Editing Harvest campaign

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Cleanup}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev        = [[Battle of Harvest]]
|conc        = [[Battle of Hat Yai]], [[Battle of Alpha Aurigae]], [[Battle of XI Boötis A]], [[Battle of the Great Bear]], [[Battle of Circinius IV]]
|next        = [[Battle for Arcadia]]
|name        = Harvest campaign
|image       = [[File:HW Five Long Years.jpg|350px]]
|conflict    = [[Human-Covenant War]]
|date        = [[2526]] to early [[2531]]
|place       = [[Harvest]], [[Epsilon Indi system]]
|result      = '''Pyrrhic UNSC victory'''
*Harvest severely glassed in all but its northern regions
*[[Forerunner]] [[Relic (location)|relic]] recovered
*Tactical control of Harvest gained
*Heavy UNSC casualties
|side1       = [[United Nations Space Command]]
|side2       = [[Covenant]]
|commanders1 =*[[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston Cole]]
*[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[James Cutter]]
*[[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Orez]]
*[[Sergeant]] [[John Forge]]
|commanders2 =*[[Prophet of Regret]]
*[[Arbiter]] [[Ripa 'Moramee]]
*[[Field Master]] [[Re'gish Wamik]]
*[[Thrallslayer]]
|forces1     =*[[Third Fleet]]
**[[Battle Group D]]
***{{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}
****[[Recon Team Echo]]
****[[Recon Team India]]
****[[Fire Team Lima]]
****[[Fire Team November]]
****[[Tango 14]]
****[[Tango 33]]
****''[[Bravo 029 (Pelican)|Bravo 029]]''
****Multiple [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-IIs]]
**{{UNSCShip|Prophecy}}
**Unidentified [[UNSC prowler|prowler]]
|forces2     =*[[Fleet of Glorious Interdiction]]
**Multiple {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}s
*Land forces
**Thousands of ground troops
**Numerous ground and air vehicles
|casual1     =*Heavy casualties; over half of the UNSC Navy's fighting strength<ref name="gc">'''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''', ''Core Rulebook - page 7''</ref>
*''UNSC Prophecy''
*At least one [[unidentified Spartan-II]]
*Unknown number of Marines
|casual2     =*Heavy casualties
*At least one {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}<ref>'''Halo Wars''', ''Five Long Years'' cutscene</ref>
}}
{{Quote|At first it was going well. Then setback after setback - loss after loss - made what was going to be a quick and decisive win into five years of hell.|[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[James Cutter]]}}

The '''Harvest campaign''',{{Ref/Game|H3ODST|[[Armor customization (Halo 3: ODST)|Armory]] description: [[Veronica Dare]]|Quote=Most of her dossier is classified, but Dare is a known Naval Academy Graduate amd former Intel Officer on the heavy frigate[sic] 'Say My Name', one of two ships from the Harvest campaign still in service. Dare is now assigned to ONI Section One.}} also known as the '''Liberation of Harvest'''{{Ref/Game|H3ODST|Armory description: Edward Buck|Quote=Counting time spent in cryo-sleep, Buck is a 25 year veteran of the war. He participated in the liberation of Harvest but also the fall of Reach. Watching so many Marines die has left Buck thick-skinned and short-fused. But this wasn't always so.}} or the '''Harvest Conflict''',<ref>'''Halo 4''', ''RG-63 Counter'' legs description</ref> was a five-year-long campaign to retake the devastated [[Unified Earth Government|UEG]] colony world of [[Harvest]] from the [[Covenant]], beginning in [[2526]] and ending in early [[2531]].<ref name="wayP">'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''' - ''"The Secret Below Harvest" video''</ref>

==Background==
===Contact with the Covenant===
{{Main|First Battle of Harvest}}
The UEG colony world of Harvest was founded in [[2468]] by colonists aboard the {{UNSCShip|Skidbladnir}}, and was one of the farthest colonies from [[Earth]]. By [[2525]], Harvest had become the major agricultural center of the UEG. However, during the same year, there were reports of an [[Minor Transgression|unidentified vessel]] near the planet, and all contact with Harvest ceased soon afterwards. Only several thousand [[civilian]]s of the planet's population of 300,000 were evacuated; they told their rescuers of a nearly unstoppable alien ship.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'''</ref>

The [[Colonial Military Authority]] assembled a [[Battle Group 4|battle group]] comprised of two [[UNSC frigate|frigates]] and a [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]] to investigate the disturbance. The battle group found most of the surface of Harvest [[glassing|reduced to molten glass]]. A large [[Rasus-pattern interdictor|alien warship]] was found in orbit over Harvest; its crew transmitted a message in flawless English, calling themselves "the Covenant" and vowing the destruction of humanity. The ship opened fire with advanced energy weaponry and destroyed the two frigates, leaving [[CMA Heracles|the destroyer]] to escape, albeit heavily damaged.<ref name="Gen">'''Halo Wars: Genesis'''</ref><ref name="Cole">'''Halo - Evolutions''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole"</ref>

===UNSC counterattack===
{{Main|Battle of Harvest}}

In response to the disaster that befell the scouting group, the UNSC went to full alert and began mobilizing the largest fleet in UNSC naval history. However, they needed an experienced commander to lead it. They turned to [[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston J. Cole]], a retired veteran of the [[Insurrection]] and a brilliant tactician. Cole reluctantly agreed and was promoted to full [[admiral]].{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}{{Ref/Reuse|Cole}}

When Cole's fleet of forty ships arrived at Harvest, they found the same, colossal ship in orbit. The Covenant ship immediately opened fire and began picking off Cole's ships one by one. Neither [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s nor {{Class|Shiva|nuclear missile}}s had any effect on the alien energy shields and the fleet began to lose integrity. Cole had a last-minute tactical inspiration: he ordered the fleet to fire all its weapons simultaneously. This ploy won the battle at the cost of thirteen UNSC vessels.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}{{Ref/Reuse|Cole}}

==Retaking Harvest==
===Early victories===
[[File:Pelican on Harvest.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Pelican dropships deploying troops on Harvest.]]
Despite Cole's pyrrhic victory, the Covenant began swarming the [[Outer Colonies]] and were determined to retake control of Harvest. The [[Prophet of Regret]] personally assigned [[Arbiter]] [[Ripa 'Moramee]] and the [[Fleet of Glorious Interdiction]] for this task.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 10''</ref> The Covenant sent more ships to Harvest and engaged UNSC forces on the surface as well as in space. The Covenant were clearly looking for something on the planet and would stop at nothing to find it. The UNSC continued to retaliate, with many engagements occurring in the planet's ruined cities.{{Ref/Reuse|wayP}}<ref name="HW">'''Halo Wars''', campaign levels ''[[Alpha Base (Halo Wars level)|Alpha Base]]'', ''[[Relic Approach]]'', and ''[[Relic Interior]]''</ref>

Eventually, the UNSC gained the upper hand on the ground and began to slowly push the Covenant back. It was soon assumed that victory was inevitable, with UNSC forces taking back most of what was left of the planet. These victories, along with Cole's original victory, were being broadcast across the colonies, as a sign of hope to boost morale.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}{{Ref/Reuse|Cole}}

However, the Covenant still held a tremendous advantage in space and won numerous engagements against the few ships the UNSC could spare, as the majority of Cole's fleet was spread across the Outer Colonies.{{Ref/Reuse|HW}}

===The Covenant strike back===
[[File:Covenant Destroyers Glass Harvest.jpg|250px|thumb|Covenant [[Sinaris-pattern heavy destroyer|heavy destroyers]] glass Harvest.]]
Following the Covenant's victories in space, their vessels began to glass even more of Harvest, killing helpless UNSC forces on the surface. More Covenant ships began to arrive at Harvest and deployed additional troops on the ground, eradicating almost all human presence on the planet. UNSC forces were battered and forced to retreat across the planet, leaving the Covenant free to scour the planet for the [[Forerunner]] [[Relic (location)|artifact]] they sought.{{Ref/Reuse|wayP}}{{Ref/Reuse|HW}} At some point during the Harvest campaign, UNSC forces including [[Edward Buck]] carried out [[Operation: ASTUTE TIGER]], planting numerous area-denial munitions (ADMs) in Covenant landing zones, prior to UNSC evacuation.{{Ref/Game|Id=H5GLtd|Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition|[[Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition dossiers#Edward Buck|Dossier files]] - Edward Buck}}

After Covenant forces led by [[Field Master]] [[Re'gish Wamik]] discovered a Forerunner structure under the ice, the Prophet of Regret sent the Arbiter to lead an excavation operation and retrieve any significant artifacts.<ref name="IS">''Halo Wars Interactive Site''</ref>

In a last ditch attempt to remove the Covenant, the {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} {{UNSCShip|Prophecy}} was sent to Harvest. The ''Prophecy'' managed to destroy several enemy ships, and set up a small [[Alpha Base (Harvest)|forward outpost]] on the ground. However, the ship was critically damaged and became stranded, with its reactor leaking lethal radiation. An [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] [[UNSC prowler|prowler]] was present in-system to witness the battle, but in order to maintain stealth, made no attempt to evacuate any survivors from the ''Prophecy'' and jumped out of the system to inform [[UNSC Fleet Command|FLEETCOM]] instead.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}

==Final liberation of Harvest==
On January 3, 2531, while in a UNSC staging area in interstellar space, Admiral Cole received a message from [[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Orez]] of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Orez informed Cole that the ''Prophecy'' had repelled newly arrived Covenant warships in the [[Epsilon Indi system]] and that there were survivors to be rescued. The {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} was chosen by Cole due to its role as a support ship rather than a warship. The ''Spirit of Fire'', along with a frigate, arrived at the system on February 4, three days after the ''Prophecy''{{'}}s crew sent their message.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}

===Space battle===
Upon their arrival, [[Serina]], ''Spirit of Fire''{{'}}s onboard [[artificial intelligence]], analyzed the ''Prophecy'' and reported that the ship's nuclear reactor was damaged and was releasing a harmful level of radiation throughout the ship. The ''Spirit of Fire'' attempted to draw the Covenant away from the ''Prophecy'' by using its MAC and [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon|HAVOK nuclear warheads]] upon enemy craft. A Covenant capital ship and several dropships were destroyed, though the rest gathered behind the ''Prophecy'' to avoid being fired upon.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}

[[File:Phantom and Pelican.png|thumb|250px|Fire Team Lima's Pelican heading toward the ''Prophecy''.]]
[[Fire Team Lima]], commanded by [[Sergeant]] [[John Forge]], was transported to the ship, but their [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] was fired upon and made a crash landing on the ''Prophecy''. The landing resulted in the death of [[Chris (Marine)|one of the Marines]] and forced the survivors to use torches to cut their way into the ship. The team split up, with Forge heading for the navigation room and the rest of the fireteam searching for survivors. Serina noted to Forge that the ship's AI, [[FitzGibbon]], may act "peculiar" due to elevated radiation levels. Forge was initially denied access to the navigation room by FitzGibbon due to multiple counts of misconduct in the former's service record. After Forge reminded the AI of the Covenant boarders and stated that his actions were in compliance with the nascent [[Cole Protocol]], FitzGibbon allowed the sergeant entrance into the navigation room to purge the data. FitzGibbon then activated a three-minute self destruct timer and informed Forge that his team was in Bay 2. Upon his arrival at Bay 2, the team quickly evacuated with some of the ''Prophecy'''s crew. After arriving back on the ''Spirit of Fire'', the survivors were taken to the medical bay, where Serina informed Forge that the radiation poisoning that the crew sustained was too severe and that they would certainly die.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}

After the threat in space was destroyed, the Office of Naval Intelligence kidnapped a civilian scientist, Professor [[Ellen Anders]], the grudging protegé of Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]]. ONI wanted her to decipher a Covenant message written in [[Forerunner symbols|Forerunner glyphs]]. Anders was then sent to the ''Spirit of Fire'' via the prowler {{UNSCShip|Last Gleaming}}. Upon her investigation, she concluded that the message meant that "treasure"  was to be found, but was hidden. Shortly thereafter, Anders scanned the northern polar region of Harvest, concluding that there was [[Relic (location)|a structure]] under the ice.{{Ref/Reuse|Gen}}

===Ground battle===
[[File:HW Screenshots Screens 6.png|250px|thumb|Alpha Base under attack.]]
During the coming ground battle, [[Alpha Base (Harvest)|Alpha Base]] served as a staging point for Forge's reconnaissance patrol near the Forerunner structure in the northern polar region. In the combat's early stages, Anders redirected a squadron of [[AV-14 Hornet]]s on their way to [[Rally Point Baker]] near Alpha Base to investigate activity readings on [[Quadrant 4]], where they discovered a significant concentration of Covenant forces. Sergeant Forge was sent to investigate further, but the Covenant had already moved on. During this time, Alpha Base was destroyed and was occupied by the Covenant while the UNSC forces in the area were scattered.{{Ref/Reuse|IS}}

In response, the ''Spirit of Fire'' sent reinforcements to retake the Alpha Base. Forge managed to rally survivors and recapture the area, destroying the Covenant presence with assistance from [[B-65 Shortsword]] bombers.<ref>'''Halo Wars''', campaign level ''[[Alpha Base (Halo Wars level)|Alpha Base]]''</ref> The Marines then reestablished the base, from which Forge led an assault to capture the Forerunner [[Relic (location)|relic]] which had been excavated by the Covenant.<ref>'''Halo Wars''', campaign level ''[[Relic Approach]]''</ref> As the UNSC forces approached the structure, the [[Prophet of Regret]] ordered the Arbiter to destroy it in order to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. However, the UNSC managed to destroy the detonator in time, and push into the interior of the structure.<ref name="Interior">'''Halo Wars''', campaign level ''[[Relic Interior]]''</ref>

Upon capturing the structure, Anders opened a [[Holography|holographic]] map of nearby star systems. Several [[Sangheili]] disengaged their [[active camouflage]] and attacked Forge's squad. When Forge and his men were pinned down, two [[M850 Main Battle Tank|Grizzly MBTs]] were deployed from the ''Spirit of Fire'' to help them escape. The Grizzly tanks cleared a path and led Forge and Professor Anders to waiting Pelican dropships to return to the ''Spirit of Fire'', while reinforcements from Alpha Base held off the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|Interior}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:HW Trailer Battle.jpg|250px|thumb|Marine forces battle the Covenant in the frozen remnants of the formerly-lush planet.]]
The information the Covenant gained from the Forerunner structure led them to the UEG colony on [[Arcadia]]. Anders was drawn to the same planet after examining the artifact. The Covenant [[Battle for Arcadia|attacked]] Arcadia on February 9, 2531, closely followed by ''Spirit of Fire''.<ref>'''Halo Wars''', campaign level ''[[Arcadia City]]''</ref>

Overall, the campaign was one of the UNSC's earliest and greatest victories. Despite sustaining heavy casualties, the UNSC had managed to retake Harvest, which, although devastated, held important strategic value. The victory boosted morale immensely across the colonies, proving that the Covenant were not invincible and could be beaten. However, as the Covenant began to destroy the Outer Colonies and move in on the [[Inner Colonies]], Harvest lost its strategic value, and the UNSC began pulling back to protect more important worlds such as [[Earth]] and [[Reach]].{{Ref/Reuse|HW}}

Ultimately, the Covenant once again returned to Harvest in [[2534]], glassing the planetary surface for a second and decisively final time.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=51}} After this event, Harvest was effectively abandoned by humanity.

==Participants==
===Personnel===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
'''United Nations Space Command'''
*[[Admiral]] [[Preston J. Cole]]
*[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[James Cutter]]
*[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jenkins (Captain)|Jenkins]]
*[[Sergeant]] [[John Forge]]
*[[Chris (Marine)|Chris]]†
*[[Edward Buck]]
*[[Ellen Anders]]
*[[Serina]]
*[[FitzGibbon]]
*[[Keiichi-047]]
*[[Unidentified Spartan-II]]†
*[[Helena Roman]]†
{{col-2}}
'''Covenant'''
*[[Prophet of Regret]]
*[[Minister of Penance]]
*[[Arbiter]] [[Ripa 'Moramee]]
*[[Field Master]] [[Re'gish Wamik]]
*[[Weapons Master]] [[Sanj'ik]]
*[[Je'ddak Zule]]
*[[Ustaf 'Nbekee]]
*[[Prisoner 0005849784A]]
{{col-end}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Dirt]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
**''[[Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition dossiers|Limited Edition dossiers]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]'' {{Im}}

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

{{Human-Covenant War}}
[[Category:UNSC victories]]
[[Category:Battles of the Human-Covenant War]]