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ANVIL Station

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Anvil Station
Artwork of ANVIL Station.
Production information

Role:

Specifications

Complement:

Service information

Noteworthy crewmembers:

Known commanders:

Stationmaster Toda 'Murajai[1][2]

Affiliation:

 

Anvil Station (also stylized as ANVIL Station),[4] known as Anvil Keep to many Sangheili onboard,[1][2] is a secret UNSC space station in orbit over an unknown planet. Spartan-IVs and Swords of Sanghelios' Sangheili warriors use the station to run War Games exercises in which they hone their combat skills and test experimental technology.[1][5][6][7]

Overview[edit]

Design details[edit]

Anvil Station is a space station in the form of a central spoke with two circular sections rotating about it.[1][7] The station features several armor bays, hangar bays, and War Games simulation decks.[1] Notably, for the purpose of fostering greater collaboration between Anvil Station's human and Sangheili personnel, the station was not assigned an volitional artificial intelligence. While Anvil Station's primary function is as a military installation, its unique role has seen it outfitted with recreation decks, gardens, and commissaries.[2]

Operation: Anvil key art depicting humans and Sangheili working together aboard Anvil Station while a Spartan clad in ASSAILER armor walks among them holding an M41 SPNKr with the Smash and Grab weapon model
Spartans and Sangheili working together onboard Anvil Station.

Crew and complement[edit]

Anvil Station is defended by at least four dedicated wings and squadrons of interceptors,[1][8] with their Spartan pilots known to sport AVIATOR-class Mjolnir. The station has an additional internal security detail, with Spartans attached to these units noted to prefer AIR ASSAULT-class Mjolnir.[3][4] Many Swords of Sanghelios personnel are attached to the station as part of the ANVIL project, with Sangheili pilots conducting cross-training exercises with their Spartan counterparts. Some of these exercises include the operation of Banshees.[8] Additionally, the Riftborn maintain a presence on the station.[1][7] The A'uzr-pattern sword frigate Sword of Conjunction is assigned to the station alongside a complement of at least three Condors.[1] To assist in the development and testing of new armor technologies, several Sangheili artisan-armorers are assigned to the station as well.[1][3][4]

The majority of the personnel aboard Anvil station are younger individuals who have been carefully vetted and selected across a variety of disciplines, though veterans of the Human-Covenant War from both species also serve aboard the station. Following the discovery of the Ussans and their folding into the Swords of Sanghelios, some of these Sangheili were assigned to Anvil Station to bolster its personnel with individuals who had never before encountered humans or the other Covenant client species. With their lack of post-war political strife and xenophobia, it was hoped that their inclusion would provide a unique perspective and help dissuade conflict between the crew aboard the station.[2]

Fighter wings[edit]

Testing[edit]

The station has seen the oversight and testing of the following MJOLNIR suits;

  • COS - ANVIL cyber operations specialists use this chassis to mount experimental counter-intrusion modules.[3][4]
  • COMPASS - Swords of Sanghelios artisan-armorers aboard the station produced experimental multi-band sensorary receptors for this suit.[3][4]
  • DEADEYE - Tested on ANVIL Station in cross-training exercises with Sangheili Rangers.[3][4]
  • DEMO - Tested on the station on behalf of an unidentified third party.[3][4]
  • HAMMERHEAD - Some Mjolnir prototypes being tested on ANVIL Station are being evaluated for use in exotic atmospheres and irradiated environments.[3][4]
  • HIVEMIND - ANVIL Station was deemed the perfect testing ground for suits designed for Flood outbreak containment.[3][4]
  • INFILTRATOR - This suit features experimental intrusion suites devloped by ANVIL's teams.[3][4]
  • LANCER - This suit features data gleaned from recovered Forerunner technology, integrated for ANVIL testing.[3][4]
  • NAVIGATOR - Certain MJOLNIR Mark VII technologies have found their way into ANVIL Station testing armor.[3][4]
  • NOMDAGRO - The assistance of ANVIL Station's Sangheili lorekeepers in deciphering data recovered from ancient vessels have provided unprecedented opportunities for advancement.[3][4]
  • PIONEER - Following its debut usage on Installation 03, Acheron Security hoped to use ANVIL to test out improvements to the PIONEER suit.[3][4]
  • RHINE - Even the most carefully crafted tool of destruction requires field testing to refine and sharpen.[3][4]
  • SOLDIER - This suit was tested on ANVIL and deemed one of the platform's most versatile variants.[3][4]
  • SUTURE - Recently approved suit tested on ANVIL Station for use by Spartan medics.[3][4]
  • TANKER - This suit was tested on ANVIL Station, and its resiliency was noted to impress even the Sangheili cohort.[3][4]
  • WARRIOR - Despite being one of the platform's most mainline kits, WARRIOR was given testing in ANVIL's training courses.[3][4]

Service history[edit]

Origins[edit]

During the Human-Covenant War, Anvil Station was a repair and resupply outpost, but it fell into disuse. After the formal end of the war against the Covenant, the UNSC looked for a way to put the station to use again, with the task falling to Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood.[1][2] Retrofitted for an additional 250 operational years, the revitalized Anvil Station was intended to serve as a base of operations for testing skunkworks prototypes and emerging Mjolnir technologies as development of the platform's second generation began in earnest for the SPARTAN-IV program.[2] On July 2, 2553, knowing that there were emerging generations for whom the Covenant War would eventually be a distant memory and seeing the opportunity to lay a foundation of hope for the future, FADM Hood proposed to the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam—leader of the emerging Swords of Sanghelios—to use Anvil Station as the base for Project: CRUCIBLE, leading to the creation of a multispecies task force, and the development of new technologies between human and Sangheili. Thel 'Vadam would end up accepting Hood's proposal.[1]

Anvil Initiative[edit]

Anvil Station is the result of a classified partnership between the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios, retrofitted to support the newly-established Anvil Initiative and Project: CRUCIBLE. Anvil Station was designed for the UNSC to test skunkworks technologies clandestine prototypes, some destined for full and successful production runs, others merely serving as a stop-gap in the development pipeline of Mjolnir components, weapon advancements, and more. Additionally, the station proved home to combat test simulations for both Spartan and Sangheili troops, hoping to test technologies and hone their combat skills.[4]

With the emergence of the Ussans in 2553, an ideal opportunity was presented to the Arbiter to bolster the Sangheili ranks aboard Anvil Station with individuals who had never humanity or even other Covenant client species. Though the Ussans were few in number, the Arbiter believed their perspective to be invaluable, as they were unfettered by post-war political strife and xenophobia that had been nurtured by the Covenant's caste system.[2]

Sangheili lorekeepers would help in deciphering information that would be later used in the NOMDAGRO-class Mjolnir. Anvil would also test armors manufactured by third-parties as well, such as with PIONEER-class Mjolnir for Acheron Security.[3][4] Prior to March 3, 2560, a set of ASSAILER-class armor would be transferred to Anvil Station after an Office of Naval Intelligence operation on Venezia.[1]

On March 3, 2560, Anvil Station would receive a distress signal from Nysa, forcing the station to mobilize some of their forces, including three Condors and Amity, Harmony, and Sympathy wings to the A'uzr-pattern sword frigate Sword of Conjunction to answer it.[1]

Non-canon and dubious canon appearances[edit]

Halo Online[edit]

Blueprints of the station.

Anvil Station was originally introduced into Halo as the setting for Halo Online and its multiplayer. The game's cancellation means that much of the released details about Halo Online from that era are now-considered non-canon. The below section records information released about Anvil Station that has yet to be corroborated in a more recent canon source.

Design details[edit]

Built by the UNSC, Anvil Station was created for the Spartan-IV program for use in training human and Sangheili forces.[9] The station consists of a large, cylindrical mid-structure featuring a command center on top. The structure is surrounded by two disk-shaped facilities, with the upper one consisting of several decks used for simulation training, and the lower one comprising of living quarters. At the lower end of the station are docking ports for transport modules. The station has a projected operational life of 250 years and in total there are 7,365 humans and Sangheili working on-board.[10]

History[edit]

On January 28, 2552, the designs for the station were approved. As early as 2553, the ANVIL initiative saw a number of very select joint training engagements between Spartan-IVs and Swords of Sanghelios Sangheili.[11] As of January 28, 2555, the station saw heavy use of experimental technology in use between Sangheili and Spartans.[10][12]

Production notes[edit]

During development, Anvil Station was referred to as "Crucible Station."[13]

Anvil Station was the setting for the cancelled Halo Online game. After the game's cancellation, both the station and the Anvil Initiative have been mentioned in ancillary media, such as Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual. With the arrival of Series 5: Anvil on Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Anvil Station was mentioned for the first time as the testing ground of several new armors added into Halo 3's armor customization and the namesake of the aforementioned Season. It was later the basis for an eponymously titled multiplayer operation in Halo Infinite.

Gallery[edit]

Main-Superintendent.png Browse more images in this article's gallery page.
  • Concept art of "Crucible Station".

    Concept art of "Crucible Station".

  • Concept art for a hangar bay on the station.

    Concept art for a hangar bay on the station.

  • Image of the station from Halo Online.

    Image of the station from Halo Online.

  • Blueprints used in the old Halo Online opening sequence.

    Blueprints used in the old Halo Online opening sequence.

  • Analysis of the planet that Anvil Station orbits.

    Analysis of the planet that Anvil Station orbits.

  • A War Games environment simulated aboard Anvil.

    A War Games environment simulated aboard Anvil.

  • Four Spartans training in the simulation room on Anvil.

    Four Spartans training in the simulation room on Anvil.

  • Interior view of one of the station's hangers.

    Interior view of one of the station's hangers.

  • Four Spartans standing in a hangar on Anvil.

    Four Spartans standing in a hangar on Anvil.

  • A look into the Armory in a unreleased update to Halo Online.

    A look into the Armory in a unreleased update to Halo Online.

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Halo: Anvil Accord
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - All About Anvil (Retrieved on Jul 26, 2024) [archive]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Halo 3 customisation menu descriptions
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Armor Online (Retrieved on Jan 26, 2021) [archive]
  5. ^ Halo Waypoint, Halo Online (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
  6. ^ Twitter, Halo (@Halo): "After the end of the Covenant War, the UNSC's partnership with the Arbiter's Swords of Sanghelios bore many fruits. Anvil Station is one such example, where Spartans and Sangheili participate in joint training exercises utilizing experimental technology. #FictionFriday" (Retrieved on Jun 27, 2024) [archive]
  7. ^ a b c Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 251
  8. ^ a b c Halo: The Master Chief Collection marketing, Battle The Heretics
  9. ^ Halo Online, Install Page (Retrieved on Mar 27, 2015) [archive]
  10. ^ a b Halo Online Anvil Station blueprints
  11. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Have S'moa (Retrieved on Mar 28, 2019) [archive]
  12. ^ Halo Online Anvil Station planet analysis
  13. ^ ArtStation, UNSC Crucible Concept: "UNSC Crucible was supposed to be the space station where Spartans are stationed for training prior to deployment." (Retrieved on Jun 27, 2024) [archive]
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