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The Junta- Before Turok consolidated power as Imperial Admiral of the Covenant and later unveiled the Banicrons to the Galaxy, the Junta were the leading members of the uprising. Today, they are made up of two groups- War Chiefs, a handful of different individuals all considered “second-in-command” of the Banicrons who may hold other ranks and roles in the organisation, and then the rest of the Junta- other miscellaneous leaders that Turok values the counsel of, but not necessarily enough to consider them War Chiefs. Independently power-hungry, the Junta each have their own dreams of conquest, and vie for control of the faction with each other and the favour of their leader. Still, they put aside their differences long enough to meet in War Councils for the greater glory of the Banicrons and discuss topics important to them all.

The Riotous Legions- History has spoken of the power of an army organised by and for the benefit of lower classes- whether it’s the dethroning of a monarchial government made possible by the Red Army or the reevaluation of the Unggoy’s place in the Covenant Hegemony achieved through the Grunt Rebellion. But none have quite been nearly as remarkable, or violent, as The Riotous Legions- the primary military force of the Banicron Movement. Composed of…legions, fleets, invasion forces, clans, armies, specialised organisations like Dark Ops and the Titan Corps and more, The Riotous Legions represents the vast power Turok Nar ‘Mdragath commands, utter destructive intent, and uproarious revolutionary fervour! Despite a reputation for aggressive, overwhelming force with little planning or careful thought, the tactics of The Riotous Legions are often actually much more complex than many opposing military leaders would like to believe: one of the most notable factors about the Banicrons, and by extension their military, is their creativity. Because of the Banicrons’ diverse and equal society, every species contributes its ideas to the whole and each have efficient ways of maximising the synthesis of ideas, resulting in a well-oiled and unpredictable fighting machine. For example, some of their spaceships utilise massive tethers which literally fire into other ships as industrial-size grappling hooks, then funnel troops through them into the enemy warship, all whilst anchoring them and heavily damaging them in the process. The only way to stop the flow of troops is by cutting through the heavy armour of the tether, which requires a team of flyers that also has to contend with the Banicron fighters defending them. Banicron orbital drop pods are dropped at an angle and designed in a way that affords them the qualities of a small meteorite, intentionally crashing through buildings and possibly even enemy ships which happen to be in the atmosphere, and then open up to allow troops who at worst, have a mild concussion so they can get down to business and attack. Not only that, but the Legions also have Dark Ascendants, meaning some Banicrons can also conjure dark physics powers to annihilate their foes and bolster their allies. Couple all this with the fact that The Riotous Legions dispatch crews whose goal it is to collapse a planet‘s defence infrastructure before an invasion, a feat accomplished with the use of everything from regular spycraft to the employment of full-on cyborgs with cyberpathic implants allowing them to hack networks with their minds, you have an enemy which can totally collapse security on the national and interstellar level, and make the victim think it’s a minor glitch or that someone else is doing it. Before they know it, the rest of the Legions proper have descended on the planet, and there is nothing the local military can do to stop them.

The Calamitous Order- The Calamitous Order is the group responsible for the administering and management of Dark Ascendants and other individuals with anomalous/mystical powers among the Banicrons. It seeks to control the dark forces of the universe and use them to their advantage, and they dabble in ancient forbidden practices, performing all kinds of Dark Physics rituals hidden in the temples of the Aurash Order which came before. Their ambition and curiosity sometimes gets the better of them, leading many of the Calamitous to become twisted, wretched and downright insane beings in the pursuit of power.

Dark Operations/Dark Ops- Where the UNSC’s ODSTs and the SOS’ Special Operations lack in ruthlessness, Banicron Dark Ops more than makes up for. Culling from former members of the most classified Black-Ops squads across numerous organisations, mercenaries and particularly gifted Banicron stealth troops who have proven themselves, Dark Ops is composed of some of the most shameless war criminals in the Galaxy, who are willing to do just about anything for the mission. Totally devoid of morality, Dark Ops tackle some of the most sensitive, high-risk and clandestine field work the Banicrons have to complete, performing with shrewd efficiency. They have a reputation for never leaving survivors for the enemy to find, unless of course, there’s a hidden bomb rigged to them.

Dogmatic Justice Brigade/DJB- The Dogmatic Justice Brigade is a division of the Banicron government that handles justice. And by justice, we mean "unmarked graves". Assuming there's enough left of their victims to bury. Traitors, deserters, and any manner of transgressors to the Banicron cause end up on "The List", and are targeted by these enforcers of Turok Nar ‘Mdragath’s will. If the rumors are to be believed, they always find their quarry, and execute them in the messiest fashion possible to make an example of them. Several of the DJB are living torture devices, either having horrific instruments of pain built into their bodies, or having such devices on them at all times. A small group of DJB agents is even able to take down some of the mightiest of governments. So fearsome is their reputation that many Banicrons prefer suicide to waiting for the DJB to find them...unfortunately, many only find out they were on The List right as the Brigade arrives. Obviously, this makes them incredibly unpopular among the rank-and-file, many wondering just what level of minor infraction will get you on the List in the first damn place. Their usual killing fields are in the proximity of the glassed planet Madrigal, and they pursue their more powerful and well-equipped targets in their spaceship- the Onward to Peace. The agency’s administrative lineup has changed over the years, but its core six members always use the same six code-names: those of the first cities to fall to the Banicrons. Should one member die, another Banicron is eventually selected to take their place and name. Only the group's leader, Kultur ‘Dermos is known to have been in the group from the start.

Dominion Security Enforcement Division/D-SED- The Dominion Security Enforcement Division, better known as D-SED, is the primary law enforcement agency of the Banicrons’ territories. It recruits primarily people with backgrounds in police, security, or other enforcement organisations, but because many are known to be very contradictory to the Banicron ideology, D-SED also hires directly out of its regular military forces at times. D-SED is treated like a military organisation and has access to military grade-equipment to the point where D-SED officers sometimes participate in battles with members of the regular Banicron legions, usually to keep the peace between different units, arrest any offenders of the Banicron ideology and put an end to any rivalries that are counterproductive.

The Badgeless- The Badgeless are as secret as secret polices get. As their name indicates, the Badgeless operate with the authority to disregard protocols regarding the displaying of official documents or…badges which would normally tell someone they are well within their right to do whatever it is they are about to do. The Badgeless however, do not carry these articles on their person, and need only identify themselves to superiors using specific chain codes which display their allegiance with the Badgeless. These secret police officers are among the most clandestine in the Orion Arm, and are allowed to bypass the judicial process as they are each, under Banicron law, judges.

Correctors- The Correctors are a judicial organisation, and so administer whatever passes for Banicron law, including war crimes. They are responsible for trying and charging criminals of all kinds, be they civilians or military personnel. They're more likely to believe the word of a Banicron over anyone else, unsurprisingly. They also command a vast amount of resources reserved for the detainment of individuals. They have facilities dedicated to the “correction” of those who violate Banicron ideology, and it is believed that no matter who walks into one of those, they’ll either walk out a true champion of the faction’s beliefs…or not walk out at all. Because the Banicrons do not totally replace the governments of worlds they conquer unless it is deemed necessary, the Correctors are responsible for assessing the membership of a planet’s local government and its functions, and then having those members replaced as needed with Banicron-sympathisers, restructuring the government to suit their whims and ensuring that those on this planet are fully aware that the Banicrons are there and they are in charge. To this extent, the Correctors make heavy use of the enforcer contingent of the Eradicorps, who are tasked with putting down anti-Banicron sentiment.

Eradicorps- Essentially the shock troopers of the Banicron Legions, the Eradicorps are more organised than regular Banicron units in the sense that they almost all exclusively utilise advanced, uniformly-designed power armour and are charged with very specific roles- usually as the first troops sent onto a battlefield to blaze through the enemy. One of the most obvious of their purposes is their role as political enforcers who work to put down anti-Banicron sentiment among territories that have been revolutionised. Eradicorps Enforcers sometimes work closely with D-SED and, in some extreme cases, the DJB in the pursuit of Banicron political enemies.

Pureblood Gladiators- The Pureblood Gladiators are an elite warrior sect within the Banicrons, handpicked by Turok Nar ‘Mdragath himself and named in the honour of his history as a gladiator in the Covenant. The Pureblood Gladiators are trained by Turok himself and are monsters of overwhelming power, composed of the mightiest Banicron warriors. These so-called "superwarriors" are known to have undergone a torturous upgrade to render them nigh-invulnerable, including powerful cyber-skeletons that can preserve their lives even in the event of the rest of the body’s destruction, and at least one has a cybernetic self-regenerating power core to eliminate the need for rest. At least some of them have had other alterations: a kill switch which lets Turok deactivate them at any time with a simple voice command, and in Ovralion’s case, the Yit’ees virus- a genesong which prevents him from figuring out how to defeat the Banicron leader.

Titan Corps- The Titan Corps are a branch of the Banicron military responsible for creating and directing the Titans- an advanced Banicron supersoldier program patterned after the UNSC’s Spartans and numerous private supersoldier generations. Whilst most Titans are Humans, the group does have members of other species among its ranks, though naturally due to the biology of different species, the Titan program is one Banicron organisation that is mainly made up of the Galaxy’s ‘key player’ races. Whilst the Titans themselves undergo numerous cybernetic, genetic and chemical augmentations to become the powerhouses they are, due to the lesser amount of time they have had to be developed and refined, they still underperform on average compared to many UNSC Spartan supersoldiers. However, the Titan Corps is also responsible for the administration and servicing of the needs of supersoldiers in the Banicrons who never actually became Titans, such as former UNSC Spartans, San’Shyuum Prelates, and so on. To that extent, they employ many of these supersoldiers among their ranks, folding them into the larger Titan program. The Titan Corps has plans to homogenise the Titan Program, hoping to discover some ancient technology, likely Forerunner in origin, that can grant its scientists the ability to perfectly enhance a member of any species without having to devote separate research groups into studying and developing a different augmentation project for the biology of each race.

Trappers- The Trappers are a crack unit of Banicron pilots, flight specialists and rangers under Stato ‘Screm’s command. They possess superior tracking and detection skills and a high-level of firepower, and can just get things done better than anyone else. Knowing Stato, he reminds everyone of this fact every chance he gets. Trappers are authorised to take a leadership role on the battlefield from any currently serving commanding officer and lead other Banicron troops to victory.

Hand of Turok- The Hand of Turok is an organisation answering only to Turok Nar ‘Mdragath that is tasked with the elimination of dissidents within the Banicrons, hunting down of high value enemy targets and conducting personal errands of all manners for Turok. They are equipped with specialised tech, usually including highly advanced power armour, red-coloured energy and/or hardlight blades, antimatter weapons and stealth ships. Banicrons both with and without powers such as Dark Alchemy can become members of the Hand, though those with powers are generally more suited for the tasks they take up. The Hand are colloquially named “Spartan Killers”, as these warriors specialise in hunting down and killing UNSC Spartans, as well as any enemy that is highly skilled and powerful enough to pose a significant threat to the Banicrons. They can also commandeer other Banicron troops as needed provided that it serves the purposes of their operations, but generally make use of Turok’s Chosen- death squads that are led by the Hand.

Turok’s Chosen- Turok’s Chosen are promoted specifically by Turok Nar ‘Mdragath to be his personal enforcers and are directed by the Hand of Turok. They are only made up of the most cunning and loyal soldiers, with their unquestioning devotion to ‘Mdragath making them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, and their powerful personal energy shields make them even harder to kill for any foes unlucky enough to cross their path. Answerable only to Turok and the Hand of Turok, these soldiers are feared by many lower-ranking troops and hated by others. Many prideful leaders who dare question Turok’s command are usually taken care of by these squads.

Contrivants- The Contrivants are the Banicrons’ foremost blue-collar designers, engineers and builders, and are a rare example of a group of Banicrons more enamoured with creation than destruction. That doesn't mean they don't enjoy watching a beautiful structure being demolished (in fact, they specialise in destroying more than building); they just want to destroy it so they can replace it with a terrifying edifice. Every Banicron victory is an excuse to erect a new monument at headquarters. They're unbeatable as a team (under the command of Mrixo Tada Vuwa), but, as individuals, their ambitions to out-design one another can get the best of them. The Contrivants are also capable soldiers in their own right, and are expected to use the deadly weapons they design to complete missions. Usually, they are sent on operations which involve the procurement of resources or demolition of enemy strongholds. Or simply clearing a path with no regard to the sheer amount of collateral damage they will do in the process. The Contrivants started out as a construction crew in Karrovar on High Charity funded by gladiator Turok ‘Mdragath for the sake of renovating and improving the Gladiatorial Pits of Karrovar, and then going on to renovate and gentrify sections of Karrovar too. The Contrivants later went on to become a large company taking on many employees of the oppressed lower working classes of the Covenant, rising to a level where they ruined the reputation of the few builders’ trade unions in the Covenant for actually being fairer and more open to treating workers well than the unions made to represent them were. After Turok began his preparations for the Banicron insurrection, the Contrivants turned their talents to modifying Covenant weapons and designing a plethora of new gear and blueprints for the future buildings, prefabs and warships the Banicrons would use. Once the rebellion began in full, the Contrivants helped conquer High Charity.

Gray Guard- Commonly charged with the oversight and protection of important sites, objects or people, Gray Guardsmen are often sent ahead of regular forces to ensure important assets are recovered and don’t get damaged in the process of an invasion or other operation. They can be sighted working both individually and as a group, and are generally treated with a high level of respect by others. The Gray Guard is fiercely dedicated to its role and members are ready to stand by their charges awaiting orders for an eternity if they must, which naturally makes them the perfect force for stopping things falling into enemy hands.

Thrillers - A lightning-fast strike force, the Thrillers are a group of rebellious Banicron road warriors who the Revolution’s leaders can barely control. They were originally just a gang of rebellious Human outlaws and nomads who drove fast cars or trucks, seeking to dominate the roads wherever they went before the Banicrons found them. Made up predominantly of reject Nolanders exiled from their clans, they toured around the URNA performing stunt shows which few took an interest in. They hoped to get noticed by movie studios and hired as stuntpeople for high octane action sequences, but with failure piling on them along with bills and debts, they turned to use their skills for crime to get by until they caught their big break. Eventually, after enough mercenary work across the URNA, their leader, Houston Winchester, the Diesel Dictator, had become accustomed with the violence offered by his criminal life and started to believe that the untamed wilds of the open road were his true stomping grounds, so he made it his new mission to dominate the countrysides and outbacks of Earth to expand his gang into an enterprise holding a considerable amount of power over people’s goods and travels. To best impose their rule on different lanes of travel and grow more powerful, the Thrillers allied themselves with the Banicron Revolution which gave them the means to rule the roads in return for their unique services. Now, the Thrillers have taken on numerous others into their ranks, and are paid by the Banicrons to do dirty work throughout the roads and countrysides of Earth that the Banicrons can’t. Doing this on other worlds is no issue either. The Thrillers are more than willing to ride into any sunset the Revolution needs them to. Provided that they are still paid. Despite their mercantile arrangement, some of the Thrillers are becoming more and more inspired by the Banicrons’ mission statement, and some believe that a good portion of the Thrillers would keep working for the revolution regardless of whether or not they were paid their usual rate, or paid at all. We'll give you three guesses on what their music taste is like.

The Strykers- The Strykers are a crack commando squadron of 4 rowdy Banicrons, and their strict leader Obadiah Slatov. The Strykers are called in when the Banicrons need a little extra firepower- deadly, ruthless and exemplary of the destructive nature of Banicron culture, The Strykers are some of the absolute elite, though not all professionals in a traditional sense, they more than make up for their clear-cut flaws in their legendary status among the ranks of the Empire as, for lack of a better phrase, total badasses.

Team Dominance- The Banicron answer to the T.O.R Spartan-III Team Salvation, Team Dominance is a diverse team with members from all across the movement’s ranks, featuring heavy hitters, martial artists, hackers, assassins and tacticians in what has been described as an “all purpose squad”. Coordinated by ex-CIO Agent Inspector Talos Vaston, Team Dominance finds itself rushing enemy strongholds and battle lines, quickly reducing them to ash and fully living up to their name. So far, they haven’t faced one defeat, and its members are pretty confident that they’re not going to start once they come toe to toe with the team that inspired them.

Strategic Extermination Crew/The Mambas- The Strategic Extermination Crew, better known as The Mambas, are an elite commando unit of Banicrons whose lineup is ever-changing, and they recruit the most bloodthirsty and deadly to swell their ranks when old members die (or desert). Whether it's attacking high-value targets or fomenting societal upheaval through sabotage and deception, the group always lives up to their name, spreading death, destruction and…um, extermination. The Mambas are commonly made up of Banicrons who either can’t get along with anyone anywhere else, or those being punished for some sort of transgression by being forced to serve on what ultimately boils down to a suicide squad.

Hivocrons- The dwindling Hereknikim Yanme'e Hive ruled by the equality-valuing Queen Natuma the Testifier has now become one of the largest Yanme'e hives in the galaxy thanks to Banicron Chief Scientific Officer Rassaag ‘Xytarg- who has genetically engineered its members for war and accelerated their breeding periods, leading to the creation of more subspecies. As such, Yanme’e modified by Rassaag are now known as ‘Hivocrons’. Ravenous and aggressive, Hivocrons can digest 95% of known matter (earning the nickname "weapons of mass consumption") reshaping their findings into enormous subterrannean hives. Existing as a hive, they represent a deadly and invaluable resource for those willing to find a way to tame them. They have the unique ability to clone themselves, but each successive clone is inferior to its progenitor, leading to increasingly bestial creatures who are unable to come to individual conclusions. Since most of their numbers are basically animals, Hivocrons respond best to displays of power, and their swarms are normally dominated by the smartest and strongest among them. Nevertheless, a sufficiently firm hand or assertion of command from a non-Hivocron may gain control as well. In spite of this, Banicron Leader Turok Nar ‘Mdragath has made it clear that he is not in the business of enslaving the Yanme’e, so he has devoted most non-Hereknikim Hivocrons to Queen Natuma, for she values all Yanme’e, regardless of their ability to interact with the hive, as equals and has organised for how best to employ its members be that directly through the hive or by allowing them to join other Banicron organisations.

The Ennobled- The Ennobled are a group of Banicrons who modify themselves extensively. Not with normal cybernetics no, not with supersoldier augmentations, but with Forerunner Promethean smartmatter prosthetics. They believe that through augmenting themselves with Forerunner cyberware, they can be ‘closer’ to the Gods and ‘more perfect’ in their eyes. The Ennobled are obsessed with Forerunner technology, and in many ways, are very coarse with their beliefs surrounding the procurement of such technology not being the Banicrons’ number one priority. Many of the Ennobled are not merely interested in the exploration of Forerunner tech, but are actively religious about it. Among the typical Banicron who probably recognises the falsehood of the Great Journey and that the Forerunners were just another species rather than Gods, the Ennobled are quite a source of worry, as they freely espouse their beliefs in what ultimately boils down to being a mass-suicidal cult. However, the Ennobled are nothing if not loyal to the Banicron cause. The group’s senior leadership take the idea that the different races of the universe are supposed to come together and unite in an equality-driven haven before they can ever be worthy of joining the Gods in the Divine Beyond, which makes their dedication to the Banicron ideology whole and true. However, they do not approve of Forerunner tech being ‘vandalised’ and believe it foolish not to revere the creations of the lords. Fears of the Ennobled perhaps turning against the Banicrons to ally with a Neo-Covenant group are relatively low, because few would have them, considering how most view cybernetic modifications, especially with Forerunner technology, blasphemous. Turok allows them to exist, if for no other reason than the expertise they bring in deciphering and pinpointing the uses of technology from the Forerunners that the Banicrons encounter.

Darkfangs- Elite Kill Teams composed of former Sangheili experiments of the Dread Councillors, made to look like monsters and husks, turned insane and hell bent on murder. The Darkfangs are specialists in infiltration, espionage, assassination, asset recovery and generally leaving any site they’re sent to a torn-apart, smouldering ruin.

Communication Corps- The official role of the Banicron Communications Corps is to monitor and maintain Banicron communication lines across the Galaxy and push inspiring propaganda out to the group’s membership. But in practice, it is also a group of hackers, splicers, cyberpaths and A.I constructs responsible for inciting revolution among the masses and infiltrating enemy networks, achieving this through hacking into and embedding hostile programs into enemy computer systems. The Banicrons have quite possibly the most sophisticated non-Forerunner cyberintrusion software in the Orion Arm, as the Communications Corps have been able to take control of entire Surveillance Grids on UEC colonies without even being noticed, and the group’s expertise has enabled Banicron battle networks to be some of the most secure in warfare to date. One of the ways in which the Communications Corps achieves its legendary ability to splice is through the creation of the Living Malware- biological agents secreted by techno-organically modified Thanklekgolo worms containing a specific strain of computer code that infiltrates any system it comes into contact with, then transfers all collected information to the Communications Corps.

Bloodstars- An Ex-Covenant Silent Shadow unit which was absorbed into the Banicrons, the Bloodstars are one of the most notorious Dark Ops units, made up of some of the most skilled hunters, trackers and killers in the Banicron Empire. They commonly engage in competitive hunting rituals- challenging each other on who can track down and gut the most UNSC Spartans, or SOS Ascetics, or whoever happens to be on the menu. They've made themselves a reputation by...well, killing a lot of people. Despite their bloodthirst, animalistic behaviour and thrill for the hunt, Bloodstars are known for being highly professional and possessing excellent social skills and etiquette- almost to an unsettling degree, as it’s members can go from chasing down a Jiralhanae Covenant Chieftain through a jungle to appealing to the eccentricities of corporate executives in a more concrete variation of a jungle. It’s members are masters of espionage and duplicity and thanks to protocols, techniques and tasking looted from the Silent Shadow, are one of the most skilled intelligence groups known to exist.

Prowling- The Prowling are teams of assassins, spies and spotters that stealthily scout around for the sake of reconnaissance & kill enemies on a battlefield, and are tasked with quietly eroding enemy defences so that they don’t realise that they’re beat when they’re beat. Its members tend to be the mysterious, silent types, but nobody can really tell if they’re being genuine or if they’re just trying to seem cool.

The Red Scarves- They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure, but if The Red Scarves come calling then they'll probably take your treasure then trash you. With the Jolly Roger hoisted high and the cannon barrels smoldering, The Red Scarves sail the spaceways in a neverending search for plunder and power. These ferocious raiders will gladly ally themselves with whomever proves most beneficial to their larcenous ends, be they Covenant remnants, Human corporations or otherwise. In reality, The Red Scarves typically end up double-crossing everybody, leaving them with few friends and a lot of enemies. But at least whilst they’re being employed by the Banicrons, they get access to swaths of their sweet, juicy tools of death. This scuzzy crew makes a living stealing- ahem, salvaging relics and technology, and to them the Galaxy is a treasure trove just waiting to be exploited. Under the Yonhet Zunm’s tight-fisted leadership, there's no trick too dirty or move too underhanded when it comes to defending their findings from their foes.

Shadow Guard- The Shadow Guard used to be the ancient Aurash Emperor’s personal guard, made up exclusively of powerful Dark Ascendants who skulked in the darkest corners of the Emperor’s palace to give the illusion that he was defenceless. That was before Turok threw a blade through the bastard’s heart and caused him to fall way down to what was (probably) his end. Now, the Shadow Guard uses its “hiding in the dark” tactics to protect Banicron locations across the entire Galaxy, not just the Emperor. Though they are seen much more than they might’ve been before, the Shadow Guard still employs its misleading defensive strategy in the defense of certain sites, and has successfully made entering a Banicron building even more terrifying than it already is, cause you could be infiltrating them and thinking you’re about to secure that vital piece of research for HIGHCOM, only for the entire Shadow Guard to be quietly laying a trap you’re bound to fall into in a rather embarrassing way…ending in certain death.

Skytorchers- A powerful shock Fleet, the Skytorchers are a group of several warships and an invasion force led by Dark Ascendant Legionmaster Verdamon Snapspine, designed with an emphasis on pure destructive force. Each ship in the fleet is perfectly adapted to cripple enemy defences both naval and on the ground, as well as engage in scorched earth tactics- a focus of their strategy. Infantry members of this Fleet are known to utilise incendiary weapons, including flamethrowers, which earned them the name of the “Skytorchers”.

Thieves of the Claw- The Thieves of the Claw are compulsive Kig-Yar, T’vaoan and Orobek thieves and hoarders, utterly single-minded in their pursuit of treasure, though this treasure can be anything from a super-valuable crystalline ring to a discarded chocolate bar wrapper. The important thing is that it be shiny—the glitterier the better. Equipped with jet packs and sharp talons, the Thieves are highly manoeuvrable in flight, and specialise in making swooping attacks to rake their enemies with their claws.

The Haildumpers- The Haildumpers are a unit of Banicron fighter-bomber pilots known for making use of chemical and biological weapon payloads in the bombs they drop on the ground below. Each member tends to have a bit of a superiority complex, and in one particular case, a belief in himself as a God-appointed emissary of destruction. As their name implies, they dump hail. Explosive hail.

B-ZRK- While it has been said that any Trident of Revelation who joins the Crashers is not merely willing to die for his cause, but is actively seeking to bring about his own violent demise ahead of time, any Banicron who volunteers to be re-engineered into the B-ZRK has this complex on steroids. Known as “Berserkers” and organised into B-Squads, the B-ZRK are outright kamikaze- whilst the original Berserkers were merely vile miscreants who gave over rational thinking in order to destroy their enemies by consuming an unstable stimulant which augmented strength and resilience and drove them mad in the smog-filled barrens of Warial’s Doda’keyt; the B-ZRK are now genetically edited by Incendis gene-manipulating nanobots, effectively turning their bodies into powerful and strong, but highly unstable bombs with powerful, tightly-integrated, explosive yields to match. B-ZRK have a life expectancy measured in seconds once they jump from their deploy point, often going around the battlefield in a violent rage until their bodies overheat and combust. Consequently, while some B-ZRK are simply super-enthusiastic Banicrons looking to give their life for the cause, active conscription into the B-ZRK is not unheard-of, including the forced recruitment of prisoners languishing in Banicron penal colonies. Due to the nature of their combat style, B-ZRK are widely known for their fearlessness, to say the least, and receive a level of respect from most other Banicrons.

Dreadlords- The Dreadlords, also known as the Dread Councillors, were six extremely powerful Dark Ascendant Lords who served Turok as prophets, generals, and advisers. Their names were earned when they studied the power of the ancient Oeobos devices- ancient Dark Ascendant artefacts from the 2nd Dark Wars that had driven even the most depraved mad with terror. This power allowed the Dreadlords to destroy entire battlegroups during the T.O.R-Banicron War; for they had mastered the art of spiritual manipulation to the point that they would inflict an awful, mysterious terror upon members of any given enemy ship. In order to avoid being compromised, they kept in constant motion in a dreadnaught that roamed the galaxy. With the help of an elite UNSC Special Forces Division team, T.O.R Special Operations Commander Kas’Kreel ‘Hartamee infiltrated the dreadnaught and captured the Dreadlords, and they were imprisoned at the Gosavis Maximum Security Penitentiary. Released in a prison break orchestrated by the Banicrons, the Dreadlords went rogue, having grown tired of Turok’s search for the Progenitor, forming an alliance led by their own Dread Council to search for the Dread Stones- seven ingots of Precursor dark science origin said to be able to control all the forces of the universe itself. The Dread Alliance however was defeated on Oruxon- where the Oeobos devices were based and the stones supposedly located, its members either killed, captured or, in the case of their leader, Bardas ‘Vorkam, being banished to a hellish alternate dimension to live out the rest of his days in misery.

Ironclad- The Ironclad are units within the Banicrons typically focused on heavy-fire and anti-vehicle operations. The Ironclad are most notable for their usage of ultra-heavy armour- both in the context of specialised vehicles such as Ironclad Blisterbacks and Ironclad Walkers and simply wearing huge, hulking masses of metal on their backs to shield themselves from all fire. For this reason, Ironclad tend to be slow, and are not very good at responding quickly to changes on the battlefield. Where they really shine is in setting up perimeter defences and slowly, fear-inducingly advancing and covering large portions of ground. Most of their members are Mgalekgolo colonies, Jiralhanae, Humans who claim to be “natty” and that they’re not pumping themselves with steroids, and cyborgs of varying species.

The Voracious- Sometimes it's hard to take The Voracious seriously. Even for Banicrons, they've got a bunch of personality problems, not to mention a lack of decency. Individually, they're not much, and it's not very hard to outsmart them. One on one, any solider would probably win. Then you actually meet the Voracious as a group, and you pray that the Forerunners have mercy on you, because the Voracious sure as hell won't. They'll kill you for a bunch of reasons: orders, sport, boredom, a dare. They're not what you'd call soldiers, warriors, or even brawlers. They're animals, and they bring that thought pattern to everything they do, including their choice of weaponry, which are the disembodied teeth, claws and body parts of frightening beasts. They're all positively insane. All Banicrons are well-known to take pride in killing hapless opponents, but among them, the Voracious are certainly the most reckless warriors the Banicron have to offer.

Screecleavers- The Screecleavers’ name originates from an order of warriors from the Sangheili medieval-ages who brandished barbaric and serrated blades made from teeth, claw and bone and were known as “the screaming warriors”, for the fact that they would only approach an enemy at night and always announce their presence on a battlefield after their first kill by roaring at a high pitch in unison, creating a sound eerily familiar to some predators on Sangheilios, therefore fostering the conception within the enemy commanders, reserves and other combat units listening or simply overhearing from elsewhere that their forces were under attack by animals, as they would be unable to tell who actually attacked, and the Screecleavers would kill in ways that made their ambushes appear as if a predator had maimed their men. The Screecleavers of the Banicrons are a little less interested in making their kills look like attacks by wild animals, but are no less barbaric. Led by the history-buff and almost “nerdy” Walrik ‘Kemnuai, the Screecleavers are a team of sword and other bladed melee weapon-wielding warriors who charge into battle in the same manner as the ancient order, and do not stop until every foe is bleeding out. They tend to prefer edges made of hard material like metal, or even ivory or claws rather than energy blades, and eschew ranged weapons almost to a point where they refuse to carry any, but are ordered to anyway because of the limited strategic value of melee weapons in modern warfare. Still, they do their best to avoid their use and tend to only arm themselves with pistols, maybe a carbine if they’re feeling a bit more cautious.

Seek and Terminate Thora ‘Marumee- The Banicron project Seek and Terminate Thora ‘Marumee's mission is…to seek and terminate Thora ‘Marumee. Yeah. That’s it. It’s possible that they alternatively have the goal of converting ‘Marumee into the violent revolutionary that Banicron leader Turok Nar ‘Mdragath has always wanted him to be, or that they want to replace him with a life model decoy, or a clone, or something. But considering the name, Seek and Terminate Thora ‘Marumee more than likely focuses itself on studying the fighting styles, weapons, equipment, skills and capabilities of the Trident of Revelation ’s leader, in the hopes of devising countermeasures and a stratagem engineered for his defeat. So far, they’ve had no success at all, as evidenced by the fact that Thora is, well, still alive, but some of its members are beginning to worry that their mission statement is damn-near impossible, maybe it’s because they’re just not passing on the right methods to the rest of the Banicron military to defeat ‘Marumee, maybe it’s because they’re missing vital intelligence about the Trident leader’s armour- or maybe it’s because Thora ‘Marumee is simply one of the mightiest warriors in the universe, and the only one who can ever match him is Turok.

Precursor Hunters- The Precursors were a powerful, ancient race and were possessors of nigh-infinite mystical abilities including the power to warp space and time. They all died off millions of years before the Banicrons were even conceptualised, taking their secrets with them. Unfortunately, The Ruinous, founder of the original Banicrons, had heard enough stories to think finding these legendary figures, opening dialog with and recruiting them (or if that failed, murdering them and salvaging their knowledge) was a really good idea. To this end, he assembled the Precursor Hunters, an elite group of Banicrons who followed the wakes the Precursors left behind, picking up and integrating their technology into their arsenals. After spending years either in some form of stasis or outside the Galaxy to avoid the Halo firing, the Precursor Hunters returned to their search in the Milky Way, and some have indeed made contact with the modern Banicron movement.

The High Charitan Guard- The High Charitan Guard is the Banicrons’ home team: the soldiers that stay on High Charity to ensure Banicron reign there does not falter. They are currently led by Rassaag ‘Xytarg, Chief Scientific Officer of the Banicrons, who has effectively made each member of the Guard into either a lab assistant or an agent setting up the Banicrons’ long-term plans for the Galaxy. One of these plans: Operation: Black Moon, according to rumours being passed around by the Contrivants, is quite a doozy, and is sure to put the movement back on top and in a position of being able to revolutionise the Galaxy and beyond forever!

Turok Aggregate- Any given universe probably trembles in fear at the name Turok, but the Turok Aggregate is an interdimensional group of Turoks! Under the foundership of one particular Turok from another universe, the Aggregate aims to shackle the power of Living Time itself, taking control of the entire multiverse in an effort to revolutionise all of existence and reshape the very stars into the Banicron symbol. It’s leader, Turok Jar ‘Mdragath, known on the Aggregate as Turok the Omniradical, Turok X or “The Other One”, comes from a timeline where Turok became Arbiter of the Sangheili after he failed to stop the destruction of a Halo Ring so he could regain his honour. When he used this as his opportunity to bolster the Banicron movement, the resulting extra power of the revolutionary organisation led to a sweeping victory across the entire Galaxy which he used to totally destroy all the institutions which angered him, actually kill his former friend and greatest enemy Thora ‘Marumee, and then extend his rule to his entire universe, though he decided not even that was enough. Now, Arbiter Turok the Omniradical has his eyes set on recruiting the Turok of this universe, believing him to be the key to unlocking the Infinite Revolution, even if his plans mean destroying a few “less important” universes here and there…

The Banicron Underground- The Banicrons’ message of species equality, social upheaval and violent revolution was bound to seduce at least a few members of the general public, even if they would have no way of properly joining the actual movement. For those who support the Banicrons but are unable to pledge their full allegiance to them for reasons like…not being able to leave their home planet still ruled by greedy social stratifiers, The Banicron Underground exists. The Banicron Underground is a loosely organised sociopolitical group that has given itself the job of spreading the Banicron message as far as possible by making people aware of the faults of their own governments, protesting, printing flyers, spraying graffiti, rioting, holding anti-establishment concerts at local punk joints, and generally being a thorn in the side of the authorities on any planet. Though they aren’t too happy that Thora ‘Marumee defends their existence because “It’s their right”, or whatever, cause it makes them sound less extreme. Whilst it’s members may be made up mostly of edgy teenagers and drug-addicted petty criminals, in their defence, you’d be hard pressed to find a less violent Banicron organisation, especially since this group technically exists outside the actual movement (but frequently communicates with it and is often directed by its members). Most actual Banicrons don’t think too highly of them- believing they’re mostly just a bunch of skezzed-out kids playing at being revolutionaries, but some are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them with more delicate operations, in the hopes of grooming them into the full-fledged Banicrons they’re supposed to be, which is probably why the Banicron Communication Corps had them smuggle the A.I Redfist onto several corporate A.I releases, and why they’ve started doing things a little more raw like dealing Banicron guns on the black market, and roughing up UEG Senators. Who knows? Maybe they’ll let them have their hands on a real life tactical nuke one of these days…

(A follow-up from this post on all (notable) Banicron subgroups. Something I figured would be worth putting out there to explain what all the different groups in this revolutionary organisation are. As you can probably tell, some of these are named and derived after Banished groups in Halo canon, which was totally intentional, whilst others are more unique creations with other inspirations. One thing I want to make clear is that this isn’t all the Banicrons’ subgroups- just the notable ones…as in all the ones I have thought of so far and could be bothered to write about. I also decided not to really put them into any proper order like by categorising some as “governmental”, others as “military”, and the rest as something else entirely or simply “others” because…I don’t really know, I just didn’t feel like it. Maybe it’s because the concepts of all those things are kind of lost on the Banicrons since they’re just as much a military band of armies as they are a government with civilians and so on, maybe I’m just lazy.)

(This will be one of a new series of lore posts I’m gonna start doing for the Haloverse- Codexes, which you can probably guess is just information on background things I might mention in the Haloverse such as groups, tech, weapons, concepts, currencies, political systems and come what may (technically I’ve always done stuff like this like how when I posted the lists of new species I’ve made back in 2018, but I guess now you can consider it more official). This way I can also link the individual concepts explained if I have a post of them on their own up- like I did here with the Thrillers, basically turning these things into indexes for my ideas.)

(I also have a gargantuan mega-note I’ve been writing since early last year explaining all the politics, economics, tech and culture that should paint an accurate picture of what’s its like to live in 26th Century Human society as a normal civilian, which I originally thought I wanted to complete before posting, but since I’m probably gonna be adding to it for all eternity, I decided I’m gonna post it sooner rather than however many years I’d wait otherwise and then treat it as a thing I can come back to and edit at other times and add to, using the notify watchers function to update things. I’m excited to get that off the ground but for now, enjoy the Banicron subgroups- I’ve been dreaming all these up for years now so it’s good to finally present them to you, anyway, thank you and goodnight!)

Description
The Junta- Before Turok consolidated power as Imperial Admiral of the Covenant and later unveiled the Banicrons to the Galaxy, the Junta were the leading members of the uprising. Today, they are made up of two groups- War Chiefs, a handful of different individuals all considered “second-in-command” of the Banicrons who may hold other ranks and roles in the organisation, and then the rest of the Junta- other miscellaneous leaders that Turok values the counsel of, but not necessarily enough to consider them War Chiefs. Independently power-hungry, the Junta each have their own dreams of conquest, and vie for control of the faction with each other and the favour of their leader. Still, they put aside their differences long enough to meet in War Councils for the greater glory of the Banicrons and discuss topics important to them all.

The Riotous Legions- History has spoken of the power of an army organised by and for the benefit of lower classes- whether it’s the dethroning of a monarchial government made possible by the Red Army or the reevaluation of the Unggoy’s place in the Covenant Hegemony achieved through the Grunt Rebellion. But none have quite been nearly as remarkable, or violent, as The Riotous Legions- the primary military force of the Banicron Movement. Composed of…legions, fleets, invasion forces, clans, armies, specialised organisations like Dark Ops and the Titan Corps and more, The Riotous Legions represents the vast power Turok Nar ‘Mdragath commands, utter destructive intent, and uproarious revolutionary fervour! Despite a reputation for aggressive, overwhelming force with little planning or careful thought, the tactics of The Riotous Legions are often actually much more complex than many opposing military leaders would like to believe: one of the most notable factors about the Banicrons, and by extension their military, is their creativity. Because of the Banicrons’ diverse and equal society, every species contributes its ideas to the whole and each have efficient ways of maximising the synthesis of ideas, resulting in a well-oiled and unpredictable fighting machine. For example, some of their spaceships utilise massive tethers which literally fire into other ships as industrial-size grappling hooks, then funnel troops through them into the enemy warship, all whilst anchoring them and heavily damaging them in the process. The only way to stop the flow of troops is by cutting through the heavy armour of the tether, which requires a team of flyers that also has to contend with the Banicron fighters defending them. Banicron orbital drop pods are dropped at an angle and designed in a way that affords them the qualities of a small meteorite, intentionally crashing through buildings and possibly even enemy ships which happen to be in the atmosphere, and then open up to allow troops who at worst, have a mild concussion so they can get down to business and attack. Not only that, but the Legions also have Dark Ascendants, meaning some Banicrons can also conjure dark physics powers to annihilate their foes and bolster their allies. Couple all this with the fact that The Riotous Legions dispatch crews whose goal it is to collapse a planet‘s defence infrastructure before an invasion, a feat accomplished with the use of everything from regular spycraft to the employment of full-on cyborgs with cyberpathic implants allowing them to hack networks with their minds, you have an enemy which can totally collapse security on the national and interstellar level, and make the victim think it’s a minor glitch or that someone else is doing it. Before they know it, the rest of the Legions proper have descended on the planet, and there is nothing the local military can do to stop them.

The Calamitous Order- The Calamitous Order is the group responsible for the administering and management of Dark Ascendants and other individuals with anomalous/mystical powers among the Banicrons. It seeks to control the dark forces of the universe and use them to their advantage, and they dabble in ancient forbidden practices, performing all kinds of Dark Physics rituals hidden in the temples of the Aurash Order which came before. Their ambition and curiosity sometimes gets the better of them, leading many of the Calamitous to become twisted, wretched and downright insane beings in the pursuit of power.

Dark Operations/Dark Ops- Where the UNSC’s ODSTs and the SOS’ Special Operations lack in ruthlessness, Banicron Dark Ops more than makes up for. Culling from former members of the most classified Black-Ops squads across numerous organisations, mercenaries and particularly gifted Banicron stealth troops who have proven themselves, Dark Ops is composed of some of the most shameless war criminals in the Galaxy, who are willing to do just about anything for the mission. Totally devoid of morality, Dark Ops tackle some of the most sensitive, high-risk and clandestine field work the Banicrons have to complete, performing with shrewd efficiency. They have a reputation for never leaving survivors for the enemy to find, unless of course, there’s a hidden bomb rigged to them.

Dogmatic Justice Brigade/DJB- The Dogmatic Justice Brigade is a division of the Banicron government that handles justice. And by justice, we mean "unmarked graves". Assuming there's enough left of their victims to bury. Traitors, deserters, and any manner of transgressors to the Banicron cause end up on "The List", and are targeted by these enforcers of Turok Nar ‘Mdragath’s will. If the rumors are to be believed, they always find their quarry, and execute them in the messiest fashion possible to make an example of them. Several of the DJB are living torture devices, either having horrific instruments of pain built into their bodies, or having such devices on them at all times. A small group of DJB agents is even able to take down some of the mightiest of governments. So fearsome is their reputation that many Banicrons prefer suicide to waiting for the DJB to find them...unfortunately, many only find out they were on The List right as the Brigade arrives. Obviously, this makes them incredibly unpopular among the rank-and-file, many wondering just what level of minor infraction will get you on the List in the first damn place. Their usual killing fields are in the proximity of the glassed planet Madrigal, and they pursue their more powerful and well-equipped targets in their spaceship- the Onward to Peace. The agency’s administrative lineup has changed over the years, but its core six members always use the same six code-names: those of the first cities to fall to the Banicrons. Should one member die, another Banicron is eventually selected to take their place and name. Only the group's leader, Kultur ‘Dermos is known to have been in the group from the start.

Dominion Security Enforcement Division/D-SED- The Dominion Security Enforcement Division, better known as D-SED, is the primary law enforcement agency of the Banicrons’ territories. It recruits primarily people with backgrounds in police, security, or other enforcement organisations, but because many are known to be very contradictory to the Banicron ideology, D-SED also hires directly out of its regular military forces at times. D-SED is treated like a military organisation and has access to military grade-equipment to the point where D-SED officers sometimes participate in battles with members of the regular Banicron legions, usually to keep the peace between different units, arrest any offenders of the Banicron ideology and put an end to any rivalries that are counterproductive.

The Badgeless- The Badgeless are as secret as secret polices get. As their name indicates, the Badgeless operate with the authority to disregard protocols regarding the displaying of official documents or…badges which would normally tell someone they are well within their right to do whatever it is they are about to do. The Badgeless however, do not carry these articles on their person, and need only identify themselves to superiors using specific chain codes which display their allegiance with the Badgeless. These secret police officers are among the most clandestine in the Orion Arm, and are allowed to bypass the judicial process as they are each, under Banicron law, judges.

Correctors- The Correctors are a judicial organisation, and so administer whatever passes for Banicron law, including war crimes. They are responsible for trying and charging criminals of all kinds, be they civilians or military personnel. They're more likely to believe the word of a Banicron over anyone else, unsurprisingly. They also command a vast amount of resources reserved for the detainment of individuals. They have facilities dedicated to the “correction” of those who violate Banicron ideology, and it is believed that no matter who walks into one of those, they’ll either walk out a true champion of the faction’s beliefs…or not walk out at all. Because the Banicrons do not totally replace the governments of worlds they conquer unless it is deemed necessary, the Correctors are responsible for assessing the membership of a planet’s local government and its functions, and then having those members replaced as needed with Banicron-sympathisers, restructuring the government to suit their whims and ensuring that those on this planet are fully aware that the Banicrons are there and they are in charge. To this extent, the Correctors make heavy use of the enforcer contingent of the Eradicorps, who are tasked with putting down anti-Banicron sentiment.

Eradicorps- Essentially the shock troopers of the Banicron Legions, the Eradicorps are more organised than regular Banicron units in the sense that they almost all exclusively utilise advanced, uniformly-designed power armour and are charged with very specific roles- usually as the first troops sent onto a battlefield to blaze through the enemy. One of the most obvious of their purposes is their role as political enforcers who work to put down anti-Banicron sentiment among territories that have been revolutionised. Eradicorps Enforcers sometimes work closely with D-SED and, in some extreme cases, the DJB in the pursuit of Banicron political enemies.

Pureblood Gladiators- The Pureblood Gladiators are an elite warrior sect within the Banicrons, handpicked by Turok Nar ‘Mdragath himself and named in the honour of his history as a gladiator in the Covenant. The Pureblood Gladiators are trained by Turok himself and are monsters of overwhelming power, composed of the mightiest Banicron warriors. These so-called "superwarriors" are known to have undergone a torturous upgrade to render them nigh-invulnerable, including powerful cyber-skeletons that can preserve their lives even in the event of the rest of the body’s destruction, and at least one has a cybernetic self-regenerating power core to eliminate the need for rest. At least some of them have had other alterations: a kill switch which lets Turok deactivate them at any time with a simple voice command, and in Ovralion’s case, the Yit’ees virus- a genesong which prevents him from figuring out how to defeat the Banicron leader.

Titan Corps- The Titan Corps are a branch of the Banicron military responsible for creating and directing the Titans- an advanced Banicron supersoldier program patterned after the UNSC’s Spartans and numerous private supersoldier generations. Whilst most Titans are Humans, the group does have members of other species among its ranks, though naturally due to the biology of different species, the Titan program is one Banicron organisation that is mainly made up of the Galaxy’s ‘key player’ races. Whilst the Titans themselves undergo numerous cybernetic, genetic and chemical augmentations to become the powerhouses they are, due to the lesser amount of time they have had to be developed and refined, they still underperform on average compared to many UNSC Spartan supersoldiers. However, the Titan Corps is also responsible for the administration and servicing of the needs of supersoldiers in the Banicrons who never actually became Titans, such as former UNSC Spartans, San’Shyuum Prelates, and so on. To that extent, they employ many of these supersoldiers among their ranks, folding them into the larger Titan program. The Titan Corps has plans to homogenise the Titan Program, hoping to discover some ancient technology, likely Forerunner in origin, that can grant its scientists the ability to perfectly enhance a member of any species without having to devote separate research groups into studying and developing a different augmentation project for the biology of each race.

Trappers- The Trappers are a crack unit of Banicron pilots, flight specialists and rangers under Stato ‘Screm’s command. They possess superior tracking and detection skills and a high-level of firepower, and can just get things done better than anyone else. Knowing Stato, he reminds everyone of this fact every chance he gets. Trappers are authorised to take a leadership role on the battlefield from any currently serving commanding officer and lead other Banicron troops to victory.

Hand of Turok- The Hand of Turok is an organisation answering only to Turok Nar ‘Mdragath that is tasked with the elimination of dissidents within the Banicrons, hunting down of high value enemy targets and conducting personal errands of all manners for Turok. They are equipped with specialised tech, usually including highly advanced power armour, red-coloured energy and/or hardlight blades, antimatter weapons and stealth ships. Banicrons both with and without powers such as Dark Alchemy can become members of the Hand, though those with powers are generally more suited for the tasks they take up. The Hand are colloquially named “Spartan Killers”, as these warriors specialise in hunting down and killing UNSC Spartans, as well as any enemy that is highly skilled and powerful enough to pose a significant threat to the Banicrons. They can also commandeer other Banicron troops as needed provided that it serves the purposes of their operations, but generally make use of Turok’s Chosen- death squads that are led by the Hand.

Turok’s Chosen- Turok’s Chosen are promoted specifically by Turok Nar ‘Mdragath to be his personal enforcers and are directed by the Hand of Turok. They are only made up of the most cunning and loyal soldiers, with their unquestioning devotion to ‘Mdragath making them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, and their powerful personal energy shields make them even harder to kill for any foes unlucky enough to cross their path. Answerable only to Turok and the Hand of Turok, these soldiers are feared by many lower-ranking troops and hated by others. Many prideful leaders who dare question Turok’s command are usually taken care of by these squads.

Contrivants- The Contrivants are the Banicrons’ foremost blue-collar designers, engineers and builders, and are a rare example of a group of Banicrons more enamoured with creation than destruction. That doesn't mean they don't enjoy watching a beautiful structure being demolished (in fact, they specialise in destroying more than building); they just want to destroy it so they can replace it with a terrifying edifice. Every Banicron victory is an excuse to erect a new monument at headquarters. They're unbeatable as a team (under the command of Mrixo Tada Vuwa), but, as individuals, their ambitions to out-design one another can get the best of them. The Contrivants are also capable soldiers in their own right, and are expected to use the deadly weapons they design to complete missions. Usually, they are sent on operations which involve the procurement of resources or demolition of enemy strongholds. Or simply clearing a path with no regard to the sheer amount of collateral damage they will do in the process. The Contrivants started out as a construction crew in Karrovar on High Charity funded by gladiator Turok ‘Mdragath for the sake of renovating and improving the Gladiatorial Pits of Karrovar, and then going on to renovate and gentrify sections of Karrovar too. The Contrivants later went on to become a large company taking on many employees of the oppressed lower working classes of the Covenant, rising to a level where they ruined the reputation of the few builders’ trade unions in the Covenant for actually being fairer and more open to treating workers well than the unions made to represent them were. After Turok began his preparations for the Banicron insurrection, the Contrivants turned their talents to modifying Covenant weapons and designing a plethora of new gear and blueprints for the future buildings, prefabs and warships the Banicrons would use. Once the rebellion began in full, the Contrivants helped conquer High Charity.

Gray Guard- Commonly charged with the oversight and protection of important sites, objects or people, Gray Guardsmen are often sent ahead of regular forces to ensure important assets are recovered and don’t get damaged in the process of an invasion or other operation. They can be sighted working both individually and as a group, and are generally treated with a high level of respect by others. The Gray Guard is fiercely dedicated to its role and members are ready to stand by their charges awaiting orders for an eternity if they must, which naturally makes them the perfect force for stopping things falling into enemy hands.

Thrillers - A lightning-fast strike force, the Thrillers are a group of rebellious Banicron road warriors who the Revolution’s leaders can barely control. They were originally just a gang of rebellious Human outlaws and nomads who drove fast cars or trucks, seeking to dominate the roads wherever they went before the Banicrons found them. Made up predominantly of reject Nolanders exiled from their clans, they toured around the URNA performing stunt shows which few took an interest in. They hoped to get noticed by movie studios and hired as stuntpeople for high octane action sequences, but with failure piling on them along with bills and debts, they turned to use their skills for crime to get by until they caught their big break. Eventually, after enough mercenary work across the URNA, their leader, Houston Winchester, the Diesel Dictator, had become accustomed with the violence offered by his criminal life and started to believe that the untamed wilds of the open road were his true stomping grounds, so he made it his new mission to dominate the countrysides and outbacks of Earth to expand his gang into an enterprise holding a considerable amount of power over people’s goods and travels. To best impose their rule on different lanes of travel and grow more powerful, the Thrillers allied themselves with the Banicron Revolution which gave them the means to rule the roads in return for their unique services. Now, the Thrillers have taken on numerous others into their ranks, and are paid by the Banicrons to do dirty work throughout the roads and countrysides of Earth that the Banicrons can’t. Doing this on other worlds is no issue either. The Thrillers are more than willing to ride into any sunset the Revolution needs them to. Provided that they are still paid. Despite their mercantile arrangement, some of the Thrillers are becoming more and more inspired by the Banicrons’ mission statement, and some believe that a good portion of the Thrillers would keep working for the revolution regardless of whether or not they were paid their usual rate, or paid at all. We'll give you three guesses on what their music taste is like.

The Strykers- The Strykers are a crack commando squadron of 4 rowdy Banicrons, and their strict leader Obadiah Slatov. The Strykers are called in when the Banicrons need a little extra firepower- deadly, ruthless and exemplary of the destructive nature of Banicron culture, The Strykers are some of the absolute elite, though not all professionals in a traditional sense, they more than make up for their clear-cut flaws in their legendary status among the ranks of the Empire as, for lack of a better phrase, total badasses.

Team Dominance- The Banicron answer to the T.O.R Spartan-III Team Salvation, Team Dominance is a diverse team with members from all across the movement’s ranks, featuring heavy hitters, martial artists, hackers, assassins and tacticians in what has been described as an “all purpose squad”. Coordinated by ex-CIO Agent Inspector Talos Vaston, Team Dominance finds itself rushing enemy strongholds and battle lines, quickly reducing them to ash and fully living up to their name. So far, they haven’t faced one defeat, and its members are pretty confident that they’re not going to start once they come toe to toe with the team that inspired them.

Strategic Extermination Crew/The Mambas- The Strategic Extermination Crew, better known as The Mambas, are an elite commando unit of Banicrons whose lineup is ever-changing, and they recruit the most bloodthirsty and deadly to swell their ranks when old members die (or desert). Whether it's attacking high-value targets or fomenting societal upheaval through sabotage and deception, the group always lives up to their name, spreading death, destruction and…um, extermination. The Mambas are commonly made up of Banicrons who either can’t get along with anyone anywhere else, or those being punished for some sort of transgression by being forced to serve on what ultimately boils down to a suicide squad.

Hivocrons- The dwindling Hereknikim Yanme'e Hive ruled by the equality-valuing Queen Natuma the Testifier has now become one of the largest Yanme'e hives in the galaxy thanks to Banicron Chief Scientific Officer Rassaag ‘Xytarg- who has genetically engineered its members for war and accelerated their breeding periods, leading to the creation of more subspecies. As such, Yanme’e modified by Rassaag are now known as ‘Hivocrons’. Ravenous and aggressive, Hivocrons can digest 95% of known matter (earning the nickname "weapons of mass consumption") reshaping their findings into enormous subterrannean hives. Existing as a hive, they represent a deadly and invaluable resource for those willing to find a way to tame them. They have the unique ability to clone themselves, but each successive clone is inferior to its progenitor, leading to increasingly bestial creatures who are unable to come to individual conclusions. Since most of their numbers are basically animals, Hivocrons respond best to displays of power, and their swarms are normally dominated by the smartest and strongest among them. Nevertheless, a sufficiently firm hand or assertion of command from a non-Hivocron may gain control as well. In spite of this, Banicron Leader Turok Nar ‘Mdragath has made it clear that he is not in the business of enslaving the Yanme’e, so he has devoted most non-Hereknikim Hivocrons to Queen Natuma, for she values all Yanme’e, regardless of their ability to interact with the hive, as equals and has organised for how best to employ its members be that directly through the hive or by allowing them to join other Banicron organisations.

The Ennobled- The Ennobled are a group of Banicrons who modify themselves extensively. Not with normal cybernetics no, not with supersoldier augmentations, but with Forerunner Promethean smartmatter prosthetics. They believe that through augmenting themselves with Forerunner cyberware, they can be ‘closer’ to the Gods and ‘more perfect’ in their eyes. The Ennobled are obsessed with Forerunner technology, and in many ways, are very coarse with their beliefs surrounding the procurement of such technology not being the Banicrons’ number one priority. Many of the Ennobled are not merely interested in the exploration of Forerunner tech, but are actively religious about it. Among the typical Banicron who probably recognises the falsehood of the Great Journey and that the Forerunners were just another species rather than Gods, the Ennobled are quite a source of worry, as they freely espouse their beliefs in what ultimately boils down to being a mass-suicidal cult. However, the Ennobled are nothing if not loyal to the Banicron cause. The group’s senior leadership take the idea that the different races of the universe are supposed to come together and unite in an equality-driven haven before they can ever be worthy of joining the Gods in the Divine Beyond, which makes their dedication to the Banicron ideology whole and true. However, they do not approve of Forerunner tech being ‘vandalised’ and believe it foolish not to revere the creations of the lords. Fears of the Ennobled perhaps turning against the Banicrons to ally with a Neo-Covenant group are relatively low, because few would have them, considering how most view cybernetic modifications, especially with Forerunner technology, blasphemous. Turok allows them to exist, if for no other reason than the expertise they bring in deciphering and pinpointing the uses of technology from the Forerunners that the Banicrons encounter.

Darkfangs- Elite Kill Teams composed of former Sangheili experiments of the Dread Councillors, made to look like monsters and husks, turned insane and hell bent on murder. The Darkfangs are specialists in infiltration, espionage, assassination, asset recovery and generally leaving any site they’re sent to a torn-apart, smouldering ruin.

Communication Corps- The official role of the Banicron Communications Corps is to monitor and maintain Banicron communication lines across the Galaxy and push inspiring propaganda out to the group’s membership. But in practice, it is also a group of hackers, splicers, cyberpaths and A.I constructs responsible for inciting revolution among the masses and infiltrating enemy networks, achieving this through hacking into and embedding hostile programs into enemy computer systems. The Banicrons have quite possibly the most sophisticated non-Forerunner cyberintrusion software in the Orion Arm, as the Communications Corps have been able to take control of entire Surveillance Grids on UEC colonies without even being noticed, and the group’s expertise has enabled Banicron battle networks to be some of the most secure in warfare to date. One of the ways in which the Communications Corps achieves its legendary ability to splice is through the creation of the Living Malware- biological agents secreted by techno-organically modified Thanklekgolo worms containing a specific strain of computer code that infiltrates any system it comes into contact with, then transfers all collected information to the Communications Corps.

Bloodstars- An Ex-Covenant Silent Shadow unit which was absorbed into the Banicrons, the Bloodstars are one of the most notorious Dark Ops units, made up of some of the most skilled hunters, trackers and killers in the Banicron Empire. They commonly engage in competitive hunting rituals- challenging each other on who can track down and gut the most UNSC Spartans, or SOS Ascetics, or whoever happens to be on the menu. They've made themselves a reputation by...well, killing a lot of people. Despite their bloodthirst, animalistic behaviour and thrill for the hunt, Bloodstars are known for being highly professional and possessing excellent social skills and etiquette- almost to an unsettling degree, as it’s members can go from chasing down a Jiralhanae Covenant Chieftain through a jungle to appealing to the eccentricities of corporate executives in a more concrete variation of a jungle. It’s members are masters of espionage and duplicity and thanks to protocols, techniques and tasking looted from the Silent Shadow, are one of the most skilled intelligence groups known to exist.

Prowling- The Prowling are teams of assassins, spies and spotters that stealthily scout around for the sake of reconnaissance & kill enemies on a battlefield, and are tasked with quietly eroding enemy defences so that they don’t realise that they’re beat when they’re beat. Its members tend to be the mysterious, silent types, but nobody can really tell if they’re being genuine or if they’re just trying to seem cool.

The Red Scarves- They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure, but if The Red Scarves come calling then they'll probably take your treasure then trash you. With the Jolly Roger hoisted high and the cannon barrels smoldering, The Red Scarves sail the spaceways in a neverending search for plunder and power. These ferocious raiders will gladly ally themselves with whomever proves most beneficial to their larcenous ends, be they Covenant remnants, Human corporations or otherwise. In reality, The Red Scarves typically end up double-crossing everybody, leaving them with few friends and a lot of enemies. But at least whilst they’re being employed by the Banicrons, they get access to swaths of their sweet, juicy tools of death. This scuzzy crew makes a living stealing- ahem, salvaging relics and technology, and to them the Galaxy is a treasure trove just waiting to be exploited. Under the Yonhet Zunm’s tight-fisted leadership, there's no trick too dirty or move too underhanded when it comes to defending their findings from their foes.

Shadow Guard- The Shadow Guard used to be the ancient Aurash Emperor’s personal guard, made up exclusively of powerful Dark Ascendants who skulked in the darkest corners of the Emperor’s palace to give the illusion that he was defenceless. That was before Turok threw a blade through the bastard’s heart and caused him to fall way down to what was (probably) his end. Now, the Shadow Guard uses its “hiding in the dark” tactics to protect Banicron locations across the entire Galaxy, not just the Emperor. Though they are seen much more than they might’ve been before, the Shadow Guard still employs its misleading defensive strategy in the defense of certain sites, and has successfully made entering a Banicron building even more terrifying than it already is, cause you could be infiltrating them and thinking you’re about to secure that vital piece of research for HIGHCOM, only for the entire Shadow Guard to be quietly laying a trap you’re bound to fall into in a rather embarrassing way…ending in certain death.

Skytorchers- A powerful shock Fleet, the Skytorchers are a group of several warships and an invasion force led by Dark Ascendant Legionmaster Verdamon Snapspine, designed with an emphasis on pure destructive force. Each ship in the fleet is perfectly adapted to cripple enemy defences both naval and on the ground, as well as engage in scorched earth tactics- a focus of their strategy. Infantry members of this Fleet are known to utilise incendiary weapons, including flamethrowers, which earned them the name of the “Skytorchers”.

Thieves of the Claw- The Thieves of the Claw are compulsive Kig-Yar, T’vaoan and Orobek thieves and hoarders, utterly single-minded in their pursuit of treasure, though this treasure can be anything from a super-valuable crystalline ring to a discarded chocolate bar wrapper. The important thing is that it be shiny—the glitterier the better. Equipped with jet packs and sharp talons, the Thieves are highly manoeuvrable in flight, and specialise in making swooping attacks to rake their enemies with their claws.

The Haildumpers- The Haildumpers are a unit of Banicron fighter-bomber pilots known for making use of chemical and biological weapon payloads in the bombs they drop on the ground below. Each member tends to have a bit of a superiority complex, and in one particular case, a belief in himself as a God-appointed emissary of destruction. As their name implies, they dump hail. Explosive hail.

B-ZRK- While it has been said that any Trident of Revelation who joins the Crashers is not merely willing to die for his cause, but is actively seeking to bring about his own violent demise ahead of time, any Banicron who volunteers to be re-engineered into the B-ZRK has this complex on steroids. Known as “Berserkers” and organised into B-Squads, the B-ZRK are outright kamikaze- whilst the original Berserkers were merely vile miscreants who gave over rational thinking in order to destroy their enemies by consuming an unstable stimulant which augmented strength and resilience and drove them mad in the smog-filled barrens of Warial’s Doda’keyt; the B-ZRK are now genetically edited by Incendis gene-manipulating nanobots, effectively turning their bodies into powerful and strong, but highly unstable bombs with powerful, tightly-integrated, explosive yields to match. B-ZRK have a life expectancy measured in seconds once they jump from their deploy point, often going around the battlefield in a violent rage until their bodies overheat and combust. Consequently, while some B-ZRK are simply super-enthusiastic Banicrons looking to give their life for the cause, active conscription into the B-ZRK is not unheard-of, including the forced recruitment of prisoners languishing in Banicron penal colonies. Due to the nature of their combat style, B-ZRK are widely known for their fearlessness, to say the least, and receive a level of respect from most other Banicrons.

Dreadlords- The Dreadlords, also known as the Dread Councillors, were six extremely powerful Dark Ascendant Lords who served Turok as prophets, generals, and advisers. Their names were earned when they studied the power of the ancient Oeobos devices- ancient Dark Ascendant artefacts from the 2nd Dark Wars that had driven even the most depraved mad with terror. This power allowed the Dreadlords to destroy entire battlegroups during the T.O.R-Banicron War; for they had mastered the art of spiritual manipulation to the point that they would inflict an awful, mysterious terror upon members of any given enemy ship. In order to avoid being compromised, they kept in constant motion in a dreadnaught that roamed the galaxy. With the help of an elite UNSC Special Forces Division team, T.O.R Special Operations Commander Kas’Kreel ‘Hartamee infiltrated the dreadnaught and captured the Dreadlords, and they were imprisoned at the Gosavis Maximum Security Penitentiary. Released in a prison break orchestrated by the Banicrons, the Dreadlords went rogue, having grown tired of Turok’s search for the Progenitor, forming an alliance led by their own Dread Council to search for the Dread Stones- seven ingots of Precursor dark science origin said to be able to control all the forces of the universe itself. The Dread Alliance however was defeated on Oruxon- where the Oeobos devices were based and the stones supposedly located, its members either killed, captured or, in the case of their leader, Bardas ‘Vorkam, being banished to a hellish alternate dimension to live out the rest of his days in misery.

Ironclad- The Ironclad are units within the Banicrons typically focused on heavy-fire and anti-vehicle operations. The Ironclad are most notable for their usage of ultra-heavy armour- both in the context of specialised vehicles such as Ironclad Blisterbacks and Ironclad Walkers and simply wearing huge, hulking masses of metal on their backs to shield themselves from all fire. For this reason, Ironclad tend to be slow, and are not very good at responding quickly to changes on the battlefield. Where they really shine is in setting up perimeter defences and slowly, fear-inducingly advancing and covering large portions of ground. Most of their members are Mgalekgolo colonies, Jiralhanae, Humans who claim to be “natty” and that they’re not pumping themselves with steroids, and cyborgs of varying species.

The Voracious- Sometimes it's hard to take The Voracious seriously. Even for Banicrons, they've got a bunch of personality problems, not to mention a lack of decency. Individually, they're not much, and it's not very hard to outsmart them. One on one, any solider would probably win. Then you actually meet the Voracious as a group, and you pray that the Forerunners have mercy on you, because the Voracious sure as hell won't. They'll kill you for a bunch of reasons: orders, sport, boredom, a dare. They're not what you'd call soldiers, warriors, or even brawlers. They're animals, and they bring that thought pattern to everything they do, including their choice of weaponry, which are the disembodied teeth, claws and body parts of frightening beasts. They're all positively insane. All Banicrons are well-known to take pride in killing hapless opponents, but among them, the Voracious are certainly the most reckless warriors the Banicron have to offer.

Screecleavers- The Screecleavers’ name originates from an order of warriors from the Sangheili medieval-ages who brandished barbaric and serrated blades made from teeth, claw and bone and were known as “the screaming warriors”, for the fact that they would only approach an enemy at night and always announce their presence on a battlefield after their first kill by roaring at a high pitch in unison, creating a sound eerily familiar to some predators on Sangheilios, therefore fostering the conception within the enemy commanders, reserves and other combat units listening or simply overhearing from elsewhere that their forces were under attack by animals, as they would be unable to tell who actually attacked, and the Screecleavers would kill in ways that made their ambushes appear as if a predator had maimed their men. The Screecleavers of the Banicrons are a little less interested in making their kills look like attacks by wild animals, but are no less barbaric. Led by the history-buff and almost “nerdy” Walrik ‘Kemnuai, the Screecleavers are a team of sword and other bladed melee weapon-wielding warriors who charge into battle in the same manner as the ancient order, and do not stop until every foe is bleeding out. They tend to prefer edges made of hard material like metal, or even ivory or claws rather than energy blades, and eschew ranged weapons almost to a point where they refuse to carry any, but are ordered to anyway because of the limited strategic value of melee weapons in modern warfare. Still, they do their best to avoid their use and tend to only arm themselves with pistols, maybe a carbine if they’re feeling a bit more cautious.

Seek and Terminate Thora ‘Marumee- The Banicron project Seek and Terminate Thora ‘Marumee's mission is…to seek and terminate Thora ‘Marumee. Yeah. That’s it. It’s possible that they alternatively have the goal of converting ‘Marumee into the violent revolutionary that Banicron leader Turok Nar ‘Mdragath has always wanted him to be, or that they want to replace him with a life model decoy, or a clone, or something. But considering the name, Seek and Terminate Thora ‘Marumee more than likely focuses itself on studying the fighting styles, weapons, equipment, skills and capabilities of the Trident of Revelation ’s leader, in the hopes of devising countermeasures and a stratagem engineered for his defeat. So far, they’ve had no success at all, as evidenced by the fact that Thora is, well, still alive, but some of its members are beginning to worry that their mission statement is damn-near impossible, maybe it’s because they’re just not passing on the right methods to the rest of the Banicron military to defeat ‘Marumee, maybe it’s because they’re missing vital intelligence about the Trident leader’s armour- or maybe it’s because Thora ‘Marumee is simply one of the mightiest warriors in the universe, and the only one who can ever match him is Turok.

Precursor Hunters- The Precursors were a powerful, ancient race and were possessors of nigh-infinite mystical abilities including the power to warp space and time. They all died off millions of years before the Banicrons were even conceptualised, taking their secrets with them. Unfortunately, The Ruinous, founder of the original Banicrons, had heard enough stories to think finding these legendary figures, opening dialog with and recruiting them (or if that failed, murdering them and salvaging their knowledge) was a really good idea. To this end, he assembled the Precursor Hunters, an elite group of Banicrons who followed the wakes the Precursors left behind, picking up and integrating their technology into their arsenals. After spending years either in some form of stasis or outside the Galaxy to avoid the Halo firing, the Precursor Hunters returned to their search in the Milky Way, and some have indeed made contact with the modern Banicron movement.

The High Charitan Guard- The High Charitan Guard is the Banicrons’ home team: the soldiers that stay on High Charity to ensure Banicron reign there does not falter. They are currently led by Rassaag ‘Xytarg, Chief Scientific Officer of the Banicrons, who has effectively made each member of the Guard into either a lab assistant or an agent setting up the Banicrons’ long-term plans for the Galaxy. One of these plans: Operation: Black Moon, according to rumours being passed around by the Contrivants, is quite a doozy, and is sure to put the movement back on top and in a position of being able to revolutionise the Galaxy and beyond forever!

Turok Aggregate- Any given universe probably trembles in fear at the name Turok, but the Turok Aggregate is an interdimensional group of Turoks! Under the foundership of one particular Turok from another universe, the Aggregate aims to shackle the power of Living Time itself, taking control of the entire multiverse in an effort to revolutionise all of existence and reshape the very stars into the Banicron symbol. It’s leader, Turok Jar ‘Mdragath, known on the Aggregate as Turok the Omniradical, Turok X or “The Other One”, comes from a timeline where Turok became Arbiter of the Sangheili after he failed to stop the destruction of a Halo Ring so he could regain his honour. When he used this as his opportunity to bolster the Banicron movement, the resulting extra power of the revolutionary organisation led to a sweeping victory across the entire Galaxy which he used to totally destroy all the institutions which angered him, actually kill his former friend and greatest enemy Thora ‘Marumee, and then extend his rule to his entire universe, though he decided not even that was enough. Now, Arbiter Turok the Omniradical has his eyes set on recruiting the Turok of this universe, believing him to be the key to unlocking the Infinite Revolution, even if his plans mean destroying a few “less important” universes here and there…

The Banicron Underground- The Banicrons’ message of species equality, social upheaval and violent revolution was bound to seduce at least a few members of the general public, even if they would have no way of properly joining the actual movement. For those who support the Banicrons but are unable to pledge their full allegiance to them for reasons like…not being able to leave their home planet still ruled by greedy social stratifiers, The Banicron Underground exists. The Banicron Underground is a loosely organised sociopolitical group that has given itself the job of spreading the Banicron message as far as possible by making people aware of the faults of their own governments, protesting, printing flyers, spraying graffiti, rioting, holding anti-establishment concerts at local punk joints, and generally being a thorn in the side of the authorities on any planet. Though they aren’t too happy that Thora ‘Marumee defends their existence because “It’s their right”, or whatever, cause it makes them sound less extreme. Whilst it’s members may be made up mostly of edgy teenagers and drug-addicted petty criminals, in their defence, you’d be hard pressed to find a less violent Banicron organisation, especially since this group technically exists outside the actual movement (but frequently communicates with it and is often directed by its members). Most actual Banicrons don’t think too highly of them- believing they’re mostly just a bunch of skezzed-out kids playing at being revolutionaries, but some are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them with more delicate operations, in the hopes of grooming them into the full-fledged Banicrons they’re supposed to be, which is probably why the Banicron Communication Corps had them smuggle the A.I Redfist onto several corporate A.I releases, and why they’ve started doing things a little more raw like dealing Banicron guns on the black market, and roughing up UEG Senators. Who knows? Maybe they’ll let them have their hands on a real life tactical nuke one of these days…

(A follow-up from this post on all (notable) Banicron subgroups. Something I figured would be worth putting out there to explain what all the different groups in this revolutionary organisation are. As you can probably tell, some of these are named and derived after Banished groups in Halo canon, which was totally intentional, whilst others are more unique creations with other inspirations. One thing I want to make clear is that this isn’t all the Banicrons’ subgroups- just the notable ones…as in all the ones I have thought of so far and could be bothered to write about. I also decided not to really put them into any proper order like by categorising some as “governmental”, others as “military”, and the rest as something else entirely or simply “others” because…I don’t really know, I just didn’t feel like it. Maybe it’s because the concepts of all those things are kind of lost on the Banicrons since they’re just as much a military band of armies as they are a government with civilians and so on, maybe I’m just lazy.)

(This will be one of a new series of lore posts I’m gonna start doing for the Haloverse- Codexes, which you can probably guess is just information on background things I might mention in the Haloverse such as groups, tech, weapons, concepts, currencies, political systems and come what may (technically I’ve always done stuff like this like how when I posted the lists of new species I’ve made back in 2018, but I guess now you can consider it more official). This way I can also link the individual concepts explained if I have a post of them on their own up- like I did here with the Thrillers, basically turning these things into indexes for my ideas.)

(I also have a gargantuan mega-note I’ve been writing since early last year explaining all the politics, economics, tech and culture that should paint an accurate picture of what’s its like to live in 26th Century Human society as a normal civilian, which I originally thought I wanted to complete before posting, but since I’m probably gonna be adding to it for all eternity, I decided I’m gonna post it sooner rather than however many years I’d wait otherwise and then treat it as a thing I can come back to and edit at other times and add to, using the notify watchers function to update things. I’m excited to get that off the ground but for now, enjoy the Banicron subgroups- I’ve been dreaming all these up for years now so it’s good to finally present them to you, anyway, thank you and goodnight!)