: There was some uncertainty about classifying it differently from the Reach
: and Anniversary cruiser' look (as opposed to the Halo: Combat evolved
: look). Should the new one be Halcyon or was it different enough to be its
: own class. The differences warranted a change as did some story aspects.
: 343i chose Autumn-class when we discussed it. I helped refine it that it's
: first ship is the UNSC Pillar of Autumn II, but it's colloquially referred
: to as the Autumn-class because it's cumbersome to say Pillar of Autumn
: II-class. :)

I prefer the simple Pillar of Autumn as is customary in navies today. It denotes that it's legacy carries on unquestionably from ship to ship.

The Halcyons were built long before the Covenant invaded human space and I'm sure nobody who welded her titanium plating together was around to see the war end. That class ended when the last hull left the shipyard. The retrofitted Autumn seemed like a ship entirely different from her sisters, and with her excellent record at Reach and Halo, I don't see why they wouldn't build their post-war heavy cruisers to her specs.

I'd love to walk [fight] around in one of them again!