User:SomethingDifferent/Fall of Ardella

The Fall of Ardella, also known as Ardellian Gauntlet, to those who survived, was one of the larger engagements in the Human-Covenant War. It was fought on and around the human mining world of Ardella between the UNSC Defense Force and the Covenant from September 2 to September 12, 2552.

Prelude
Following the Covenant victory at Eridanus Secundus, the Covenant were made aware of the existence of Ardella whilst raiding the database in the ruins of ONI Site Echo on a nearby asteroid.

Due to the its near annihilation at Reach, the remnants of the Covenant Fleet of Valiant Prudence accompanied the Fleet of Holy Respite to the planet. In the early hours of September 1, 2552, the combined Covenant fleet exited Slipspace undetected high above the South Pole of the sparsely inhabited planet.

The Covenant immediately created a staging area, with seven SDV-class heavy corvettes deploying ground forces while the other eighteen ships of the fleet remained cloaked.

Opening Skirmish
"Command, we have unconfirmed reports of abnormal seismic activity on Haywards Plateau, recommend a security dispatch."

- UNSC officer

Just after midnight the next day, an immense Covenant ground force swamped a remote gas mining plant. Once conquered, the plant was destroyed by a plasma torpedo from one of the five CCS-class battlecruisers in orbit. The resulting tremor caught the attention of the local UNSC command, who sent in two teams of Army troopers to assess the situation.

That same day