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Task Force Yama: Difference between revisions
Added information from Silent Storm.
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===Battle of Biko=== | ===Battle of Biko=== | ||
{{Main|Battle of Biko}} | {{Main|Battle of Biko}} | ||
Later that same day, the [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience|expected Covenant fleet]] arrived at Biko and prepared to assault the planet. As planned, Task Force Yama deployed with the Black Daggers in tow, hoping to insert the ODSTs onto as many vessels as possible. The ''Vanishing Point'' stayed back to observe the battle from afar, taking position at liberation point three on the opposite side of Biko from Seoba. Thanks to the insurrectionists, the Covenant had learned of the task force's plan, and expected the Spartans to board their warships. To try to prevent this, they kept a tight fighter screen around their capital ships so that no prowlers could slip past undetected. This forced Crowther to delay boarding actions until an opportunity presented itself. Meanwhile, the Covenant fleet of about one hundred vessels accelerated to meet Biko's meager navy.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS17|HSS|Chapter=17}} | Later that same day, the [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience|expected Covenant fleet]] arrived at Biko and prepared to assault the planet. As planned, Task Force Yama deployed with the Black Daggers in tow, hoping to insert the ODSTs onto as many vessels as possible. The ''Vanishing Point'' stayed back to observe the battle from afar, taking position at liberation point three on the opposite side of Biko from Seoba. Thanks to the insurrectionists, the Covenant had learned of the task force's plan, and expected the Spartans to board their warships. To try to prevent this, they kept a tight fighter screen around their capital ships so that no prowlers could slip past undetected. This forced Crowther to delay boarding actions until an opportunity presented itself. Meanwhile, the Covenant fleet of about one hundred vessels accelerated to meet Biko's meager navy.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS17|HSS|Chapter=17}} | ||
The task force lost five | The battle continued for five days, and an opportunity to board at least one Covenant vessel did indeed present itself. The prowlers of Task Force Yama successfully delivered a detachment of Black Daggers onto the warship ''[[Purifying Flame]]'', but the ODSTs were captured before they could destroy the vessel. The prisoners were subjected to "[[Mind melter|mind melting]]" techniques as well as the [[Jiralhanae]] "game" known as [[tossers]] in order to extract information from them. However, all that the interrogators could extract from them were names of their task force, their ODST battalion, and the Spartans attached to Task Force Yama.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS21|HSS|Chapter=21}} Before the battle came to an end and Biko's defense forces were obliterated, the task force had lost five additional prowlers.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS22|HSS|Chapter=22}} | ||
===Battle over Etalan=== | ===Battle over Etalan=== | ||
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As the ''Vanishing Point'' neared the designated drop-off point, Blue Team grabbed their HAVOKs and boarded their Banshees while a remotely-piloted Baselard powered up on the hangar deck just ahead of them. Moments before launch, a decoy flight of three manned Baselards soared past the hangar aperture with a Banshee squadron hot on their tails. The ''Vanishing Point'' cold-launched a salvo of pre-targeted [[Archer missile|M42 Archer missiles]], and an instant later, the remote Baselard shot out of the hangar. It fired its two Archer missiles at the Banshee squadron as the ''Vanishing Point''{{'}}s missiles activated and flew after the Banshees as well. The Banshees scattered, giving the three manned Baselards a chance to escape. John gave Blue Team the order to launch their Banshees and fall in behind the alien fighter squadron before firing on the remote-controlled Baselard until it self-destructed into a fireball that helped distract the Covenant forces as the ''Vanishing Point'' slipped away.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS20|HSS|Chapter=20}} | As the ''Vanishing Point'' neared the designated drop-off point, Blue Team grabbed their HAVOKs and boarded their Banshees while a remotely-piloted Baselard powered up on the hangar deck just ahead of them. Moments before launch, a decoy flight of three manned Baselards soared past the hangar aperture with a Banshee squadron hot on their tails. The ''Vanishing Point'' cold-launched a salvo of pre-targeted [[Archer missile|M42 Archer missiles]], and an instant later, the remote Baselard shot out of the hangar. It fired its two Archer missiles at the Banshee squadron as the ''Vanishing Point''{{'}}s missiles activated and flew after the Banshees as well. The Banshees scattered, giving the three manned Baselards a chance to escape. John gave Blue Team the order to launch their Banshees and fall in behind the alien fighter squadron before firing on the remote-controlled Baselard until it self-destructed into a fireball that helped distract the Covenant forces as the ''Vanishing Point'' slipped away.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS20|HSS|Chapter=20}} | ||
Shortly after this, Gold and Green Teams deployed from their Baselards to attack the equipment freighters as planned. Moments later, the targeted freighters began exploding while panic ensued among the Covenant fighters and across their [[Proselytization network|battlenet]]. The fourth explosion was so close to the Banshee squadron that they were all—including the Banshees piloted by Blue Team—disabled by the resulting [[electromagnetic pulse]]. After some discussion, Blue Team decided that they would go EV and intercept the three air-skimmers as they passed by. John would board the first vessel, Kelly the second, and Fred the third while Linda and Johnson held back to cover them with their M99 Stanchions. Leaving the squadron of adrift Banshees behind, Johnson's HAVOK nuke—which he had left aboard his Banshee—detonated, killing any potential witnesses aboard the other craft and covering their approach for the air-skimmers. Meanwhile, the two escort prowlers arrived to recover Gold and Green Teams. Assuming the vessels were preparing for another attack run on the logistics fleet, the Covenant attacked the prowlers and the Baselards accompanying them. Nearing the lead bladder ship, John fired his [[thruster]]s to slow his approach, alerting the vessel's fighter screen to his presence. As he neared the vessel, he prepared his HAVOK with a timer and let it float next to him on the same trajectory. At seven kilometers above the ship, John activated his primary thruster, speeding away as fast as possible. The HAVOK detonated so close that it elevated his [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV|MJOLNIR armor]]'s exterior temperature well above the danger level.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS20}} Fred and Kelly likewise managed to destroy their targeted vessels before Blue Team was recovered by the ''Vanishing Point'' or its escort prowlers.{{Ref/ | Shortly after this, Gold and Green Teams deployed from their Baselards to attack the equipment freighters as planned. Moments later, the targeted freighters began exploding while panic ensued among the Covenant fighters and across their [[Proselytization network|battlenet]]. The fourth explosion was so close to the Banshee squadron that they were all—including the Banshees piloted by Blue Team—disabled by the resulting [[electromagnetic pulse]]. After some discussion, Blue Team decided that they would go EV and intercept the three air-skimmers as they passed by. John would board the first vessel, Kelly the second, and Fred the third while Linda and Johnson held back to cover them with their M99 Stanchions. Leaving the squadron of adrift Banshees behind, Johnson's HAVOK nuke—which he had left aboard his Banshee—detonated, killing any potential witnesses aboard the other craft and covering their approach for the air-skimmers. Meanwhile, the two escort prowlers arrived to recover Gold and Green Teams. Assuming the vessels were preparing for another attack run on the logistics fleet, the Covenant attacked the prowlers and the Baselards accompanying them. Nearing the lead bladder ship, John fired his [[thruster]]s to slow his approach, alerting the vessel's fighter screen to his presence. As he neared the vessel, he prepared his HAVOK with a timer and let it float next to him on the same trajectory. At seven kilometers above the ship, John activated his primary thruster, speeding away as fast as possible. The HAVOK detonated so close that it elevated his [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV|MJOLNIR armor]]'s exterior temperature well above the danger level.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS20}} Fred and Kelly likewise managed to destroy their targeted vessels before Blue Team was recovered by the ''Vanishing Point'' or its escort prowlers.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS22}} | ||
The decimation of the logistics fleet forced the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience to call in another for resupply, exposing their nearby support world of [[Zhoist]] to Dr. Halsey. | The decimation of the logistics fleet forced the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience to call in another for resupply,{{Ref/Reuse|HSS21}} | ||
exposing their nearby support world of [[Zhoist]] to Dr. Halsey. | |||
{{Expand-section}} | {{Expand-section}} | ||