T-28 TC/Primary Troop Carrier
The ability to effectively invade an opposing force’s occupied territory is fundamental to the success of the Covenant military’s modus operandi. For such purposes, they have a wide variety of troop deployment options available: gravity-manipulated lifts from capital ships, teleportation spires for large-scale, surgical infiltrations, and specialized drop pods for Elite combatants are some of the more exotic—but such methods are not always the most practical for the duration of a protracted military campaign.
Enter primary troop carriers, of which the Covenant have two predominant versions: the T-52 Phantom and the T-28 Spirit. Heavily-armored and capable of carrying up to thirty passengers, the Spirit is one of the most common Covenant vessels seen in combat. Though it lacks the local gravity lift of the Phantom, its armored carapace has historically provided better protection for its troops—they are never exposed prior to deployment.
Below its aft armature, where the pilot’s cabin is situated, is a heavy plasma cannon which can offer extensive suppressive fire when the ship is engaged in a deployment action. And similar to the Phantom, the Spirit can deploy vehicles into combat—either two smaller craft or a single, heavy one.
Despite the size and unique shape of the Spirit, the Covenant have used it well over the course of the war—its deft maneuverability and fortification make it a critical asset to the Covenant’s war machine and a powerful force against the UNSC resistance.
