User:Flame-124/Fall of Reach (AAO)

The fall of Reach was the turning point of the Human-Covenant War, signalling humanity's inevitable defeat as Reach, the center of the UNSC's military power was glassed. Many notable humans and Covenant took part in the battle, including Thel 'Vadamee, Red and Blue Teams, and Noble Team.

Prelude
Despite the Covenant's defeat at Sigma Octanus IV a traking beacon was placed on the ''Iruquois. ''During the next few days the beacon recorded everywhere the ship had been, including Reach. With the planet's location revealed, the Covenant prepared for a massive attack and invasion with the ultimate objective of destroying the human forces and recovering Forerunner artifacts, if any were present.

Skirmish at Visigrad Relay
On July 24, 2552 a signal relay near Visigrad went down, with no response to planetary channels. Assuming insurrectionist activity, Spartan Noble Team was dispatched to the outpost, equipped with the recently released MJOLNIR Mk V armor, and new team member Spartan-B312, codename Noble 6. The area was being actively jammed, preventing communication through long-distance channels.

Upon arrival, Noble Team discovered an active distress beacon in a nearby homestead, along with civilians who described monsters attacking the night before. The team was soon engaged by a small force of Covenant soldiers, consisting mainly of Unggoy and Kig-yar, which were killed before they could endanger the farmers. Moving away from the homestead, Noble discovered a larger Covenant force, including Sangheili officers. Noble fought their way through farmland, eventually finding a group of UNSC marines. After a firece firefight, the marines were evacuated and Noble continued on towards the relay.

Once arriving, Noble fought their way into the structure, only to discover the body of Laszlo Sorvad with a data pad on him, and a group of Sangheili Zealots. After a quick confrontation, the leader escaped while two zealots with a small group of unngoy retreated deeper into the complex. Nobles Five and Six killed the remaining Covenant forces and Noble 2 reestablished contact with fleet command, alerting them to the Covenant invasion.

Battle of Sword Base
On July 26, 2552 Sword Base, located on the Babd Catha Ice Shelf, came under siege from a Covenant Corvette. Noble Team was dispatched to assist. During the battle Nobles Two and Six were dispatched to reactivate a communication station and air defense station outside the base, before the fighting moved inside the base's main building. After a brief fight the Covenant were eventually defeated after an orbital MAC gun destroyed the Corvette and Noble Team secured the base and airspace.

Battle of Utkozet
By August recon teams, including elements of Noble Team, had discovered a large Covenant staging area sourrounded by special cloaking towers in the Utkozet province of Viery. On the 12th the UNSC counterattacked with a massive force, destroying the cloaking towers and engaging Covenant ground forces. during the battle Noble Team engaged in several surgical strikes to destroy Covenant anti-air emplacements. eventually a large Covenant structure, thought to be a teleporting terminal, was destroyed by a UNSC frigate, only to discover it was linked to the Covenant supercarrier ''Long Night of Solace. ''

Operation UPPERCUT
With the nearest UNSC fleet forces days away, HIGHCOM decided on a high-risk operation involving Noble Team to destroy the supercarrier. Nobles Five and Six were dispatched from the sabre launch facility at Farkas Lake to the orbital platform Anchor 9 to link up with a pelican carrying a Shaw-Fujikawa slipspace drive, donated by the UNSC Savannah.