Battle for Tribute

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Concurrent:	Fall of Reach Raid on Verge Battle of Installation 04 Operation: FIRST STRIKE Battle for Earth
Next:	Battle of Installation 05 Great Schism Fall of High Charity
Battle for Tribute
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War Siege of the Inner Colonies
Date:	Early August to November 2552
Location:	Tribute, Epsilon Eridani system
Outcome:	Pyrrhic Covenant victory Tribute partially glassed
Details Belligerents United Nations Space Command Covenant Commanders Unknown Unknown Strength UNSC Navy Epsilon Eridani Fleet UNSC Marine Corps Orbital Drop Shock Troopers UNSC Army Spartan-II fireteam SPARTAN-III fireteam 9 S-930 Pegasus' At least one CAS-class assault carrier At least two Ceudar-pattern heavy corvettes At least four Zanar-pattern light cruisers Jiralhanae packs Casualties 90% of evacuation fleet lost Unknown Army and Marine/ODST losses Half of Tribute's population Unidentified SPARTAN fireteam Heavy ground losses Most ships Supplication of Purity

"Damned bastards burned everything I had."

— Victor Ramos on what the Covenant did to his home planet.

The Battle for Tribute was an engagement of the Human-Covenant War that took place on and around the planet Tribute in the Epsilon Eridani system in August 2552, between the Covenant and the United Nations Space Command. The battle proved to be long-lasting, and only ended with the beginning of the Great Schism in November of 2552, when the Sangheili and Jiralhanae forces around Tribute turned on each other.

Battle

After the Covenant began their invasion of Reach on July 24, 2552, they also attacked the other colonies in the Epsilon Eridani system, including Tribute. Despite the brave efforts of the United Nations Space Command forces protecting the planet, the Covenant soon gained the upper hand in the battle. Eventually, the Covenant began to target population and industrial centers for orbital plasma bombardment. Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Corporal Taylor Miles was present during the evacuation of the colony, and witnessed the near total destruction of the UNSC Navy escort fleet in orbit as they protected civilian refugees where the fleet suffered ninety percent losses. Army forces also participated in the battle.

The battle apparently lasted for some time, as the Covenant continued to blockade the planet. SPARTAN-II Team Black was sent to Verge to destroy a beacon supplying the Covenant ships with helium used as fuel in their reactors. Team Black succeeded in their mission, presumably hindering the Covenant assault. As the battle continued, Jiralhanae forces began to land in force. Although, much to their surprise, stiff UNSC and civilian resistance left the packs bloodier than their chieftains had anticipated. However, with the Covenant having uncontested control of most of the skies and space at Tribute, the UNSC could do little to save the colony.

The battle at Jaeraub

The city of Jaeraub came under attack during the battle. The western front would take the brunt of the Covenant assault. A platoon of the 105th Shock Troops Division were deployed to counter the force. In the end, they delayed the Covenant long enough to