Editing Defense of Concord

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Newcontent|Winter Contention}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev=*[[Battle of Meridian]]
*[[Battle of Ballast]]
|conc=
|next=[[Operation: FIRESIDE]]
|image=[[File:HINF Intel5 Concord.jpg|300px]]
|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]]{{Ref/Game|Id=h4|H4|Armor customization (Halo 4)|Armory|Detail=Venator armor descriptions|Quote=Gained prominence during the defense of Concord from the Covenant in 2551.}}
|date=c. December 6,{{Ref/Site|Id=S2StoryHub|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-infinite-lone-wolves-intel|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo Infinite - Lone Wolves Intel|D=03|M=11|Y=2022|LocalArchive=Halo Infinite Story & Intel}} [[2551]]{{Ref/Reuse|h4}}
|place=[[Concord]],{{Ref/Reuse|h4}} [[Alabaster system]]{{Ref/Reuse|enc22}}
|result= '''[[UNSC]] victory'''{{Ref/Reuse|enc22}}{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
|side1={{Icon|UNSC HCW}} [[United Nations Space Command]]
|side2={{Icon|Covenant FB}} [[Covenant]]
|commanders1=*[[Commander|CMDR]] [[Renna]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
*CMDR [[Carter-A259]]
*[[Sergeant|SGT]] [[Sigrid Eklund]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
|commanders2=Unknown
|forces1=
*[[UNSC Army]]
**[[NOBLE Team]]{{Ref/Book|Id=Contention|Winter Contention}}
**[[UNSC Army Rangers|Army Rangers]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
*[[UNSC Navy]]
**[[C-322]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
**[[FFG-427]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
**[[FFG-502]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
*[[Concordian militia]]{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
|forces2=*[[Banshee]]s{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
*{{Pattern|Bkowe'nei|Vampire}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
*At least 1 {{Pattern|Zashk|Draugr}}{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
*{{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
*{{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
*[[Kig-Yar]] and [[Unggoy]] infantry{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
|casual1=*Several ground forces
*Two [[M9 Wolverine]]s{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}
*At least a dozen [[S-14 Baselard]]s{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
|casual2=*Several ships in orbit{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
*Several ground assets{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}
|civilian=
}}

The '''defense of Concord''' was an engagement of the [[Human-Covenant War]] in [[2551]] between the [[United Nations Space Command]] and the [[Covenant]] on the [[human]] [[Human colonies|colony]] planet of [[Concord]].{{Ref/Reuse|h4}} 

==Battle==
===Operations===
On [[2551#December|December 5, 2551]], during the [[UNSC]]'s defense of [[Concord]], [[Covenant]] activity was witnessed at [[Lethbridge Industrial]]'s [[Lethbridge Combat Fields|combat fields]] just outside of the [[city]] of [[Lethbridge]].{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}

On December 6 at 0720Z [[Military Standard Time|MST]] as part of [[Operation]]: [[Operation: GYPSUM|GYPSUM]], [[Sergeant]] [[Sigrid Eklund]] and a group of [[UNSC Army Rangers]] managed to clear out the [[Caravelle province]] at the cost of two [[M9 Wolverine]]s. They then prepared to redeploy to a nearby [[mass driver]] station which was being defended by dwindling militia forces. After the skirmish at the Caravelle province, Eklund contacted [[Commander]] [[Renna]], informing them of the outcome of the battle and asking about the activity at the Lethbridge Combat Fields the previous day.{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}} [[Operation: SHARP ANGLE]] was ongoing elsewhere at roughly the same time.{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}

By December 12, the joint forces of UNSC Army and Concordian militia had largely repelled Covenant ground forces from the major cities. Furthermore, the Covenant had lost air superiority; a dozen [[S-14 Baselard]] pilots sacrificed their lives leading pursuing [[Banshee]]s and [[Vampire]]s into the paths of concealed M9 Wolverine anti-aircraft tanks, while the unusually small Covenant fleet were kept at bay by [[Longbow Station|several]] [[Recurve Station|planet-side]] [[mass driver]] stations before being destroyed by a UNSC strike group consisting of the {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} [[C-322]] and two {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}s, [[FFG-427]] and [[FFG-502]].{{Ref/Reuse|S2StoryHub}}{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}} 

Covenant ground forces were unable to evacuate from the planet, and redirected their forces to destroy the far less-protected townships in the [[Hinterlands region]] out of spite.{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}} 

===MJOLNIR===
During the battle, several test models of the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN2)|MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor [GEN2]]] were utilized, albeit without their full combat suites. Notably, the [[VENATOR-class Mjolnir]]—manufactured by Concord's [[Lethbridge Industrial]]—gained prominence during the defense of Concord due to the armor's effectiveness in hand-to-hand and single-enemy combat.{{Ref/Reuse|h4}} [[NOBLE Team]] were additionally deployed during the engagement, albeit equipped in their GEN1 MJOLNIR suits.{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}}

==Aftermath==
The engagement resulted in a victory for the UNSC [[Space warfare|in space]], as well as the end of most attacks on major cities. However, stranded Covenant and UNSC forces would continue to clash in [[Operation: OFFSET EYE]], where NOBLE Team destroyed a contingent of ground forces led by a {{Pattern|Zashk|Draugr}} before it could reach the town of [[Skathi]].{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}} 

Ultimately, the battle and the follow-on operations were a success,{{Ref/Reuse|Contention}} allowing Concord to survive the Covenant War.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22|Enc22|Page=044}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:WinterContention BansheeScout.jpg|A lone Banshee scouting the Hinterlands region of Concord.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Winter Contention]]'' {{1st}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
{{Human-Covenant War}}

[[Category:Battles of the Human-Covenant War|Concord]]
[[Category:UNSC victories]]