Battle of Sword Base

Template:Battle The First Battle of Sword Base was an engagement between the forces of the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant at the ONI research facility known as SWORD Base occurring on July 26, 2552.

Background

On or prior to the night of July 23, 2552, the human Inner Colony of Reach the Covenant Fleet of Valiant Prudence arrived at the Inner Colony of Reach undetected by its defending forces. A small strike, including artifact-hunting Sangheili Zealots was dispatched to the Visegrád Relay in Visegrád to cut off communications between Reach and other UEG colonies. The Office of Naval Intelligence assumed that the communications blackout was caused by local Insurrectionists; in response, Colonel Urban Holland dispatched several Army fireteams to the relay. After losing contact with the troopers, SPARTAN Noble Team was sent to investigate. The team discovered the Covenant presence on Reach and reported back to CENTCOM, killing two of the Zealots in the process. WINTER CONTINGENCY was declared on Reach while Lieutenant Commander Kat-B320 retrieved a data module from the corpse of Doctor Laszlo Sorvad.

The battle

On July 26, 2552, the Office of Naval Intelligence Sword Base came under siege by Covenant forces from the Fleet of Valiant Prudence led by a SDV-class heavy corvette. Due to the sensitive nature of the facility, orbital MAC rounds are prohibited from being used to destroy the corvette. With current defensive forces insufficient to repel the attack, ONI requests the help of NOBLE Team.

Clearing the main gate

With their landing zone hot, Lieutenant Commander Kat-B320 and Lieutenant Noble Six are dropped into the Sword Base courtyard and immediately attacked by Covenant troops. Aided by UNSC Army troopers, the two Spartans clear the courtyard and are ordered by Sword Control to clear the main gate with a promise to be briefed as they go. The Spartans find a Target Locator and are promised that they will be provided with what limited artillery support is available.

As the soldiers emerge from the main gate, the corvette opens fire on Sword Base and a M831 Troop Transport carrying 3 Echo comes under attack from two Type-26 Wraiths which destroys the squad. Using the Target Locator, B312 destroys the Wraiths and the troops wipe out any remaining Covenant forces in the immediate area. A Pelican then drops off a Warthog for the use of Six and Kat.

Farragut Station

In order to get back online with Command, Kat, Six and an Army trooper head east to the old Farragut Station which has its own comms array. At the station, the two Spartans discover it protected by multiple Covenant forces, including a Revenant. Together, the three manage to eliminate the Covenant forces in the area and activate the station's generator. Once the generator is online, Spirit dropship arrives to deploy Unggoy and Skirmishers to prevent the comms array, located on a nearby rooftop, from being activated. After eliminating the reinforcements, Six activates the array. A second Warthog is then delivered via Pelican to reach Airview Base and the AA gun located there.

Airview Base

On the way to Airview Base, the Spartans come under attack by two Ghosts and a lance of Covenant dropped by another Spirit, but they are quickly eliminated. At Airview Base, it is discovered to be under the control of more Covenant forces, including a Sangheili Ultra. The Covenant forces are quickly eliminated and Six activates the base's anti-aircraft turret which opens fire on a Phantom that drops off two more Ghosts and then on the Banshees and Covenant dropships around the corvette, helping to clear the way for UNSC dropships to bring reinforcements.

List of appearances

• Halo: Reach (First appearance)