Editing Barrier tower

{{Era|Forerunner|HCW}}
{{Ratings}}
[[File:Barrier Tower.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A Barrier Tower.]]
{{quote|We hit these three generators, and the barrier will fall?|[[Miranda Keyes]]}}
A '''Barrier Tower'''<ref>'''[[Halo 3: The Official Guide]]''', page 88</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', ''[[The Covenant (Level)]]''</ref> is a [[Forerunner]] shield-generation tower.

Three of these structures surrounded the [[Citadel (Forerunner)|Citadel]] on [[Installation 00]], projecting an energy shield that denied access to the Citadel. They could be individually deactivated by means of a holographic control panel on their upper floors<ref>'''[[Halo 3: The Official Guide]]''', page 90</ref>. Multiple Barrier Towers also surrounded [[Installation 05]]'s [[Quarantine Zone]], most likely mounted on top of the [[Sentinel Wall]].

==Background==
Barrier Towers are seen many times in the final two Halo games. Halo 2 has the barrier towers placed either inside or on top of the Sentinel Wall, due to the fact that there is a shield projected unless it is deactivated manually. The towers on the Ark look similar to the Cartographer on the same structure, only smaller in size. The beam required to sustain the shield is projected from both the top of the tower's spire and from the bottom.

The towers can be built on a variety of landscapes, with entrances if needed, as seen in "The Covenant" when the first tower is set in a small valley and has an access tunnel that penetrates through the rock. The second barrier tower is seen to be built in the side of a cliff, and has no entrances other than the ones that lead directly into the room. The final barrier tower was shown to be situated on a small plot of land with ramps that either vehicles or infantry could traverse. The towers also have an observation platform jutting out over them, possibly to watch for threats. Inside the control room, there is a large glass window that overlooks the Citadel or the spot that the barrier is protecting. Terminals were also shown to be put inside some. The shield that the towers projected was shown to be strong enough to absorb plasma torpedoes fired from an Assault Carrier. In or around a barrier tower, there is a cavern or tunnel that allows access behind the perimeter. It is possible that each tower has its own power source, as deactivating three barrier towers only allowed "a small section" to fall.

==Battle of Installation 00==
{{Main|Battle of Installation 00}}
[[File:Barrier.jpg|thumb|[[John-117]] deactivating the first Tower Barrier.]]
[[File:Snowy Ring.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Two Barrier Towers seen during the UNSC/Separatist assault on the Citadel.]]
During the battle of [[Installation 00]] in late [[2552]] between the [[United Nations Space Command]]/[[Covenant Separatists]] alliance and the [[Covenant Loyalists]], the UNSC and the Elites sought access to the Citadel, but were barred by means of the energy shield of the three Barrier Towers. [[Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]] coordinated a simultaneous assault on all three towers, ordering [[SPARTAN-117]] and a small [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]] and [[Marine]] force to take the first east most Barrier Tower, the [[Arbiter (Character)|Arbiter]] and the [[Elite]]s to take the middle Barrier Tower, and for [[Avery J. Johnson]] and a Marine detachment to assault the west most Barrier Tower.

Each tower was heavily protected. The tower which [[SPARTAN-117]] was assigned to take out was protected by an [[Anti-Aircraft Wraith]] and a War Chieftain as well as multiple Shade turrets, a Wraith, and a [[Brute Chieftain|Chieftain]] guarding the controls. Johnson's tower was protected by two [[Anti-Aircraft Wraith]]s, one normal [[Wraith]], a War Chieftain lookout, a pair of [[Hunters]] and a swarm of [[Drones]]. The controls were protected by [[Brute Stalker]]s and a [[War Chieftain]].

While SPARTAN-117's group and the Arbiter's group managed to deactivate their two assigned Barrier Towers, Johnson's force ran into heavy Loyalist resistance at the third tower, and Johnson's men were killed while Johnson was taken prisoner by the Brutes and taken to the Citadel itself. [[SPARTAN-117]] was ordered to take a [[AV-14 Attack VTOL|Hornet]] VTOL to attack and land on the third Barrier Tower, deactivate it and attempt to find Johnson. Even though SPARTAN-117 successfully deactivated the last Barrier Tower, he was unable to find Johnson. Immediately after the third tower's deactivation, the [[Flood]] infested [[High Charity]] appeared and crashed on the Ark's surface nearby. As it went down, it released large chunks of debris, one of which smashed through the window of the tower's control room. The chunk was actually used as a makeshift vehicle by numerous [[Combat Forms]] and [[Infection Forms]] to reach the tower and its exterior. 

Afterward, the shield around the Citadel was lowered and the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] launched an all-out assault on the [[Brute]]-held Citadel.

==Trivia==
*The [[Halo 3 Skulls#Thunderstorm|Thunderstorm]] skull on ''[[Halo 3]]'' can be found on an exterior balcony on the middle Barrier Tower where the Arbiter and his Elites went in the start of the level, "The Covenant".
*All three of the [[Forerunner]] [[Terminals]] found on this level lie within Barrier Towers.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Ark Beam.jpg|A Barrier Tower on the Ark.
File:Barrier Covenant Battle.jpg|A Barrier Tower as seen in [[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]] during the Separatist insertion.
</gallery>

==Related articles==
*[[Forerunners]]
*[[Installation 00]]
*[[Beam Emitter]]

==Sources==
<references/>

{{Forerunner2}}
[[Category:Forerunner buildings]]
[[Category:Forerunner technology]]