SpecOps Standard Sangheili

The Special Operations Elite is a Covenant Sangheili (Elite) rank.

Ranking
Elites of this rank are extremely skilled warriors and will stop at nothing to complete their task. These commandos are sent in by the Covenant to accomplish some of the most dangerous and difficult missions. They are believed to rank higher than the Major Domo Elites and the Ranger Elites, but lower than Ultra Elites. In Halo: Combat Evolved, they are clad in jet black, and they wear purple/steel armor in Halo 2 and Halo 3.

Special Operations Elites are similar to Stealth Elites, as they both possess Active Camouflage technology.

However, the two are different and should not be confused: Stealth Elites have gray/brown armor that is shielded, and they are permanently cloaked until they are killed. Special Operations Elites have purple/black armor that is shielded, but their Active Camouflage is only active for as long as the Elite does not fire or gets hit by enemy fire.

Special Operations Elites are all personnel of the Covenant Special Operations branch of the Covenant Special Warfare Group. Given that only one Ultra is believed to be in charge of all Spec Ops forces within the Covenant, it is highly probable the Spec Ops branch is smaller and more elite than the Honor Guard branch of the Covenant military (who have at least several Ultras in their ranks). A squad of SpecOps Elites escorted the Arbiter into the Heretic Gas Mine as well as the Quarantine Zone.

Special Operations Commander
The title of Special Operations Commander is the highest office attainable by an Elite in the Covenant Special Operations division. They wear pearlescent white armor similar to a Ultra Elite's armor and are extremely skilled in combat. They also are placed in command of all the personnel and material of a special operation: the only known Special Operations Commander, Rtas 'Vadum (formerly known as Rtas 'Vadumee before the Great Schism) led dozens of Special Operations Elites and Special Operations Grunts in the Battle of the Gas Mine and also the Battle of the Quarantine Zone.

They are also given the honor of speaking directly to the High Prophets and relaying their messages to the High Council.

Special Operations Officer
Special Operations Officers command "teams" of Special Operations forces, and also are sufficiently high-ranked to have appointed "assistants". They possess a fairly large amount of political and military authority, able to acquisition personnel to their own units, and can speak to the Minor Prophets. They are also tasked with executing special operations, as seen in the Battle of Alpha Base, although not entire military operations. They are clad in black armor, like standard Special Operations Elites, and possess Active Camouflage technology.

The only definitive known Elites of the rank is Zuka 'Zamamee and 'Umamee, although Kusovai is suspected to be one as well.

Rtas 'Vadum was a Special Operations Officer when the Infinite Succor's incident occurred.

Special Operations Elite
Special Operations Elites are the "standard" rank-and-file Elites in the Covenant Special Operations branch. They wear black or blackish-blue armor, and can activate Active Camouflage for a short duration of time, making them practically invisible for some time. This is useful in infiltration operations.

Special Operations Elites played prominent roles in the Battle of the Gas Mine and the subsequent Battle of Installation 05, aiding the Arbiter in his mission to retrieve the Index and then later aiding the Arbiter in retaking the Brute Encampment on Delta Halo. They then greatly helped in the killing Tartarus in the Control Room, but with heavy casualties. When they arrive on Earth via a Covenant Separatist fleet, they were deployed along with many other Elites to clear the Flood out of Voi, also assisting the UNSC forces including Spartan 117 and the Arbiter.

Armor
Special Operations Commanders are clad in pearlescent white armor, while Special Operations Officers are clad in black-ish blue armor and "standard" SpecOps Sangheili wear Dark purple.

Some also bear a Forerunner symbol on their back, this however is only in Halo:CE. Although if you look closely you can find Forerunner symbols on the gauntlets in Halo 3.

In Halo CE and Halo 2 they have combat harnesses. In Halo 3, Special Operations Elites wear an Indigo Assault Harness and they can be seen in the level Floodgate.

Through the Halo trilogy, they have worn dark colors, such as:


 * Jet Black (Halo CE)
 * Navy Blue, Purple and Black (Halo 2)
 * Indigo (Halo 3)

Note: The Halo 3 Assault armor permutation is similar to the Spec Ops Elite's armor on Halo 3's campaign.

Shields
In Halo: Combat Evolved, a Special Operations or SpecOps Elite's shields are slightly stronger than those of a Major Elite. For example, it takes 10 headshots with the M6D pistol to kill a fully-shielded SpecOps Elite, while it only takes 8 to kill a Major.

On Legendary difficulty, their shields are extremely potent and strong, and are able to survive and recover a stick from a Plasma Grenade.

Armament
Special Operations Elites, befitted with their perilous mission assignments, are given a diversity of Covenant weaponry, including the Particle Beam Rifle and the Energy Sword. They are also armed with Plasma Rifles, Needlers, Carbines, Plasma Grenade explosives and they have also been seen wielding two Plasma Pistols and in some cases in Halo 3.

Tactics
Like the high-ranking Zealots and Ultras, the Special Operations Elites are extremely intelligent in combat situations, and have a knack for being extremely proficient with the Energy Sword. As clever warriors, Special Operations Elites consistently strafe, are constantly on the move, and never stand still to avoid being exposed or vulnerable to explosions. They also have superior accuracy, fire in longer bursts, and, as mentioned earlier, have slightly stronger shielding than regular Elites, making them slightly harder to kill, fitting with their high rank.

They are also not imperiously impulsive; they do not "berserk" when seriously injured, unlike many other Elites. Most notably, they operate in squads and are extremely skilled and accurate grenade throwers.

The black armored Elites are slightly more tactical-minded and are more difficult to kill. It is also noted that because of their stealthy nature, they work very well in a small group ranging from 2-4. A team of three Spec Ops Elites can accomplish a perilous and difficult mission with ease because of their collective tactics as a squad. They also use their active camouflage quite effectively, killing many enemies from behind or surprising them from close range.

The Carbine and Fuel Rod Cannon are especially effective against them, and as always, go for headshots.

Halo: Combat Evolved & Halo: The Flood
In Halo, they are the Covenant's Elite shock troops, similar to the role played by the UNSC's Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or Helljumpers. These Elites sport black or white armor and three-pronged helmets. They are the only Elites that throw plasma grenades (by side-arming them) and are very proficient with them.


 * The Pillar of Autumn - Several led the Covenant boarding action, including Zuka 'Zamamee.
 * Battle of Alpha Base - Zuka 'Zamamee led thirty Special Operations Elites in the first wave of the Covenant attack on the United Nations Space Command outpost "Alpha Base". Eventually, all but 'Zamamee were killed by the Helljumper defenders.
 * Keyes - They were assigned to eliminate all Flood perpetrators on the CCS-class Battlecruiser Truth and Reconciliation and repair it for immediate departure off Installation 04. They were present neutralizing the flood when SPARTAN-117 boarded the starship to find what was left of Captain Jacob Keyes. Their first official appearance is just after you encounter the Brain form, on the bridge/command center of The Truth and Reconciliation.
 * The Maw - They were also present on the just before Installation 04 was destroyed. Master Chief encounters them as he finds a three way battle between The Flood, Sentinels and Covenant Special Ops forces.

Halo 2

 * Cairo Station You combat two Spec. Ops. Elites wearing Active Camo on higher difficulty levels before re-entering the Armory.
 * The Arbiter & The Oracle - A squad of Special Operations Elites under the Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee accompanied the Arbiter to the Threshold Gas Mine to eliminate the Heretics, but were besieged by Flood. Some of them survived.
 * Sacred Icon - Special Operations Elites once again under the command of Rtas 'Vadumee held a Covenant reinforcement point armed with Plasma Turrets, Energy Sword, and Plasma Rifle for the Arbiter to join them in the strike to retrieve the Sacred Icon from the Library. They held out long enough for a Phantom with further Special Operations Elites and several vehicles, including a Spectre and two Ghosts.
 * Quarantine Zone - Special Operations Elites assisted the Arbiter in forging a path to the Library. About at the two-thirds mark, Rtas 'Vadumee sent a Phantom with another Spectre and more Special Operations Elites to assist. When the Covenant force reached the gondolas, further Special Operations Elites defended the gondola from Flood attacks. When the gondola halted, Special Operations Elites awaited on the gondola to protect their sole exfiltration craft as the Arbiter retrieved the Sacred Icon. It is likely that the Brutes slaughtered the remaining commandos that were defending the Gondola, one of the first acts of the Covenant Civil War.
 * Gravemind - Several Special Operations Elites were present throughout the Covenant orbital city wielding fearsome Energy Swords at the first Hanging Garden and the second Valley of Tears . Two Spec-Ops Elites are also seen at the end of the level, they rush through the same doors that the Honor Guard Councilor does to aid the battle of the Mausoleum.
 * Uprising - A Special Operations Elite wielding a sword aided the Arbiter for preparing a landing zone for Orbital Insertion Pods with three Elite allies against the Brutes in the fore of the level.
 * The Great Journey - Numerous Special Operations Elites fought against Tartarus and his Brute allies. Many were slain in battle by the fearsome, titanic Fist of Rukt.

Another Day at the Beach
A Special Operations Elite in dark blue armor similar to an Elite Minors was wielding an Energy Sword is spotted in Another Day at the Beach. However, he could have belonged to the Special Warfare Group like N’tho ‘Sraom, which might help explain his armor color.

Halo 3

 * Floodgate - Numerous Special Operation Elite teams are deployed in drop pods with other Elite ranks to help the Arbiter and Spartan-117 exterminate the Flood out of an infected Voi, with barefaced success. After cleansing the Elites would clear a way out, whilst Spartan-117 heads into the crashed Flood Cruiser to save Cortana while the Arbiter leads the remaining survivors to clear up anymore Flood forms amid the city. After the Master Chief retrieves Cortana's message, the Arbiter, along with the surviving Elites, board Rtas 'Vadum carrier, Shadow of Intent.