- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Posted by: Apple Cookie
Well I was wondering that too. We dont know if the whole Earth is taken but bungie does say that the covenant controll Earth and there see mto be a lot of ships there. But how? I know the covenant must have thousands of ships seeing as how they didnt care much when the Chief took out those 500 in first strike, but still. 300 MAC cannons, each firing 1 shot every 5 seconds, each round that finds its target = 1 less covie ship. So lets say half of them hit each time. Thats 150 covie ships gone every 5 seconds. Either they did lose a lot of ships, or simply some slipped by while more are still fighting in space. But it kinda sucks if ALL of Earth is taken.
Umm, it is in space. Three-dimensions of Battle. Which means, if the Covenant attack at a precise angle, only about 100 (150, tops) of those MAC cannons will ever get a shot. Do you think that 300 MAC guns would be on one side of the planet? Then the Covenant could simply attack the undefended side =). Plus, those MAC guns must puncture the Covenant's shieldings to ever throw a round clean through a Capital ship. And those shields are what keep Humans at bay and make the 3:1 ratio for an even fight. Two Admirals and their fleet (and MAC guns) could barely take down ONE Carrier ship (MC was a kill-stealer!) during the time of Halo 2's beginning, and had grave difficulty with Regret's ship.
The MAC stations also must survive a wave of boarding craft, which devastates most platforms. The only thing that saved Cairo was a super-soldier Spartan, and there isn't one of those on each platform. Also, the Covenant hold outside the killzone until conditions are favorable.
After this happens, they mop up forces outside the planet and dump a wave of troops on the ground. And that is a massive number of troops in each ship (remember how many Regret's cruiser established on the ground). These troops hit key targets on the surface (generators), and divert the enemy's attention where they must split their forces.
Regret's 'fleet' was a joke. Yet he still was able to get a Carrier to land on Earth under the fire of Earth's full force. His force was also an escavation force (scarabs) or a scout force (they did not expect to see humanity on Earth). The Hierachs brought the 'largest fleet I've ever seen, the largest anyone's ever seen' (Cortana, level Regret) to Delta Halo, preparing it to jump to Earth.
The Covenant's Civil War erupts. Big whoop. The Brutes have the majority power, and they follow the Prophets. They also assassinated or captured any high-ranking Elite (councilers), gaining full control over the Covenant. Then, it is simply mopping up the Elite's forces, something as difficult as if the Jackals rebelled. They still have a huge ass fleet, and plan to attack Earth. Even with Earth's heavy defenses, they stand no chance of this massive attack with the Covenant's tactics. Why do you think Humanity has been spending forever keeping Earth secret?