Battle for Earth: Difference between revisions
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 127: | Line 127: | ||
The [[Prophet of Truth]] discovered the location of [[Earth]] after the [[Fall of Reach]], but withheld knowledge of this discovery from the rest of the Covenant leadership.<ref name="waypoint">'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''', ''"Ten Twenty"''</ref> To attack the human homeworld, he ordered an [[Truth's fleet|assault fleet]] to secretly assemble at ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'' station in the [[Tau Ceti system]]. The fleet would overwhelm Earth's defenses in a single decisive strike.<ref name="waypoint"/><ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page ??''</ref> The fleet was discovered by the UNSC [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Cortana]] and preemptive strike was led by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]] and a [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-II]], strike team, which successfully destroyed ''Unyielding Hierophant'' and almost the entirety of the assembled fleet, some five hundred ships.<ref name="waypoint"/><ref>''Halo: First Strike'', p. 333</ref> Earth was granted a small reprieve. | The [[Prophet of Truth]] discovered the location of [[Earth]] after the [[Fall of Reach]], but withheld knowledge of this discovery from the rest of the Covenant leadership.<ref name="waypoint">'''[[Halo Waypoint]]''', ''"Ten Twenty"''</ref> To attack the human homeworld, he ordered an [[Truth's fleet|assault fleet]] to secretly assemble at ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'' station in the [[Tau Ceti system]]. The fleet would overwhelm Earth's defenses in a single decisive strike.<ref name="waypoint"/><ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page ??''</ref> The fleet was discovered by the UNSC [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Cortana]] and preemptive strike was led by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]] and a [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-II]], strike team, which successfully destroyed ''Unyielding Hierophant'' and almost the entirety of the assembled fleet, some five hundred ships.<ref name="waypoint"/><ref>''Halo: First Strike'', p. 333</ref> Earth was granted a small reprieve. | ||
The [[Prophet of Regret]] also independently learned of the location of Earth as the location of a [[Forerunner]] artifact, [[Portal at Voi|the Portal]] leading to [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. This revelation came after long study by [[steward]]s of a Forerunner [[luminary]] taken from the moon, [[Meridian]], in [[2551]]. Not being privy to Truth's information, Regret set off to uncover the artifact without any knowledge that Earth was the humans' homeworld. Regret unknowingly led his [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration|small fleet]], a mere two [[CAS-class assault carrier|assault carriers]] and thirteen [[CCS-class battlecruiser|battlecruisers]], straight into Earth's formidable defenses.<ref name="waypoint"/> Truth belatedly learned of Regret's expedition to Earth, and dispatched a large [[Jiralhanae]]-led fleet to reinforce the attack. They arrived mere hours after Regret had fled.<ref name="waypoint"/> | The [[Prophet of Regret]] also independently learned of the location of Earth as the location of a [[Forerunner]] artifact, [[Portal at Voi|the Portal]] leading to [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. This revelation came after long study by [[steward]]s of a Forerunner [[luminary]] taken from the moon, [[Meridian]], in [[2551]]. Not being privy to Truth's information, Regret set off to uncover the artifact without any knowledge that Earth was the humans' homeworld. Regret unknowingly led his [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration|small fleet]], a mere two [[CAS-class assault carrier|assault carriers]] and thirteen [[CCS-class battlecruiser|battlecruisers]], straight into Earth's formidable defenses.<ref name="waypoint"/> Truth belatedly learned of Regret's expedition to Earth, and dispatched a large [[Jiralhanae]]-led fleet to reinforce the attack. They arrived mere hours after Regret had fled.<ref name="waypoint"/> {{clear|left}} | ||
==Battle== | ==Battle== | ||
| Line 140: | Line 140: | ||
Cortana directed the SPARTAN-II to the bomb's location in ''Cairo''{{'}}s fire control center. En route to the bomb, John-117 rescued Commander [[Miranda Keyes]] and allowed her to board {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}. The frigate departed ''Cairo'' to join the fray. | Cortana directed the SPARTAN-II to the bomb's location in ''Cairo''{{'}}s fire control center. En route to the bomb, John-117 rescued Commander [[Miranda Keyes]] and allowed her to board {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}. The frigate departed ''Cairo'' to join the fray. | ||
Meanwhile, Harper's Fifth Fleet continued to engage the Covenant task force in Earth orbit, sustaining huge losses in the wake of the Covenant's superior firepower but still prevailing through sheer numbers against the unusually small Covenant force. However, even as their escorts were effectively routed by the UNSC, the two assault carriers pushed onward, bypassing much of the already battered human fleet even as they too came under fire. | Meanwhile, Harper's Fifth Fleet continued to engage the Covenant task force in Earth orbit, sustaining huge losses in the wake of the Covenant's superior firepower but still prevailing through sheer numbers against the unusually small Covenant force. However, even as their escorts were effectively routed by the UNSC, the two assault carriers pushed onward, bypassing much of the already battered human fleet even as they too came under fire. | ||
=====Covenant breakthrough===== | =====Covenant breakthrough===== | ||
| Line 148: | Line 148: | ||
The two assault carriers began to break through toward ''Cairo''. Cortana directed ''Cairo''{{'}}s MAC against the ''[[Solemn Penance]]'', but the ship did not stop to engage and instead made directly for [[New Mombasa]] on the surface.<ref name="H2CS"/> Admiral Harper led the attack on the [[Day of Jubilation|second carrier]] and depleted its shields. Keyes volunteered to attack the carrier immediately, but Hood was unwilling to pit a single frigate against so large a target. | The two assault carriers began to break through toward ''Cairo''. Cortana directed ''Cairo''{{'}}s MAC against the ''[[Solemn Penance]]'', but the ship did not stop to engage and instead made directly for [[New Mombasa]] on the surface.<ref name="H2CS"/> Admiral Harper led the attack on the [[Day of Jubilation|second carrier]] and depleted its shields. Keyes volunteered to attack the carrier immediately, but Hood was unwilling to pit a single frigate against so large a target. | ||
The solution to the second carrier came from an unexpected angle. John-117 and Cortana managed to defuse and capture the Covenant antimatter bomb aboard ''Cairo'', and the Spartan volunteered to go [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]] and personally plant the bomb on the last carrier. With Lord Hood's approval, John-117 leapt out of an airlock with the bomb using only the initial explosive decompression for impulse. [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] interceptors opened a breach in the carrier's hull and allowed the Spartan to infiltrate and plant the bomb internally. The detonation destroyed the ship. John-117 escaped using the same means he had arrived and free fell to the UNSC ''In Amber Clad''.<ref name="H2CS"/>{{clear}} | The solution to the second carrier came from an unexpected angle. John-117 and Cortana managed to defuse and capture the Covenant antimatter bomb aboard ''Cairo'', and the Spartan volunteered to go [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]] and personally plant the bomb on the last carrier. With Lord Hood's approval, John-117 leapt out of an airlock with the bomb using only the initial explosive decompression for impulse. [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] interceptors opened a breach in the carrier's hull and allowed the Spartan to infiltrate and plant the bomb internally. The detonation destroyed the ship. John-117 escaped using the same means he had arrived and free fell to the UNSC ''In Amber Clad''.<ref name="H2CS"/> {{clear|left}} | ||
=====Regret flees===== | =====Regret flees===== | ||
| Line 203: | Line 203: | ||
Just before the UNSC offensive began, the Covenant attacked Crow's Nest. Miranda Keyes evacuated and destroyed the base with a [[Improvised UNSC bomb|bomb]] before it could be occupied. John-117 barely managed to escape the destruction of the facility but met up with [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Reynolds]] and set out in [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthogs]] on [[Tsavo highway (location)|Tsavo Highway]] to head for [[Voi]], as did scattered UNSC forces, [[Assault on the Tsavo Highway|engaging]] Covenant heavy vehicles along the way.<ref name="H3CN"/><ref name="H3Tsavo">''Halo 3'', campaign level, [[Tsavo Highway]]</ref> | Just before the UNSC offensive began, the Covenant attacked Crow's Nest. Miranda Keyes evacuated and destroyed the base with a [[Improvised UNSC bomb|bomb]] before it could be occupied. John-117 barely managed to escape the destruction of the facility but met up with [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Reynolds]] and set out in [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthogs]] on [[Tsavo highway (location)|Tsavo Highway]] to head for [[Voi]], as did scattered UNSC forces, [[Assault on the Tsavo Highway|engaging]] Covenant heavy vehicles along the way.<ref name="H3CN"/><ref name="H3Tsavo">''Halo 3'', campaign level, [[Tsavo Highway]]</ref> | ||
At Voi, the UNSC broke through Covenant defenses, as John-117 and [[Thel 'Vadam]] disabled a Covenant AA battery. With the path to the Portal cleared, Fleet Admiral Hood ordered three frigates and multiple [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longswords]] to attack the Forerunner Dreadnought. Despite [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] fire, the enemy ship remained intact and was able to activate the Portal. The Dreadnought and the remaining Covenant ships departed Earth through the resulting Slipspace portal.<ref name="H3Storm">''Halo 3'', campaign level, [[The Storm]]</ref> Covenant battlenet cohesion broke following Truth's departure, allowing UNSC forces in the southwest URNA to begin a major counteroffensive as part of their [[URNA Southwest Campaign|ongoing campaign]].<ref name="lootcrate2"/> | At Voi, the UNSC broke through Covenant defenses, as John-117 and [[Thel 'Vadam]] disabled a Covenant AA battery. With the path to the Portal cleared, Fleet Admiral Hood ordered three frigates and multiple [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longswords]] to attack the Forerunner Dreadnought. Despite [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] fire, the enemy ship remained intact and was able to activate the Portal. The Dreadnought and the remaining Covenant ships departed Earth through the resulting Slipspace portal.<ref name="H3Storm">''Halo 3'', campaign level, [[The Storm]]</ref> Covenant battlenet cohesion broke following Truth's departure, allowing UNSC forces in the southwest URNA to begin a major counteroffensive as part of their [[URNA Southwest Campaign|ongoing campaign]].<ref name="lootcrate2"/> {{clear|left}} | ||
{{ | |||
===The Flood on Earth=== | ===The Flood on Earth=== | ||
| Line 231: | Line 230: | ||
With the majority of Truth's forces now bound for the Ark, the remainder of the Covenant was on Earth as they fortified themselves in [[Arizona]], [[URNA]]. On December 3, Admiral Harper of the Fifth Fleet initiated [[Operation: MARSH FLASH]], which eradicated clusters of Jiralhanae leadership attempting to activate an artifact here, effectively bringing an end to the global battle. Despite suffering enormous military and civilian losses, the UNSC retained control of Earth. Marines involved in mopping up Jiralhanae holdouts employed the "Rex" [[Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance|VISR]] system.<ref>'''Halo 5: Guardians''', ''Rex VISR description''</ref> | With the majority of Truth's forces now bound for the Ark, the remainder of the Covenant was on Earth as they fortified themselves in [[Arizona]], [[URNA]]. On December 3, Admiral Harper of the Fifth Fleet initiated [[Operation: MARSH FLASH]], which eradicated clusters of Jiralhanae leadership attempting to activate an artifact here, effectively bringing an end to the global battle. Despite suffering enormous military and civilian losses, the UNSC retained control of Earth. Marines involved in mopping up Jiralhanae holdouts employed the "Rex" [[Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance|VISR]] system.<ref>'''Halo 5: Guardians''', ''Rex VISR description''</ref> | ||
==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||
