Editing Long Night of Solace (level)

{{Status|Gameplay}}

{{Title|Long Night of Solace (''Halo: Reach'' level)}}

{{Level infobox

|prev=''[[Tip of The Spear]]''

|next=''[[Exodus]]''

|name='''''Long Night of Solace'''''

|image=[[File:HR LongNightOfSolace Loadscreen.png|300px]]

|player=[[Spartan_(multiplayer)#Campaign_and_Firefight|Noble Six]]

|date=[[2552#August|August 14, 2552]]

|place=On the surface of and in orbit over [[Reach]]

|objective=Push forward to the [[Sabre Program Launch/Research Range|Sabre launch facility]], gain control of a [[YSS-1000|Sabre]], and initiate [[Operation: UPPER CUT]]

{{Article quote|Move up the beach and secure the launch facility. Take the battle to the Covenant Super Carrier.}}

'''Long Night of Solace''' is the sixth [[campaign]] level in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/109/1098266p1.html|Site=IGN|Page=E3 2010: Halo: Reach Campaign Preview}}{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_073010|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Bungie Weekly Update 30.07.10}}{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/digital/gaming/sneak-peak-of-halo-reach|Site=PopularMechanics|Page=Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peak of Halo: Reach}} This was the first level in the ''Halo'' series to feature playable ship-to-ship combat in space.

The level opens a day after the events of [[Tip of the Spear]], with [[NOBLE Team]] making their way into a cave at [[Ütközet]]. While the UNSC appears to be helpless against the newly emerged [[Covenant]] [[Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier|supercarrier]] ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', [[Catherine-B320]] comes up with a plan to destroy the ship by using a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine|slipspace drive]] as a makeshift bomb. Requiring considerable support from UNSC fleet assets in the area to safely deliver the bomb to within range of the supercarrier in addition to a military-grade slipspace drive (a very expensive piece of equipment in itself), the rest of the team is skeptical of the plan, but [[Urban Holland|Colonel Holland]] approves it. NOBLE Team travels to [[Sabre Program Launch/Research Range|a Sabre launch facility]], currently under attack by the Covenant. Once they fight their way inside, [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] and [[Jorge-052]] enter a Sabre that is immediately launched into the planet orbit, along with several other Sabres.

In orbit, they join the other [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] forces in defending the [[refit station]] ''[[Anchor 9]]'' until its defenses come back online. Meanwhile, the Slipspace drive of the [[Paris-class heavy frigate|frigate]] {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} is removed in order to be used in the mission, codenamed [[Operation: UPPER CUT]]. After the Sabres successfully defend the station from waves of Covenant fighter craft, Jorge is dropped off at ''Anchor 9'', just in time to witness the Covenant glass large areas of the planet below.

Jorge then boards a [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelican]] transporting the slipspace drive, joining Six, the rest of the Sabres and the ''Savannah'' as they move to Covenant-occupied space over Reach to execute the mission. The plan is to board a Covenant {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}, place it on an automated refueling course with the supercarrier, and then activate the slipspace drive inside the corvette's hangar in close proximity of the supercarrier, effectively tearing most of the ship apart. Upon locating the Covenant corvette ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'', the ''Savannah'' and the Sabres begin their assault on the ship.

After disabling its engines and eliminating its fighter escort, Six and the Sabre crews board ''Ardent Prayer'', disable its communications and make their way into the [[hangar bay|hangar]], allowing the Pelican carrying Jorge and the Slipspace drive into the ship. Six and the Sabre crews then make their way to the [[bridge]] of the ''Ardent Prayer'' and, after eliminating the command crew, initiate the corvette's refueling run with the ''Long Night of Solace''. Upon returning from the bridge, Six finds Jorge engaged against Covenant forces in the hangar. The Covenant are neutralized, but Jorge soon realizes that the Pelican was damaged in the fighting, leaving it unable to escape the ship. The Slipspace drive is also damaged, and has to be activated manually. Jorge decides to stay behind and activate the drive, sacrificing his own life but saving Noble Six by throwing them out of the corvette and down onto Reach, just before the corvette reaches its destination and the Slipspace drive is activated. The activation generates a Slipspace rupture that engulfs Jorge, the corvette, and the central section of the supercarrier and transports them into oblivion. For a very brief period of time, it is believed that the Covenant naval attack force at Reach was entirely neutralized by Jorge's sacrifice, but a massive [[Covenant fleet]] arrives in orbit over Reach just moments later.

''Screen fades into a dust cloud as a [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab]] walks by. After passing offscreen, it can be heard firing its main cannon.''

''The two look at Carter and Kat.''

*'''[[Lieutenant Commander ]][[Catherine-B320]]''': "That thing's crushing us, and we're waiting for backup? They'll be backing up a graveyard."

*'''Warrant Officer [[Emile-A239]]''': "Don't cut yourself."

[[File:Noble Team Reach.jpg|thumb|300px|The rest of NOBLE Team listens to Kat explaining her plan.]]

*'''Kat-B320''': "As a soldier in the field I couldn't ''possibly'' have access to those kinds of resources - that said, a good place to look might be... I don't know, the nearest nonexistent launch site in the nonexistent [[Sabre Program]], dismissed by three administrations as preposterous rumor... And in which our [[Spartan-B312|newest member]] was ''certainly'' never a pilot."

[[File:NobleBeach.jpg|thumb|300px|NOBLE Team charging up the beach.]]

''NOBLE team moves up the beach, eventually reaching an open area where a [[Dextro Xur-pattern Spirit|Spirit]] Dropship is dropping off several Covenant troops. The launch station is now in view.''

''Several [[Orbital Insertion Pod]]s hit the ground near Noble Team. After eliminating the enemy forces, Noble Team moves up the beach. As they do, a [[Type-31 Seraph]] fighter is shot down by an anti-air turret and crashes into the base.''

*'''Army Trooper #4''': "We got a [[Zurdo-pattern Wraith|Wraith]] on the lower platform!"

''Noble Team reaches the control room, which is filled with dead troopers. A hologram of a Covenant {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} hovers above a [[Holotank|holo-table]]. As they reach the far side of the room, a bulkhead opens to reveal the [[Sabre]]. The building shakes as a pair of Seraphs fly over it.''

[[File:Halo- Reach - Saber Launching.jpg|thumb|300px|Noble Six's Sabre takes off from the launch facility.]]

'''''Defend Anchor 9 until the defensive batteries come back online.'''''

*'''[[Colonel]] [[Urban Holland]] (COM)''': "Noble Actual to Sabre [[Bravo 029|Bravo Oh-Two-Niner]], over."

''Multiple [[Elsedda-pattern Banshee|Banshee Interceptors]] enter the area and are immediately engaged by the Sabres.''

[[File:HaloReach - Uppercut Slipspace Drive.jpg|thumb|300px|Jorge and two marines prepping the slipspace drive.]]

*'''Auntie Dot (COM)''': "Gladly. ONI [[SWORD Base|Sword Base]]: [[Sector 18G]]."

*'''Jen (COM)''': "''{{UNSCShip|Savannah}}''. Our wings may be clipped, but we've got your back."

[[File:HaloReach - Nav Beacon RA-15.jpg|thumb|300px|NAV Beacon RA-15 observing the ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''.]]

[[File:UNSC Savannah Firing.jpg|thumb|300px|The ''Savannah'' trading broadsides with the ''Ardent Prayer''.]]

''Noble Six arrives at the landing pad, along with three other Sabres. Noble Six gets out of the Sabre along with several [[UNSC Army]] [[pilot]]s in vacuum sealed suits from the other Sabres.''

''Noble Six and the pilots pass through the shield and enter the [[Zealot (map)|communication center]] of the Corvette, to find that the room's artificial gravity and life support are offline (most likely due to damage from the battle), and that any Covenant without vacuum-sealed armor have died, leaving only [[Unggoy Ultra]]s and more Sangheili Rangers. Noble Six and the strike team quickly dispatch them.''

*'''Army Pilot #1 (COM)''': "Colonel, on our way to the hangar."

''Six and the troopers engage a large number of enemy troops in the hangar, including an [[Engineer]] providing the Covenant with overshields. They are eventually neutralized; air and gravity subsequently returns to the interior of the corvette.''

''Jorge's Pelican enters the hangar. In the background, the UNSC ''Savannah'' can be seen engaging the Corvette. Jorge and several more Army pilots emerge from the Pelican.''

''Six turns and joins the Army pilots who are securing the area.''

*'''Army Pilot #2''': "Got plenty of arms and ammo if you need 'em, Spartan."

[[File:UNSC Savannah moments before explosion.jpg|thumb|300px|The ''Savannah'' explodes, being torn into multiple sections.]]

''Noble Six arrives at the plasma battery, finding a lone Sangheili gunner (or multiple gunners if playing Co-op). Outside the viewport, multiple plasma torpedoes can be seen impacting the fleeing frigate. Explosions blossom along the ''Savannah''{{'}}s hull.''

*'''Army Pilot #3''': "Looks like the bridge, Spartan. Let's clear it out."

''Noble Six and the troopers enter the bridge, a holographic map of Reach at its center. The bridge crew are managing the controls, unaware of the human presence. The supercarrier ''Long Night of Solace'' can be seen outside the window. Noble Six and the Army pilots eliminate the bridge crew, including Shipmaster [[Ardo 'Moretumee]], to gain control of the bridge.''

''Noble Six makes it back to the hangar, and finds Jorge and the slipspace bomb under heavy attack. Six helps take care of the majority of the attacking troops.''

*'''Jorge-052''': "We all make it sooner or later. Better get going, Six. They're gonna need you down there. Listen, [[Reach]] has been good to me..."

''Jorge removes his dog tags and gives them to Noble Six, grasping their hand in farewell.''

[[File:LNoS ends.jpg|thumb|300px|With Jorge's sacrifice, the ''Long Night of Solace'' is destroyed.]]

''Before Six can protest, Jorge tightens his grip, lifts the Spartan up with one hand and carries them to the shield door. The screen switches to Six's point of view.''

[[File:Reach AssaultCarriers.jpg|thumb|300px|Another Covenant fleet arrives above Reach.]]

[[File:HReach-SignalLost.jpg|thumb|300px|Signal from NAV Beacon RA-15 lost.]]

*ATC 1's exclamation, ''"They're everywhere!"'' is a [[List of Marathon references in Halo#Halo: Reach|reference]] to an iconic line of the [[Marathon|''Marathon'' trilogy's]] [[marathongame:BOB|BOBs]].

*A section of the level, the Sabre launch pad, is the setting of the multiplayer map ''[[Countdown]]''. The maps ''[[Zealot (map)|Zealot]]'', and ''[[Corvette (map)|Corvette]]'' are also derived from this level. The map ''[[Anchor 9 (map)|Anchor 9]]'' is based on this level, though it is not included in any part of the mission.

*This level was the first campaign level of ''Halo: Reach'' to be unveiled to the public. A shorter version of the level was first showcased in the ''[[Halo: Reach E3 Campaign Demo]]'' during the [[Microsoft]] press conference at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2010]]. Some minor parts of the level have changed, such as the player's initial weapons, Carter's line that was moved to ''[[Winter Contingency]]'' in the final game (''"We've been engaged!"''), and the {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}} dropped on the beach by the Spirit dropship.

*This is the first and only level in the series where the player directly engages [[Morsam-pattern Seraph|Seraph]]s, [[Elsedda-pattern Banshee|Space Banshee]]s, and a Covenant starship, a Corvette.

===Concept art and panorama===

<gallery>

File:HR_SabreBeach_Concept.jpg|Finalized concept art of the launch facility.

File:HR_SabreLaunchControl_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the launch control terminals inside the facility.

File:HR_SpaceBattle_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the level's space battle.

File:HR CovenantCorvetteHangar Concept.jpg|Concept art of the ''Ardent Prayer''{{'}}s hangar bay.

File:HR CovenantCorvette Corridor Concept 1.jpg|Concept art of the hallways inside the ''Ardent Prayer''.

File:HR_SupercarrierDestroyed_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the ''Long Night of Solace''{{'}}s destruction.

 

File:HR BeachFight2.jpg|Noble Six prepares a frag grenade during the fight outside the launch facility.

File:Reach E310 Campaign02.jpg|A Spirit dropping Covenant reinforcements as Ghost passes SPARTAN-B312.

File:HR Anchor9Defenses.jpg|A Seraph under attack from the point defense guns on ''Anchor 9''.

File:HaloReach - Space Battle.jpg|A Sabre and the {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} attack the ''Ardent Prayer''.

File:Covenant Corvette Bridge.jpg|A view of the bridge of the ''Ardent Prayer''.

File:HR CorvetteUltraTeam.jpg|A team of Sangheili Ultra launch the final assault on the hangar bay.

{{Ref/Sources}}