Unggoy

Members of the Unggoy species, wearing various armors associated with their ranks.

Basic Intel

Intro

The Grunts, also known as Unggoy, are a race of anthropod-like aliens well known for their frequent role in the Covenant as cannon fodder infantry. They lay at the absolute bottom of the Covenant hierarchy, and are often mistreated by virtually every other higher-ranking race in the hegemony.

Physiology & Origins

An Unggoy of the Kafv subspecies. They feature an equal skin-to-exoskeleton ratio on their body, with flat, hoof-like feet.

An Unggoy of the Ritrit subspecies. They feature a large amount of exoskeleton on their bodies compared to the other two subspecies, with large claws suited for digging and climbing.

An Unggoy of the Zimzib subspecies. They feature a large amount of exposed skin on their bodies compared to the other two subspecies, and like the Ritrit, have large claws built for digging and climbing.

Unggoy hail from the frigid and hostile world of Balaho; as their homeworld features a methane-based atmosphere, Unggoy are incapable of breathing oxygen and require special harnesses when operating in unsuitable atmospheres. Balaho is home to brackish tidal flats and countless swamps; as such, the Unggoy are adapted to have a natural resilience to extremely cold environments. However, when compared to other members of the Covenant such as the Sangheili or Jiralhanae, Unggoy are physically weaker, but still similar in strength to humans.

Being classified as xenoarthropods, Unggoy bear physical features that give them similarities to some arthropods and crustaceans, mainly in the form of an exoskeleton that covers a large amount of their body. However, they are not true arthropods; they still possess an internal skeleton and a closed circulatory system, unlike arthropods found on Earth. The exoskeleton is more akin to very thick and rigid skin, somewhere between scaly and leathery - comparable to armadillo shells, or rhinoceros skin. Depending on the subspecies, an Unggoy may not even be entirely covered by their exoskeleton; this is best seen with the three known subspecies consisting of the Kafv, the Ritrit, and the Zimzib. Unggoy also possess bright blue bio-luminescent blood, as a result of methane-based proteins and possibly a high copper content in their blood.

Unggoy eyesight and hearing is rather average, but they possess a keen sense of smell that they can use to sniff out anything noteworthy. Given their large, stocky arms, Unggoy actually tend to prefer walking on all fours similar to a primate, and are quite adept at climbing rocky terrain and hand-to-hand combat. However, they can be somewhat clumsy when bipedal (which is often the case when handling guns), and have difficulty manipulating small delicate objects.

The reproductive cycle of Unggoy is part of the reason why they are so numerous within the Covenant. Unggoy lay eggs in clutches, which range from anywhere between 5 to 12 eggs. Unggoy, which hatch as larvae, spend only 5 to 8 years in childhood before they are considered adults - rapidly developing their sensory and motor skills along the way. This capability to massively increase their numbers is the reason why they are so extensively used as cannon fodder - in fact, overpopulation is a severe issue for them on both their homeworld and throughout the Covenant, and in times of peace, strict laws are placed on Unggoy reproduction.

Psychology & Behavior

Unggoy are frequently looked down upon as being a dim-witted race. However, in reality, Unggoy are capable of being very intelligent, resourceful, and knowledgeable - the stigma of their perceived stupidity arises from their poor education and training within the Covenant military. Unggoy are also one of the most sociable races of the Covenant, as they possess a very strong pack mentality. This causes them to quickly form bonds between their fellow Unggoy in groups, and sometimes members of other races - this pack mentality, as well as their sheer numbers, has helped to maintain their sense of cultural identity despite their position in the hierarchy as slave labor and cannon fodder.

Part of the reason why Unggoy are so intelligent is due to the fact that they possess unburdened neural pathways - or rather, their nervous systems are capable of sending signals much more quickly than other races. This allows them to develop physical and mental skills quite quickly, as well as readily absorbing knowledge. Many Unggoy that aren't sent to the front lines are tasked with monitoring space for traces of human communication - it's not uncommon for Unggoy to learn anywhere from one to three different human languages.

Culture

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Gameplay Notes

In terms of general stats, Unggoy are more or less equivalent to the average human being; thus, they're often considered as the default "beginner" race for people new to HaloStation, alongside humans and Kig-Yar. However, they also come with unique benefits that make them stand out from nearly all other HaloStation races despite their role as cannon fodder;

Pros

• Spawn with breathing apparatus + methane tank
• Very high cold resistance
• Immune to pressure damage from space
• Spawn with the capability to operate in EVA/vacuum without needing EVA gear (see above points)
• Can wear human head apparel, such as ODST helmets
• Can pilot Goblins
• Have natural armor on hands/feet that don't need to be repaired with armor repair kits

Cons

• Cannot breathe oxygen
• Cannot use backpack slot, as it's occupied by their methane tank
• Cannot wear gloves/boots, as the glove/boot slots are occupied by natural armor
• Vulnerable to headshots due to having no head armor (excluding Deacons)
• Very low dodge-roll distance (1 tile)
• Cannot use anesthesia tanks for surgery/sedation, due to reliance on methane

Lore

The Unggoy were one of the first races to be integrated into the Covenant hegemony, specifically being the fourth species to be converted (coming after the Mgalekgolo and Kig-Yar respectively). They were enslaved to be used as both laborers and cannon fodder in combat - and quickly found themselves in a bitter rivalry with the Kig-Yar, which held a similar but slightly higher ranking than them. The other races of the Covenant ignored this rivalry, which was only worsened by a growing Unggoy population on the Covenant holy city of High Charity; the sheer numbers of Unggoy forced many Kig-Yar to relocate their homes to accommodate them, much to their chagrin. To make matters worse, the move often put stress on Kig-Yar mothers which lead to higher infant mortality rates, and Unggoy that shared habitats with the Kig-Yar sometimes trampled their nests by accident.

This would eventually reach a breaking point when some radical Kig-Yar shipmasters poisoned recreational infusion narcotics that the Unggoy frequently enjoyed, leading to several thousand Unggoy becoming sterile. Even though this was discovered by a junior staffer in the Ministry of Concert, the matter was not looked into by either the respective Minister or the High Council, due to wanting to maintain the loyalty of the Kig-Yar. This, in combination with the ever-growing unrest between the two races and their species' enslavement, led to the legendary Unggoy Rebellion of 2462.

The wide-scale Unggoy riots were so massive in number and tenacity that even the Sangheili and Kig-Yar struggled to put an end to the Rebellion, and the Hierarchs were required to appoint an Arbiter. This Arbiter, Heki 'Gibadee, failed to quell the Rebellion with tactics alone, and resorted to far more drastic and brutal measures - glassing Balaho. With the glassing being broadcasted to the rioting crowds on High Charity, the Unggoy were presented with a simple choice; cease their Rebellion or watch their homeworld burn. Unwilling to see their home be destroyed, the Unggoy surrendered, ending the Unggoy Rebellion.

Despite the immense damage caused by the Unggoy Rebellion, the Sangheili commanders that worked to quell it were actually impressed by the collective tenacity of the Unggoy, despite their lack of individual skill in combat; had they not resorted to glassing Balaho, there was a real chance that the Unggoy would have actually succeeded in their revolt from sheer numbers alone. Following their warrior tradition, the Sangheili not only forgave the Unggoy, but awarded them for their fighting spirit with better training, equipment, and permission to use actual weapons in the field of battle. However, they would still remain as they were in terms of their rank and status within the Covenant.

Roleplay Tips

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Ranks and Roles

INFANTRY
Unggoy Minor	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Very Easy Supervisors: Unggoy, Kig-Yar, T'vaoans, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, San'Shyuum, Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e Duties: Shoot gun, suck food nipple, throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: Almost None RP Level: Low Guides: TBA

The Unggoy Minor is the lowest ranking role of the entire Covenant empire, below even the Yanme'e Minor and the average Kig-Yar. Their sole purpose is to act as living cannon fodder - throwing themselves at the enemy in droves to kill them with sheer numbers rather than actual skill. Of course, any Unggoy Minor can also actually be decently adept, allowing them to be promoted in the field should they prove themselves worthy (and somehow survive in the first place). Thus, the Unggoy Minor is a perfect beginner role for a person new to playing HaloStation in general, due to the low level of competence they require both in gameplay and in actual lore.

INFANTRY
Unggoy Major	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Very Easy Supervisors: Unggoy Ultra or above, Kig-Yar, T'vaoans, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, San'Shyuum, Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e Duties: Shoot gun, suck food nipple, act like the boss over Unggoy Minors when your superiors aren't around, throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: Low RP Level: Low Guides: TBA

The Unggoy Major is more or less an identical role to that of the Minor - however, they have the capability to act as a role of leadership for other Unggoy Minors and Unggoy Heavies. When other superiors are present, though, any major orders they give will tend to be overruled out of principle. Regardless, they can help keep a squad of otherwise incompetent Minors together in the heat of combat despite only having marginally better experience and competence - more often than not, they're just Unggoy Minors that have managed to survive a few battles. Thus, they're a good beginner role for those who are familiar with HaloStation but are still just starting out.

INFANTRY
Unggoy Heavy	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Easy Supervisors: Unggoy Major or above, Kig-Yar, T'vaoans, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, San'Shyuum, Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e Duties: Shoot BIG gun, drive heavy vehicles, suck food nipple, throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: Low-Medium RP Level: Low Guides: TBA

Unggoy Heavies are similar to Majors in that they are Unggoy individuals who have survived multiple battles and thus have actual combat experience. However, instead of taking on a leadership role, they are entrusted with hauling around and using heavy weaponry such as as Fuel Rod Cannons, Plasma Repeaters, or Plasma Turrets. On top of that they're often employed to drive heavy vehicles such as Wraiths and Goblins, and thus can be a considered as a simple support role.

INFANTRY
Unggoy Ultra	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Easy-Medium Supervisors: Unggoy Spec-Ops or above, Kig-Yar, T'vaoans, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, San'Shyuum, Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e Duties: Shoot gun, suck food nipple, actually be a competent leader, throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: Medium RP Level: Low-Medium Guides: TBA

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INFANTRY
Unggoy Spec-Ops	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Medium Supervisors: Unggoy Deacon, Kig-Yar, T'vaoans, Sangheili Spec-Ops, Jiralhanae, San'Shyuum, Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e Duties: Shoot gun, suck food nipple, be sneaky, throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: Medium-High RP Level: Medium Guides: TBA

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INFANTRY
Unggoy Deacon	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Medium Supervisors: Kig-Yar, T'vaoans, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, San'Shyuum, Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e Duties: Shoot gun, suck food nipple, actually be a competent leader (for real), punish people for heresy (and fail because you're a Grunt), throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: Medium-High RP Level: High Guides: TBA

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INFANTRY
Unggoy Honor Guard	Faction: Covenant Difficulty: Hard Supervisors: San'Shyuum Duties: Shoot gun, suck food nipple, protect the Prophet, whack people with your stick for heresy, throw yourself at the enemy and inevitably get killed. Competence: High RP Level: High Guides: TBA

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Biology

The Unggoy are a sapient species of squat bipedal xeno-arthropodal vertebroid lifeforms in the unified races of the Covenant Empire. They were the fourth species to be assimilated into the Covenant.They are the lowest-ranking species in the hierarchy, and are frequently mistreated by almost every higher-ranking race. Unggoy are primarily used as laborers, slaves, or in combat situations, as cannon fodder. They are one of the later races to be introduced into the Covenant, and were either the second or third Covenant species to be encountered by humans. They are referred to as Grunts by humans, as they are considered weak in comparison to their superiors, because they perform the majority of the physical labor required by the Covenant and they lack the knowledge of combat compared to other Covenant species.

History

The Unggoy are native to the planet of Balaho. They were used as slaves, laborers, or cannon fodder. Generally poor combatants due to cowardice, lack of tactical aptitude, and being poor shots; they are often deployed in large numbers to compensate. They can wield two-handed weapons with just one hand, due to their strong physical structure despite being small framed. They have a bitter rivalry with the Kig-Yar race, due to them encroaching on Kig-Yar territory and displacing their nests.

Ranks

Rank	Availability	Description
Unggoy Deacon	Reclamation, Base assault, Capture and Hold, Crusade (Covenant Whitelist)	Lore Description: The Deacon is the only rank within the Ministry of Tranquility allowed for Unggoy use. These are more often than not priests, but can be considered command advisors too. Intelligence wise, they are significantly smarter than your average Grunt, even compared to Ultras. Often these are only deployed on missionary vessels to police the Kig-Yar crew, but are also on other small vessels. Job Description: You're the Unggoy Deacon stationed with the local covenant forces. Your job is to provide morale to all members of the force, mostly through means of religious speeches pertaining to the Forerunners and the Great Journey. Your main audience will be your fellow Unggoy, but that doesn't stop other races from listening to you. Make sure nobody commits heresy, while you aren't fit to enforce rules, you can report to to the Sangheili or take the required response yourself. Roleplay Level: High Skill Level: Low Competence: Medium Unique Feature: Energy Shielding
Unggoy Ultra	Reclamation, Base assault, Capture and Hold, Crusade (Covenant Whitelist)	Lore Description: The Unggoy Ultra is a veteran Grunt who has seen his fair share of bloodshet and battle. While they are still as weak as any other Grunt without armor, the Ultra armor is an improved version of both Major and Minor, allowing for more tanking of shots. Generally this rank is for more competent Unggoy, along with Unggoy who have a decent shot. Job Description: You're an Unggoy Ultra serving with the Covenant Hegemony. Your job is to follow your superior's orders and lead your fellow Unggoy into battle. Technically you have authority over baseline Kig-Yar and T'vaoan Minors, but hardly anyone will care for such authority from an Unggoy and you will likely get lynched. It's a good idea to grab a needler too, due to your higher ranking. Roleplay Level: Low Skill Level: Medium Competence: Medium Unique Feature: Energy Shielding
Unggoy Major	Reclamation, Base Assault, Capture and Hold, Crusade	Lore Description: The Unggoy Major is a Grunt who has been in a few battles and sorta knows his stuff. He isn't the best shot in the world, but he can hit a target. They have very low intelligence, just like Unggoy Minors. Often these are just Unggoy who have survived previous battles. Job Description: As an Unggoy Major it is your duty and job to fall in line. You are essentially a better Minor, and don't have much authority over those under you - but you still can tell them what to do and what not to do. Players should pick this if they are decently experienced at the game. Roleplay Level: Low Skill Level: Low-Medium Competence: Low Unique Feature: N/A
Unggoy Minor	Reclamation, Base Assault, Capture and Hold, Crusade	Lore Description: This rank of Unggoy is completely new to the military, and probably hasn't seen very many battles yet. Often they are extremely inexperienced and lack a lot of mental capacity, but they make up for it in sheer numbers. Job Description: The first role you should play as Covenant. Generally your job is to just "Follow everyone else and relevant orders" but you can do stuff from building to medical duty if you want to. Roleplay Level: Low Skill Level: Low Competence: Low Unique Feature: N/A
Unggoy Heavy	Reclamation, Base Assault, Capture and Hold (Covenant Whitelist)	Lore Description: Unggoy Heavy Troopers are entrusted with the heavy weapons given to the unggoy, such as the Fuel Rod Cannon and other weapons. Job Description: You will act as a support role for the rest of your force, acting as anti vehicle with a fuel rod or using any other heavy weapon you can to support your force in whatever needs the sangheilli need.You are also a skilled vehicle driver, and should be the first one to vulunteer for vehicle duty. Roleplay Level: Medium Skill Level: Medium Competence: Medium Unique Feature: N/A

Special Roles

Rank	Availability	Description
Unggoy Honor Guard	Madmins	Lore Description: No honor is greater than this! Such a rank bestowed upon a mere Unggoy is sure to put awe to your fellow Grunts and surely inspire morale! Some hierarchs up in high charity were smoking some mad weed and thought of giving Unggoy red armor and the authority to protect them. Whether it's actually just paper mache or state of the art power armor, nobody knows. What they do know is your job is to protect the prophet you are assigned to whatever the cost. Job Description: You get the ultimate responsibility to guard a prophet as an Unggoy. Generally your job is to just stick around your assigned prophet and not speak, and when your prophet's life is in danger, you even have authority over Sangheili that aren't honor guards! Roleplay Level: aurora player Skill Level: TRYHARD SUPREME Competence: GALAXY BRAIN ONLY Unique Feature: UNGGOY SHIELDING
Unggoy Specops	Admin Spawn	Lore Description: Specops Unggoy are members of Special Operations in the Covenant Hegemony. Their goal is primarily to assist Special Operations Sangheili in their duties, but are sometimes deployed solo if needed. They are highly trained compared to normal Unggoy, and have intelligence that of an Unggoy Ultra or even higher. Often they are granted more powerful tools too. Job Description: You're a member of Special Operations in the Covenant. Your job is to assist your Sangheili superiors and use your advanced cloaking harness to the best of your abilities to surprise your enemies and attack them. Sometimes you will be deployed on covert operations in which you will sneak behind enemy lines and sabotage, but it's best you do all the big thinking to the Sangheili. Roleplay Level: Medium Skill Level: Medium-High Competence: Medium Unique Feature: Cloaking Device