M52B body armor
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
M52B body armor is a designation for certain armored protective vests worn by members of the UNSC Marine Corps. M52B body armor is usually worn with the CH252 helmet for greater ballistic protection. Nicknames for the body armor include BA, BO, Gear, and Shell.[1]
Design
M52B body armor is a designation encompassing at least two versions of general-use protective torso-wear primarily utilised by the UNSC Marine Corps.[note 1]
The first version of the M52B body armor was worn by Marines in 2552 during the earlier stages of the Battle of New Mombasa, and consists of a chestplate and backplate assembly with a supplemental abdominal plate and linked lower-back plate that collectively maximise torso coverage, all of which are arranged over a basic vest of dark green and black material. The chest, abdominal and lower-back plates are frequently affixed with varying configurations of pouches. The chestplate fits entirely over the wearer's trapezius to connect with the backplate, lacking the very prominent shoulder-buckles visible on many UNSC-utilised body armor chestplates. The abdomen plate links with the lower backplate around the wearer's side in a similar manner. This version of the M52B lacks integral pauldrons, though pauldrons are typically worn with it [2] This version of M52B is found pictured and labelled on crates which are commonly encountered throughout UNSC staging areas and combat zones during the Battle of Earth, including the Crow's Nest base near Voi.[3]
The second version of the M52B body armor features a heavy chestplate with a layered surface and characteristic buckles securing it over the shoulder to the backplate, both of which are fixed over a thick vest with a black-coloured flexible-material exterior which covers the entire torso and runs partially down the upper-arms. An additional buckle is located centrally on the bottom of the chestplate. The arm coverage extends only over the outwards-facing portion of the arm, is strapped over the underside, and features integrated pauldron assemblies. Below the pauldrons on each side, small shapes consistent in coloration the other hard armor portions extrude from the black material, textured by a number of circular cut-outs. It lacks an abdominal plate, instead sporting a raised, brown-coloured patch of additional material over the stomach which tapers into a groin covering, and a flat-topped discoloured plate at the bottom of the back with two attachment loops on it. This version of M52B was used by Sergeant "Ghost" and his unit some time prior to its continued usage in the Algolis Invasion,[4] as well as heavily during the latter-stages of the Battle of Earth.[5]
Performance
Performance-wise, the M52B armor is lightweight and durable, capable of sustaining surprising amounts of damage before buckling.[1] The pockets and pouches which are often affixed to M52B body armor systems are an efficient method of storage for sufficiently sized items.[1]
Gallery
The M52B body armor as it appears in its first version in Halo 2.
A Marine wearing full battle dress with the second version of the M52B, as it appears in Halo 3.
Concept art for the M52B as it appears in its second version in Halo 3.
UNSC soldiers wearing the first version of M52B body armor as it appears in Halo: Uprising.
A UNSC Marine wearing the second version of M52B body armor in Halo: Uprising.
List of appearances
- Halo 2 (First appearance)
- Halo: Uprising
- Halo: Landfall
- Halo 3
- Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
- Halo 3: ODST
- Halo Legends
- Halo: Initiation
Notes
- ^ The Halo Encyclopedia, when referring to the M52B body armor, does so alongside illustrations of UNSC infantrymen as they appear in their Halo 3 style. However, in-game crates can be found within Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST which depict the Halo 2 depiction of Marine body armor, labelled as M52B body armor. In addition, Halo: Uprising features depictions of Marines in different instances that resemble both Halo 2 and Halo 3 incarnations, indicating that the relevant body armor systems exist alongside one another in-universe. Thus, this article treats both the Halo 2 and Halo 3 designs as canonical and separate versions that are both known as M52B body armor.
Sources
