Editing Defense of Mars

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Callsign}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev = [[Battle of Mombasa]]
|conc=*[[Battle for Earth]]
*[[Battle of Luna]]
|next=*[[Battle of Cleveland]]
*[[Scramble onboard Forerunner Dreadnought]]
|name=Defense of Mars
|image=[[File:HU FleetOverMars.jpg|300px]]
|conflict=*[[Human-Covenant War]]
**[[Siege of the Inner Colonies]]
|date=c. before [[2552#November|November 16, 2552]]{{Ref/Note|See [[Battle for Earth#Notes|here]]}}
|place=[[Mars]], [[Sol system]]
|result='''Covenant victory'''
*UNSC forces on Mars crushed{{Ref/Reuse|HUI3}}
*Colonel Ackerson [[Prisoner of war|captured]]{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}
|side1={{Icon|UNSC HCW}} [[United Nations Space Command]]
|side2={{Icon|Covenant FB}} [[Covenant]]
|commanders1=[[Colonel|COL]] [[James Ackerson]]{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}
|commanders2=[[Shipmaster]] [[Lepidus]]{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}} {{c|post-[[Great Schism]]}}
|forces1=*[[UNSC Army]] forces{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}{{Ref/Book|Id=thorne|Enc22|Page=101}}
**[[Gabriel Thorne]]{{Ref/Reuse|thorne}}
*{{Class|Charon|light frigate}}s{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=123}}
|forces2=1+ [[Covenant fleet]]
*[[Fleet of Furious Redemption]]{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}
**4+ {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}
***''[[Triumphant Declaration]]''{{Ref/Reuse|HUI1}}
*[[Castor]]{{Ref/Novel|DW|Chapter=7}}
|casual1=Unknown - presumably heavy{{Ref/Reuse|HUI3}}
|casual2=Unknown 
}}

In late [[2552]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]], the UNSC '''defended''' [[Mars]] from attack by [[Covenant]] forces.{{Ref/Reuse|thorne}}

==Background==
===Argyre Planitia===
On [[2552|October 13, 2552]], [[gravitics|gravitic]] and radiation anomalies were detected near [[Argyre Planitia]]. A team was sent to the site and a [[Cloaking device|cloaked]] sensor platform of unknown origin was discovered, triggering [[WIDEAWAKE]]. [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Joseph Harper]] issued a stand-down order after discussing with [[Admiral]] [[Margaret Parangosky]].{{Ref/Generic|Id=lootcrate2|Heading=[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|Subheading=[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]}}

==Battle==
Due to extensive infrastructure, Mars was a major target{{Ref/Reuse|enc22}} when the [[Prophet of Truth]] [[Truth's fleet|fleet]] arrived in the system.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} as they headed toward Earth. This resulted in several key battles on the planet.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22|Enc22|Page=40}}

===Mare Erthraeum===
[[UNSC Army]] forces led by [[Colonel]] [[James Ackerson]] fought the [[Covenant]] on [[Mare Erythraeum]] on the surface of [[Mars]]. It occurred simultaneously with the Covenant's [[Battle for Earth|prolonged invasion]] of [[Earth]] and resulted in a Covenant victory. After the UNSC's eventual defeat on Mars, the Covenant began to concentrate more of their forces on Earth,{{Ref/Comic|Id=HUI3|Comic=Halo: Uprising|Issue=[[Halo: Uprising Issue 3|3]]}} although Ackerson's work in this battle helped buy UNSC ground forces on Earth precious time.{{Ref/Book|Enc09}} During or after the engagement, Colonel Ackerson was taken prisoner and taken aboard the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}} ''[[Triumphant Declaration]]''.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HUI1|Comic=Halo: Uprising|Issue=[[Halo: Uprising Issue 1|1]]}}

==Aftermath==
Although the Martian defense forces were eventually crushed, they are credited for delaying Covenant forces from pressing their siege on Earth.{{Ref/Site|Id=universe|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/unsc|Site=Halo Waypoint|Section=Universe, Factions|Page=UNSC|D=19|M=1|Y=2021|LocalArchive=https://archives.halopedia.org/waypoint/www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/mars.html}}

Mars and Luna were hit particularly hard although both fared better than [[Earth]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=hnb|HNB|Chapter=12}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
**''[[Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition dossiers|Limited Edition dossiers]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]'' {{Mo}}

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Human-Covenant War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mare Erythraeum}}
[[Category:Covenant victories]]