Battle of Sigma Octanus IV: Difference between revisions

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Link cleanup, replaced: {{Class|RPV|light destroyer}} → {{Pattern|Wik|light destroyer}} (2)
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**1 [[Covenant carrier|carrier]]
**1 [[Covenant carrier|carrier]]
***1 [[covenant stealth ship|stealth ship]] {{c|deployed after the carrier retreated}}
***1 [[covenant stealth ship|stealth ship]] {{c|deployed after the carrier retreated}}
**1 {{Class|RPV|light destroyer}}
**1 {{Pattern|Wik|light destroyer}}
**2 [[Covenant frigate|frigates]]
**2 [[Covenant frigate|frigates]]
*24 vessels {{c|after 0625 hours}}
*24 vessels {{c|after 0625 hours}}
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On July 17, 2552, [[Ensign]] [[William Lovell]] logged a large gravitational anomaly inside [[Slipstream space]]. Deciding that it could not be any form of [[Covenant starship]] based on its immense size, Lovell passed it off as an asteroid, sent his hourly report, and thought nothing more of it.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 137-138''</ref>
On July 17, 2552, [[Ensign]] [[William Lovell]] logged a large gravitational anomaly inside [[Slipstream space]]. Deciding that it could not be any form of [[Covenant starship]] based on its immense size, Lovell passed it off as an asteroid, sent his hourly report, and thought nothing more of it.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 137-138''</ref>


However, over [[Sigma Octanus IV]], [[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Jacob Keyes]], commanding officer of the {{Class|Halberd|light destroyer}} [[UNSC Iroquois|''Iroquois'']], realized that the large mass was in fact a [[battle group]] of Covenant ships after reading [[UNSC Astrophysics Journal 034-23-01|a report]] by [[Fhajad-084]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 141''</ref> The Covenant ships were flying in close formation; large masses bend slipspace more easily than in real space, creating the illusion of a single large mass when there are in fact several. Keyes concluded that the mass was comprised of four [[Covenant frigate|Covenant Frigates]]. However, when the Covenant battlegroup exited slipspace, the ''Iroquois'' found itself outmatched by the arrival of not four frigates but one [[Covenant carrier|carrier]], one {{Class|RPV|light destroyer}}, and two [[Covenant frigate|frigates]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 170''</ref>
However, over [[Sigma Octanus IV]], [[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Jacob Keyes]], commanding officer of the {{Class|Halberd|light destroyer}} [[UNSC Iroquois|''Iroquois'']], realized that the large mass was in fact a [[battle group]] of Covenant ships after reading [[UNSC Astrophysics Journal 034-23-01|a report]] by [[Fhajad-084]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 141''</ref> The Covenant ships were flying in close formation; large masses bend slipspace more easily than in real space, creating the illusion of a single large mass when there are in fact several. Keyes concluded that the mass was comprised of four [[Covenant frigate|Covenant Frigates]]. However, when the Covenant battlegroup exited slipspace, the ''Iroquois'' found itself outmatched by the arrival of not four frigates but one [[Covenant carrier|carrier]], one {{Pattern|Wik|light destroyer}}, and two [[Covenant frigate|frigates]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 170''</ref>
[[File:HM SigmaOctanus.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The ''Iroqouis'' prepares to engage the inbound Covenant fleet.]]
[[File:HM SigmaOctanus.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The ''Iroqouis'' prepares to engage the inbound Covenant fleet.]]
Despite the hopeless tactical situation, Commander Keyes resolved to attack. The ''Iroquois'' set a collision course for the destroyer at emergency acceleration while launching a nuclear warhead in what seemed to be the wrong direction. The two escorting frigates proceeded to launch a salvo of [[plasma]], but the ''Iroquois'' managed to evade by utilizing the emergency thruster. Having missed their target, the plasma came about and continued to track and home in on the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] warship.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 174''</ref>
Despite the hopeless tactical situation, Commander Keyes resolved to attack. The ''Iroquois'' set a collision course for the destroyer at emergency acceleration while launching a nuclear warhead in what seemed to be the wrong direction. The two escorting frigates proceeded to launch a salvo of [[plasma]], but the ''Iroquois'' managed to evade by utilizing the emergency thruster. Having missed their target, the plasma came about and continued to track and home in on the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] warship.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 174''</ref>