Editing Massacre of the Outer Colonies

{{Era|HCW}}

{{Under Construction}}

|image=[[File:Harvest Plasma Glassed.jpg|350px]]^{[[Harvest]] glassed in 2525}

|prev=[[Skirmish on Minor Transgression]]

|date= [[2525#February|February 3, 2525]] - [[2536#June|June 1, 2536]]<ref name="HWTimeline">''[[Halo Wars]]'', collectible, [[Halo Wars Timeline Events]]</ref>

*[[File:Halo Waypoint - UEG.jpg|25px]] [[Unified Earth Government]] {{C|Supplanted by UNSC martial law later on}}

**[[File:Halopedia Era UNSC.png|25px]] [[United Nations Space Command]]

**[[File:CAA.png|25px]] [[Colonial Administration Authority]]

*[[File:HM Icon Insurrectionist.png|25px]] [[Insurrectionists]]

|side2=*[[File:H5Covenant Logo2.png|25px]] [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]

*[[File:UNSC-Navy-logo1.png|25px]] [[Vice Admiral|VADM]] [[Preston Cole]]

|commanders2=*[[Fleetmaster]] [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]]

*[[File:UNSC-Navy-logo1.png|25px]] [[UNSC Navy]]

*[[Colonial Military Administration]]

*[[File:ODST Crest.png|25px]] [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]

*Over 62,154,022 civilian and military casualties<ref name="datapad14">''[[Halo: Reach]]'', collectible, [[Data pads|Data Pad 14]]</ref>

The '''Massacre of the Outer Colonies'''<ref>''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]'', p. 74 & 75</ref> was the series of engagements that made up the '''early [[Human-Covenant War]]'''.<ref name="Xbox.com Halo Storyline">[http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/storyline.htm ''Xbox.com:'' Halo Storyline] (Defunct, Copy on [http://halo.bungie.org/misc/mstimeline2.html HBO Forums] and [http://web.archive.org/web/20080424150226/www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/storyline.htm Wayback Machine])</ref>

===Harvest and the humanity's response===

{{CMAShip|Argo}} was tasked with investigating the silence of [[Harvest]], but signals with it were soon lost too. The [[Colonial Military Administration]] sent [[Battle Group 4]] to investigate the escalating situation. Arriving on [[2525#October|October 7, 2525]], the Battle group was attacked. Only the {{CMAShip|Heracles}} managed to escape. The ''Heracles'' returned to [[Reach]]<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', p. 96-99</ref> on October 31st, relaying what had happened and a message: ''"Your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument."''<ref name="hsschapter2">''Halo: Silent Storm'', Chapter 2</ref>

The following day, on [[2525#November|November 1, 2525]], the [[Unified Earth Government]] began mobilizing the CMA and UNSC.<ref name="hsschapter2"/> Specifically, the UNSC went to full alert and stripped the CMA of its forces, giving them to [[NAVCOM]] and [[UNICOM]].<ref name="HWTimeline" /> On November 2, the [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-IIs]] were deployed.<ref name="hsschapter2"/>

===Early battles and losses===

On the 27th of November, [[Chi Ceti IV]] was [[Battle of Chi Ceti|assaulted]] by a [[Unrelenting|Covenant ship]] at the same time SPARTAN-II forces were receiving their [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]]. Almost immediately after in [[2525#December|December]], the SPARTANs were reassigned to [[Battle of Alpha Corvi II|fight]] the Covenant at [[Alpha Corvi II]].<ref name="cd">''[[Halo: Collateral Damage]]''</ref>

The beginning of [[2526]] saw the [[Battle of Bliss|destruction]] of [[Bliss]].<ref name="accra">''[[Halo: Reach Limited Edition]]'', [[:File:Accra Log 1.jpg|Excerpt From ''Accra'' Log Page 1]]</ref> Soon after on March 1, [[Preston Cole]] in charge of UNSC [[Battle Group X-Ray]] [[Battle of Harvest|fought]] the Covenant off over [[Harvest]].<ref>''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'', Historian's Note</ref> Seven days later, Cole as well as others would devise [[Operation: SILENT STORM]], part of which would involve laying a trap at [[Biko]] using [[Task Force Yama]].<ref name="silentstormchap5">''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'', Chapter 5</ref> At this point in time, the Covenant were only operating in the [[Polona Sector]], [[Vevina sector]], and [[Grenadi sector]]s.<ref>''Halo: Silent Storm'', Chapter 6</ref> The colony of [[Etalan]], with roughly 10 million people was also attacked during this time.<ref name="silentstormchap5"/>

As part of SILENT STORM, the UNSC moved to position themselves at [[Seoba]], over Biko and discovered an [[Insurrectionist]] plot to over the Bikon Chancellor. This would require the UNSC to go [[Battle of Seoba|offensive]] before they would fight the Covenant.<ref>''Halo: Silent Storm'', Chapter 7</ref> The Insurrectionists were driven back, but not before the Covenant arrived and attacked the planet.<ref>''Halo: Silent Storm''</ref> Almost a month after, the prestigious [[Corbulo Academy of Military Science]] on [[Circinius IV]] was destroyed, leaving only 3 survivors.<ref name="h4fud">''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''</ref>

Only two days after Circinius IV, ONI projects were refocused to solely counter the Covenant. As well, [[ONI Section Two]] sent emissaries to Outer Colony leaders to warn them of the Covenant and give them an offer: end hostilities with the UNSC and receive protection. Initially they laughed at the prospect, until they witnessed footage of Bliss.<ref name="halseyjournalapril28">''[[Halo: Reach Limited Edition]]'', [[Dr. Halsey's personal journal|Dr. Halsey's Personal Journal]], April 28, 2526</ref>

Planets began falling two or three a week. The [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] was unable to collate intelligence at the rate of the Covenant's incursion. [[UNSC Fleet Command]] was unable to plan out grand strategies and thus granted operational autonomy to UNSC naval units.<ref name="hochapter1">''[[Halo: Oblivion]]'', Chapter 1</ref>

In the summer, UNSC forces along with forces from the [[Children of Mesra]] fought the Covenant on [[Mesra]].<ref name="hochapter1"/>

At the end of the year, the UNSC and Covenant [[Battle of Alpha Aurigae|fought a large battle]] in the [[Alpha Aurigae system]].<ref name="hwgenesis">''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]''</ref>

The Covenant kept pressing ever inward into human space. In [[2528]], the UNSC continued to counter the Covenant at the [[Battle of XI Boötis A]]<ref name="hwgenesis"/> but [[Madrigal]] [[Fall of Madrigal|fell later in the year]].<ref>''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'', p. 72</ref> Two years later in [[2530]], [[Eridanus II]] was glassed and the UNSC abandoned the planet.<ref>''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', p. 240</ref> On December 24 of 2530, the UNSC and Covenant clashed at the [[Battle of the Great Bear]]. The battle would lead to the formation of the [[Cole Protocol]].<ref name="hwgenesis"/>

In [[2531#February|February 2531]], [[Arbiter]] [[Ripa 'Moramee]], under the command of the [[Prophet of Regret]], began leading searches for [[Forerunner]] technology to aid in the Covenant war effort during the end of the [[Harvest campaign]] and the [[Battle for Arcadia]]. With the Covenant having discovered the Forerunner [[shield world]] [[Etran Harborage]] sometime prior, the Prophet of Regret intended to use a fleet of {{Class|Sojourner|dreadnought}}s docked at the [[Apex Site]] to crush humanity "quickly and with ease." With Ripa having kidnapped Professor [[Ellen Anders]] at [[Arcadia]] to use as a [[Reclaimer]] to activate the shield world, he was pursued by the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}, leading to [[Battle of the Etran Harborage|a battle]] at the Etran Harborage. In the battle, Ripa was killed by Sergeant [[John Forge]] who subsequently sacrificed himself to destroy the Etran Harborage by causing its internal sun to go [[supernova]]. The Covenant plan was foiled, but the ''Spirit of Fire'' sacrificed its [[slipspace drive]] to cause the supernova, leaving the ship and its crew stranded in deep space.<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'', [[Campaign]]</ref>

On [[2536|June 1, 2536]], the Covenant had finally broken into the [[Inner Colonies]].<ref name="HWTimeline"/> This would be the beginning of a multi-year siege of the most inner worlds of humanity.

===Continuing losses in the Outer Colonies & refugees===

 

*The [[Battle of Alpha Corvi II]] takes place.<ref name="cd"/>

*[[Etalan]] is attacked by the Covenant.<ref name="silentstormchap5"/>

*[[Circinius IV]] and [[Corbulo Academy of Military Science]] are attacked and destroyed.<ref name="h4fud"/>

*The Covenant attacked [[Mesra]].<ref name="hochapter1"/>

*The [[Battle of XI Boötis A]] takes place.<ref name="hwgenesis"/>

*[[Battle of the Great Bear]] takes place, leading to the creation of the [[Cole Protocol]].<ref name="hwgenesis"/>

*[[Battle of the Etran Harborage]] - Battle between the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} and forces of the [[Fleet of Valiant Prudence]] attempting to gain access to the fleet of [[Forerunner]] {{Class|Sojourner|dreadnought}}s on the [[shield world]] [[Etran Harborage]] which would give the Covenant a massive tactical advantage. Death of [[Arbiter]] [[Ripa 'Moramee]] and the destruction of the Etran Harborage at the cost of ''Spirit of Fire's'' [[slipspace drive]].