Editing Cut Halo: Reach armor

{{Title|Cut ''Halo: Reach'' armor}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{GameFiles}}
During the [[Development of Halo: Reach|production]] of the [[downloadable content]] for ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', a number of '''armor permutations''' were developed but ultimately cut. The sets were originally teased in a trailer for the game's [[Defiant Map Pack]], and intended to be included in the [[Anniversary Map Pack]] - though were ultimately scrapped.

==Base game==
===Alternate Elite Minor===
An alternate design for the [[Sangheili Minor|Elite Minor]] armour can be seen in the UI icons for early builds of ''Halo: Reach''. This armour design is mostly the same as the final game, with one major exception - the shoulders of the early variant are significantly more pronounced than in final. This model was used as the basis for the Minor Elites in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' the year following ''Reach''{{'}}s release.
<gallery>
File:HR EarlyEliteMinor.png|The Elite UI icon.
File:Elite minor render.png|The Elite Minor in the final game, for comparison.
File:HCEA Elite Minor.png|The cut ''Reach'' Minor armour in the [[Library (feature)|Library]] of ''Combat Evolved Anniversary''.
File:HR CovenantThrusterPack Concept 1.jpg|A rear view of the cut Minor variant, seen in a concept paintover for the [[Covenant thruster pack]].
File:HR CovenantThrusterPack Concept 2.jpg|A rear view of the cut Minor variant, seen in a concept paintover for the Covenant thruster pack.
</gallery>

===Hardened External Sensor Array - External===
{{Quote|Hardened external sensor array - external; standard issue for [[Outer Colony]] [[Beta-5 Division|Beta-5]] security units.}}
The Hardened External Sensor Array - External (HESA-E) was a helmet attachment available in the ''[[Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta]]''. The attachment is useable on the [[MP-class Mjolnir|Military Police]] helmet, and costs 20,000 [[Credits|cR]] to buy. In the final game, this attachment is still available though under the name of the [[Hardened uplink/remote sensor package|HU/RS]] attachment.
<gallery>
File:HESA E MP.jpg|The HESA-E attachment in the Beta.
</gallery>

==DLC armor==
===Background===
These cut armour sets first appeared in promotional material for ''[[Halo: Reach]]''{{'}}s ''[[Defiant Map Pack]]'' in [[2011]], where some of them were worn by a player in three screenshots of the map [[Condemned]]. The player wore the [[AKIS]] helmet, with the CBRN and GRD attachments, in combination with the [[Armor accessories/EXO|EXO/TSCS]] chest piece.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://techgeek.com.au/2011/02/24/halo-reach-new-armor-with-defiant-map-pack/|Site=TechGeek|Page=Halo Reach: New Armor with Defiant Map Pack?|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|URL=https://uk.ign.com/images/games/halo-reach-xbox-360-14276699/4fa6cb61cdc388ed13f59814|Site=IGN|Page=Halo: Reach Images|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}} In the absence of an official name, the ''Halo'' community took to calling the then-unknown helmet "GRD",{{Ref/Site|Id=GRDOrigin|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/cdecc00475c645b9a4d0a156fb542d59/topics/the-only-thread-about-that-helmet/f1f8c897-0de0-4c0f-a2e6-e4d06f3845c8/posts?page=7#post126|Site=Halo Waypoint Forums|Page= - The *only* thread about that helmet!|Detail=This thread features the first known use of the name "GRD"|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}} a nickname that stuck and eventually became the official name for one of the helmet's attachments.{{Ref/Site|Id=MCCDevUpdateSept2020|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-september-2020|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=News, MCC Development Update - September 2020}}

A lack of official communication about or acknowledgement of the mystery helmet from Bungie or 343 Industries led to a great deal of speculation about how it might be released, with some even suggesting that it could already be unlocked through some esoteric method.{{Ref/Reuse|GRDOrigin}} Eventually, these rumours were proven false when, on [[2012|February 11th, 2012]], [[343 Industries]] employee [[David Ellis]] confirmed that 343 had intended to release it alongside the ''[[Anniversary Map Pack]]'', but that it had been cut due to time and resource constraints.{{Ref/Site|Id=NeoGAF|URL=https://www.neogaf.com/threads/halo-ot-halogaf-evolved.459213/page-166#post-35044917|Site=NeoGAF|Page=Halo <nowiki>|OT|</nowiki> HaloGAF Evolved|Quote=We were prototyping and experimenting with adding new armor variants as part of the Anniversary release. Unfortunately, that feature was cut due to time/resource constraints. The Spartan plushies on the Anniversary Maps are an acknowledgement of that via easter egg.|Quotee=David Ellis|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}} Ultimately, neither the AKIS helmet nor the EXO/TSCS chest piece were ever released for ''Reach'' on the [[Xbox 360]].

The [[Spartan dolls Easter egg]] in the ''Anniversary Map Pack'' features dolls of Spartans wearing the same armor configuration as the player in the ''Defiant Map Pack'' screenshots, including the AKIS helmet. This was a deliberate acknowledgment of the armor on 343 Industries' part.{{Ref/Reuse|NeoGAF}} This doll object was later made available as a placeable object in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''{{'}} [[Forge]] mode, in which it is known as the "5th Spartan" doll.{{Ref/Mode|Id=H5GForge|H5G|Forge/Halo 5: Guardians|Forge}}

In [[2019]], it was announced that ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' would be added to ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'', and that ''The Master Chief Collection'' would be ported to PC, with ''Reach'' being the first of the games in the collection to release on the platform.{{Ref/Site|Id=MCCPCAnnouncement|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-pc-halo-reach|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=MCC PC & Halo: Reach|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}} This brought with it renewed interest in the unreleased armour, with many requesting that it be included in the game's re-release.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/b2yhk8/mcc_pc_halo_reach_and_halo_insider_ama/eivwxnw/|Site=Reddit|Page=MCC PC, Halo: Reach, and Halo Insider AMA|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/f3681fbc78fa43878c4aec9a63a46224/topics/grd-helmet-in-halo-reach/53e23894-7e60-4dba-b563-5b9f7c14c7de/posts|Site=Halo Waypoint Forums|Page=GRD helmet in Halo: Reach?|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|Dab1001_|1108429727537262593|Dab1001|D=15|M=10|Y=2021|Quote=My question would be: Will the fan-dubbed GRD helmet and chestplate that was cut from the Defiant Map Pack will be featured in the port of Halo: Reach?<br>Very likely not.|Quotee=Jeff Easterling}} 343 Industries would officially address these requests in a development update in July of that year, saying that they ''"[were] currently investigating it but [could not] commit to it being in the game at [that] time"'' and also noting that they were interested in expanding the pool of customization items in each game, potentially even including new armors.{{Ref/Site|Id=MCCDevUpdateJuly2019|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-june-2019|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=MCC Development Update - June 2019|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}}

Later the same year, a modder by the name of Gamecheat13 discovered customisation renders for two cut armour sets in the game files of the second [[Halo Insider program|Halo Insider]] flight (dubbed the "FireFlight") of [[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'s PC port of ''Halo: Reach'',{{Ref/Twitter|Id=GC13-renders|Gamecheat13|1165451376111116288|Gamecheat13|Quote=Found 2 new armor sets in the new customization render for the current MCC Reach Flight. Looks like 343i might be adding GRD and another unknown armor set to Reach for MCC.|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}} and also unearthed the internal codenames for both sets: <code>spartan_dlc_condemned</code> and <code>spartan_dlc_preserve</code>.{{Ref/Twitter|Id=GC13-name|Gamecheat13|1165451823744000000|Gamecheat13|Quote=Names are spartan_dlc_preserve and spartan_dlc_condemned. Both named after maps from the Defiant map pack.|D=15|M=10|Y=2021}} The <code>spartan_dlc_preserve</code> set featured the AKIS helmet paired with an unidentified chest piece, while the <code>spartan_dlc_condemned</code> set included the EXO/TSCS chest piece with the [[Mariner]] helmet.

Eventually, in [[2020|September 2020]], it was confirmed in an [[MCC Development Update]] that several of these armour sets would be making their way into ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' as part of [[Series 4: Reclaimer]]. This update also revealed the final name for the so-called "GRD" helmet: AKIS.{{Ref/Reuse|MCCDevUpdateSept2020}} However, due to issues in development, these armors did not meet a high enough quality standard to be included in the game as of Season 4's launch,{{Ref/Site|Id=MCCDevUpdateOct2020|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-october-2020|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=News, MCC Development Update - October 2020}} and so AKIS, EXO/TSCS and Mariner were pushed back to [[Series 5: Anvil]].{{Ref/Site|Id=MCCDevUpdateNov2020|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/mcc-development-update-november-2020|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=News, MCC Development Update - November 2020}} To-date, the Preserve chest has yet to be implemented in the collection.

===Helmets===
====AKIS====
{{Main|AKIS}}
The most famous piece of content developed for this initiative, the helmet named in ''The Master Chief Collection'' as AKIS and dubbed by fans as "GRD" was featured heavily in a handful of promotional materials for the Defiant Map Pack. The helmet went on to be featured in Season 5 with three helmet attachments; one of which was named GRD in reference to the fan name. This helmet is the subject of the [[Spartan dolls Easter egg]].
<gallery>
File:HR AKIS Helmet Icon.png|AKIS - Base.
File:HR AKIS GRD Helmet Icon.png|AKIS - GRD.
File:HR AKIS CBRN Helmet Icon.png|AKIS - CBRN.
File:HR AKIS GRDCBRN Helmet Icon.png|AKIS - GRD/CBRN.
File:HR Screenshot DefiantArmour1.png|The original, widely-circulated screenshot of the GRD helmet on Condemned.
File:HR Akis Comparison.png|A side-by-side comparison of AKIS in the original Defiant screenshot, and AKIS as it appears in ''The Master Chief Collection''.
</gallery>

====Mariner====
{{Main|Mariner}}
Another helmet developed for this collection of DLC armor, the Mariner helmet was never showcased in any promotional materials - the first time it was ever revealed was with its inclusion in ''The Master Chief Collection''.
<gallery>
File:HR Mariner Helmet Icon.png|Mariner - Base.
File:HR Mariner Defiant Helmet Icon.png|Mariner - Defiant.
File:HR Mariner MisterChief Helmet Icon.png|Mariner - [[Mister Chief]].
File:HR Mariner OPTREX Helmet Icon.png|Mariner - [[OPTREX module|OPTREX]].
</gallery>

===Chests===
====EXO/TSCS====
{{Main|Armor accessories/EXO}}
The chest named in ''The Master Chief Collection'' as EXO/TSCS was also featured in the originally-released Defiant screenshots, though was partially-obscured by weapons and character positioning. It was later released as part of Season 5.
<gallery>
File:HR EXO-TSCS Chest Icon.png|EXO/TSCS.
File:HR_Screenshot_DefiantArmour1-Closeup.png|The AKIS-equipped Spartan in the Defiant image can be seen wearing EXO/TSCS, if looking closely.
</gallery>

====Preserve====
The chest piece known in the game files as "preserve" has yet to be officially acknowledged or implemented in ''The Master Chief Collection'', making it the only known cut ''Reach'' armor to have not been resurrected.{{Ref/Reuse|GC13-name}} The "Preserve" chest piece features two large armour plates which curve downward from the user's shoulders, towards the centre of their chest. At the join between these two plates, there is a wedge-shaped protrusion pointing downwards, directly beneath the user's head. Additionally, below the left and right plates, there is an additional piece of armor on either side, just above where the wearer's ribcage would end. These meet beneath the wedge-shaped protrusion, at the user's solar plexus, where there is a piece of unidentified apparatus jutting out of the front of the armor. 
<gallery>
File:HR PRESERVE Chest Icon.png|A fan render of the Preserve chest, using models and textures extracted from the files of ''The Master Chief Collection''.
File:MCC-HR CustomisationRender PreserveArmour-Prerelease.png|The customization render discovered by Gamecheat13.{{Ref/Reuse|GC13-renders}}
File:HR_Preserve_Models.png|The "Preserve" chest piece, found in the files of ''The Master Chief Collection'', shown paired with the AKIS helmet and its various attachments.
File:HR Preserve Render.png|The chest piece with the base form of AKIS.
File:HR_Perserve_Render_DeanInHD.png|The chest piece textured and complete on a Spartan wearing the AKIS helmet. Textures found and rendered by DeanInHD.
File:HR-PreserveCompleteDeanInHD.png|An AKIS-clad Spartan wearing Preserve from both a front and side view. Textures found and rendered by DeanInHD.
</gallery>

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Armor/Permutation|HR}}
{{Deleted Material}}
[[Category:Halo: Reach deleted material]]
[[Category:Halo: Reach multiplayer armor permutations]]