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Space warfare: Difference between revisions
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Space battles between the major factions in the modern era are fought almost exclusively within the context of normal space-time, although precision slipspace jumps and faster velocities within the slipstream offer increased tactical maneuvering options as well as considerable strategic benefits. The vessels involved are typically directed by individuals with baseline reflexes delivering tactical commands verbally, placing certain upper limits on the speeds at which ships and fleets can respond to threats and changing tactical situations; under the control of an AI, a warship becomes far more combat-effective due to the constructs' significantly faster reactions and information processing capabilities.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=6 '''Bungie.net''': ''Jason Jones Interviewed By You'' (12/18/2001)]</ref> | Space battles between the major factions in the modern era are fought almost exclusively within the context of normal space-time, although precision slipspace jumps and faster velocities within the slipstream offer increased tactical maneuvering options as well as considerable strategic benefits. The vessels involved are typically directed by individuals with baseline reflexes delivering tactical commands verbally, placing certain upper limits on the speeds at which ships and fleets can respond to threats and changing tactical situations; under the control of an AI, a warship becomes far more combat-effective due to the constructs' significantly faster reactions and information processing capabilities.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=6 '''Bungie.net''': ''Jason Jones Interviewed By You'' (12/18/2001)]</ref> | ||
Naval engagements between the UNSC and the Covenant have typically been one-sided affairs. During the Human-Covenant War, the Covenant possessed an overwhelming technological advantage, with superior weaponry, defenses and slipspace navigation.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 168-169''</ref> In large-scale engagements, the UNSC has been forced to rely on overwhelming numerical superiority just to fight the Covenant to a standstill. In its first engagement with the Covenant at Harvest, the UNSC fielded forty warships and lost thirteen to destroy a single [[ | Naval engagements between the UNSC and the Covenant have typically been one-sided affairs. During the Human-Covenant War, the Covenant possessed an overwhelming technological advantage, with superior weaponry, defenses and slipspace navigation.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 168-169''</ref> In large-scale engagements, the UNSC has been forced to rely on overwhelming numerical superiority just to fight the Covenant to a standstill. In its first engagement with the Covenant at Harvest, the UNSC fielded forty warships and lost thirteen to destroy a single [[Rasus-pattern interdictor|Covenant warship]].<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole"''', ''pages 462-467''</ref> By [[2530]], it took a fifteen UNSC ships to destroy three Covenant ships.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', '''2010''', ''Adjunct''</ref> By 2552, an advantage of three-to-one was the general rule to ensure a UNSC victory.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo page 333}} | ||
Human fleets have also been forced to rely on innovative use of strategy and tactics to counter Covenant naval doctrine, which has largely remained unchanged throughout the war, resulting in surprising UNSC victories. Admiral [[Preston Cole]] won the [[Battle of Psi Serpentis]] by using complex slipspace maneuvers, and unexpected [[UNSC Bellicose|Insurrectionist help]] to cover the retreat of the UNSC fleet and lure a Covenant fleet around the gas giant [[Viperidae]], then launching a hundred Shiva nuclear missiles, triggering stellar fusion and briefly turning Viperidae into a brown dwarf, annihilating more than three hundred Covenant ships to seventy UNSC and 14 Insurrectionist ships and the presumed loss of {{UNSCShip|Everest}} with Admiral Cole aboard her.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole"''', ''pages 476-482''</ref> During the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], Captain [[Jacob Keyes]]' use of a complicated and risky maneuver allowed a single [[UNSC destroyer]] to defeat two Covenant frigates and a destroyer, forcing the unsupported [[Covenant carrier|carrier]] to withdraw after deploying ground forces. In the second large-scale engagement, the UNSC massed its fire for a coordinated MAC salvo, using a [[Cradle|repair station]] as cover against the Covenant's plasma torpedoes to buy time for a second, devastating salvo, reducing the Covenant fleet from twenty ships to eight, allowing the forty eight UNSC ships to engage the enemy in a clear advantage, a tactic repeated on a larger scale during the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 219-223''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 332-333''</ref> During the Battle of Onyx, [[Carl Patterson|Admiral Patterson]]'s [[Patterson's battle group|battlegroup]] used innovative tactics to destroy a disproportionate number of Covenant warships. After using intelligence gathered by the prowler {{UNSCShip|Dusk}} to destroy a destroyer, the battlegroup encountered a much larger force attempting to ambush them.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 292-296''</ref> Faced with a plasma torpedo salvo, the fleet accelerated into it to forestall a second volley, allowing five ships to survive to escape ''through'' the Covenant fleet.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 297''</ref> A number of Covenant ships were destroyed by the self-destruction of the {{UNSCShip|Iwo Jima}}, taking two warships with it and damaging another six.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 298''</ref> While the Covenant fleet was distracted fending off an attack by the native [[Onyx Sentinel]]s, the ''Dusk'' laid a HORNET minefield.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo pages 325-326}} The battlegroup lured the Covenant fleet into the field, destroying all but two before Covenant reinforcements arrived, destroying all UNSC ships except for ''Dusk''.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 328-332''</ref> In all, the UNSC battle group, consisting of one carrier, one Marathon-class cruiser, six destroyers and a prowler managed to destroy a total of twenty Covenant warships, a staggering number. | Human fleets have also been forced to rely on innovative use of strategy and tactics to counter Covenant naval doctrine, which has largely remained unchanged throughout the war, resulting in surprising UNSC victories. Admiral [[Preston Cole]] won the [[Battle of Psi Serpentis]] by using complex slipspace maneuvers, and unexpected [[UNSC Bellicose|Insurrectionist help]] to cover the retreat of the UNSC fleet and lure a Covenant fleet around the gas giant [[Viperidae]], then launching a hundred Shiva nuclear missiles, triggering stellar fusion and briefly turning Viperidae into a brown dwarf, annihilating more than three hundred Covenant ships to seventy UNSC and 14 Insurrectionist ships and the presumed loss of {{UNSCShip|Everest}} with Admiral Cole aboard her.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole"''', ''pages 476-482''</ref> During the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], Captain [[Jacob Keyes]]' use of a complicated and risky maneuver allowed a single [[UNSC destroyer]] to defeat two Covenant frigates and a destroyer, forcing the unsupported [[Covenant carrier|carrier]] to withdraw after deploying ground forces. In the second large-scale engagement, the UNSC massed its fire for a coordinated MAC salvo, using a [[Cradle|repair station]] as cover against the Covenant's plasma torpedoes to buy time for a second, devastating salvo, reducing the Covenant fleet from twenty ships to eight, allowing the forty eight UNSC ships to engage the enemy in a clear advantage, a tactic repeated on a larger scale during the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 219-223''</ref><ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 332-333''</ref> During the Battle of Onyx, [[Carl Patterson|Admiral Patterson]]'s [[Patterson's battle group|battlegroup]] used innovative tactics to destroy a disproportionate number of Covenant warships. After using intelligence gathered by the prowler {{UNSCShip|Dusk}} to destroy a destroyer, the battlegroup encountered a much larger force attempting to ambush them.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 292-296''</ref> Faced with a plasma torpedo salvo, the fleet accelerated into it to forestall a second volley, allowing five ships to survive to escape ''through'' the Covenant fleet.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 297''</ref> A number of Covenant ships were destroyed by the self-destruction of the {{UNSCShip|Iwo Jima}}, taking two warships with it and damaging another six.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 298''</ref> While the Covenant fleet was distracted fending off an attack by the native [[Onyx Sentinel]]s, the ''Dusk'' laid a HORNET minefield.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo pages 325-326}} The battlegroup lured the Covenant fleet into the field, destroying all but two before Covenant reinforcements arrived, destroying all UNSC ships except for ''Dusk''.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 328-332''</ref> In all, the UNSC battle group, consisting of one carrier, one Marathon-class cruiser, six destroyers and a prowler managed to destroy a total of twenty Covenant warships, a staggering number. | ||