Human weapons are those used by yourself (the Master Chief) and the Marines (your allies), and are kinetic - they use bullets, shells, shrapnel, and concussion to damage your enemy. They are frequently not as effective against Covenant shield technology as energy weapons. However, against non-shielded enemies, they deal much more damage than energy weapons.

Covenant weapons are the weapons carried by your enemy, the alien Covenant. They are energy-based, mostly using charged, superhot plasma to deal out damage, and can be very effective. However, most Covenant weapons are basically throwaways; their power source is a batter that humans do not currently understand how to recharge, and as such, cannot be reloaded by the player (the exception to this is the needler.) Also, most plasma weapons can overheat under heavy usage, necessitating a short cooling-down period during which you will be unable to fire. Note that not all Covenant weapons are detailed in this section in order to prevent story or plot details from being revealed.