Assault on the Tsavo Highway

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Assault on the Tsavo Highway
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War Battle for Earth Battle of Kenya
Date:	November 17, 2552
Location:	Tsavo Highway, Kenya, East African Protectorate
Outcome:	Strategic UNSC victory Tsavo Highway retaken Route into Voi secured
Details Belligerents United Nations Space Command UNSC Navy Office of Naval Intelligence UNSC Marine Corps Covenant Commanders CMR Miranda Keyes SGTMAJ Avery Johnson MCPO John-117 High Prophet of Truth Several Unnamed Jiralhanae War Chieftains† Strength D77H-TCI Pelicans M12 Warthog Chaingun Warthogs Troop Transport Warthogs Several Phantoms Several Wraiths Several Choppers Many ground forces Jiralhanae Unggoy Kig-Yar Yanme'e Casualties Moderate/heavy Heavy

The Assault on the Tsavo Highway was an engagement during the Battle of Kenya in which surviving UNSC personnel from the destroyed Crow's Nest led by John-117 regrouped with scattered Marine forces across the Kenyan savanna before launching an attack on the Covenant-held Tsavo Highway in order to clear a path to the city of Voi.

Background

During the Covenant assault on Earth in November 2552, the Jiralhanae-led fleet sent by the Prophet of Truth excavated the long-buried portal beneath the city of Mombasa in Kenya, Africa. As the warships used their energy projectors to fully uncover the artifact, Covenant ground troops heavily occupied the surrounding areas in eastern Africa; the city of Voi was the home of at least one anti-aircraft battery while the nearby Tsavo Highway was barricaded by heavy armor including Wraiths, Choppers and various detachments of infantry. The defending UNSC forces were overwhelmed by the Covenant and the survivors were scattered, with small numbers of troops fighting against the Covenant occupation in Voi and across the plains of nearby Tsavo. The final remaining UNSC stronghold was the 20th century airbase Crow's Nest which was located within close proximity to Voi and the Tsavo Highway. After her return from Installation 05 around November 15, Commander Miranda Keyes took command of Crow's Nest and began to formulate a plan to assault the Covenant forces in Voi.

On the morning of November 17, the Prophet of Truth arrived at Earth on board the Forerunner keyship Anodyne Spirit and descended into Kenya, eventually landing the vessel on top of the newly-uncovered portal. Spartan John-117 bailed out of the ship as it entered Earth's atmosphere, landing in the jungles of Tanzania. Several squads of Marines led by Sergeant Johnson and Thel 'Vadam managed to recover the Spartan and were brought to Crow's Nest. Commander Keyes and Admiral Hood briefed John-117 on their planned assault on the Covenant anti-aircraft defenses in Voi before the base was attacked by the Covenant. Despite heavy casualties, the UNSC was able to evacuate all of their surviving personnel before John destroyed the base with a bomb, denying it to the Covenant. Using a service elevator in Crow's Nest's southern hangar, the Spartan was able to escape from the base moments before it exploded, but was rendered unconscious as the elevator's cabling was destroyed, plunging him into the underground vehicle bay where a large number of surviving base personnel were located.

The battle

Beginning

"Let's mount up, get the hell outta these caves."

— Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds

John-117's Warthog observing the ruins of the Mombasa Tether.

Upon regaining consciousness at the bottom of the elevator shaft, John heard Commander Keyes attempting to reach him through a