Raid on Reach: Difference between revisions
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{{era|HCW}} | {{era|HCW}} | ||
{{battle | {{battle | ||
|prev = [[Skirmish over Threshold]], [[Fall of Reach]], [[Battle of Installation 04]] | |prev = [[Skirmish over Threshold]], [[Fall of Reach]], [[Battle of Installation 04]] | ||
|next = [[Massacre at Eridanus Secundus]] | |next = [[Massacre at Eridanus Secundus]] | ||
|name = Raid | |name = Raid on Reach | ||
|conflict = [[Human-Covenant War]] | |conflict = [[Human-Covenant War]] | ||
|date = [[2552#September's Anomaly|September 7th]] [[2552]] | |date = [[2552#September's Anomaly|September 7th]] [[2552]] | ||
|place = [[Reach]] | |place = [[Reach]] | ||
|result = | |result = UNSC strategic victory | ||
*Spartan-117 and the rest of the survivors from Halo rendezvous with Spartan survivors and Dr. Halsey. | *Spartan-117 and the rest of the survivors from Halo rendezvous with Spartan survivors and Dr. Halsey. | ||
*Cortana inflicts heavy casualties to the Covenant fleet around Reach. | *Cortana inflicts heavy casualties to the Covenant fleet around Reach. | ||
*The Forerunner | *The Forerunner crystal is captured by the UNSC. | ||
|side1 = [[United Nations Space Command]] | |side1 = [[United Nations Space Command]] | ||
|side2 = [[Covenant]] | |side2 = [[Covenant]] | ||
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}} | }} | ||
The '''Raid | The '''Raid on Reach''' was a series of skirmishes conducted by the [[UNSC]] survivors of the [[Battle of Installation 04]] against the Covenant fleet in the area around the glassed [[Reach]], trying to find a viable way to return to UNSC-controlled space. It turned into a rescue operation when they determined that Spartans were still alive and on Reach. | ||
The battle was a testing ground for multiple improvements [[Cortana]] had made to [[Covenant]] technology and resulted in the destruction of over a dozen Covenant capital ships and many of their ground forces, at the cost of four SPARTANS and heavy damage to their captured [[Ascendant Justice|ship]]. | The battle was a testing ground for multiple improvements [[Cortana]] had made to [[Covenant]] technology and resulted in the destruction of over a dozen Covenant capital ships and many of their ground forces, at the cost of four SPARTANS and heavy damage to their captured [[Ascendant Justice|ship]]. | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
===The Installation 04 | ===The Installation 04 survivors=== | ||
Having captured the [[Covenant]] [[ | Having captured the [[Covenant]] [[flagship]] ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', they were in a position where they could not return to Human controlled space due to Article 7 of the [[Cole Protocol]]. The Article required that a captured Covenant vessel be thoroughly searched for any tracking devices that would alert the Covenant to a new Human controlled system before that vessel could enter a System that the Covenant weren't aware of. | ||
The decision was made to set course for [[Reach]] for several reasons: | The decision was made to set course for [[Reach]] for several reasons: | ||
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===Covenant=== | ===Covenant=== | ||
Unlike most of their operations, [[Covenant]] forces had chosen to only selectively bombard Reach rather than [[glass]] the planet. The reason for this was that they were particularly interested in [[Forerunner]] artifacts, particularly a [[Forerunner | Unlike most of their operations, [[Covenant]] forces had chosen to only selectively bombard Reach rather than [[glass]] the planet. The reason for this was that they were particularly interested in [[Forerunner]] artifacts, particularly a [[Forerunner crystal]] that they called the "Holy Light" which was located under ONI's [[Castle Base]]. As a result, at least two (if not more) groups of survivors remained on the planet. | ||
===Admiral Whitcomb=== | ===Admiral Whitcomb=== | ||
During the Fall of Reach, 3 Spartans ([[Li]], [[Grace]], and [[Anton]]) joined up with [[Vice Admiral]] [[Whitcomb]]. After planting a [[NOVA bomb]] inside the Covenant ranks, they spent the next week performing guerrilla attacks upon occupational Covenant forces on [[Reach]]. However, they were stranded on the planet with no means of escape. | During the Fall of Reach, 3 Spartans ([[Li-008]], [[Grace]], and [[Anton]]) joined up with [[Vice Admiral]] [[Whitcomb]]. After planting a [[NOVA bomb]] inside the Covenant ranks, they spent the next week performing guerrilla attacks upon occupational Covenant forces on [[Reach]]. However, they were stranded on the planet with no means of escape. | ||
===Dr. Halsey=== | ===Dr. Halsey=== | ||
Underneath the ruins of [[CASTLE base]], Dr. Halsey and 5 Spartans ([[Frederic-104]], [[Kelly]], [[William-043]], [[Vinh]], and [[ | Underneath the ruins of [[CASTLE base]], Dr. Halsey and 5 Spartans ([[Frederic-104]], [[Kelly-087]], [[William-043]], [[Vinh-030]], and [[Isaac-039]]) had spent 5 days combing the remains of a [[Forerunner]] complex and an additional 5 days trapped in a hallway inside the ruins by Covenant forces. They managed to retrieve the Forerunner crystal the Covenant were seeking, but it emitted a burst of radiation which alerted the Covenant to their presence. Vinh and Isaac fell at the hands of overwhelming Covenant forces, and the others escaped by blowing the hallway down behind them. | ||
==The Battle== | ==The Battle== | ||
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The [[Ascendant Justice]] arrived seven hundred thousand kilometers<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]], page 154</ref> from [[Reach]] where its crew assessed the situation. They noticed several ships in orbit along with an orbital docking station and that the planet had mostly been glassed. However, a small spot that had not been destroyed perked the interest of both John-117 and Lieutenant Haverson, the former because it meant that there might be survivors from the Spartan team, the latter because of the Covenant's obvious interest in that spot. | The [[Ascendant Justice]] arrived seven hundred thousand kilometers<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]], page 154</ref> from [[Reach]] where its crew assessed the situation. They noticed several ships in orbit along with an orbital docking station and that the planet had mostly been glassed. However, a small spot that had not been destroyed perked the interest of both John-117 and Lieutenant Haverson, the former because it meant that there might be survivors from the Spartan team, the latter because of the Covenant's obvious interest in that spot. | ||
When they arrived at Reach, they sent all the standard responses to indicate that they were still Covenant controlled. The Ascendant Justice was supposed to have a high ranking person on board so the Covenant did not question their authority to be there and thus, the charade succeeded. From here, they were able to determine that the enemy fleet consisted of 13 [[ | When they arrived at Reach, they sent all the standard responses to indicate that they were still Covenant controlled. The Ascendant Justice was supposed to have a high ranking person on board so the Covenant did not question their authority to be there and thus, the charade succeeded. From here, they were able to determine that the enemy fleet consisted of 13 [[Covenant cruiser|heavy cruisers]], a pair of [[Covenant light cruiser|light cruisers]] and a trio of [[Covenant carrier|carriers]] along with hundreds of smaller ships. They also spotted a pile of debris where all the leftover Covenant and UNSC ships that had fallen in the Fall of Reach were being kept. They also picked up a weak transmission for the Master Chief, which was the ''[[Oly Oly Oxen Free]]'' signal. From this, he knew that there were Spartans alive on the planet. | ||
===Rescue=== | ===Rescue=== | ||
[[John-117]] convinced the team to go to the surface while [[Cortana]] continued to pilot the ship. Cortana determined a hole in the Covenant patrol pattern and used it to determine an extraction point. | [[John-117]] convinced the team to go to the surface while [[Cortana]] continued to pilot the ship. Cortana determined a hole in the Covenant patrol pattern and used it to determine an extraction point. | ||
Once the team left, Cortana started analyzing as much data as she could. However, she quickly realized that she wasn't running at optimal capacity and had spread herself too thin. Before she could rectify this problem, the [[Covenant AI]] took advantage of her distraction and stunned her before taking over the communications system and | Once the team left, Cortana started analyzing as much data as she could. However, she quickly realized that she wasn't running at optimal capacity and had spread herself too thin. Before she could rectify this problem, the [[Unidentified Covenant AI|Covenant AI]] took advantage of her distraction and stunned her before taking over the communications system and signaling the nearby fleet of the [[Ascendant Justice|Ascendant Justice's]] capture. Cortana was able to recover in time to dismantle and assimilate the renegade AI, but not before the damage had already been done. | ||
The [[Covenant]] forces immediately turned on the Ascendant Justice with 13 ships moving to engage it. However, while their weapons charged, Cortana took the opportunity to test its new improvements to the Ascendant Justice's weapons systems. Without a need to charge its weapons, she was able to destroy 3 warships and do damage to a Carrier's launch bay<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]], pages 171-172</ref>. However, she determined that the risk was too high to continue to fight and opted to flee instead, jumping to the Oort cloud of the [[Epsilon Eridani]] system to plot her next move. | The [[Covenant]] forces immediately turned on the Ascendant Justice with 13 ships moving to engage it. However, while their weapons charged, Cortana took the opportunity to test its new improvements to the Ascendant Justice's weapons systems. Without a need to charge its weapons, she was able to destroy 3 warships and do damage to a Carrier's launch bay<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]], pages 171-172</ref>. However, she determined that the risk was too high to continue to fight and opted to flee instead, jumping to the Oort cloud of the [[Epsilon Eridani]] system to plot her next move. | ||
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The team was able to get inside Mechanite Mountain without incident. They used the Covenant excavation tunnel and then landed at the bottom floor of the Forerunner installation. [[Li-008]] and [[Polaski]] were assigned to stay with their dropship and [[Whitcomb]] ordered them into a position that would provide the least risk to the vessel. The rest of the team piled out and ambushed a group of about 100 Covenant soldiers who were trying to dig their way through to [[Dr. Halsey]] and her accompanying the Spartans, [[Kelly-087]], [[Fred-104]] and [[William-043]]. | The team was able to get inside Mechanite Mountain without incident. They used the Covenant excavation tunnel and then landed at the bottom floor of the Forerunner installation. [[Li-008]] and [[Polaski]] were assigned to stay with their dropship and [[Whitcomb]] ordered them into a position that would provide the least risk to the vessel. The rest of the team piled out and ambushed a group of about 100 Covenant soldiers who were trying to dig their way through to [[Dr. Halsey]] and her accompanying the Spartans, [[Kelly-087]], [[Fred-104]] and [[William-043]]. | ||
By the time the Covenant forces had been dispatched, the opening the Covenant had been working on was finished by Halsey's Spartans. The two teams were beginning to call for extraction when they realized that an entire | By the time the Covenant forces had been dispatched, the opening the Covenant had been working on was finished by Halsey's Spartans. The two teams were beginning to call for extraction when they realized that an entire battalion<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]], page 189</ref> of Covenant forces were bearing down on them. | ||
Two [[Hunters]] fired on the team - badly wounding Kelly and knocking her out of the battle as she tried to shield Dr. Halsey. However, the Hunters would, in turn, be fired upon by the rest of the Covenant forces. The [[Elite]] in charge made it clear that the Forerunner Crystal was not to be damaged and therefore, the UNSC forces were not to be fired upon. The Covenant charged en mass against the UNSC forces and were engaged by the Spartans while Polaski flew in to extract them. With John carrying Kelly, they escaped the fight. | Two [[Hunters]] fired on the team - badly wounding Kelly and knocking her out of the battle as she tried to shield Dr. Halsey. However, the Hunters would, in turn, be fired upon by the rest of the Covenant forces. The [[Elite]] in charge made it clear that the Forerunner Crystal was not to be damaged and therefore, the UNSC forces were not to be fired upon. The Covenant charged en mass against the UNSC forces and were engaged by the Spartans while Polaski flew in to extract them. With John carrying Kelly, they escaped the fight. | ||
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Cortana jumped to the rendezvous point. Her arrival surprised the Covenant forces and by the time they had recovered to engage her, the UNSC team was already aboard. Using the combined power from the two reactors, Cortana charged her Slipspace drive and determined she needed five seconds to get a full charge. With that time, she fired on the nearest four Cruisers, destroying two of them. She then entered Slipspace, fleeing the system. | Cortana jumped to the rendezvous point. Her arrival surprised the Covenant forces and by the time they had recovered to engage her, the UNSC team was already aboard. Using the combined power from the two reactors, Cortana charged her Slipspace drive and determined she needed five seconds to get a full charge. With that time, she fired on the nearest four Cruisers, destroying two of them. She then entered Slipspace, fleeing the system. | ||
===Slipspace | ===Slipspace battle=== | ||
Their escape was not what it was supposed to be. The Ascendant Justice/Gettysburg had entered some form of Slipspace anomaly. Fourteen [[Covenant]] ships were able to enter behind the ship. Within the anomaly, they could maneuver and fire at other ships, but the weapons they fired would jump randomly and there was no guarantee that they would do what was intended. This did not deter the Covenant from firing on the captured ship, nor Cortana from returning fire. This resulted in random bolts of superheated plasma impacting ships from both sides, causing heavy damage to the Ascendant Justice and destroying many of the Covenant warships. | Their escape was not what it was supposed to be. The Ascendant Justice/Gettysburg had entered some form of Slipspace anomaly. Fourteen [[Covenant]] ships were able to enter behind the ship. Within the anomaly, they could maneuver and fire at other ships, but the weapons they fired would jump randomly and there was no guarantee that they would do what was intended. This did not deter the Covenant from firing on the captured ship, nor Cortana from returning fire. This resulted in random bolts of superheated plasma impacting ships from both sides, causing heavy damage to the Ascendant Justice and destroying many of the Covenant warships. | ||
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==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||
===The | ===The crystal=== | ||
The slipspace bubble put the [[Gettysburg]]-[[Ascendant Justice]] many light years away from Reach and UNSC space. The speed they traveled through slipspace actually exceeded that of Covenant capabilities. However, they determined that the crystal emitted high levels of radiation within slipspace making it so that wherever they traveled, the Covenant would track them. It would later be left in the hands of Corporal Locklear to destroy. | The slipspace bubble put the [[Gettysburg]]-[[Ascendant Justice]] many light years away from Reach and UNSC space. The speed they traveled through slipspace actually exceeded that of Covenant capabilities. However, they determined that the crystal emitted high levels of radiation within slipspace making it so that wherever they traveled, the Covenant would track them. It would later be left in the hands of Corporal Locklear to destroy. | ||
===Eridanus | ===Eridanus system=== | ||
Transmissions intercepted by Cortana revealed the fact that a Covenant fleet was rendezvousing at ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'' before proceeding to [[Earth]]. With their position being well beyond UNSC space, the priority for the survivors of the Fall of Reach became returning to Earth and warning them about the danger. However, to do so, they needed to undergo repairs, as well as follow the Cole Protocol by somehow disposing of the crystal, as it would give away their position whenever they entered [[Slipspace]]. | Transmissions intercepted by Cortana revealed the fact that a Covenant fleet was rendezvousing at ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'' before proceeding to [[Earth]]. With their position being well beyond UNSC space, the priority for the survivors of the Fall of Reach became returning to Earth and warning them about the danger. However, to do so, they needed to undergo repairs, as well as follow the Cole Protocol by somehow disposing of the crystal, as it would give away their position whenever they entered [[Slipspace]]. | ||
