Fall of Reach: Difference between revisions
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The main Covenant force moved in on the orbital defenses. The initial salvo of [[plasma turret|plasma torpedoes]] was mostly absorbed by the sacrifice of three refit and repair stations, allowing the defenders to return fire. The [[orbital defense platform]]s and four nuclear mines combined to take down a full third of the Covenant fleet. The vaporized [[Titanium-A armor]] of the refit stations also served to block incoming plasma torpedoes. The UNSC force began to scatter, with fifty more ships falling to the trailing plasma torpedoes, while the MAC platforms were able to secure a further sixteen Covenant kills. The Covenant maneuvered for clear shots around the titanium dust cloud and moved in for the kill, with a further eighteen falling to the MAC guns, followed by yet another six. The final six were able to let loose a salvo of plasma rounds before their destruction, which were able to destroy five orbital guns. A [[Kewu-pattern battleship|previously unknown warship type]], armed with a powerful [[energy projector]], revealed itself and destroyed the {{UNSCShip|Minotaur}} and four other ships before withdrawing temporarily.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} | The main Covenant force moved in on the orbital defenses. The initial salvo of [[plasma turret|plasma torpedoes]] was mostly absorbed by the sacrifice of three refit and repair stations, allowing the defenders to return fire. The [[orbital defense platform]]s and four nuclear mines combined to take down a full third of the Covenant fleet. The vaporized [[Titanium-A armor]] of the refit stations also served to block incoming plasma torpedoes. The UNSC force began to scatter, with fifty more ships falling to the trailing plasma torpedoes, while the MAC platforms were able to secure a further sixteen Covenant kills. The Covenant maneuvered for clear shots around the titanium dust cloud and moved in for the kill, with a further eighteen falling to the MAC guns, followed by yet another six. The final six were able to let loose a salvo of plasma rounds before their destruction, which were able to destroy five orbital guns. A [[Kewu-pattern battleship|previously unknown warship type]], armed with a powerful [[energy projector]], revealed itself and destroyed the {{UNSCShip|Minotaur}} and four other ships before withdrawing temporarily.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} | ||
[[File:Invasion - Covenant sniper warship.png|250px|thumb|right|The previously unknown Covenant "sniper" | [[File:Invasion - Covenant sniper warship.png|250px|thumb|right|The previously unknown Covenant "sniper" [[Kewu-pattern battleship|battleship]] that surprisely destroyed many UNSC vessels.]] | ||
The rest of the Covenant fleet withdrew to regroup after deploying hundreds of dropships to the surface. The opening attack had shattered the UNSC defenders, taking almost a hundred ships out and leaving only twenty ships left. Despite their surprise retreat, Captain Keyes ordered scans of the planet, realising that the Covenant had instead deployed [[dropship]]s to Reach's poles to begin invading the planet. The Super MACs and remaining fleet split into two groups - one for each pole -and fired upon the smallcraft, each MAC shot managing to destroy dozens of transports. Hundreds of dropships were able to get through and disgorged thousands of troops. The [[Fleet Command Headquarters]] was quickly attacked and destroyed by the renewed ground attack, while the Covenant fleet began another assault.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} | The rest of the Covenant fleet withdrew to regroup after deploying hundreds of dropships to the surface. The opening attack had shattered the UNSC defenders, taking almost a hundred ships out and leaving only twenty ships left. Despite their surprise retreat, Captain Keyes ordered scans of the planet, realising that the Covenant had instead deployed [[dropship]]s to Reach's poles to begin invading the planet. The Super MACs and remaining fleet split into two groups - one for each pole -and fired upon the smallcraft, each MAC shot managing to destroy dozens of transports. Hundreds of dropships were able to get through and disgorged thousands of troops. The [[Fleet Command Headquarters]] was quickly attacked and destroyed by the renewed ground attack, while the Covenant fleet began another assault.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} | ||
Some ships made pinpoint slipspace jumps, putting them within the UNSC formation. This left them vulnerable for a short time but allowed them to strike the ODPs directly. Almost immediately following the departure of the Spartans aboard their Pelicans, a [[Covenant frigate]] jumped in behind the ''Pillar of Autumn'', prompting the cruiser to turn around to face the ship. Two more frigates exited slipspace to flank the first, before the first was taken out by a Super MAC round. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' then engaged the starboard vessel, while the other was taken down by a second Super MAC. The two frigates were able to loose a salvo of plasma bolts, taking down a further two platforms and reducing the total number of MACs to thirteen. The remaining [[Archer missile]]s were used to take out a number of boarding craft heading to stop John-117 on Gamma Station.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR36}} | Some ships made pinpoint slipspace jumps, putting them within the UNSC formation. This left them vulnerable for a short time but allowed them to strike the ODPs directly. Almost immediately following the departure of the Spartans aboard their Pelicans, a [[Covenant frigate]] jumped in behind the ''Pillar of Autumn'', prompting the cruiser to turn around to face the ship. Two more frigates exited slipspace to flank the first, before the first was taken out by a Super MAC round. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' then engaged the starboard vessel, while the other was taken down by a second Super MAC. The two frigates were able to loose a salvo of plasma bolts, taking down a further two platforms and reducing the total number of MACs to thirteen. The remaining [[Archer missile]]s were used to take out a number of boarding craft heading to stop John-117 on Gamma Station.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR36}} | ||
Meanwhile, the | Meanwhile, the ''Kewu''-pattern battleship returned and destroyed the {{UNSCShip|Herodotus}} and {{UNSCShip|Musashi}} from beyond ODP range. The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} engaged the warship, firing a salvo of missiles followed by MACs to impact at the same time and take down the vessel's shielding. The Covenant battleship fired back, hitting the Autumn and causing severe damage. The ''Autumn'' launched a ''Shiva'' nuclear device timed to explode on impact, and began to back away, with the nuclear weapon detonating inside the warship's now-recharged shielding and reverberating off the shields and disintegrating the vessel. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' withdrew to [[Beta Gabriel]] to slingshot back into the system while more Covenant ships exited slipspace. By this point, the orbital defense generators were being overrun.<ref name="FOR36">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 36</ref> | ||
Following this engagement, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' managed to execute a [[Class-L flash-dock]] and land at the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]], the last-remaining off-world extraction point, as it awaited the arrival of NOBLE Team.{{Ref/Reuse|hrpoa}} | Following this engagement, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' managed to execute a [[Class-L flash-dock]] and land at the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]], the last-remaining off-world extraction point, as it awaited the arrival of NOBLE Team.{{Ref/Reuse|hrpoa}} | ||
