First Battle of Mombasa

The First Battle of Mombasa was a battle between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant in late October 2552. It took place in area in and around Mombasa, Kenya on Earth.

Background
During the First Battle of Earth, numerous Covenant ships broke through UNSC Home Fleet defensive lines and landed on Earth. Though the only place the Covenant landed during the first parts of the battle, was at Mombasa in Kenya. The city was lightly defended, with only elements of the 77th Marines scattered around the city.

The UNSC then activated the cities Colonial Militia to fight the Covenant invaders, they quickly encountered hardened warriors and were eliminated. Almost all of the citizens of Mombasa escaped the city in boats to Voi and other surrounding cities.

More UNSC Marine Corps units later poured into the region after the initial attack, including the 405th Marine Infantry Division and the rest of the 77th Marine Regiment.

UNSC Insertion
Three D77H-TCI Pelican Dropships were deployed by the to board the Assault Carrier in orbit around the New Mombasa Orbital Elevator. The Pelican carrying SgtMaj Avery Johnson and SPARTAN John-117 is shot down by the Scarab and the remaining crew hunker down at an isolated position and wait for extraction.

GySgt Pete Stacker and an Shock Trooper squad, who were onboard the second Pelican, that was also shot down. They move up the beach to the Hotel Zanzibar and set up a command post after killing several Covenant soldiers. They wipe out several Covenant units along the way.

Battle in the streets
The Chief's group, still awaiting extraction, kills several waves of attacking Covenant forces, including two Lekgolos. Finally, the third Pelican from the flight finds the group and lands reinforcements in a demolished area. SgtMaj Johnson is extracted to help coordinate and organize the Marine Infantry and Armored units that are entering the city.

A few minutes later, the pinned down Shock Trooper squad in Hotel Zanzibar are rescued by John-117, who then organizes an offense by destroying Covenant infantry, armor, and anti-aircraft batteries on the beaches onlooking New Mombasa.

Assault on the Bridge
John-117 and his makeshift Marine unit then entered a blown-out hole in a tunnel, and destroy the forces hiding inside of it. After the engagement in the tunnels, they advanced towards the bridge connecting Old and New Mombasa. Before the SPARTAN got there, it seems that the UNSC forces guarding the bridge engaged the Scarab with everything they had.

John-117 arrives at the bridge to assess the situation; reinforcements are dropped, including a M808 Scorpion MBT. The Chief travels across the bridge with the armored unit, destroying assaulting Covenant armored and mechanized forces along the way.

Tunnel fighting
After the engagement on the bridge, UNSC offensive force entered New Mombasa in large numbers. They then link up in a stop in a tunnel with a squad of Marines riding in Warthogs. There, they eliminate Covenant forces setting up positions there. The Marines and SPARTAN-117 then proceeded into a sewer leading out to a outdoor courtyard on the outskirts of New Mombasa. The Type-47 Scarab appears over the courtyard, and the Marines then engage Covenant infantry to get to the destructive walker.

Advance
After the battle in the courtyard, SPARTAN-117 and the 77th Marines advance towards the city center. There, they find a Marine outpost commanded by SSgt Marcus Banks of Alpha Company under siege by a platoon of Type-25 Wraith MBTs. A UNSC Mechanized unit destroys the platoon, and secures a landing zone for reinforcements. The Pelicans drop of a platoon of Marine infantryman and a M808 Scorpion MBT.

Destruction of the Scarab
Out of nowhere, the lumbering Type-47 Scarab appears and destroys the Scorpion MBT. Marines then opened fire on the walker, though it just climbs over their position and into the Canals. It tries to find an outlet, rapidly moving through the high-walled waterways.

John-117 and Alpha Company follow the Scarab along a causeway until the machine reaches a point where it cannot continue. The SPARTAN jumps onto the Scarab, killing the Covenant forces above and below deck. Upon destroying the Scarab, SPARTAN-117 and the Marine forces in the area are extracted by Pelicans to the.

Retreat
The Prophet of Regret's Assault Carrier, still above Mombasa and the Mombasa Orbital Elevator, prepares to jump away from Earth to an unknown location.

The Pelicans carrying SPARTAN-117 and the Marines enter the In Amber Clad, which follows the Assault Carrier into Slipspace. The Slipspace rupture causes the entire city to be demolished and completely destroys the Orbital Elevator, making the Kenyan Savannah littered with pieces of the huge elevator.

After Battle
After the First Battle at Mombasa, it was later discovered that the only reason the Covenant fleet came to Mombasa was to find the "Ark". Months after the first invasion of Mombasa, another Covenant Loyalist fleet came to the area to excavate the sight of the "Ark". A huge battle took place at Voi, with SPARTAN-117 again fighting off Covenant Infantry. As well as second bloody battle in the ruins and streets of Mombasa.

After the Battle of Voi, it was later discovered that the so called "Ark", wasn't it at all, though it was a Portal to the Ark.

Related Articles

 * First Battle of Earth
 * Africa
 * Republic of Kenya
 * Mombasa
 * New Mombasa
 * Old Mombasa