Task Force Yama
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
 |
This article does not have enough inline citations and/or does not adhere to the proper citation format. You can help Halopedia by adding citations. |
| Task Force Yama | |
|---|---|
|
Active: |
|
|
Affiliation: |
|
|
Branch: |
|
|
Type: |
|
|
Role: |
Insertion Support[1] |
|
Size: |
Three squadrons of prowlers[1] |
|
Engagements: |
|
|
Commanders: |
|
Task Force Yama was a splinter group of the UNSC Navy's Battle Group X-Ray, under the command of Captain Halima Ascot. The Point Blank-class stealth cruiser UNSC Vanishing Point would serve as a logistics-support ship,[1] while the Razor-class prowler UNSC Starry Night served as Ascot's flagship. In 2526, the Task Force participated in the Battle of Biko and Operation: SILENT STORM.[2][1]
History
Operation: SILENT STORM
- Main article: Operation: SILENT STORM
In early March 2526, Task Force Yama split off from Battle Group X-Ray under the orders of Vice Admiral Preston Cole.[1] The task force's main objective was to escort the SPARTAN-IIs led by John-117 and the ODSTs of the 21st Space Assault Battalion into battle against the Covenant fleet so that they could board as many of their vessels and stations as possible. Then, using nuclear weapons and other high-yield explosives, they would destroy the ships from the inside, within their nearly impenetrable energy shields. If successful, this operation would disrupt Covenant supply lines and weaken their forward fleets, giving the United Nations Space Command more time to prepare.[3] Captain Halima Ascot, commander of the UNSC Starry Night was selected to take command of the entire task force for the duration of Operation: SILENT STORM.[1]
The leadership personnel for this operation were briefed by Vice Admiral Cole aboard the UNSC Vanishing Point on March 8, as the task force rested in deep space within the Polona sector. Soon after the briefing, the task force entered slipspace for Biko in the Kolaqoa system. With a Covenant fleet already glassing the nearby colony of Etalan, Biko was expected to be the next target and the perfect place to initiate Operation: SILENT STORM. As such, an ice quarry on its moon of Seoba was selected to be Task Force Yama's staging ground as they awaited the Covenant fleet's arrival.[1]
During the ten-day voyage through slipspace, the Spartans trained with the ODSTs in the Vanishing Point's mission preparation hold. The Spartans made short work of the marines in every exercise until Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson taught them new, unorthodox strategies that were much more effective against the supersoldiers. After four days of training, Colonel Marmon Crowther had them all gather in the drop hangar to discuss the specifics of the plan. Despite their performance against his ODSTs, Crowther was skeptical about deploying the Spartans to the front lines due to their inexperience on the battlefield as well as their apparent young age, much to John-117's frustration.[1]
Seoba and Biko
- Main articles: Battle of Seoba, Battle of Biko
Intending to using an abandoned Ice Quarry on Biko's third moon, the Task Force was unexpectedly ambushed by the United Rebel Front, who also used the Quarry as a staging location for a coup. Although the Spartans and the Black Daggers managed to defeat the Insurrectionists, they still managed to shoot down the UNSC Ghost Star and Starry Night, killing Captain Ascot. Though Covenant forces tried to capture the still relatively-intact Starry Night, the Spartans rescued the Prowler's surviving crew and activated its self-destruct, a one-megaton Fury tactical nuclear weapon that destroyed the Intrusion corvette that was trying to take the Prowler on board.
Shortly after, the Covenant Fleet of Inexorable Obedience attacked Biko with the task force attempting to help defend the planet. Due to Insurrectionist warnings, the Covenant was successfully able to protect against boarding actions and the task force lost five more Prowlers, but the Spartans used the time to go on a secret side mission to Etalan where they successfully destroyed the Covenant logistics fleet, forcing the Covenant to call in another for resupply and exposing their support world of Zhoist to Doctor Catherine Halsey.
This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.
Zhoist
- Main article: Attack on Zhoist
The task force, split into Dagger Force and Sierra Force, next launched an attack against Zhoist. By this point, it had become clear that the task force's new commander, Lieutenant Commander Hector Nyeto was in fact an Insurrectionist attempting to sabotage the Spartans. Before departure, Colonel Marmon Crowther promoted John-117 to Master Chief Petty Officer and placed him in charge of Sierra Force with secret new orders that foiled Nyeto's attempt to betray the task force to the Covenant. Nyeto was forced to flee to slipspace, escaping with the three Prowlers of Ghost Flight which all turned out to be crewed by Insurrectionists. Though the Black Daggers aboard were blown into vacuum, they were later rescued by the UNSC Night Watch. Another Prowler was lost on approach to Zhoist, but the task force was able to complete its mission, destroying the Ring of Mighty Abundance, two of the Ten Cities of Edification and inflicting massive casualties upon the Covenant.
- This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.
Composition
Task Force Yama comprised of three squadrons of Eclipse-class prowlers and Razor-class prowlers, each being led by a Sahara-class heavy prowler.[1]
- Razor-class prowlers
- UNSC Quiet Death
- UNSC Quiet Man
- UNSC Hush Now
- Point Blank-class stealth cruiser
- Slipper Flight
- Ghost Flight
- Quiet Flight
- Hush Flight
- Watch Flight
- Sierra Force
- Dagger Force
- Several S-14 Baselard Space Strikers
List of appearances
- Halo: Silent Storm (First appearance)
- Halo: Oblivion (Mentioned only)
Sources
| |||||||||||
