So that’s why they let Reach get attacked…
Pretty sure HMS said he wouldn’t allow Reach to be used as bait.
Interesting…
P.S. It’s actually data drop IV.
Sounds like they confirmed what I had been saying for some time now. Reach was sacrificed for Operation: RED FLAG.
> Sounds like they confirmed what I had been saying for some time now. Reach was sacrificed for Operation: RED FLAG.
Mmm…I really doubt this. The addendum to the RED FLAG OP ORD clearly states that HMS will not use Reach as Bait. Also, we know from previous canon that reach was discovered after a Covenant subspace probe attached itself to the UNSC Iroquois after the battle at Sigma Octanus IV. Most other human planets were discovered by use of the Luminary.
However, as stated in the OP ORD, if the Covenant had already discovered reach, Humanity would be stupid not to attempt to take advantage of the situation.
> > Sounds like they confirmed what I had been saying for some time now. Reach was sacrificed for Operation: RED FLAG.
>
> Mmm…I really doubt this. The addendum to the RED FLAG OP ORD clearly states that HMS will not use Reach as Bait. Also, we know from previous canon that reach was discovered after a Covenant subspace probe attached itself to the UNSC Iroquois after the battle at Sigma Octanus IV. Most other human planets were discovered by use of the Luminary.
>
> However, as stated in the OP ORD, if the Covenant had already discovered reach, Humanity would be stupid not to attempt to take advantage of the situation.
Except his letter was sent on August 1st and we know the Covenant had discovered Reach on July 24th. So regardless if he said “No” or not, the plan had already been in motion by the time he responded. She mentions seriously looking into RED FLAG on July 19th and then the Covenant shows up on the 24th. He responds with " The only exception to this, in my mind, would be if the Covenant had already located Reach and it was deemed indefensible". Funny he says that because they did.
It almost appears as if the Covenant discovering Reach with their Probe is becoming less likely. It sounds like it’s a cover up to hide the fact that ONI let the Covenant have Reach. That’s just speculation but something is definitely up.
I just read that, and all I can say is; HOLY SH*T.
Oh, and to the guy saying that Stanforth wouldn’t let Reach be sacrificed, he’s one man. The outline for Red Flag clearly says that Reach (as well as other possible colonies) might have to be sacrificed for the success of the mission.
Holy crap, guys and gals… This changes a lot, and - interestingly enough - makes Reach fit all the better.
> It almost appears as if the Covenant discovering Reach with their Probe is becoming less likely. It sounds like it’s a cover up to hide the fact that ONI let the Covenant have Reach. That’s just speculation but something is definitely up.
I think it’s more likely that ONI knew the probe was there, but let it record the location of Reach unhindered so that nothing would be amiss to the Covenant. They had to find Reach somehow, and they had to believe that they had found it on their own.
Despite what most of you are saying about HMS not endorsing the option, I think ONI wouldn’t have cared anyways. This all seems to convenient, planned even.
I like it. This is also making Halo Reach more enjoyable. And I had long predictions of ONI knowing more than they say.
Perhaps this ONI setup is part of the new morality and behind the dark secrets we will see with them in the future with Halo 4 and Grasslands.
I don’t think they let them have it. More like after the real invasion they knew they couldn’t win so they went with it.
Very interesting. But I don’t see how the RED FLAG story could mesh with the Chief story in 4. Seems like they’re on different sides of the galaxy, and Chief has no interstellar transport, and the UNSC has no idea of Chief’s whereabouts, or even his survival.
I mean, the war is over. The result of RED FLAG would have already happened by Halo 2/3, right? So it’s no longer relevant?
>
Never assume anything, man.
Interesting… makes the game and the book finally make sense.
I have less respect for ONI than I already did. Maybe that’s why in the game, Reach’s defense seemed poor. ONI let it die.
Good move from 343i. But one hole is fixed and another is created. Why Pillar of Autumn is jumping into slipspace in the begining of Red Flag instead trying to assault a Covvie ship in Reach?
> Why Pillar of Autumn is jumping into slipspace in the begining of Red Flag instead trying to assault a Covvie ship in Reach?
Probably a new priority from Halsey. She probably told Keyes what was with Cortana, or told him to get her the hell out of Reach. There was also no way the Spartans would be able to remotely take a Covenant ship when most were dead or wounded and there was a variable sh*t-storm bearing down on Reach. ONI probably didn’t expect the size of the fleet Reach got, so RED FLAG was likely called off immediately.
> > Why Pillar of Autumn is jumping into slipspace in the begining of Red Flag instead trying to assault a Covvie ship in Reach?
>
> Probably a new priority from Halsey. She probably told Keyes what was with Cortana, or told him to get her the hell out of Reach. There was also no way the Spartans would be able to remotely take a Covenant ship when most were dead or wounded and there was a variable sh*t-storm bearing down on Reach. ONI probably didn’t expect the size of the fleet Reach got, so RED FLAG was likely called off immediately.
no, that is when Reach is lost. Operation Red Flag started before the final attack to Reach and all spartan II except gray team were in the Autumn. So is a another hole in the canon. If Red Flad was applied, why Noble Team destroyed the supercarrier with a slipspace jump?
> Very interesting. But I don’t see how the RED FLAG story could mesh with the Chief story in 4. Seems like they’re on different sides of the galaxy, and Chief has no interstellar transport, and the UNSC has no idea of Chief’s whereabouts, or even his survival.
>
> I mean, the war is over. The result of RED FLAG would have already happened by Halo 2/3, right? So it’s no longer relevant?
ONI knows a lot more than their saying. Maybe they already know where master chief’s location is, maybe they lead the covenant to earth.
> > > Why Pillar of Autumn is jumping into slipspace in the begining of Red Flag instead trying to assault a Covvie ship in Reach?
> >
> > Probably a new priority from Halsey. She probably told Keyes what was with Cortana, or told him to get her the hell out of Reach. There was also no way the Spartans would be able to remotely take a Covenant ship when most were dead or wounded and there was a variable sh*t-storm bearing down on Reach. ONI probably didn’t expect the size of the fleet Reach got, so RED FLAG was likely called off immediately.
>
> no, that is when Reach is lost. Operation Red Flag started before the final attack to Reach and all spartan II except gray team were in the Autumn. So is a another hole in the canon. If Red Flad was applied, why Noble Team destroyed the supercarrier with a slipspace jump?
I doubt a single spartan team would be able to takeover an entire Supercarrier, or maybe they just didn’t know about RED FLAG.
K Town, why would ONI lead the Covenant to Earth? That’s BEYOND stupid.
I they really did use it as bait it just proves that oni are dickheads
My belief is that ONI found the covenant on Reach, and let them attack the planet, whilst keeping the assault hushed up from the S-II. One of the extra content stories in the back of THE FALL OF REACH has Keyes saying how he knows that Reach won’t be here when they get back from Red Flag- Also the S-III’s were on Reach and should have been enough to fill in the gap of the S-II along with the other UNSC forces so maybe the OP is right- ONI let reach die and didn’t expect such a huge >300 fleet to come along