Editing Epsilon Eridani Fleet

{{Era|UNSC|HCW}}

|name=Epsilon Eridani Fleet

*18 [[refit station]]s<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=29866 ''Bungie.net'': Noble Map Pack Quick Looks]</ref>

The '''Epsilon Eridani Fleet'''<ref>''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', p. 162</ref> was a [[United Nations Space Command]] [[fleet]] in charge of protecting the colony world of [[Reach]], as well as the rest of the [[Epsilon Eridani system]]. It was one of the largest known fleets in the [[UNSC Navy]], but saw near-total destruction at the hands of the [[Covenant]] [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] during the [[Fall of Reach]] and [[Battle of Tribute|Tribute]], respectively.<ref name="FoR">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''</ref>

The fleet was first established sometime after the colonization of Reach and the surrounding worlds. It was continuously built up and constructed for the century that followed. By [[2552]] fleet numbers had risen drastically, with over 100 to 150 warships in-system at any given time. [[Battle Group Leviathan]] was a part of the Epsilon Eridani Fleet.

Following the aftermath of the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], the Covenant had discovered the location of Reach and soon attacked the planet, sparking the [[Fall of Reach]]. On July 24, the ''[[Fleet of Valiant Prudence]]'', a Covenant advance force consisting of a few {{Class|SDV|heavy corvette}}s and the {{Class|CSO|supercarrier}} ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', made an incursion on the planet. There were few vessels available to engage the Covenant in this timeframe; sixty percent of the fleet had to be recalled to Reach on August 13, with the reinforcements not expected to arrive for two days. This delay led Spartan [[NOBLE Team]] and the {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} to attack the supercarrier in [[Operation: UPPER CUT]], which destroyed the both ''Long Night of Solace'' and the corvette ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''.<ref>''Halo: Reach'', campaign level, [[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]</ref>

Despite the colossal battle being waged throughout the [[Viery Territory]], the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] kept the invasion secret from military personnel and civilians on the far side of the planet.<ref>[[Data Drop]] 5</ref> The Covenant's [[Fleet of Particular Justice|final invasion force]] was first detected by [[Fermion]] [[Remote scanning outpost|Remote Scanning Outpost]], which continued to warn all UNSC forces in-system of the new threat.<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 31</ref> There were only about 100 ships at Reach at the time, which moved into defensive positions to defend the planet; the 52 vessels remaining elsewhere in the system (likely engaged at [[Tribute]]) were recalled to Reach.<ref name="pages295-297">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', p. 295-297</ref> A large nuclear mine field had been set up to detonate the Covenant fleet, which destroyed roughly one hundred enemy ships.<ref name="pages295-297"/> The opening salvo of Covenant plasma rounds were mostly blocked by three [[refit station]]s, letting the fleet fire their first [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] salvo unharmed. When the Covenant fired again however, a crushing 80 UNSC ships were destroyed.<ref name="pages295-297"/>

[[File:HM-PoA-escape.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The ''Pillar of Autumn'' escapes Reach, surrounded by the wreckage of Defense Fleet vessels.]]

The remaining UNSC ships regrouped with the reinforcements to defend the orbital platforms, but the Covenant began sending hundreds of dropships to the surface of Reach, accompanied by several cruisers to destroy the [[orbital defense generator]]s. They also used an [[Unidentified Covenant warship|unidentified vessel]] to snipe the ships of the fleet which were unable to destroy it.  It was able to also avoid rounds from the Super MACS. Finally, the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]'' destroyed the supercruiser in an intense battle, but the ''Autumn'' was severely damaged and too much of the fleet was destroyed as well as the generators on the ground being destroyed for it to make much of a difference. Despite strong defense from UNSC ground forces, the Covenant managed to push through and destroy the generators, letting the remnants of the Covenant fleet move in and [[Glassing|glass]] Reach, destroying the UNSC stragglers.<ref name="FoR"/>

Only a handful of ships escaped Reach, most of which were badly damaged. The known survivors were the severely damaged ''Pillar of Autumn'' which was later destroyed in the [[Battle of Installation 04]], an ONI [[prowler]] which witnessed the battle and its aftermath and fled, and the {{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}} which was later salvaged to help the survivors of this battle and the Battle of Installation 04 return home. After the Covenant glassed Reach, they advanced on the other in-system colonies, including [[Tribute]]. The initial [[Battle of Tribute|space engagement]] over Tribute was a short one, with only a fraction of the original fleet there to defend it. The fleet suffered ninety percent losses and Tribute was partially glassed.<ref>''Bungie.net'': [[Taylor H. Miles|Dutch]] character profile</ref><ref name="h4evg">''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', p. 177</ref> The remaining survivors of the fleet were later redeployed to Earth and consolidated into the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] for a final stand against the Covenant.

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