Previous:	Mission to Szurdok Ridge
Concurrent:	Battle of Tribute Order of battle (Viery, Reach)
Next:	Operation UPPERCUT
Battle at Szurdok Ridge
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War Fall of Reach
Date:	August 12–13, 2552
Location:	Szurdok Ridge,Ütközet,Reach
Outcome:	Covenant victory Long Night of Solace subsequently subdues UNSC forces in the area
Details Belligerents UNSC UNSC Army UNSC Navy UNSC Air Force Covenant Commanders ADMRoland Freemont COLUrban Holland CMDRCarter-A259 CAPTFrancis Mallarde† Supreme CommanderRho 'Barutamee UnidentifiedZealot† UnidentifiedGeneral† Strength Noble Team UH-144 Falcons Hundreds ofM808C Scorpions Hundreds ofM12 Chaingun Warthogs Epsilon Eridani Fleet UNSCGrafton UNSCSaratoga AMX-4 Long Night of Solace Army Ru'swum-pattern Phantoms Type-26 Banshees At least 3Deutoros-pattern Scarabs Zurdo-pattern Wraiths Karo'etba-pattern Ghosts Mgalekgolo Jiralhanae Sangheili Huragok Yanme'e Kig-Yar Skirmishers Unggoy Casualties Heavy casualties Thousands killed UNSCGrafton Heavy casualties Thousands killed UnidentifiedZealot UnidentifiedSangheili General ThreeDeutoros-pattern Scarabs TwoCheru-pattern Tyrants Spire One

TheBattle at Szurdok Ridge,^[1] also known as theSzurdok Ridge offensive,^[2] was a major engagement between theUnited Nations Space Command and theCovenant during theFall of Reach inAugust 2552.^[3]

Background[edit]

"It appears that Noble Team's discovery last night was not an anomaly. Large Covenant deployments have occurred undetected, and we are now under attack across the Viery territory, including orbital defenses. As per the Winter Contingency, we are countering on every front. Noble's reconnaissance has also identified sophisticated Covenant army hiding canopies, and has been pinpointed what's believed to be a landing zone for additional Covenant forces, the origin of which is yet to be determined."

—Auntie Dot^[3]

Main article:Mission to Szurdok Ridge

On the night prior to the battle,SpartanNoble Team, split into two splinter groups,Recon Team Alpha andBravo, conducteda reconnaissance mission atSzurdok Ridge to determine the Covenant force deployments in the area. They discovered a massive ground army amassing in the plain, with fourCeudar-pattern heavy corvettes hovering overhead.^[4]

The UNSC responded with a massive ground and air based counterattack the following morning. The overall goal of the UNSC was to blitz the Covenant strike force before the rest of theCovenant fleet arrived, preventing any solid Covenant foothold on Reach. The main target for the UNSC counterattack was to take out theDeployment spires located along the valley ridge. Upon attacking, UNSC did not yet know what the main purpose of the spires was.^[3]

The battle[edit]

Noble Six disables a Banshee with EMP while Kat moves up.

A massive UNSC strike force stormed the Ütközet plains towards the Covenant-occupied site, attempting to reclaim the land and eliminate all Covenant presence from Reach. The entire assault force was mechanized, as the lack of available cover on the plains prohibited an infantry assault. The UNSC thus resolved to close the distance with the Covenant and engage in an armored battle at close quarters. An advance wave ofWarthogs, backed up byScorpion tanks, as well asMongooses, formed the ground component of the attack. Air support was provided by a mixture ofFalcons andPelicans.Six andCatherine-B320 led the ground attack, whileJorge-052 andCarter-A259 coordinated air support.^[3]

The battle begins[edit]

As the UNSC force closed on the Covenant landing zone, the Covenant detected the incoming attack and opened fire, hammering the advancing UNSC force with long rangeplasma mortar fire, supplemented byType-26 Banshees, which performed strafing runs. Although the Covenant bombardment inflicted casualties, the UNSC was undeterred and continued the advance. During the charge, Kat detonated thecharge set on thestealth pylon byJun-A266. Covenant heavy units, including threeDeutoros-pattern Scarabs, moved to counterattack the UNSC force. A small group of Warthogs, including Noble Six and Kat, and supported by Falcons, split off from the main assault wave onto a ridge overlooking the main battleground; however, a Wraith mortar shot destroyed a bridge over a large ravine that the group needed to cross to gain access to the ridgeline. Kat successfully managed to jump the gap, but the following Warthog was not so lucky, falling into the ravine below, and the Spartan's Warthog was destroyed by the crash. All of the preceding Warthogs were either destroyed by the destruction of the bridge, or by twoRizsheda-pattern Shades, which also forced the Falcons to withdraw.^[3]

Clearing the skies[edit]

ATyrant anti-aircraft gun overlooking the field of battle.

"Kat, be advised:ONI has ID'd two hostile anti-aircraft guns southwest of your location."

—Carter-A259^[3]

The two Spartans took out the two nearby Covenant Shade emplacements, and cleared the way for a Pelican to deliver aRocket Warthog. Covenant heavy anti-aircraft artillery, meanwhile, was preventing the UNSC from bringing heavy air support into play. A CovenantCheru-pattern Tyrant with a commanding view of the battlefield was inflicting casualties on the UNSC's airpower, so the two Spartans were assigned to destroy it. The two succeeded, clearing the skies for threeLongswords that made a bombing run on the main Covenant force, destroying the three Scarabs serving as the linchpin of the Covenant defense. The strike punched a hole in the Covenant's lines, allowing UNSC Scorpions and Warthogs on the plains to advance upon the rest of the Covenant force. TheParis-class heavy frigatesUNSCGrafton andUNSCSaratoga also moved in on the battlefield, supporting ground units with theirpoint defense guns. A Pelican placed adeployable bridge to replace a destroyed one near the AA gun, allowing Six and Kat to progress further towards the Covenant lines.^[3]

UNSC forces attacking a BXR Mining facility.

Assault on the spires[edit]

"Eyes on the prize, Noble. Take out that Zealot if you get the chance, but keep movin' towards the spires."

—Carter-A259^[3]

Six and Kat joined a group of Troopers assaulting a Covenant outpost located in aBXR Miningfacility. Here, they were forced to abandon their warthog, and press through the facility on foot. They cleared the outpost and killed theZealot in command of it. Upon passing through the facility, the two Spartans advanced further, destroying a second AA gun. As a result, the UNSC gained air superiority over the battlefield and let the frigates advance closer to thefirst Spire. After an LZ was cleared, a Pelican dropped off a squad to secure the area and Kat began to set up a forward observation post. ONI required up-close recon on the spires, and it was necessary to fly Noble Six the rest of the way. Jorge therefore picked up Six in a Falcon to fly him to the Spire through a Covenant-fortified canyon. The main UNSC ground force continued their advance, and Six supported them by using the Falcon'sgrenade launcher turret. The Falcon passed through the electromagnetic shields emitted by the Spire structure to drop off Jorge and Noble Six, but the shield disabled the Falcon, causing it to crash, and killing the crew; however, Jorge and Noble Six were able to make it out in one piece. The pair continued fighting their way into the structure, with Six managing to deactivate the structure's shielding system. Cleared of defenses, the UNSC called in a MAC strike executed by theGrafton to destroy the Spire.^[3]

TheLong Night of Solace revealed[edit]

"Copy that, Noble One. Be advised, all ground units: Frigate Three-One-Eight heavy is inbound, and MAC rounds have been authorized."

— Air Control^[3]

ONI determined that the spires served as teleportation terminals, though what they were linked to was yet unrealized. With Nobles Five and Six evacuated by Carter's Falcon,Grafton moved in and destroyed the Spire with itsMAC. The disruption of the cloaking field revealed a new danger: aSh'wada-pattern supercarrier, theLong Night of Solace, which had been holding position about a kilometer above the battlefield. The supercarrier dropped its active camouflage and opened fire, instantly destroying theGrafton with its ventral energy projector. Unable to compete with the sheer firepower of the Covenant warship, the UNSC retreated.^[3] The supercarrier then withdrew into Covenant-held space in orbit above Reach.

Aftermath[edit]

With the appearance of the supercarrier, the UNSC forces disengaged and fell back. The UNSC were unable to destroy the carrier as all theirnuclear weapons were either destroyed or unavailable. Covenant forces deployed from the supercarrier continued to harry UNSC forces on Reach until the launch ofOperation: UPPER CUT, which, utilizing a makeshiftslipspace bomb, succeeded in destroying the ship at the cost of theUNSCSavannah and itscrew,one SPARTAN-II, and a squad ofSabre pilots.^[5]

Gallery[edit]

• 

  UNSC frigates attack the Covenant.

• 

  Kat detonating the charge in thestealth pylon.

• 

  UNSC armored forces engage CovenantScarabs in the valley.

• 

  NOBLE Team attacking Covenant troops at a Tyrant.

• 

  The first Tyrant AA is destroyed.

• 

  TheUNSCGrafton advances after the destruction of the AA cannon.

• 

  A Longsword supporting ground troops.

• 

  The Scarabs are bombed by Longswords.

• 

  A Pelican deploying a bridge so Six and Kat can proceed.

• 

  TheUNSCSaratoga and theGrafton holding position above Szurdok Ridge.

• 

  TheGrafton andSaratoga participate in the battle.

• 

  UNSC infantry fighting a Sangheili Ultra.

• 

  The objective of the assault: the Covenant Spires.

• 

  NOBLE Five and Six fighting atSpire One.

• 

  TheGrafton destroys Spire One.

• 

  TheLong Night of Solace de-cloaked above the ridge.

• 

  TheGrafton is destroyed by the Covenant supercarrier, forcing the UNSC to retreat.

List of appearances[edit]

• Halo: Reach(First appearance)
• Halo Mythos(Mentioned only)
• Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual

Sources[edit]

• Engagements in the Fall of Reach