Editing Fall of Reach (section)

==Battle==
===Opening battles===
{{Quote|We are now under attack across the Viery territory, including orbital defenses. As per the WINTER CONTINGENCY, we are countering on every front.|[[Auntie Dot]]{{Ref/Level|Id=tots|HR|Reach:Tip of the Spear|Tip of the Spear}}}}
Operating using cloaking technology and stealth tactics, the Covenant had created a fortified landing zone on Reach, with anti-air guns around the perimeter of their staging area in the [[Viery Territory]] where they had covertly inserted a large amount of forces, including several stealth-capable {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}s.{{Ref/Level|Id=hrnightfall|HR|Reach:Nightfall|Nightfall}} On July 26, two days after the skirmish at Visegrád, the Covenant [[Battle of Sword Base|launched an attack]] on [[SWORD Base]] in an attempt to overrun the ONI facility and access the [[Babd Catha Forerunner complex|Forerunner structures]] there. However, these forces were repulsed after NOBLE Team reinforced the base and brought its [[M71 Scythe|air defences]] and communications back online. The Covenant corvette attacking it was forced to retreat and was destroyed by an [[orbital defense platform]]'s [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]].{{Ref/Level|Id=sword|HR|Reach:ONI: Sword Base|ONI: Sword Base}}

On August 1, half of Vice Admiral Stanforth's Battle Group Leviathan arrived in the Epsilon Eridani system, the other half having been left at Sigma Octanus to defend it in case of a potential followup Covenant attack there.{{Ref/Reuse|drop4}} Over the next two weeks Leviathan began to engage the Fleet of Valiant Prudence in space across the system. While the battle began on the ground, Rho's forces in space began to enagage UNSC Naval forces across the system, engaging light battlegroups composed mainly of {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s and a {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} in space.{{Ref/Reuse|contact}} Following the declaration of WINTER CONTINGENCY on Reach, the personnel of [[Teller Station]] - a research laboratory working at [[Site 17]] in the system's [[Oort cloud]] - prepared to evacuate after being ordered to condense their last dig into barely a fortnight. These activities awakened the senescent Forerunner systems there, alerting the Fleet of Valiant Prudence to the site. Rho deployed a "significant portion of his fleet"{{Ref/Reuse|run}} there consisting of 4 ''Ceudar''-pattern corvettes and 2 ''Ket''-pattern battlecruisers, only to be engaged by Battle Group Leviathan.{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=evacuate|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Three: Evacuate}} The Covenant forces were able to overrun the defences there, though the humans were able to successfully extract Site 17's artifact. The Covenant attempted to board the {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}} leading the battle group to retrieve it, though Stanforth intended to use the artifact to lure the Covenant into a trap near Reach itself{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=run|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Four: Run!}} - likely an attempt to draw in ''Long Night of Solace'' for RED FLAG. The battle group fought off their pursuers, and Stanforth was able to vector in reinforcements from Reach itself to stop the pursuing Covenant squadrons.{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=intothefire|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Five: Into the fire}}

[[File:UNSC Attack.jpg|thumb|left|250px|UNSC ground forces charge a Covenant formation in the [[Battle at Szurdok Ridge]].{{Ref/Reuse|tots}}]]
{{Main|Mission to Szurdok Ridge|Battle at Szurdok Ridge|Order of battle (Viery, Reach)}}
On August 12, over two weeks after the defense of SWORD Base, the UNSC [[Mission to Szurdok Ridge|sent reconnaissance teams into Covenant-controlled territory]] in preparation for a counterattack and to investigate the enemy positions and forces they would be facing.{{Ref/Reuse|hrnightfall}} With a Covenant staging ground on Reach, the [[UNSC Army]], [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine Corps]], and [[UNSC Navy|Navy]] launched a joint offensive in an attempt to defeat the Covenant forces before reinforcements could arrive.{{Ref/Reuse|tots}} The assault was spearheaded by the Army and NOBLE Team, who attacked Covenant [[Cheru-pattern Tyrant|anti-air weapons]] to make way for [[GA-TL1 Longsword]]s and {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s to make bombing runs. The attack, though initially successful, was thwarted when a cloaked {{Pattern|Sh'wada|supercarrier}}, ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', appeared over the area, attacking the UNSC frigates and reinforcing the Covenant troops.{{Ref/Reuse|tots}} Meanwhile, Covenant forces made another strike on SWORD Base, this time with much greater success. Around this time, sixty percent of the Fleet was recalled to Reach from existing deployments; these reinforcements were scheduled to arrive by August 15.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}} The same day as the battles at Szurdok Ridge, {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} and presumably the rest of Battle Group Leviathan returned from Sigma Octanus IV.{{Ref/Book|Id=leviathan12|Dr. Halsey's personal journal|Page=August 12, 2552}}{{Ref/Novel|HTFoR|Chapter=24}} Unbeknownst to the UNSC, ''Iroquios'' was carrying a [[Relay mite]] that had been discretely attached to the ship during the previous battle at Sigma Octanus IV. This probe communicated back to the Covenant at large outside of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence, alerting them to the location of Reach.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR23|HTFoR|Chapter=23}}

===The battle begins===
{{Main|Operation: UPPER CUT|Operation: LEFT JAB}}
[[File:LNoS ends.jpg|thumb|250px|''Long Night of Solace'' being destroyed.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}]]
{{Quote|no=five|Air Control (COM)|AI Auntie Dot (COM)|ATC 2 (COM)|Colonel Holland (COM)|AI Auntie Dot (COM)|q1=They're everywhere!|q2=Slipspace rupture detected.|q3=Oh no, this can't be happening!|q4=Must be the whole damn Covenant fleet!|q5=Slipspace rupture detected.|The UNSC panics in horror followed by screams on the communications channel as a massive combined Covenant fleet arrives{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}}}
The reveal of the supercarrier led to the UNSC devising a plan to destroy it, involving two simultaneous operations by [[UNSC Naval Command|NAVCOM]] in space and [[Unified Ground Command|UNICOM]] on the ground. The former, [[Operation: LEFT JAB]], involved harassing and stretching the Fleet of Valiant Prudence's escort as much as possible in order to leave ''Long Night of Solace'' in a vulnerable position.{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=leftjab|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Six: Left Jab}} Stanforth hoped to use ''Long Night of Solace'' as a target for capture as per Operation: RED FLAG.{{Ref/Reuse|drop5}} However, the UNICOM operation, [[Operation: UPPER CUT]], was set on destroying the carrier. UPPER CUT was designed to use experimental [[FSS-1000 Sabre|YSS-1000 Sabre]] starfighters to capture the Covenant corvette ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' and deliver an improvised [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine#Atypical uses|slipspace drive "bomb"]] to the supercarrier and destroy it. NOBLE Team were deployed to fend off an attack at the Sabre [[Sabre Program Launch/Research Range|research site]] at [[Farkas Lake]], before deploying to refit station [[Anchor 9]] in the fighters to prepare for the operation.{{Ref/Level|Id=lnos|HR|Reach:Long Night of Solace|Long Night of Solace}} [[Spartan-B312]], [[Jorge-052]], and a team of [[UNSC Army|Army]] pilots, with the aid of the frigate ''Savannah'', boarded the ''Ardent Prayer'' and took control of it.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Warfleet76|HWF|Page=76-77}}

[[File:Reach AssaultCarriers.jpg|thumb|260px|left|A larger Covenant fleet sent by the [[Ministry of Resolution]] enters the system, escalating the siege of the planet.]]
By this time, Supreme Commander 'Barutamee now realised the threat of the human presence on the surface and the importance of the planet he was attacking. If this wasn't enough, the [[Ministry of Resolution]] had deployed a much larger fleet to the planet (presumably alerted by the Relay mite attached to ''Iroquois''), and his artefact-hunting teams were still bogged down on the surface. If the commander wasn't able to produce something of value soon, he might be forced to retreat or face the wrath of the [[Hierarch]]s for his ineptitude. Stanforth had managed to spread his fleet thin, probing his defences from all sides. The UNSC fleet at large initiated a massive attack known as [[Operation: LEFT JAB]] to distract the supercarrier,{{Ref/Reuse|leftjab}} allowing NOBLE Team's operation to go unnoticed following the jamming of their target corvette's communications.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}} With the Covenant fleet stretched thin, UNSC [[task force]]s were able to pounce on cut-off Covenant scout fleets.{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=finishingblow|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Seven: Finishing Blow}}

Noble Five then sacrificed himself to destroy ''Long Night of Solace''. However, just as the supercarrier was destroyed, the Ministry of Resolution's massive fleet of warships exited slipspace in orbit over the planet, consisting of at least [[Unidentified Covenant assault carrier class|3 assault carriers]], 10 battlecruisers, and a number of heavy corvettes.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}} The supercarrier's wreckage landed near [[New Alexandria]], killing Barutamee in the process. Shipmaster [[Kantar 'Utaralee]] assumed command of what remained of the now-splintered Fleet of Valiant Prudence, leading them once again to recover the Site 17 artifact, now relocated to a station near [[Turul]].{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=zulu|HFB|Scenario=Scenario Eight: Rally Point Zulu}}

Despite the mission's success, the destruction of the supercarrier was an inadvertent setback for [[Operation: RED FLAG]]. The Operation called for a "Class-Five" Covenant vessel such as a {{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier}} or a ''Sh'wada''-pattern supercarrier to be boarded by the Spartan-IIs. Colonel Holland informed Admiral Stanforth of the destruction of the supercarrier around August 27, several days following its destruction. The Admiral expressed his frustrations regarding the "trigger happiness" of the [[Unified Special Warfare Command]], as the operation would now need to find a new target vessel.{{Ref/Reuse|drop5}} 

===Further engagements===
[[File:Noble Six City.jpg|thumb|250px|Noble Six arrives at [[New Alexandria]] as it is invaded by Covenant forces.{{Ref/Reuse|exodus}}]]
{{Main|Siege of New Alexandria}}
{{Quote|Your report will have to wait, Lieutenant. The Covenant are jamming all comms to Command. [[Catherine-B320|Kat]] needs your help running a counter-op.|Commander [[Carter-A259]]{{Ref/Level|Id=alexandria|HR|Reach:New Alexandria|New Alexandria}}}}
Over the next week, Covenant ground forces landed on the planet and Covenant ships began [[glassing]] targeted areas. A major siege lasting between August 18–23 broke out in the [[city]] of [[New Alexandria]], with large numbers of civilian evacuation transports being shot down by Covenant air and ground forces. A major component of the new Ministry of Resolution's fleet involved the deployment of [[Jiralhanae]] shock troopers into New Alexandria.{{Ref/Level|Id=exodus|HR|Reach:Exodus|Exodus}}{{Ref/Reuse|alexandria}} Members of NOBLE Team assisted UNSC forces in clearing evacuation zones, succeeding in damaging a [[Covenant corvette]] in the process. Though the UNSC succeeded in clearing the city of Covenant troops, Covenant naval assets began to glass the city, and while retreating [[Catherine-B320]] of NOBLE Team was killed by sniper fire.{{Ref/Reuse|alexandria}} Elsewhere, the evacuation stations in [[Manassas]] and [[Esztergom]] were attacked and eventually stopped responding.{{Ref/Level|Id=BeachheadRadio|HR|Halo: Reach radio conversations|Radio conversations|Detail=Beachhead}}

However, most of the planet's population, both civilian and military, (particularly those assigned to Operation: RED FLAG), were kept unaware of the invasion, as the Army repeatedly insisted they had the ground battle under control.{{Ref/Reuse|drop5}}{{Ref/Reuse|entry19021024}} HIGHCOM withheld major counteroffensives on the far side of the planet in the hope that a Class-5 Covenant vessel, which was needed for the operation, would be drawn in and make itself vulnerable for capture. Millions perished as a result of this relative inaction.{{Ref/Reuse|drop5}} 

Due to his tendency to jump head-first into the action, Captain [[Jacob Keyes]] was left in the dark about the Covenant attack, as to ensure that he wouldn't engage before a target could make itself known.{{Ref/Reuse|drop5}} At some point following August 27, the Captain was informed of the ongoing battle, though under strict orders to keep the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}'s crew in the dark. Keyes felt these blackout orders to be ineffective due to the ability to look out of the window to see the battle raging on the surface, and wished to tell the crew to ensure they knew that Reach would likely no longer exist when their mission was complete.{{Ref/Novel|Id=34670J|HTFoR|Adjunct|Detail=UNSC Transmission 34670J-17}} As the battle went on to August 30, the ship was stationed over [[Lábatlan]], with the [[R. Abiad]] noticing an explosion over [[Eposz]] and [[William Lovell]] noticing strange electromagnetic readings coming from Turul. ONI used the downed Visegrad relay as an excuse to keep the ''Pillar of Autumn'' parked on the side of the planet not currently hit by the Covenant.{{Ref/Generic|Id=drop6|[[Data Drop]]s|Detail=Drop #6}}

As the situation on the ground deteriorated, NOBLE Team and a small force of [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]] were ordered to destroy the Covenant-occupied SWORD Base in a "torch-and-burn" operation known as [[Operation: WHITE GLOVE]]. Proceeding into the base, the team encountered [[Dr. Catherine Halsey]], who enlisted their help in defending her laboratory amid the ruins of a Forerunner [[Babd Catha Forerunner complex|complex]] from advancing Covenant forces. Halsey ordered Noble Six, Carter, and Emile to transport a fragment of the AI [[Cortana]] to the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, while [[Jun-A266]] escorted her to [[CASTLE Base]] elsewhere on Reach.{{Ref/Level|Id=thepackage|HR|Reach:The Package|The Package}}

===Final space battle===
{{Main|Space engagements over Reach}}
{{Quote|multi=more|q1=[[Gamma Station]], this is [[Fermion]] RSO. Unconfirmed reports of an in-system [[slipspace]] rupture.|Fermion Remote Sensing Outpost|q2=Impossible. Check your source.|Reach Station Gamma|q3=There's no mistake. It's them.|Fermion RSO|Conversation between Fermion and Gamma on the arrival of the Covenant armada{{Ref/Marketing|Id=announce|HR|Halo: Reach announcement trailer}}}}
As August 30 dawned, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' began making its way out-system to begin RED FLAG{{Ref/Novel|HTFoR|Chapter=30}} when a massive Covenant combined fleet was detected exiting [[slipspace]] on the edge of the system.{{Ref/Marketing|Id=THC|Halo Waypoint|The Halo Conflict|Detail=Strange New World}} The fleet was first detected in slipspace by [[remote scanning outpost]] ''[[Fermion]]'', who initially mistook the tightly knit formation as a large planetoid that had somehow entered slipspace. The station's commander, [[Chief Petty Officer]] [[McRobb]], sent an emergency message to [[UNSC Fleet Command|FLEETCOM]] and ordered [[self-destruct]] to prevent the station's data from falling into enemy hands.{{Ref/Reuse|announce}}{{Ref/Novel|TFoR|Chapter=31}} This fleet included the [[Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose]] and its supercarrier ''[[Sublime Transcendence]]'',{{Ref/Reuse|GOO27}} the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]],{{Ref/Reuse|Heretic}} the [[Fleet of Holy Respite]],{{Ref/Reuse|Priority}} and [[Fleet of Righteous Vigilance]].{{Ref/Reuse|Return}}

[[File:FoR.png|thumb|left|250px|The outnumbered Epsilon Eridani Fleet engages the Covenant fleet in orbit over Reach.]]
A few minutes later, 315 Covenant ships exited slipspace at the edge of the [[Epsilon Eridani system]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR33|TFoR|Chapter=33}} [[Admiral]] [[Roland Freemont]] issued [[UNSC Alpha Priority Transmission 04592Z-83]], ordering all ships in the Epsilon Eridani system to rendezvous at [[Rally Point Zulu]] near Reach in preparation for the coming assault.{{Ref/Reuse|zulu}} The Covenant moved in on the orbital defenses before the UNSC fleet fully consolidated. Fifty-three belated UNSC ships, including the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, ran a gauntlet of screening Covenant warships as they attempted to link up with the main fleet. At this time, only about a hundred UNSC ships were readily available to defend Reach.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} Spartan [[John-117]] recognised the battle as a potential opportunity to board a Covenant warship, and ordered the preparation of a Pelican dropship to potentially blast their way into a hull if needs be.{{Ref/Novel|TFoR|Chapter=32}} The ''Autumn'' was able to fend off the encroaching [[Seraph]]s with its [[point-defense gun]]s, before managing to destroy a [[Covenant carrier]]. Meanwhile, a hundred ships were already gathered at Rally Point Zulu; [[UNSC destroyer|destroyers]], [[UNSC frigate|frigates]], three [[cruiser]]s, two [[UNSC carrier|carrier]]s and three [[refit station]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}}

The main Covenant force moved in on the orbital defenses. The initial salvo of [[plasma turret|plasma torpedoes]] was mostly absorbed by the sacrifice of three refit and repair stations, allowing the defenders to return fire. The {{Class|Erod|orbital weapon platform}}s and four [[Space mine|nuclear mines]] combined to take down a full third of the Covenant fleet. The vaporized [[Titanium-A armor]] of the refit stations also served to block incoming plasma torpedoes. The UNSC force began to scatter, with fifty more ships falling to the trailing plasma torpedoes, while the MAC platforms were able to secure a further sixteen Covenant kills. The Covenant maneuvered for clear shots around the titanium dust cloud and moved in for the kill, with a further eighteen falling to the MAC guns, followed by yet another six. The final six were able to let loose a salvo of plasma rounds before their destruction, which were able to destroy five orbital guns. A [[Kewu-pattern battleship|previously unknown warship type]], armed with a powerful [[Plasma lance|flensing lance]], revealed itself and destroyed five vessels including the [[UNSC Destroyer|destroyer]] {{UNSCShip|Minotaur}} before withdrawing temporarily.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}}

[[File:Invasion - Covenant sniper warship.png|250px|thumb|The previously unknown Covenant "sniper" [[Kewu-pattern battleship|battleship]] that surprisely destroyed many UNSC vessels.]]
The rest of the Covenant fleet withdrew to regroup after deploying hundreds of dropships to the surface. The opening attack had shattered the UNSC defenders, taking almost a hundred ships out and leaving only twenty ships left. Despite their surprise retreat, Captain Keyes ordered scans of the planet, realising that the Covenant had instead deployed [[dropship]]s to Reach's poles to begin invading the planet. The Super MACs and remaining fleet split into two groups - one for each pole -and fired upon the smallcraft, each MAC shot managing to destroy dozens of transports. Hundreds of dropships were able to get through and disgorged thousands of troops. The [[Fleet Command Headquarters]] was quickly attacked and destroyed by the renewed ground attack, while the Covenant fleet began another assault.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} In this time, the Fleet of Righteous Purpose was able to destroy three further orbital guns.{{Ref/Reuse|Return}}

Some ships made pinpoint slipspace jumps, putting them within the UNSC formation. This left them vulnerable for a short time but allowed them to strike the ODPs directly. Almost immediately following the departure of the Spartans aboard their Pelicans, a [[Covenant frigate]] jumped in behind the ''Pillar of Autumn'', prompting the cruiser to turn around to face the ship. Two more frigates exited slipspace to flank the first, before the first was taken out by a Super MAC round. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' then engaged the starboard vessel, while the other was taken down by a second Super MAC. The two frigates were able to loose a salvo of plasma bolts, taking down a further two platforms and reducing the total number of MACs to thirteen. The remaining [[Archer missile]]s were used to take out a number of [[boarding craft]] heading to stop John-117 on Gamma Station.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR36}}

Meanwhile, the ''Kewu''-pattern battleship returned and destroyed the {{UNSCShip|Herodotus}} and {{UNSCShip|Musashi}} from beyond ODP range. The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} engaged the warship, firing a salvo of missiles followed by MACs to impact at the same time and take down the vessel's shielding. The Covenant battleship fired back, hitting the ''Autumn'' and causing severe damage. The ''Autumn'' launched a ''Shiva'' nuclear device timed to explode on impact, and began to back away, with the nuclear weapon detonating inside the warship's now-recharged shielding and reverberating off the shields and disintegrating the vessel. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' withdrew to [[Beta Gabriel]] to slingshot back into the system while more Covenant ships exited slipspace. By this point, the orbital defense generators were being overrun.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR36|TFoR|Chapter=36}} Following this engagement, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' managed to execute a [[Class-L flash-dock]] and land at the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]], the last-remaining off-world extraction point, as it awaited the arrival of NOBLE Team.{{Ref/Reuse|hrpoa}}

As the situation stabilised, the Fleets of Particular Justice and Holy Respite moved to form a perimeter around Reach in an attempt to prevent any ships from escaping the carnage.{{Ref/Reuse|Priority}}

===Attack on the orbital defense generators===
[[File:Slip.jpg|200px|thumb|200px|A ''Ket''-pattern battlecruiser initiates a pinpoint slipspace jump over Reach.]]
{{Quote|There are thousands of them. Grunts, Jackals and their warrior Elites. They have [[Zurdo-pattern Wraith|tanks]] and [[Banshee|fliers]]. Christ, they've breached the perimeter. Fall back! Fall back! If anyone can hear this: the Covenant is ground-side. Massing near the armory!|UNSC Marine{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}}}}
On the final day of the battle for Reach, thousands of Covenant ground forces landed on Reach in an attempt to destroy the [[orbital defense generator]]s, and were intercepted by Marine forces who were able to defend against the first few waves of Covenant forces while sustaining heavy casualties. While three Spartans (led by John-117) deployed to Gamma Station, the remaining supersoldiers were designated [[Red Team]], and deployed to [[Orbital Defense Generator Facility A-331]] to assist in the defense of the station. Their Pelican transport, ''[[Bravo 001]]'', was escorted by several [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] strikecraft, with three of the four eventually peeling off to hold off some pursuing Seraphs.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FS1|FS|Chapter=1}} The Pelican was advised by "[[Golden Arrow]]" to head for [[Mount Törött]], though the now badly-damaged Pelican was unlikely to be able to make its way back to the shipyard where the ''Autumn'' was docked. Bravo 001 had to explain that the Pelican was carrying Spartans, which consequently changed Golden Arrow's tone.{{Ref/Level|Id=BreakpointRadio|HR|Halo: Reach radio conversations|Radio conversations|Detail=Breakpoint}} The Pelican was eventually shot down, however, crash-landing in the [[Military Wilderness Training Preserve]] in the [[Highland Mountains]].{{Ref/Reuse|DttE}}{{Ref/Reuse|BnetDefiant}}{{Ref/Map|HR|Highlands}} The Spartans were forced to jump out of the doomed Pelican,{{Ref/Reuse|DttE}}{{Ref/Reuse|FS1}} resulting in the deaths of four Spartans (including [[Malcolm-059]], [[Kirk-018]], [[Joseph-122]], and [[Carris-137]]), and some others were wounded as well. Due to their familiarity with the terrain, the Spartans were able to put up a meaningful resistance against the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|DttE}}{{Ref/Reuse|BnetDefiant}}{{Ref/Site|Id=CF165|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-feet-first-into-fall|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Feet First Into Fall|D=29|M=09|Y=2025}}

[[File:Invasion - Red Team.jpg|thumb|left|280px|The Spartans defend the generators from a swarm of Covenant.]]
Near their crash site, the surviving Spartans discovered the shell-shocked remnants of [[Charlie Company]]'s [[Gamma 1]]. Charlie Company had been assigned by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]] to recover prototype [[NOVA bomb]]s from a base in the region. They were forced to help defend the orbital defense facilities on their way to their objective with Gamma 1 at Generator A-331. Unfortunately, as the Covenant neared the orbital defense generators, someone at [[UNSC High Command|HIGHCOM]] panicked and ordered Longswords to [[Carpet bombing|bomb everything]] within {{Convert|500|m|ft}}, resulting in the destruction of the Covenant ground forces in that location, but also catastrophic friendly fire: Charlie Company was reduced to four men, and its leaders: [[Lieutenant]]s [[Jake Chapman]] and [[Buckman]] were cut off from their subordinates. 

The Spartans, after being briefed on the situation by Charlie Company, responded to a distress call from Whitcomb, who requested immediate evacuation. [[Frederic-104]], commander of the Spartans, split the remains of [[Red Team]] into four groups: [[Alpha-Red]] ([[Frederic-104]], [[Kelly-087]], and [[Joshua-029]]), which was tasked with eliminating an encampment of 10,000 Covenant and their hovering [[Covenant cruiser at Longhorn Valley|cruiser]] (without doing anything that could damage the orbital defense generators as the EMP from a nuclear weapon would render them inoperative and accomplish the Covenant's objective for them), [[Beta-Red]], tasked with defense of the orbital defense generators, [[Gamma-Red]] ([[Li-008]], [[Anton-044]], and [[Grace-093]]), ordered to retrieve Whitcomb, and [[Delta-Red]] (the [[Charlie Company]] Marines and  six wounded Spartans which included [[William-043]], [[Isaac-039]], [[Vinh-030]], [[Kai-125]], [[Riz-028]], and [[Vannak-134]]),{{Ref/Reuse|CF165}} ordered to secure the Spartans' fallback point at [[CASTLE Base]].
Alpha-Red hijacked three Banshees and approached the Covenant encampment (they were ignored by the Grunt [[Zawaz]], who assumed they were Elites on a secret mission) and used [[Fury Tactical Nuclear Weapon]]s within the shields of the Covenant ship, destroying the encampment and negating the EMP effect that would have disabled the orbital defense generators. Joshua was killed in the pro