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Reach: Difference between revisions

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

(Updated some citations, reworked and otherwise made things flow or be more accurate to their source better.)
(Updated some citations, moved some images and added a bit of information.)
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==Topography==
==Topography==
[[File:Reach-m10 evironment.jpg|thumb|270px|Landscape in [[Visegrád]].]]
[[File:Reach-m10 evironment.jpg|thumb|270px|Landscape in [[Visegrád]].<ref name="wc"/>]]
For a young planet with an age of less than one billion years, compared to Earth's 4.6 billion year existence, Reach is remarkably geologically stable.<ref name="bnet"/> Reach is larger than Earth, having a diameter of 15,273 kilometers, compared to the 12,756 kilometers diameter of Earth.<ref name="comparison">[https://twitter.com/Bungie/status/12053226321?s=19 ''Twitter'', Bungie] ([http://twitpic.com/1f46ee ''Twitpic'': Earth and Reach comparison])</ref> Reach was originally inhospitable for human life, requiring some degree of [[terraforming]] before it could be colonized. Mostly a rugged and harsh wilderness filled with towering mountains, deserts and weather-beaten forests, Reach's surface is pockmarked with meteor impact craters, some of these forming large seas.<ref name="gi">[http://gameinformer.com/mag/haloreach.aspx ''GameInformer'': February 2010]</ref> Reach has a strong [[Wikipedia:Aurora (astronomy)|aurora]] phenomenon, to the extent the planet is covered in an "aura" of aurorae.{{Ref/Level|Game=Halo: Reach|Level=[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]}} Reach has two [[natural satellite]]s; the large, ringed [[Csodaszarvas]] and the small, cratered [[Turul]] which was captured into Reach's orbit as recently as some 70-80 thousand years ago.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=1045222|SiteName=halo.bungie.org|PageName=I've got your answer, Levi...}} Reach's oceans also experience strong tidal phenomena.<ref>''Halo: Reach'', Limited Edition bonus content, map of Reach</ref>
For a young planet with an age of less than one billion years, compared to Earth's 4.6 billion year existence, Reach is remarkably geologically stable.<ref name="bnet"/> Reach is larger than Earth, having a diameter of 15,273 kilometers, compared to the 12,756 kilometers diameter of Earth.<ref name="comparison">[https://twitter.com/Bungie/status/12053226321?s=19 ''Twitter'', Bungie] ([http://twitpic.com/1f46ee ''Twitpic'': Earth and Reach comparison])</ref> Reach was originally inhospitable for human life, requiring some degree of [[terraforming]] before it could be colonized. Mostly a rugged and harsh wilderness filled with towering mountains, deserts and weather-beaten forests, Reach's surface is pockmarked with meteor impact craters, some of these forming large seas.<ref name="gi">[http://gameinformer.com/mag/haloreach.aspx ''GameInformer'': February 2010]</ref> Reach has a strong [[Wikipedia:Aurora (astronomy)|aurora]] phenomenon, to the extent the planet is covered in an "aura" of aurorae.{{Ref/Level|Game=Halo: Reach|Level=[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]}} Reach has two [[natural satellite]]s; the large, ringed [[Csodaszarvas]] and the small, cratered [[Turul]] which was captured into Reach's orbit as recently as some 70-80 thousand years ago.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=1045222|SiteName=halo.bungie.org|PageName=I've got your answer, Levi...}} Reach's oceans also experience strong tidal phenomena.<ref>''Halo: Reach'', Limited Edition bonus content, map of Reach</ref>


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===Ecology===
===Ecology===
Reach was home to numerous species of indigenous animals and vegetation, with some being imported by [[human]]s. The [[spadehorn]] is a herbivorous animal native it Reach's grasslands.<ref>''Halo: The Essential Visual Guide'', p. 181</ref> [[Moa]] are large, flightless birds, with reptilian features, that are often domesticated and consumed by humans.<ref name="Update">[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_073010 ''Bungie.net'': Bungie Weekly Update: 07.30.2010]</ref><ref name="exo">''Halo: Reach'', campaign level, [[Exodus]]</ref> The [[gúta]] is the largest terrestrial lifeform discovered on Reach and is very dangerous, albeit rarely aggressive.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=enemies&cid=28449 B.net classification]</ref> A [[Reach eagle|species of eagle]], bearing some resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:Golden eagle|golden eagle]] from [[Earth]], were also found on the planet. Wolves and owls, from Earth, inhabited the forests of Reach.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 63</ref><ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 65</ref> Koi were often found in decorative ponds and water gardens.{{Ref/Map|Game=Halo: Reach|Map=[[Reflection]]}} Rats were also common pests on the planet.<ref name="exo"/> The planet was home to hundreds of species of vegetation, including [[cedar]] trees from Earth.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 48</ref> It also contained deciduous forests.<ref>''[[Halo: Evolutions]]'', [[Pariah]]</ref>
Reach was home to numerous species of indigenous animals and vegetation, with some being imported by [[human]]s. The [[spadehorn]] is a herbivorous animal native it Reach's grasslands.{{Ref/Book|Halo: The Essential Visual Guide|Page=181}} [[Moa]] are large, flightless birds, with reptilian features, that are often domesticated and consumed by humans.<ref name="Update">[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_073010 ''Bungie.net'': Bungie Weekly Update: 07.30.2010]</ref><ref name="exo">''Halo: Reach'', campaign level, [[Exodus]]</ref> The [[gúta]] is the largest terrestrial lifeform discovered on Reach and is very dangerous, albeit rarely aggressive.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=enemies&cid=28449 B.net classification]</ref> A [[Reach eagle|species of eagle]], bearing some resemblance to the [[Wikipedia:Golden eagle|golden eagle]] from [[Earth]], were also found on the planet. Wolves and owls, from Earth, inhabited the forests of Reach.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: The Fall of Reach|Page=63}}{{Ref/Novel|Halo: The Fall of Reach|Page=65}} Koi were often found in decorative ponds and water gardens.{{Ref/Map|Game=Halo: Reach|Map=[[Reflection]]}} Rats were also common pests on the planet.<ref name="exo"/> The planet was home to hundreds of species of vegetation, including [[cedar]] trees from Earth.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: The Fall of Reach|Page=48}} It also contained deciduous forests.<ref>''[[Halo: Evolutions]]'', [[Pariah]]</ref>


Some of Reach's indigenous fauna are known to have survived the fall of the planet. Flocks of moa still survive on Reach in remote sectors that were not glassed by the Covenant, while some were transported to other worlds before Reach's glassing.<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder: Have S'moa]</ref>
Some of Reach's indigenous fauna are known to have survived the fall of the planet. Flocks of moa still survive on Reach in remote sectors that were not glassed by the Covenant, while some were transported to other worlds before Reach's glassing.<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder: Have S'moa]</ref>


==Government and society==
==Government and society==
[[File:Reach E310 Firefight Beachhead03.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The city of [[New Alexandria (location)|New Alexandria]] on Reach.]]
[[File:Quezon.png|thumb|250px|left|A public center in Quezon.]]
Reach was the most important headquarters for the [[United Nations Space Command]] outside of Earth and the main supplier of military and civilian spacecraft, and the location of the UNSC's largest and most active shipyard. [[UNSC High Command|High Command]], [[FLEETCOM|Fleet Command]] and the [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] maintained headquarters on Reach, as well as many primary [[Office of Naval Intelligence|Naval Intelligence]] bases, which included the highly classified [[CASTLE Base]]. It was also where the UNSC's most elite troops, including the [[ODST]]s as well as the SPARTAN-IIs, were trained. Reach's purpose was not solely military however; the surface of the planet also featured farmland and civilian towns and districts.<ref>''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]'', p. 52</ref> The largest cities on Reach were [[Manassas]], [[Quezon]], [[Esztergom]] and [[New Alexandria (location)|New Alexandria]].<ref name="vis"/> Reach had nine [[space elevator]]s,<ref name="vis"/> three of which were located near the city of New Alexandria{{Ref/Level|Game=HR|Level=New Alexandria}} and another one located in the city of Manassas.<ref name="for">''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]'', [[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]</ref>
Reach was the most important headquarters for the [[United Nations Space Command]] outside of Earth and the main supplier of military and civilian spacecraft, and the location of the UNSC's largest and most active shipyard. [[UNSC High Command|High Command]], [[FLEETCOM|Fleet Command]] and the [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] maintained headquarters on Reach, as well as many primary [[Office of Naval Intelligence|Naval Intelligence]] bases, which included the highly classified [[CASTLE Base]]. It was also where the UNSC's most elite troops, including the [[ODST]]s as well as the SPARTAN-IIs, were trained. Reach's purpose was not solely military however; the surface of the planet also featured farmland and civilian towns and districts.<ref>''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]'', p. 52</ref> The largest cities on Reach were [[Manassas]], [[Quezon]], [[Esztergom]] and [[New Alexandria (location)|New Alexandria]].<ref name="vis"/> Reach had nine [[space elevator]]s,<ref name="vis"/> three of which were located near the city of New Alexandria{{Ref/Level|Game=HR|Level=New Alexandria}} and another one located in the city of Manassas.<ref name="for">''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]'', [[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]</ref>


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Many of Reach's original settlers hailed from [[Europe|Eastern Europe]], particularly [[Wikipedia:Hungary|Hungary]], which is reflected in some of the place names on the planet. Many of the planet's inhabitants also spoke [[Hungarian]] as their first language.<ref name="wc">''Halo: Reach'', campaign level, [[Winter Contingency]]</ref> Despite Reach's harsh nature, some settlers chose to live in small communities of homesteads, referred to as "[[kiva]]s",<ref>''Halo: Reach'', [[Halo: Reach Legendary Edition|Legendary Edition]] Developer Commentary</ref> in the wilderness instead of the major cities. Rounded and enclosed, they were comfortable but practical, shuttered against Reach's forceful climate and bunkered into hillsides. It also related their independent nature; powered by [[wind turbine]]s and hydroelectric plants, they were off the grid and self-sustaining.<ref name="EDGE">[http://www.edge-online.com/ ''EDGE Magazine'', February 2010]</ref>{{Ref/Map|Game=Halo: Reach|Map=[[Powerhouse]]}} Reach was also the host of sporting events such as the [[2552 Reach Galactic Cup]] and [[24 Hours of Quezon]].<ref name="exo"/>{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-needle-me-this|SiteName=Halo Waypoint|PageName=Canon Fodder - Needle Me This}}
Many of Reach's original settlers hailed from [[Europe|Eastern Europe]], particularly [[Wikipedia:Hungary|Hungary]], which is reflected in some of the place names on the planet. Many of the planet's inhabitants also spoke [[Hungarian]] as their first language.<ref name="wc">''Halo: Reach'', campaign level, [[Winter Contingency]]</ref> Despite Reach's harsh nature, some settlers chose to live in small communities of homesteads, referred to as "[[kiva]]s",<ref>''Halo: Reach'', [[Halo: Reach Legendary Edition|Legendary Edition]] Developer Commentary</ref> in the wilderness instead of the major cities. Rounded and enclosed, they were comfortable but practical, shuttered against Reach's forceful climate and bunkered into hillsides. It also related their independent nature; powered by [[wind turbine]]s and hydroelectric plants, they were off the grid and self-sustaining.<ref name="EDGE">[http://www.edge-online.com/ ''EDGE Magazine'', February 2010]</ref>{{Ref/Map|Game=Halo: Reach|Map=[[Powerhouse]]}} Reach was also the host of sporting events such as the [[2552 Reach Galactic Cup]] and [[24 Hours of Quezon]].<ref name="exo"/>{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-needle-me-this|SiteName=Halo Waypoint|PageName=Canon Fodder - Needle Me This}}
The license plates for some land vehicles, such as the [[spade]], had Reach as an identifier on them.{{Ref/Game|Halo: Reach|Detail=[[Spade]] model}}


===Defenses===
===Defenses===
[[File:Reach E310 Campaign10.jpg|thumb|250px|A battle raging around ''Anchor 9'' and Reach's orbital shipyards.]]
[[File:EEfleet.png|thumb|250px|UNSC ships stationed above Reach prior to its destruction.]]
While Earth was rightly seen as the UNSC's commercial, political, and cultural center, Reach was undeniably the hub of its military power. The [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]] was a full strength [[battle group|carrier group]] with the  {{Class|Punic|supercarrier}} {{UNSCShip|Trafalgar}} at its core.{{Ref/Reuse|bnet}}
While Earth was rightly seen as the UNSC's commercial, political, and cultural center, Reach was undeniably the hub of its military power. The [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]] was a full strength [[battle group|carrier group]] with the  {{Class|Punic|supercarrier}} {{UNSCShip|Trafalgar}} at its core.{{Ref/Reuse|bnet}}


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*[[Sára Sorvad]] – Civilian<ref name="wc"/>
*[[Sára Sorvad]] – Civilian<ref name="wc"/>
*[[Dimah Tchakova]] – UNSC officer cadet
*[[Dimah Tchakova]] – UNSC officer cadet
*[[Nairn]] – [[insurrectionist|Insurgent]]; former [[Reach militia|planetary militia]] member<ref>''Halo: Mortal Dictata'', p. 147</ref>
*[[Nairn]] – [[insurrectionist|Insurgent]]; former [[Reach militia|planetary militia]] member{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Mortal Dictata|Page=147}}
*[[Gabe]] – Civilian<ref>''[[Remember Reach]]'', [[Spaceport (Remember Reach)|Spaceport]]</ref>
*[[Gabe]] – Civilian<ref>''[[Remember Reach]]'', [[Spaceport (Remember Reach)|Spaceport]]</ref>
*[[Mason]]
*[[Mason]]
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Reach, in the midst of its glassing, very appears in ''[[The Heretic]]'' in ''[[Halo 2]]''.
Reach, in the midst of its glassing, very appears in ''[[The Heretic]]'' in ''[[Halo 2]]''.


Every [[Campaign]] level of ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' takes place on Reach. Save for the map ''[[Installation 04 (map)|Installation 04]]'', all of ''Halo: Reach{{'}}''s [[Firefight]] maps are set on Reach. Except for the [[multiplayer]] maps of the [[Anniversary Map Pack]], ''[[Tempest]]'', and ''[[Forge World]]'', all other maps in the game take place on Reach.
Two levels of the ''[[Halo Interactive Strategy Game]]'' take place on Reach: ''[[Defense of Castle Base]]'' and ''[[The Hidden Artifact of Reach]]''.
 
Every [[Campaign]] level of ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' takes place on Reach. Save for the map ''[[Installation 04 (map)|Installation 04]]'', all of ''Halo: Reach{{'}}''s [[Firefight]] maps are set on Reach. ''[[Tempest]]'', ''[[Forge World]]'', and five of the [[Anniversary Map Pack]] [[multiplayer]] maps are not set on Reach; while ''[[High Noon]]'' and all other maps in the game do take place on Reach.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
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File:Reach Orbit.png|A view of Reach with [[Turul]] and [[Csodaszarvas]], the two natural satellites of Reach.
File:Reach Orbit.png|A view of Reach with [[Turul]] and [[Csodaszarvas]], the two natural satellites of Reach.
File:ReachCampaign m10 Env04.jpg|A typical [[kiva]] on Reach.
File:ReachCampaign m10 Env04.jpg|A typical [[kiva]] on Reach.
File:Quezon.png|A public center in Quezon.
File:Reach E310 Firefight Beachhead03.jpg|The city of [[New Alexandria (location)|New Alexandria]] on Reach.
File:Manassas Spaceport.png|A spaceport in Manassas.
File:Manassas Spaceport.png|A spaceport in Manassas.
File:Reach City.jpg|[[Daisy-023]] in a city on Reach.
File:Reach City.jpg|[[Daisy-023]] in a city on Reach.
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File:Reach mpbeta boneyard 02.jpg|A [[Boneyard|ship breaking yard]] on Reach.
File:Reach mpbeta boneyard 02.jpg|A [[Boneyard|ship breaking yard]] on Reach.
File:Reach FF Courtyard01.jpg|[[SWORD Base]] on Reach.
File:Reach FF Courtyard01.jpg|[[SWORD Base]] on Reach.
File:EEfleet.png|The Epsilon Eridani Fleet stationed above Reach prior to its destruction.
File:Reach_Hologram.png|A [[Holography|hologram]] of Reach in ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''{{'}}s [[holotank]].
File:Reach_Hologram.png|A [[Holography|hologram]] of Reach in ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''{{'}}s [[holotank]].
File:HaloReach - FrigateWreck.png|A destroyed [[UNSC frigate]] over Reach during the Fall.
File:HaloReach - FrigateWreck.png|A destroyed [[UNSC frigate]] over Reach during the Fall.
File:Reach.jpg|Reach being [[Glassing|glassed]] by [[Covenant]] forces.
File:Reach.jpg|Reach being [[Glassing|glassed]] by [[Covenant]] forces.
File:Glassed Reach.png|Reach's glassed surface.
File:Reach glassed.png|Reach being glassed.
File:Reach glassed.png|Reach being glassed.
File:Fall of Reach 1.jpg|Reach in the final stages of the battle.
File:Fall of Reach 1.jpg|Reach in the final stages of the battle.

Revision as of 03:03, December 6, 2020

This article is about the planet. For the game, see Halo: Reach.
Reach
HR-PlanetReach-Bnet.jpg
Astrographical

System:

Epsilon Eridani system[1]

Orbiting:

Epsilon Eridani[1]

Orbital position:

Second planet[1]

Moon(s):

Two; Csodaszarvas, Turul[1]

Physical

Diameter:

15,273 kilometers (9,490 mi)[2]

Gravity:

1.08 G[1]

Length of day:

27 hours[1]

Length of year:

390 days[1]

Atmosphere:

1 (O2, N2)[3]

Surface temperature:

-26°C to 42°C (-15°F to 108°F)[3]

Societal

Demonym:

Reavian[4]

Species:

Humans[1]

Population:

  • 703,341,500 (2535)[1]
  • 121,000 (c. 2558)[5]

Colonized:

2362[3]

Government:

Unified Earth Government

 

"...our fortress among the stars."
— Dr. Catherine Halsey[6]

Reach, also known as Epsilon Eridani II,[3][7] is a human colony world in the Epsilon Eridani system, located within the Inner Colonies and is the sister planet of Earth itself. At 10.5 light years from the Sol system, it is located at Earth's metaphorical doorstep. Reach is the fourth largest planet in the Epsilon Eridani system, and second closest to the star Epsilon Eridani.[1]

Once home to a Forerunner presence, Reach held considerable importance to the United Nations Space Command as the nexus of its military and the site of many military-industrial facilities such as shipyards. It was also significant for being one of the largest producers of titanium, which is plentiful on the planet. Though most commonly recognized for its status as a military world, Reach was also humanity's second most populous colony world,[8] its civilian population living in its preplanned cities or defying the planet's harsh nature in sturdy pioneer settlements.[1] It was considered a center for civilian enterprise and logistical hub.[9]

Reach became the target of a Covenant invasion in 2552. Although the planet was defended by the UNSC for several weeks, Reach eventually fell to the Covenant, resulting in the planet's glassing in one of the most decisive defeats suffered by humanity over the course of the Human-Covenant War and the demise of the majority of its population.

History

The Forerunners

The Forerunners maintained a presence on Reach long before human colonization, creating a portal complex under Menachite Mountain.[10][11]

At some point, an unknown Forerunner starship crash landed into Reach leaving a debris field across Eposz. The vessel specifically landed at what would end up becoming SWORD Base at Babd Catha Ice Shelf.[12]

UNSC powerhouse

Artwork of the Reach FLEETCOM Military Complex.
The FLEETCOM Military Complex in Reach's Highland Mountains.

The first planetary confirmations of Reach were made in the early 21st century.[1] Originally colonized during humanity's first wave of extrasolar colonization in 2362 by the Odyssey,[13] Reach was chosen to be the site of a colony due to its rich titanium deposits. This resulted in extensive mining activity, with titanium mines throughout Reach running thousands of meters deep. ONI's secret CASTLE Base was located in one of these mines underneath Menachite Mountain. The Office of Naval Intelligence commandeered the mine after it breached a secret complex beneath Reach's surface containing a Forerunner artifact that was highly desired by the Covenant. The fact that this artifact was so valuable to them is perhaps the main reason anyone survived the aftermath of the Fall of Reach at all, as the Covenant were afraid of destroying it. An ONI super-AI network used for high-level number crunching was also located on Reach.[14]

The legendary SPARTAN-IIs were trained and housed on Reach, in the Reach FLEETCOM Military Complex in the Highland Mountains. Frederic-104 said Reach was their home and every SPARTAN-II would fight to the death to defend it.[15]

Insurrection

Main article: Insurrection

Despite its position as the UNSC's largest naval base, strategic headquarters, and second-largest population center,[8] the Epsilon Eridani system was wracked by Insurrectionist activity throughout the early 26th century. Reach's sister planet, Tribute, was one of the fronts for the UNSC's anti-terrorist campaign, Operation: TREBUCHET. In 2525, mere months before the outbreak of the Human-Covenant War, Reach was the site of a major terrorist bombing against the luxury liner National Holiday. Two orbital taxis filled with explosives were crashed into the liner, causing the liner to plummet into the atmosphere, incinerating everyone on board.[16]

Human-Covenant war

In 2531, the operations of an insurrectionist saboteur cell on Reach were disrupted by a four-man team of Spartan-II supersoldiers known as Blue Team.[17]

In 2547, plans were put in place to save machines, tools and personnel from an unknown ship manufacturer on the under attack colony of Skopje and move them to Reach to continue the war effort.[18]

The Fall of Reach

Main article: Fall of Reach
Reach after its glassing.

Reach fell to the Covenant during the Human-Covenant War in 2552. An advance strike force first arrived at the planet in late July, taking out a major communications outpost and attacking several UNSC facilities over a span of several weeks. This force was effectively destroyed when the fleet's flagship, the CSO-class supercarrier Long Night of Solace was destroyed during Operation: UPPER CUT. However, a significantly larger Covenant fleet arrived on August 14 and began to lay siege to several cities on the planet shortly after the Long Night of Solace was destroyed. The final battle for the planet was fought when a massive Covenant invasion fleet over 300 ships strong arrived in the morning of August 30.[3] Additionally, the other human colonies in the Epsilon Eridani system were attacked by the Covenant, including Tribute.[19]

The final attack halted Operation: RED FLAG, a plan devised by the UNSC to bring an end to the war, as the UNSC Pillar of Autumn, which was already on its way to the mission, was recalled to Reach to defend the planet against the massive Covenant attack. The majority of the SPARTAN-IIs aboard the ship were dispatched to the planet's surface to protect the generators for the orbital defense platforms,[20] while a small team led by John-117 boarded Reach Station Gamma to secure an unprotected NAV database aboard the ONI prowler Circumference.[21] Eventually, the Autumn was one of the few ships to escape the battle.[22]

The battle was a disaster for the numerically-inferior UNSC fleet, despite the orbital defense platforms. The Covenant glassed most of Reach with plasma bombardment. CASTLE base was destroyed after the planet's fall and the Covenant began searching for a Forerunner crystal.[23] The remaining UNSC forces finally abandoned the planet during a small raid a few days later. The raid turned into a rescue operation when it was determined that Spartans were still alive and on Reach, resulting in the destruction of over a dozen Covenant capital ships and many of their ground forces, at the cost of four Spartan-IIs and heavy damage to a UNSC-captured ship.[24]

Reach's surface received black rain for months after being glassed.[25]

Immediate Post-war operations

Main article: Eposz Reclamation Project

In November 2553, a pioneer group arrived on Reach for an initial search and preparation for the planet's reterraforming.[26] Due to its symbolic and strategic value, Reach was quickly selected for rehabilitation and full-scale recolonization by the Unified Earth Government,[5] classified as a priority redevelopment area.[4] Although an ambitious and lengthy project, Reach's recolonization is aided by the planet's handful of surviving settlements and the remaining space elevators,[5] though hindered by the devastation to all major military sites and population centers during the Fall of Reach.[4] Reach currently has a population of 121,000;[5] UNSC presence is currently minimal.[4]

Operations conducted by the UNSC on Reach are under strict ONI security classification, classified to other UNSC personnel regardless of rank or position. Terrestrial and orbital operations were complicated by the presence of unaffiliated local civilians, contractors of the Unified Earth Government, and unlicensed Kig-Yar salvagers. While specific strategic objectives were classified, Spartans with experience and a background in combat engineering and covert action were asked to report to ONI for screening and assessment for a mission to Reach. It was rumored that ONI intended to dispatch Spartan-IVs to search CASTLE Base under Menachite Mountain for an unspecified object.[4]

A screenshot of the game's epilogue screen.
The surface of Reach, restored to a habitable state in 2589.[27]

Created crisis

Main article: Created conflict

Prior to October 9, 2559, the Banished, Keepers of the One Freedom, Ravaged Tusks and the Legion of the Corpse-Moon began to occupy parts of the planet.[28]

On October 9, Blue Team, was deployed to the planet in Operation: WOLFE as part of a covert attempt to retrieve assets that could help in the fight against the Created's occupation of the Orion Arm.[29]

Recolonization

By 2589, Reach was in a habitable state, and new human colonists were re-settling the planet.[27] The planet was still evidently littered with destroyed ship and debris from both the Covenant and UNSC, thirty-seven years after the fall of the planet. By 2610, at least two cities on the planet, New Alexandria and Esztergom, were reconstructed.[30]

Topography

Landscape in Visegrád.[31]

For a young planet with an age of less than one billion years, compared to Earth's 4.6 billion year existence, Reach is remarkably geologically stable.[1] Reach is larger than Earth, having a diameter of 15,273 kilometers, compared to the 12,756 kilometers diameter of Earth.[2] Reach was originally inhospitable for human life, requiring some degree of terraforming before it could be colonized. Mostly a rugged and harsh wilderness filled with towering mountains, deserts and weather-beaten forests, Reach's surface is pockmarked with meteor impact craters, some of these forming large seas.[32] Reach has a strong aurora phenomenon, to the extent the planet is covered in an "aura" of aurorae.[33] Reach has two natural satellites; the large, ringed Csodaszarvas and the small, cratered Turul which was captured into Reach's orbit as recently as some 70-80 thousand years ago.[34] Reach's oceans also experience strong tidal phenomena.[35]

Locations

Note: For more information regarding the map of Reach and the locations of various sites encountered in media set on the planet, see this page.

Ground locations

Orbital locations

Ecology

Reach was home to numerous species of indigenous animals and vegetation, with some being imported by humans. The spadehorn is a herbivorous animal native it Reach's grasslands.[37] Moa are large, flightless birds, with reptilian features, that are often domesticated and consumed by humans.[38][39] The gúta is the largest terrestrial lifeform discovered on Reach and is very dangerous, albeit rarely aggressive.[40] A species of eagle, bearing some resemblance to the golden eagle from Earth, were also found on the planet. Wolves and owls, from Earth, inhabited the forests of Reach.[41][42] Koi were often found in decorative ponds and water gardens.[43] Rats were also common pests on the planet.[39] The planet was home to hundreds of species of vegetation, including cedar trees from Earth.[44] It also contained deciduous forests.[45]

Some of Reach's indigenous fauna are known to have survived the fall of the planet. Flocks of moa still survive on Reach in remote sectors that were not glassed by the Covenant, while some were transported to other worlds before Reach's glassing.[46]

Government and society

A public center in Quezon.

Reach was the most important headquarters for the United Nations Space Command outside of Earth and the main supplier of military and civilian spacecraft, and the location of the UNSC's largest and most active shipyard. High Command, Fleet Command and the Marine Corps maintained headquarters on Reach, as well as many primary Naval Intelligence bases, which included the highly classified CASTLE Base. It was also where the UNSC's most elite troops, including the ODSTs as well as the SPARTAN-IIs, were trained. Reach's purpose was not solely military however; the surface of the planet also featured farmland and civilian towns and districts.[47] The largest cities on Reach were Manassas, Quezon, Esztergom and New Alexandria.[3] Reach had nine space elevators,[3] three of which were located near the city of New Alexandria[48] and another one located in the city of Manassas.[49]

Reach was the largest non-automated exporter of titanium within the human colonies.[1] Deposits of the element could be found in abundance on the planet, sometimes breaking the surface in the form of large spires.[50] Before the Covenant invasion, Epsilon Eridani's superior interstellar jump point had been the most active Slipstream space transfer zone (arrivals and departures) for over thirty years, with the system's inferior IJP and Sol's superior IJP regularly trading second and third place spots.[1]

Many of Reach's original settlers hailed from Eastern Europe, particularly Hungary, which is reflected in some of the place names on the planet. Many of the planet's inhabitants also spoke Hungarian as their first language.[31] Despite Reach's harsh nature, some settlers chose to live in small communities of homesteads, referred to as "kivas",[51] in the wilderness instead of the major cities. Rounded and enclosed, they were comfortable but practical, shuttered against Reach's forceful climate and bunkered into hillsides. It also related their independent nature; powered by wind turbines and hydroelectric plants, they were off the grid and self-sustaining.[52][53] Reach was also the host of sporting events such as the 2552 Reach Galactic Cup and 24 Hours of Quezon.[39][54]

The license plates for some land vehicles, such as the spade, had Reach as an identifier on them.[55]

Defenses

UNSC ships stationed above Reach prior to its destruction.

While Earth was rightly seen as the UNSC's commercial, political, and cultural center, Reach was undeniably the hub of its military power. The Epsilon Eridani Fleet was a full strength carrier group with the Punic-class supercarrier UNSC Trafalgar at its core.[1]

A semi-mobile array of twenty orbital defense platforms, equipped with heavy MAC guns also known as "big sticks," orbit around Reach, some of which were in place as early as 2527. The "big sticks" were defended by multiple wings of single ships and tactical multi-role craft. In addition, there were also about 100 to 150 starships stationed in the Epsilon Eridani system at any time. Reach also had a network of 18 refit stations orbiting it.[56] The ODPs were destroyed during the invasion of Reach, or were disabled by ground troops by destroying their power source. Despite their huge numbers, the fleet of warships was destroyed by a massive combined Covenant fleet.

  • Total available military manpower: 385,421,100
  • Total land assets: 58,430
  • Total naval assets: 1,209 (T); 75 (X)
  • Total air assets: 11,050
  • Serviceable airports: 1,246
  • Defense budget: cR. 38,287,000,000 [as of 2548][1]

Known residents

Gameplay

Reach, in the midst of its glassing, very appears in The Heretic in Halo 2.

Two levels of the Halo Interactive Strategy Game take place on Reach: Defense of Castle Base and The Hidden Artifact of Reach.

Every Campaign level of Halo: Reach takes place on Reach. Save for the map Installation 04, all of Halo: Reach's Firefight maps are set on Reach. Tempest, Forge World, and five of the Anniversary Map Pack multiplayer maps are not set on Reach; while High Noon and all other maps in the game do take place on Reach.

Gallery

  • A geographical map of Reach.

    A geographical map of Reach.

  • A comparison of Earth's size to Reach's.[2]

    A comparison of Earth's size to Reach's.[2]

  • A map showing the Viery Territory of Reach.

    A map showing the Viery Territory of Reach.

  • The surface of Reach from orbit.

    The surface of Reach from orbit.

  • A view of Reach with Turul and Csodaszarvas, the two natural satellites of Reach.

    A view of Reach with Turul and Csodaszarvas, the two natural satellites of Reach.

  • A typical kiva on Reach.

    A typical kiva on Reach.

  • The city of New Alexandria on Reach.

    The city of New Alexandria on Reach.

  • A spaceport in Manassas.

    A spaceport in Manassas.

  • Daisy-023 in a city on Reach.

    Daisy-023 in a city on Reach.

  • UNSC ships in orbit around Reach.

    UNSC ships in orbit around Reach.

  • A hydroelectric plant on Reach.

    A hydroelectric plant on Reach.

  • A ship breaking yard on Reach.

    A ship breaking yard on Reach.

  • SWORD Base on Reach.

    SWORD Base on Reach.

  • A hologram of Reach in Ardent Prayer's holotank.

    A hologram of Reach in Ardent Prayer's holotank.

  • A destroyed UNSC frigate over Reach during the Fall.

    A destroyed UNSC frigate over Reach during the Fall.

  • Reach being glassed by Covenant forces.

    Reach being glassed by Covenant forces.

  • Reach being glassed.

    Reach being glassed.

  • Reach in the final stages of the battle.

    Reach in the final stages of the battle.

  • Texture of Reach in the final stages of the battle as seen in Condemned's skybox.

    Texture of Reach in the final stages of the battle as seen in Condemned's skybox.

  • A size comparison of Reach (Second from top row) to other planets in the known universe.

    A size comparison of Reach (Second from top row) to other planets in the known universe.

  • WFReach.png
  • A map and brief summary of Reach as seen at Outpost Discovery.

    A map and brief summary of Reach as seen at Outpost Discovery.

  • A map, showing the civilian centers and several military bases on Reach.

    A map, showing the civilian centers and several military bases on Reach.

  • Blue Team fighting in the surface of a glassed Reach on October 2559.

    Blue Team fighting in the surface of a glassed Reach on October 2559.

Main-Superintendent.png Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

List of appearances

Note

  1. ^ The planetary map of Reach that comes with the Limited and Legendary Editions has "CAS" marked in the central mountain range of the Viery Territory. Judging by how Sword Base's location is marked by a similar callout, "SWO", this places the Highland Mountains, CASTLE Base, and all nearby locations in the Viery Territory.

Sources

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Bungie.net, Halo: Reach Project Page
  2. ^ a b c Twitter, Bungie (Twitpic: Earth and Reach comparison)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, p. 151
  4. ^ a b c d e Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual, p. 94
  5. ^ a b c d Halo: Warfleet, p. 23
  6. ^ Halo: Reach ViDoc: A Spartan Will Rise
  7. ^ Halo Channel: Encyclopedia
  8. ^ a b Halo: Contact Harvest, p. 32
  9. ^ Halo Encyclopedia, Human Colonization of Space, p. 42-43 (2009 & 2011 edition)
  10. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Point Taken
  11. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, ??
  12. ^ Halo Waypoint, The Halo Bulletin: 4.16.14
  13. ^ Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo, Rise of Humanity, p. 54
  14. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", p. 475-476, 484
  15. ^ Halo: First Strike
  16. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 127
  17. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 36-37
  18. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "Dirt", p. 171-172
  19. ^ Halo 3: ODST, "Dutch" Firefight Character Profile
  20. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 22
  21. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 308
  22. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level The Pillar of Autumn
  23. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 145-146
  24. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 171-186
  25. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, page 322
  26. ^ Halo Waypoint, Catalog Interaction (Page 43)
  27. ^ a b Halo: Reach, campaign level Lone Wolf
  28. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, chapter 3
  29. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, chapter 1
  30. ^ Halo: Reach Legendary Edition - Journal Package Letter
  31. ^ a b c Halo: Reach, campaign level, Winter Contingency
  32. ^ GameInformer: February 2010
  33. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace
  34. ^ halo.bungie.org, I've got your answer, Levi...
  35. ^ Halo: Reach, Limited Edition bonus content, map of Reach
  36. ^ a b c d e f Halo Waypoint, 2011 website background
  37. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 181
  38. ^ Bungie.net: Bungie Weekly Update: 07.30.2010
  39. ^ a b c Halo: Reach, campaign level, Exodus
  40. ^ B.net classification
  41. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 63
  42. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 65
  43. ^ Halo: Reach, multiplayer map Reflection
  44. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 48
  45. ^ Halo: Evolutions, Pariah
  46. ^ Halo Waypoint: Canon Fodder: Have S'moa
  47. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, p. 52
  48. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level New Alexandria
  49. ^ Halo: Fall of Reach, Invasion
  50. ^ Halo: Reach, Firefight map Unearthed
  51. ^ Halo: Reach, Legendary Edition Developer Commentary
  52. ^ EDGE Magazine, February 2010
  53. ^ Halo: Reach, multiplayer map Powerhouse
  54. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Needle Me This
  55. ^ Halo: Reach: Spade model
  56. ^ Bungie.net, Noble Map Pack Quick Looks
  57. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, p. 43
  58. ^ Halo Wars: Genesis
  59. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, p. 103
  60. ^ Data Drop: HEMLEY & AUBOURN BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
  61. ^ Halo: Fireteam Raven
  62. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level, ONI: Sword Base
  63. ^ Halo: Mortal Dictata, page 147
  64. ^ Remember Reach, Spaceport
  65. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Pen Umbra
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