RECON-class Mjolnir

The MJOLNIR Mark VI Recon Variant.

The Mark VI MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/R variant, colloquially known as Recon Armor, Recon, or the Reconnaissance Raiment by Bungie Employees, is a type of United Nations Space Command body armor.

Introduction

The Recon Armor is a very rare variant of the standard Mark VI MJOLNIR powered assault armor and is the most wanted Armor Permutation in Halo 3 multiplayer.

Development and History

The Recon armor was developed parallel to the Scout Armor in the B5D Ordnance Testing Facility in Swanbourne, Perth, Australia. The main aim of it was to create armor with stealth capabilities with little or no loss of endurance, specifically by reducing its IR signature, reflective surfaces, and Cherenkov radiation emission.

Characteristics

Helmet Characteristics

The Helmet has large, rounded, ODST-esque features with a rise along the top of the head with two black triangles pointing out the front of the head on each side of the rise. It has a thin visor and an area of black alloy beneath it, surrounded by armor. The helmet is largely angular with a pair of what look like breathers on each side of the mouth and a small indent on the forehead.

Shoulder Characteristics

The shoulder pads are a more angular version of the EVA, with a box-like shoulder pad and a section jutting out and down the arm. It also features a slanted rectangular strip of metal jutting outwards at a 90 degree angle from the shoulder pad. They are also very similar to the Brute shoulder armor.

Chest Characteristics

The Chest piece is similar to the Mark VI but instead of being made up of smooth plates reflecting the human body, it is more angular like the other parts of the armor and reflects it with a few small changes. This chest piece, like all armor permutations, is an attachment on to the standard Mark VI armor. The chest piece also looks somewhat like a tuxedo.

Gallery

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Recon armor seen on the Bungie Day painting.
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The Recon armor in-game.
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Helmet of the Recon armor.
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A Zombie in the armor.
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A Spartan wearing Recon prepares to snipe.

Controversy

When it was finally declared by Bungie to be only usable by Bungie employees, it prompted a community backlash. On Bungie.net, a topic devoted to the search of it ran for fifteen thousand posts, Luke Smith (a.k.a. Lukems and Bungie Employee) and other possessors of the armor left cryptic clues behind to its potential unlock, many community members feeling that this led them on. Also, many have seen it as 'false advertising' as Bungie not only released an image of the Mark VI, CQB Armor, EVA armor, and the Recon armor on Bungie Day, they also showed it along with the ODST Armor at the PAX Omegathon '07.

Trivia

Recon was given to the winner of the Sarkathlon 2 challenge.
The Armor Permutation was first discovered in the Bungie update on the 7th of July then later with videos from PAX ’07 and leaked images.
Recon was mistakenly labeled E.O.B. in many pictures, being translated as meaning Employee of Bungie.
The game guide makes no mention of the Recon armor. It is noted that Bungie requested that some of the armor permutations not be in the guide.
According to Bungie, as of October 26, 2007, Bungie will give it out based on "good deeds and valuable community service and occasionally because the players make them laugh. There will be plenty of occasions and reasons to get it."
The armor was auctioned together with other Halo items at the annual "Child's-play" dinner organized by Penny Arcade. According to Tycho, Frank O'Connor came on stage to comment on the addition of the armor during the event.
The Recon Armor was auctioned off with a famous Mister Chief painting. Unfortunately the winner of the bidding did not have an Xbox Live account, so he auctioned it off with Bungie's permission. However, the auction was canceled by eBay as they do not allow the auctioning of virtual accounts.
It was awarded as the prizes for the St. Valentines day Massacre Playlist as well as other tournament weekends.
This armor has lead to the creation of the very popular name, "I can haz recon?" in the Halo community which is derived from another popular internet meme "I can haz cheezburger?". It is sourced from the wide unavailability of this armor and a Bungie-produced satire image. I can haz recon? was further popularized by its appearance on the Machinima Arby 'n the Chief.
Lukems and Shishka are the only 2 players on Bungie's team that do not wear the Recon armor for their "hump-day" games.
Countless players have been banned from Bungie.net for asking for the armor.
On the 4/18/08 Bungie Weekly Update Shiska presented ways to not receive Recon Armor also saying that there is a list of people who will never get Recon.
Bungie has mentioned that if they give you Recon, they can also take it away. You can get it taken away by sending adult oriented material over file share, using foul language, assaulting other players, etc.
During development Recon was nicknamed the 'Ninja' variant by fans.