicles, its Needler Cannon does obscene damage and never misses, furthermore its special ability called "Stasis" uses its stasis beam to both trap and drain Enemy air vehicles until it blows up, dealing massive damage to any units below. Main disadvantage is that it can only target one enemy at a time.

Phantom:Heavy Covenant troop transport that can carry over 15 models as well as a tank or artillery such as the Wraith. Armed with three Heavy Plasma Cannons that does massive damage, but is also very vulnerable to enemy aircraft.

Spirit:A light Covenant troop transport, only equipped with one Heavy Plasma Cannon, but could carry more then double the troops as a Phantom as well as a tank or artillery.

Covenant Apocalypse Unit

Scarab:A Covenant Heavy Battle Tank, often confused as a Titan. Is armed with a Heavy Mining Laser that does considerable damage to anything, other Titans included. Further armed with a single Heavy Anti-Air Cannon that also does serious damage to any enemy aircraft and the fact it could come in numbers. Main Disadvantage is that is has a very weak backspot, making it very vulnerable at the rear, furthermore sustain damage can cripple the Scarab for 4 turns before it repairs itself.

Super-Scarab:The Covenants answer to an Imperial Titan, armed with two medium Anti-Air turrets that does serious damage to enemy aircraft, and is armed with a massive Heavy Plasma Laser that does more damage then their smaller brethren. Could carry troops of up to 50, and is fast and mobile for something its size. Furthermore it has none of its disadvantages of its smaller brethren.

Harvester:A Covenant Walking Colossal around the size of an Imperium Imperator-Class Titan. Only Armed with a Single but heavily specialized Heavy Mining Laser. Does even more damage then the Super-Scarab but is very costly and incredibly slow and awkward.

Lich:The only Covenant Air Titan, same size as a Scarab but is armed with a giant Focus Cannon which like the Vampire has a massive EMP strike on any vehicle. Each vehicle hit by the EMP Laser has to wait 8 turns, heavily armored and share no vulnerability at the rear. Could carry over 40 troops but is slow, cumbersome and expensive to produce.