When Did the Covenant War Start?
The Covenant War, also known as the Human-Covenant War, was a devastating conflict that lasted for over 20 years in the Halo video game franchise. The war was fought between humanity and the Covenant, a powerful and technologically advanced alien alliance. In this article, we will explore the events that led to the start of the Covenant War and its significant milestones.
The Origins of the Covenant
The Covenant was formed by the Prophets, a group of powerful and influential Forerunners who were obsessed with the ancient Forerunner technology. The Prophets believed that the Forerunners had left behind a powerful artifact known as the "Holy Grail" that would allow them to control the galaxy. The Covenant was formed to search for and reclaim this artifact, which they believed was hidden on the planet Reach.
The Discovery of the Halo Array
In 2552, a human research vessel, the Pillar of Autumn, stumbled upon a Forerunner ring, known as Halo, in the vicinity of the ringworld Delta Halo. The Covenant, who had been searching for the Halo Array, discovered the ring and attacked the Pillar of Autumn. The ship’s crew, led by Captain Keyes, managed to escape on a shuttle and crash-landed on the ring.
The Covenant’s War Declaration
The Covenant, led by the Prophet of Regret, declared war on humanity, citing the discovery of the Halo Array as evidence of humanity’s "sin" against the Forerunners. The Covenant believed that humanity was not worthy of possessing the powerful technology and that they must be destroyed to prevent its misuse.
The First Years of the War
The early years of the war saw the Covenant launching a series of devastating attacks on human colonies and cities. The Covenant’s superior technology and tactics allowed them to quickly gain the upper hand, and humanity was forced to retreat to their fortified cities and colonies.
Key Events of the War
Here are some of the key events of the Covenant War:
• Battle of Harvest: The Covenant launched a surprise attack on the human colony of Harvest, killing millions of humans and destroying the colony’s infrastructure.
• Battle of Reach: The Covenant attacked the human colony of Reach, home to the SPARTAN-II program, a elite group of super-soldiers trained to fight against the Covenant. The battle was a decisive victory for the Covenant, and the SPARTAN-II program was all but destroyed.
• Battle of Arcadia: The Covenant launched a surprise attack on the human colony of Arcadia, killing thousands of humans and destroying the colony’s infrastructure.
• Battle of Sigma Octanus IV: The Covenant attacked the human colony of Sigma Octanus IV, killing millions of humans and destroying the colony’s infrastructure.
Turning Points of the War
Despite the Covenant’s early successes, the war was not without its turning points. Here are some of the key turning points:
• Battle of the Ringworld: The Pillar of Autumn’s crew, led by Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, managed to destroy the ringworld Delta Halo, which had been used by the Covenant to launch attacks on human colonies.
• Battle of Installation 04: The SPARTAN-II program, led by Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, managed to destroy the ringworld Installation 04, which had been used by the Covenant to launch attacks on human colonies.
• Battle of High Charity: The SPARTAN-II program, led by Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, managed to infiltrate the Covenant’s holy city of High Charity and destroy the Prophet of Regret’s ship, leading to a significant blow to the Covenant’s leadership.
Conclusion
The Covenant War was a devastating conflict that lasted for over 20 years and had a profound impact on humanity. The war was marked by significant turning points, including the destruction of the ringworld Delta Halo and Installation 04, and the infiltration of the Covenant’s holy city of High Charity. Despite the Covenant’s early successes, humanity managed to fight back and eventually gain the upper hand, leading to the eventual destruction of the Covenant and the end of the war.