Kaiser Campaign

The Kaiser Campaign was a series of major space battles and ground campaigns on the Inner Colony of Kaiser during the Human-Covenant War. The Covenant assaulted the colony several times, beginning in the late 2540s, and eventually partially glassed the planet in the 2550s. Kaiser was devastated by the campaign. Much like the successful defense of Lusitania, the population of Kaiser participated in a voluntary mass mobilization effort to thwart Covenant forces. Kaiser lost more than half of its native population during the fighting. Nevertheless, the last Covenant forces abandoned their invasion in December 2552 as the Covenant Empire tore itself apart. The UNSC declared victory on December 20. 
==Background==
Kaiser was a major UEG stronghold during the Human-Covenant War, home to a large population, considerable manufacturing, and several shipyards. Guarded by its own security forces and a sizable UNSC garrison, Kaiser was considered in 2540 to be among the most resilient Inner Colony worlds, ranked alongside Lusitania, Reach, and Vanguard. 
==Campaign==
===Action of 28 November 2552===
On November 28, 2552, the Jiralhanae-led Fleet of Unrelenting Vigor arrived near the besieged UEG colony of Kaiser and demanded the surrender of the Sangheili-led Fleet of Sacred Intercession. The Sangheili refused and the Jiralhanae immediately attacked. 
The Fleet of Sacred Intercession possessed sixteen ships scattered around the vicinity of Kaiser: one carrier, four cruisers, five destroyers, four frigates, and two corvettes. The Fleet of Unrelenting Vigor possessed the numerical advantage with twenty-eight ships: two carriers, six cruisers, three destroyers, eleven frigates, and six corvettes. Similarly, the ships of Unrelenting Vigor had been readied for battle in anticipation of engaging the Sangheili, whereas the Fleet of Sacred Intercession had been conducting offensive operations against Human forces for several months. 
The Sangheili suffered the loss of seven ships: one cruiser, four frigates, and both corvettes. The Jiralhanae lost fifteen ships: two destroyers, seven frigates, and all six corvettes. The smaller ships suffered heavy casualties primarily due to being badly outranged by opposing cruisers and destroyers. 
The Fleet of Sacred Intercession withdrew to the system perimeter. In its absence, the Fleet of Unrelenting Vigor assumed command of Covenant forces on Kaiser. Around thirty-nine Covenant ships unaffiliated with either fleet remained in low orbit over or near various Covenant positions, mostly corvettes and a few frigates. 
===Action of 7 December 2552===
On December 7, 2552, the Sangheili-led Fleet of Sacred Intercession launched an assault on the Jiralhanae-led Fleet of Unrelenting Vigor and effectively destroyed the Jiralhanae fleet. After their earlier clash on November 28, both fleets had been unable to gain replacements. Thus the nine ships of Sacred Intercession faced the thirteen ships of Unrelenting Vigor. The Sangheili possessed a carrier, three cruisers, and five destroyers, while the Jiralhanae possessed two carriers, six cruisers, one destroyer, and four frigates. 
The Fleet of Sacred Intercession focused lethal plasma fire on the core of the Jiralhanae fleet: in just fifteen minutes, the Fleet of Unrelenting Vigor lost a carrier and half its cruisers. The Sangheili chased down and destroyed the remaining Jiralhanae carrier and another cruiser before breaking off the engagement and departing the system entirely. Sacred Intercession suffered damage to a cruiser and two destroyers, and left the Fleet of Unrelenting Vigor shattered in their wake. The Jiralhanae had lost six ships in twenty-five minutes as well as most of the fleet's leadership. The fleet effectively dissolved forty minutes later when the sole Jiralhanae destroyer torpedoed one of the surviving cruisers. 
While Covenant forces on Kaiser had already begun withdrawing and several unaffiliated ships had quit the system, the destruction of the Jiralhanae fleet turned the withdrawal into a route. Any semblance of cohesion disappeared from Covenant ground forces as leaderless units sought any means of evacuation. 
Category:Battles of the Human-Covenant War