The Battle of Bliss was a battle fought in orbit above the Human colony of Bliss during the Human-Covenant war.
Battle[]
On February 13, 2526, the Covenant was detected by the UNSC Accra, roughly 18.5 million kilometers away from Bliss. The Bliss Defense Fleet consisting of the UNSC Weeping Willows, UNSC Matador, and the UNSC Purpose engaged the fleet of 45 Covenant warships near the moon of Aires. The UNSC battlegroup was presumably defeated as the Accra lost contact with the group roughly after 3 minutes after engaging.[2]
The Covenant then moved in to glass the planet,[2] with Manikata being one of the first places they struck.[1] After this, the Covenant tracked down the UNSC Accra, which had moved to the other side of Bliss, and destroyed it.[2]
Aftermath[]
At some point after the battle, the UNSC Prophecy retrieved the UNSC Accra's voyage data recorder.[2]
On February 19, an ONI report was compiled from the info in the recorder.[2]
At some point after the battle, an ONI Section Two emissary team was sent out to meet with several leaders in the Outer Colonies to discuss the Covenant. While initially highly skeptical of this threat, the leaders were more willing to hear the UNSC out when they saw footage and audio from the Accra.[3]
Timeline[]
February 13[]
- 0153 Hours: 45 Covenant ships are detected 18.537 million kilometers from Bliss[2]
- 0203 Hours: Bliss Defense Fleet moves in to form battle cluster.[2]
- 0214 Hours: Covenant ships are positively identified and counted as 5 assault carriers, 23 battlecruisers, and 17 destroyers.[2]
- 0216 Hours: The Bliss Defense Fleet moves to engage the Covenant fleet near Aires, Bliss' moon. Evacuations are called for population centers on the planet.[2]
- 0217 Hours: The Covenant fleet counters.[2]
- 0219 Hours: The Accra loses communications with the rest of the Bliss Defense Fleet. The Covenant ships start moving towards Bliss.[2]
- 0237 Hours: The Accra initiates Emergency Priority Order 020570E-3 and moves itself to the other side of the planet.[2]
- 0243 Hours: The Covenant ships move towards Bliss, releasing small fighter craft to shoot down evacuation craft. A blockade is created around the planet.[2]
- 0255 Hours: The assault carriers stay in high orbit. The destroyers and battlecruisers move to just below the planet's surface. They branch outward with geometric precision.[2]
- 0256 Hours: The battlecruisers and destroyers near the surface of the planet fire their forward facing plasma cannons at the surface. The dust and debris block the Accra's view and they begin to reposition.[2]
- 0257 Hours: The Accra finishes with Emergency Priority Order 020570E-3 and internally prepares to flee.[2]
- 0259-0314 Hours: Covenant probes find the Accra. They begin to send fighters. The slipspace drive takes too long to start up and escape pods begin to launch. However, the ship came under heavy fire and is presumably destroyed.[2]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Halo: Reach Limited Edition - Bonus Content: Bliss Decimated!
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Halo: Reach Limited Edition - Bonus Content: Excerpt From Accra Log
- ↑ Halo: Reach Limited Edition - Bonus Content: Dr. Halsey's Personal Journal, April 28, 2526