Halberd-class destroyer

UNSC Halberd-class destroyer Cost: 550 | 60 | 35 Build Time: 13 seconds. Uses: 9 supply.   Hull: 2200 Armor: 5   MAC Damage: 17 MAC Cooldown:   MAC Damage: 11 MAC Cooldown:   Missile Damage: 11 Missile Cooldown:   AA Autocannon Damage: 15 AA Autocannon Cooldown:     Mark 45 Sensors Superconductors   Frontline Slugger - With its distinctive arrowhead profile and inventory of heavy arms and armor plating, the Halberd-class provides the UNSC with a fast and effective offensive ship able to punch surprisingly high above its weight.

 

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Getting ready to kill! A Halberd captain leading the charge

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The Halberd-class destroyer is a heavy escort ship in service to the United Nations Space Command.

It excels in direct combat and fleet support.

Overview

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The newest destroyer variant currently being rushed off the assembly line to combat the Covenant threat. The ship's state-of-the-art equipment and dozens of weapon systems ensure it can rise to meet any challenge. The Halberd's shipyard description

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History

Introduced to replace the aging Gorgon-class destroyer, the 485-meter-long Halberd came standard with dual Magnetic Accelerator Cannons, a tradition all later destroyer classes would continue to follow. Although only slightly bigger than the Charon-class light frigate, the Halberd-class destroyer has almost double the mass. This is due to both its dual MACs, oversized missile pods, and increased armor. These are some of the fastest, nimblest ships fielded by the UNSC and are designed almost exclusively for ship-to-ship combat.

Halberd-class Destroyers have accomplished some surprising feats during the war. The-then-Commander Keyes and his Halberd-class UNSC Iroquois took on a Covenant carrier, two frigates, and a CPV-class heavy destroyer over Sigma Octanus by itself. All four ships outsized and outgunned the lone UNSC ship, but they did not have Keyes. Utilizing conventional and nuclear weapons, difficult maneuvers and a "Crazy Ivan" tactic later known as the "Keyes Loop," Iroquois destroyed the frigates and destroyer while the carrier fled, returning later with a larger fleet.

Later on, during the main battle of Sigma Octanus, Keyes spotted and fired missiles at a DAV-class stealth corvette, but the guidance systems for the missiles were foiled by enemy countermeasures. Keyes' response was simple: he rammed the ship and destroyed it. The UNSC Iroquois survived Sigma Octanus and was fully refitted and repaired at Reach.

Weapons and Tactical Usage

The Halberd-class is equipped with twin MACs. This gives it high alpha strike power, only outclassed by capital ships when it comes to the UNSC while having decent archer missiles to boot. While better than the Paris-class, it is more expensive to field and takes longer to build. En-mass,however, their double MAC can make even Covenant opponents think twice about engaging and it can take a few hits to the chin. This arguably should be the most produced ship, second only to the Paris-class. It can take, among others, the following upgrades:

• Mark 45 Sensors: More recently built Halberds are constructed with these advanced Mark 45 sensor arrays. These sensors are optimized for long range weapons fire, and include several proprietary fire control modules that let the Halberd strike from a greater distance than almost any other UNSC warship.
  • Improves the ship's weapons range.

• Superconductors: Halberds are constructed with superconducting heat sinks that allow its MAC to fire faster and faster the longer the fight goes on, ensuring the little destroyer remains dangerous even in drawn-out slugfests.
  • Increases the ship's fire rate.

However, due to their higher cost and longer build time, These should not be built in emergency situations to reinforce fleets, and are not recommended to be built in a defensive situation where massed ships are suddenly needed.

Canon Reference

• Halberd is the canon title that has replaced the non-canon class title "Thanatos". Officially its concept was only ever been referred to as 'Destroyer' beforehand, however this would not suffice in the modification as there are likely several variants in the Halo universe, including the aging Gorgon-class destroyer. "Thanatos" was used to distinguish this ship before "Halberd" was mentioned in a Canon Fodder blog.

Trivia

The Halberd currently shares voice lines with the Hillsborough-class light destroyer; her captain has a distinctly Slavic accent and speaks in slightly broken English.

Credits

Version 1 (retired)

• Model - Annihilater102
• Texture - Annihilater102

Version 2 (current)

• Model - Malcontent1692
• Texture - Malcontent1692

Gallery

Render of the old model.

The Halberd alongside the Paris-, Charon-, and Strident-class vessels.

External links

• Halberd-class - Halopedia