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Mombasa

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Mombasa
NM Emblem.png
A lion logo associated with Mombasa

Nmomb general 03.png
An aerial view of Mombasa

Overview

Location:

Kenya, East African Protectorate, Earth

Population:

Millions[1]

Notable structure(s):

 

"Hello, traveler. Mombasa welcomes you!"
— Superintendent[2]

Mombasa[3][4][5] is a major Earth city[6] in the Republic of Kenya; a member state of the East African Protectorate.[7] The heart of the city was the prosperous New Mombasa on Mombasa Island. The nearby mainland was the site of Old Mombasa, a comparatively run-down district.[8] Mombasa was considered a megacity.[9]

Mombasa is considered one of the most renowned and majestic cities on the planet and the "heart and soul" of the East African Protectorate.[10] The city's sea wall was famous.[11]

Mombasa was the site of Earth's first Space elevator[8] and centuries later, was a battlefield in the climactic year of the Human-Covenant War.[12][13] Most, if not the entire city was destroyed in this battle[14][15][16] requiring reconstruction through Project Rebirth.[17][4]

Overview[edit]

Geography[edit]

Mombasa Island, where the metropolis of New Mombasa lies, is separated from the mainland by two creeks: Tudor Creek to the north and Kilindini Harbor to the south. Northwest of the island and between the inlets, there may be a large peninsula, connected to the Mombasa island by the Makupa Causeway.[Note 1] Outside of the city and outside of Voi were the New Mombasa badlands.[18]

Old Mombasa[edit]

The skyline of Old Mombasa.[19]
Main article: Old Mombasa

Much of the mainland was known as Old Mombasa. This includes parts of the mainland south and southwest of Kilindini Harbour.[12][7]

The moniker of Old Mombasa was applied to all municipalities in a 74 km radius of Mombasa.[8]

Locations[edit]

New Mombasa[edit]

The city center of New Mombasa in 2552.[20]
Main article: New Mombasa

New Mombasa encompasses the entirety of Mombasa Island,[8] as well as some mainland territories.[7]

The City Center spans much of the Southeast portion of the island, being divided in multiple walled sectors.[Note 2]

While the majority of New Mombasa has been divided to numbered sectors, some districts such as Mbaraki, Kizingo or Kikowani still retain their original names. The original names are often seen in the names of streets or train stations, for example. Some of the districts' names have changed, albeit slightly; areas originally referred to as Tangana and Liwatoni are now referred to as Tanaga and Liwitoni, respectively. The locations of some districts have changed as well. This is the case with most of the districts on the southern side of the island, where the sea has claimed large areas of land.[16]

On the outskirts of New Mombasa existed an industrial wasteland where a UNSC munitions testing complex sat.[21]

Locations[edit]

Known residents[edit]

History[edit]

Interstellar Era[edit]

The New Mombasa Orbital Elevator.

Mombasa underwent dramatic change with the arrival of the interstellar era. In response to increasing demand for cheap orbital access, due to its economic stability and prominent location, Mombasa was chosen to be Earth's first Space Elevator city.[22] The government began construction on one of the wonders of the age: a space elevator (Mombasa's proximity to the equator made it an ideal location) in 2302.[8] This structure served to lift heavy cargo into geosynchronous orbit without expensive booster rockets filled with fuel.

Over the next eleven years the city experienced explosive growth, but nothing compared to what followed. The city grew out as well as up, its urban sprawl unequaled throughout the continent.[8]

Mombasa would change dramatically within the centuries that followed. By 2430, New Mombasa had absorbed the entire island and many of the surrounding towns, which became overrun by residents of Mombasa. The switch of name was never official, and though many of the neighborhoods within direct line of sight to the Mombasa Tether still distributed newspapers and Chatter directories under their previous names, all municipalities within a 74 km radius of the island became referred to as "Old Mombasa."[8]

On December 19, 2512, the Superintendent was activated to manage the city's infrastructure.[23]

Human-Covenant War[edit]

Some of the effects the Covenant had on the Mombasa area.
Main article: Battle of Mombasa

On October 20, 2552, a small group of Covenant capital ships arrived at Earth. Uninformed of the Human presence on Earth, Regret was outnumbered and outgunned against the UNSC Home Fleet. During the orbital battle, the Prophet of Regret's flagship broke through Earth's defenses and descended to the atmosphere, and anchored itself above New Mombasa.[12] The Covenant started deploying their ground forces to the city, in search of a Forerunner relic, the Ark Portal, buried under the city.[24]

However, due to a strong UNSC counterattack and the inferior numbers of the Covenant, Regret ordered all of his forces to be evacuated back aboard the Carrier. After this, the ship jumped into slipspace just above the city, releasing a shock wave and pulling multiple city blocks from the mainland with it.[13] This event became known as the "New Mombasa Slipspace Event."[25] After sending in ground forces and crushing the remaining UNSC resistance in the city in hours after Regret's retreat, the remaining ships of the initial fleet along with a larger Covenant fleet glassed the area in order to uncover the Portal the next day.[26][16] In the final days of the Battle in Africa, only smoldering ruins of Mombasa remained.[15] Though some areas like Halleg Street did survive somewhat intact.[4]

Post-war[edit]

The partially-rebuilt Mombasa Tether on Bazaar.
Mombasa being rebuilt in 2560.

Following the end of the war, the East African Protectorate began planning an ambitious and expensive project to rebuild the destroyed urban core.[4]

Around the same time, the Unified Earth Government began Project Rebirth to rehabilitate war torn areas on Earth.[27] UEG investments through Rebirth and UNSC activity at the nearby Portal at Voi did revitalize some of the city.[4] Eventually as well through Rebirth, the old city hall thoroughfare for Mombasa was to be transformed into the UNSC Memorial Park.[17] Part of the Rebirth investment was in reality to act as a smokescreen to allow for exploration of branching Forerunner mechanisms under the city as well as other work at the Excession.[28]

By 2560, much of the city was in a habitable state, and the Mombasa Tether was under reconstruction.[5]

Government and society[edit]

The Superintendent's most seen avatar.

Leadership and management[edit]

New Mombasa had a mayor.[17] The Superintendent, a second generation "dumb" AI[23] managed many of the municipal functions in New Mombasa[29] and in Old Mombasa.[19]

Service organizations and utilities[edit]

Numerous departments existed in Mombasa including; the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Recreation, the Department of Streets and Sanitation, and the Department of Utilities and Transportation.[30] The city also maintained a public works department.[31]

The transit of Mombasa is run by the New Mombasa Transit Authority. They are known to operate the extensive Maglev train network within the city.[29][32]

The New Mombasa Police Department is the police force of the city. They have stations in Old Mombasa[19] and their headquarters is located in the New Mombasa city center.[33] The UNSC's Joint Task Force MARIAH which guards the Excession, also guarded the Forerunner elements under Mombasa.[28]

The waste management of the city is handled by the New Mombasa Waste Management. They operate all sorts of garbage cans throughout New Mombasa and Old Mombasa. They also operate the Olifant.[16] The SinoViet Heavy Machinery owned Mombasa Sewer..Ltd appears to be involved in some form with the sewer system of the city.[34] Storm drains from the city ran out to the Mombasa Quays.[11]

Some parks and greenspace in Mombasa is manged by the New Mombasa Parks and Recreation. The Uplift Nature Reserve being one of the parks under their authority.[16]

The small industrial town of Voi helped to provide water, power, and transportation for Mombasa.[9] Some elements of power in Mombasa itself are managed and/or generated by the New Mombasa Energy Company.[5]

Other services in the city include mail being handled by the NMPost,[29] and port areas being handled by the Mombasa Port Authority.[5]

Economy[edit]

Fueder Construction and Misriah Armory offices in the city center.[29]

The economy of Mombasa is vast, with numerous corporations from various industries residing in or otherwise operating in the city. The size and scale of each company being quite different.

On the smaller end, there are hotels such as Hotel Zanzibar,[12] Palace Hotel[11] and one unidentified hotel[35] which all dotted the city. The smaller Voi Theater[36] and Arcade Game Zone[5] provided entertainment. Arney Antics was a smaller gun shop in the city. Various food options in the form of bars, restaurants, and other stores such as The Roost Star, Kuku's Cafe, Biashara Foods,[34] Kenya Vibe,[5] and The Corner[34][5] existed as well.

Vyrant Telecom owned the tallest office tower in the city, while Atlas Communications Corporation owned offices in the city and provided services as well.[33]

At least two financial services are known to operate in Mombasa. The first being African Trust.[29][37] The second, is the United Bank of Mombasa which operated ATMs in a part of the city.[5]

Heavy industry, construction, and defense corporations Jotun Heavy Industries, Traxus Heavy Industries, EnerGuide, Fueder Construction, Lethbridge Industrial, Hannibal Weapon Systems, Misriah Armory, AMG Transport Dynamics, and Cascade Stronghold Technologies all operated either industrial buildings or office towers across the city. New Mombasa Uplift which held offices in the city also operated the space elevator.[29][37] SinoViet Heavy Machinery in particular not only operated offices buildings in the city,[29] but could also be seen having created generators, streetside holotanks, and other electrical equipment in the city as well.[34][5]

Newspaper bulletins about Fall of Reach and Corbulo Academy of Military Science in Halo 2: Anniversary campaign level Outskirts.
Some of Mombasa's newspapers.[19]

Culture[edit]

Media and entertainment[edit]

Multiple media organizations exist within Mombasa. The city has two newspapers, the Daily Bulletin and The Mombasa Times. Mombasa also had its own circus called the Mombasa Circus. As well, rock concerts were held in the city by bands such as Fluke of the Narwal.[19] A food festival is held in Mombasa.[5]

Architecture and infrastructure[edit]

The architecture of the city is different depending on the location. Old Mombasa's architecture was an odd hodgepodge of old and new: 16th-century Muslim arcades, aging 21st-century office buildings, looming 26th-century power couplings, old concrete homes secured with computerized locks. Clotheslines strung next to power lines, and mechanical gates set into ancient brick walls.[12][19] In some areas, newer skyscrapers had found their home.[16][35]

The variety of architecture in Mombasa.[19]

New Mombasa is composed differently. In the southeastern city centre there is more use of a dense commercial focused arcology,[29] while elsewhere, it is more focused on large industrial designs.[13]

People[edit]

The culture also seems displaced between the different parts of the city; while New Mombasa was populated with industrial workers and ambitious cosmopolitans, Old Mombasa was considered to be more of an old rundown slum that deteriorates by the day. The denizens of the old city were largely isolated from the residents of New Mombasa; even their dialect was completely different from the standard language.[24]

With the rebuilding of the city, a new divide among the people has formed; between the original citizens, and the researchers and workers from colonial diaspora brought to the city.[28]

Gameplay[edit]

Mombasa and surrounding areas appear numerous times in Halo games.

Halo 2[edit]

Main articles: Halo 2, Halo 2: Anniversary
Artwork of Mombasa for Halo 2: Anniversary.

Mombasa is one of the locations visited in Halo 2's campaign. It is featured in two campaign levels; Outskirts which takes place in Old Mombasa and Metropolis which mostly takes place in the industrial zone of New Mombasa. Several multiplayer maps take place in the Mombasa area as well. Terminal, Ivory Tower, Tombstone, District, and Turf are all in various locations and various points in the city's history.

Halo 3[edit]

Main article: Halo 3

Mombasa is not a playable space in Halo 3's campaign. However its ruins can be seen in Tsavo Highway and The Storm across the other side of The Portal. The Mombasa area, specifically the Mombasa Quays, is playable in the map Longshore from the Mythic II Map Pack.

Halo 3: ODST[edit]

Main article: Halo 3: ODST
The playable area of Mombasa in Mombasa Streets.

Save for the very final cutscene, every level of Halo 3: ODST's campaign and every map in Firefight take place in Mombasa. Most prominently, the levels and maps are set in the New Mombasa city center. Mombasa Streets allow players to explore several sectors of the city center. The placement of some landmarks, like the Orbital elevator is different than what is seen in Halo 2.

Halo: Reach[edit]

Main article: Halo: Reach

A mainland portion of Mombasa is playable in the map Breakneck as part of the Anniversary Map Pack. Numerous landmarks can be seen outside the boundaries of the playable space. This version appears to be very similar to ODST's design of the city, though some elements of the city geography do not line up with any known depiction of Mombasa.

Halo: Spartan Strike[edit]

Main article: Halo: Spartan Strike

The city is seen in the first operation of Spartan Strike; Operation A: Orphic Spear, and in the first half of the last operation, Operation E: Brother's Keeper. All the missions on the first operation and first half of the last one take place in New Mombasa and takes elements from Halo 2 and ODST.

Halo Infinite[edit]

Main article: Halo Infinite

The Haller Street area of the city is playable in the multiplayer maps Bazaar and Streets.

Production notes[edit]

"Halo 4 multiplayer concept art © Microsoft Games"
Unused concept art of "Mombasa Heights" produced for Halo 4 multiplayer.

The Mombasa area was first seen during the Halo 2 E3 demo where it was significantly different than designs of the city seen in released media. In the demo, the city was a large tree like structure stretching into the sky. This structure was removed for the final game where the designers wanted the city to feel more real. They then based it more on the actual city using photographs to help imagine what it would look like 500 years into the future.[38]

During the production of Halo 4, concept art by Michael Pedro was produced for a potential multiplayer map set in "Mombasa Heights".[39]

Gallery[edit]

Main-Superintendent.png Browse more images in this article's gallery page.
  • Halo 2 concept art of the Mombasa arcology.

    Halo 2 concept art of the Mombasa arcology.

  • Concept art of a street in Old Mombasa.

    Concept art of a street in Old Mombasa.

  • Concept art of the Orbital Elevator.

    Concept art of the Orbital Elevator.

  • Concept art of the battle on the suspension bridge.

    Concept art of the battle on the suspension bridge.

  • Concept of the Mombasa skyline.

    Concept of the Mombasa skyline.

  • A behind the scenes image of Mombasa from Halo 2.

    A behind the scenes image of Mombasa from Halo 2.

  • A street in Old Mombasa.

    A street in Old Mombasa.

  • The skyline of Old Mombasa.

    The skyline of Old Mombasa.

  • A view of the suspension bridge from Old Mombasa.

    A view of the suspension bridge from Old Mombasa.

  • An overview of a part of Old Mombasa.

    An overview of a part of Old Mombasa.

  • The skyline of New Mombasa.

    The skyline of New Mombasa.

  • Uplift Nature Preserve.

    Uplift Nature Preserve.

  • The city center of New Mombasa.

    The city center of New Mombasa.

  • Mombasa area after the Battle of Mombasa.

    Mombasa area after the Battle of Mombasa.

  • Northwestern New Mombasa.

    Northwestern New Mombasa.

  • A simulated version of the battle in New Mombasa.

    A simulated version of the battle in New Mombasa.

  • The Mombasa megalopolitan area seen from space.

    The Mombasa megalopolitan area seen from space.

  • The West Market portion of Haller Street.

    The West Market portion of Haller Street.

List of appearances[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ This landmass was shown to be covered by water in Halo 3: ODST. This could be explained by the dramatic climbing of sea levels due to global warming, whose results are evident throughout Mombasa. Or by the creation of an artificial seaway that reaches further inland. It's also possible that this simply wasn't created for the in-game area as the only way to see that far west is in Panoramic camera mode
  2. ^ In Sadie's Story, multiple areas seen in the ODST campaign are referred to as the city center. This includes Kikowani Station (Audio log 1, Circle 1, Arc 1), ONI Alpha Site and the New Mombasa Data Center (Audio log 8, Circle 3, Arc 2), the NMPD headquarters (Audio log 24, Circle 8, Arc 3), and the area in which the Solemn Penance arrived at (Audio log 3, Circle 1, Arc 3).

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ Sadie's Story, Circle 2, Arc 3
  2. ^ Sadie's Story, Circle 1, Arc 1
  3. ^ Halo: Mortal Dictata, chapter 3
  4. ^ a b c d e Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Showcase Sensitive (Retrieved on Jun 16, 2021) [archive]
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Halo Infinite, multiplayer map Streets
  6. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 54
  7. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, New Mombasa (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Bungie.net, Halo 3 ODST : Field Guide - New Mombasa (Retrieved on May 25, 2013) [local archive] [external archive]
  9. ^ a b Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 201
  10. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 129
  11. ^ a b c Halo: Evolutions - Palace Hotel
  12. ^ a b c d e Halo 2, campaign level Outskirts
  13. ^ a b c Halo 2, campaign level Metropolis
  14. ^ Halo 2, multiplayer map Tombstone
  15. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level Tsavo Highway
  16. ^ a b c d e f Halo 3: ODST, campaign level Coastal Highway
  17. ^ a b c McFarlane Toys/Halo Point Prizes, Master Chief Statue Press Release
  18. ^ Halo 3, Easter egg, Missing Person Poster
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Halo 2: Anniversary, campaign level Outskirts
  20. ^ Halo 3: ODST, campaign level Uplift Reserve
  21. ^ Bungie.net, An Affinity for Art (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
  22. ^ Halo Waypoint: "Space Elevator" article (Archived on Archive.org)
  23. ^ a b Halo Waypoint: Superintendent
  24. ^ a b Halo Graphic Novel, Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa
  25. ^ Halo 3, multiplayer map High Ground
  26. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Vergil Reality (Retrieved on Jun 15, 2021) [archive]
  27. ^ Halo: Legacy of Onyx, chapter 2
  28. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Legendary Endings (Retrieved on Dec 13, 2021) [archive]
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h Halo 3: ODST, campaign level Mombasa Streets
  30. ^ Bungie.net, Intel - Superintendent (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
  31. ^ Halo 3: ODST, Field Operations Guide FM 90-10-140
  32. ^ Halo 2, multiplayer map Terminal
  33. ^ a b Halo 3: ODST, campaign level NMPD HQ
  34. ^ a b c d Halo Infinite, multiplayer map Bazaar
  35. ^ a b Halo: Reach, multiplayer map Breakneck
  36. ^ Halo 2, multiplayer map District
  37. ^ a b Halo 2: Anniversary, campaign level Metropolis
  38. ^ Youtube, First Look Halo 2 (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
  39. ^ Artstation, Halo 4, Michael Pedro (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
v • d • e
 
Locations in Mombasa

v • d • e
 
New Mombasa
Areas
Structures
Roads and streets
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