- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
If this were a war just between them, without the humans, flood, or Halo's interfering, I'd say the nod goes to the Prophets.
Why? One, they have the resources. The excised species are/would be cut off from any materials, unless they capture them. Remember, this Civil War would extend throughout the entire empire, not just High Charity and the surrounding ships.
Two, moral. Quite a lot of the excised individuals will feel that they deserved what they get, and they being removed from the Covenant as a punishment from the gods. That right their is a big hit to the forces under the Elites.
However, in the actual game, it could turn out quite differently. High Charity, the Covenant capital, is dead in space, the government of the Covenant is in chaos from the executions of the Elite higher-ups, and Truth is on a mission to Earth. It's anyone's ballgame.