THE YEAR IS 2552. HUMANITY IS AT WAR WITH AN ALIEN ALLIANCE KNOWN AS "THE COVENANT". WE ARE LOSING. THE COVENANT HAVE BURNED OUR WORLDS, KILLING BILLIONS IN THEIR GENOCIDAL CAMPAIGN. EARTH IS OUR LAST BASTION - A CAREFULLY GUARDED SECRET. BUT NOT ANYMORE. A COVENANT CARRIER HAS BREACHED EARTH'S DEFENSES AND ATTACKED THE AFRICAN MEGA-CITY "NEW MOMBASA". INITIAL REPORTS CONFIRM MAJOR DAMAGE AND HEAVY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. NOW, MILITARY LEADERS OF THE "UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND" HAVE PREPARED THEIR RESPONSE... TEAMS OF HIGHLY-TRAINED "ORBITAL DROP SHOCK TROOPERS" ARE READY TO ASSAULT THE CARRIER FROM NAVY SHIPS IN LOW ORBIT. THIS IS A NEAR-SUICIDAL MISSION. BUT THESE TROOPERS ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST. AND SAVING NEW MOMBASA COULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT MISSION OF THE WAR...