Reach

Reach was a major United Nations Space Command colony world.

Located in the Epsilon Eridani star system in FLEETCOM Sector One Reach was one of the headquarters for the UNSC, and the main supplier of military and civilian spacecraft. Originally colonized for its rich titanium deposits, Reach had mines throughout it running thousands of meters deep. HIGHCOM, FLEETCOM and the Marine Corps had headquarters on Reach, as well as many primary ONI bases, which include CASTLE Base. By late 2552 the planet was home to 700 million people. . It was also the most populated planet after Earth in the UNSC.

CASTLE base was located on Reach underneath Mechanite Mountain. This facility is where the Spartans first began their training. The facility was destroyed after the planet's fall to the Covenant. A secret area beneath Reach's surface contained a Forerunner artifact that was highly desired by the Covenant. The fact that this artifact was so valuable to them is perhaps the main reason anyone survived Reach at all, because the Covenant were fearful of destroying it.

After the Battle of Reach, the planet was completely uninhabited and mostly glassed. When UNSC forces finally abandoned the planet, a small Covenant occupation fleet remained in the system.

Battle for Reach

 * See the main article: Battle of Reach

The Covenant discovered the location of Reach from a Forerunner artifact recovered at the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV. That artifact revealed Reach to be the location of yet another artifact. Coincidentally the human presence on Reach was revealed when the returned to Reach after the battle, unaware that a Covenant spy drone was attached to her hull. As such the Covenant were aware of the defenders strength prior to the assault.

Reach was defended by over 150 UNSC warships and 20 Mark V ODPs, but they were annihilated by the Covenant fleet.

Ground Locations

 * Highland Mountains
 * Mechanite Mountain
 * CASTLE Base
 * Camp Hathcock
 * Camp Independence
 * Fairchild Field
 * HighCom Armory Omega
 * Military Reservation 01478-B
 * Military Wilderness Training Preserve
 * ODG Facility A-331
 * Olympic Tower
 * Reach Naval Academy

Orbital Locations

 * ONI Medical Facility
 * Reach Station Gamma
 * Orbital Defense Platforms