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| {{Status|Canon}} | | {{FOF-1}} |
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| | '''Combat Skin''' is a Forerunner term used to talk about body armor. It is presumed to have a classification system from Class 1 to at least Class 12. There may be more higher classes after 12. According to [[343 Guilty Spark]], the [[MJOLNIR armour]] is ranked on this scale as Class 2.<ref>[[Halo: The Flood]], page 240</ref> |
| [[File:H4 - Warrior-Servants 2.jpg|thumb|250px|Forerunners wearing combat skins.]]
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| '''Combat skins''', also known as '''fighting suits''' or '''battle armor''', were a type of [[Forerunner personal armor|body armor]] used by [[Forerunner]] combat personnel. The Forerunners had a classification system for combat skins, running from Class 1 to Class 18, and possibly above. According to [[343 Guilty Spark]], the [[human]] [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|MJOLNIR Mark V]] is ranked on this scale as equal to a Class 2.<ref name="Halo page 240">'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 240''</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level, ''[[The Library]]''</ref> | |
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| ==Overview== | | ==Armor of the Forerunner== |
| Combat skins ranged in shape and design from suits that mostly followed the wearer's figure in the manner of traditional battle armor,<ref>'''Halo 4''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''</ref> to much bulkier and more powerful variations that, while roughly humanoid in shape, were closer to vehicles than suits of armor.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 66''</ref> The [[war sphinx]], a medium-sized fighting suit, was ten meters in height, capable of space flight, and equipped with weaponry powerful enough to destroy cities.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 95''</ref> The war sphinx's newer counterpart, the [[Seeker (armor)|seeker]], was yet more advanced.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 195''</ref> A combat skin could be laid directly over a Forerunner's [[Forerunner personal armor|personal armor]], worn on everyday occasions; Forerunner warships stored such "combat wraps" in condensed form, allowing fighters to convert their armor into a heavier combat skin should the need arise.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 126''</ref>
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| One notable feature of combat skin was its ability to attune itself to best counter different forms of attack. For example, after optimizing to the Forerunner infantry weapons wielded by [[Blue Team]], [[Ur-Didact]] was capable of ignoring numerous direct hits from the Spartans' weapons.<ref name="esc10">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue 10]]''</ref> Previously, automatic fire from all four members of Blue Team firing their [[MA5D assault rifle]]s at once had no effect on the Didact, demonstrating the resiliency of a high-level combat skin.<ref name="esc9">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9|Issue 9]]''</ref> Warrior combat skin was also equipped with several offensive and defensive systems, including the ability to generate and manipulate various forms of [[constraint field]]s at will.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 303-305''</ref><ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Midnight]]''</ref> The Didact's armor also possessed a number of energy attacks,{{Ref/Reuse|esc10}} including a directed energy blast and a powerful shockwave capable of stunning nearby enemies.{{Ref/Reuse|esc9}}
| | Not much is known about Combat Skin. It first comes up in [[Halo]] in the level [[Library (Level)|Library]] when [[343 Guilty Spark]] wonders why the [[Master Chief]] had brought "such ineffective weapons" to combat the [[Flood]], and recommends that the Chief upgrades from the [[MJOLNIR armor]], which, according to some Forerunner ranking system, the criteria of which is not gone into, is only '''Class 2'''. (Note: This takes place before the upgrade mentioned in the beginning of the Halo 2 game). Guilty Spark suggests Master Chief that he upgrade to a '''Class 12 Combat Skin''', which he says is necessary to combat the Flood. |
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| Combat skins were typically worn by [[Warrior-Servant]]s, the [[rate]] tasked with warfare, but could be used by the dedicated military or security forces of the other the rates as well, such as [[Builder Security]], the security force of the [[Builder]] rate. After the [[Flood]] threat intensified to critical levels, even [[civilian]]s were forced to wear combat skins in high-risk areas.<ref name="terminals">'''[[Halo 3]]''', ''[[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminals]]''</ref>
| | ==What Does the Class System Mean== |
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| ===Classification system===
| | Due to the fact that not much information is known about Combat skin, there is some debate on what exactly the Combat Skin refers to. The confusion is made worse by various quotes from the halo Universe: |
| [[File:H4 - Warrior-Servants.jpg|thumb|250px|A team of Promethean [[Warrior-Servant]]s in battle, wearing combat skins typical of their rate.]]
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| Combat skins were comparable to, but far more advanced than, the UNSC [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]]. It is first mentioned by 343 Guilty Spark as he is leading [[John-117]] through [[Installation 04]]'s [[Library]], wondering why he had brought "such ineffective weapons" to combat the [[Flood]]. He notes that the MJOLNIR is ill-suited to combating the Flood, and recommends that he upgrade to a Class 12 combat skin from the MJOLNIR, which is ranked on the Forerunner classification system as a Class 2. On the other hand, Guilty Spark also notes that the MJOLNIR will serve John well when the Flood begins converting Halo's atmosphere, commenting that he is a "good planner".{{Ref/Reuse|ReferenceA}} Upon learning that there was a powered armor system six times more powerful than the MJOLNIR, John expressed enthusiasm at the opportunity to wear one.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo page 240}}
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| The Terminals on [[Installation 00]] indicate that other combat skin classifications existed, ranging from 1 to 4, and that there were other suits of a similar nature, such as the battle harness, with its own classification ranging from 1 to 6, and the [[platform interface skin]]. Eventually, all [[civilian]] personnel were required to wear at least a Class 8 combat skin unless in core areas, and all military personnel were required to wear at least a Class 12 combat skin.{{Ref/Reuse|terminals}}
| | As shown above, 343 says that Master Chief should upgrade his armor, thus referring to Combat Skin as a type of armor where the MJOLNIR armor is Class 2. However, 343 later talks about the Flood changing the atmosphere and says "Your Environment Suit should serve you well..." implying that the MJOLNIR armor in Forerunner terms is an Environment Suit. This could also mean that a Class 12 Combat Skin isn't stronger than a Class 2, simply a Class 12 is the ideal Skin for combating the flood, while the Class 2 works well as an Environment Suit. The differing nomenclature has led some to believe that the two items 343 refers to are different, i.e. your armor is what he refers to as the 'Environment Suit', and your 'Combat Skin' is the Chief's flesh and body. However, this too is contradicted when in [[Halo: The Flood]] the Master Chief, upon hearing this he should upgrade from Class 2 to 12, thinks, "If there's a battle suit six times more powerful than the MJOLNIR armor, I'll be first in line to try it on," perhaps implying that the Combat Skin classes are indeed ranked according to strength, although this is simply the Chief's opinion on the meaning. It could also suggest that the Master Chief's armour is a class 2 combat skin, but serves as an 'Environment Suit' as well.<ref>[[Halo: The Flood]], page 240</ref> |
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| During the [[Battle of Installation 00]], Guilty Spark can be heard lamenting that John did not upgrade his combat skin. The fact that the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI|Mark VI]] is more advanced than the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|Mark V]] that Guilty Spark had previously encountered and is still classed as a Class 2 may indicate that the upgrades were considered so marginal from a Forerunner standpoint that the MJOLNIR suit was still inferior to a Class 3 combat skin.<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level, [[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]</ref>
| | Another set of theories is that 'Combat Skin' seems to be ranked on power. One could also assume it's a synonym for 'Environment Suit', or possibly a suit of armor can be one or both of these. For example a class 2 and a class 12 could serve the same purpose as an 'Environment Suit', while the class 12 is just much more powerful as a 'Combat Skin'. Class 12 'Combat Skin's could be better in both categories, and perhaps the 343 was just implying it was better than nothing. Bungie would probably go with the most literal interpretation, that being that the suits are ranked on power in general, 1 being the least powerful and 12 being the most powerful. |
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| ==Trivia== | | ==Sources== |
| *''[[Origins]]'' depicts Forerunners using combat skins that seemingly lack energy shields, leaving their wearers extremely vulnerable to Flood infection. It is likely that, rather than representing the peak of the technology, it is indicative that the Forerunners were woefully unprepared for the Flood onslaught, and were initially slow to adapt their equipment and technology to fighting a purely biological foe. In a fictional context, the film is compiled by the semi-rampant [[Cortana]] from a limited number of sources, explaining any apparent inaccuracies.
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| *In ''[[Halo 4]]'', the [[Librarian]] reveals that the ''[[geas]]'' she implanted in the human race guided the creation of the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI|MJOLNIR]] armor used by [[John-117]] which she calls his combat skin.
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| ==Gallery==
| | <references/> |
| <gallery>
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| File:Old_HW_CombatSkin.jpg|Cortana's visual interpretation of a combat skin.
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| File:Old_HW_EarlyEfforts.jpg|A group of Forerunners in combat skins engaging the Flood, as envisioned by Cortana.
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| File:Old_HW_Sacrifice.jpg|A combat skin helmet, as envisioned by Cortana.
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| File:HCr Promethean Concept.png|Concept art of a Forerunner combat skin.
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| File:Enc22 H4 Promethean.png|A [[Promethean]] wearing a combat skin.
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| File:Halo 4 Promethean Concept art.jpg|Concept art of a Promethean's armor.
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| File:Halo 4 Promethean Concept Art 2.jpg|Multiple concepts of a Promethean's armor.
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| </gallery> | |
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| ==List of appearances== | | ==Related Links== |
| *''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' {{Fm}}
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| *''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo 3]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo Legends]]''
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| **''[[Origins]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' {{Mo}}
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| **''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
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| *''[[Halo 4]]''
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| **''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Last Light]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Epitaph]]''
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| ==Sources==
| | *[[MJOLNIR armor]] |
| {{Ref/Sources}}
| | *[[Semi-Powered Infiltration Armor]] |
| | *[[Elite Personal Energy Shield]] |
| | *[[Body Suit]] |
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| {{Armor}}
| | [[Category: Weapons]][[Category: The Forerunner]] |
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| {{Forerunner|technology}}
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| [[Category:Forerunner technology]] | |
| [[Category:Protective clothing]] | |
