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Raid on Reach: Difference between revisions
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|side2 = [[Covenant]] | |side2 = [[Covenant]] | ||
|commanders1 = *[[Lieutenant]] [[Haverson]] | |commanders1 = *[[Lieutenant]] [[Haverson]] | ||
*[[Vice Admiral]] [[Whitcomb]] | *[[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]] | ||
*Master Chief [[John-117]] | *Master Chief [[John-117]] | ||
|commanders2 = Unknown | |commanders2 = Unknown | ||
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* One [[Marine]]: [[Sergeant Johnson]] | * One [[Marine]]: [[Sergeant Johnson]] | ||
* One [[ODST]]: [[Corporal]] [[Locklear]] | * One [[ODST]]: [[Corporal]] [[Locklear]] | ||
* | * Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb | ||
* One [[ONI]] agent, [[Lieutenant]] [[Haverson]] | * One [[ONI]] agent, [[Lieutenant]] [[Haverson]] | ||
* [[Dr. Halsey]] | * [[Dr. Halsey]] | ||
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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. | 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=== | ===Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb=== | ||
During the Fall of Reach, 3 Spartans ([[Li-008]], [[Grace]], and [[Anton]]) joined up with | During the Fall of Reach, 3 Spartans ([[Li-008]], [[Grace]], and [[Anton]]) joined up with Vice Admiral Danforth 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=== | ||
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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. | ||
The Covenant were also suspicious of the Transport heading to the surface of Reach, but a quick inspection allayed their concerns. The UNSC personnel were able to land without further incident and the team made contact with 3 Spartans ([[Anton-044]], [[Grace-093]] and [[Li-008]]) and | The Covenant were also suspicious of the Transport heading to the surface of Reach, but a quick inspection allayed their concerns. The UNSC personnel were able to land without further incident and the team made contact with 3 Spartans ([[Anton-044]], [[Grace-093]] and [[Li-008]]) and Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb at [[Camp Independence]]. The two teams relayed information about the events since the [[Fall of Reach]]. When the Master Chief determined that there might be survivors underneath [[Mechanite Mountain]], Whitcomb approved a plan to try and rescue them. | ||
===The Mountain=== | ===The Mountain=== | ||
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 | 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 battalion<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]], page 189</ref> of Covenant forces were bearing down on them. | 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. | ||
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In the randomness of the trajectories, the various Plasma blobs eventually resulted in 3 hits taking out one of the Covenant cruisers. Two other shots made glancing blows against the Ascendant Justice, though her shields remained intact. A third shot took out two of her Plasma turrets. However, it quickly became apparent that the more dangerous threat wasn't from the Plasma shots but from the anomaly itself. The anomaly was ripping the ship apart and it became evident that staying too long would be disastrous. | In the randomness of the trajectories, the various Plasma blobs eventually resulted in 3 hits taking out one of the Covenant cruisers. Two other shots made glancing blows against the Ascendant Justice, though her shields remained intact. A third shot took out two of her Plasma turrets. However, it quickly became apparent that the more dangerous threat wasn't from the Plasma shots but from the anomaly itself. The anomaly was ripping the ship apart and it became evident that staying too long would be disastrous. | ||
However, with over a dozen Cruisers facing them, the option of reverting to Real Space was suicidal. Admiral Whitcomb chose to get into close range with the Covenant warships and take them out, one-by-one, where their turrets would be the least affected by the anomaly. However, when Cortana tried to power up the engines to fight, an explosion on the main drive conduit disabled their engines. Determining the explosion was sabotage, the Spartans and Polaski headed out to fight back the attackers and to fix the conduit. | However, with over a dozen Cruisers facing them, the option of reverting to Real Space was suicidal. Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb chose to get into close range with the Covenant warships and take them out, one-by-one, where their turrets would be the least affected by the anomaly. However, when Cortana tried to power up the engines to fight, an explosion on the main drive conduit disabled their engines. Determining the explosion was sabotage, the Spartans and Polaski headed out to fight back the attackers and to fix the conduit. | ||
The team was able to get to the conduit without major issue. Grace quickly confirmed the assumption of sabotage and while Fred and Grace set to repairing the damage, the rest of the team readied themselves for a possible attack. | The team was able to get to the conduit without major issue. Grace quickly confirmed the assumption of sabotage and while Fred and Grace set to repairing the damage, the rest of the team readied themselves for a possible attack. | ||
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The Covenant Elites, Polaski, Anton and Li all perished in the explosion. Only John was left conscious. He quickly secured his teammates by attaching their tethers to the ship, then attached his own. He had enough time to message the bridge and inform them that the job had been done before he, too, fell into unconsciousness. | The Covenant Elites, Polaski, Anton and Li all perished in the explosion. Only John was left conscious. He quickly secured his teammates by attaching their tethers to the ship, then attached his own. He had enough time to message the bridge and inform them that the job had been done before he, too, fell into unconsciousness. | ||
By this point, Cortana felt that the Covenant forces had been reduced to a mere 3-5 warships, though she also speculated that the Ascendant Justice would only be able to survive another 5 minutes in the anomaly. Admiral Whitcomb determined that he wanted to destroy one or two of the remaining warships before he left to minimize the amount of fighting they had to do outside of the anomaly. He also was counting on the others taking so much damage from the anomaly by that point that they would be out of commission. | By this point, Cortana felt that the Covenant forces had been reduced to a mere 3-5 warships, though she also speculated that the Ascendant Justice would only be able to survive another 5 minutes in the anomaly. Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb determined that he wanted to destroy one or two of the remaining warships before he left to minimize the amount of fighting they had to do outside of the anomaly. He also was counting on the others taking so much damage from the anomaly by that point that they would be out of commission. | ||
For the first ship, Whitcomb had Cortana pressurize the loading bay of the Gettysburg. As soon as the Spartans secured the conduit, he ordered a collision course with a nearby, lightly damaged, Covenant Cruiser. While the Covenant Cruiser continued to fire into the anomaly, the Ascendant Justice slowly approached. When they were a mere kilometer apart, the Ascendant Justice fired and the Gettysburg's launch bay doors opened, pushing the two Cruisers apart. As the close range, the weapons were able to cross as if they were in normal space and the Cruiser was destroyed. | For the first ship, Whitcomb had Cortana pressurize the loading bay of the Gettysburg. As soon as the Spartans secured the conduit, he ordered a collision course with a nearby, lightly damaged, Covenant Cruiser. While the Covenant Cruiser continued to fire into the anomaly, the Ascendant Justice slowly approached. When they were a mere kilometer apart, the Ascendant Justice fired and the Gettysburg's launch bay doors opened, pushing the two Cruisers apart. As the close range, the weapons were able to cross as if they were in normal space and the Cruiser was destroyed. | ||
They then used the aft of the destroyed Covenant warship and rammed it towards a Covenant carrier. Using it as both a shield and ram, they sent the chunk on a collision course with the Carrier. The Carrier shot the incoming missile into pieces, but still suffered damage. The Ascendant Justice fired upon the Carrier, finishing it off. Admiral Whitcomb ordered them out of Slipspace. | They then used the aft of the destroyed Covenant warship and rammed it towards a Covenant carrier. Using it as both a shield and ram, they sent the chunk on a collision course with the Carrier. The Carrier shot the incoming missile into pieces, but still suffered damage. The Ascendant Justice fired upon the Carrier, finishing it off. Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb ordered them out of Slipspace. | ||
==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||