Editing Battle of Installation 03

|next=[[Skirmish in New Phoenix]]

|side2=*[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] <br>

*[[Ur-Didact|Didact's]] [[Prometheans#Mechanical Prometheans|Prometheans]]

*One stolen {{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}

*4+ {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s{{Ref/Reuse|opc}}

*{{Pattern|Kmiro'sish|Lich}}s<ref name="opb">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation B: Steadfast Pursuit]]''</ref>

*{{Pattern|R'shwupa|Phantom}}s

*{{Pattern|Dextro Xur|Spirit}}s

*{{Pattern|Mamua'uda|Shade}}s

*{{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s

*{{Pattern|Cheru|Tyrant}}s<ref name="ss17">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 17: Deliverance|Deliverance]]''</ref>

*[[Ogab'd-pattern anti-aircraft Wraith|Type-52 AA Wraiths]]

*{{Pattern|Kewu Umppi'pa'|citadel turret}}s

The '''Battle of Installation 03''' was a brief engagement on [[Forerunner]] [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 03]] in the [[Khaphrae system]]. Occurring in late [[2557#July|July of 2557]], the battle was fought between the [[United Nations Space Command]] and [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|new Covenant]] and the latter's [[Promethean]] allies.{{Ref/Reuse|opb}}

The Covenant invaded Gamma Halo in an attempt to use the Forerunner [[Conduit]] to open [[slipspace portal]]s throughout the installation. The Covenant intended to use the portals to transport a massive Promethean force onto the ringworld, which would aid in the Covenant's takeover of Installation 03. However, the attack was repelled due to the efforts of two [[Headhunters]] and the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] stationed on the installation.<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-striking-features '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Striking Features'']</ref>

At some point, the [[Covenant]] recovered the [[Forerunner]] [[Conduit]],<ref>''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', ''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 7]]''</ref> a device that was capable of opening Forerunner [[slipspace portal]]s throughout the [[Milky Way|galaxy]].{{Ref/Reuse|opc}} During the [[Battle of Mombasa]] on [[Earth]] in [[2552]], the Covenant attempted to use the Conduit during the battle. However, the device was [[Operation: WINDOW PANE|stolen]] by [[Alpha-Five|a squad]] of the [[UNSC]]'s [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]. The squad tried to escape the city to safely deliver the Conduit into UNSC hands, but the device was lost when the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]]'s {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} ''[[Solemn Penance]]'' entered [[slipstream space]] over [[New Mombasa]]. The resulting slipstream wake killed the ODST squad and destroyed the city, seemingly along with the Conduit.{{Ref/Reuse|opa}} However, the Conduit transported itself to [[Installation 03]] in the [[Khaphrae system]] by entering slipspace to save itself from destruction.{{Ref/Reuse|opc}}

Concurrent with this skirmish in New Mombasa, [[unidentified ODST squad|a second]] ODST squad recovered a series of [[Forerunner symbols|Forerunner glyphs]] which were finally deciphered nearly five years after the battle, pointing to a location on Gamma Halo that contained an [[unidentified Forerunner machine]].<ref name="ope">'''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''', ''[[Operation E: Brother's Keeper]]''</ref>

In [[2557#July|July of 2557]], UNSC personnel on [[Ivanoff Station]] detected a faint signal originating on Gamma Halo. The signal was soon discovered to be emanating from the Conduit,{{Ref/Reuse|opb}} and a [[Spartan-IV]] [[Headhunters|Headhunter]]{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}} was sent to the installation to investigate—aided by Lieutenant [[Kwon]].{{Ref/Reuse|opb}} However, [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|reformed Covenant]] had continued to search for the Conduit after its supposed destruction at New Mombasa in 2552. The Covenant faction succeeded in picking up the signal moments before the UNSC did, and a [[fleet]] traveled to Installation 03 to recover the Conduit.{{Ref/Reuse|opc}}

When Jul 'Mdama's Covenant succeeded in recovering the Conduit, they sought to bring the device to the [[Altar]] on Installation 03. There, the Covenant intended to use the Conduit to open slipspace portals for Prometheans to invade Gamma Halo and give themselves control over the installation.{{Ref/Reuse|opc}} To prevent the UNSC from finding the Conduit's exact location, the Covenant jammed the device's signal frequency. The Spartan was deployed to a jungle on Gamma Halo via [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|HEV]], where he battled his way through Covenant forces and destroyed the five signal jammers.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 7: Gamma Halo|Gamma Halo]]''</ref> Afterwards, the Spartan wiped out Covenant forces in the area to allow the UNSC to deploy three signal beacons that boosted the signal transmitted from the Conduit. The Conduit's signal was soon traced to a nearby Forerunner structure, though its entrance was blocked by a Promethean-designed gate.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 8: Signal Fires|Signal Fires]]''</ref> A squad of [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]] captured a Covenant [[Zurdo-pattern Wraith|Wraith]], and the Spartan was directed to their position.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 9: Lockout|Lockout]]''</ref>

While en route to the Altar, the Pelican was shot down by the Covenant. However, the Spartan survived the crash. While engaging Covenant forces, the Spartan discovered a deactivated portal that led to the Altar. Using bioscan platforms to initiate the portal's power stations, the Spartan activated the portal and entered it.{{Ref/Reuse|ss13}} Kwon determined that a [[M808 Scorpion|Scorpion]] main battle tank would be needed in order to break past the Altar's defenses. However, the presence of numerous [[Ogab'd-pattern anti-aircraft Wraith|Anti-Aircraft Wraiths]] prevented the UNSC from delivering the tank via Pelican. After destroying three AA Wraiths, the Spartan traveled to the [[landing zone]], where the Pelican dropped off the Scorpion.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 14: Up in the Air|Up in the Air]]''</ref> Fighting past Covenant forces in the Scorpion, the Spartan traveled over a [[light bridge]] and reached the Altar. The Covenant attempted to stop his advance by setting up [[hard light]] barriers. After disabling the barriers, the Spartan engaged the Covenant forces within the area. The Spartan destroyed all Covenant forces at the Altar and finally retrieved the Conduit after killing the [[Sangheili]] [[Field Master]] that was carrying it.{{Ref/Reuse|ss15}} Realizing that they had lost the battle, Covenant forces began to evacuate the ringworld.<ref name="ss18">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 18: Don't Touch My Ride|Don't Touch My Ride]]''</ref>

With the light bridges now shut down by the Covenant, Kwon directed the Spartan to a deactivated portal nearby. While holding off numerous Covenant and Promethean infantry, the Spartan rerouted the Altar's power stations to activate the portal. With the portal activated, the Spartan entered it and escaped the Altar.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', campaign level ''[[Mission 16: Leave 'em at the Altar|Leave 'em at the Altar]]''</ref> Arriving in a jungle on Installation 03, the Spartan fought his way to the designated extraction point. When the Spartan arrived at the extraction point, he destroyed the Covenant and Promethean forces nearby to allow a Pelican to land. While the Conduit was given to UNSC personnel aboard the Pelican,{{Ref/Reuse|ss17}} the dropship was damaged and was no longer capable of flying in space. As he held off Covenant forces, UNSC technicians repaired the Pelican. Once the dropship was repaired, it was forced to take off immediately to avoid further damage. The Spartan was directed to a [[Dextro Xur-pattern Spirit|Spirit]] dropship the Covenant was using to extract its troops off-world, where he killed the soldiers defending it. The Spartan used the Spirit to escape Gamma Halo, and rendezvoused with the Pelican that was carrying the Conduit in the installation's orbit.{{Ref/Reuse|ss18}}

After returning to Ivanoff Station in a Pelican dropship with the Conduit, the Spartan received an emergency distress call from an [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] [[New Phoenix ONI facility|facility]] back on Earth. The researchers at the facility were studying a [[unidentified Forerunner machine|Forerunner artifact]] at the time of the battle. When the Covenant used the Conduit at the Altar, Forerunner portals were activated throughout the galaxy. One of the portals opened up in the ONI facility in New Phoenix, and Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and Promethean forces attacked the base. It was determined that the only way to close the portals was to bring the Conduit to New Phoenix. The Spartan traveled to the city with the Conduit, as the [[Skirmish in New Phoenix]] begun.<ref name="opd">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation D: Adamantine Shield]]''</ref>

In 2557, the Battle of Installation 03 became part of a [[UNSC Tactical Simulator|tactical simulator]] to enhance strategic skills of the Spartan-IVs aboard the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}.{{Ref/Reuse|opb}}