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Shield world: Difference between revisions
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{{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|HCW|Post}} | {{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|HCW|Post}} | ||
{{New Content|[[Halo: Broken Circle]]}} | {{New Content|[[Halo: Broken Circle]]}} | ||
'''Shield worlds''' are [[Forerunner]] installations originally designed as a defensive strategy against the [[Flood]] and an alternative to the [[Halo Array]]. As opposed to sterilizing the whole galaxy at once, shield worlds would act as a more precise and conventional solution, serving as both refuges for local populations and powerful military fortresses from which to carry out strategic campaigns against the Flood. Several varieties of shield worlds were designed over nearly nine thousand years; in some iterations the interior was suspended in [[Slipspace bubble|fractal slipspace]], protecting organisms within from the Halos' destructive pulse.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 364-365''</ref> A prevalent variation of the shield world concept, known as a '''conservation sphere''', was specifically designed in tandem with the [[Conservation Measure]], sheltering various evacuated species from the Halo effect.<ref name="EVG">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 174''</ref> Scattered across the Forerunner [[ecumene]], the shield worlds outnumber the Halos by a large margin | '''Shield worlds''' are [[Forerunner]] installations originally designed as a defensive strategy against the [[Flood]] and an alternative to the [[Halo Array]]. As opposed to sterilizing the whole galaxy at once, shield worlds would act as a more precise and conventional solution, serving as both refuges for local populations and powerful military fortresses from which to carry out strategic campaigns against the Flood. Several varieties of shield worlds were designed over nearly nine thousand years; in some iterations the interior was suspended in [[Slipspace bubble|fractal slipspace]], protecting organisms within from the Halos' destructive pulse.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 364-365''</ref> A prevalent variation of the shield world concept, known as a '''conservation sphere''', was specifically designed in tandem with the [[Conservation Measure]], sheltering various evacuated species from the Halo effect.<ref name="EVG">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 174''</ref> Scattered across the Forerunner [[ecumene]], the shield worlds outnumber the Halos by a large margin,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 273''</ref><ref name="EVG"/> with over a thousand installations originally planned and at least 673 constructed, assuming their numeric designations were assigned sequentially.<ref name="Have S'moa">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder: 2-20-15'']</ref><ref name="hbc76">'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 76''</ref> The shield worlds were collectively known as "the Shield", while the Halos were collectively known as "the Sword".<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 310''</ref> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Shield worlds were used by the [[Warrior-Servant]]s as military outposts for thousands of years before the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref name="h4guide">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide '''Halo 4 Interactive Guide''']</ref><ref name="h4terminals">'''Halo 4''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 4|Terminals]]''</ref> The first shield world, the [[Promethean]]s' military operations hub known as [[Requiem]], was constructed long before the [[human-Forerunner wars]] in [[110,000 BCE]].<ref name="sil278">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 278''</ref> | Shield worlds were used by the [[Warrior-Servant]]s as military outposts for thousands of years before the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref name="h4guide">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide '''Halo 4 Interactive Guide''']</ref><ref name="h4terminals">'''Halo 4''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 4|Terminals]]''</ref> The first shield world, the [[Promethean]]s' military operations hub known as [[Requiem]], was constructed long before the [[human-Forerunner wars]] in [[110,000 BCE]].<ref name="sil278">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 278''</ref> | ||
After the Forerunners learned of the parasite known as the [[Flood]] in the later stages of the war with the humans, the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] began to champion the construction of more shield worlds as part of his [[star-hopping]] strategy. These would be designed as facilities from which to fight and research the Flood, an alternate solution to [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]'s plan to construct the Halos. Numerous shield worlds of different configurations were built over the span of several thousands of years, but the [[Builder]] rate's growing influence eventually led the [[Ecumene Council|Old Council]] to deem the Master Builder's Halo project superior. The Didact, who stubbornly continued to advocate his strategy to the Council, was ordered to cease his project and was forced into [[Cryptum|exile]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 47''</ref | After the Forerunners learned of the parasite known as the [[Flood]] in the later stages of the war with the humans, the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] began to champion the construction of more shield worlds as part of his [[star-hopping]] strategy. These would be designed as facilities from which to fight and research the Flood, an alternate solution to [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]'s plan to construct the Halos. Numerous shield worlds of different configurations were built over the span of several thousands of years, but the [[Builder]] rate's growing influence eventually led the [[Ecumene Council|Old Council]] to deem the Master Builder's Halo project superior. The Didact, who stubbornly continued to advocate his strategy to the Council, was ordered to cease his project and was forced into [[Cryptum|exile]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 47''</ref> | ||
Though the construction of the shield worlds was abandoned, they still found use as shelters for the various species the [[Lifeworker]]s indexed and collected in the [[Conservation Measure]]. Many Forerunners also intended to evacuate to the shield worlds, but the betrayal by the Forerunners' supreme defense AI [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]] and its defection to the Flood forced the Forerunners to abandon these plans, as Mendicant Bias revealed the locations of the shield worlds to the Flood.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 232''</ref> | Though the construction of the shield worlds was abandoned, they still found use as shelters for the various species the [[Lifeworker]]s indexed and collected in the [[Conservation Measure]]. Many Forerunners also intended to evacuate to the shield worlds, but the betrayal by the Forerunners' supreme defense AI [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]] and its defection to the Flood forced the Forerunners to abandon these plans, as Mendicant Bias revealed the locations of the shield worlds to the Flood.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 232''</ref> | ||
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===Shield World 0673=== | ===Shield World 0673=== | ||
{{Main|Shield World 0673}} | {{Main|Shield World 0673}} | ||
Shield World 0673 was another unique type of shield world and the last shield installation to be constructed.<ref name="hbc76"/> Like the conservation spheres, it housed a terrestrial environment inside a metallic exterior shell. Overseen by the monitor [[Enduring Bias]], the shield world's most extraordinary feature was its ability to break its outer shell apart and disperse the components across the [[asteroid]] belt of the [[Ussan system|system]] in the event the interior was compromised.<ref name="hbc76"/> | Shield World 0673 was another unique type of shield world and possibly the last shield installation to be constructed.<ref name="hbc76"/><ref name="Have S'moa"/> Like the conservation spheres, it housed a terrestrial environment inside a metallic exterior shell. Overseen by the monitor [[Enduring Bias]], the shield world's most extraordinary feature was its ability to break its outer shell apart and disperse the components across the [[asteroid]] belt of the [[Ussan system|system]] in the event the interior was compromised.<ref name="hbc76"/> | ||
In the [[Covenant]]'s early years, [[Ussa 'Xellus]], the leader of a [[Sangheili]] resistance movement against the Covenant, used Shield World 0673 as a refuge for his followers until they could gather enough strength to strike against the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 46''</ref> The [[Ussans|Ussan faction]] remained in the shield world, which they named the Refuge, for thousands of years until their rediscovery by Covenant separatists fleeing the [[Great Schism]] in [[2553]].<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''pages 301-307''</ref> | In the [[Covenant]]'s early years, [[Ussa 'Xellus]], the leader of a [[Sangheili]] resistance movement against the Covenant, used Shield World 0673 as a refuge for his followers until they could gather enough strength to strike against the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 46''</ref> The [[Ussans|Ussan faction]] remained in the shield world, which they named the Refuge, for thousands of years until their rediscovery by Covenant separatists fleeing the [[Great Schism]] in [[2553]].<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''pages 301-307''</ref> | ||