Editing Fleet of Valiant Prudence

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Military infobox
|variant=Cov
|name=Fleet of Valiant Prudence
|image=[[File:Staging area.png|300px]]
|formed=
|affiliation=[[Covenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
|branch=[[Ministry of Fervent Intercession]]{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
|type=[[Covenant fleet]]{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
|role=Relic retrieval/scout force{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
|size=*At least 53 ships {{c|Pre-Reach}}
**1 {{Pattern|Sh'wada|supercarrier}}{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
**3 {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}}{{Ref/Game|Id=SC|Halo: Fleet Battles|Detail=Scenario campaigns}}
**13 {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s{{Ref/Reuse|SC}}
**36 {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}s{{Ref/Reuse|SC}}{{Ref/Reuse|sword}}{{Ref/Reuse|solace}}
|nicknames=
|battles=*[[Battle of Beta Eridani]]
*[[Fall of Reach]]
**[[Battle of Sword Base]]
**[[Battle at Szurdok Ridge]]
**[[Operation: LEFT JAB]]
**[[Operation: UPPER CUT]]
|commanders=*[[Supreme Commander]] [[Rho 'Barutamee]]{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
*[[Shipmaster]] [[Kantar 'Utaralee]]{{Ref/Reuse|fb8}}
*[[Shipmaster]] [[Ardo 'Moretumee]]{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}}
}}
{{Quote|That's no strike force. It's an invading army!|[[Jun-A266]]{{Ref/Level|Id=nightfall|HR|Nightfall}}}}

The '''Fleet of Valiant Prudence''' was a [[Covenant]] [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] of the [[Ministry of Fervent Intercession]] that served as an archaeological research and retrieval group tasked by the [[Hierarchs]] with the security and stewardship of [[Forerunner]] artifacts.{{Ref/Book|Id=HTEVGP111|EVG|Page=111|Detail=Long Night of Solace}}{{Ref/Site|Id=Ship happens|D=08|M=11|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-ship-happens|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Ship Happens}}

==History==
After being selected by the [[Ministry of Fervent Intercession]] from among [[Sangheili Zealot|Zealots]] and ascended to the title of the [[Supreme Commander]] of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence, [[Rho 'Barutamee]] was charged with locating [[Forerunner]] artifacts for the [[Covenant]] Ministry of Fervent Intercession. To assist in his duties, Covenant leadership granted 'Barutamee the use of a powerful [[Luminary]] to aid in his searches.{{Ref/Game|Id=lum|Halo: Fleet Battles|Detail=Luminaries}} Vowing himself to locate the Captital of the [[Forerunner]] [[ecumene]], [[Maethrillian]], 'Barutamee secretly amassed a collection of powerful Forerunner artifacts that helped point him in the right direction to the Capital.{{Ref/Reuse|guide}}

===Battle of Beta Eridani===
{{Main|Battle of Beta Eridani}}
Prior to the [[2552#July|July 24, 2552]], the [[fleet]]'s Luminary detected Forerunner relics located in a [[planet]] in the [[human]]-occupied [[Beta Eridani system]]. To collect the Forerunner artifacts, the Fleet of Valiant Prudence set course for the Beta Eridani system.{{Ref/Reuse|fb1}}

At least ten warships of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence arrived in [[Beta Eridani system|the system]]. As ten Covenant vessels approached quickly, the presence was quickly discovered by [[Lieutenant]] [[Robinson]]. As all [[UNSC starship|warship]]s of the [[UNSC Navy]] in the Beta Eridani system were crewed with cadets, Robinson ordered all forces in the system to flee as a portion of several Covenant warships pursued them in attempt to destroy the fleeing human forces.{{Ref/Level|Id=fb1|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario One: Flight!}} Over the course of the occupation of the system, a number of [[Forerunner]] artifacts were recovered and brought to Rho 'Barutamee aboard the ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', and 'Barutamee had them studied personally and "processed" through the [[Luminary]] and discovered that the relics pointed to [[Epsilon Eridani system|another system]]. During the battle, [[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]] had led at least a pair of [[battle group]]s against the [[Covenant fleet]].{{Ref/Level|Id=fb2|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Two: Contact}} To prevent the [[UNSC]] forces in the system from following him to his next mysterious destination, 'Barutamee ordered the destruction of all remaining [[human]] forces in Beta Eridani, and at least one part of his forces engaged Stanforth's fleet.{{Ref/Book|Id=guide|Halo: Fleet Battles|Section=Campaing Guide|Page=35}}{{Ref/Reuse|fb2}}

As the UNSC were defeated after the battle, the Fleet of Valiant Prudence traveled to the system pinpointed by the Luminary: the [[Epsilon Eridani system]]. Little known to 'Barutamee, the system was home to major UNSC strongholds, including [[Reach]].{{Ref/Reuse|Rho}}

===Fall of Reach===
{{Main|Fall of Reach}}
On or shortly prior to the night of [[2552#July|July 23, 2552]], the fleet arrived on the planet Reach in the [[Epsilon Eridani system]], undetected by the [[human]] defenses. Surprised to learn that the system swanked a significant human military presence in the form of a [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet|massive UNSC defense fleet]],{{Ref/Reuse|Rho}} Rho 'Barutamee began preparing his fleet for the first assault on Reach,{{Ref/Reuse|HTEVGP111}} albeit had ulterior motives aside from [[glassing|destroying]] the planet as he had little interest in the [[Human-Covenant War]], and focused on locating the Capital.{{Ref/Site|Id=Rho|D=08|M=11|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/rho-barutamee|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Rho Barutamee}}{{Ref/Reuse|guide}} The [[Active camouflage|cloaked]] fleet dispatched a small strike force, including a [[Devoted Sentries|team]] of artifact-hunting [[Sangheili Zealot|Zealots]], to [[Visegrád Relay|one]] of the three [[communications relay]]s at [[Visegrád]] to cut off communications between Reach and other [[Unified Earth Government|UEG]] colonies. The [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] assumed that the communications blackout was caused by local [[Insurrectionist]]s; in response, [[Colonel]] [[Urban Holland]] dispatched several [[UNSC Army|Army]] fireteams to the relay. After losing contact with the troopers, [[SPARTAN-III program|Spartan]] [[NOBLE Team]] was sent to investigate.{{Ref/Level|Id=noble|HR|Noble Actual}} The team discovered the Covenant presence on [[Reach]] and reported back to [[Central Command|CENTCOM]].{{Ref/Level|Id=winter|HR|Winter Contingency}}

Over the next few weeks, the fleet continuously sent ground and air forces to attack the planet and gain intelligence. One of the corvettes in the fleet was sent to [[Battle of Sword Base|assault]] ONI's [[Sword Base]], but was destroyed by an [[orbital defense platform]]'s [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] after the assault failed.{{Ref/Level|Id=sword|HR|ONI: Sword Base}} The ground forces also focused on defending their fleet's [[landing zone]] at [[Szurdok Ridge]], deploying [[Type-38 Tyrant|anti-aircraft cannons]] and outposts around [[Szurdok Ridge]]; this effort, however, resulted in failure when SPARTAN [[Recon Team Bravo]] discovered the landing zone on the night of [[2552#August|August 11]].{{Ref/Reuse|nightfall}}

As the battle began on the ground, the Fleet of Valiant Prudence in space began to engage UNSC naval forces across the system, such as light battlegroups. The declaration of [[WINTER CONTINGENCY]] on Reach forced the ONI research team at [[Teller Station]] to abandon their efforts at uncovering a [[Site 17|Forerunner installation]] beneath the surface of a planetoid in Epsilon Eridani's [[Oort cloud]], although their frantic efforts awoke senescent Forerunner systems, betraying the site's location to the Fleet of Valiant Prudence. As human scientists managed to recover an artifact from within the installation and departed the Oort cloud, Rho 'Barutamee, enraged by humans' insult to the Forerunner reliquary, deployed a "significant portion of his fleet" to recover Site 17, consisting of 13 {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}s and 6 {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s, only to be engaged by 16 [[Paris-class heavy frigate|frigates]] and 10 [[Marathon-class heavy cruiser|heavy cruisers]] deployed by UNSC admiral Michael Stanforth.{{Ref/Level|Id=fb3|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Three: Evacuate}} Though the Covenant forces were able to overrun the defences there, the humans were able to successfully extract Site 17's artifact. The Covenant attempted to board the human flagship to retrieve it, though Stanforth intended to use the artifact to lure the Covenant fleet away from the relic and into a trap near Reach itself.{{Ref/Level|Id=fb4|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Four: Run!}} The battle group was able to fight free of their pursuers, and Stanforth was able to vector in reinforcements to stop the pursuing Covenant squadrons.{{Ref/Level|Id=fb5|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Five: Into the fire}}

On August 12, 2552, the UNSC [[Battle at Szurdok Ridge|attacked]] the Covenant landing zone, destroying [[Spire One|a]] [[deployment spire]] in the progress. Subsequently, the UNSC strike force was forced to retreat when the fleet's flagship, the {{Pattern|Sh'wada|supercarrier}} ''Long Night of Solace'', was revealed to be holding position over the planet, having been cloaked by the Spires.{{Ref/Level|Id=spear|HR|Tip of the Spear}} 'Barutamee's vessels smashed the [[UNSC Army]] garrisons below before retreating to Reach's orbit.{{Ref/Reuse|solace}} The UNSC on Reach, with little help until the arrival of reinforcements of sixty percent of the fleet from elsewhere in the Epsilon Eridani system, derived two operations to destroy the supercarrier: [[Operation: UPPER CUT]] created by [[Catherine-B320]], and [[Operation: LEFT JAB]] to distract the Covenant fleet, were initiated on August 14, 2552, in an effort to destroy the supercarrier.{{Ref/Level|Id=fb6|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Six: Left Jab}} NOBLE Team were deployed to repel a Covenant assault at the [[FSS-1000 Sabre|Sabre]] research site at [[Farkas Lake]], prior to [[SPARTAN-B312]], [[Jorge-052]], and a team of Army pilots deploying to [[refit station]] ''[[Anchor 9]]'' aboard the fighters rendezvousing with the frigate {{UNSCShip|Savannah}}, to prepare for Operation: UPPER CUT.{{Ref/Reuse|solace}} By this time, Supreme Commander 'Barutamee now realised the human treat presence on the surface and the importance of Reach, and the [[Ministry of Resolution]] had deployed a much larger fleet to the planet if this wasn't enough, and 'Barutamee's artifact-hunting teams were still bogged down on the surface and pinned by UNSC forces. A portion of Epsilon Eridani Fleet at Reach led by Stanforth engaged the Fleet of Valiant Prudence and had managed to spread the Covenant flotilla thin—probing the fleet's defences from all sides and leaving 'Barutamee's flagship open for a direct attack. With the Covenant fleet stretched thin, UNSC task forces were able to pounce on cut-off Covenant scout fleets.{{Ref/Level|Id=fb7|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Seven: Finishing Blow}}

The NOBLE Team and Army pilots boarded the ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' and hijacked the heavy corvette at the cost of ''Savannah'' being destroyed by the Covenant ship, allowing NOBLE Team's Operation: UPPER CUT to go unnoticed following the jamming of their target corvette's communications.{{Ref/Reuse|solace}} After the capture of ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'', a makeshift [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine|"slipspace bomb"]] was activated, destroying ''Long Night of Solace''.{{Ref/Reuse|solace}} Though the fleet's flagship had been destroyed, the immediate arrival of another, larger Covenant fleet from the [[Ministry of Resolution]] arrived in the system to engage UNSC forces.{{Ref/Level|Id=solace|HR|[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]}} As engagements continued in orbit over Reach with the Fleet of Valiant Prudence decimated, [[Shipmaster]] [[Kantar 'Utaralee]] assumed command of the splintered fleet, comprising one {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}} as the flagship, a pair of {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s, and eight {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}s, and attempted to lead them in a final effort to recover a [[Forerunner]] artifact that 'Barutamee had attempted to claim for himself. 'Utaralee's forces moved to engage a small UNSC picket fleet of one {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}}, two pairs of {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}s and ten {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s, that was defending the artifact's location, a [[space station]] near the [[Natural satellite|moon]] of [[Turul]].{{Ref/Level|Id=fb8|Halo: Fleet Battles|Scenario Eight: Rally Point Zulu}}

At some point, Kantar 'Utaralee, as the [[fleetmaster]] of an unspecified Covenant fleet, possibly the remnants of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence itself, became the first to deploy the [[Covenant fleet tactical formations#Golden Path Battle Group|"Golden Path" Battle Group formation]]. A firm believer in the prowess of the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}, 'Utaralee moved to reinforce the medium sized cruiser with two {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}s. The result proved to be devastating to its opponents.{{Ref/Site|Id=sg|D=08|M=11|Y=2020|URL=http://www.spartangames.co.uk/new-formations-for-halo-fleet-battles|Site=Spartan Games|Page=New Formations for Halo: Fleet Battles}}

==Composition==
===''CSO''-class supercarrier===
*''[[Long Night of Solace]]'' – [[Rho 'Barutamee]] commanding – Destroyed

===''SDV''-class heavy corvettes===
*''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' – [[Ardo 'Moretumee]] commanding – Destroyed

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Reach-Concept-Nightfall-LZ.jpg|Concept art of a massive Covenant army deployed by the Fleet of Valiant Prudence.
File:Spartan Games Covie ships.jpg|A portion of the fleet in Spartan Games' ''Halo'' tabletop miniature game.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Covenant Fleet Units}}
[[Category:Covenant fleets|Valiant Prudence]]