Circinius IV

Circinius IV
Astrographical
System:	Circinius system
Orbital position:	Fourth planet
Moon(s):	At least three
Physical
Atmosphere:	Oxygen-nitrogen
Societal
Species:	Human (Non-native)
Colonized:	2430
Government:	Unified Earth Government

Circinius IV was a Unified Earth Government Outer colony world in the Circinius system. The planet was orbited by at least three natural satellites. It was the location of the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, an officer training school for the offspring of high-ranking UNSC officials. The space elevator located at Corbulo Academy was considered one of the planet's most spectacular sites.

Overview

Environmental features

The environments of Circinius IV around Corbulo Academy featured dense forests, snow-capped mountains, valleys, and rivers, strikingly similar to the Pacific Northwest of Earth.

A forested valley on Circinius IV.

Locations

• Corbulo Academy of Military Science

Ecology

Much of its flora appeared identical to Earth species, such as trees resembling Douglas fir (a species found on Reach), Western hemlock, Western red cedar, Sitka spruce, Vine maple, Red alder, Pacific dogwood, Black cottonwood, and Western paper birch, shrubs resembling hazelnut, huckleberry, and hawthorn, multiple species of fern, aerial mosses coating large surfaces of some trees, terrestrial mosses forming dense spongy layers on the ground, as well as cryptogam growth such as crustose lichens, which grew on UNSC field depots in the forests.

Concept art depicting a UNSC field depot in a dense forest.

Corbulo Academy incorporated many species from the surrounding environment into its landscaping. Its topiaries resembled boxwood, a common species used in decorative hedges on Earth.

Circinius IV had plentiful small flying insects. The presence of flowering plants suggests some type of pollinators.

History

Human-Covenant war

Main article: Battle of Circinius IV

After the first engagements on Harvest, ONI Section II kept the Covenant invasion secret from the general population. However, Corbulo Academy's superintendent, General Daniel Black, was informed. As preparation for a possible attack, Black discreetly increased the readiness of the UNSC Marine garrison posted in the academy and authorized limited communications blackouts under the guise of routine maintenance procedures.

The colony and the academy were attacked by the Covenant during the earliest days of the Human-Covenant War on April 26, 2526. Orbiting UNSC vessels soon deployed Orbital Drop Shock Troopers directly onto Corbulo Academy's campus. The planet's space elevator was also destroyed, killing many of the escaping cadets as it fell. During the battle, the Covenant killed almost the entire population of the planet. Only four cadets from Corbulo Academy survived the initial assault, although one of them, Chyler Silva, died during the battle. Later, the planet was glassed by the Covenant.

At some point following the planet's invasion, the UNSC launched Operation: ABLE SENTRY on Circinius IV to investigate Covenant activity on the planet. Edward Buck participated in this operation. Directly afterwards, Operation: PHALANX was initiated and carried out by UNSC personnel, including John-117, to rescue civilians on Circinius IV and to investigate Covenant invasion patterns.

Production notes

• Along with Hat Yai, Circinius IV is not mentioned in the Assembly's report on glassed worlds (dated January 1, 2530) in data pad 14 from Halo: Reach. From a real-world perspective, the obvious explanation is that the planet was created after the game's release, there is no clear in-universe reason for this omission. However, given that both worlds had some form of human population on their surface following their presumed glassing dates, it is possible that both Circinius IV and Hat Yai were not entirely glassed by the Covenant.
• As Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn was shot partly on-location at Simon Fraser University and Burnaby Mountain in Vancouver, much of its plant life are real-world species common to the Pacific Northwest, identified from the Simon Fraser University Native Plant Garden List and the Management Plan for Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area.

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

Gallery

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  The grounds of the Corbulo Academy of Military Science on Circinius IV.

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  A forest on Circinius IV at night.

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  One of Circinius IV's mountain ranges.

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  Circinius IV being glassed by the Covenant.

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  Unused concept art of Circinius IV for Halo 2: Anniversary's terminals, seemingly showing the world blown to pieces.

List of appearances

• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (First appearance)
• Halo 4 (Mentioned only)
• Halo 2: Anniversary
• Halo 5: Guardians (Mentioned only)
  • Limited Edition dossiers (Mentioned only)
• Halo: Silent Storm (Mentioned only)
• Halo: Oblivion (Mentioned only)