Halo TCG - Halo - The Covenant (9/22: Not your everyday pack of Jackals)

[DáinIronfoot]

That's right, Dorothy. We're not in Kansas anymore. Not even close....

Let's get our intro refresher out of the way first.

Halo TCG kicks off with this very set! Including cards inspired from various sources, chiefly the game Halo: Combat Evolved but also including bits and pieces from all three Halo novels: The Fall of Reach, The Flood (lots of material from here, since it covers the same events as the game), and First Strike. Four main cultures are included:

The UNSC is the main Free Peoples culture...the "good guys". Here you will find the greater bulk of your companions that will square off against the other cultures as they try to survive through all the sites. It's a daunting task, but with the Master Chief leading them, it's more than possible. MC is obviously your main companion, though other companions (like your faithful marines) are more than just the cannon fodder they were in the game. You'll more than likely need their help to get through everything the bad guys will be throwing at you. Your favorite weapons, vehicles, and even ships from the game will help you in this task, as well as a slew of conditions and events that can help you push on...not to mention Cortana.

The multi-race alien force known as the Covenant are your main foes. With all the tactics they can deploy, you're very unlikely to make it through the journey without encountering them at SOME point. These aliens can swarm you with weak minions like Grunts or beat you down with tougher opponents like the Elites and Hunters. They also have a virtual arsenal of weapons and ships and events and conditions to keep you hopping the whole journey. They've got a counter for almost anything you can throw at them, and they tend to go down harder than other minions. But they CAN be defeated.

The Flood are like most other adaptive, seize-control-of-their-fallen-foes races seen in sci-fi: they swarm like a disease and absorb anything they can, and what they can't absorb they simply destroy. They can be punishing, but typically can't take a lot of punishment back. Their strength is in numbers rather than individuals, quite unlike typical Covenant tactics. They have many ways to easily get those numbers, and then simply beat you down.

Sentinels are a different sort of culture. They aren't really anyone else's friend, but will work with anyone who will help them in their fight to contain the Flood. (Ironically, Sentinel minions can fight you alongside the Flood, but that's the gameplay's fault, not mine. ) As such, they have decent-strength minions that can either swarm or take you on in small groups, but also have some companions that will fight alongside your humans. Backing either side up is the Monitor, 343 Guilty Spark, who with a rather unique bag of condition, event, and artifact tricks can turn the tide of battle in unexpected and unusual ways.

All of this rolled up makes for what could be one heck of a card game, and this, as I said, is the first set in that game. Several expansions will follow, but here's where it all begins. Enjoy!

For those unfamiliar with the Covenant, here are some brief snippets from their entry in the official Halo wiki.

The Covenant was formed by two alien species, the Elites and the Prophets, the Prophets being the leaders. The name "Covenant" was taken from the binding pact that forged the peace between the Elites and the Prophets. Their war which had devastated their respective races for years, was fought over the few remaining Forerunners artifacts on their home worlds, with the Elites wishing to preserve them, and the Prophets wishing to use the artifacts to explore the galaxy. The Elites held a distinct strategic upper hand, as their fighter society was ready for a war, but the Prophets had one massive advantage; an immensely powerful Forerunner construct known as the Dreadnought. After the Prophets decided to use the Forerunner Dreadnought against the Elites, the Prophets destroyed the Sangheili forces, while the wise and prudent Elite Commanders, realizing their peril, laid their arms aside and likewise cast their hatred away from the war. When the Prophets found evidence of the Forerunners and their "Great Journey", hoping to create a peace between them, told the Elites of their discovery and promised to find the means of the Forerunners' transcendence. The Prophets would share this knowledge with the Elites who in turn would protect the Prophets from harm as they searched for transcendent Forerunner artifacts to activate all the Halo Installations. These ideas would be put into the Covenant's founding document, the Writ of Union.

At first, the Covenant were only a loose non-aggression pact of two races held together by a common need to avoid mutually assured destruction; but, as their society advanced, so did their technology, culture, and religion. By the time of the Halo games, the Covenant control a large part of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. Their society had evolved into a complicated caste system, with the Prophets governing the Covenant, and the Elites left in charge of the military. The Covenant was a theocracy, based on prophecies about the Sacred rings and The Great Journey. The primary belief of the Covenant was that the Halos will allow them passage into the "Divine Beyond", where they might join the Forerunners as gods, those who did not believe in the Great Journey would be left behind to die by the power of the halo rings.

Covenant society is based around a caste system of the species below. Many of the alien species conquered by the Covenant are conscripted into, or gradually become part of the alliance.

The Covenant has been harrassing humanity since their first contact in the year 2525, where their first message to humanity pretty much summed up their stance toward the "inferior" race: "Your destruction is the will of the gods...and we are their instruments." The Covenant on the whole viewed humans as filthy corruptors of the gifts left behind by the Forerunners and obstacles to be wiped away in their quest for the Great Journey. The Prophets secretly knew that humans were, in some way, descendants of the Forerunners and thus concocted stories to keep the rest of the Covenant races under them from knowing the full truth and bent on humanity's destruction.

While at least certain Covenant races later questioned these beliefs in the decades that followed, all Covenant races, at the time of Halo: Combat Evolved, are unwavering opponents of the UNSC, bent on their complete annihilation.

Today we introduce this hodgepodge of races with a peek at each of the main races of The Covenant (excluding the Prophets and a couple others we'll get to in later sets). Enjoy!

Grunt Foot Solider [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 2
This minion is strength +1 for each other [Covenant] minion you can spot (limit +3).
"‘Can't...run...with...thing...on...back!'"

Grunts are the workhorses of the Covenant, as the name implies. They breathe a methane mixture and thus must wear a large tank on their backs full of the methane to live. Despite their obvious cowardice and ineptitude, they are dangerous in large numbers. Their discipline is dependent upon strong leadership and strength of numbers; however leaderless, they will significantly present less resistance, often cowering. Unggoy have a considerable amount of physical strength, enabling them to wield large weapons in the Covenant arsenal. They had learned many human languages from intercepting transmissions between human vessels. They are called Unggoy in the Covenant language.

Grunts in Halo TCG will typically have stats similiar to this guy: around 6 strength, 2 or 3 vitality, and pretty basic text. The little guy above could actually turn out to be one of their strongest specimens, and would likely be a staple swarmer throughout all the sets. Obviously the best comparison for Grunts in LOTR TCG is goblins; they're easily picked off by themselves, but can quickly grow to large numbers and swarm the heck out of you.

Blue Elite [Covenant]
Minion • Elite
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Fierce.
When you play this minion, you may remove (or if you can spot another Elite) to add a threat.
"‘Wort, wort, wort!'"

Elites serve as the military leaders for the Covenant. While Prophets often have the last say, it is the Elites who organize military campaigns and naval engagements. Ship Masters command ships, Fleet Masters command mighty Fleets, and Field Masters command the vast armies. Elites maintain the military structure of the Covenant and ensure the Prophets' orders, as well as their own, are carried out. They also have a diverse rank structure which is based of how many kills a Elite can get. They are called Sangheili in the Covenant language.

The Covenant's primary warrior race, Elites are NEVER to be trifled with. The stats above reflect Elites at their weakest: it wouldn't be uncommon to encounter ones with 9+ strength and 3 or 4 vitality, making them roughly comparable to LOTR TCG's Uruk-hai. Unlike Uruks, however, Elites typically lack damage bonuses, but are instead usually fierce. They also work well around threats, which is why this basic guy has an easy mechanism for adding them.

Jackal Stalker [Covenant]
Minion • Jackal
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Fierce.
Response: If a [Covenant] minion is about to take a wound, remove or exert this minion twice to prevent that.

Due to their superior senses, Jackals are the scouts and marksmen of the Covenant military. They are about 5'8" tall and due to their lack of physical durability, they carry a portable energy shield generator during combat. Their appearance is bird-like, earning them the nickname "Tree Turkeys". Jackals are employed mainly as sharpshooters with their excellent vision and dexterity. They are called Kig-yar in Covenant language.

Jackals are very distinctive with their bird-like appearance (and movements) and bright glowing shields, both of which they use to dodge and deflect enemy shots and make up for their frail, lightly armed bodies. They are very annoying to try and kill without the proper weaponry or by sneaking up on them from behind, so nearly all jackals (at least until we get to Jackal snipers in future sets) have some sort of wound-prevention text like the minion above. They're not particularly powerful, though, with stats falling somewhere between Grunts and Elites.

Hunter Warrior [Covenant]
Minion • Hunter
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Site: 6
Damage +1. Enduring 1. Toil 1.
Each time the company moves, wound this minion twice if you cannot spot another Hunter.
While this minion has less than 3 vitality, it is fierce.

Hunters are an assemblage of worm-like entities called Lekgolo that create a communal, armor-plated form. They work hard in their role as Covenant muscle, and never disobey orders. Hunters are dismissive and contemptuous of their foes, and in fact, they will only associate with Elites, recognizing and respecting the similar warrior thoughts. Hunters always fight in pairs and are deployed almost like heavy equipment of the Covenant fighting units. The bonded pairs, more commonly known as bond brothers are actually a colony of worms (called Lekgolo worms) that has grown too large for a single piece of armor. Due to their 12 foot height, extremely strong armor and strength, and their arm mounted Assault Cannon, other Covenant will often clear the area of deployment, since Hunters are unconcerned with collateral damage, they may even purposely kill the lesser castes simply for getting in their way. They are called Mgalekgolo in the Covenant language.

Hunters are like living tanks, with massive arm cannons that can take you down in just a shot or two and armor that is only vulnerable at certain weak spots. They are absolutely terrifying the first time you enounter them in Halo: Combat Evolved and don't get much less intimidating after that.

This leads to what you'd expect: very powerful minions with several of the more punishing keywords...but minions that are also very pricey. In terms of LOTR TCG comparisions, they obviously play very similiarly to Trolls.

And that's it for now. New races appear in later books and games, and a couple races that exist at the time of Halo CE have yet to appear (Prophets, Engineers), but the four races above are your main Covenant foes throughout the first game...and this first Halo TCG set.

[MR. Lurtzy]

The grunt, jackal, and hunter are good.

The elite however, seems a bit weak. Strength 8 or 9 could be better, although I understand that he is only a blue elite.

[DáinIronfoot]

Yes, the Blue Elite is a very, very weak example of his race, both in the game and this DC set. Nearly all others have 8+ strength, and many have 3+ vitality. For the Blue guy, I was trying to design a cheap one that balanced out with the threat-adding ability, but could still be useful enough after that. 7 strength is still enough to best most unarmed marines and such, so I figured it was a good enough balance.

[sickofpalantirs]

Grunt Foot Solider [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 2
This minion is strength +1 for each other [Covenant] minion you can spot (limit +3).
"‘Can't...run...with...thing...on...back!'"
works

Blue Elite [Covenant]
Minion • Elite
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Fierce.
When you play this minion, you may remove to add a threat.
"‘Wort, wort, wort!'"
add a threat, or 2 threats if you can spot a...grunt major or something?

Jackal Stalker [Covenant]
Minion • Jackal
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Fierce.
Response: If a [Covenant] minion is about to take a wound, remove or exert this minion twice to prevent that.
fine

Hunter Warrior [Covenant]
Minion • Hunter
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Site: 6
Damage +1. Enduring 1. Toil 1.
Each time the company moves, wound this minion twice if you cannot spot another Hunter.
While this minion has less than 3 vitality, it is fierce.

humm...I would cut the toil...and instead add IDK...its probably fine.

[Elf_Lvr]

I'd reduce the cost on the Blue Elite to removing for the threat, but maybe add some sort of spotting requirement to limit splashability.

[AgentDrake]

Dittos on el's comment, and I think leave the toil on the Hunter. Gives the flavor that they beat up their own allies, if they're in the way. The card beats up its own allies for convenience as well via toil.

I assume enduring 1 means it's only +1 for each wound, not +2?

[lem0nhead]

Grunt Foot Solider [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 2
This minion is strength +1 for each other [Covenant] minion you can spot (limit +3).
"‘Can't...run...with...thing...on...back!'"

Sound but id feel better if the bonus came not from all covenant minions but from just sanghelli as unggoy are prone to fleeing and lack of courage unless they have the superior elites to force them into battle.

Blue Elite [Covenant]
Minion • Elite
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 4
Fierce.
When you play this minion, you may remove (or if you can spot another Elite) to add a threat.
"‘Wort, wort, wort!'"

Sound no complaints.

Jackal Stalker [Covenant]
Minion • Jackal
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Fierce.
Response: If a [Covenant] minion is about to take a wound, remove or exert this minion twice to prevent that.

Kig yar are primarily snipers, hiding behind handheld shields and using ranged combat. They are weak in a fight and so id feel much better if they werent fierce as its bad flavour and instead give them sniper or damage +1 as befitting a non melee/combat creature who fights from range.

Hunter Warrior [Covenant]
Minion • Hunter
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Site: 6
Damage +1. Enduring 1. Toil 1.
Each time the company moves, wound this minion twice if you cannot spot another Hunter.
While this minion has less than 3 vitality, it is fierce.

Cool i like the "lack of mate" tie in. I'd add a cool response in for more flavour though: "Response: If another hunter is killed, remove 2 to make this minion damage +1 until the regroup" or something similar. As when a hunters partner is killed it sends it bloodthirsty and enraged.

[DáinIronfoot]

Jackal Stalker [Covenant]
Minion • Jackal
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Fierce.
Response: If a [Covenant] minion is about to take a wound, remove or exert this minion twice to prevent that.

Kig yar are primarily snipers, hiding behind handheld shields and using ranged combat. They are weak in a fight and so id feel much better if they werent fierce as its bad flavour and instead give them sniper or damage +1 as befitting a non melee/combat creature who fights from range.

I can understand that, but I opted to go for fierce rather than damage because, at least until they become true snipers in Halo 2, Jackals are very annoying and battles with them can last a long time (which says "fierce" to me), but their actual attack doesn't do much damage. Their attacks can last a while because they can take a long time to kill, yes, but I think damage-gifted Jackals makes less sense than fierce ones.

Once we get to the true Jackal snipers, however, there may be an about-face on those two keywords, though.

Hunter Warrior [Covenant]
Minion • Hunter
Strength: 12
Vitality: 4
Site: 6
Damage +1. Enduring 1. Toil 1.
Each time the company moves, wound this minion twice if you cannot spot another Hunter.
While this minion has less than 3 vitality, it is fierce.

Cool i like the "lack of mate" tie in. I'd add a cool response in for more flavour though: "Response: If another hunter is killed, remove 2 to make this minion damage +1 until the regroup" or something similar. As when a hunters partner is killed it sends it bloodthirsty and enraged.

Remember, this is just the most basic of Hunters. There will be others with quite different text, including at least one I can think of that does something very similiar to your suggestion. We'll get there, don't worry.

For now, let's work through these races in order. That means we start with the cute little guys...Grunts. I LOVE these guys in the games, with their playfully sinister dialogue and their panicked cries as they flee from battle once it gets too rough. They're just so FUN to hunt down.

Again, these guys are little and pretty weak alone, but dangerous in large numbers. They're excellent swarmers for Halo TCG players that would be so inclined.

Grunt Recruit [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 5
Vitality: 1
Site: 2
To play, spot a [Covenant] minion.
"‘Good thing that food nipple's waiting back on the starship, ‘cuz man, have I worked up a big, grunty thirst!'"

Grunt Major [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 6
Vitality: 1
Site: 2
Star: Silver
Each time a Grunt wins a skirmish, you may make a Grunt strength +1 until the regroup phase.
"‘I smell one!'"

Grunt Sneak [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 4
Vitality: 1
Site: 3
This minion is strength +1 for each other [Covenant] minion you can spot (limit +3).
You may play this minion any time you could play a skirmish event.
When you play this minion during a skirmish, you may spot another [Covenant] minion to exert a companion.
"‘Little people first!'"

[lem0nhead]

First one is fine, second seems a bit good for non unique though could make an interesting tactic, i do like him. The last one seems excessively good. You just keep him until skirmish and hes a one cost probably 7 strength minion that exerts the Hero for 1. Either rare and unique him or tone him down.

[DáinIronfoot]

Yes, but keep in mind that if you play Grunt Sneak during the skirmish phase, and thus get the exertion out of him, it's too late to assign him to a skirmish. So you have to choose either his strength or the free exertion.

That all being said, do you think I should give him a spotting requirement?

[AgentDrake]

Yeah, he definitely needs spotting requirement. Otherwise, he's basically a cost exert-a-companion-free event with no cultural enforcement at all, plus a free minion on a double-move (or if he somehow becomes fierce.)

Other two look good.

[sickofpalantirs]

yeah give him a spotting requirement...they need their plasma pistols and grenades...

[MR. Lurtzy]

Agreed with above posts.

[lem0nhead]

Yes, but keep in mind that if you play Grunt Sneak during the skirmish phase, and thus get the exertion out of him, it's too late to assign him to a skirmish. So you have to choose either his strength or the free exertion.

That all being said, do you think I should give him a spotting requirement?

O carp good point! Fair enough then, but id lower the spotting requirement to one other dude unless you have your reasons.


Question, how are you deciding site numbers?

[DáinIronfoot]

Question, how are you deciding site numbers?

Very roughly by approximately when you encounter them in the games. Grunts are your first foes, thus they get a low site number. Same with Jackals. Next are Elites, then Hunters. Other cultures will be similiar.

Now, some more Grunts. You'll find these guys a bit fiercer than the little guys we saw yesterday....

Grunt Clansman [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 3
Response: If a Grunt is killed, you may exert this minion twice to play a Grunt; that Grunt is fierce until the regroup phase.
"‘It'll take more than that, tin man!'"

•Grunt Elder [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 5
Vitality: 2
Site: 3
While you can spot 4 Grunts, each Grunt is fierce.
Grunt Elder is strength +1 for each other Grunt you can spot.
"‘Wake up! He's here!'"

•Black Ops Grunt [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 7
Vitality: 2
Site: 3
SpecOps. Fierce.
Each Grunt bearing a ranged weapon is strength +1.
"‘We are the champions!'"

SpecOps, by the way, is an unbound keyword much like marine and Spartan II. It will be referenced specifically by other cards, but doesn't carry any particular significance otherwise.

And while we're on SpecOps and Grunts....

•Yayap, Amateur Assassin [Covenant]
Minion • Grunt
Strength: 6
Vitality: 3
Site: 4
SpecOps. Fierce. Ambush . To play, spot a [Covenant] minion.
At the start of each maneuver phase, you may exert Yayap and another [Covenant] minion to take a [Covenant] event into hand from your draw deck.
Assignment: Exert Yayap to assign a Grunt to a companion (except the Hero) with higher strength.
"‘As you know, simple plans are often best, which is why there is a good chance this one will work.'"

Anyone who has read Halo: The Flood will remember Yayap. I decided to make him the mac daddy of Grunts. :hey:

And yes, we will get to his superior Zuka 'Zamamee soon enough.

Oh, and just FYI: ambush will appear on many of the stealthier [Covenant] minions...like SpecOps ones.