First Battle of Mombasa: Difference between revisions

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

(Cleanup of my edits, incorporating some of Johnson's work, fixing up a few other things)
Line 59: Line 59:


===UNSC Insertion===
===UNSC Insertion===
Three [[Pelicans|D77H-TCI Pelican Dropships]] were deployed by the [[In Amber Clad]] to board the [[Assault Carrier]] hovering near the [[New Mombasa Orbital Elevator]].  Intercepted transmission from the Covenant forces lead the UNSC to (correctly) believe that it was the [[High Prophet or Regret]] in command of the opposing force, making his capture their highest objective.  However, before they could get near the the Carrier, the formation ran across a Type 47 Scarab which shot down two of the Pelicans, one carrying [[Sergeant Major|SgtMaj]] [[Avery Johnson]] and [[John-117|SPARTAN John-117]] and the other carrying [[Gunnery Sergeant|GySgt]] [[Pete Stacker]] and an [[ODST|Shock Trooper]] squad.
Three [[Pelicans|D77H-TCI Pelican Dropships]] were deployed by the [[In Amber Clad]] to board the [[Assault Carrier]] hovering near the [[New Mombasa Orbital Elevator]].  Intercepted transmission from the Covenant forces lead the UNSC to (correctly) believe that it was the [[High Prophet of Regret]] in command of the opposing force, making his capture their highest objective.  However, before they could get near the the Carrier, the formation ran across a Type 47 Scarab which shot down two of the Pelicans, one carrying [[Sergeant Major|SgtMaj]] [[Avery Johnson]] and [[John-117|SPARTAN John-117]] and the other carrying [[Gunnery Sergeant|GySgt]] [[Pete Stacker]] and an [[ODST|Shock Trooper]] squad.


Both teams suffered few casualties from their respective crashes.  The SPARTAN's team moved into a nearby bunker while Stacker's team moved up the beach to the [[Hotel Zanzibar]] and set up a command post, eliminating several Covenant units in the process.  Both teams then waited in their respective locations for extraction.
Both teams suffered few casualties from their respective crashes.  The SPARTAN's team moved into a nearby bunker while Stacker's team moved up the beach to the [[Hotel Zanzibar]] and set up a command post, eliminating several Covenant units in the process.  Both teams then waited in their respective locations for extraction.

Revision as of 20:02, November 2, 2007

Template:Battle

The First Battle of Mombasa was a sub-battle of the First Battle of Earth, taking place in late October 2552. Over the course of the battle, Covenant forces captured the city of Mombasa, Kenya and it was quickly taken in a matter of hours by the UNSC.[1].


Background

After decrypting Forerunner artifacts, the Covenant had been given Slipspace coordinates to a Forerunner facility highly important in their concept of The Great Journey. Unknown to them, this facility was on the human homeworld, Earth.

During the Raid of Reach, the Human AI, Cortana intercepted the Covenant's plans to move a large fleet to Earth. Unaware of the intentions of the Covenant's plan, the UNSC interpreted it as an attack against their homeworld and implemented Operation: FIRST STRIKE, destroying the invasion force that was intended for securing Earth.

The High Prophet of Regret, wishing to proceed with securing the facility despite the losses, took a force of 15 warships to Earth. Though surprised to find not only a human presence on the planet, but a planet more fortified than any previously encountered human-held world, the Prophet deemed his mission important enough to proceed and utilized many tactics to ensure his arrival safely on the surface. The coordinates provided by the Forerunner information indicated that his quarry was around the area of Mombasa.

Beginning

Covenant Invasion

During the First Battle of Earth, a single Covenant Carrier (the High Prophet of Regret's flagship) broke through UNSC Home Fleet defensive lines and landed on Earth [2][3]. The ship landed at Mombasa in Kenya. The city was lightly defended, with only elements of the 77th Marines scattered around the city [4].

The UNSC activated the city's Colonial Militia to fight the Covenant invaders. The Covenant forces proved to be far superior and the Militia was eliminated [5]. However, this allowed for almost all of the citizens of Mombasa escaped the city using boats destined for Voi and other surrounding cities [6].

More UNSC Marine Corps units later poured into the region after the initial attack, including the 405th Marine Infantry Division and the rest of the 77th Marine Regiment.

UNSC Insertion

Three D77H-TCI Pelican Dropships were deployed by the In Amber Clad to board the Assault Carrier hovering near the New Mombasa Orbital Elevator. Intercepted transmission from the Covenant forces lead the UNSC to (correctly) believe that it was the High Prophet of Regret in command of the opposing force, making his capture their highest objective. However, before they could get near the the Carrier, the formation ran across a Type 47 Scarab which shot down two of the Pelicans, one carrying SgtMaj Avery Johnson and SPARTAN John-117 and the other carrying GySgt Pete Stacker and an Shock Trooper squad.

Both teams suffered few casualties from their respective crashes. The SPARTAN's team moved into a nearby bunker while Stacker's team moved up the beach to the Hotel Zanzibar and set up a command post, eliminating several Covenant units in the process. Both teams then waited in their respective locations for extraction.

Outskirts

UNSC Forces approaching New Mombasa.

After the Covenant made several attempts to eliminate Spartan-117's group including sending in a pair of Lekgolos, the third Pelican from their flight found the group and gave them coordinate of an extraction point. Commander Keyes ordered Johnson to regroup with the In Amber Clad so that he could coordinate further deployment of Infantry and Armor units while the Spartan continued on foot through the city to find the second squad.

The pinned down ODSTs in Hotel Zanzibar were rescued by John-117, who then organized an offense by destroying Covenant infantry, armor, and anti-aircraft batteries on the beaches facing New Mombasa.

UNSC Offensive

Assault on the Bridge

John-117 and his makeshift Marine unit entered a blown-out hole in a tunnel, and destroyed the forces hiding inside of it. After the engagement in the tunnels, they advanced towards the bridge connecting Old and New Mombasa. Before the SPARTAN got there, the Marine unit at the Bridge had exhausted itself fighting the Scarab.

John-117 arrived at the bridge to assess the situation while Avery Johnson reinforced the Marines with equipment, including a M808 Scorpion MBT. The Chief traveled across the bridge with the armored unit, clearing it of both Covenant armored and mechanized forces.

City Center

After the engagement on the bridge, UNSC forces entered New Mombasa in large numbers. They linked up with various squads of Marines as they moved through the city, eliminating Covenant forces that were setting up positions. The SPARTAN's worked their way towards the City Center, finding that the Scarab had, likewise, taken a similar path.

The Scarab fires upon a M808 Scorpion MBT.

Once the city center, they found a Marine outpost commanded by SSgt Marcus Banks of Alpha Company under siege by a platoon of Type-25 Wraith MBT's. A UNSC Mechanized unit destroys the Wraiths, and secures a landing zone for reinforcements. The Pelicans dropped a platoon of Marine infantry and a M808 Scorpion MBT.

Conclusion

Destruction of the Scarab

The lumbering Type-47 Scarab appeared outside the City Center and destroyed a Scorpion MBT. Marines opened fire on the walker, but it was unaffected and just climbed over their position and moved into the Canals. However, it soon found itself trapped at the end of the Canal, giving the Marines a chance to attack it.

John-117 and Alpha Company followed the Scarab through the Canals and the Spartan boarded the walker. While the marines provided some cover fire, the Spartan defeated the forces manning the walker. After defeating its command crew, the walker was quickly disposed of. The Marine forces in the area and the Spartan were extracted by Pelicans to the UNSC In Amber Clad so that it could attack the Carrier.

Retreat

Lord Hood was hesitant to let In Amber Clad engage the Prophet of Regret's Assault Carrier, still above Mombasa and the Mombasa Orbital Elevator. However, when the Carrier began jumping into slipspace while still in atmosphere, Hood recognized that the only ship able to follow was the In Amber Clad and gave the ship the green light to give chase.

The Pelicans carrying SPARTAN-117 and the Marines enter the In Amber Clad, which followed the Assault Carrier into Slipspace. The Slipspace rupture caused the entire city to be demolished and completely destroyed the Orbital Elevator, making the Kenyan Savannah littered with pieces of the huge elevator [7].

Aftermath

The Prophet of Regret would arrive upon Installation 05 along with In Amber Clad. It is possible he acquired the location over the course of the Battle.

The UNSC would not discover the actual purpose of the Covenant's arrival on Earth until after the Battle of Installation 05. By this point, a second fleet of Covenant Loyalists had arrived and begun fighting the Second Battle of Earth. This, too, had a large amount of fighting in the general region - specifically around Voi where the Covenant began excavating the Forerunner structure.

Related Articles

Sources

  1. ^ Halo 2, levels Outskirts and Metropolis
  2. ^ Halo 2, level Cairo Station
  3. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, page 90
  4. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, pages 86 to 98
  5. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, page 92 and 93
  6. ^ Halo Graphic Novel, page 97 and 98
  7. ^ Halo 3, levels Crow's Nest and Tsavo Highway