Examiners are an organisational order used by the Covenant Empire. Made up of the largest ships designed by their shipwrights, they lead their fleet against the enemies of the hegemony.

Characteristics

The Examiner classification is a made up of largely heavy command vessels, equipped to launch and lead large scale campaigns, but the genuine role depends on who commands it. For the Sangheili, the Examiners are flagships, made to lead fleets, launch assaults, and prosecute campaigns, with most being high tonnage ships, with a heavy armament, enhanced communication features, and large complements. The San'Shyuum however, see them as a means of continuing their great journey, using these mighty vessels to search for Forerunner artefacts, or to lead conversion of lesser races into the Covenant faith. Each vessel in this classification meets the criteria to be dubbed a flagship, and has the necessary means of searching for and excavating Forerunner relics.

These vessels can only be activated and used at the Hierarch's will, making Ministries dependent on pleasing and appeasing the Hierarchs in exchange for the most capable of ships.