The cruiser is a type of heavily armed and armored capital warship in both the UNSC and Covenant fleets, emphasizing weaponry and armor over starfighter complements.
Role
Even though both major fleets possessed warships of such classifications, the tactical philosophies of the two species were different. The Covenant, while possessing many cruiser classifications, used carriers as the powerhouses of their fleets. The UNSC, on the other hand, used cruisers as their heaviest warships.
However, it should be noted that Covenant cruisers dwarfed their UNSC counterparts and are much more powerful. For example, even the smallest Covenant cruisers contain powerful shields that are capable of withstanding several MAC rounds.[1] An example of this occurred during the Battle of Chi Ceti, during which Captain Wallace led a single UNSC frigate against an overwhelmingly large Covenant light cruiser.[2]
Sub-classifications
Furthermore, there are likely to be different subclassifications of cruisers: light cruisers, armored cruisers, heavy cruisers, battlecruisers, and super cruisers, in order of increasing tonnage and power.
Cruiser Classifications
Covenant Cruisers
- Covenant supercruiser - Exceeding 3,600 metres (12,000 ft)
- Reverence-class Cruiser - 3,000 metres (9,800 ft)
- CCS-class battlecruiser - 1,782 metres (5,850 ft)
- Covenant cruiser - 300-1,455 meters
- CRS-class light cruiser - 300 metres (980 ft)
- ORS-class heavy cruiser
- RCS-class armored cruiser
UNSC Cruisers
- Valiant-class super-heavy cruiser - 1,518 metres (4,980 ft)
- Autumn-class heavy cruiser - 1,425 metres (4,680 ft)
- Marathon-class heavy cruiser - 1,192 metres (3,910 ft)
- Halcyon-class light cruiser - 1,170 metres (3,800 ft)
List of Appearances