Battle for Earth: Difference between revisions

The '''Battle for Earth''',{{Ref/Reuse|Id=hnbc8}}{{Ref/Reuse|OSFM69}} 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 at least [[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.}}

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 even when the Sangheili and now Jiralhanae-led Covenant forces turned each other following the beginning of the [[Great Schism]].{{Ref/Reuse|encycearth}}{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}{{Ref/Reuse|goo204}}{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}} By November 17 after very hard fighting, most of the Home Fleet had been obliterated by substantial Covenant naval forces loyal to the [[San'Shyuum|Prophets]], including the Prophet of Truth,{{Ref/Reuse|H2GJ}} and the majority of cities were destroyed as well throughout the battle.{{Ref/Reuse|HUI3}} After defenders and the orbital defense grid were overwhelmed, the Earth has been massively devatasted by a large Covenant [[orbital bombardment|bombardment]], resulting catastrophic human casualties.{{Ref/Reuse|H3CN}} 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 remaining Covenant fleet under the Prophet's command departed through the [[Portal at Voi|Portal]] with the intention of activating the [[Halo Array]] from [[Installation 00|the Ark]].{{Ref/Reuse|H3Storm}}

{{Quote|So then the [[Covenant fleet]] really starts to tear into the orbital defenses. It's getting ugly up there. Major skirmishes with the [[Second Fleet|Second]], [[Seventh Fleet|Seventh]], and [[Sixteenth Fleet]]s.|[[Laura Tanner|Sergeant Laura "Smokes" Tanner]]{{Ref/Reuse|goo204}}}}

[[File:HLC battle for earth.png|thumb|left|250px|UNSC and Covenant forces fight each other for supremacy of Earth.]]

While maintaining a significant presence in orbit, the Covenant ships deployed ground forces to multiple targets around the globe.{{Ref/Reuse|goo204}} However, due to many Covenant forces, notably those under the command of the [[Prophet of Truth]] and his Jiralhanae loyalists, that were concentrating their forces at Kenya for the excavation of the Portal at Voi, some of their forces were sometimes disorganized, hence less effectual.{{Ref/Reuse|lootcrate2}} A [[Second Battle of New Mombasa]] between the UNSC and Jiralhanae-led Covenant ground forces takes place shortly after the [[Battle of Mombasa|first battle]] over seven days<ref name="JC">''Xbox.com'': Jake Courage (defunct, [https://archives.halopedia.org/halo3/jakecourage/ Archived])</ref> before the end of October.{{Ref/Film|Film=Believe|Story=Museum}} The [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[Blue Team]], consisting of [[Frederic-104]], [[Linda-058]], and [[William-043]], were constantly engaged for the first two weeks. They repelled enemy ships in orbit in numerous zero-gee operations whilst on the surface they neutralized Covenant excavations, first on [[Ross Island]] in [[Antarctica]],{{Ref/Reuse|goo204}} and then underwater off the [[Yucatan Peninsula]].  

James' civilian brother, [[Ruwan Ackerson]] who was aware of what the Covenant are looking for during the Covenant interrogation at Cleveland, along with [[Myras Tyla]], were both brought to a secret UNSC forces to meet [[Sergeant]] [[Twyker]] in attempt to repel the Covenant forces in Cleveland.{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}{{Ref/Reuse|HUI2}} Ruwan was injected with [[Tykos 30]], an organic tracking device, as Tyla and the remaining civilians were evacuated. He was then taken to [[Chagrin Falls]], where a [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] demanded that Ackerson relinquish the Key of Osanalan and an army of Jiralhanae surrounded him. However, Ruwan told them ''he'' was the Key, which confused the Covenant and brought him aboard an orbiting {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}, the ''[[Harbinger of Piety]]'', before the [[Minister of Inquisition]]. There, the Minister vows to spare Earth from the Covenant occupation in exchange for knowledge of the apparent "key". Aboard the Forerunner Dreadnought, John-117, unable to assassinate the Prophet of Truth and take control of the Forerunner Dreadnought's trajectory, was informed that the ''Harbinger of Piety'' that was holding the "key" is to be destroyed. Since the ship was near the keyship, the Spartan was ordered by Twyker to find a way off the Forerunner Dreadnought to avoid being caught in the impending destruction of the cruiser. The Master Chief was then ordered to find a way to return to Earth quickly as the Forerunner Dreadnought began to enter Earth's atmosphere.{{Ref/Reuse|HUI4}} While the Minister was still interrogating Ruwan, the ''[[Nassau Station]]'' proceeded to remotely shoot at the ''Harbinger of Piety'' with a single shot from its [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] gun, destroying instantly the cruiser and killing everyone aboard, including the Minister of Inquisition and Ruwan Ackerson. Though, Twyker's worries was proven ill-founded due to Forerunner Dreadnought remaining unharmed following the ''Harbinger of Piety''{{'}}s destruction.{{Ref/Reuse|HUI4}}

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