RECON-class Mjolnir

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 and most talked about 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.

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. the shoulders are not liked by many players and are usually substituted for the scout shoulders for a better appeal.

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.

Unlock
Head:Bungie Employees, or be given as a reward for good things.

Shoulders:Bungie Employees, or be given as a reward for good things.

Body:Bungie Employees, or be given as a reward for good things

Unlike other permutations, there is no way for the player to unlock the Recon permutation. Instead, it is awarded to individuals by Bungie themselves, for specific acts that have impressed them - whether it is a machinima, a forge map, or other community related acts. Sending a request for it to Bungie will only earn the sender a place on Bungie's fabled "Recon Blacklist," a list of people who cannot earn the armor.

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 and Luke Smith (a.k.a. Lukems, Bungie Employee) and other possessors of the armor left cryptic clues behind to its potential unlock. Because of this, many community members felt that such hinting was unfair, because it cruelly led them to believe they could unlock the armor. Also, many have seen it as 'false advertising' as Bungie also 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. During development, Recon was nicknamed the 'Ninja' variant by fans.
 * 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. A player got Recon for getting 130 Incinerations in the Valentine's Day Playlist.
 * Lukems and Shishka are the only 2 players on Bungie's team that do not wear the Recon armor for their "hump-day" games. On Bungie's Weekly Update (4/18/08), Shiska presented ways to not receive Recon Armor and also stated that there is a list of people who will never get Recon.
 * Bungie has recently announced the Recon Road Trip 2008: a mysterious Bungie employee will be on a week long trip across the western U.S., specifically West of the Mississippi River to an undisclosed destination, wearing one of two Bungie shirts: one is white with the Superintendent logo, and one is dark blue with the Bungie logo on the chest. Anyone who finds him and say's hello while carrying a copy of Halo 3, will receive Recon.
 * Countless players were banned from Bungie.net because they were asking for Recon.
 * You can win Recon by beating Luke or Shishka at the Penny Arcade Expo this year.
 * On a weekly update there is a poster saying "Recon not giving since 2007".
 * The armor was given to machinima writer Digitalph33r over Rooster Teeth. This caused much online controversy to Rooster Teeth fans.
 * According to HaloCharts.com, roughly 185 players wear Recon armor permutations.