Project CHRYSANTHEMUM: Difference between revisions
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
The CHRYSANTHEMUM bioaugmentation set improved upon the augmentations of the SPARTAN-II program,<ref name="goo63"/> pioneered by [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]]. With advances in technology, the casualty rate for SPARTAN-III candidates was usually 0%, as opposed to the 56% casualty rate of the SPARTAN-IIs. Most of the SPARTAN-IIIs' augmentations were chemically induced instead of surgically implanted like many of the SPARTAN-II enhancements.<ref name="GoO102"/ | The CHRYSANTHEMUM bioaugmentation set improved upon the augmentations of the SPARTAN-II program,<ref name="goo63"/> pioneered by [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]]. With advances in technology, the casualty rate for SPARTAN-III candidates was usually 0%, as opposed to the 56% casualty rate of the SPARTAN-IIs. Most of the SPARTAN-IIIs' augmentations were chemically induced instead of surgically implanted like many of the SPARTAN-II enhancements.<ref name="GoO102"/> | ||
The genetic requirements for the SPARTAN-III candidates were loosened from the exceedingly strict criteria of the SPARTAN-II program,<ref name="goo63"/> although the range of compatible individuals still remained incredibly narrow, with any aberrations from the required genetic set geometrically increasing the failure rate.<ref name="goo82">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 82-83''</ref><ref name="goo67">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 67-68, 70''</ref> [[James Ackerson|Colonel James Ackerson]], the mastermind of the SPARTAN-III program, requested to have mandatory genetic screening put in place in the [[Outer Colonies]] in order to find more genetic matches for his program, but the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] leadership felt this would only provoke the colonists for further [[Insurrection|aggression]] against the UNSC.<ref name="goo82"/> As a result of the more lenient selection criteria, the SPARTAN-III candidate pool was less physically and psychologically consistent, with a higher likelihood of behavioral problems;<ref name="goo63"/> many of the SPARTAN-III candidates were more lively and predisposed for aggression than their forebears.<ref name="goo67"/> In contrast to the SPARTAN-IIs who were consistently taller than the average human, the SPARTAN-III candidates were also less uniform in terms of physical stature.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 26-27''</ref> However, there were a small number of SPARTAN-III candidates—called "cat 2s" by [[Kurt Ambrose]]—who would have met the requirements for the SPARTAN-II program; some of them would later be removed from their mainline companies, given better equipment and assigned to separate special forces units.<ref name="comm">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24040 '''Bungie.net''': ''Communique from Kurt to Mendez'']</ref> | The genetic requirements for the SPARTAN-III candidates were loosened from the exceedingly strict criteria of the SPARTAN-II program,<ref name="goo63"/> although the range of compatible individuals still remained incredibly narrow, with any aberrations from the required genetic set geometrically increasing the failure rate.<ref name="goo82">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 82-83''</ref><ref name="goo67">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 67-68, 70''</ref> [[James Ackerson|Colonel James Ackerson]], the mastermind of the SPARTAN-III program, requested to have mandatory genetic screening put in place in the [[Outer Colonies]] in order to find more genetic matches for his program, but the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] leadership felt this would only provoke the colonists for further [[Insurrection|aggression]] against the UNSC.<ref name="goo82"/> As a result of the more lenient selection criteria, the SPARTAN-III candidate pool was less physically and psychologically consistent, with a higher likelihood of behavioral problems;<ref name="goo63"/> many of the SPARTAN-III candidates were more lively and predisposed for aggression than their forebears.<ref name="goo67"/> In contrast to the SPARTAN-IIs who were consistently taller than the average human, the SPARTAN-III candidates were also less uniform in terms of physical stature.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 26-27''</ref> However, there were a small number of SPARTAN-III candidates—called "cat 2s" by [[Kurt Ambrose]]—who would have met the requirements for the SPARTAN-II program; some of them would later be removed from their mainline companies, given better equipment and assigned to separate special forces units.<ref name="comm">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24040 '''Bungie.net''': ''Communique from Kurt to Mendez'']</ref> | ||
While the CHRYSANTHEMUM augmentations still had to be administered at the onset of puberty as the bodies of either prepubescents or adults would reject the chemicals, Colonel Ackerson's age restriction protocol for the SPARTAN-III program was considerably looser than that of the SPARTAN-IIs.<ref name="goo82"/><ref name="goo98"/> The SPARTAN-III candidates' ages upon induction typically ranged from four to six years old,<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 362''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 16''</ref> with the nominal ages of some of them (such as [[Carter-A259]]) exhibiting more extreme deviation from the standard age range.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24526 '''Bungie.net''': ''Carter-A259 Personnel Profile'']</ref> The schedule of the SPARTAN-III program was also accelerated from that of the SPARTAN-IIs; because the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] wanted to have the Spartans deployed in the field as rapidly as possible, the candidates were augmented at an average age of twelve, whereas the SPARTAN-IIs were fourteen during their augmentations. As puberty had not yet started for the majority of candidates at this time, they were given human growth hormone as well as cartilage, muscle and bone supplements added into their food over several months to artificially induce the onset of puberty. As a result, the candidates had the bodies of near-adult Olympic athletes at an average of only twelve years of age, and it took some time for them to acclimatize to their larger physiques.<ref name="goo98">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 98, 100''</ref> | While the CHRYSANTHEMUM augmentations still had to be administered at the onset of puberty as the bodies of either prepubescents or adults would reject the chemicals, Colonel Ackerson's age restriction protocol for the SPARTAN-III program was considerably looser than that of the SPARTAN-IIs.<ref name="goo82"/><ref name="goo98"/> The SPARTAN-III candidates' ages upon induction typically ranged from four to six years old,<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 362''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 16''</ref> with the nominal ages of some of them (such as [[Carter-A259]]) exhibiting more extreme deviation from the standard age range.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=personnel&cid=24526 '''Bungie.net''': ''Carter-A259 Personnel Profile'']</ref> The schedule of the SPARTAN-III program was also accelerated from that of the SPARTAN-IIs; because the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] wanted to have the Spartans deployed in the field as rapidly as possible, the candidates were augmented at an average age of twelve, whereas the SPARTAN-IIs were fourteen during their augmentations. As puberty had not yet started for the majority of candidates at this time, they were given human growth hormone as well as cartilage, muscle and bone supplements added into their food over several months to artificially induce the onset of puberty. As a result, the candidates had the bodies of near-adult Olympic athletes at an average of only twelve years of age, and it took some time for them to acclimatize to their larger physiques.<ref name="goo98">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 98, 100''</ref><ref group="note">These hormonal treatments supposedly replaced the catalytic thyroid implants received by the SPARTAN-IIs as part of their augmentation procedures. When describing the CHRYSANTHEMUM augmentations, ''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'' does not mention the SPARTAN-IIIs receiving the growth hormone catalyst in the form of a thyroid implant like the SPARTAN-IIs. Since the SPARTAN-IIIs received human growth hormone months prior to receiving their augmentations, it can be inferred that the catalytic thyroid implant was rendered redundant since both serve the same purpose.</ref> | ||
==Augmentations== | ==Augmentations== | ||
