- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Their color-coded ranks, from order of highest to lowest, are: (lowest ranks are at the bottom)
Elite CouncillorsCouncillors: Councillors are the political leaders of the Elites, and share power with the Prophets on the Covenant's High Council. Their ceremonial armor is quite distinct, a light blue or silver color with a tall crested helmet. Like Gold and Honor Guard Elites, the Councillors are extremely skilled fighters who favor Energy Swords. They also possess extra-strong energy shields, similar to those possessed by White "Ultra" Elites. They are primarily encountered in the last level of the Halo 2 game, as allies of the Arbiter. However, they make previous appearances in cinematics and as corpses, and are seen in the level The Great Journey (Level) as allies.
Honor Guard: The personal bodyguards of the Prophet Hierarchs, the Honor Guard wear distinct, ceremonial red armor, with glowing orange edges which are in some ways a bit similar to Japanese samurai armour. Honor Guard commanders wear the same glowing armor but with white background. An Honor Guard general is seen in High Charity, with an honor Guard helmet, Ultra armour, and orange spikes. They usually operate in teams of two, with one Honor Guard wielding an Energy Sword and another dual-wielding plasma rifles. However, in cinematics they are seen carrying double-pointed spears. They are thought to be selected at birth and to devote their lives to protecting the hierarchs. Known for quick reflexes and extreme skill with Energy Swords, although it is unknown whether they outrank a Zealot.
Gold - Zealot Commander/Supreme Commander: The Generals and Admirals of the Covenant army; commanders of battalions, ships, and fleets. Gold Elites are some of the toughest and most skilled Elites. In combat, they are constantly moving and seeking cover, making it difficult to maintain continuous fire on them. They also run faster than other Elites and the Master Chief, and fire in longer, more accurate bursts. Gold Elites are also equipped with overshields, allowing them to withstand considerably more damage than other Elites. Most Gold Elites fight with Energy Swords. Unlike other Elites, Gold Elites do not seem to throw any grenades, nor will they ever board a friendly vehicle. In Halo 2, the overshields on Gold Elites are gone, leaving them with only somewhat stronger than standard energy shields and their great combat skills to protect themselves in combat. However, they seem to have a somewhat higher constitution than the rest of the Elites. The current Arbiter in Halo 2 once held this rank before his defeat at Installation 04.
White - Ultra(or Spec ops leaders): These are the Covenant's colonels and captains, just below the golden-armored Zealots in rank. Several white Elite corpses were seen in Halo presumably killed in combat with the Flood, but they do not appear in battle until Halo 2. They command operations, unlike the Zealots who command entire fleets. Ultras commanded the anti-Heresy mission, the retrieval of the Icon, and the Scarab in the level "Metropolis". Like the Gold Elites, the Ultras are extremely skilled warriors. They also possess extra-strong energy shields that can withstand several times as much damage as those possessed by regular Elites, and they can take more physical damage as well. They often fight with heavy or dual-wielded weapons. Many also carry Energy Swords as their secondary weapon; when enemies get too close, Ultras let out a war cry, drop their currently wielded weapon, and pull the sword out for close combat. They are incredibly effective fighters, able to continue in sustained heavy combat long after most Elite warriors' shields would have been depleted. They are particularly effective in close quarters combat, where their stronger energy shields and Energy Sword allow them take down large numbers of enemies rapidly and easily survive. These Elites are unmatched in combat.
Black/Dark Purple/Brown - Special Ops: Covenant Special Forces that are extremely skilled fighters, sent in by the Covenant to accomplish the most dangerous and difficult of missions. Like Golds and Ultras, Black Elites are constantly on the move and never stand still or expose themselves to enemy fire. They also have superior accuracy, fire in longer bursts, and have slightly stronger shielding than regular Elites. They also do not "berserk" when seriously injured, unlike many other Elites. Most notably, Black Elites operate in squads and are extremely skilled and accurate grenade throwers. In Halo, they are the Covenant's elite shock troops, similar to the role played by the UNSC's Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or Helljumpers. They were assigned to eliminate all Flood on a damaged Covenant cruiser and repair it for immediate departure. They were present when the Master Chief boarded that damaged cruiser to find what was left of Captain Jacob Keyes. They were also present on the Pillar of Autumn just before the first Halo was destroyed by its reactors going critical. In Halo 2, the Arbiter's squad of Special Ops Elites is equipped with Active Camouflage, and use it when needed. In Halo 2, most Special Ops Elites have a dark purple armor, showing subtly that they are no ordinary Elites without drawing lots of attention a Gold, Ultra, or Red Elite would from enemies in combat. The Arbiter led a squad of dark purple Special Ops elites to crush the Guilty Spark Heresy, and they assist him in retreiving the Sacred Icon.
Light-Blue/Gray - Stealth: These Elites are equipped with Active camouflage, making them nearly invisible to the naked eye. The camouflage fluctuates slightly when these Elites fire their weapons or are shot, but they will not become fully visible until they are killed. The drawback of the Active Camouflage is that it disables the Elite's energy shields, making Stealth Elites vulnerable to damage. In Halo 2, however, Stealth Elites are now equipped with energy shields and wear steel gray armor. They are equal in rank to the SpecOps Elites, and often brandish Energy Swords, which they activate after sneaking up on an enemy. The Energy Swords, however, cannot be Active Camouflaged, and are easily seen.
Red - Major Elite: This veteran Elite soldier is the physical equal of a SPARTAN-II supersoldier. They are overall more agile, more accurate, and more aggressive than Blue Elites, and seldom make tactical errors in combat. A single Red Elite can hold his own against an entire squad of Marines. In Halo 2, they can often be seen dual-wielding, piloting Covenant vehicles, or carrying heavy weapons.
Sealed Blue/Jet pack - Ranger: Some Elites are issued jetpacks and flight suits to protect them from the vacuum of space or to aid them in battle. They dual-wield plasma rifles, signifying they are of relatively high rank. Their helmets completely encase their heads, protecting them from the vacuum of space. They are usually seen travelling in small groups of 2-3. They are curious, as they seem to be gifted with symbols of respected elite rank, but have the blue armour of the elite minor, the lowest of the elite forces. They can pose a good chalenge and are seen on Cairo Station, Delta Halo, Regret and Gravemind.
Blue - Minor Elite: The most common and least experienced Elite. Blues are still skilled warriors superior to any human Marine, but they are somewhat weaker than Red Elites or SPARTAN-IIs. Their energy shields are not quite as powerful, and they often make tactical errors such as standing in one place while firing, or rushing forward into enemy fire. They also fire in shorter bursts, and have somewhat less accuracy. Along with Red Elites, they often lead squads of Grunts into battle. They are constantly referred to as "Blue" Elites yet they are clearly purple on the PC version of the game.
note: all this info is plagerised off halopedia