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SPARTAN-III Beta Company: Difference between revisions
CARTWHEEL had already taken place in May so they were deployed at some point prior.
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==History== | ==History== | ||
===Genesis=== | ===Genesis=== | ||
The authorization and funding for Beta Company came in the wake of the destruction of [[Alpha Company]] during [[Operation: PROMETHEUS]] in [[2537]]. While the loss of the lead company was unfortunate, Alpha's impressive combat record clearly made the SPARTAN-III program worth pursuing. Beta was projected to produce 1000 soldiers. However, even using expanded selection criteria the number of candidates found with suitable genetic characteristics made this impossible. On the positive side, lessons learned from Alpha made it possible to graduate a larger proportion of recruits.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 80-83''</ref> As with Alpha, then-Lieutenant [[ | The authorization and funding for Beta Company came in the wake of the destruction of [[Alpha Company]] during [[Operation: PROMETHEUS]] in [[2537]]. While the loss of the lead company was unfortunate, Alpha's impressive combat record clearly made the SPARTAN-III program worth pursuing. Beta was projected to produce 1000 soldiers. However, even using expanded selection criteria the number of candidates found with suitable genetic characteristics made this impossible. On the positive side, lessons learned from Alpha made it possible to graduate a larger proportion of recruits.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 80-83''</ref> As with Alpha, then-Lieutenant [[Kurt Ambrose]] and Senior Chief Petty Officer [[Franklin Mendez]] were again charged with training Beta.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 88''</ref> | ||
===Training=== | ===Training=== | ||
418 candidates gathered at [[Camp Currahee]], [[Onyx]]. The Camp was supervised by the [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Deep Winter]], replacing the previous AI [[Eternal Spring]]. After-action analysis of Operation: PROMETHEUS resulted in an increased emphasis on unit cohesion during training. The vetting process to select 300 for [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM|augmentation]] was ongoing in [[2541]] and involved an array of unconventional training exercises as well as strenuous theoretical studies under Deep Winter every night. While the AI criticized the harshness of Ambrose's training regimen, Kurt was confident it was necessary to ensure the Spartans could endure the stress of a live combat situation.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 91-92''</ref> | 418 candidates gathered at [[Camp Currahee]], [[Onyx]]. The Camp was supervised by the [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Deep Winter]], replacing the previous AI [[Eternal Spring]]. After-action analysis of Operation: PROMETHEUS resulted in an increased emphasis on unit cohesion during training. The vetting process to select 300 for [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM|augmentation]] was ongoing in [[2541]] and involved an array of unconventional training exercises as well as strenuous theoretical studies under Deep Winter every night. While the AI criticized the harshness of Ambrose's training regimen, Kurt was confident it was necessary to ensure the Spartans could endure the stress of a live combat situation.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 91-92''</ref> | ||
The 300 Spartans of Beta Company graduated at some point prior to [[2545| | The 300 Spartans of Beta Company graduated at some point prior to [[2545|May 2545]] and participated in an unspecified number of engagements, including [[Operation: CARTWHEEL]].<ref name="comm">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24040 '''Bungie.net''': ''Communique from Kurt to Mendez'']</ref> Unlike Ackerson, who was quite prepared to see every one of the Spartan-IIIs trained die if an appropriately high-value target could be found, both Kurt and Mendez tried to extract as many personnel as they could to stop them from being wasted on suicide missions, as almost the entire company would be in Operation: TORPEDO. Ambrose believed that approximately 1.08% of the company could be absorbed into base personnel before TORPEDO due to the operation's expected high death toll. [[SPARTAN-B312]] was deployed alone immediately after training, although [[Catherine-B320]] was more difficult to extract after Operation: CARTWHEEL.<ref name="comm"/> | ||
Similarly, Kurt attempted to send [[SPARTAN-B170]] and [[Lucy-B091|B091]] on deep-space reconnaissance to avoid being sent as part of the TORPEDO assault force, although this attempt was unsuccessful in Lucy's case. All of these were of the SPARTAN-II genetic standards and were deemed too valuable to be wasted on suicide missions and were later equipped with actual [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]] rather than the cheaper but less effective SPI, and deployed on missions more befitting their Spartan status, rather than the suicide missions they had been trained for. All of these extractions would result in Beta Company Spartan-III personnel surviving to fight in the [[Human-Covenant War]], outside of Ackerson's chain of command.<ref name="comm"/> | Similarly, Kurt attempted to send [[SPARTAN-B170]] and [[Lucy-B091|B091]] on deep-space reconnaissance to avoid being sent as part of the TORPEDO assault force, although this attempt was unsuccessful in Lucy's case. All of these were of the SPARTAN-II genetic standards and were deemed too valuable to be wasted on suicide missions and were later equipped with actual [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]] rather than the cheaper but less effective SPI, and deployed on missions more befitting their Spartan status, rather than the suicide missions they had been trained for. All of these extractions would result in Beta Company Spartan-III personnel surviving to fight in the [[Human-Covenant War]], outside of Ackerson's chain of command.<ref name="comm"/> | ||