Battle of Hat Yai

The Battle of Hat Yai was one of the first battles of the Human-Covenant War, and the first engagement that saw the deployment of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers against Covenant ground forces.

Battle
The Covenant, after landing on the main continent of Hat Yai, killed most of the civilian population and established a base. The UNSC was quick to respond, and a hundred Orbital Drop Shock Troopers led by Major Sedavian were dropped near the base by the Destroyer. Unfortunately, ten soldiers were picked off during insertion by Covenant Cruisers in low orbit, and two more were killed in landing accidents. Sedavian landed far away from most of the ODSTs and until he arrived, a Marine Fireteam Leader named Rahud took command. Under Rahud's command, the ODSTs were able to regroup and take the Covenant base with no casualties.

However, by the time the base was taken and they arrived, the situation in space had changed: Covenant reinforcements had arrived and the UNSC became severely outgunned. The ground forces were evacuated, Shiva-class nuclear missiles were dropped on the rest of the Covenant troops, and the UNSC fleet retreated, leaving Hat Yai glassed by the Covenant.