Battle for Earth: Difference between revisions

The '''Battle for Earth''', also referred to as the '''Earth Sustained Defense Campaign''',{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}} was one of the largest, bloodiest and latest engagements fought between the [[Covenant]] and the forces of the [[Unified Earth Government]] (primarily those of the [[United Nations Space Command]]), at the end of the approximately twenty-seven year-long{{Ref/Note|The war was definitely concluded on December 11, 2552 when the Prophet of Truth was killed. However, an official cessation of hostilities did not come until March 3, 2553.}} [[Human-Covenant War]], which took place on and above the planet [[Earth]] from [[2552#October|October 20]] to not before [[2552#December|December 3, 2552]].{{Ref/NoteReuse|battleend}} It was one of the most important battles of the war, as the fate of humanity depended on the survival of its homeworld and seat of its [[UEG|government]].{{Ref/Note|While [[Insurrectionist|not all]] of humanity believes itself to be subject to the UEG, the UEG claims authority over all of humanity.}}

Though the invasion took place on a global scale, the most significant conflicts occurred in the [[East African Protectorate]] in the form of three battles fought within and between the cities of [[Mombasa]] and [[Voi]], collectively referred to as the [[First Battle of Mombasa|first]], [[Second Battle of Mombasa|second]], and [[Battle of Voi|third]] battles of Mombasa.<ref name="HSA">''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', co-op introductory cutscene</ref> The conflict began when the [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration]], under the command of the [[Prophet of Regret]], arrived on October 20 with intentions of traveling through the [[Portal at Voi|portal]] that a [[luminary]] in its possession pointed to. This move was made without the consent of the other two [[Hierarchs]] and in ignorance regarding the status of this planet as humanity's homeworld. Faced with the full might of the UNSC Home Fleet, it was not long before Regret's flagship fled to [[Installation 05]]. Soon after this, the Prophet of Truth initiated his plans to replace [[Sangheili]] with [[Jiralhanae]] and assume control over the entirety of the hierarchal triumvirate. Additional [[Truth's Fleet|fleets]], led by Jiralhanae, appeared in the system and quickly assumed control of all local Covenant forces by [[Great Schism|killing all Sangheili]].

At this point, the fight for Earth began in earnest. Smaller battles were waged all across the world, from the UEG capital of [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], to [[Cleveland]], [[URNA]], to [[Havana]], Cuba, and to [[Mount Erebus]], [[Antarctica]] and multiple other locations. By November 17, most of the Home Fleet had been obliterated. It was on this date that the Prophet of Truth himself, aboard the Forerunner Dreadnought and with [[John-117|Spartan-117]] in tow, arrived and headed straight for the [[Portal at Voi|Excession]], by then fully excavated. Upon interfacing with the [[keyship]], the portal was activated and a large contingent of the Covenant fleet departed through the [[Portal at Voi|Portal]] with the intention of activating the [[Halo Array]] from [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. Almost immediately after this, the [[Flood]] arrived aboard a [[Indulgence of Conviction|captured]] {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}, which crashed down in the town of [[Voi]]. The [[Fleet of Retribution]], allied with the UNSC against Truth, was permitted to [[glass]] a large portion of [[Africa]] to prevent the parasite's spread. With the threat from the Flood dealt with and the bulk of Covenant forces gone, at least one UNSC frigate accompanied the Fleet of Retribution in pursuit of Truth. The remainder of UNSC forces remained behind to defend Earth from an expected full-scale Flood invasion and also began a major counteroffensive to eliminate all Covenant that remained.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}

From [[2552#May|May 14–19, 2552]], UNSC forces in the [[Earth Defense Coordination Zone]] were placed at maximum readiness levels and all warships with [[MAC|magnetic accelerator cannon]]s self-deployed or towed to rally points. [[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]] was established as flag headquarters. On [[2552#September 5|September 5, 2552]], all remaining [[UNSC Navy|naval]] forces were consolidated into a single command grouping: the [[UNSC Home Fleet]]. Fleet Admiral [[Joseph Harper]] was appointed senior flag officer and given primary administrative and tasking authority over all assets in the [[Sol system]] under emergency directives authorized by [[UNSC High Command]] and approved by the [[UEG Security Council]]. Remaining expeditionary and defense fleets retained administrative control over their [[battle group]]s, though all type commands were dissolved.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}}

The [[Prophet of Regret]] also independently learned of the location of Earth as the location of a [[Forerunner]] artifact, [[Portal at Voi|the Portal]] leading to [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. This revelation came after long study by [[steward]]s of a Forerunner [[luminary]] taken from the moon, [[Meridian]], in [[2551]]. Not being privy to Truth's information, Regret set off to uncover the artifact without any knowledge  that Earth was the humans' homeworld. Regret unknowingly led his [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration|small fleet]], a mere two [[CAS-class assault carrier|assault carriers]] and thirteen [[CCS-class battlecruiser|battlecruisers]], straight into Earth's formidable defenses.{{Ref/Reuse|waypoint}} Truth belatedly learned of Regret's expedition to Earth, and dispatched a large [[Jiralhanae]]-led fleet to reinforce the attack. They arrived mere hours after Regret had fled.{{Ref/Reuse|waypoint}} {{clear|left}}