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Glassing: Difference between revisions
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The process of glassing a planet begins when a [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] has achieved air and space superiority on an enemy-controlled world. The specifics of the glassing process vary depending on the strategic significance of the planet or the orders of the [[Fleet Master]]. A [[Minor Prophet]] or [[Minister (title)|Minister]] is typically assigned to most [[Covenant]] fleets to oversee the destruction of a human world. In some or possibly all instances, before the fleet is permitted to destroy a planet, the Prophet performs a religious ritual—the Prophet declares by which religious ideal of the Covenant, marked by a glyph, will the world be destroyed. There is currently only one known instance of a human world, [[Kholo]], having a glyph burned into its surface.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[The Return]]", ''pages 494-496''</ref> | The process of glassing a planet begins when a [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] has achieved air and space superiority on an enemy-controlled world. The specifics of the glassing process vary depending on the strategic significance of the planet or the orders of the [[Fleet Master]]. A [[Minor Prophet]] or [[Minister (title)|Minister]] is typically assigned to most [[Covenant]] fleets to oversee the destruction of a human world. In some or possibly all instances, before the fleet is permitted to destroy a planet, the Prophet performs a religious ritual—the Prophet declares by which religious ideal of the Covenant, marked by a glyph, will the world be destroyed. There is currently only one known instance of a human world, [[Kholo]], having a glyph burned into its surface.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[The Return]]", ''pages 494-496''</ref> | ||
Before bombardment commences, all Covenant ground operations cease and local forces are evacuated. The Covenant will then begin glassing the planet from orbit by moving their large warships close together, proceeding to blanket the world's population centers and the surrounding areas with a series of crisscrossing orbits to ensure that the planet is rendered uninhabitable.<ref name="fs130">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 130'' (2010 edition)</ref>{{Ref/Note|According to earlier media, such as the original printing of ''Halo: First Strike'', the Covenant glassed every square centimeter of a planet. However, later media show a more practical approach to glassing in which only part, perhaps most, of a planet is glassed in order to render it uninhabitable; the 2011 re-release of ''Halo: First Strike'' was [[List of rectified inconsistencies in the Halo series#Halo: First Strike|modified]] to accommodate this.}} The glassing of a planet by the Covenant is a very taxing process, and requires a massive amount of energy even for a [[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 2: Interstellar|Tier 2 civilization]];<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "The Return", ''page 495''</ref> | Before bombardment commences, all Covenant ground operations cease and local forces are evacuated. The Covenant will then begin glassing the planet from orbit by moving their large warships close together, proceeding to blanket the world's population centers and the surrounding areas with a series of crisscrossing orbits to ensure that the planet is rendered uninhabitable.<ref name="fs130">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 130'' (2010 edition)</ref>{{Ref/Note|According to earlier media, such as the original printing of ''Halo: First Strike'', the Covenant glassed every square centimeter of a planet. However, later media show a more practical approach to glassing in which only part, perhaps most, of a planet is glassed in order to render it uninhabitable; the 2011 re-release of ''Halo: First Strike'' was [[List of rectified inconsistencies in the Halo series#Halo: First Strike|modified]] to accommodate this.}} The glassing of a planet by the Covenant is a very taxing process, and requires a massive amount of energy even for a [[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 2: Interstellar|Tier 2 civilization]];<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "The Return", ''page 495''</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|data10}} Nevertheless, the Covenant are able to accomplish this feat in an effective manner. | ||
Glassing a planet can take a great deal of time, dependent upon both the tonnage and class of the vessels involved and how many ships are within the fleet. It could take as little as two days<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''Halo: The Story So Far''</ref> or as much as two weeks<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''' (2010), ''Adjunct - page 389''</ref> or longer to complete the process. While partial glassing can be accomplished in a matter of days, covering the entire surface area to the last centimeter would take a prohibitive amount of time. The [[The Assembly|Assembly]] believed that, were the Covenant to commit thousands of ships to the task, it would have taken them around thirty years to completely glass [[Earth]] alone; Earth's relatively small size, along with a myriad of other factors, would likely cause the thorough glassing of larger planets to take even longer. | Glassing a planet can take a great deal of time, dependent upon both the tonnage and class of the vessels involved and how many ships are within the fleet. It could take as little as two days<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''Halo: The Story So Far''</ref> or as much as two weeks<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''' (2010), ''Adjunct - page 389''</ref> or longer to complete the process. While partial glassing can be accomplished in a matter of days, covering the entire surface area to the last centimeter would take a prohibitive amount of time. The [[The Assembly|Assembly]] believed that, were the Covenant to commit thousands of ships to the task, it would have taken them around thirty years to completely glass [[Earth]] alone; Earth's relatively small size, along with a myriad of other factors, would likely cause the thorough glassing of larger planets to take even longer.{{Ref/Reuse|data10}}{{Ref/Note|While the Assembly asserts in Data Pad 10 that glassing a whole planet is a feat too impractical for the Covenant to feasibly achieve, the rest of canon contradicts this. Numerous instances are listed in the novels where glassing and glassed planets are observed, as well as in ''Halo: Reach'' where the data pads are from, since Reach's burnt surface is the opening shot of the game. Possible reasons for this discrepancy may be that the Assembly had only observed low-altitude bombardment, which is much slower and precise, or that they had misjudged the size of the full Covenant fleet, since they had based their figures on a fleet the size of the UNSC's. While the Assembly never explicitly retracts its statement, it does however state in Data Pad 14 that terraforming on the first eight colonies lost could take up to 3 centuries, an unusually long figure if those planets' full surfaces were never scorched. Based on the sum of the canon, it is thus assumed here that glassing is indeed a true method of attack by the Covenant.}} | ||
The alternate way to use this doctrine is for a last-ditch method or the best effective way to deal with a more dangerous threat such as [[Flood|The Flood]]. Due to imminent action required and should the Flood spread out of control, glassing is the only viable option. | The alternate way to use this doctrine is for a last-ditch method or the best effective way to deal with a more dangerous threat such as [[Flood|The Flood]]. Due to imminent action required and should the Flood spread out of control, glassing is the only viable option. | ||
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===Orbital bombardment=== | ===Orbital bombardment=== | ||
[[File:Reach 13943058 Full.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Covenant orbital bombardment as viewed from space.]] | [[File:Reach 13943058 Full.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Covenant orbital bombardment as viewed from space.]] | ||
Typically, when fleet actions require no deployment of ground forces, the Covenant will glass the planet from orbit; this is accomplished by their larger warships gathering close together, aiming their plasma batteries, located along the lateral lines of their warships towards the surface and firing them.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 8'' (2001 edition); ''page 22'' (2010 edition)</ref> Once discharged, the plasma rounds are guided towards the surface, contained in a magnetic bubble and controlled by the ships automation through miles of atmospheric interference until it strikes its intended target. Resembling gigantic fireballs,<ref name="strike2">'''Halo: First Strike''' ''page 32, 46''</ref> these plasma lances are a hundred meters across, | Typically, when fleet actions require no deployment of ground forces, the Covenant will glass the planet from orbit; this is accomplished by their larger warships gathering close together, aiming their plasma batteries, located along the lateral lines of their warships towards the surface and firing them.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 8'' (2001 edition); ''page 22'' (2010 edition)</ref> Once discharged, the plasma rounds are guided towards the surface, contained in a magnetic bubble and controlled by the ships automation through miles of atmospheric interference until it strikes its intended target. Resembling gigantic fireballs,<ref name="strike2">'''Halo: First Strike''' ''page 32, 46''</ref> these plasma lances are a hundred meters across,{{Ref/Reuse|strike2}} and strike the surface with tremendous speed and force. | ||
The impact of the plasma lance is similar to that of a nuclear detonation, though on a much different scale. When the plasma bolt impacts the surface, the magnetic field sustaining and guiding the plasma collapses, and, depending on how powerful the release of energy is, the initial zone of impact is obliterated instantly. The areas outside of the initial impact zone are affected by the heat wave generated by the blast; depending on the range, those closest outside of the blast zone are instantly killed by the intense heat. The topsoil in the impact zone and other surface geology become molten and are converted into a mineral called [[lechatelierite]], which is similar to glass. The surrounding areas are blasted with intense heat and are burned.<ref name="Scar">'''Halo: Evolutions''', "The Return", ''page 505''</ref> The blast is accompanied by intense radiation, measured in tens of millions of [[Wikipedia:Roentgen (unit)|roentgens]].<ref name="hr na">'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[New Alexandria]]''</ref> | The impact of the plasma lance is similar to that of a nuclear detonation, though on a much different scale. When the plasma bolt impacts the surface, the magnetic field sustaining and guiding the plasma collapses, and, depending on how powerful the release of energy is, the initial zone of impact is obliterated instantly. The areas outside of the initial impact zone are affected by the heat wave generated by the blast; depending on the range, those closest outside of the blast zone are instantly killed by the intense heat. The topsoil in the impact zone and other surface geology become molten and are converted into a mineral called [[lechatelierite]], which is similar to glass. The surrounding areas are blasted with intense heat and are burned.<ref name="Scar">'''Halo: Evolutions''', "The Return", ''page 505''</ref> The blast is accompanied by intense radiation, measured in tens of millions of [[Wikipedia:Roentgen (unit)|roentgens]].<ref name="hr na">'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[New Alexandria]]''</ref> | ||
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Low-range bombardment is not performed solely by energy projectors; smaller Covenant ships like [[Covenant corvette|corvettes]] are equipped with bombardment guns that fire smaller, less-powerful lances than those utilized by capital ships.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach Official Strategy Guide|Halo: Reach Legendary Edition Guide]]''' ''page 440''</ref> Capital ships and some smaller ships are equipped with excavation beams to excavate areas of interest for the Covenant, such as unearthing the [[Portal at Voi|Portal]] to [[Installation 00]] during the Battle of Earth. | Low-range bombardment is not performed solely by energy projectors; smaller Covenant ships like [[Covenant corvette|corvettes]] are equipped with bombardment guns that fire smaller, less-powerful lances than those utilized by capital ships.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach Official Strategy Guide|Halo: Reach Legendary Edition Guide]]''' ''page 440''</ref> Capital ships and some smaller ships are equipped with excavation beams to excavate areas of interest for the Covenant, such as unearthing the [[Portal at Voi|Portal]] to [[Installation 00]] during the Battle of Earth. | ||
The Covenant sometimes glassed areas while their ground forces were still in the vicinity, ruthless as they were to eliminate humans. | The Covenant sometimes glassed areas while their ground forces were still in the vicinity, ruthless as they were to eliminate humans.{{Ref/Reuse|hr na}}<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]''</ref> | ||
During [[Great Schism]], the Sangheili-led fleet uses Low-altitude bombardment for maximum efficiency to scorch the Flood down to the ground. This method is the last-ditch effort should the Flood spreads uncontrollably and to quarantine the area to prevent further outbreak.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 186'' (''"Having been cauterized and quarantined by the [[Sangheili]] fleets, 05 now sits dormant."'')</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', Campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref> | During [[Great Schism]], the Sangheili-led fleet uses Low-altitude bombardment for maximum efficiency to scorch the Flood down to the ground. This method is the last-ditch effort should the Flood spreads uncontrollably and to quarantine the area to prevent further outbreak.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 186'' (''"Having been cauterized and quarantined by the [[Sangheili]] fleets, 05 now sits dormant."'')</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', Campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref> | ||
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[[File:Glassland Hunt the Truth.jpg|thumb|right|275px|A glassed planet's surface.]] | [[File:Glassland Hunt the Truth.jpg|thumb|right|275px|A glassed planet's surface.]] | ||
[[File:GlassySurface.png|thumb|left|275px|The "glass" seen on the surface of a planet after being melted by a [[Energy projector|plasma beam]].]] | [[File:GlassySurface.png|thumb|left|275px|The "glass" seen on the surface of a planet after being melted by a [[Energy projector|plasma beam]].]] | ||
The destructive process of bombarding the surface of a planet with plasma leaves the surface unable to recover to its former state without re-[[terraforming]]. During the glassing of a planet the Covenant focus on destroying the ecosystem of a planet, and will spend a considerable amount of time vaporizing any bodies of water the planet may possess, or at least reduces the remaining water to small, ash-choked pools. The deeper the body of water is, the more time it will take to vaporize it. | The destructive process of bombarding the surface of a planet with plasma leaves the surface unable to recover to its former state without re-[[terraforming]]. During the glassing of a planet the Covenant focus on destroying the ecosystem of a planet, and will spend a considerable amount of time vaporizing any bodies of water the planet may possess, or at least reduces the remaining water to small, ash-choked pools. The deeper the body of water is, the more time it will take to vaporize it.{{Ref/Reuse|data10}} Once the Covenant have finished the surface is dead, devoid of any life on the surface. From orbit the world is simply a series of grays, blacks, and reds,<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''' ''Bonus Content page 417''</ref> everything on the surface is charred and the air is littered with ash and dust. The ash and material left behind from the glassing resembles [[Wikipedia:Obsidian|obsidian]]. The glassing process does not render a world completely smooth; typically, internal scaffolding from structures can be found poking out of the "glass". The glass takes an extended period of time to cool down—as was the case with [[Draco III]], where portions of the partially glassed planet was still hot [[2554|nine years]] after its [[Battle of Draco III|bombardment]].{{Ref/Reuse|nb103}} It is even possible for the atmosphere of a planet to boil away, or more correctly, suffer atmospheric escape from the process.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 8'' (2001 edition); ''page 23'' (2010 edition)</ref> Glassed planets with an intact atmosphere often experience extreme weather phenomena, namely enormous storms.<ref>'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''', ''Episode 11: DOWN TO THE BONE''</ref> | ||
Because of the extensive destruction brought by the Covenant, the only way the world could recover is by re-terraforming efforts. The undertaking of such an effort would be massive and time consuming, ranging from a conservative 110 years to over 300 years given the manpower and technology at the time of such estimates.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', ''[[Data pads#Data pad 14|Data pad 14]]''</ref> However, these estimates were made in [[2530]], and human technology took drastic leaps forward in the wake of the Human-Covenant War over 20 years later, particularly due to advances brought forth by the discovery of Forerunner technology. It is apparent that such figures do not hold true in the post-war era, as Reach was at least partially reterraformed within thirty-seven years.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Lone Wolf]]''</ref> | Because of the extensive destruction brought by the Covenant, the only way the world could recover is by re-terraforming efforts. The undertaking of such an effort would be massive and time consuming, ranging from a conservative 110 years to over 300 years given the manpower and technology at the time of such estimates.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', ''[[Data pads#Data pad 14|Data pad 14]]''</ref> However, these estimates were made in [[2530]], and human technology took drastic leaps forward in the wake of the Human-Covenant War over 20 years later, particularly due to advances brought forth by the discovery of Forerunner technology. It is apparent that such figures do not hold true in the post-war era, as Reach was at least partially reterraformed within thirty-seven years.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Lone Wolf]]''</ref> | ||
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After the [[Hierarchs]]' declaration to exterminate humanity, the Covenant put all of their destructive methods to use. The first planet to suffer this fate was [[Harvest]], glassed by the [[Jiralhanae]]-operated [[CCS-class battlecruiser|battlecruiser]] ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''' ''page 285''</ref> Prior to the war, the territory of the [[Unified Earth Government]] comprised over eight-hundred planets; most of these worlds were glassed during the war.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', "Chapter 1", ''page 33''</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080424150226/www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/storyline.htm '''Xbox.com''': ''The Halo Timeline'']</ref> | After the [[Hierarchs]]' declaration to exterminate humanity, the Covenant put all of their destructive methods to use. The first planet to suffer this fate was [[Harvest]], glassed by the [[Jiralhanae]]-operated [[CCS-class battlecruiser|battlecruiser]] ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''' ''page 285''</ref> Prior to the war, the territory of the [[Unified Earth Government]] comprised over eight-hundred planets; most of these worlds were glassed during the war.<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', "Chapter 1", ''page 33''</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080424150226/www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/storyline.htm '''Xbox.com''': ''The Halo Timeline'']</ref> | ||
The term "glassing" was coined by the [[artificial intelligence]] group known as the [[The Assembly|Assembly]] in 2526. The group at the time estimated that it would take 30.3801 years for a Covenant fleet of comparable size to that of the UNSC's to glass Earth. The Assembly chose the term to magnify the horrible act in the hope that it would galvanize humanity into action. | The term "glassing" was coined by the [[artificial intelligence]] group known as the [[The Assembly|Assembly]] in 2526. The group at the time estimated that it would take 30.3801 years for a Covenant fleet of comparable size to that of the UNSC's to glass Earth. The Assembly chose the term to magnify the horrible act in the hope that it would galvanize humanity into action.{{Ref/Reuse|data10}} | ||
Throughout the rest of 2525 and 2526, the Covenant continued their campaigns in the [[Outer Colonies]], glassing a number of worlds and human establishments including Biko, Green Hills, and Bliss. Admiral Cole and his fleet continued fighting for these colonies but they were lost causes, the Covenant with their determination, superior firepower and technology continued their ruthless campaign until the majority of the Outer Colonies were glassed by [[2535]]. Each battle human forces face with the Covenant were brutal ground forces were often deployed first, but as UNSC forces were routed in space, the bombardment would commence resulting in either loss of life or retreat.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''' ''page 173''; ''page 199'' (2010 edition)</ref> | Throughout the rest of 2525 and 2526, the Covenant continued their campaigns in the [[Outer Colonies]], glassing a number of worlds and human establishments including Biko, Green Hills, and Bliss. Admiral Cole and his fleet continued fighting for these colonies but they were lost causes, the Covenant with their determination, superior firepower and technology continued their ruthless campaign until the majority of the Outer Colonies were glassed by [[2535]]. Each battle human forces face with the Covenant were brutal ground forces were often deployed first, but as UNSC forces were routed in space, the bombardment would commence resulting in either loss of life or retreat.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''' ''page 173''; ''page 199'' (2010 edition)</ref> | ||
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'''2558''': [[Carrow]] {{C|partially}} | '''2558''': [[Carrow]] {{C|partially}} | ||
'''2559''': [[Installation 00]] | '''2559''': [[Installation 00]]{{Ref/Reuse|Under the Dark}} {{C|partially}} | ||
'''Unknown''': [[Bounty]], [[Camber]], [[Endymion]], [[Estuary]], [[Greydowns]], [[Kroedis II]], [[Mesa]], [[Reynes]], [[Ruthersburg]], [[Dwarka]], [[Lostwithiel]] | '''Unknown''': [[Bounty]], [[Camber]], [[Endymion]], [[Estuary]], [[Greydowns]], [[Kroedis II]], [[Mesa]], [[Reynes]], [[Ruthersburg]], [[Dwarka]], [[Lostwithiel]] | ||