Operation: SMOKING ACES

Operation: SMOKING ACES was an action which took place on May 1, 2531, during which a five SPARTAN-II supersoldiers, known as Blue Team, infiltrated the Insurrectionist Camp New Hope on the UNSC colony world of Victoria, in the 111 Tauri system. It was a UNSC victory as the SPARTANs recovered three nuclear weapons, neutralized numerous rebel personnel, and escaped without a single casualty.

Background
By 2531, Insurrectionists had repeatedly had their operations disrupted by a four-man team of Spartan-II supersoldiers known as Blue Team. The team disrupted Insurrectionist operations at Station Jefferson, onboard the destroyer Origami, in Micronesia, and at a high-explosives manufacturing facility at an unspecified location. Blue Team was also involved in interfering with a saboteur cell on Reach. In response to Blue Team's actions against them, the rebels gathered three FENRIS nuclear warheads, stolen from the UNSC, at Camp New Hope. The means by which the warheads were assembled was not subtle, and the Office of Naval Intelligence took notice of the congregation. The Insurrectionists contacted the UNSC, offering to trade the warheads in exchange for medicines for their people suffering from Boren's Syndrome. The UNSC, with its stockpiles depleted by the war with the Covenant, agreed to this exchange. The Insurrection then set a trap for Blue Team, whom they anticipated would be sent to recover the warheads.

The Raid
Camp New Hope had an extensive defense system, featuring motion and seismic detectors, a triple-layering of guards, Warthog APCs, trained dogs, and MAKO drones. Despite this, Blue Team was able to neutralize numerous guards and infiltrate a warehouse at the center of the base. There, the Insurrectionists successfully ambushed John-117, Frederic-104, Kelly-087, and Linda-058 using an antigravity plate, giving the Spartan-IIs decompression sickness. The four Spartan-IIs were fitted with neural-inhibitor collars so that they could be interrogated by rebel leader General Howard Graves. The rebels were unaware, however, of a fifth Spartan who had avoided the trap: new addition to the team, Kurt-051. Kurt was able to free the other members of Blue Team using a modified Warthog and several Asteroidea anti-personnel mines. General Howard Graves was killed in the process. The freed Spartans loaded the three warheads into the Warthog and retreated from the base before the Insurrectionists could organize a proper counterattack. They were then picked up by a Pelican dropship and left the system aboard the.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx