Operation: NULL FROST

Operation: NULL FROST was a minor conflict between the forces of the United Nations Space Command and an Insurrectionist faction on the human colony planet of Novanskoye triggered my the faction acquiring former Covenant weaponry which sparked a large UNSC response, including several SPARTAN-IIIs in battle.
== Prelude ==
During the Insurrection, Novanskoye, a small human outer colony world, faced an uprising by an insurrectionist faction that attacked the UNSC airfield on the planet. Lacking the equipment and firepower to hold off the insurrectionists, the UNSC forces opted to retreat, abandoning the airfield and the planet to the insurrectionists. Not deeming the planet worth the resources it would require to retake it, the UNSC decided to leave the planet alone for the rest of the Insurrection.
Novanskoye, due to its small size, little ship traffic, or population, and general unimportance to both sides, the planet was spared any fighting during the Human-Covenant War. After the end of the Human-Covenant War, the Covenant split into multiple remnant factions, either hoping to rebuild the Covenant, eliminate humanity, or just gain whatever power they could. When one of the remnant factions encountered the Novanskoye insurrectionists, the insurrectionists bought several Is'belox-pattern Banshees from them.
Once word of the insurrectionists possessing Covenant craft reached the UNSC, they deemed the retaking of the planet a priority and deployed the Ignis Corps, fresh from the Human-Covenant War, aboard the frigate UNSC Arcadia's Revenge, to retake the planet.
== Battle ==
=== Opening phase ===
On July 8th, 2553, the UNSC Arcadia's Revenge arrived in orbit of the planet in the early hours of the morning. Insurrectionist forces immediately began scrambling forces from the airbase and the surrounding town to establish defenses, and air assets were prepared, though the insurrectionists' banshees were held back in caution, not wanting to risk losing them immediately.
After being briefed, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and several SPARTAN-IIIs of Ignis Corps were deployed, their drop pods landing in the mountains several miles beyond the town. The Arcadia's D77-TC Pelicans and UH-144 Falcons were deployed simultaneously to provide fire support and deliver vehicles to the battlefield. The insurrectionists deployed their inventory of vehicles to the outskirts of the town to defend against the attackers. Minor air battles began as the UNSC air support was engaged by insurrectionist attack helicopters.
Numerous insurrectionists and several light vehicles advanced beyond the defenses and into the forest where the drop pods had landed but were quickly ambushed and defeated by the ODSTs. With the SPARTAN-IIIs leading the charge, they advanced on the town.
===Attacking the town===
After reaching the town the Spartans and the UNSC air support quickly dealt with the insurrectionist vehicles, but insurrectionists had begun hiding in the town buildings and firing on UNSC troops from cover, causing the ODSTs to slowly clear each individual house of hostiles. During this moment of quiet in the sky as insurrectionist air assets retreated to a second line of defenses, UNSC Pelicans delivered several vehicles to the battlefield, including M808B Scorpion tanks and M12 Warthogs. The insurrectionists had also abandoned several vehicles in the battle, which the UNSC seized for their own uses as they pressed on to the second layer of defenses.
Despite their victories in the early stages of the battle, the UNSC would face heavy anti-air resistance on the second line of defenses, with insurrectionist air power and footsoldiers equipped with anti-air weapons firing on UNSC air support. A UH-144 Falcon was shot down along with a Pelican during the assault. UNSC Scorpion tanks retaliated by forming a battle line near a river and downing the remaining insurrectionist attack helicopters. Insurrectionist defenses quickly fell apart after the arrival of the ODSTs.
===Push on the airfield===
 
Running out of options, the insurrectionists deployed all their remaining forces, including their acquired Is'belox-pattern Banshees, previously kept hidden in the airbase's hangars, which attacked the UNSC forces pushing on the airfield, downing a second Pelican and causing it to crash on the runway. 
A SPARTAN-III and a team of ODSTs raided the air traffic control tower, capturing the operators and disabling communications to the Banshee pilots. The Banshees began strafing the airfield as ODSTs and vehicles streamed onto the tarmac. However, due to the inexperience of the pilots in handling their vehicles, several crashed onto the airfield, but being relatively undamaged, were swiftly commandeered by ODSTs, who took off to battle the remaining enemy fighters. 
Meanwhile, the remainder of the UNSC ground forces had arrived at the airbase and began planting charges on the hangars, hoping to eliminate the remaining Banshees inside. The battle properly concluded once the remaining insurrectionist Banshees were shot down and the other Banshees were destroyed in their hangars. 
==Aftermath==
With the insurrectionist faction defeated, the UNSC was quick to reestablish proper control over Novanskoye, reclaiming the airbase and surrounding town, despite the heavy damage the location suffered during the battle. A local force loyal to the UNSC was put in place as Ignis Corps would return to Earth. Ignis would be debriefed by Office of Naval Intelligence personnel, which also confiscated the single remaining Banshee from the battle, claiming it to research. The captured insurrectionists would be detained by UNSC security forces and imprisoned at an unknown location.
Category:Operations
Category:Battles
Category:Insurrection
Category:Ignis Corps