Type-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy Deployment Platform

The T-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy Deployment Platform, also known as the Lich, is the Covenant's largest mass deployment platform, providing a heavy armament and high volume troop/material deployment. Deployment platforms such as the Lich are rarely documented in human combat, as encounters with the vehicle usually result in its complete domination and destruction of all resisting forces.
==Class History==
===Human-Covenant War===
During the Battle of Installation 04, the Covenant made use of Liches. One of them, the Upright Chalice, was launched from the destroyer Blameless Conceit in the attack on Alpha Base and deployed several waves of troops, though the ODSTs of Fireteam Raven were able to repel the assault. The Upright Chalice then returned to its mothership.Halo: Fireteam Raven - Campaign level Alpha Base
===Post-War===
Jul 'Mdama's Covenant made use of multiple Liches. During the First Battle of Requiem, one engaged Gypsy Company as it attempted to destroy the gravity well generator keeping the UNSC Infinity on the planet. The Lich used its plasma beam to heavily damage the company's Mammoth and disable its mini-MAC before deploying troops, though John-117 was able to destroy it before it could foil the mission.Halo 4 - Campaign level Reclaimer Several escorted the Mantle's Approach to Ivanoff Research Station in 2557. In pursuit of the Didact, John-117 stowed away aboard one in order to survive the slipspace jump. He hijacked the ship and attempted to land it at Ivanoff Station, but Cortana experienced a rampant episode and caused it to crash.Halo 4 - Campaign level Composer
The Lich was also deployed during the Requiem Campaign in 2558. Fireteam Crimson accidentally summoned one by activating an alarm on the direction of the AI Roland, who intended to have Crimson steal the dropship's power source to activate the Covenant's Harvester. With the help of Fireteam Forest, the Spartans were able to obtain the power source and destroy the Lich.Halo 4: Spartan Ops - Episode 10, Exodus
The Swords of Sanghelios also employed Liches, though theirs were painted a gold color. One was the site of a meeting between Thel 'Vadam and Jameson Locke during the latter's hunt for the Master Chief.Halo 2: Anniversary - Campaign level The Heretic, Anniversary prologue Another delivered Fireteam Osiris and the Arbiter to the Battle of Sunaion.Halo 5: Guardians - Campaign level Battle of Sunaion
In 2559, the Banished employed a heavily-modified variant of the Lich to deploy troops and vehicles during the Second Battle of Installation 00.Halo Wars 2 Their leader Atriox used a personal Lich called Pegoras.Halo: Shadows of ReachHalo: Divine Wind
==Design==
The T-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy Deployment Platform is designed as a high capacity, infantry transport and is sufficiently armed and armored to operate within an active battlezone, though not intended to do so as much as the more common T-44 and T-52 Phantoms.
At the fore of the vehicle is a powerful plasma beam weapon similar to the kind used by Scarabs. This beam is capable of disabling a Mammoth's main cannon in a single shot. Both sides are each armed with two additional plasma cannons to defend the vehicle while it deploys its complement.
The interior of the Lich is comprised of two decks. The lower deck seems to be where troops would assemble to deploy. A small gravity lift is located at its center, though it is too small to deploy vehicles, instead appearing to be intended solely for infantry and possibly supplies. To both sides of the gravity lift are open platforms armed with Type-52 Directed Energy Support Weapons, and at the very front of the deck is a ramp leading up to the second deck. At the center of the second deck is a large opening looking down on the first deck, and the gravity lift, below. Similarly to the first deck, open platforms with plasma cannons are located on both sides of the Lich. At the front of the deck is a single command console from which the ship can be piloted, and at the very rear of the deck is the vessel's shielded power core. On each side of the power core is a ramp which leads to the Lich's dorsal surface. There is a hole in the roof, more or less above the command console, that allows anyone to drop down from the roof to the cockpit section of the vehicle.
The ship is shielded and capable of slipspace travel, though, like smaller dropships, is obviously not intended for long-term occupation. The Lich is capable of carrying another dropship, such as a Phantom, on its underside.
==Variants==
*Banished Lich
==Ships of the Line==
*Upright Chalice
==Trivia==
*A lich is an undead creature that is usually the result of a powerful being magically binding their intelligence to their animated corpse. Liches are usually depicted as in control of other lesser undead beings.
*Pieces of a Lich also appear on the Halo 4 map Wreckage.
*In Halo 2: Anniversary, the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam is in possession of a gold colored Lich.
==Gallery==
Lich_Flyby.JPG|A Lich flying in space, escorted by two Phantoms.
Halo lich.jpg|John-117 watches a Lich as it passes a Mammoth on the campaign level, Reclaimer.
Lich 1.jpeg|A Lich's rear as seen in Spartan Ops.
Lich 2.jpeg|The front of a Lich as seen in Spartan Ops.
lich3.jpg|The Lich's power core.
Lich_core.png|A Spartan-IV separating a Lich's core from its mainframe.
Halo4-T56-Lich-Mammoth.jpg|A Lich attacking the Mammoth on the Halo 4 campaign level, Reclaimer. 
==Appearances==
*Halo 4 
*Halo: Escalation
*Halo 2: Anniversary
*Halo: Spartan Strike
*Halo 5: Guardians
*Halo: Fireteam Raven
*Halo: Shadows of Reach
*Halo: Divine Wind
==Sources==
ru:Истребитель_космического_превосходства_1000
Category:Covenant Aircraft
Category:Covenant Spacecraft Classifications