Editing Battle of Sigma Octanus IV

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|conc=

|image=[[File:SO-HM.png|300px]]

|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]]

*Covenant successfully repelled

*[[Forerunner]] [[Sigma Octanus IV artifact|artifact]] retrieved

*Locations of [[Installation 04]]<ref name="for376">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 376''</ref> and [[Reach]] learned

|battles=

|commanders1=

*[[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]]

*[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]

*[[Master Chief Petty Officer|MCPO]] [[John-117]]

|commanders2=

*Unknown

|forces1=

*12 [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II]]s

**[[Blue Team]]

**[[Red Team]]

*1 [[Spartan-III]]<ref>'''[[Halo: Fractures]]''', "[[Breaking Strain]]", ''page 57''</ref>

|forces2=

[[Second Fleet of Solemn Accord]]<ref>'''[[Halo Mythos]]''', ''page 82''</ref>

*Legions of ground troops

**[[Huragok]]

**[[Sangheili]]

|casual1=

**{{UNSCShip|Cradle}}

*1,000 [[UNSC Navy|Naval]] Personnel killed

*1,586 [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] Personnel killed

**[[Lieutenant]] [[McCasky]]

**[[Devesh Bhasin]]  

**[[James-005]]

|casual2=

}}

==The battle==

{{Main|Keyes Loop}}

Despite the hopeless tactical situation, Commander Keyes resolved to attack. The ''Iroquois'' set a collision course for the destroyer at emergency acceleration while launching a nuclear warhead in what seemed to be the wrong direction. The two escorting frigates proceeded to launch a salvo of [[plasma]], but the ''Iroquois'' managed to evade by utilizing the emergency thruster. Having missed their target, the plasma came about and continued to track and home in on the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] warship.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 174''</ref>

With the momentum built up during the first phase, the ''Iroquois'' performed a slingshot maneuver around the planet. Once safely away, the nuclear warhead deployed earlier, was detonated, completely draining the shields on the two frigates. Having completed its orbit, the ''Iroquois'' resumed its attack and destroyed the two frigates with two heavy [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] rounds and hundreds of [[Archer missile]]s.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 179''</ref>

===Ground battle===

[[File:FoR - d'Azur.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Harland's fireteam overlooking the besieged city of Côte d'Azur.]]

Upon landing, the Marines set up their command center, [[Alpha Headquarters]] and a forward base, [[Firebase Bravo]]. The troopers were forced to operate with little intelligence of the surrounding area. Satellite scans were rendered useless by the fog and jungle canopy. Kits failed to realize that the Covenant had established a strong presence in the jungle, including [[Mgalekgolo]]. [[Lieutenant]] [[McCasky]] was ordered to take his platoon to observe Covenant activity in [[Sigma Octanus IV/Grid 13 x 24|Grid 13 x 24]]. They traveled to the area by [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthog]], but almost the entire platoon was wiped out by Mgalekgolo save for [[Corporal]] [[Harland]], [[Private]]s [[Fincher]], [[Walker]] and [[Cochran]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 191''</ref> Harland ordered a retreat as soon as he clearly saw the Mgalekgolo, but despite this Cochran was still wounded by a [[Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher|Needler]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 197''</ref> Although hounded by [[Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft|Banshees]], the fireteam managed to destroy all pursuing Covenant and fall back safely. They found that [[Firebase Bravo]] had been completely overrun by Covenant forces and its survivors were systematically being hunted down and slaughtered. When they made it back to [[Alpha Headquarters]], they found that that had also been mostly destroyed, with only fourteen enlisted men surviving on the planet's surface. Corporal Harland was forced to assume command.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 198-202''</ref>

===Operation: OCEAN BREAKER===

With a group of surviving civilians evacuated, the SPARTANs returned to H.Q. and detonated a [[HAVOK Tactical Nuclear Weapon|HAVOK nuclear warhead]], destroying Côte d'Azur and removing the Covenant presence on the planet.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 230''</ref> Other cities on the planet would be destroyed, such as [[Caracas]], [[Huiren]], [[Silma]] and [[Enfield]], either due to similar Covenant invasion or to preemptive destruction by the UNSC to deny the Covenant the objects they sought.<ref name=BRAVADO>[[Halo Waypoint]] - [http://www.halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/ONI/239409409548923768/DDR-A340021-2300-07-18-52.pdf Data Drop Two]</ref>

===Second space battle===

==Aftermath==

{{Main|Operation: BRAVADO}}

As a result of the battle, there were much debris left in orbit around Sigma Octanus IV. [[HAZMAT]] teams swept the area but the area around the planet would remain a navigational hazard for the next decade.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 242''</ref>

*'''0000 Hours:''' [[William Lovell|Ensign William Lovell]], aboard the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[Remote scanning outpost|Remote Scanning Outpost]] ''[[Archimedes]]'', reports to Sigma Octanus IV concerning a large silhouette in [[Slipstream space|Slipspace]] heading for the system. It is suspected to be a group of Covenant ships but it could also be an asteroid.

*'''0300 Hours:''' The {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} arrives in system on patrol. The vessel's Commanding Officer, [[Jacob Keyes|Commander Jacob Keyes]], receives the sensor information and realizes it is a Covenant threat. He contacts [[UNSC Fleet Command|FLEETCOM]] and informs them of the situation.

*'''0330 Hours:''' The ''Iroquois'' destroys all Covenant vessels save for the carrier using a maneuver later known as the [[Keyes Loop]]. The carrier launches landing craft toward Sigma Octanus IV, then retreats into slipspace.

*'''0345 Hours:''' Covenant ground forces invade the city of [[Côte d'Azur]] on the planet.

*'''0600 Hours:''' Covenant forces ambush and obliterate all marine forces on the ground. Only 14 enlisted men survive. [[Harland|Corporal Harland]] assumes tactical command.

*'''0650 Hours:''' [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-IIs]] arrive on the surface to reinforce surviving marines.

*'''0900 Hours:''' Spartans assume tactical command on the ground.

*'''2039 Hours:''' Nuclear warhead destroys all Covenant ground forces at Côte d'Azur.

*'''2120 Hours:''' General quarters is sounded aboard ships and the opposing [[Fleet]]s close to engage.

===July 18, 2552===

*[[Private]] [[Cochran]]

*[[Devesh Bhasin]]

==Production notes==

===Discrepancies===

*Page 156 of ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'' states that ''Cradle'' was over a square kilometer and that three destroyers could be eclipsed by its shadow. Exactly how it could cover the entire UNSC fleet present is not made clear. The UNSC ships may have positioned themselves behind the ''Cradle'' in a specific formation for maximum protection. It is also possible that repair and refit stations are larger than one square kilometer, as stated in the novel.

*Early copies of the first edition of ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'' state that the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV and the Fall of Reach both occurred in 2542. However, this was soon confirmed to be a typographical error and fixed in later copies. However, as the 2010 re-issue used an older copy as basis, several errors, this included, were re-entered into circulation. This error was again fixed in the ''Definitive Edition'' released in 2011.

*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''

*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''

*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo Mythos]]''

*''[[Halo: Fractures]]''

**''[[Breaking Strain]]'' {{Mo}}

==Notes==

== Sources ==

{{Human-Covenant War}}