Battle of Harvest: Difference between revisions

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|image=[[Image:Space Battle.png|300px]]
|image=[[Image:Space Battle.png|300px]]
|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]]
|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]]
|date= [[2526|March 1, 2526]]<ref name="Halo E">[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe|Halo:Evolutions]]</ref>
|date= [[2526|March 1, 2526]]<ref name="Harvest">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''' - ''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]'', pages 463-465</ref>
|place=[[Epsilon Indi System]]
|place=[[Epsilon Indi System]]
|result=Pyrrhic UNSC victory, Covenant also claim victory<ref name="Timeline">[[Halo Wars Timeline Events]]</ref>
|result=Pyrrhic UNSC victory, Covenant also claim victory<ref name="Timeline">[[Halo Wars Timeline Events]]</ref>
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|forces1=
|forces1=
*[[UNSC Navy]]
*[[UNSC Navy]]
**40 Warships<ref name="Halo E"/>
**40 Warships<ref name="Harvest"/>
***10+ {{class|Halcyon|Cruiser}}s
***10+ {{class|Halcyon|Cruiser}}s
***9+ [[UNSC Frigate|frigates]]
***9+ [[UNSC Frigate|frigates]]
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*Single [[Covenant Battleship]]
*Single [[Covenant Battleship]]
|casual1=
|casual1=
*13 UNSC ships
*13 UNSC ships<ref name="Harvest"/>
**UNSC ''Austerlitz''
**UNSC ''Austerlitz''
**UNSC ''Campo Grande''
**UNSC ''Campo Grande''
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}}
}}
{{Article Quote|The enemy ship destroyed ... and 13 of ours obliterated. It did not bode well.}}
{{Article Quote|The enemy ship destroyed ... and 13 of ours obliterated. It did not bode well.}}
The '''Second Battle of Harvest''' was a fought by the [[UNSC]] and the [[Covenant]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]]. It was the direct follow on to the [[First Battle of Harvest]] which resulted in the destruction of the [[Harvest]] colony and seizure of the planet by the Covenant. The UNSC carried the day with superior numbers and a last-minute tactical maneuver, but suffered heavy casualties.
The '''Second Battle of Harvest''' was a fought by the [[UNSC]] and the [[Covenant]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]]. It was the direct follow on to the [[First Battle of Harvest]] which resulted in the destruction of the [[Harvest]] colony and seizure of the planet by the Covenant. The UNSC carried the day with superior numbers and a last-minute tactical maneuver, but suffered heavy casualties.<ref name="Harvest"/>


==Background==
==Background==
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In early [[2525]], [[Harvest]] was attacked by the Covenant. The colony was destroyed with many colonists fleeing on freighters. A UNSC scout ship and two frigates were destroyed, and a destroyer heavily damaged, in an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge the single Covenant ship holding the planet.
In early [[2525]], [[Harvest]] was attacked by the Covenant. The colony was destroyed with many colonists fleeing on freighters. A UNSC scout ship and two frigates were destroyed, and a destroyer heavily damaged, in an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge the single Covenant ship holding the planet.


A month later on November 1, the UNSC-wide mobilization was under way, with [[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston Cole]] assembling a fleet to retake Harvest. The fleet, conceived as the largest ever assembled in human history, ultimately consisted of 40 ships with the admiral commanding from {{UNSCShip|Everest}}.
A month later on November 1, the UNSC-wide mobilization was under way, with [[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston Cole]] assembling a fleet to retake Harvest. The fleet, conceived as the largest ever assembled in human history, ultimately consisted of 40 ships with the admiral commanding from {{UNSCShip|Everest}}.<ref name="Harvest"/>


==The Battle==
==The Battle==

Revision as of 02:37, March 5, 2010

Template:Ratings

Template:Battle Template:Article Quote The Second Battle of Harvest was a fought by the UNSC and the Covenant during the Human-Covenant War. It was the direct follow on to the First Battle of Harvest which resulted in the destruction of the Harvest colony and seizure of the planet by the Covenant. The UNSC carried the day with superior numbers and a last-minute tactical maneuver, but suffered heavy casualties.[1]

Background

Main article: First Battle of Harvest

In early 2525, Harvest was attacked by the Covenant. The colony was destroyed with many colonists fleeing on freighters. A UNSC scout ship and two frigates were destroyed, and a destroyer heavily damaged, in an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge the single Covenant ship holding the planet.

A month later on November 1, the UNSC-wide mobilization was under way, with Vice Admiral Preston Cole assembling a fleet to retake Harvest. The fleet, conceived as the largest ever assembled in human history, ultimately consisted of 40 ships with the admiral commanding from UNSC Everest.[1]

The Battle

File:Coles Inspiration at Harvest.png
Admiral Cole's eureka moment.
"Fix bayonets."
— VADM Cole during the final charge quoting Col. Joshua Chamberain from the American Civil War.[2]

The UNSC fleet arrived at Harvest on March 1, 2526, and engaged the lone Covenant ship through a slingshot maneuver around the planet. Multiple ships, including the UNSC Sacramento and the UNSC Lance Held High, were quickly destroyed. UNSC weapons, including nuclear ordnance, had very little effect on the enemy. Cole realized the enemy was using energy shields, like the one previously encountered at the Battle of Chi Ceti, and ordered the fleet to fire all of its weapons simultaneously at the target. This overwhelmed the shields and destroyed the Covenant vessel.

Aftermath

File:Outcome of Second Battle of Harvest.png
Admiral Cole's fleet destroys the Covenant ship by firing everything at once.

The UNSC victory came at the cost of thirteen warships. Cole realized the disparity between UNSC and enemy losses "did not bode well". However, ONI Section II propaganda exaggerated the victory to encourage recruitment; initially the foe was claimed to be an Insurrectionist weapon platform but this was later recanted. For their part, the Covenant celebrated the "Victory of Epsilon Indi" through fasting and prayer.[3]

Main article: Harvest Campaign

Harvest continued to be contested. The Covenant continued searching for Forerunner artifacts and the UNSC refusing to withdraw. The UNSC finally prevailed in 2531, but the planet lost its remaining strategic value as the Covenant advanced into the Inner Colonies.

Participants

UNSC

Personnel

Warships

Trivia

  • The presence of 40 UNSC ships-of-the-line against one overwhelmingly powerful enemy ship strikes a remarkable resemblance to the Star Trek-Universe's Battle of Wolf 359. At Wolf-359 the Federation's (or Humanity's) numerically superior fleet of 40 starships took on a single Borg Cube. The results, however, were completely opposite to the Halo-Universe. The Federation lost 39 of its 40 vessels, and the Borg Cube left the battle without so much as a scratch on its hull and moved on towards Earth.[5]


Sources

  1. ^ a b Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Harvest
  2. ^ Halo: Evolutions - The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole, page 471
  3. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Timeline
  4. ^ Halo Waypoint article on the Say My Name
  5. ^ [1] Memory-Alpha: Battle of Wolf 359

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