CQB-class Mjolnir

The MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/C variant, more commonly known as Close Quarters Battle Armor, (acronym CQB), is a type of United Nations Space Command ground infantry body armor and a variant of the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V and MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI.

Development and history
Successor to the earlier CQC variant first produced in 2548, the MJOLNIR/C Variant was developed and tested at the Beweglichkeitsrüstungsysteme facility in Essen, Germany, and Songnam, Korea, respectively, integrating feedback gathered from the Jericho VII Theater. The intent of the MJOLNIR Mark VI Powered Assault Armor/C variant was to improve survivability in close combat, specifically by looking at alternate methods of K dispersal and improving joint mobility.

Helmet Characteristics
Unlock: Starter.

The helmet is very different to the standard Mark VI. It features a roughly "T" shaped visor with two large cheek guards. The top of the helmet is reinforced by a black alloy that forms a protective brace on top. It bears somewhat of a resemblance to the ancient Greek or Roman helmets and the helmets worn by ancient Spartans; the shape of the visor, especially; and the cross brace loosely resembles the crest on a helmet.

In Halo: Reach two upgrades are available for the helmet, the first adds a Hardened Uplink/Remote Sensor Package on the left side with a Command Network Module-Improved on the right side (incorrectly called CNM) (HU/RS/CNM, should be HU/RS/CNM-I), and the second adds an Up-Armor plate with a Hardened Uplink Module on the left side (UA/HUL).

Shoulder pauldron characteristics
Unlock: Starter.

The shoulder pauldrons are worn significantly lower than those of the standard Mark VI armor. They consist of a rectangular, slightly curved metal plate that is attached approximately where the deltoids, biceps brachii, and brachialis muscles converge. In actual combat, this would greatly improve the ease at which a SPARTAN-II moves the arms for close quarters combat, but increase the shoulder and upper arm's exposure to damage.

Chest characteristics
Unlock: Starter.

Like in most other MJOLNIR variants, the chest plate seems to be a plate of alloy attached to the already existing Mark VI armor underneath. It consists of an additional set of four plates fused together in the body, and a tubular object at the bottom part of the chest plate which could either be a handle or some sort of canister due to its shape. There is an unusable Combat Knife on the plate as well in a built-in sheath. In early development, the outer part of the chest piece was part of the secondary color group. Why this was changed is unknown.

Trivia

 * According to a survey taken by Bungie, the CQB chest is one of the most used Spartan chest plates on Xbox Live.
 * The CQB helmet is available as a permutation in Halo: Reach via Halo Waypoint, along with the Military Police variant. The base helmet requires Career Milestone 20 and the Folks Need Heroes... achievement from Halo: Reach to unlock. Halo Waypoint is the only way to unlock this permutation.
 * In the Halo Legends episode Homecoming, Daisy-023 is seen wearing what appears to be this variant of MJOLNIR armor during the Harvest Campaign. However, as the predecessor to the CQB did not enter service until 2548 this is not possible. The armor worn by Daisy-023 in Homecoming is actually an artistic license that enabled the studio to employ visual variety, while containing a minor element of canon; the color of the armor, which is meant to be an element of camouflage for the reddish desert environment she was operating in.
 * The CQB helmet very closely resembles the main character from the videogame Timeshift's helmet. Whether this resemblance was intentional by Bungie, Saber Interactive or neither is unknown.
 * The Mark IV Grenadier shoulder pieces bear a striking resemblence to the CQB shoulders from Halo 3.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Reach