The Sangheili, referred by humans as Elites, are a saurian species of the Covenant.
Overview and Background[]
As the co-founder of the Covenant Hegemony, the Sangheili owes a much-privileged position within the cast of the Covenant. It is only the Sangheili that are given the honor in protecting the Prophets and are considered the martial protectors of the Great Journey against all forms of heresies and religious subversion.
At 8 feet tall, the Sangheili are formidable and indomitable creatures that share a long history of martial culture and honor. Warfare is part of Sangheili life, beginning from childhood and ending in death. As such, a Sangheili, even a civilian, could reliably defend themselves against would-be attackers.
However, due to their position in the Covenant hierarchy, the Sangheili had a long rivalry with the Jiralhanae, who viewed the Sangheili with envy and resentment. The Jiralhanae view the Sangheili as arrogant and undeserving of their position whereas the Sangheili view the Jiralhanae as primitive, backwards and savage.
The Sangheili are renowned for great strength and intelligence and are praised for their bravery and honor. Sangheili warriors augment these natural abilities further through the use of Energy Shields integrated into their armor.
Depending upon rank and mission objective, they are commonly seen in battle with Plasma Pistols, Plasma Rifles, Needlers, Particle Carbines, Focus Rifles and sometimes, if they are higher ranked, Energy Swords. They are experts in almost everything, being able to master most Covenant weapons and control most Covenant vehicles. The Sangheili are therefore, incredibly versatile and adaptable.
Sangheili employ Phantom and Spirit Dropships for military transit purposes and rapid-response operations. Sangheili follow the Covenant mentality of maintaining hatred towards Humanity, believing them to be an affront to their religion and a challenge towards The Great Journey.
Rank Structure, Weaponry and Equipment[]
There are more classes of Elites than any other species in the Covenant. Typically, Elites lead the Covenant army. Even Brutes and Hunters are under their command, both in the leadership ranks and on the battlefield.
The rank structure of the Elites is broken into four groups:
- Infantry - Regular Elite soldiers make up the majority of common squad leaders on the battlefield. Most other Covenant species are subservient to them, even the lowest ranked units.
- Special Operations and Specialists - These are specially trained Elites who are entrusted, mostly, with covert or high risk assignments that are considered to be too critical or dangerous for regular infantry to handle. Part of the Covenant Special Warfare Group, the Spec-Ops Elites are only deployed in dire situations.
- Honor Guard - The Elite Honor Guardsmen are the personal warriors and direct protectors of the Prophets. They act much like the Secret Service when deployed in battle, securing and guarding areas of religious significance such as the Cartographer, Control Room and Library. The ornate armour they wear boosts their energy shields, making them immune to normal ballistic weaponry.
- High Commanders - They are among the highest ranked members of the entire Covenant. Answering only to the High Council and the Hierarchs themselves, they are the prominent leaders of the whole Covenant military.
| Rank | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| High Commanders | ||
| Elite Imperial Admiral |   |
A very scarcely seen Elite type that is positioned high above the gold Zealots, the Imperial Admiral is the highest non-political rank a Sangheili can ever attain in the Covenant Military. They normally control large fleets and operate from very high-class flagships or other powerful capital warships. Admirals wear a black and gold combat harness, possess powerful energy shields and even make use of Active Camouflage. No Elites of this rank were present during the Battle of Installation 04. It is extremely rare for them to personally engage enemy forces on the battlefield, however, one particular individual was forced to do so on Lumoria, as he and his troops were unprepared for the human interlopers that arrived there. His weapon of choice was an unstable Carbine with explosive rounds as well as an Energy Sword. This Admiral also integrated a Forerunner device into his armour, giving him the ability to access Forerunner teleportation grids. |
| Elite Zealot | 
|
Clad in a yellow-gold combat harness, Elite Zealots are the authority figures within the Covenant military, serving as Field Masters, Shipmasters, Fleet Masters and even Supreme Commanders. Aside from these command responsibilities, Zealots are also tasked with the recovery of Forerunner artifacts and will stop at nothing, not even the eradication of heretical species, to recover these holy relics. They’re commonly witnessed wielding Energy Swords alongside the Void’s Tear as a backup weapon, though Zealots will use Plasma Rifles and Needlers on rare occasions. |
| Honour Guard of the Covenant | ||
| Elite Honor Guardsman Zealot |   |
Honor Guardsman Zealots are the longest-serving and deadliest warriors within the Honor Guard of the Covenant, hand-picked by the Hierarchs to serve as their personal bodyguards and clad in a yellow-gold guardsman harness decorated with ornate yellow-orange pauldrons. In addition to protecting their theoretical leaders, Honor Guardsman Zealots are also assigned to fleets and other important missions as representatives of the Hierarchs, making decisions in their stead and monitoring for any signs of heresy within the leadership ranks. Rarely seen deployed on the battlefield, Honor Guardsman Zealots exclusively wield the Energy Sword, as they view traditional firearms as an affront to both their honor and their natural prowess in combat. |
| Elite Honor Guardsman Ultra |   |
Also known as “The Lights of Sanghelios”, Honor Guardsman Ultras can be instantly recognized by their white guardsman harness decorated with ornate yellow-orange pauldrons. Honor Guardsman Ultras act as commanders within the Honor Guard of the Covenant, leading squads of lesser-ranked Guardsmen deployed in combat zones and enforcing order within their own ranks. Much like their subordinates, Honor Guardsman Ultras regularly carry Plasma Rifles and Energy Swords. |
| Elite Honor Guardsman Major |   |
Honor Guardsman Majors make up most of the Honor Guard ranks, equipped with red guardsman harnesses decorated with ornate yellow-orange pauldrons and armed with Plasma Rifles and Energy Swords. While typically assigned to the protection of members within the High Council, Elite Honor Guardsmen have been witnessed deployed in groundside operations on rare occasions, usually to secure locations of religious significance to be later studied by the Prophets. |
| Elite Honor Guardsman Minor |   |
Honor Guardsman Minors are recent inductees into the Honor Guard of the Covenant, selected from decorated Elite warriors who have demonstrated the necessary skill and devotion required to serve as defenders of the High Council. They can be identified by their blue guardsman harness decorated with ornate yellow-orange pauldrons and are typically equipped with Plasma Rifles and Energy Swords. |
| Covenant Special Operations | ||
| Elite Special Operations Commander |   |
The Special Operations Commander is a particularly rare rank of Spec-Ops Elite. They are the highest ranked members within the Covenant Special Operations division and hold authority over all Spec-Ops forces within a fleet. They can also act as Shipmasters or Field Masters and answer only to the highest military or political authorities within the Covenant, including the High Council. Special Operations Commanders have also been known to accompany Supreme Commanders or Admirals should they ever see fit to engage in combat themselves, acting as assistants or personal bodyguards to them. They wear a silver combat harness and are usually armed with Plasma Rifles or Energy Swords. They have also been seen wielding powerful energy gauntlets, superior to the most advanced Jackal Shield. They are significantly higher in rank, and are, therefore, not to be confused with Elite Ultras, since the colour and pauldrons of their combat harnesses are very similar. Their helmets, however, are distinctly different. |
| Elite Special Operations Officer |   |
Special Operations Officers, or simply Spec-Ops Officers, are members of the Special Operations branch in the Covenant Special Warfare Group, regularly undertaking in covert and/or high-risk operations. Clad in a jet-black assault harness and wielding Plasma Rifles, Needlers and Energy Swords, Spec-Ops Officers were deployed alongside Spec-Ops Jackals in the final hours of the Battle for Installation 04, with orders to sterilize the Flood-infested Truth and Reconciliation and UNSC Pillar of Autumn before either ship could be used to escape the Halo ring and spread the Flood across the galaxy. |
| Specialists | ||
| Elite Ossoona |   |
An offshoot rank of the Covenant Special Operations, Ossoonas, known as Stealth Elites, are the foremost covert operatives within the Covenant Army. Wielding Plasma Rifles and Energy Swords, Stealth Elites wear a silver-grey assault harness which incorporates Active Camouflage technology, allowing them to easily set up ambushes or move across the battlefield unnoticed. However, this comes at a cost of the harness lacking energy shielding, meaning that Stealth Elites are regularly deployed in either pairs or squads. |
| Infantry | ||
| Elite Ultra | 
|
Elite Ultras are the highest-ranked standard infantry unit within the Covenant Military. Identified by their white combat harness, Elite Ultras are battle-hardened tacticians responsible for the direction of Covenant groundside campaigns. When deployed into battle, Elite Ultras will normally be accompanied by a platoon of lesser-ranked Elites, Brutes, Jackals, Skirmishers and/or Grunts, making use of Plasma Rifles and Particle Carbines alongside the Energy Sword as a backup weapon. Though their combat harnesses are very similar in design and colour, Elite Ultras are much lower in rank than Elite Special Operations Commanders. However, their helmets differ greatly and Ultras are far more numerous than the Spec-Ops Commanders. |
| Elite Major | 
|
Elite Majors are intermediately-ranked fighters within the Covenant Military. Having honed their agility, accuracy and tactical intuition from participating in multiple battles, a single Elite Major is more than capable enough of holding out against a squad of UNSC Marines, though they’re regularly seen leading squads of Elite Minors and/or other lesser species. Elite Majors are clad in a red combat harness and use Plasma Pistols, Plasma Rifles, Needlers and Focus Rifles. |
| Elite Minor | 
|
Elite Minors are the lowest and most common rank of Elite within the Covenant Military. Despite their weak energy shielding and relative inexperience with combat, Minors are still capable squad leaders and deadly combatants, typically accompanied by squads of Grunts, Jackals and/or Skirmishers or being led by other Elites of higher rank. They can be recognized by their blue combat harness and wield Plasma Pistols, Plasma Rifles, Needlers and Particle Carbines. |
Gameplay Information[]
General[]
The lower ranks are usually encountered leading squads of Grunts and Jackals and apart of Elite squads. Majors and Ultras can be seen leading Minors into battle. Stealth Elites are usually encountered in groups, it is uncommon to encounter one by itself. Honor Guards are usually in places of religious significance such as the map room in the Cartographer, the Control Room and the Library.
Strategy[]
In general, it is best to use plasma based weaponry to knock out their shields then go in for the kill. Unlike the Grunts, Elites can melee so it is recommended to keep a distance from them. However, with each increased rank, they have stronger shields and are likely to wield better weapons than just Plasma Rifles and Plasma Pistols. Stealth Elites, unlike their brothers, don't have energy shielding but are cloaked. However, they can be spotted by faint outlines and they usually attack in a squad. With Honor Guards, their shielding is immune to ballistic weaponry, like the Jackal Shields, and is recommended to take them out with plasma-based weaponry or explosives. Sword-wielding Elites, including Zealots, Plasma Rifle-wielding Ultras who have been stripped of their shields, Stealth Elites, Spec-Ops Elites and all Honor Guardsman ranks, are not to be underestimated; It is recommended to keep a good distance from them due to their Energy Swords killing with one swing, no matter the difficulty.
In Lumoria and Firefight, an Elite Imperial Admiral is fought in a boss-type encounter. Though cutscenes show him armed with an Energy Sword, he will never draw his blade during the fight, instead solely using the Unstable Round Carbine. He is the only Elite in SPV3 to be equipped with Active Camouflage and energy shields, but he can also teleport. Spotting him during the fight can be tricky, especially since he has an entourage of various Covenant species with him. Hitting him will make him visible, due to his shields reacting, and his cloak will wear off over time, though it can be reactivated shortly after. The projectiles from his weapon can also give away his position. Though he is a boss-type enemy, grenade sticks and headshots will still kill him instantly.
Thel 'Vadamee[]
In the spin off missions of the Installation 04 Campaign, The Commander and The Commander: Evolved, players control Thel 'Vadamee as a playable character. The missions are set during the Battle of Installation 04, before 'Vadamee becomes the Arbiter, while he is still a Zealot and a Supreme Fleet Commander. Unlike playable Elites in Halo 2 and Halo 3, he handles differently from a SPARTAN, having his own strengths and weaknesses.
Developer Information[]
TBA
Trivia[]
- Their design is a mix between Halo 2 and 3. Their bodies more based on Halo 2 while the helmets and higher ranks' shoulder pauldrons are more based on Halo 3. This is evident with ranks such as the Stealth Elites.
- The dialogue spoken by the Sangheili of Halo: SPV3 was made by reversing and slowing sound clips of Sergeant Johnson. "Wort! Wort! Wort!" is the reversed phrase, "Go! Go! Go!"
- In Halo: CE, the Elites were the first species encountered in the game: When an Elite Major storms into Cryo Bay 2 and kills Sam. In SPV3, it is a Brute Captain instead.
- In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Sangheili have three different types of helmet appearances. One is the classical shark-like helmet with the pointed cone at the peak of the helmet. The second is slightly different with a wide, crest-like and curved upper piece on the helmet. The third is known as in the game code as "Sangheili Special." Stealth Sangheili, the gold Zealots and the Special Operations Officers all have a helmet very, very similar in shape to the "shark-like" helmet but slightly different. However, in SPV3, all Elite ranks have unique helmets, except Zealots, Spec-Ops Commanders and Admirals who share the shark-like helmets. Usze 'Tahamee, an ally in The Commander and The Commander: Evolved, shares the same helmet as the Spec-Ops Elites.
- In SPV3.1, all Elites, except Stealth Elites and Spec-Ops Officers, shared the same helmet design.
- Despite being strict with warriors who can be trained with the Energy Sword, in-game, Elite Minors and Elite Majors are the only Elites who can't use them.
- Usze 'Tahamee, a Hero Unit in the 2 Commander missions, is a Special Operations Officer with a red assault harness as opposed to black, to match his appearance in Halo 3 co-op.
- The Elite Honor Guardsman Zealot is the only type of Elite Honor Guard encountered in Lumoria. It is also one of the very few enemy types not seen in Firefight. The Flood infected variant does appear however.
- Sangheili are about 7 feet tall, which may be another possible 7 reference.
- In SPV3.2, the rare Elite rank Special Operations Commander appeared as an enemy in the Lumoria campaign. Only one individual was encountered, near the final area in Fight For The Future, he was armed with an Energy Sword and a large shield gauntlet, reminiscent of an Elite seen in Halo CE's E3 2000 trailer. In SPV3.3, for unknown reasons, this particular enemy was removed, making Rtas 'Vadumee, who is featured as a Hero Unit in the 2 Commander missions, the only Spec-Ops Commander seen in SPV3.
Gallery[]
| v • d • e | Covenant species in SPV3 |
|---|---|
| Grunt • Jackal • Elite • Hunter • Brute • Skirmisher | |