Orbital Drop Shock Troopers

"We go feet first, sir!"

- ODSTs to Major Silva, on board the UNSC Pillar of Autumn.

United Nations Space Command (UNSC) Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST) are under the operational authority of Naval Special Weapons (NavSpecWeap). Their methods of operation allow them to conduct missions against targets that more conventional forces cannot approach undetected.

The ODSTs perform highly specialized, small scale, high-risk operations such as:


 * Deep ground surveillance (DGS)
 * Direct action (DA)
 * Unconventional warfare
 * Counter-terrorism operations
 * Counter-contraband operations
 * Personnel and special equipment recovery/capture

ODSTs are recruited from the Special Operations Groups of all the nations of the Unified Earth Government (UEG). Since the first group of “handpicked volunteers” was activated, ODSTs have been dropping “feet first” into combat. .

Origins
The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or "Helljumpers", have their roots in the paratroopers of 20th and 21st century fame, who dropped frequently behind enemy lines to capture buildings, bridges, and other important military and industrial targets in anticipation for a larger advance by more conventional and numerous military forces. Such troops were first used in 1939 by the German Wehrmacht in World War II to overrun the Allied defense forces in Holland and the legendary Eben Emaelfortress in Belgium and later in Operation Overlord on June 5th, when two American Airborne Divisions and one British Airborne Brigade landed behind enemy lines in Normandy, France on D-day and again in operation Market Garden. They were extremely successful, and played a significant part in the wars eventual conclusion as an Allied victory. The ODSTs also seem to have characteristics from US Navy SEALS and the various British Commonwealth "Special Air Services" of the 20th and 21st Centuries, highly trained professional soldiers working in small teams in extremely high-priority missions.

However, the first true instance of dropping humans from orbit took place during the Martian Campaign of 2163, where UN Marines were dropped onto Mars in support of UN forces against the Neo-Communist Koslovics. The ODST's seem to have "always been a part of the UNSC." It may be that the participants of the Argyre Planitia campaign were the predecessors to, or early members of, the first ODST units.

Human-Covenant War
ODSTs were known to be operating as early as 2525. The first and most elite division of ODSTs were the 105th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Division, most known as Helljumpers, and their phrase "Feet First into Hell!", which quickly gained a reputation as a brutal and effective fighting force. They are often referred to as elite and seem to have a class of their own, often coming right after the Elites, Spartans and Brutes.

Barring the personnel of the SPARTAN programs, ODSTs are one of the most effective forms of troops available to the UNSC, and the expectations placed on ODST units made them all-volunteer outfits, with some outsiders regarding such volunteers as 'crazy'. By 2552 their strength had swelled to a greater number of divisions in an attempt to fill the demands of the Human-Covenant War. Some ODSTs actively participated in training the SPARTAN-IIs, but the efficiency of the program was demonstrated when a single adolescent SPARTAN-II killed three ODSTs and left the other one severely wounded during an exercise. These fatalities resulted in ODSTs developing a strong disdain for the SPARTANS, as they were felt to be not even worthy of being called Human. The SPARTANS were very frequently referred to as "freaks" by Major Antonio Silva's opinion, to the dismay of John-117.

Operations
"It's like a postcard: Dear Sarge, We're kicking ass in outer space, wish you were here."

- ODSTs to Sergeant Johnson, After killing a group of jackal snipers on Delta Halo''.



Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are known for their unorthodox methods of insertion, including orbital drops onto terrestrial environments.

Similar to regular Marines, the ODSTs maintain units of varying strength aboard many UNSC vessels and Installations. ODST units were present aboard the, the , the , the , and Cairo Station

While they are human, they are very different from Marines in the sense that they take the most dangerous, suicidal, and high value target missions. They have no physical differences between normal Marines, but they are always ready to "Jump Feet First Into Hell" as their motto goes (This motto comes from the intense heat inside the HEV drop pods. The heat inside these pods is what coined the nickname 'Helljumpers' ,) and dive into fights they may not return from, which shows an outstanding level of courage, honour, valour and sometimes, pure insanity. Due to this reputation, some contingents amongst the UNSC Navy believe that the ODST soldiers are peculiar, while the ODSTs think that other Navy personnel are cowards. This could be attributed to the fact that Naval personnel stay in space, instead of joining in the fight below.

They also drop into areas under heavy fire, or are heavily guarded by enemy troops in order to clear out any enemies and set up LZs for Pelican dropships to land or deploy other UNSC reinforcements. ODSTs are recognized as a key element in setting up LZs and it is speculated that without them, the Pelicans would not be able to carry out air assaults. An example of such scenarios may be observed when the Battle of Installation 05 began. The ODSTs, accompanied by the Master Chief, cleared a landing zone so that Pelicans could drop off Warthogs ,and eventually land heavy armour after the ODSTs and Master Chief set the bridge down. ODSTs were also crucial in the Battle of Installation 00. The ODSTs were deployed with Master Chief in order to break a hole in the Covenant line, thus creating a LZ for the Forward Unto Dawn, which deployed an armoured infantry assault. Due to the nature of their missions, the ODSTs are also recognized for the heavy casualties they take. They are tough and highly trained soldiers that make sure they get the mission done.

The ODST's recruit members from Special Operations Groups of the UEG's member nations or colonies. As such, its entrance requirements serve as a third layer of screening upon two more, where applicants would have theoretically failed to pass.Members would, therefore, already have extensive experience in conducting the types of high-risk missions that the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers typically perform, which is only supplemented by the additional training. ODST Companies are usually comprised of six-to-eight Combat Teams, with each containing ten-to-fourteen Operators, each of whom has a specific function, able to excel at specific mission-sets while still retaining the flexibility to deal with any situation. WHile they are not a part of the UNSC's conventional forces, such as the Marines or Army, they do conduct joint operations, and tend to be "force multiplyers" - increasing the effectiveness, willingness, and morale of those they fight alongside.

Tactics
In combat, ODSTs fight in fireteams consisting of 3-4 men, as seen on the level The Ark. They normally are tougher than their Marine counter-part, and are equipped with Battle Rifles, Shotguns, SMGs, and Sniper Rifles, which are more accurate and lethal. They also tend to throw grenades more often.

Body Suit

 * Main article: Body Suit



The ODSTs in addition to using normal UNSC Marine equipment use a specially made body suit. It is completely black and sealed off, allowing for extra-vehicular operations and makes them immune to being infected by Flood (However, as noted in the trivia, ODSTs can be a victim of the Flood infection). It has heating and cooling systems to mask the infra-red signature of the wearer, and it also has an oxygen tank capable of allowing 15 minutes in space. The helmet contains state of the art communications gear, along with a HMD and thermal and motion detectors.

ODSTs have colours on their shoulder armour which denoting rank. A Red patch stands for Squad Leader or the Sergeant, while white would be more akin to a Squad Member. A white patch with a red cross symbolizes a squad medic. In "Last Man Standing" the blood type of the ODST is shown on his right shoulder. (It also bears noticing that in cut scenes showing ODSTs, their shoulder armour does not show any colour and just appear black. This is, however, due to how the cinematic were designed for the game.)

Human Entry Vehicles

 * Main article: Human Entry Vehicle



The Human Entry Vehicle (HEV) is a tear-drop shaped pod made of Titanium-A, Lead Foil and a ceramic skin. They are known for their risky use, as ODSTs can die either from the intense heat on re-entry, the extreme G-forces, the force of hitting a terrestrial target, or, the parachute may not open to slow the HEV down. This is the main reason why many consider the ODSTs to be "insane".

The HEV also carries weapons, ammunition, food, a radio, and a cubicle for shelter in case the ODST is ever dropped off target or they need to fight immediately when they hit the ground.

They are seen in Delta Halo in Halo 2 and near the crashed Longsword in The Ark in Halo 3.

Armed Assault Boats

 * Main article: Armed Assault Boats

Armed Assault Boats were aerial vehicles used by the UNSC Navy and UNSC Marine Corps, to deploy Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. However, the armed assault boats proved to be ineffective, taking heavy fire once within ground firing range and they were also very slow.

The UNSC Navy had ultimately replaced them with the HEVs.

Notable Actions
300px|right ODSTs were on board the Pillar of Autumn, upon the discovery of Alpha Halo. An ODST group led by Major Antonio Silva was later instrumental in frustrating Covenant attempts to purge the ring-world of the Pillar of Autumn's survivors.

Members of the 7th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion would go into the Outskirts of New Mombasa in support of the capture of the Prophet of Regret. They were in a separate Pelican fired upon by a Scarab. They fought through the outskirts before linking up to the main UNSC advance. Their battle is showcased in the bonus video: Another Day at the Beach.

Members of the 7th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion would later drop from In Amber Clad onto Delta Halo. They then cleared a landing zone so that a Warthog could be deployed for John-117. Many ODST's were deployed into action from a large squad of Hornets in order to save the population of Cleveland being held captive inside a stadium by the Covenant. They were also dropped from the  to assist John-117 again, during the Battle of Installation 00 near the Ark and the Citadel.

Two ODSTs fought along side a detachment of UNSC Marines in the Battle of Pawas in 2552. Bravo-21 and Bravo-22, were tasked with calculating the crash site of John-117 on Earth (Possibly a fire team was assigned this objective or more given the fact a UNSC Marine approaches one of the ODSTs and identifies him as a "sir"), while a Marine Battalion was tasked with defending a narrow corridor between Covenant and UNSC forces in, what is known today as Pakistan. Bravo-21 and numerous Marines were killed in the clash, while Bravo-22 was injured along with some of the other surviving Marines. In Halo 3: Recon, a lone ODST survives a drop into New Mombassa during the Slipspace rupture from the Prophet of Regret's Assault Carrier in the first battle of Earth while the rest of his unit appear KIA. His mission appears to be unknown for now but it can be safely presumed that it is to recon the city for a major UNSC push. This action is rather notable, because his unit had a possible 100 men in it, with a 99.9% death ratio. (Though it was later corrected to 0.52% chance of fatal impact.) Yet his only cutback is when he is knocked out upon impact for 6 hours. His rank is also just a Lance Corporal.

Known ODST Units

 * 105th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Division
 * 2nd Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion
 * 7th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion
 * First Platoon
 * 340th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Combat Training Unit
 * Echo Team
 * Kilo Team
 * 105th Drop Jet Platoon
 * Alpha Team

Trivia

 * ODSTs only appear in five levels in the Halo series. These levels are Cairo Station and Delta Halo, The Ark, The Covenant, and Cortana (dead in Cortana and Cairo Station). The nature of the dead ODST in the Flood infested High Charity on the level Cortana is unknown. (He is carrying a flamethrower in a hall off the main route). However, if one reads the books Halo: the Flood, and Halo: First Strike, one notices that some of the soldiers referenced as "Helljumpers," in the book appear to have combat uniforms and armour of regular UNSC Marines.
 * The ODST helmet can be used if the player unlocks the "Spartan Recruit" Achievement in multiplayer and is becoming more popular due to the fact that the main character in Halo 3: Recon is an ODST.
 * In the popular Machinima series "Red vs. Blue: Reconstruction", The ODST helmet permutation is used by guards and several Recovery Agents from Project: FREELANCER, including Recovery Agents Six and Nine in the Reconstruction Trailer.
 * It is uncertain whether, in actual gameplay, the ODSTs are tougher (in other words, able to take more damage) than regular marines. It is probable, however, because of their more advanced armor.
 * In Halo: Uprising, when the ODSTs drop off the Hornets, they use a sort of cable they keep inside their belt, much like modern day armed forces off of a helicopter.
 * On the right side of an ODST's body armour is a Chinese character which, when translated, means roughly "Complete Bad Ass", a reference to the ODSTS' hardcore attitude. Next to the character is the marathon symbol. Putting these symbols together spells the Chinese word "混蛋", also meaning "Badass" or "Bastard".
 * The ODST with the Flamethrower has a Marathon symbol on his chest, which is found on the level "Cortana."
 * ODSTs can also be deployed in Long Range HEVs or "Para-sails" from long distances away from the planet, these can also be under stealth cover.
 * The ODSTs are very similar to the Mobile Infantry from Robert Heinlen's Novel Starship Troopers, in that they use drop pods to reach a planet's surface, and they sport a fully-sealed body suit. However, they are deployed very differently to the Mobile Infantry, working in conventional squads instead of each trooper being spread out over many miles.
 * Onboard the UNSC Carrier Atlas, Spartan-117 had a confrontational moment with four ODSTs in the ship's gym. John had removed a pin from the weights at the bench press, and forgot to put it back. The ODSTs walked into the gym and went straight to the bench press. The weights fell and almost crushed one of the soldiers' foot. A fight ensued and John killed three of the ODSTs and severely injured the other. Ever since then, relations between the Spartans and the ODSTs have been tensed and uneasy. . This does not seem to stop them from working to their utmost efficiency during the Battle of Installation 00.
 * In Halo: The Fall of Reach, it is stated that the infamous 105th had a reputation for brutality even against fellow soldiers.
 * In the Halo 3 level The Ark, the three ODST soldiers appear to have rank stripes on their arms, red and white, with red appearing to be the squad leader amongst them.
 * The ODST saying "Feet first into Hell" is similar to the marines in the movie Aliens saying "Express elevator to Hell".
 * More importantly, the 105th mirrored forms the 501st, and the 501st Parachute Battalion, formed in the Fall of 1940 and first commanded by Major William M. Miley, was the first combat parachute battalion in the US Army. While the ODSTs may have roots going back to the US Army 75th Ranger Regiment, the concept surely originated with the Parachute Infantry.
 * ODST's make their first visual appearance in Halo Combat Evolved, but are first mentioned in the book Halo: The Fall of Reach.
 * The black colour on the ODST's uniform may be for psychological reasons just like the SWAT teams uniforms.
 * ODST's seem to fire at targets much further away then normal Marines, proving to be better marksmen.

Related Articles

 * Human Entry Vehicle
 * United Nations Space Command
 * UNSC Marine Corps
 * UNSC Military Units
 * Helljumper's anthem