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{{ | {{Era|HCW}} | ||
{{ | {{Ratings}} | ||
{{ | {{battle | ||
|prev=[[ | |prev=[[Fall of Arcadia]] | ||
|conc= | |conc= | ||
|next= [[Battle of | |next= [[Battle of the Unidentified Human Colony]] | ||
|name= | |name=Battle of Ariel | ||
|image=[[File:Helljumpers One.png| | |image=[[File:Helljumpers One-Cropped.png|350px]] | ||
|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]] | |conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]] | ||
|date=[[2552#January|January 8, 2552]] | |date=[[2552#January|January 8, 2552]] | ||
|place=[[Ariel]] | |place=[[Ariel]] | ||
|result= | |result=Destruction of [[the Knowing]], Covenant leaves the planet unglassed | ||
|side1=[[United Nations Space Command]] | |side1=[[United Nations Space Command]] | ||
|side2=[[Covenant]] | |side2=[[Covenant Empire]] | ||
|commanders1=[[Master Sergeant|MSgt]] [[Frost]] | |commanders1=[[Master Sergeant|MSgt]] [[Frost]] | ||
|commanders2=[[Unidentified Prophet (Battle of Ariel)|Unidentified Minor Prophet]] | |commanders2=[[Unidentified Prophet (Battle of Ariel)|Unidentified Minor Prophet]] | ||
|forces1= | |forces1=Space forces | ||
:(2) [[UNSC frigate]]s | |||
Ground forces | |||
:[[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s | |||
|forces2= | ::[[105th Shock Troops Division]] | ||
|forces2=Space forces | |||
:N/A | |||
Ground forces | |||
:[[Unggoy|Unggoy soldiers]] | |||
:[[Sangheili|Sangheili soldiers]] | |||
:[[Kig-yar|Kig-yar soldiers]] | |||
|casual1=*Some civilians | |casual1=*Some civilians | ||
*2 ODSTs | *2 ODSTs | ||
|casual2= | |||
|casual2=*Heavy ground losses | *Heavy ground losses | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Battle of Ariel''' was an engagement on the [[human]] colony of [[Ariel]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]]. It was fought between the [[United Nations Space Command]] and the [[Covenant Empire]].<ref name="is1">'''[[Halo: Helljumper]]''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 1|Issue 1]]''</ref><ref name="is2">'''Halo: Helljumper''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 2|Issue 2]]''</ref> | |||
The UNSC mission on Ariel was codenamed ''Operation FIRESIDE''. | |||
[[ | == Background == | ||
At some point during or before [[2552#January|January 2552]], the archaeological colony of Ariel came under attack by the Covenant. Led by a [[Unidentified Prophet (Battle of Ariel)|Lesser Prophet]], they sought a Forerunner construct referred to as [[the Knowing]]. One of the colony's civilians managed to send a distress call, to which the UNSC responded with sending ODST forces to investigate on January 8th, [[2552]].<ref>'''Halo: Helljumper''', ''Issue 1'', page 3: "UNSC Operation 2552-JA-8 Codename: Fireside", ''page 3''</ref> | |||
== Battle == | |||
After deploying to the planet, the ODSTs found a body in the transmissions bay: [[Charles (Civilian)|a man]] had apparently died of fright. Other civilians or bodies were nowhere to be found. The ODST squad under the command of [[Master Sergeant|MSgt]] [[Frost]] split into two-man teams, with each team investigating a different area of the colony. Frost and [[Michaels]] investigated the areas closer to the surface, with Frost contacting the other teams regularly.<ref name="is1"/> [[Taylor H. Miles|Dutch]] and [[Kojo Agu|Romeo]] proceeded into the generator complex of the colony, where they observed several [[Sangheili|Elites]] and [[Unggoy|Grunts]] digging for something in the generator room. They reported their findings to Frost, who ordered them to get back topside. | |||
[[Higgins]] and [[Campbell (ODST)|Campbell]] investigated the motor pool, where they were caught by surprise and killed by several [[Kig-yar|Jackals]]. Meanwhile, Dutch and Romeo were suddenly engaged by massive numbers of Grunts and some Elites, who cut off the troopers' exit route. Romeo managed to collapse a platform, killing two Elites. However, they were soon engaged by another Elite, who overpowered them in close combat. Meanwhile, one of the generators went critical, starting a chain reaction that would destroy the whole complex. Frost ordered everyone to evacuate, leaving Dutch and Romeo behind.<ref name="is2"/> On foot, they then proceeded to the colony's other archaeological dig, situated some kilometers away. | |||
Unbeknownst to the other Marines, Dutch and Romeo survived the explosion, and sought to regroup with the rest of the ODSTs.<ref>'''Halo: Helljumper''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 3|Issue 3]]''</ref> After finding their way to a higher ground, they noticed a large Covenant ground force amassing behind the other ODSTs, still on their way to their destination. The two decided to lure the Covenant away from their compatriots, detonating several explosives jammed into a fissure and burying numerous Covenant under a collapsing canyon. Dutch and Romeo then escaped, planting traps for their pursuers as they went. They then came across a lightly-guarded [[Type-52 Troop Carrier|Phantom dropship]], captured it and used its weapons to take down a large number of Covenant foot soldiers. However, the ship was soon hit and crashed near the other archaeological dig site.<ref>'''Halo: Helljumper''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 4|Issue 4]]''</ref> | |||
While the rest of the Marines were still on their way to the site, Dutch and Romeo discovered the colony's civilians. They were being held prisoner by Covenant forces, who had used them to unearth [[Ariel Forerunner complex|a Forerunner complex]], and were currently making the humans spring traps in the entrance to the facility. The two ODSTs took down the Covenant in the building, and avoiding the traps, made their way inside the alien complex. In the inner chamber, they encountered [[the Knowing]], which told them that it possessed an unimaginable amount of knowledge. The ODSTs decided that the AI had to be destroyed to prevent the Covenant from gaining access to the data, against the ONI's [[Xeno orders]]. Romeo told the Knowing to self-destruct, and the AI complied his request with no hesitation. The two ODSTs escaped the underground complex just in time before the explosion. Meanwhile, the rest of the ODSTs arrived outside the dig site and noticed more Covenant forces inbound.<ref name="is5">'''Halo: Helljumper''', ''[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 5|Issue 5]]''</ref> | |||
Following the Knowing's destruction, the Minor Prophet leading the Covenant forces declared the planet desecrated and ordered them to withdraw immediately in order to return to ''[[High Charity]]'' and inform the [[High Council]] of the incident. The Covenant retreated in a hurry, even sparing Ariel from [[glassing]] as they left.<ref name="is5"/> | |||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery widths="140"> | ||
File:Ariel drop.png|SOEIVs entering Ariel's atmosphere. | File:Ariel drop.png|SOEIVs entering Ariel's atmosphere. | ||
File:Ariel_excavation.png|Covenant digging in Ariel's reactor complex. | File:Ariel_excavation.png|Covenant digging in Ariel's reactor complex. | ||
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File:Ariel_CovenantLeaving.png|Covenant forces leaving Ariel after the battle. | File:Ariel_CovenantLeaving.png|Covenant forces leaving Ariel after the battle. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
<references/> | |||
{{Human-Covenant War}} | {{Human-Covenant War}} | ||
[[Category:UNSC | [[Category:UNSC Victories]] | ||
