Assault harness
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Assault harness | |
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The assault harness is an armor system used by the Sangheili soldiers of the Covenant and its splinter groups. It is distinguished by the enhanced level of protection it offers to its wearer.[1]
Overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
The assault harness originates from the pre-Covenant days of the Sangheili. It features reinforced composite material to protect the chest, and ultra-resilient square pauldrons that are designed to distribute kinetic energy from impacts away from the wearer's body.[1] The thoracic cage is similar to that of the combat harness but has an additional armor piece in the center of the chest, and clasps on the pectoral regions. Unlike the standard combat harness, the assault harness has a completely sealed helmet; this consists of a rounded plate over the forehead, narrow eye lenses, and enclosed mandible guards. Notably, the two mandibles on each side are enclosed in the same guard, unlike most other helmets which have individual guards for each mandible. Half-rings embedded in the undersuit along the neck provide some defense while maintaining flexibility.[2]
Much like the combat harness, the assault harness is also designed with a psychological effect in mind: to reinforce the image of Sangheili martial superiority among other species.[1]
The Assault harness shares a distant origin with some variants of the exo harness.[3] The latter can be considered a specialized example of the former, though they are now fully distinct from each other.[4]
Usage[edit]
The assault harness is a pre-Covenant Sangheili design, restricted from use following the signing of the Writ of Union due to its effectiveness. Throughout the Covenant empire, the armor remained in use in only limited quantities. It appears that Sangheili bridge officers were allowed to don this harness, for instance aboard the Resplendent Fervor,[5] and the flagship of the Fleet of Righteous Vigilance.[6] In addition, the assault harness was used during the attack on Weapons Research Facility T12A as part of the Algolis Invasion.[7]
The onset of the Great Schism brought the assault harness back into wider service. Sangheili in service of the Fleet of Retribution disregarded the edicts of the Prophets, who were now considered foes who imposed unfair terms upon them in the past.[1] Usze 'Taham employed the armor during the Battles of Earth and Installation 00.[8] Special Operations Officers tasked with combating the Flood during the Battle of Voi also donned assault harnesses, presumably to protect them from Flood spores.[2] Rtas 'Vadum employed the chest and shoulder pieces of the assault harness during these events, pairing them with a combat harness helmet.[9]
In the 2558 Ealen IV peace talks, several assault-clad troops of the Swords of Sanghelios accompanied the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam as part of the leader's personal guard.[10]
In-game information[edit]
Halo 3[edit]
The Assault harness is unlockable as an armor permutation for Elite characters in Halo 3. In co-operative play in the campaign, the fourth player will play as Usze 'Taham and employ the assault harness in the process.
| Armor | Description | Unlock requirements (Halo 3) | Unlock requirements (Halo: MCC) |
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 Assault |
Helmet: Reissue of the pre-Covenant assault class combat harness; reinforced aligned composites buttress principal protective stratum to preserve structural coherence of underlying tissues. | Unlocked by default. | Unlocked by default. |
| Chest: With the dawn of this new age, assault-class combat harnesses will once again be issued to our forces after having been denied for so long by the illegitimate treaty imposed upon us by our ancient enemies. | |||
| Shoulders: Ultra-resilient deltoid protection aid in dispersal of concussive shock force as well as direct kinetic energy transfer; reinforces image of Sangheili physical/martial superiority. | |||
| MCC: Ultra-resilient deltoid protection for dispersal of concussive shock force and kinetic energy transfer. |
Production notes[edit]
- In the Halo 3 level Floodgate, some Sangheili corpses inside the Indulgence of Conviction have an assault helmet, but due to a glitch, the combat harness helmet is on them as well, creating a combination helmet.
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection introduced Sangheili into the Firefight mode of Halo 3: ODST. If Sangheili are enabled, some may be Special Operations Sangheili wearing assault harnesses.
- In concept art released for The Package, the Assault harness was incorrectly labeled as the Flight harness.[11]
Gallery[edit]
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Browse more images in this article's gallery page. |
Halo 3[edit]
The Assault harness.
Render of the Assault harness as worn by Usze 'Taham.
Usze 'Taham clad in an assault harness.
Another view of Usze 'Taham.
A Sangheili with the Assault harness in Halo 3.
A Special Operations Officer clad in an assault harness.
A glitched helmet formed by the assault and combat helmets found on the level Floodgate.
A Sangheili in an assault harness on Sandtrap.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
A Sangheili clad in the Assault harness.
Halo 3: ODST[edit]
A Special Operations Officer wearing an assault harness, along with two Sangheili Majors, in Firefight.
Other[edit]
Concept art for various Elite ranks in Halo: Reach, with an assault harness featured.
An expansion on the assault concept in the previous image.
A bridge officer employing the assault harness in The Return.
An assault-clad Sangheili Major in Prototype.
Renders of the assault harness in The Package.
A bridge officer wearing the assault harness in The Package.
Assault-clad Sangheili guard Thel 'Vadam on Ealen IV.
List of appearances[edit]
- Halo 3 (First appearance)
- Halo 3: ODST (Halo: The Master Chief Collection-only)
- Halo Legends
- Halo: Evolutions
- Halo: Escalation
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b c d Halo 3, Assault harness armor permutation description
- ^ a b Halo 3, In-game models of Sangheili
- ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 58
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Brute Force (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
- ^ Halo Legends - The Package
- ^ Halo: Evolutions – Motion Comics - The Return
- ^ Halo Legends - Prototype
- ^ Halo 3, In-game model of Usze 'Taham
- ^ Halo 3, Cutscene appearance of Rtas 'Vadum
- ^ Halo: Escalation, issue 2
- ^ Halo Waypoint (Xbox 360) universe section, "The Package" Art 1: (Archive) "Flight - The easy contours of the Flight Elite armor"
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