The Covenant CPV-class Destroyer, an alien light spacecraft that devastated UNSC ships.
vs.
The Guard Ship Amaterasu, the warship of the planetary nation of Kibi that resisted the occupation of its homeworld.
Which is the DEADLIEST WAR MACHINE!?
Combatants[]
The Covenant CPV-class Destroyer
Covenant CPV-class Destroyer[]
A heavily armed Covenant light capital ship armed with an energy projector and multiple plasma turrets and pulse lasers and defended by energy shields, the CPV is capable challenging larger UNSC ships, such as the cruiser-carrier UNSC Spirit of Fire.
Guard Ship Amaterasu[]
The Guard Ship Amaterasu
A heavily armed vessel equipped with 4600mm plasma cannon and various secondary armaments, the Amaterasu was on her maiden voyage, a training flight crewed mostly by naval academy cadets, when her native planet of Kibi was attacked and quickly subjugated by the Henrietta System Alliance. Ignoring orders to surrender, the Amaterasu waged a one-ship war against the Alliance, funded by a TV channel in return for exclusive access to footage of their exploits.
Armaments[]
Long-Range[]
Energy Projector (Covenant Destroyer)[]
A powerful particle beam weapon capable of engaging targets at ranges of over 100,000 kilometers, the Energy projector can burn through the armor of even the largest UNSC ships and disable the energy shields of a Covenant frigate or destroyer in one shot. The weapon is also capable of bombarding planetary targets, melting the surface until it is reduced to glass.
4600mm Plasma Cannon (Amaterasu)[]
A massive Plasma weapon capable of destroying most vessels that oppose the Amaterasu in one shot. The exact range is not mentioned in the anime, it appears to be considerable.
Edge[]
Energy Projector for its greater destructive power and longer range.
Medium Range[]
Plasma Torpedo (Covenant Destroyer)[]
A ball of superheated plasma guided using a magnetic field, plasma torpedoes are capable of doing severe damage to enemy vessels, melting through titanium armor with ease. However, to fire the torpedo, the vessel drop a section of its shielding.
"Revolver" LASER cannon (Amaterasu)[]
An unusual laser weapon with a five chambered revolver system presumably holding some sort of batteries, the weapon is capable of severely damaging an enemy vessel with one-to-two shots, however, the weapon cannot be reloaded in the heat of battle. As a LASER weapon, its shots travel at light speed, making them impossible to avoid.
Edge[]
Both weapons have their weaknesses, however, the limited ammunition of the "Revolver" means my edge goes to the Plasma Torpedo.
Tertiary Weapons[]
Pulse LASER (Covenant Destroyer)[]
A LASER weapon capable of shooting down incoming missiles and fighter spacecraft, or piercing titanium armor of unshielded capital ships.
Missiles/Torpedoes (Amaterasu)[]
A compliment of missiles (sometimes referred to as torpedoes), these weapons are fired en masse at enemy ships. Never used offensively in the anime, only to illuminate an enemy stealth ship with the flash from the explosions.
Edge[]
Pulse LASER for its anti-missile capabilities, and because the Halo series has shown that non-nuclear missiles are only effective against Covenant craft once the shields are down.
Special Weapons[]
Seraph Fighter Compliment (Covenant Destroyer)[]
The Covenant Destroyer carries a compliment of Seraph Figher spacecraft, capable of engaging enemy fighters or attacking enemy ships with plasma charges and pulse lasers.
Self-Destruct (Amaterasu)[]
A weapon of last ditch, the Amaterasu is capable of overloading its reactors and creating a nuclear explosion. In the final battle of the anime, the Amaterasu self-destructed as all of the crew (except for one) escaped in an escape pod)
Edge[]
Seraph Fighters, because of the Self-Destruct destroys the ship in a process, however, it is still of note that the self-destruct may be able to turn a defeat into a draw.
X-Factors[]
Energy Shields (Covenant Destroyer)[]
The Destroyer is equipped with an energy shield that can absorb damage up the equivalent of an energy projector hit.
Sinon Kozuki and Maneuverability (Amaterasu)[]
The Amaterasu has among it's crew Sinon Kozuki, an quiet, reserved, tactical genius capable of coming up with clever battle strategies the allow the Amaterasu of come out on top of superior enemies.
The Amaterasu is also much smaller than the Covenant Destroyer, allowing it to outmanuever the larger Covenant ship and making it a smaller target.
Edge[]
Amaterasu for its superior tactics courtesy of Sinon Kouzuki and its greater maneuverability.
Can the Amaterasu's X-factors save Kibi from a deadly alien enemy and their superior armaments, or will Kibi burn until its surface is but glass? Find out on Tuesday, August 23rd.
Battle[]
Deep space, edge of human-explored space
The Amaterasu came out of warp, ending up in the middle of nowhere, lightyears from any inhabited planet, having escaped a battle with the Henrietta System Alliance. Sinon Kozuki looked at the RADAR screen, spotting a lone contact.
"Sir", Sinon said to Amaterasu captain Cisca Kanzaki, "We have contact with an unknown vessel, 12 o'clock".
"I see it", Miyuri Akisato, operator of the ship's radio telescope said, "It doesn't look like a known alliance vessel."
"Hisaka", Kanzaki said, "Try and contact the vessel".
Comms officer Alley Hisaka spoke into the Amaterasu's comm's system: "Unknown vessel, this the Guard Ship Amaterasu, Identify yourselves..."
In the background reporter Dita Markov spoke into a microphone, "The Amaterasu has attempted to make contact with the unknown vessel".
"We're getting a reply from the unknown vessel", Hisaka replied.
The video screen flashed on, revealing the face of a reptilian, four-mandibled alien, though the crew of the Amaterasu didn't know it, a Sangheili, or Covenant Elite, this one by the name of Kyro 'Watramee, shipmaster of a Covenant CPV-class destroyer.
"Your destruction is the will of the gods", Kyro said, "And I am their instrument"
Kyro turned off the screen and gave the order to fire the plasma torpedoes.
Back on the Amaterasu, alarms blared as Kanzaki gave the order, "All personnel, man your battlestations, we are under attack. Fire control, prepare weapons to return fire, Conning, evasive maneuvers."
"Roger", the ship's gunner, Takai Kiryu replied, "Preparing to charge main plasma cannon"
"Making evasive maneuvers now", helmsman Shinto Mikami replied.
The Amaterasu maneuvered out of the way of the incoming plasma torpedoes, the projectiles losing their lock and moving around the Amaterasu.
Takai Kiryu responed to the Covenant attack, firing a barrage of missiles at the Covenant ship. Most of the missiles impacted the shield of the alien ship, causing no damage, but some of the missiles went through a gap in the shield opened for a couple of charging plasma torpedoes, knocking out two of the plasma torpedo launchers.
"There", Sinon said, noticing this, "There seems to be a gap in the shields when the weapons are firing! Hit them while they are charging their weapons."
"Hear you loud and clear Kozuki", Takai said, as several pulse lasers hit the Amaterasu, causing only minor damage.
Takai fired the main 4600mm plasma cannon. The destructive blast of plasma impacted the side of the Covenant ship in a flash of fire, blowing away one of the rear wing-like sections of the destroyer.
"Shipmaster", an elite in the bridge said, "By the prophets! The humans have some kind of plasma weapon, they taken out part of the rear craft and destroyed half our plasma torpedo tubes."
Seconds later, the Covenant destroyer was rocked by more explosions. "We've been hit by a pulse laser weapon", the Elite explained.
Back on the Amaterasu, the crew aboard the fire control station cheered as they hit the unknown vessel first with the plasma cannon and then the "Revolver" laser turret.
Five Covenant Seraph fighters flew at the Amaterasu, firing their pulse lasers and plasma launchers, taking out several missile pods. The Amaterasu retaliated with a barrage of her own missiles, blowing away the alien fighters. The crew of the Kibi Guard Ship cheered at their recent success.
Back on the Covenant Destroyer, Shipmaster Kyro 'Watramee was furious, "Throw everything we have at them, prepare to fire the energy projector! Destroy this abomination once and for all!", Kyro yelled.
The Covenant Destroyer turned to the Guard Ship and fired a particle beam from the bow which burned through the Amaterasu's rear section, section, blowing away the conning bridge and engines.
Alarms flashed and lights went out, leaving only emergency lighting. The artificial gravity cut out as the Amaterasu went to emergency power.
"Captian", Sinon said, "they've taken out conning", before softly saying, "Renna, Akiho, Shinto, Rio...", Sinon spoke the names of the comrades she'd never see again.
"Evacuate the vessel!", Kanzaki said. Seconds later the Amaterasu was rocked by explosions from multiple plasma torpedoes and pulse lasers, disabling the armaments and destroying all of the life pods.
"They've taken out the life pods", Hisaka reported.
"I guess..." Sinon said softly... "This is it".
As the message was reported through the ship, the crew of the Amaterasu panicked, grabbing onto friends, praying, or breaking down into tears. Proving once again that they were truly mere naval cadets, rather than a professional crew.
Aboard the fire control station. Assistant gunner Sanri Wakana got up from her seat and floated to towards gunner Takai Kiryu.
"Takai", she said, teary-eyed, "I have... always... liked you... for two...years now.. and now... I... we..."
Sanri embraced Takai, who returned her embrace. Takai felt Sanri's lips slowly come into contact with his own, felt her tears run onto his cheek. Takai did not have time to contemplate whether he actually had feelings for Wakana, or just did this our of pity. In a flash of fire, the Amaterasu, Sanri, Takai, and everyone else on board were reduced to field of glowing debris.
Back aboard the Covenant ships, one of the Elites on the bridge said, "Sensors indicate the human vessel has been destroyed".
"Excellent", Kyro said, "Prepare the slipspace drive, Let us return to base and report our victory to the Prophets".
WINNER: COVENANT CPV DESTROYER
Author's Analysis[]
Sorry if you were turned off by the melodrama at the end.. or did make you feel guilty about letting the Covies kill off the cast of an esoteric space opera anime (I did get a little carried away with the characterization)?! The Covenant had an overwhelming advantage with their firepower and energy shields, as well as their professional crew, vs the rebel naval cadets of the Amaterasu. In hindsight, I think I picked too tough an opponent for the Amaterasu (Perhaps a Covenant Corvette).