Energy shielding

Energy shields are an important piece of technology in The Halo Universe that protect the users from harm if only for a short time.

Summary
Shields, which are generated by MJOLNIR armor or the Elite's armor, provide the user with an extra layer of armor protecting him against small arms fire. The shields however will collapse after taking multiple shots. It will protect the user's Health from damage until it is depleted, and it will regenerate after a while, provided that the user is not injured during this time. Be forewarned, although the shield protects your health, it doesn't render you invincible. Pay attention to your shield meter, and if it is depleted, seek cover until it regenerates. Also, it will not protect you from everything, and rockets, grenades, sniper bullets, and some other weapons such as the needler may shred right through it. It also seems that the shielding is more vulnerable to plasma-based weaponry (e.g. the Covenant Plasma Pistol, especially overcharged) than to ballistic weaponry (e.g. the UNSC Assault Rifle).

In Halo 1 it is shown at the top-right corner of the screen, in Halo 2 it is in the bottom-left, and in Halo 3 the top-center. They have been changed since Halo: CE by making it charge faster and more resistant.

Human Shielding


The MJOLNIR uses a reversed engineered Jackal Personal Arm Shield that has been modified into a full body shield, much like a Covenant Elite's. Unlike the

Covenant Elite Personal Energy Shield, the human shield takes damage it glows gold. The Covenant ones glow blue. The color difference is speculated to be because of the two technologies being different.

In Halo 2, your shields can be stripped in seconds if you're not careful. On Legendary, a single melee strike from an Elite can end your life, whereas it takes five melee strikes with the SMG to take down an Elite's shield. Also some high-ranking Elites' shields can withstand a plasma grenade detonation, even when stuck.

In Halo 3 humans are rumored to be able to produce their own sheilds. The Bubble Shield is known to be ONI tech.

Covenant Shielding
Unlike the humans, the Covenant have a very extensive knowledge of shielding equipment and it's uses. Examples of this excellent understanding are every where. Elites, Jackals, Stationary Shield Generators, Portable Shield Generator, and Ship Shields are just some of the basic examples. The greatest example of the Covenant's understanding is that of body shielding, as all Elites, with the exception of Stealth Elites in Halo 1, use it. If the Covenant hardly understood it, they would not have it main stream.

In Halo 2 and Halo 3 not only have the Covenant shields advanced, their ease of use has too. Even the lowliest Elite can use the shields with great ease. Also, the Covenant have discovered how to run Active Camo and Shielding at the same time. Even Tartarus, the Chieftain of the Brutes, was equipped with a personal shield.

Starship Shielding
The only known starships to have shields are Covenant ships. All Covenant vessels are protected by a highly resistant energy shield that can recharge over time. Covenant Starships shield's are a light-gray color. The shields can take a vast amount of punishment, and can recharge very quickly. It can absorb anything less then a direct nuclear missile, and a MAC round. The only downfall is when the vessel fires its plasma weapons, the ship needs to drop a section of its shields for a fraction of a second. Human weapons can penetrate the shields, but only with difficulty, depending on the strength of the weapon used, and the strength of the shields themselves. The weapons that can get through any Covenant shields in one hit are a direct Shiva nuclear warhead hit and a super MAC round.

Forerunner Shielding
In the campaign of Halo 2 the player encounters some Sentinals that are equiped with energy sheilds, thus proving that the Covenant use Forerunner technology to produce their energy sheilds. Their shields are about equal to an Elite's. The Enforcer is also energy shielded, and can absorb more damage than a normal Sentinel. The shield, which only guards the front area of the machine, is nearly immune to ballistic weapons, similar to the Jackal shield, but is weak against plasma weapons. It is also very strong, capable of withstanding up to three Scorpion shells or two Wraith shots.

In Multiplayer
In Multiplayer, you can have 50%, 100%, 200%, 300% or 400% shield, or none at all. Both Elites and Spartans have the same amount of shielding. A players sheilds can be further augmented if they pick up a Bubble Shield a Regenerator or Overshields.

Related Links

 * MJOLNIR Armor
 * Elite Personal Energy Shield
 * Jackal Personal Arm Shield
 * Bubble Shield
 * Overshields
 * Regenerator
 * Stationary Shield Generator
 * Portable Shield Generator