Editing Space engagements over Reach

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Conjectural title|1}}
{{Stub}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev = [[Operation: WHITE GLOVE]]
|conc = 
|next = [[Battle of Asźod]]
|name = Space battle over Reach
|image = [[File:FoR.png|300px]]
|conflict = [[Human-Covenant War]]
*[[Fall of Reach]]
|date = *[[2552#August|August 14, 2552]] {{C|UPPER CUT and LEFT JAB}}
*[[2552#August|August 30, 2552]] {{C|Final space battle}}
|place = [[Reach]] orbit
|result = Pyrrhic UNSC victory
*Data on [[Gamma Station]] destroyed
*''Pillar of Autumn'' escapes Reach.
|side1 = [[File:Halopedia Era UNSC.png|25px]] [[United Nations Space Command]]
|side2 = [[File:H5Covenant Logo2.png|25px]] [[Covenant]]
|commanders1 =
|commanders2 = 
|forces1 = 
*[[UNSC Marine Corps]]
**[[Avery Johnson]]
**[[Wallace Jenkins]]
**[[Bisenti]]
**[[O'Brien (Reach)|O'Brien]]
*[[File:UNSC-Navy-logo1.png|25px]] [[UNSC Navy]]
**[[James-005]]
**[[Linda-058]]
**[[John-117]]
**[[UNSC starship]]s
***{{UNSCShip|Herodotus}}
***{{UNSCShip|Musashi}}
***{{UNSCShip|Minotaur}}
***[[Unidentified UNSC ship]]
***{{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}
|forces2 = 
*[[Sangheili Ranger]]s
*[[Kig-Yar Ranger]]s
*[[Covenant starship]]s
**Multiple {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}s
**Multiple {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s
**[[Kewu-pattern battleship|Unidentified ship]]
|casual1=*Numerous starships
**UNSC ''Herodotus''
**UNSC ''Musashi''
**UNSC ''Minotaur''
|casual2=*Two thirds of the Covenant starships used<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 358</ref>
}}

During the [[Fall of Reach]], a '''series of battles in space over [[Reach]]''' took place. While smaller engagements took place earlier,{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}} a massive engagement August 30 encompassing a multitude of ships from both sides of the battle.<ref>''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant]]''</ref><ref name="tforunknown">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter ??</ref>

==Background==
===HYPODERMIC===
{{Main|Operation: HYPODERMIC}}
The UNSC ''Circumference'' was a part of Operation: HYPODERMIC.<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', p. 50</ref> Due to the secrecy of the operation, the ''Circumference'' was struck from the computers of Reach Gamma Station.<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', p. 281-282</ref>

===Fall of Reach===
{{Main|Fall of Reach}}
By August 30, the campaign on and around Reach had been ongoing for weeks, with engagements going on since July 23.<ref>''Halo: Reach'', campaign level [[Winter Contingency]]</ref>  The Covenant initially managed to avoid conflicts in space, using cloaking mechanisms, [[stealth pylon]]s and [[spire]]s to cloak the presence of their army and a massive [[Fleet of Valiant Prudence|fleet]] of the [[Ministry of Fervent Intercession]]'s ships. This fleet was led by [[Supreme Commander]] [[Rho 'Barutamee]], aboard the {{Pattern|Sh'wada|supercarrier}} ''[[Long Night of Solace]]''.  On August 12, the full extent of this invasion was unveiled following the [[Battle at Szurdok Ridge]], culminating with the destruction of {{UNSCShip|Grafton}} by the supercarrier's [[energy projector]].<ref>''Halo: Reach'', campaign level [[Tip of the Spear]]</ref> 

With the UNSC's realisation at the extent of the Covenant invasion on Reach, the UNSC recalled sixty percent of all naval assets from existing deployments to help defend Reach from the Covenant, with the first reinforcements expected to arrive within 48 hours of August 13.<ref name="lnos">''Halo: Reach'', campaign level [[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]</ref> [[Michael Stanforth]] led defensive efforts against the Covenant across the [[Epsilon Eridani system]], with battles at [[Teller Station]],<ref>''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]'', [[Scenario Three: Evacuate]]</ref> the system's asteroid fields,<ref>''Halo: Fleet Battles'', [[Scenario Two: Contact]]</ref> and culminating in a series of clashes as the [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet|human fleet]] sought to evacuate an artifact from [[Site 17]] while mitigating losses that may compromise the future defense of Reach. This artifact was intended as a lure to draw 'Barutamee's forces in, with the Covenant commander deploying a large portion of his fleet to Site 17, ultimately spreading his forces thin.<ref>''Halo: Fleet Battles'', [[Scenario Four: Run!]]</ref>

==Engagements==
===UPPER CUT and LEFT JAB===
{{Main|Operation: UPPER CUT|Operation: LEFT JAB}}
With 'Barutamee's forces spread across the system, the next stage of the UNSC's plan began, simultaneously launching Operations: [[Operation: UPPER CUT|UPPER CUT]] and [[Operation: LEFT JAB|LEFT JAB]]. For LEFT JAB, Stanforth began using his fleet to begin probing the Covenant lines for vulnerabilities,<ref>''Halo: Fleet Battles'', [[Scenario Six: Left Jab]]</ref> using his [[task force]]s to attack Covenant scouting fleets.<ref>''Halo: Fleet Battles'', [[Scenario Seven: Finishing Blow]]</ref> While the Covenant fleet was distracted, Operation: UPPER CUT was led by [[NOBLE Team]] Spartans [[Jorge-052]] and [[SPARTAN-B312]], employing [[FSS-1000 Sabre|Sabre]] [[starfighter]]s and the {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} as support. The mission was to use the starfighters to board the {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' and set the ship on a refuelling run with the supercarrier, while a secondary team armed a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine|slipspace drive]] to "malfunction", ripping space-time apart and destroying the supercarrier whole.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}

The ''Savannah'' lended its slipspace drive to the cause, and served on station for electronic warfare, point-defense and coordination with Stanforth's [[battlegroup]] but ultimately was destroyed by the [[plasma cannon]]s of ''Ardent Prayer''. Nonetheless, UPPER CUT was a success and the ''Long Night of Solace'' was destroyed, with the supercarrier's wreckage falling to Reach's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}} However, this operation would be in vain, as almost immediately following the destruction of ''Long Night of Solace'' a second Covenant fleet from the [[Ministry of Resolution]] appeared above Reach, and proceeded to attack the planet. This fleet began to attack Reach in earnest, as opposed to the artifact-recovery operations sought by Rho 'Barutamee. [[Kantar 'Utaralee]] assumed command of what remained of Rho's forces, rallying the Fleet of Valiant Prudence near [[Turul]] in an attempt to finish what Rho had started and recover the Site 17 artefact. What remained of the UNSC fleet was issued an emergency order to initiate the [[Cole Protocol]] and rally at [[Rally Point Zulu]].<ref>''Halo: Fleet Battles'', [[Scenario Eight: Rally Point Zulu]]</ref>

With the Covenant now on Reach, [[Operation: RED FLAG]] was green-lit to go ahead. Consequently, the crew of {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} were kept unawares of the ongoing battle around them as to ensure they would not be distracted from their mission.<ref>''[[Data Drop]]''s</ref>

===Final battles over Reach===
On August 30, 2552 the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] arrived at Reach.{{Ref/Reuse|tforunknown}}<ref>''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', p. 151</ref>

[[File:James6.png|250px|thumb|right|John, James, and Linda en route to Gamma Station.]]
Covenant intrusion software later detected the oversight of the UNSC ''Circumference'' and deployed forces to the Station.<ref name="tforchapt34">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 34</ref> In order to effectively tackle both problems, John-117 split his SPARTAN-IIs into two groups. Three SPARTAN-IIs (himself, [[Linda-058]], and [[James-005]]) were to be deployed to the station to scrub the data on the ''Circumference''.{{Ref/Reuse|tforchapt34}}

When the three SPARTANs arrived at the [[space station]], the docking bay doors were sealed and the station was not spinning.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 35</ref>

The ''Pillar of Autumn'' enters into slipspace with elements of the Fleet of Particular Justice pursuing.<ref>''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', [[Priority Broadcast Log/Eleventh Cycle, Third Unit]]</ref>

At some point after the mission to Gamma Station, a {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}} and an {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} battled each other near the station in orbit of Reach.<ref name="condemned">''[[Halo: Reach]]'', multiplayer level [[Condemned]]</ref>

==Aftermath==
{{Expand-section}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:HFoR - Blue Team on Gamma Station.jpg|Blue Team engaging Jackals in the exterior of Gamma Station.
File:Invasion - Bisenti, O'Brien, & Johnson.jpg|Marines surrounded by Covenant in the hangar of Gamma Station.
File:Invasion - Johnson.jpg|Johnson fighting a Jackal in the hangar of Gamma Station.
File:HM-PoA-escape.jpg|The ''Pillar of Autumn'' escapes Reach.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Engagements in the Fall of Reach}}