Battle at Szurdok Ridge

Previous:	Mission to Szurdok Ridge
Concurrent:	Battle of Tribute Order of battle (Viery, Reach)
Next:	Operation UPPERCUT
Battle at Szurdok Ridge
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War Fall of Reach
Date:	August 12–13, 2552
Location:	Szurdok Ridge, Ütközet, Reach
Outcome:	Covenant victory Long Night of Solace subsequently subdues UNSC forces in the area
Details Belligerents UNSC UNSC Army UNSC Navy UNSC Air Force Covenant Commanders ADM Roland Freemont COL Urban Holland CMDR Carter-A259 CAPT Francis Mallarde† Supreme Commander Rho 'Barutamee Zealot Alsu 'Ahcuree† Unidentified General† Strength Noble Team UH-144 Falcons Hundreds of M808C Scorpions Hundreds of M12 Chaingun Warthogs Epsilon Eridani Fleet UNSC Grafton UNSC Saratoga AMX-4 Long Night of Solace Army Ru'swum-pattern Phantoms Type-26 Banshees At least 3 Deutoros-pattern Scarabs Zurdo-pattern Wraiths Karo'etba-pattern Ghosts Mgalekgolo Jiralhanae Sangheili Huragok Yanme'e Kig-Yar Skirmishers Unggoy Casualties Heavy casualties Thousands killed UNSC Grafton Heavy casualties Thousands killed Unidentified Zealot Unidentified Sangheili General Three Deutoros-pattern Scarabs Two Cheru-pattern Tyrants Spire One

The Battle at Szurdok Ridge, also known as the Szurdok Ridge offensive, was a major engagement between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant during the Fall of Reach in August 2552.

Background

"It appears that Noble Team's discovery last night was not an anomaly. Large Covenant deployments have occurred undetected, and we are now under attack across the Viery territory, including orbital defenses. As per the Winter Contingency, we are countering on every front. Noble's reconnaissance has also identified sophisticated Covenant army hiding canopies, and has been pinpointed what's believed to be a landing zone for additional Covenant forces, the origin of which is yet to be determined."

— Auntie Dot

Main article: Mission to Szurdok Ridge

On the night prior to the battle, Spartan Noble Team, split into two splinter groups, Recon Team Alpha and Bravo, conducted a reconnaissance mission at Szurdok Ridge to determine the Covenant force deployments in the area. They discovered a massive ground army amassing in the plain, with four Ceudar-pattern heavy corvettes hovering overhead.

The UNSC responded with a massive ground and air based counterattack the following morning. The overall goal of the UNSC was to blitz the Covenant strike force before the rest of the Covenant fleet arrived, preventing any solid Covenant foothold on Reach. The main target for the UNSC counterattack was to take out the Deployment spires located along the valley ridge. Upon attacking, UNSC did not yet know what the main purpose of the spires was.

The battle

Noble Six disables a Banshee with EMP while Kat moves up.

A massive UNSC strike force stormed the Ütközet plains towards the Covenant-occupied site, attempting to reclaim the land and eliminate all Covenant presence from Reach. The entire assault force was mechanized, as the lack of available cover on the plains prohibited an infantry assault. The UNSC thus resolved to close the distance with the Covenant and engage in an armored battle at close quarters. An advance wave of Warthogs, backed up by Scorpion tanks, as well as Mongooses, formed the ground component of the attack. Air support was provided by a mixture of Falcons and Pelicans. Six and Catherine-B320 led the ground attack, while Jorge-052 and Carter-A259 coordinated air support.

The battle begins

As the UNSC force closed on the Covenant landing zone, the Covenant detected the incoming attack and opened fire, hammering the advancing UNSC force with long range plasma mortar fire, supplemented by Type-26 Banshees, which performed strafing runs. Although the Covenant bombardment inflicted casualties, the UNSC was undeterred and continued the advance. During the charge, Kat detonated the charge set on the stealth pylon by Jun-A266. Covenant heavy units, including three Deutoros-pattern Scarabs, moved to counterattack the UNSC force. A small group of Warthogs, including Noble Six and Kat, and supported by Falcons, split off from the main assault wave onto a ridge overlooking the main battleground; however, a Wraith mortar shot destroyed a bridge over a large ravine that the group needed to cross to gain access to the ridgeline. Kat successfully managed to jump the gap, but the following Warthog was not so lucky, falling into the ravine below, and the Spartan's Warthog was destroyed by the crash. All of the preceding Warthogs were either destroyed by the destruction of the bridge, or by two Rizsheda-pattern Shades, which also forced the Falcons to withdraw.

Clearing the skies

A Tyrant anti-aircraft gun overlooking the field of battle.

"Kat, be advised: ONI has ID'd two hostile anti-aircraft guns southwest of your location."

— Carter-A259

The two Spartans took out the two nearb