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| {{Ratings}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Fall of Reach]] |
| {{Era|FOR|FS|H2|ILB}}
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| {{battle
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| |prev=[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]
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| |conc=
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| |next=[[Battle of Installation 04]], [[Raid of Reach]]
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| |name=Battle of Reach
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| |image=[[Image:Battle of Reach.jpg|300px]]
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| |conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]]
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| |date=August 30, 2552 - September 23, 2552 (UNSC forces scattered)
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| |place=[[Epsilon Eridani System]], above planet [[Reach]]
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| |result=Covenant Victory, Reach [[Glassing|mostly glassed]]
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| |battles=
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| |side1=[[United Nations Space Command]]
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| |side2=[[Covenant]]
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| |commanders1=*[[Admiral Roland Freemont]]†
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| |commanders2=*Supreme Commander [[Thel 'Vadamee]]
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| *unknown fleetmaster
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| |forces1=*2 Fleets
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| **152 warships
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| ***1 super carrier
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| ***1 Carrier
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| ***3 Cruisers
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| ***Several dozen [[UNSC Destroyer|Destroyers]]
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| ***[[UNSC Frigate|Frigates]]
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| ***Corvettes
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| *20 [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s
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| *Platoon of 25 [[Spartans]]
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| *[[Marines]]
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| |forces2=*[[Fleet of Particular Justice]] and a second fleet
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| **315 Covenant Ships<ref>''Includes the initial 314, the Supercruiser </ref>
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| ***1 [[Covenant Supercruiser]]
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| *Legions of ground troops
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| |casual1=*Over 130 ships
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| **1 super carrier
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| *20 Super MAC Cannons
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| *Ground forces (estimated):
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| **5.7 million dead (5 million due to orbital bombardment)
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| **1.5 million wounded
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| **Numerous [[Spartan]]s
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| *Civilian (estimated):
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| **Unknown, but probably heavy due to the orbital bombardment
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| |casual2=*~262 ships
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| *Unknown number of ground troops (possibly heavy)
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| }}
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| The '''Battle of Reach''' was one of the largest and bloodiest engagements in the [[Human-Covenant War]]. It was fought between the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC Defense Force]] and the [[Covenant]] in August 2552.
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| ==Background==
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| Despite suffering a severe defeat at the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], the Covenant managed to place a tracking device on the {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} and use it to find [[Human]] colony worlds. When the ''Iroquois'' returned to [[Reach]], the Human presence, and its extent on that world was disclosed and later revealed to the Covenant fleet. Ironically, the location of Reach was already known to the Covenant via a previously recovered [[Forerunner]] artifact which indicated that Reach was the location of yet another artifact.
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| Less than two months after the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], a large Covenant fleet converged on [[Reach]] to recover the artifact and cleanse the human presence. With horrendous casualties sustained by both sides, the Covenant eventually routed the defenders and proceeded to [[glass]] the planet with the exception of the [[Highland Mountains]] and [[CASTLE Base]], the location of the artifact.
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| The artifact itself, a crystal, would later escape Reach and be [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE|destroyed]], with only a few fragments falling into Covenant hands.<ref>[[Halo: First Strike]]</ref>.
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| ==Battle==
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| ===Opening===
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| As the [[Covenant]] fleet sped through [[slipspace]] towards Reach, it was detected by the [[Remote Scanning Outpost]] ''[[Fermion]]''. In accordance with the [[Cole Protocol]], the station's commander [[Chief Petty Officer]] [[McRobb]] sent an emergency message to [[FLEETCOM]] and set the station to self-destruct to keep the Covenant from accessing its science library. A few minutes later, the Covenant fleet (numbering 314 ships) exited slipspace on the outskirts of the system. [[Admiral]] [[Roland Freemont]] ordered all vessels from the [[Reach]], [[Jericho System|Jericho]], and [[Tantalus]] systems to move to Reach to defend the planet. Subsequently, elements of the Covenant fleet attempted to assault the arriving and leaving UNSC ships (including the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}) before they could offer any resistance.
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| ===Space Battle===
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| Shortly afterward, the majority of the Covenant fleet began to assault the ships and stations over Reach. The UNSC fleet was outnumbered, but the twenty [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s above Reach provided support, and the battle soon became a stalemate. A new type of Covenant ship, the [[Covenant Supercruiser]], arrived to the battle. The ship was able to quickly slice through UNSC ships from stern to stern using [[energy projector]]s, a new item in the Covenant arsenal. The ''Pillar of Autumn'' was able to destroy it, although it was able to destroy several UNSC ships (including the {{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}}) before being destroyed. As the space battle continued, the Covenant took heavy losses and (as they did during the [[battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]) deployed [[Spirit]] dropships to the planet before falling back. The UNSC opened fire on the dropships, destroying many, although the majority managed to deploy their troops on the surface of Reach.
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| Shortly afterward, the remaining Covenant ships (about 150) divided into two groups: one group attacks the UNSC ships, while the other focuses on the Orbital Defense Platforms. The UNSC fleet, down to 50 ships, tries to defend, but is quickly overwhelmed.
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| ===Ground Battle===
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| Thousands of Covenant landed on Reach in an attempt to destroy the [[Orbital Defense Generator]]s, and were intercepted by [[marine]] forces. The remaining [[SPARTAN-II]]s who were not assigned to Reach Station Gamma were sent to [[Orbital Defense Generator Facility A-331]] to assist in the defense of the station. Unfortunately, their Pelican ([[Bravo 001]] piloted by [[Flight Officer]] [[Mitchell]] and escorted by the [[Longsword]] [[Knife 26]]) was shot down, resulting in the deaths of some Spartans, and some others were wounded as well. Near their crash site, the surviving Spartans discovered the shellshocked remnants of [[Charlie Company]].
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| Charlie Company was assigned by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]] to find the prototype [[NOVA Bomb]]s. They were forced to help defend the Orbital Defense Facilities on their way to their objective. Unfortunately, as the Covenant neared the Orbital Defense Generators, someone at [[HIGHCOM]] panicked and ordered Longswords to bomb everything within 500 meters, resulting in the destruction of the Covenant, but also catastrophic friendly fire: Charlie Company was reduced to four men, and its leaders [[Lieutenant]] [[Jack Chapman]] and [[Lieutenant]] [[Buckman]] were killed.
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| The Spartans, after being briefed on the situation by Charlie Company. responded to a distress call from Whitcomb, who requested immediate evacuation. [[Frederic-104]], commander of the Spartans, split the remains of [[Red Team]] into four groups: [[Team Alpha]] (Frederic-104, [[Kelly-087]], and [[Joshua-029]]), which was tasked with eliminating an encampment of 10,000 Covenant and their nearby ship (without doing anything that could damage the Orbital Defense Generators), [[Team Beta]], tasked with defense of the Orbital Defense Generators, [[Team Gamma]] ([[Li-008]], [[Anton-044]], and [[Grace-093]]), ordered to retrieve Whitcomb, and [[Team Delta]] (the [[Charlie Company]] marines and wounded Spartans including [[William-043]], [[Isaac-039]], and [[Vinh-030]]), ordered to secure the Spartans' fallback point at [[CASTLE Base]].
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| Team Alpha hijacked three [[Banshee]]s and approached the Covenant encampment (they were ignored by the [[Grunt]] [[Zawaz]], who assumed they were [[Elite]]s) and used [[Fury Tactical Nuclear Weapon]]s within the shields of the Covenant ship, destroying the encampment and negating the EMP effect that would have shorted the Orbital Defense Geneerators. Joshua-029 was killed in the process. They then fell back to CASTLE Base. Team Gamma and Team Delta accomplished their missions, at the cost of the remaining Charlie Company marines and all Spartans in Team Delta save for William, Isaac, and Vinh.
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| Unfortunately, Team Beta was unable to stop the Covenant, who attacked in swarms of thousands. The Orbital Defense Generators were compromised, and the Covenant glassed Reach.
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| ===Mission to Reach Station Gamma===
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| During the space battle, the [[AI] [[Doppler]], controller of [[Reach Station Gamma]], was unable to destroy the information onboard the {{UNSCShip|Circumference]], an [[ONI]] [[prowler]] involved in [[Operation: HYPODERMIC]]. As the Covenant deployed troops to the station, Doppler reported this violation of the Cole Protocol to the ''Pillar of Autumn''. In response, [[Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]] sent [[James-117]], [[Spartan-James]], and [[Linda-058]] to the station. They accomplish their task and destroy the NAV database onboard Reach Station Gamma, but at the cost of James and Linda. While onboard, they rescued some [[marines]] onboard the station: [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]] and [[Private]]s [[Wallace Jenkins]], [[Bisenti]], and [[O'Brien (Marine)|O'Brien]]. They then were evacuated by [[Pelican]] back to the ''Pillar of Autumn''. John-117 asked [[Lieutenant]] [[Hall]] to scan for James (who was blown into space) and after they were unable to find him, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' did a slipspace jump to [[Installation 04]] pursued by a dozen Covenant ships.
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| ==Timeline==
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| ===August 30, 2552:===
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| *'''0447 Hours:''' The [[Remote Scanning Outpost]] ''[[Fermion]]'' detects incoming Covenant vessels. An emergency message is relayed to [[FLEETCOM]]. The Outpost then self-destructs per the Cole Protocol due to an unsecured science library and nearby Covenant forces.
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| *'''0500 Hours:''' A fleet of 314<ref>[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]], page 296</ref> Covenant vessels exits Slipspace on the edge of the system.
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| *'''0517 Hours:''' [[Admiral Roland Freemont]] (FLEETCOM Sector One commander) issues a general order to all vessels in the [[Reach]], <includeonly></includeonly>Jericho, and [[Tantalus]] systems. All vessels and stations initiate the [[Cole Protocol]] and rush to rally point ZULU.
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| *'''0534 Hours:''' Covenant vessels make pinpoint [[Slipspace]] jumps attempting to destroy any incoming or outgoing human vessels before they can regroup. A [[Covenant Carrier]] targets the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} but is destroyed.
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| *'''0545 Hours:''' The Covenant vessels begin a frontal assault. As the Covenant and Human fleets engage above Reach, it seems to be a stalemate, as Covenant ships take out UNSC ships, while the UNSC ships and [[MAC]] cannon take out an equal number. The first salvo by the UNSC vessels destroys a third of the remaining Covenant fleet. A previously unknown Covenant warship, called a ''[[Covenant Supercruiser|Supercruiser]]'' by [[Captain Keyes]], arrives and destroys several UNSC ships while outside [[human]] weapons range.
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| *'''0558 Hours:''' Station Gamma Dockmaster [[AI]] [[Doppler]] is unable to implement the [[Cole Protocol]] on the {{UNSCShip|Circumference}}, an [[ONI]] prowler docked at [[Reach Station Gamma]], due to measures taken to maintain the secrecy of [[Operation: HYPODERMIC]]. Doppler sends priority message to FLEETCOM concerning this violation. Covenant intrusion software detects this oversight, and the Covenant deploy troops to seize the NAV database aboard the ''Circumference''.
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| *'''0616 Hours:''' The [[Spartan]] soldiers are dispatched from the ''Pillar of Autumn''. [[SPARTAN-117]], [[SPARTAN-058]], and [[Spartan-James]] form [[Blue Team]] and go aboard the Dock to destroy the ''Circumference'', while the remainder form [[Red Team]] and head to the surface of Reach to defend the power generators for the MAC guns. James goes MIA when a [[needler]] hits his [[T-PACK]] and propels him into space during combat. Blue Team continue through the station, rescuing [[Sergeant]] [[Johnson]], [[Private]] [[O'Brien]], [[Private Bisenti]], and [[Private]] [[Jenkins]] from [[Jackal]]s and [[Elite]]s.
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| *'''0620 Hours:''' The Covenant fleet retreats from the system after deploying dropships. The UNSC fleet fires on the ships, destroying many. Hundreds of boarding craft land on Reach.
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| *'''0621 Hours:''' The boarding craft are landed and the armory is overrun and the Covenant fleet returns to the system. The then Covenant split their 150+ remaining ships. One fleet attacks the UNSC ships, while another takes out the MAC cannons and send in troops to land on Reach. The UNSC try to split their 50+ remaining forces to engage the Covenant, but there are too many platforms to cover and too many casualties. The Supercruiser continues to destroy UNSC ships, allowing the other ships to attack the MAC cannons.
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| *'''0631 Hours:''' Red Team is shot down. They have no choice but to jump from the crashing [[Pelican]] and make a "hard landing" on the ground. Results in 4 dead and 6 seriously injured.
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| *'''0637 Hours:''' The [[Spartan]] team on the ''[[Circumference]]'' mission returns to the ''Pillar of Autumn''. Only [[SPARTAN-117]] and clinically dead [[SPARTAN-058]] make it back, with [[Sergeant]] [[Johnson]], [[Private]] [[O'Brien]], [[Private Bisenti]], and [[Private]] [[Jenkins]].
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| *'''0647 Hours:''' The ''Pillar of Autumn'', pursued by a dozen Covenant vessels, retreats from the system, arriving at [[Installation 04]].
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| *'''0649 Hours:''' Red Team sets up defenses around [[ODG Facility A-331]].
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| *'''0711 Hours:''' [[SPARTAN-104]], [[SPARTAN-029]], and [[SPARTAN-087]] plant a nuclear warhead though the gravity lift in a landing Covenant cruiser, leaving [[SPARTAN-029]] missing, (presumed dead) in the process.
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| *'''0720 Hours:''' The Covenant destroy [[ODG Facility A-331]] by aerial bombardment (glassing), though some [[Spartans]] escape. The surviving MAC guns are now offline and are quickly destroyed by plasma torpedos. Remaining [[UNSC]] vessels have no choice but to retreat. The Covenant warships are split into two groups: 5 ship teams that hunt down the surviving UNSC vessels and a group of ships that align themselves in formation and begin to glass [[Reach]].
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| ==Aftermath==
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| The loss of Reach, the single-largest center of UNSC military operations after Earth, was a disaster for humanity. The overwhelming loss of soldiers, starships, and civilians hastened the seemingly-inevitable defeat of the human race, as Earth was the only true military stronghold still intact at this point. What was left of Reach was subsequently placed under Covenant control, and the humans were forced to abandon the system altogether.
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| The loss of Reach also led directly to the discovery of the [[Installation 04|fourth]] [[Halo]], orbiting the [[Forerunner]] colony of [[Threshold]]. The human forces of the ''UNSC Pillar of Autumn'' fought a major ground campaign against the Covenant on Halo's surface, which soon led to the discovery of the [[Flood]]. Although most of the Covenant and human forces died in this engagement, they succeeded in quelling the threat posed by the Flood. However, the introduction of this previously-unknown species only intensified the odds faced by the humans.
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| ==UNSC Forces==
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| ===Space Assets===
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| :'''[[Carriers]]'''
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Musashi}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Trafalgar}}, [[UNSC Supercarrier|Supercarrier]]
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| :'''Cruisers'''
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Dawn Under Heaven}}, {{Class|Halcyon|Cruiser|}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, {{Class|Halcyon|Cruiser|}}
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| :'''Destroyers'''
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Herodotus}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Lancelot}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Minotaur}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Tharsis}}
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| :'''Frigates'''
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Euphrates}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Alliance}} Not known
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| :'''Prowlers'''
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Circumference}}
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| :'''Other/Unknown Type'''
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Basra}}
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| :*{{UNSCShip|Hannibal}}
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| :*[[Fermion|Remote Sensing Station ''Fermion'']]
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| ===Personnel===
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| *[[Admiral]] [[Roland Freemont]]
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| *[[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]]
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| *[[Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]
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| *[[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]]
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| *[[Linda-058]]
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| *[[Kelly-087]]
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| *[[Spartan-James]]
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| *[[William-043]]
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| *[[Frederic-104]]
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| *[[Malcolm-059]]
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| *[[Joshua-029]]
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| *[[Lieutenant]] [[Hall]]
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| *[[Lieutenant]] [[Dominique]]
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| *[[Lieutenant]] [[Aki Hikowa]]
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| *[[Ensign]] [[William Michael Lovell]]
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| *[[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]]
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| *[[UNSC Air Force|Flight Officer]] [[Mitchell]]
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| *[[Private]] [[Wallace A. Jenkins]]
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| *[[Private]] [[Bisenti]]
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| *[[Private]] [[O'Brien]]
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| *[[Corporal]] [[C. Errera]]
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| *[[Chief Petty Officer]] [[McRobb]]
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| *[[Lieutenant, Junior Grade]] [[Bill Streeter]]
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| *[[Lieutenant, Junior Grade]] [[David Brightling]]
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| ==Sources==
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| <references/>
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| [[Category:Covenant Victories]]
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| [[Category:Battle|Reach]]
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| {{Human-Covenant War}}
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