Posted by: LonE ZealoT
Posted by: BlueRuby2k10
Posted by: Makko Mace
Edit: though , if Covennant didn't get airsupport and the Marines were well supplied and the numbers were more or less even they could well win, how ever that was rarely the case.
Right, because the UNSC doesn't have air support, not counting their Longswords, Falcons, and Hornets. Only in space, is where the Covenant reign; aka the only place that mattered in this war.
Technically the Covenant owned the ground as well then. Their cruisers could enter atmosphere undetected, or obliterate anything that would try to stop them.
I doubt coming in undetected was easy. A Frigate would be sent in to keep it busy. But as is your statement hypothetical, mine is as well.
As far as ground engagements go, Covenant always win simply because Human "Victories" come at high costs.
That doesn't make much sense. Humanity's technology on the ground was tactically superior compared to the Covenant's, not to mention better "battle smarts" as opposed to the Covenant's "en masse" "tactics". I guess it's just sacrificing logic to make the Covenant seem scary for the sake of drama, huh?
Still, some engagements (for example, the beginning cutscene in TotS in Reach) involve rushing in like kamikazes, those battles do involve high costs.
But still, there's always another, better way to go about sabotaging the Covenant without having so many sacrifices, especially within context of Halo: Reach, in which Noble Team could have just infiltrated quietly, and taken the AA guns out. THEN send the Frigates and the en masse UNSC force in. /off-topic
You lose a frigate, 6 tanks, and a detachment of marines; they lose a couple tanks, maybe a cruiser, and thousands of troops - all of which are quickly replaced.
You seem to be assuming the Marines are imbeciles.
Think about it-- the UNSC use smarter tactics, have superior, more practically tactical weapons (in the sense that their weapon's projectiles aren't slow) on the ground.
The Cruiser example is the only valid argument, but even then, heavier guns, or a fleet or a couple of ships (depending on the size of the Covie ship group) would be sent in to at least keep it busy, whether those UNSC ships win or not.
All of this said, playing tactically against the Covenant isn't easy; one slip up, and it's over for those humans.
And yes, I know I'm answering my own question to the thread--but I more-so wanted to hear people's opinions.
[Edited on 09.14.2011 3:42 PM PDT]