Editing Fall of Reach

{{Battle infobox

|name=Fall of Reach

|prev=*[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]

*[[Battle of Beta Eridani]]

*[[Battle of Beta Gabriel]]

|next=[[Battle of Installation 04]]

|date=[[2552#July|July 25, 2552]] – [[2552#August|August 30, 2552]]<ref name="H3R">[[:File:ONI Plaque Right.jpg|''Halo 3: ODST'', Reference of Reach event]]</ref>{{Ref/Note|While the time stamps in ''Halo Reach'' use Reach's local time, the dates given are based on the UNSC military calendar. This is supported by the entries in [[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]].}} <br/>

*[[#Timeline|See below]]

|side1=

*{{Icon|UNSC HCW}} [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]

*[[Reach militia]]

|side2=

See [[Participants in the Fall of Reach|here for details on participating forces]]

*[[Fleet of Valiant Prudence]]

*[[Ministry of Resolution]]'s fleet

**A large number of ships

***At least 3 {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}

*Around 315 ships {{C|August 30}}{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}}{{Ref/Note|In Chapter 33, it is stated that 314 Covenant ships are in the system. Given the ''Pillar of Autumn'' moments earlier had destroyed one, this brings a total of 315}}{{Ref/Note|During the opening cutscene of the '''[[Halo 2]]''' level ''[[Cairo Station]]'', [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]] states that the fleet that destroyed Reach was "fifty times" larger than the [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration|fifteen ship fleet]] attacking Earth; taken at face value, it would seem that Hood is speaking in hyperbole. The 2010 reissue of ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'' took this statement literally and changed the number of ships at Reach from around 300 to "over 750"; however, this change was made in only one instance, with all other statements regarding the fleet's size remaining consistent with prior versions of the novel. While the 2011 ''Definitive Edition'' removed this change, it is repeated in the comic book adaption, ''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion]]''.}}

**[[Fleet of Particular Justice]]

*Numerous ground forces

|casual1=Catastrophic

**20 orbital defense platforms

**All refit and repair stations

|casual2=Massive

*Heavy terrestrial and exoatmospheric losses

*Majority of the Fleet of Valiant Prudence

}}

{{Quote|We knew this day would come. They have found our fortress among the stars. The [[Covenant]] are on Reach. They will burn this planet, kill millions, and when Reach falls—and fall it will—there will be nothing left to stand between them - and [[Earth]].|[[Dr. Catherine Halsey]]<ref>[[Halo: Reach ViDoc: A Spartan Will Rise|''Halo: Reach'': "A Spartan Will Rise" ViDoc]]</ref>}}

==Background==

===Pre-invasion===

The strike force disabled the communications array at [[Visegrád]], cutting off communications from the northern parts of [[Alföld]] to the larger communications hubs further south, leaving a large portion of Reach isolated from the rest of the UNSC.<ref name="OverlookRadio">''[[Halo: Reach]]'', [[Halo: Reach radio conversations|Radio conversations]] - [[Overlook]]</ref> This operation, however, went unnoticed by the UNSC and it was surmised by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] that the local [[insurrectionist]] organization, an ultra-radical cell of the [[People's Occupation]],<ref name="drop2">''[[Data Drop]]'' [[Data Drop/Two|Drop #2]]</ref> was responsible for the loss of contact with the facility.{{Ref/Reuse|actual}}

===Winter Contingency===

{{Main|Battle of Visegrád}}

Following the declaration of the WINTER CONTINGENCY, several ONI field agents were given [[WINTER CONTINGENCY Declaration Supplemental Orders|supplemental orders]] to secure or - if necessary - terminate UNSC astronavigation personnel to ensure their knowledge would not fall into the hands of the Covenant.<ref name="supplemental">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Adjunct, [[WINTER CONTINGENCY Declaration Supplemental Orders]]</ref>

===Opening skirmishes===

{{Quote|WINTER CONTINGENCY has been declared, all units mobilized and ready.|UNSC officer}}

{{Main|Battle of Sword Base}}

===UNSC counterattack===

{{Main|Mission to Szurdok Ridge|Battle at Szurdok Ridge|Order of battle (Viery, Reach)}}

{{Quote|We are now under attack across the Viery territory, including orbital defenses. As per the WINTER CONTINGENCY, we are countering on every front.|[[Auntie Dot]]{{Ref/Level|Id=tots|Game=Halo: Reach|Level=[[Tip of the Spear]]}}}}

===The battle begins===

{{Main|Operation: UPPER CUT|Operation: LEFT JAB}}

{{Quote|no=five|Air Control (COM)|AI Auntie Dot (COM)|ATC 2 (COM)|Colonel Holland (COM)|AI Auntie Dot (COM)|q1=They're everywhere!|q2=Slipspace rupture detected.|q3=Oh no, this can't be happening!|q4=Must be the whole damn Covenant fleet!|q5=Slipspace rupture detected.|The UNSC panics in horror followed by screams on the communications channel as a massive combined Covenant fleet arrives{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}}}

[[File:Reach AssaultCarriers.jpg|thumb|260px|left|A larger Covenant fleet sent by the [[Ministry of Resolution]] enters the system, escalating the siege of the planet.]]

Noble Five then sacrificed himself to destroy ''Long Night of Solace''. However, just as the supercarrier was destroyed, the Ministry of Resolution's massive fleet of warships exited slipspace in orbit over the planet.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}} The supercarrier's wreckage landed near [[New Alexandria (location)|New Alexandria]], killing Barutamee in the process. Shipmaster [[Kantar 'Utaralee]] assumed command of what remained of the now-splintered Fleet of Valiant Prudence, leading them once again to recover the Site 17 artifact, now relocated to a station near [[Turul]].<ref name="zulu">''Halo: Fleet Battles'', [[Scenario Eight: Rally Point Zulu]]</ref>

===Further engagements===

{{Main|Siege of New Alexandria}}

{{Quote|Your report will have to wait, Lieutenant. The Covenant are jamming all comms to Command. [[Catherine-B320|Kat]] needs your help running a counter-op.|Commander [[Carter-A259]]<ref name="alexandria">''Halo: Reach'', campaign level, [[New Alexandria]]</ref>}}

A few minutes later, 315 Covenant ships exited slipspace at the edge of the [[Epsilon Eridani system]].<ref name="FOR33">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 33</ref> [[Admiral]] [[Roland Freemont]] issued [[UNSC Alpha Priority Transmission 04592Z-83]], ordering all ships in the Epsilon Eridani system to rendezvous at [[Rally Point Zulu]] near Reach in preparation for the coming assault.{{Ref/Reuse|zulu}} The Covenant moved in on the orbital defenses before the UNSC fleet fully consolidated. Fifty-three belated UNSC ships, including the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, ran a gauntlet of screening Covenant warships as they attempted to link up with the main fleet. At this time, only about a hundred UNSC ships were readily available to defend Reach.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}} Spartan [[John-117]] recognised the battle as a potential opportunity to board a Covenant warship, and ordered the preparation of a Pelican dropship to potentially blast their way into a hull if needs be.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', Chapter 32</ref> The ''Autumn'' was able to fend off the encroaching [[Seraph]]s with its point-defense guns, before managing to destroy a [[Covenant carrier]]. Meanwhile, a hundred ships were already gathered at Rally Point Zulu; [[UNSC destroyer|destroyers]], [[UNSC frigate|frigates]], three [[cruiser]]s, two [[UNSC carrier|carrier]]s and three [[refit station]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}}

The rest of the Covenant fleet withdrew to regroup after deploying hundreds of dropships to the surface. The opening attack had shattered the UNSC defenders, taking almost a hundred ships out and leaving only twenty ships left. Despite their surprise retreat, Captain Keyes ordered scans of the planet, realising that the Covenant had instead deployed [[dropship]]s to Reach's poles to begin invading the planet. The Super MACs and remaining fleet split into two groups - one for each pole -and fired upon the smallcraft, each MAC shot managing to destroy dozens of transports. Hundreds of dropships were able to get through and disgorged thousands of troops. The [[Fleet Command Headquarters]] was quickly attacked and destroyed by the renewed ground attack, while the Covenant fleet began another assault.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR33}}

Some ships made pinpoint slipspace jumps, putting them within the UNSC formation. This left them vulnerable for a short time but allowed them to strike the ODPs directly. Almost immediately following the departure of the Spartans aboard their Pelicans, a [[Covenant frigate]] jumped in behind the ''Pillar of Autumn'', prompting the cruiser to turn around to face the ship. Two more frigates exited slipspace to flank the first, before the first was taken out by a Super MAC round. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' then engaged the starboard vessel, while the other was taken down by a second Super MAC. The two frigates were able to loose a salvo of plasma bolts, taking down a further two platforms and reducing the total number of MACs to thirteen. The remaining [[Archer missile]]s were used to take out a number of boarding craft heading to stop John-117 on Gamma Station.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR36}}

Following this engagement, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' managed to execute a [[Class-L flash-dock]] and land at the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]], the last-remaining off-world extraction point, as it awaited the arrival of NOBLE Team.{{Ref/Reuse|hrpoa}}

===Attack on the orbital defense generators===

On the final day of the battle for Reach, thousands of Covenant ground forces landed on Reach in an attempt to destroy the [[orbital defense generator]]s, and were intercepted by Marine forces who were able to defend against the first few waves of Covenant forces while sustaining heavy casualties. While three Spartans (led by John-117) deployed to Gamma Station, the remaining supersoldiers were designated [[Red Team]], and deployed to [[Orbital Defense Generator Facility A-331]] to assist in the defense of the station. Their Pelican transport, ''[[Bravo 001]]'', was escorted by several [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] strikecraft, with three of the four eventually peeling off to hold off some pursuing Seraphs.<ref name="FS1">''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', Chapter 1</ref> The Pelican was advised by "[[Golden Arrow]]" to head for [[Mount Törött]], though the now badly-damaged Pelican was unlikely to be able to make its way back to the shipyard where the ''Autumn'' was docked. Bravo 001 had to explain that the Pelican was carrying Spartans, which consequently changed Golden Arrow's tone.<ref name="BreakpointRadio">''Halo: Reach'', [[Halo: Reach radio conversations|Radio conversations]], [[Breakpoint]]</ref> The Pelican was eventually shot down, however, crash-landing in the [[Military Wilderness Training Preserve]] in the [[Highland Mountains]].{{Ref/Reuse|DttE}}{{Ref/Reuse|BnetDefiant}}{{Ref/Map|Game=Halo: Reach|Map=[[Highlands]]}} The Spartans were forced to jump out of the doomed Pelican,{{Ref/Reuse|DttE}}{{Ref/Reuse|FS1}} resulting in the deaths of four Spartans (including [[Malcolm-059]]), and some others were wounded as well. Due to their familiarity with the terrain, the Spartans were able to put up a meaningful resistance against the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|DttE}}{{Ref/Reuse|BnetDefiant}}

The Spartans, after being briefed on the situation by Charlie Company, responded to a distress call from Whitcomb, who requested immediate evacuation. [[Frederic-104]], commander of the Spartans, split the remains of [[Red Team]] into four groups: [[Team Alpha]] ([[Frederic-104]], [[Kelly-087]], and [[Joshua-029]]), which was tasked with eliminating an encampment of 10,000 Covenant and their hovering [[Covenant cruiser at Longhorn Valley|cruiser]] (without doing anything that could damage the orbital defense generators as the EMP from a nuclear weapon would render them inoperative and accomplish the Covenant's objective for them), [[Beta-Red|Team Beta]], tasked with defense of the orbital defense generators, [[Team Gamma]] ([[Li-008]], [[Anton-044]], and [[Grace-093]]), ordered to retrieve Whitcomb, and [[Team Delta]] (the [[Charlie Company]] Marines and  six wounded Spartans which included [[William-043]], [[Isaac-039]], and [[Vinh-030]]), ordered to secure the Spartans' fallback point at [[CASTLE Base]].

With a gargantuan ground force now closing on Facility A-331, [[Beta-Romeo Actual]] ordered her team and the remnants of Charlie Company to leave once the Covenant was distracted. The team set up automated turrets, while thirty-two [[Wraith]] tanks and six-hundred infantry began to close in. Gamma 5 observed the action through the lens of a drone as the fight started. The Spartans of Beta-Red went "hand to hand" with the enemy lines, and Team Delta and Charlie Company departed the site.<ref name="CountdownRadio">''Halo: Reach'', [[Halo: Reach radio conversations|Radio conversations]], [[Countdown]]</ref>

===Mission to ''Gamma Station''===

{{Main|Mission to Gamma Station}}

During the space battle, the [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Doppler]], controller of [[Gamma Station|Reach Station Gamma]], was unable to destroy the vital information on board the {{UNSCShip|Circumference}}, an [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] [[UNSC prowler|Prowler]] involved in [[Operation: HYPODERMIC]]. As the Covenant deployed [[Ranger|troops]] to the station, Doppler reported this violation of the [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]] to the ''Pillar of Autumn'' before self-destructing himself to keep from further violation. In response, [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]] sent [[John-117]], [[James-005]], and [[Linda-058]] to the station. They accomplished their task and destroyed the NAV database on board Reach Station Gamma, but at the cost of James and Linda. While on board, they rescued some Marines on board the station: [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]] and [[Private]]s [[Wallace A. Jenkins|Wallace Jenkins]], [[Bisenti]], and [[O'Brien (Marine)|O'Brien]]. They were then evacuated by Pelican back to the ''Pillar of Autumn''. Linda-058 was clinically dead, but there was still a chance of saving her, so she was placed in a [[cryo chamber]]. John-117 asked [[Lieutenant]] [[Hall]] to scan for James (who had been blown into space) but they were unable to find him.

With the battle for Reach now nearing its conclusion, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' set down at the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]] for repairs as well as to receive the fragment of [[Cortana]] that Halsey had tasked [[NOBLE Team]] with delivering to Keyes. Covenant forces soon descended on the shipyards and began landing troops. Although the docked ''Autumn'' managed to hold off the Covenant attackers, most of the facility and the surrounding area was occupied.

Keyes returned to the ''Autumn'' with the package and prepared the ship for take off. Meanwhile, Noble Six took control of the mass driver and destroyed several Phantoms and Banshees before the Covenant cruiser came within range. As the cruiser prepared to destroy the ''Autumn'' with its [[energy projector]], Six fired directly into the ship's exposed glassing port. The resulting explosion crippled the cruiser.{{Ref/Reuse|hrpoa}}

==Aftermath==

{{Main|Aftermath of the Fall of Reach}}

{{Quote|We are not wasting a single UNSC ship to confirm what we have already seen a dozen times before: Reach is gone. Everything on it is blasted to bits, burned, glassed over, and vaporized. Everyone on Reach is dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.|[[Colonel]] [[James Ackerson]]{{Ref/Novel|Halo: First Strike|Page=104-105}}}}

==Engagements==

The UNSC engaged the Covenant across Reach over a long period of time. Battles were fought across the Vierry Territory.{{Ref/Reuse|tots}} Other engagements included fighting at [[Manassas]], [[Siófok]], and [[Quezon]].<ref>''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]'', [[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]</ref>

{{Engagements in the Fall of Reach}}

==Timeline==

{{Main|Timeline of the Fall of Reach}}

==Participants==

Several notable figures that participated include Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]], Captain [[Jacob Keyes]], [[John-117]], [[Rho 'Barutamee]], and [[Thel 'Vadam]].

==Trivia==

*At the time of the invasion, at least one hurricane was raging on the surface of Reach.{{Ref/Reuse|lnos}}

File:HR Highlands Glassing.png|The [[Military Wilderness Training Preserve]] is glassed.

File:HaloReach - Package Intro.jpg|The ONI facilities at [[SWORD Base]] are destroyed.  

File:H2A - Autumn.jpg|The ''Pillar of Autumn'' escapes as Reach is glassed.

File:UltraMythos.jpg|A [[Sangheili Ultra]] leading troops in the battle in ''[[Halo Mythos]]''.

File:HR CovenantArmy_Concept_2.jpg|Concept art for a Covenant armoured column.

</gallery>

*''[[Halo 4]]''

**''[[Infinity Briefing Packet]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]'' {{Im}}

*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' {{C|Flashback}}

**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''

*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}

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

*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{Mo}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Col-end}}