Editing Battle Group Leviathan

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Military infobox
|variant=Human
|image=[[File:Battle of Sigma Octanus 4.jpeg|300px]]
|dates=July-August 2552
|allegiance=[[United Nations Space Command]]
|branch=[[UNSC Navy]]
|type=[[Battle group]]
|role=
|size=50 vessels {{C|July 17, 2552}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR18|HTFoR|Chapter=18}}<br>
29 vessels {{C|August 30, 2552}}{{Ref/Reuse|Scen8}}
|battles=*[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]
*[[Fall of Reach]]
|commanders=[[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]]
}}
'''Battle Group Leviathan''' was a [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[UNSC Navy|Naval]] [[battle group]] under the command of [[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]].{{Ref/Book|Id=leviathan|Dr. Halsey's personal journal|Page=August 12, 2552}} It was assigned to [[FLEETCOM Sector Three]] in [[2552]], by which time Stanforth had been reassigned from the commander of [[ONI Section Three]] to leading the battlegroup.{{Ref/Site|Id=Stanforth|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/michael-stanforth|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Michael Stanforth|D=30|M=10|Y=2015}} On July 17, 2552, Battle Group Leviathan notably engaged the [[Covenant]]'s [[Second Fleet of Solemn Accord]] in a [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV|battle]] over [[Sigma Octanus IV]], ultimately prevailing and providing one of the few instances of a solid UNSC victory in the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=48}} It later fought at the [[Fall of Reach]], where it (including its flagship {{UNSCShip|Leviathan}}) was destroyed.

==History==
===Sigma Octanus IV===
[[File:Cradle1.png|thumb|left|250px|UNSC ''Cradle'' and Battle Group Victory during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV.]]
{{Main|Battle of Sigma Octanus IV}}
Battle Group Leviathan participated in the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]] on [[2552#July|July 18, 2552]]. At 0300 hours on July 17, the [[Archimedes]] sensor outpost detected the arrival of a [[Covenant]] fleet on course to attack [[Sigma Octanus IV]], prompting Commander [[Jacob Keyes]], captain of {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}, to request aid in defending the planet from Leviathan's commander, Vice Admiral Stanforth. At this time, the larger Epsilon Eridani Fleet was on patrol in the Sigma Octanus system, allowing them to respond quickly, with Stanforth promising as many assets as he could provide.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR16|HTFoR|Chapter=16}} Due to the spread-out nature of the fleet, only ''Iroquois'' was on station to defend Sigma Octanus IV from the initial Covenant invasion force, successfully engaging four other warships in a manoeuvre later dubbed the [[Keyes Loop]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR17|HTFoR|Chapter=17}} ''Iroquois''{{'}} actions prevented the destruction of Sigma Octanus IV, providing time for the Epsilon Eridani Fleet to rally in orbit and prepare for a larger second attack.
[[File:Sigma Octanus battle.jpg|thumb|250px|Battle Group Leviathan engaging the Second Fleet of Solemn Accord.]]
Around 2120 hours [[Military Standard Time]], the Covenant's [[Second Fleet of Solemn Accord]] emerged in the Sigma Octanus system, sounding the call for the Epsilon Eridani Fleet to begin their defence of the world. Stanforth rallied the fleet between Sigma Octanus IV and its moon [[Highpoint]] as to not leave the fleet trapped with its back against a metaphorical wall of the planet's gravity well. The admiral placed the fleet into a tightly-packed grid formation in the shape of a phalanx - an unorthodox placement as it left little room for manoeuvre once the enemy fleet fired their opening salvo. The [[refit station]] {{UNSCShip|Cradle}} also joined the fleet, positioning itself above the main UNSC formation. Stanforth aimed to use the battle group to fire a single massed salvo at the Covenant fleet, coordinating firing solutions as to knock out the fleet's shields, before delivering a second salvo to kill the ships for good, akin to 17th century infantry tactics. After firing their first salvo, the Covenant fleet returned in kind, only for Stanforth to reveal the trick hidden up his sleeve - using the massive ''Cradle'' repair platform as a shield to block the plasma shots inbound toward the fleet and buy time for a second salvo to fire. ''Cradle''{{'}}s sacrifice was not in vain, and bought the time required to launch the second salvo before Stanforth gave permission for the fleet to break apart from its formation and begin to manually engage the eight remaining Covenant targets. Both fleets took heavy losses, ultimately bringing Battle Group Leviathan down to just eight operational vessels by the battle's conclusion including UNSC ''Leviathan'' and UNSC ''Iroquois''.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR21|HTFoR|Chapter=21}} An after-action report of the battle group's status noted that over twenty ships were fully destroyed.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR23|HTFoR|Chapter=23}}

===Reach===
[[File:HFB CoverSketch Concept 3.jpg|thumb|250px|An ''Epoch''-class carrier engaging the Fleet of Valiant Prudence's {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}}.]]
{{Main|Fall of Reach|Space engagements over Reach}}
During the battle over Sigma Octanus IV, UNSC ''Iroquois'' intercepted a transmission being sent to a [[Covenant stealth ship]] discretely orbiting the planet. As such, both Keyes and Stanforth were recalled to [[Reach]] for debriefing after the battle's conclusion.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR23}} Stanforth brought half of the surviving battlegroup with him to Reach, arriving on August 1, 2552, in the midst of an [[Space engagements over Reach|ongoing naval campaign]] by the [[Fleet of Valiant Prudence]]. The other half of the battlegroup was left at Sigma Octanus to maintain readiness there in case the Covenant came back for a third round.{{Ref/Generic|[[Data Drop]]s|Detail=Data Drop #4}} while the remainder (including ''Iroquois'') arrived on August 12.{{Ref/Reuse|leviathan}}{{Ref/Novel|HTFoR|Chapter=24}} Between August 1 and August 14, Battle Group Leviathan engaged the Fleet of Valiant Prudence throughout the [[Epsilon Eridani system]], fending off an attack against [[Site 17]] - the site of a [[Forerunner]] artefact dig - located in the system's [[Oort cloud]].{{Ref/Tabletop|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Three: Evacuate}} The crew of [[Teller Station]] were able to evacuate an artefact from the station aboard UNSC ''Leviathan'', which Stanforth planned to use to lure the Fleet of Valiant Prudence into an ambush over Reach itself. Supreme Commander [[Rho 'Barutamee]], enraged at Site 17's [[self-destruct]]ion, ordered the Covenant fleet aggressively persue and take out ''Leviathan'', though the cruiser was ultimately able to escape.{{Ref/Tabletop|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Four: Run!}} Reinforcements from Reach's [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]] were called in to fend off attacks by additional Covenant task forces aiming to intercept ''Leviathan'',{{Ref/Tabletop|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Five: Into the fire}} ultimately paving the way for [[Operation: LEFT JAB]] on August 14, 2552.{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=LeftJab|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Six: Left Jab}} 

During Operation: LEFT JAB, Battle Group Leviathan coordinated with a simultaneous [[Operation: UPPER CUT]] being conducted by {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} and [[Special Warfare Group Three]]. For LEFT JAB, Stanforth's battle group were tasked with engaging the Covenant and probing the defences of Valiant Prudence's [[flagship]], the {{Pattern|Sh'wada|supercarrier}} ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', thinning its escort enough to allow a [[Slipspace drive|slipspace bomb]] to be planted near the ship and detonated, bringing it down.{{Ref/Reuse|LeftJab}}{{Ref/Level|HR|Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace}}

When ''Iroquois'' returned to Reach on August 12, it unknowingly brought with it a [[Covenant spy probe]] that had been attached to it during the fighting over Sigma Octanus. This probe revealed the location of Reach to a combined armada led by the the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] under Supreme Commander [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee. On August 30, 2552, this armada attacked Reach in force, bringing to bear a total of 315 warships to engage the Epsilon Eridani Fleet, which included Battle Group Leviathan. During the fighting, Battle Group Leviathan pursued the remnants of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence, which had regathered its strength after the loss of ''Long Night of Solace'' under Shipmaster [[Kantar 'Utaralee]]. The remnants of Valiant Prudence had gathered near Reach's moon [[Turul]] and were engaged by Battle Group Leviathan on August 30.{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=Scen8|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Eight: Rally Point Zulu}} During the final, climactic, fighting on August 30, most of the battle group was destroyed as with much of the rest of the Epsilon Eridani Fleet. These losses included UNSC ''Leviathan'', which went down in the fighting along with Vice Admiral Stanforth himself when the Covenant broke through the final line of defence,{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=105}}{{Ref/Reuse|Stanforth}} and {{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}}, the latter of which lost its entire crew while it was docked intact at one of Reach's refit stations. ''Gettysburg'' was [[Raid on Reach|later salvaged]] in September 2552 and used to augment the captured [[Ruma-pattern light carrier|light carrier]] ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'' for use in [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]]. ''Gettysburg'' ultimately made it back to [[Earth]] with the survivors of the Reach campaign and [[Battle of Installation 04]].{{Ref/Game|H2A|Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal #14}}

==Composition==
[[File:UNSC Battlegroup Leviathan.jpg|thumb|250px|The composition of Battle Group Leviathan, during the Fall of Reach, as depicted in ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''.]]
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
''As of the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, July 17, 2552''{{Ref/Note|This article largely ignores the ship visualisations provided in the ''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]'' comic, which do not line up with the numbers presented in the original novel.}}
*50 ships{{Ref/Reuse|FOR18}}
**1 {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} 
***{{UNSCShip|Leviathan}}{{Ref/Reuse|FOR18}}
**2 [[UNSC carrier|carriers]]{{Ref/Reuse|FOR18}} (presumably at least one {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}})
**14 {{Class|Halberd|light destroyer}}s{{Ref/Note|Id=Halberds|In the second salvo of the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in Chapter 22 of ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Battle Group Leviathan fired a barrage of MAC rounds described as a "21 gun salute three times over." If taken literally, that is a total of 63 rounds fired by the 48 MAC-equipped ships which participated in the battle. Assuming that the ''Marathon''-class cruiser ''Leviathan'' and the ''Halberd''-class destroyers in the fleet all fired both of their respective MACs, this means that 15 vessels in total were firing twin MACs to make up the difference, coming to 1 cruiser and 14 destroyers. All of the other 33 ships in the fleet were thus single-MAC frigates.}}
***{{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}{{Ref/Reuse|FOR16}}
***{{UNSCShip|Lancelot}}
**31 [[UNSC frigate|frigates]]{{Ref/NoteReuse|Halberds}}
***{{UNSCShip|Allegiance}}{{Ref/Reuse|FOR16}}
***{{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}}{{Ref/Reuse|FOR16}}
***{{UNSCShip|Fair Weather}} - destroyed in the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, collided with a Covenant destroyer{{Ref/Reuse|FOR21}}
**1 [[refit station]]{{Ref/Reuse|FOR18}}
***{{UNSCShip|Cradle}} - destroyed in the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, sacrificed itself to protect the rest of the battle group{{Ref/Reuse|FOR18}}{{Ref/Reuse|FOR21}}
**1 [[prowler]] - did not participate in the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV{{Ref/Reuse|FOR18}}
{{Col-2}}
''As of the Fall of Reach, August 30, 2552''{{Ref/Note|The values listed here represent the battle group available in the [[Scenario Eight: Rally Point Zulu|final scenario]] of ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''. It is unclear whether all of the ships in this battlegroup are of Leviathan, or if some units represent other fleet units from the Epsilon Eridani Fleet. Likewise, these units may not reflect canon at all due to tabletop gameplay limitations. Nonetheless, they are listed here for posterity.}}
*29 ships{{Ref/Reuse|Scen8}}
**1 {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}}{{Ref/Reuse|Scen8}}
**4 {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Scen8}}
**24 {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Scen8}}
{{Col-end}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
**''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]'' {{Mo}} {{fi}}
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

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

{{UNSC Naval Fleets}}
[[Category:UNSC Navy battle groups|Leviathan]]