- "We've lost contact with Alpha Squad. Last transmission was from Embry Square. I want you to get in there, find those men, and deploy that Resonator!"
- —Col. Victor Hoffman giving orders to Lt. Minh Young Kim.
The Battle of Embry Square was a minor battle during the Locust War and marked the beginning of the Lightmass Offensive. Following the completion of the Lightmass Bomb, Alpha Squad was sent to deploy the Sonic Resonator, a device built to map the Locust tunnels and provide the targeting data for the Lightmass Bomb. However, Alpha Squad lost transmission with Col. Victor Hoffman and Command. Delta-One was sent into Embry Square to find Alpha Squad and retrieve the Resonator.
Prelude[]
After fourteen years of fighting in the Locust War, the Coalition of Ordered Governments devised an offensive to hopefully destroy the Locust Horde and end the war. Based on previous incarnations, the Coalition developed the Lightmass Bomb capable of navigating the Hollow and striking in the heart of the Locust stronghold. However, the Lightmass Bomb required a target to strike. Therefore, the Coalition also developed the Sonic Resonator, a pulse mapping data capable of making a three-dimensional map of the Hollow.
Order of Battle[]
Ambush on Alpha Squad[]
After the creation of the Sonic Resonator, the Coalition tasked Alpha Squad with carrying the Resonator from the ruins of Ephyra, the former COG capital to the nearby Lethia Imulsion Facility to gain access to the Hollow and deploy the Resonator. The squad consisted of Cpl. Damon Baird, Pvt. Augustus Cole, Pvt. Jan Rojas and Pvt. Gyules. However, the squad was ambushed by the Locust at Embry Square, resulting in Pvt. Cole and Pvt. Rojas getting separated from Cpl. Baird and Pvt. Gyules. Due to the Seeder and Nemacyst infestation, the squad was unable to communicate with each other or Command. Pvt. Cole and Pvt. Rojas took shelter in the House of Sovereignss while the remaining squad took shelter in the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Attack on Embry Square[]
Unable to reach Alpha Squad, Command grew concerned that they were ambushed and in need of assistance or to retrieve the Resonator if they had been killed. Col. Victor Hoffman and Lt. Anya Stroud devised a search and rescue mission for Alpha Squad. After Delta-One, led by Cpl. Dominic Santiago, pardoned and rescued Marcus Fenix from the recently overrun Jacinto Maximum Security Prison, they were ordered to rendezvous with Col. Hoffman at Embry Square to be debriefed. Col. Hoffman protested Fenix rejoining the COG due to his betrayal, but recognized that the COG Army needed all of what they could get. Col. Hoffman and Lt. Stroud began to debrief Lt. Minh Young Kim of Delta-One on the matter of the Lightmass Offensive, but both squads were ambushed by the Locust on Embry Square, resulting in the deaths of two Gears.
During the battle, Col. Hoffman briefed Lt. Minh Young Kim, Cpl. Dominic Santiago, Pvt. Marcus Fenix and Pvt. Anthony Carmine on the completion of the Lightmass Bomb, the role of the Sonic Resonator and ordered Delta-One to rescue Alpha Squad and retrieve the Resonator. Lt. Kim requested for air support, but Col. Hoffman denied his request due to the Seeder and Nemacyst infestation. At the climax of the battle, Col. Hoffman and Lt. Stroud boarded KR-239 and took the remaining Locust forces out on the steps of Embry Square. Delta-One proceeded up the stairs and navigated the remainder of Embry Square for Alpha Squad. Delta-One encountered more Locust forces, but ultimately neutralized them.
Search for Alpha Squad[]
Pvt. Fenix and Lt. Kim over a dead Gear from Alpha Squad.
Deeper into Embry Square, Delta-One discovered a distant Emergence Hole with several dead Gears of Alpha Squad in the surrounding area, but no apparent sign of the Resonator. Lt. Stroud ordered Delta-One to keep looking and investigate the attack site. Delta-One traversed the Embry Square overpasses, full of more Locust forces, but were taken out. Pvt. Fenix noticed that the dead Gears were missing COG tags. Pvt. Fenix believed that it could be Alpha, but could also be the Locust setting a trap and deduced that they keep searching in order to be sure. Lt. Stroud ordered Lt. Kim and Delta to search at the nearby House of Sovereigns.
While on Embry Square, Delta was ambushed by dozens of more Locust in the underpass streets. Cornered in the circle drive, Delta-One was surrounded by multiple Emergence Holes. After neutralizing the enemy, Delta came across an office complex that would lead straight to the House of Sovereigns, but was mostly in ruins and had two points of entry. Lt. Kim and Cpl. Santiago went into one entrance while Pvt. Fenix and Pvt. Carmine took the other entrance. Both were ambushed by the Locust forces stationed inside, but Delta-One and Two were successful in their rendezvous with each other inside and took the remaining forces out in the office complex, leading straight out of Embry Square to the House of Sovereigns.
Aftermath[]
Delta-One was able to reach the House of Sovereigns where Pvt. Augustus Cole was located. The other remaining members of Alpha and Sonic Resonator were revealed to be pinned down nearby in the Tomb of the Unknowns.