Editing Human-Covenant War

**[[Insurrection#Post-war resurgence|Insurrection]] {{c|postwar resurgence}}

**[[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war]]

|image=[[File:Other Wiki HCW collage.png|415px]]<br>Clockwise from top left: [[Insurrectionist]]s are attacked by the Covenant at [[Alpha Corvi II]]; UNSC forces under fire inside a [[Relic (location)|Relic]] on [[Harvest]]; a {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} [[glassing]] [[Kholo]]; [[John-117]] on a [[Pelican]] over [[Installation 04]]; [[Sangheili Honor Guardsman|Sangheili Honor Guardsmen]] fighting [[Jiralhanae]] at the start of the [[Great Schism]]; [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]], John-117, Sergeant [[Avery Johnson]], and [[343 Guilty Spark]] on [[Installation 08]]

|place=The [[Orion Arm]] of the [[Milky Way]]<ref group="notes">The Human-Covenant War briefly extended outside the Milky Way galaxy for the [[Battle of Installation 00]]</ref>

|result='''Human-Sangheili victory'''<ref>''[[Believe]]'', [[Museum]]</ref>  

*[[Flood]] threats sterilized and contained{{Ref/Reuse|The Covenant}}

*Activation of the [[Halo Array]] averted<ref>'''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''', ''page 50''</ref>

*[[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war|Ongoing conflict between former Covenant factions]]<ref>''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe'', "[[The Return]]"</ref>

*{{Icon|Covenant FB}} '''[[Covenant separatists]]''' {{C|From [[2552#November|November 3, 2552]] onwards}}

**'''[[Fleet of Retribution]]'''  

----

*{{Icon|Insurrectionist}} '''[[Insurrectionists]]'''

|side2=*{{Icon|Covenant FB}} '''[[Covenant]]'''

|side3=*'''[[Flood]]'''

*[[Fleet Admiral|FADM]] [[Terrence Hood|Lord Terrence Hood]]

*[[Admiral|ADM]] [[Preston Cole]]† (MIA, assumed KIA)

*[[Admiral|ADM]] [[Michael Stanforth]]†

*[[Admiral|ADM]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]]†

{{Quote|Your destruction is the will of the Gods... and we are their instrument.|The Covenant's declaration of war.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 98 (2001)</ref>}}

The war was instigated by the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] of the Covenant following a discovery which led them to believe that humans were directly related to the Forerunners, contradicting their [[covenant religion|ancient religion]]. Seeking to keep various political and religious orders intact, the High Prophets declared a holy war of genocide against the human species, and the discovery of their relation to the Forerunners was kept a secret.  With superior firepower, numbers and technology, the Covenant would repeatedly overpower the UNSC across hundreds of human-inhabited worlds, including the heavily defended strongholds of [[Reach]] and [[Earth]]. Humanity would win only scattered and costly victories.

===Insurrection===

{{Main|Insurrection}}

{{Expand-section}}

===Isolated battles (2525)===

{{Main|First Battle of Harvest}}

Humanity and the Covenant first came into direct contact on February 3, 2525, when a [[Kig-Yar]] [[missionary ship]], the ''[[Minor Transgression]]'', discovered [[Horn of Plenty|a human ship]] transitioning out of [[Slipstream space|slipspace]] and subsequently raided the vessel.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 27</ref> The raid continued to [[This End Up|another]] unfortunate human ship.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 97-100</ref> Some time after, [[Sif]], Harvest shipping operations AI, investigated the raids and reported her findings to an undercover [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] agent, [[Jilan al-Cygni]], believing that the attacks were Insurrectionist activity. The ONI agent devised a trap for the raiding parties, which resulted in a [[Skirmish Over Harvest|minor skirmish]] between [[Staff Sergeant]]s [[Nolan Byrne]] and [[Avery Johnson]], and the Kig-Yar privateers.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 128-134</ref> When the Covenant returned with [[Rapid Conversion|another ship]] and a contingent of [[Jiralhanae]] and [[Yanme'e]], the UNSC proposed a meeting (via pictogram) with the intention to make amends and to trade with the alien species.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 229</ref> The Covenant met the UNSC on Harvest, but were only interested in claiming the relics that the [[Luminary]] had detected on Harvest, completely oblivious that the humans were the "relics" in question. The meeting was botched after [[Osmo]], a member of the [[Harvest militia|Colonial Militia]], was attacked by a nervous [[Unggoy]] who was part of a second Covenant force sent to look for the relics. As a result, a firefight erupted between the two groups and the Covenant promptly retreated back to their ship.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 213</ref>

The political ramifications of these relics were abundant, and two [[San'Shyuum]] bureaucrats, the [[Prophet of Truth|Minister of Fortitude]] and the [[Prophet of Regret|Vice Minister of Tranquility]], were already scheming to use the supposed reliquary to inaugurate a new [[Ages of Reclamation|Age of Reclamation]] with themselves as the [[Hierarchs]] of the [[High Council]].<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 271</ref> To do this, they needed the blessing of the Oracle of [[High Charity]]. When the two San'Shyuum approached the [[Prophet of Mercy|Philologist]] to affirm on their behalf, the data from the ''Rapid Conversion'' caused [[Mendicant Bias|the long-dormant Oracle]] to reactivate. Mendicant declared that the Covenant had been misinterpreting Forerunner symbols: the "relics" in question were the humans, calling them [[Reclaimer]]s and his makers. This shocked the three San'Shyuum, who falsely concluded that the humans were actually living [[Forerunner]]s who had been left behind when the others transcended.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 275 ("'The Forerunners,' the Minister whispered. 'Some were left behind.'")</ref> Although they were able to prevent Mendicant from taking the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] to take the humans to deliver them to [[Installation 00|the Ark]], Fortitude concluded that if the masses learned that they might be left behind, they would rebel against the Prophets. Fortitude and Tranquility inducted the Philologist into their plan and ascended as the High Prophets of Truth, Regret, and Mercy.  

===Open war (2525-2535)===

{{Main|Massacre of the Outer Colonies}}

[[File:CP armor.png|thumb|left|200px|A member of Gray Team at the [[Battle of the Rubble]].]]

With the majority of the Outer Colonies glassed or abandoned, the UNSC faced an economic crisis, as many of their [[agriculture world]]s had been destroyed, leading to food shortages. On [[Charybdis IX]], food riots were common.<ref>''Halo: The Cole Protocol'', p. 106</ref> Meanwhile, Covenant forces began to encroach on the [[Inner Colonies]].<ref>''Halo: The Cole Protocol'', p. 25</ref> In response, the UNSC issued [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1]], otherwise known as the "Cole Protocol". It stated that no UNSC vessel may lead the Covenant to Earth or any other human population center. Furthermore, all movement through space was restricted to [[UNSC Navy]] vessels.{{Ref/Reuse|Genesis}} [[Insurrectionist]] attacks increased in the face of what the colonies perceived as a removal of their right to freedom of movement. This was to culminate in the discovery of Insurrectionists using Covenant weapons supplied by apparently renegade [[Kig-Yar]]. Shocked, the UNSC viewed this as a major threat to security.<ref>''Halo: The Cole Protocol'', p, 109</ref> Upon learning of this, the [[Prophet of Regret]] declared such weapons as heresy, and as a result dispatched [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee to destroy the source of the modified weapons: a remote asteroid habitat known as [[the Rubble]].<ref>''Halo: The Cole Protocol'', p. 146</ref>

By the time of the [[Battle of Jericho VII]] in 2535, most of the Outer Colonies were either destroyed, or cut communications with the UNSC.

{{Main|Siege of the Inner Colonies}}

Throughout the 2540s, the UNSC was dealt ever greater blows with the death of the SPARTAN-II [[Sheila-065]] during the [[Battle of Miridem]] in 2544,<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 173''</ref> followed by the [[Battle of Actium|defeat at Actium]] in [[2545]],<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/featured/video/herocourage/c2ada678-e9ce-4db9-9ce9-1864070bd198 '''Halo Waypoint''' video, ''Hero-Courage'']</ref> defeat during the [[Fall of Arcadia]]<ref>'''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]'''</ref> and the [[Siege of Paris IV|loss of Paris IV]] in 2549.<ref>''Halo: First Strike'', p. 244</ref> One of the UNSC's success was [[Operation: TORPEDO]] in 2545. The loss of 298 SPARTAN-IIIs was ultimately considered acceptable losses by UNSC High Command.<ref name=Onyx27 >''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'', p. 21</ref> The SPARTAN-II raid on the [[Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence]] to recover a captive Dr. Halsey further proved the Covenant Empire was overwhelmingly powerful, but not invincible.<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''</ref>

[[File:Covenant assault - 2.png|thumb|left|225px|[[Civilian]]s on a human colony world under siege by a Covenant invasion force.]]

Towards the end of the war in 2552, the Office of Naval Intelligence was resigned to the fact that humanity may only have months left before the Covenant destroyed the remaining Inner Colonies and moved against Earth. To try and buy time, HIGHCOM ordered all available SPARTAN-IIs to return to Reach and commence [[Operation: RED FLAG]], a mission to locate the Covenant homeworld and capture a Prophet to force the Covenant into a cease-fire.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 240-245</ref>

=====The tide turns=====

[[File:Fifth Fleet - H2A.png|thumb|left|300px|The [[UNSC]] [[UNSC Home Fleet|Home Fleet]] shortly before the Covenant attack on Earth.]]

A few weeks after this defeat, the [[Prophet of Regret]] discovered the location of a significant Forerunner artifact on his own. Without knowledge of the fact the planet housing this artifact was the human homeworld, Regret led a small fleet of fifteen ships to Earth, in order to locate [[Portal at Voi|a portal]] to an installation known as "[[Installation 00|the Ark]]".{{Ref/Reuse|tentwenty}} Though hopelessly outgunned by the UNSC's new orbital defense grid of MAC guns, the Prophet of Regret's [[Solemn Penance|flagship]] managed to break through the human defenses to [[New Mombasa]]. The Covenant ground troops quickly spread through the city, destroying both military and civilian resistance, but a counter-attack by the [[Marines]] and John-117 resulted in their swift defeat. With his fleet burning in orbit, Regret was forced to retreat. His carrier jumped into slipspace from within the city, damaging it severely. Following Regret's jump, waves of Covenant reinforcement forces, including a [[Truth's fleet|support fleet]] sent by the Prophet of Truth, arrived, resulting in a month-long constant engagement on Earth.{{Ref/Generic|Id=lootcrate2|Heading=[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|Subheading=[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=goo204|Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Page=204-205}}{{Ref/Reuse|tentwenty}}{{Ref/Site|Id=waypointvergil|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-vergil-reality|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Vergil Reality|D=15|M=06|Y=2021}}

=====Onyx Conflict=====

Long before the events around Halo, the classified UNSC colony of [[Onyx]] had been designated the headquarters and training ground for the SPARTAN-III program. However, the UNSC had no idea that the planet was in fact a huge [[Sentinel|Forerunner structure]], integral to the [[Halo Array]], and composed of trillions of [[Onyx Sentinel|Sentinels]].<ref>''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'', p. 377-378</ref> After John-117's destruction of Alpha Halo, the Sentinels were roused by the disruption of the Halo network and the portal leading into the [[Trevelyan|Shield World]] at the planet's core began to close. At this time, a small group of SPARTAN-IIIs were training in a top honors exercise on the surface. After the humans failed to exchange the proper counter-responses, the Sentinels relabeled the [[Reclaimer]]s as an "aboriginal subspecies" and began to exterminate them.<ref>''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'', p. 133</ref> Led by [[Kurt-051]], the SPARTAN-IIIs fought a guerrilla war against the Sentinels until Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]] arrived on Onyx and explained the wider situation. Knowing that the Forerunner technology buried in Onyx's core could turn the tide of the war for humanity, Halsey used Forerunner technology to send a message to [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood|Sir Terrence Hood]], requesting reinforcements. Hood deployed [[Blue Team]] to Onyx, who stole [[Bloodied Spirit|a Covenant destroyer]] to reach the planet in time.<ref>''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'', p. 221</ref>

=====Arrival of the Flood and Human-Sangheili victory=====

[[File:Final meeting 7.png|thumb|250px|The Sangheili and humans make ready to finish Truth and the Covenant.]]  

Following the Flood infestation of ''High Charity'', the High Prophet of Truth led his remaining fleet to Earth to complete what his occupation forces on Earth had started. Little did he realize that a SPARTAN-II had stowed away with him on board his Dreadnought. By the time Truth arrived at Earth, a full-scale battle in space and on the ground was underway between UNSC and [[Covenant fleet]]s.<ref name="bnet">[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=16989 '''Bungie.net''': ''Bungie Weekly Update: 01/23/09 '']</ref>

==Aftermath==

{{Quote|Decades from now, when historians evaluate the war, what will they say about us? Will they claim that our victory was ultimately fruitless? That it failed to secure a lasting peace, or worse, that it was only a prelude to far greater horrors that now lay ahead? My hope -- OUR HOPE -- is that history would instead view this war as a catalyst. That the last thirty years were a crucible, a threshing floor for our species, sifting out our fears and frailties. And that ultimately it made us stronger and more vigilant in the end, fully prepared for whatever will come next. After all, what good is struggle if there is no change? What good is a fire if the sword is not made stronger?|[[Codename: SURGEON]] prefacing the first [[Eleventh Hour reports|Eleventh Hour report]].<ref name="EH">'''[[Eleventh Hour reports]]''': ''Aftermath (1/5)''</ref>}}

On [[2553|March 3, 2553]], a [[Voi Memorial|monument was erected on a hillside]] near the Portal to the Ark to commemorate the billions of men and women killed during the war, and [[John-117]]'s tag was included as he was presumed [[Missing in action|MIA]] by the UNSC, as no Spartan could be declared dead. Lord Hood shook hands with the Arbiter to signify an end to hostilities and [[Treaty of 2552|a formal ceasefire]] was agreed upon between the UNSC and the Arbiter's [[Swords of Sanghelios]]. The [[Treaty of 2552]] was eventually signed between humanity and the Swords of Sanghelios, officially ending the war for the two factions. As part of the treaty, neither faction was allowed to return to the remains of [[Installation 04]] with a return being considered a severe violation of the peace.

In the [[Silver Timeline]], [[The Rubble]] manages to survive for quite a bit longer through the war. As well, the [[Halo Array]] is discovered in a different manner.{{Ref/Site|Id=Debrief1|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/silver-debrief-a-new-beginning|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Silver Debrief: A New Beginning|D=9|M=3|Y=2022}} [[Operation]]s [[Operation: FALLEN WALLS|FALLEN WALLS]], [[Operation: HORIZON|HORIZON]] (on [[Algol]] rather than [[Cascade]]), and [[Operation: IRON FIST|IRON FIST]] took place in the timeline as well.{{Ref/Reuse|Halsey's Computer}}

===Non-canon===

In the ''[[Halo Legends]]'' short ''[[Odd One Out]]'', UNSC forces fought Covenant forces on [[Cronkee]].

==Trivia==

**''[[The Babysitter]]''

**''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''

*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''

**''[[Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss]]''

**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''

**''[[The Return]]''

*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''

*''[[Remember Reach]]''

*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''

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

*''[[Halo: New Blood]]''

*''[[Hunt the Truth]]''

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

**''[[Sacrifice]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo Infinite]]''

*''[[Halo: The Television Series]]''

{{col-end}}