Battle of Sunaion
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
- "Today the Covenant will fall! Sanghelios will be free!"
- — Arbiter Thel 'Vadam to his forces, as he leads them into combat[1]
The Battle of Sunaion was a major engagement fought on October 27, 2558 between Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and a joint force of the Swords of Sanghelios and United Nations Space Command (UNSC), with the Promethean forces of the Created joining the engagement late in the conflict. The battle was the final major engagement of the broader Battle for Sanghelios, a campaign fought by 'Mdama's Covenant across the Sangheili homeworld throughout October 2558 in an attempt to dislodge the Swords of Sanghelios and gain an advantage in the Blooding Years. This came on the back of a string of defeats suffered by the Covenant throughout the year, culminating with the Swords' attack on the Covenant home base of Hesduros, and the assassination of Supreme Commander Jul 'Mdama himself by the UNSC a week prior. With 'Mdama's death, the Covenant instead rallied around General Kitun 'Arach, who refocused all remaining Covenant reserves on Sanghelios.[3] After days of fighting across the planet, and a destructive campaign fought in the nearby hills of Nuusra, the Battle of Sunaion served as the last stand of the Covenant and the site of their final defeat.[1]
Background[edit]
War on Sanghelios[edit]
- "Arbiter has united the keeps and formed a new alliance—the Swords of Sanghelios. With Arbiter's victories and the death of Jul 'Mdama, the Covenant remnants grow desperate. They have began an assault on 'Vadam lands, targeting Arbiter specifically."
- — Shipmistress Mahkee 'Chava[4]
- Main article: Battle for Sanghelios
In late 2558, Jul 'Mdama's Covenant launched a massive global invasion of Sanghelios. This plan was formed by Jul after his recent defeat at the Absolute Record, which saw the Record plucked from within his grasp and a schism erupt within his forces between his loyalists and defectors led by the self-proclaimed "True Prophet", Sali 'Nyon. Around this time, 'Mdama's home base of Hesduros, in the Aspero system, became the site of a massive offensive by the Swords of Sanghelios, which succeeded in destroying the Covenant's industrial base and forced their abandonment of the system, but failed to kill Jul himself. [5] At the behest of his prisoner-ally Doctor Catherine Halsey, Jul guided what remained of his forces to a staging ground on a Kamchatka, while others launched the invasion of Sanghelios with assistance from regional allies who spurred popular uprisings in city-states across the planet. These included the state of Vadam, the seat of power for the Swords' leader Arbiter Thel 'Vadam.[6]
While the city of Sunaion, located atop floating platforms built amid the Csurdon Sea, had remained neutral throughout the previous years of civil war that engulfed Sanghelios, now it was viewed by the Covenant as an optimal staging area from which to prepare a strike on Vadam. By controlling the city, the Covenant could have easy access to the coastlines of Yermo, Vadam Harbor, and the heavily-fortified Vadam Valley mountains which housed Vadam Keep. While the Covenant prepared to strike Vadam, the Swords of Sanghelios got wind of this development and moved to counter. The Arbiter set up a secret operating base in the hills of Nuusra, overlooking Sunaion, and the Swords of Sanghelios began to prepare their own strike on the city. The prime opportunity for such a move came with Supreme Commander 'Mdama's death in mid-October, having been assassinated in a strike mission conducted by the UNSC at the Covenant's Kamchatka staging ground and throwing the Covenant into disarray.[6][7]
The survivors of Kamchatka rallied around a Sangheili General who had been present for that battle, Kitun 'Arach. Unlike 'Mdama, 'Arach did not see much value in continuing to persecute the war with humanity, instead believing that the security of Sanghelios was tantamount. As such he rallied Covenant forces to Sanghelios to reinforce the ongoing war there,[3] including more disparate forces such as the scavengers aboard Argent Moon.[8] Despite this renewed effort (and 'Arach's goals of reforming the Covenant's leadership[3]) this did little to sway the rapidly-declining morale of the troops.[9] Jul's death did enrage some (such as Thev 'Mura) in the Covenant camp, fuelling their desire to depose the Arbiter;[10] however, others (such as Cha 'Kulma) questioned the value of continuing the war on Sanghelios as opposed to reconquering Hesduros.[11] 'Mdama's death also brought with it the end of the contracts for the Covenant's Kig-Yar mercenaries,[12] alongside the start of defections from the Covenant to the Swords of Sanghelios.[9][13] Throughout the leadup to the fighting in Sunaion, General 'Arach exchanged messages with his brother Jacul 'Arach, who was a soldier for the Swords of Sanghelios. Both brothers continuously pleaded with the other to switch and join their side, though neither did.[3]
UNSC intervention and the Created[edit]
After the Covenant attack on Sanghelios began, the UNSC's flagship UNSC Infinity was brought onto high alert with the expectation it may be required to intervene in the conflict, despite the lack of such a formal request by the Arbiter.[14] This intervention came into being on October 26, amid a string of destructive events the result of the awakening of Guardian Custodes across nearly a dozen human colonies caused by the growing influence of Cortana within the domain. Cortana had also recently taken control of the Covenant's Promethean army, ensuring that a large portion of the Covenant's power would remain out of reach for them even prior to the death of Jul 'Mdama. Fireteam Osiris had been deployed to the colony of Meridian to hunt down an AWOL Blue Team, and narrowly escaped a Guardian awakening on the world. Desparate to follow Blue Team and the Guardian to their unknown location, the UNSC noted the location of an ancient Guardian located beneath Sunaion, and prepared to deploy Fireteam Osiris onto Sanghelios to investigate.[15] While UNSC High Command were hesitant to get involved in the war on Sanghelios, they did eventually deploy Infinity to the system, arriving on October 27 to meet with the Swords of Sanghelios.[4]
Fireteam Osiris joined the Swords of Sanghelios in the midst of a Covenant attack on the Arbiter at the Elder Council Chamber in Nuusra, narrowly saving him from assassination.[4] They then proceeded to negotiate a deal with the Arbiter in which they would assist his upcoming strike on Sunaion in exchange for Swords assistance in their Guardian mission. The first step of this would require the acquisition of a Constructor Sentinel to interface with the Guardian.[16] The Spartans continued to aid the Swords of Sanghelios in the battle at Nuusra while they located a Constructor, helping to eliminate 'Mdama's remaining Covenant forces in the area at the same time, including a Kraken walker. After doing so, they returned to the encampment where Halsey input her commands into the Sentinel and the construct took off to activate the Guardian at Sunaion. The Swords of Sanghelios regrouped and began their assault on the city.[17]
The battle[edit]
Opening actions[edit]
- "Swords of Sanghelios, today Sunaion will fall, and with it, the Covenant! To me, brothers."
- — Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, leading his forces into combat[1]
Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, Fireteam Osiris, and many Sangheili Storm of the Swords of Sanghelios boarded a Kmiro'sish-pattern Lich, which led a flight of Mikpramu-pattern Phantoms and D'nomlhe-pattern Banshees to Sunaion. Meanwhile, Covenant ground and air forces at the city were assaulted by numerous Swords of Sanghelios warships, including Hekar Taa-pattern blockade runners, R'sikosh-pattern man o' wars, Rwaru-pattern carracks, and Lursu-pattern brigantines.[1] 'Mdama's Covenant heavily defended the city with numerous automated Shrike anti-aerospace turrets attacking the Swords of Sanghelios ships. The Arbiter's squadron narrowly avoided the Shrikes while bombarding 'Mdama's Covenant ground forces, before eventually deploying 'Vadam, Osiris, and two Sangheili Storm onto a platform in the city. Immediately after landing, the Spartans and Sangheili eliminated nearby forces of the Covenant and disabled a Shrike turret. While 'Vadam led his forces into combat throughout Sunaion, Osiris embarked to the far end of the city where the Guardian was located, agreeing to disable Shrike anti-air turrets along the way to aid the Swords of Sanghelios. As the battle raged, more of the Swords of Sanghelios' fleet—including Havoc, Onslaught, and Revolution—arrived and the flight wing leader ordered Jardam, Lar, and Siqtar Wings to focus their fire on 'Mdama's Covenant air forces. Osiris engaged Sangheili, Kig-Yar, and Unggoy forces and disabled the Shrikes to allow the Swords of Sanghelios' fleet to get closer to the city.[1]
As Osiris disabled Shrike turrets, the Swords of Sanghelios were able to provide the Spartans and their own forces with air support. To aid in their defense of Sunaion, Jul 'Mdama's Covenant warships began deploying several Covenant drop pods at the city to bring more soldiers to the ground battle. Additional forces of 'Mdama's Covenant were deployed to Osiris' location via Nuro'k Xur-pattern Spirit dropships in an effort to stop the Spartans. However, the Spartans were able to battle their way past 'Mdama's Covenant soldiers and soon discovered three Shrikes firing upon Swords of Sanghelios ships, with the power source of one of the turrets protected behind an energy shield. Nonetheless, Osiris was able to eliminate 'Mdama's Covenant forces guarding the anti-air turrets and promptly disable all three Shrikes. Contacting 'Vadam, Spartan Jameson Locke of Osiris informed the Arbiter that the Shrikes were disabled at their location, and the Arbiter sent several Phantom dropships to the Spartans' location to deploy his soldiers. After Osiris cleared a landing zone for the Swords of Sanghelios air forces, Phantoms soon arrived and deployed many Sangheili soldiers into battle.[1]
The Guardian's awakening[edit]
- "Hunt them to the last. Today we extinguish the Covenant's light forever!"
- — Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, as the Swords of Sanghelios eliminates remaining forces of Jul 'Mdama's Covenant[1]
Afterwards, Shipmistress Mahkee 'Chava of the blockade runner Scorrin's Blade contacted Fireteam Osiris and informed them that too many Shrikes remained for her to ferry them to the Guardian's location. However, she provided the Spartans with an alternative route to the Guardian—a passage to Sunaion's undercity that would allow direct access to the Guardian. As the Spartans descended down an elevator to the undercity, Locke contacted 'Vadam to inform him of the concussive blasts that would be set off once the Guardian was activated and warned him to move the Swords of Sanghelios' fleet away from the city before the construct's activation so that only the fleet aligned with Jul 'Mdama's Covenant would be damaged. Continuing through the undercity, Osiris continued to encounter numerous forces from 'Mdama's Covenant as they fought their way to the Guardian's position. Meanwhile, the Constructor had managed to activate the Guardian and numerous Promethean forces began arriving at Sunaion, attacking both 'Mdama's Covenant and Swords of Sanghelios forces. In the undercity, Osiris continued forward and fought their way through a large amount of 'Mdama's Covenant soldiers attempting to block the Spartans' path. Osiris soon encountered two Mgalekgolo at the edge of the undercity and, after defeating the Mgalekgolo, the Spartans took an elevator back into the higher parts of Sunaion, eliminating Unggoy soldiers in the elevator along the way.[1]
Meanwhile, the Prometheans were proving to be a difficult opponent to the Swords of Sanghelios and were killing many of their soldiers near the Guardian's site. As Osiris arrived back at the main part of the city, they moved past numerous dead forces from Jul 'Mdama's Covenant as the Swords of Sanghelios were pushing them into retreat. However, the Guardian began rising out of the water and entered its activation process, as it started releasing its concussive blasts upon the city. Osiris began sprinting towards the Guardian to make it aboard the construct before it departed, but the Guardian's concussive blasts began damaging the buildings they were moving on, forcing them to avoid falling debris and crashing Covenant ships. The Spartans soon encountered Promethean Crawlers attacking 'Mdama's Covenant forces. After eliminating the Crawlers, Osiris encountered 'Vadam killing a Promethean Knight. Together, the Arbiter and four Spartans fought alongside each other to eliminate Promethean forces, including Crawlers, Knights, Watchers, and Armigers. As the five held off against numerous Prometheans, the Warden Eternal arrived at Sunaion. However, after a long battle, Osiris and 'Vadam succeeded in destroying the Prometheans and the Warden's physical form at Sunaion.[1]
With the Prometheans defeated, the Guardian began preparing its final activation procedures before departing to Genesis via slipstream space. Commandeering a D79H Pelican, Spartan Commander Sarah Palmer and Doctor Catherine Halsey arrived at Osiris' location and picked them up to bring them to the Guardian. As Swords of Sanghelios forces decimated the last of 'Mdama's Covenant air forces, a Banshee managed to damage the humans' Pelican. However, Palmer succeeded in flying the damaged dropship over the Guardian, allowing Osiris to jump onto the construct just as it departed into slipspace to Genesis.[1] The Guardian severely damaged Sunaion from both its concussive blasts and its departure into slipspace, and parts of the city began collapsing into the water below.[6] However, 'Vadam was successful in leading the Swords of Sanghelios in eliminating the remaining forces from 'Mdama's Covenant in the damaged city.[1] After Cortana issued her ultimatum, she dispatched another Guardian to Sanghelios which utilized its standard armament to destroy most of 'Mdama's remaining fleet. After apparently growing bored of that, the Guardian unleashed an EMP that blacked out the entire hemisphere, but also finished off the remaining ships aligned with 'Mdama's Covenant, dropping them in the Csurdon Sea.[18]
At an unknown point in the battle, the Covenant's General Kitun 'Arach met his Swords brother Jacul on the battlefield. The two brothers fought, with Jacul ultimately slaying Kitun, though not before Kitun managed to inflict a mortal wound on him, ensuring both were killed.[3][19]
Aftermath[edit]
- "The Guardians sounded their mighty call, and tore the stars apart. They brought us here. The ships of believers and heretics alike were flung to the fertile ground, where the survivors engage in a glorious slaughter. Yes, to die here, in the home of the gods, is the highest honor. I cannot wait."
- — Muki 'Jahma, following the battle between surviving 'Mdama's Covenant and Swords of Sanghelios soldiers on Genesis[20]
While the Swords of Sanghelios proved victorious at Sunaion and successfully eliminated Jul 'Mdama's Covenant on Sanghelios, Fireteam Osiris was brought to Genesis alongside several of 'Mdama's Covenant and Swords of Sanghelios ships that were inadvertently transferred to the planet by the Guardian.[21] The ships were promptly flung to the surface of Genesis once the Guardian arrived at the planet, with the survivors engaging each other in combat.[20] Once at Genesis, Osiris succeeded in meeting up with Blue Team, where the Spartans learned of Cortana's plan to use the Guardians to enforce the Forerunner's Mantle of Responsibility. In subsequent actions against the Warden Eternal's Prometheans and the surviving forces from 'Mdama's Covenant brought to Genesis, Osiris and Blue Team were unable to stop Cortana from forming an alliance of artificial intelligence called the Created and dispatching her collected Guardians at Genesis to worlds throughout the galaxy to enforce the Mantle by disabling technology on all worlds the Guardians arrived at, including several human worlds.[22]
Eventually, Osiris and Blue Team returned to Sanghelios, using a Pelican pulled to Genesis with a Guardian and a slipspace portal opened by 031 Exuberant Witness. Upon returning to Sanghelios, the Spartans were able to land at the Swords of Sanghelios encampment at Nuusra. The Spartans met with Arbiter 'Vadam, Spartan Palmer, and Doctor Halsey, and the group began planning their next course of action to combat Cortana and her Created. After spending the night on Sanghelios, the UNSC forces left to meet up with the UNSC Infinity which had escaped Cortana's attack and begun a series of random slipspace jumps to avoid being caught. In addition, the Spartans learned that Sanghelios had also fallen victim to the Created, having been blacked out by a Guardian after the Sangheili refused to surrender to the Created.[22] [18]
Though the Battle of Sunaion ended the Blooding Years on Sanghelios, the civil war was not completely ended as elements of the Swords of Sanghelios continued to battle the Servants of the Abiding Truth alongside the UNSC on the Forerunner shield world of Sarcophagus.[23]
Participants[edit]
Swords of Sanghelios[edit][edit]
Military personnel[edit]
Units[edit]United Nations Space Command[edit]Military personnel[edit]
Civilians[edit]
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Jul 'Mdama's Covenant[edit]
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Gallery[edit]
The Swords of Sanghelios assault the city.
Concept art of the battle for Halo 5: Guardians.
Swords of Sanghelios air forces pass above Covenant infantry.
The Swords of Sanghelios air forces over the embattled city.
Thel 'Vadam and a Sangheili Storm during the battle.
Two Swords of Sanghelios Sangheili Storms during the Battle of Sunaion.
Corpses from both sides litter the streets of Sunaion.
A fleet of ships over Sunaion.
List of appearances[edit]
- Halo 5: Guardians (First appearance)
- Halo Mythos
- Halo: Legacy of Onyx (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Bad Blood (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Outcasts (Indirect mention)
- Halo: Empty Throne (Indirect mention)
- Halo: Fifth Canticle (Mentioned only)
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Battle of Sunaion
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Fifty Caliber (Retrieved on Mar 10, 2019) [archive]
- ^ a b c d e Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - High-Value Histories (Retrieved on Sep 8, 2022) [archive]
- ^ a b c Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Swords of Sanghelios
- ^ Halo: Legacy of Onyx, chapter 5
- ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, Sunaion (Retrieved on Apr 13, 2016) [local archive] [external archive]
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Osiris
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Blue Team
- ^ a b Halo 5: Guardians, Mission Intel: Dear Covenant Please Read
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Mission Intel: Sangheili Personal Log 139
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Mission Intel: Sangheili Personal Log 503
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Mission Intel: Patrol Log - Scout 'Thrun
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Mission Intel: Sangheili Personal Log 061
- ^ Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual, page 95
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Reunion
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Alliance
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Before the Storm
- ^ a b Halo: Bad Blood, chapter 1
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Mission Intel: Message to Jacul 'Arach 4/4
- ^ a b Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Genesis: Mission Intel
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Genesis
- ^ a b Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Guardians
- ^ Halo: Legacy of Onyx
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