Editing Siege at Kolaar


{{Status|Canon}}
{{Cleanup}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev=[[Battle of Installation 00]] <small>([[Human-Covenant War]])</small>
|conc=
|next=[[Skirmish on Pious Inquisitor]]
|name=Siege at Kolaar
|image=
|conflict=[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
*[[Blooding Years]]
|date=[[2553#March|March 2553]]
|place=[[Vadam]], [[Sanghelios]]
|result=''''Vadam/UNSC victory'''
*[[Servants of the Abiding Truth]] defeated and retreat
*Inadvertent creation of [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]
*Creation of the modern [[Swords of Sanghelios]]
|side1=*[[Vadam]]
*[[Chaura]]
*[[Hilot]]
*Several other unnamed keeps
*{{Icon|UEG}} [[Unified Earth Government|UEG]] 
''Supported by'' <br>
*[[Acroli]] {{C|except for [[Nes'alun keep]]}}
|commanders1=*[[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]
*[[Fleet Admiral|FADM]] [[Terrence Hood]]
*[[Captain|CAPT]] [[Andrew Del Rio|Andrew Del Rio]]
|commanders2=*[[Field Master]] [[Avu Med 'Telcam]]
*[[Forze 'Mdama]]
*[[Vice Admiral|VADM]] [[Margaret Parangosky]]
*[[Captain]] [[Serin Osman]]
|side2=*[[Servants of the Abiding Truth]]
*Allied keeps
**[[Curo keep]]
**[[Nuan keep]]
**[[Rtova keep]]
**An unknown but presumably large number of keeps <small>(later)</small><ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 168''</ref>
***[[Nes'alun keep]]
''Supported by'' <br>
*{{Icon|ONI}} [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] 
*[[Bekan keep]] <ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 106''</ref>
|forces1=*Several warships
**5 [[Covenant cruiser|Cruisers]] <small>(later)</small>
*Numerous air vehicles
*[[Phantom]]s
*[[Spirit]]s
*[[Banshee]]s
*Numerous ground vehicles
**[[Anti-aircraft weapon|Anti-air batteries]]<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 151''</ref>
**[[Wraith]]s
**[[Rizvum-pattern Revenant]]
**[[Spectre]]s
**[[Ghost]]s
*Numerous ground forces
**[[Sangheili]] warriors
*1 {{Class|Infinity|supercarrier}}
**{{UNSCShip|Infinity}}
*ONI [[prowler]]
**{{UNSCShip|Port Stanley}}
|forces2=*Several warships
**8 [[Frigates]] 
***[[Unflinching Resolve]]
**1 [[Destroyer]] (Later)
*Numerous air vehicals
**[[Phantom]]s <ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 127''</ref>
**[[Spirit]]s
**[[Banshee]]s
*Numerous ground vehicles
**[[Wraith]]s
**[[Rizvum-pattern Revenant]]
**[[Spectre]]s
**[[Ghost]]s
*Numerous ground forces 
**[[Sangheili]] warriors
**[[Unggoy]] fighters
|casual1=Moderate<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 293''</ref>
*3 [[Covenant cruiser|Cruisers]] <ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 327 ''</ref>
*Many ground and air forces 
|casual2=Heavy<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 307''</ref>
*2 [[Frigates]] <ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 321''</ref>
*1 [[Destroyer]]
*3 [[Frigates]] (unknown fate)
*Numerous ground and air forces
}}

The '''Siege at Kolaar''',{{Ref/Reuse|myth}} also referred to as the '''Siege of Kolaar''',{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=246}}{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=256}} was the first of many assaults on the Arbiter [[Thel 'Vadam]] and his supporters following the [[Treaty of 2552|end]] of the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Book|Id=myth|HM|Page=144}}

==Background==
===Rise of The Servents of Abiding Truth===
The Servents Abiding Truth, under the leadership of former [[Field Master]] [[Avu Med 'Telcam]], coordinated their operations and stored large amounts of their arms and equipment in the [[Temple of the Abiding Truth]].<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''pages 138-139''</ref> Although the members of the Abiding Truth believed that the Covenant's [[Hierarchs|Prophets]] had been false and [[Great Schism|betrayed]] them,<ref name="SangheiliVsProphets" /> they still felt that the Forerunners were still gods and demanded reverence and respect. Consequently, they believed that [[Thel 'Vadam]] and those loyal to him were committing blasphemy by saying otherwise.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 20''</ref> A deal was later made between Telcam and the Office of Naval intelligence, where the Servants would receive arms from ONI in hopes of creating major unrest across Sangheilios.

===Rising tensions===
The Arbiter remained friendly to humanity and wished to build a mutual peace, with Thel believing that an alliance with humanity would bring about an era of everlasting peace. 'Vadam planned to visit each state to make his case for permanent peace with the [[human]]s they had battled for so many years. These reforms did not meet with universal approval. By [[2553#January|January 2553]], there was great dissent among disparate Sangheili factions, especially from the more devout believers in the [[Forerunner]]s' divinity.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 130''</ref>

==Battle==
In [[2553#March|March 2553]], an attempted [[Jiralhanae]] insurrection in [[Ontom]] led [[Avu Med 'Telcam]], leader of the Servants of the Abiding Truth, to the decision for an immediate assault on the state of [[Vadam]]. Along with nine ships and forces from [[Nuan keep]] and [[Rtova keep]], 'Telcam commanded the assault from the [[Covenant frigate|frigate]] ''[[Unflinching Resolve]]''.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 114''</ref>

Once the fleet arrived, they were quick to begin bombarding Vadam while ground troops below engaged the Arbiter’s forces.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 168''</ref> Despite catching the Arbiter off guard, his defenses managed to successfully fend off the enemy ground assault. Eventually, the ''Unflinching Resolve'' suffered a direct hit and crash-landed. As the Arbiters ships flew over the crash sight of the flagship, his forces prepared to hunt down the remaining Servants. However, news spread that he allowed humans to land on Sanghelios, leading many keeps to send reinforcements to aid the Servants of Abiding Truth and the tide turned in their favor.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 168''</ref> The State was quickly overrun by the massive influx of enemy troops making there way into Vadam, and when Thel's own reinforcements couldn't arrive on time, he reluctantly accepted [[Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]]'s offer for help in fending off the attackers.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 238''</ref> The tide turned when the UNSC's new [[flagship]], {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, arrived over Sanghelios and destroyed the newly arrived rebel destroyer ''[[Defender of Faith]]'' before finishing off most of the rebel ground forces with a [[MAC]] round.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 302''</ref> Thel and his forces took advantage of this and expelled the remaining invaders from Vadam.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 313''</ref> <ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 328''</ref>

As four of the Servants ships pick up what was left of their ground forces, The Arbiters allied ships finally arrived and moved to pursue the fleeing frigates.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 330''</ref> The {{UNSCShip|Port Stanley}}, posed as a [[Kig-Yar]] pirate ship, destroyed three of 'Vadam's cruisers that were pursuing the Servants in order to maintain the stalemate between the two factions.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 330''</ref> However the Arbiters personal cruiser, the [[Swordsman (ship)|Swordsman]], still managed to take out the [[Cleansing Truth]], which was holding both [[Forze 'Mdama]] and [[Raia 'Mdama]].

==Aftermath==
==='Vadam and his allies===
Sometime following the battle, the forces of the Arbiter would consolidate under the ancient banner of the [[Swords of Sanghelios]].{{Ref/Reuse|myth}}

===Servants and the Covenant===
The remnants of the Servants of the Abiding Truth escaped to [[New Llanelli]] to regroup. One month later 'Telcam said he would remain on New Llanelli until he convinced more keeps to join his cause or get enough ships to destroy those who refuse.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 122''</ref>

One major, albeit indirect consequence of the battle was the later creation of [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|a powerful new Covenant faction]] by [[Jul 'Mdama]] who was originally a member of the Servants of the Abiding Truth.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]'''</ref>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Legacy of Onyx]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon]]'' {{Im}}
*''[[Halo: Anvil Accord]]'' {{Im}}

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

{{Post-Covenant War conflicts}}
[[Category:UNSC victories]]
[[Category:Swords of Sanghelios victories]]