Reclaimer references - connection?

[FYRHWK]

*SPOILERS IN POST* -kinda (Just a bit from the Terminals)

There was one thing that slightly confused me in regards to the combat suit ratings in the terminal.

It states that: "Combat personnel will only be permitted to wear [combat skin] rated below [class 8] in core areas, once operations begin", making it seem as though the lower numbered suits offer higher protection. As non-combat personnel are required to wear level 12 or lower armour in non-restricted areas and 14 or lower in core areas. Logically thinking, core areas would be better secured, whereas non-restricted areas would not be as well defended, requiring them to wear slightly tougher suits. (I drew this logic from the fact that the combat personnel are required to wear level 8, or lower.)
Also, the terminology used. "will only be permitted to wear [combat skin] rated below [class 8]". Implying that the lower the class number, the greater the protection.

Now, this confuses me, as 343 GS recommends that John "upgrade" his armour from level 2, to level 12. Why would he be telling John to effectively weaken his armour? Now, it's been a while since I played Halo 1 (think multiples of 1 year), and chances are I'm going to boot up the game to check this out, but what were the exact conditions when GS said this? Was there anything other actions John would have to perform, other than fighting?

I believe non-restricted would be areas where entry isn't regulated, anyone can go there, less secure more or less.

Non-combat personnel are required to wear [combat skin] with a minimum rating of at least [class 12] in non-restricted areas, once the fleet is underway. [Class 14] or lesser [combat skin] is acceptable in core areas. Combat personnel will only be permitted to wear [combat skin] rated below [class 8] in core areas, once operations begin.

The "class 14 or lesser" part confuses me a bit, like you said, core areas should be the safest areas someone would wear a combat skin. Perhaps nothing higher than a class 14 is allowed, he does say "acceptable" and not required or minimum, perhaps it's just a guideline, don't want any class 15 suited monsters walking around wrecking the place.

[ProfessorHojo05]

Think of it this way. The higher the number, the stronger the armor. Once they were on their way, or have begun what ever it was they were doing, it would be safer so they could use a less protective armor rating, and the reason they would require non-combat personnel to use a lower rated armor class is so that they can not over power those who are in charge but still stay safe. You can't expect the general public to have all been calm about the Flood and everything else going on. Its not like they would just submit to the ruling class and do as they are told. "Go hide in this sphere we have set up and just sit tight. Sure there are monsters out there that want to mutate you into disgusting zombies but don't worry about that. The government is in control." Would you listen to that? There was probably Marshal Law going on at the time and STRICT regulations concerning the actions of the people at this time.

[Scelus]

The higher the number, the stronger the armor. Once they were on their way, or have begun what ever it was they were doing, it would be safer so they could use a less protective armor rating, and the reason they would require non-combat personnel to use a lower rated armor class is so that they can not over power those who are in charge

"Combat personnel will only be permitted to wear [combat skin] rated below [class 8] in core areas, once operations begin"

"Non-combat personnel are required to wear [combat skin] with a minimum rating of at least [class 12] in non-restricted areas, once the fleet is underway. [Class 14] or lesser [combat skin] is acceptable in core areas."

If, as you state, the higher the number, the stronger the armour is a fact, why is it that non-combat personnel is required to wear armour with a higher number than the combat personnel. THAT is what was confusing me. THAT is what lead me to believe that the lower the number, the stronger the armour.

[AshofPompei]

The higher the number, the stronger the armor. Once they were on their way, or have begun what ever it was they were doing, it would be safer so they could use a less protective armor rating, and the reason they would require non-combat personnel to use a lower rated armor class is so that they can not over power those who are in charge

"Combat personnel will only be permitted to wear [combat skin] rated below [class 8] in core areas, once operations begin"

"Non-combat personnel are required to wear [combat skin] with a minimum rating of at least [class 12] in non-restricted areas, once the fleet is underway. [Class 14] or lesser [combat skin] is acceptable in core areas."

If, as you state, the higher the number, the stronger the armour is a fact, why is it that non-combat personnel is required to wear armour with a higher number than the combat personnel. THAT is what was confusing me. THAT is what lead me to believe that the lower the number, the stronger the armour.

Because non-combat personnel can't fight back as effectively as combat personnel, thus needing more armor to survive...

[Scelus]

Because non-combat personnel can't fight back as effectively as combat personnel, thus needing more armor to survive...

Pardon my language, but that's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. What would be the point of giving your soldiers lesser armour, and having them die easier? So that the civilians could last about two seconds longer as the defenses are utterly over-run and have no one to protect them? And it will be almost literally two seconds, or however long it takes the Flood to knock down the shields and tear through the armour.

Anyone else have any better thoughts?

[smallfry]

My guess is it's a continuity snafu between H:CE & H3; the only other possibility I can come up with is if the ratings aren't necessarily progressive, but indicate a variety of qualities. So, Class 14 combat skins may be less powerful than Class 12? In the US Army, for example, M1 armored vehicles and M2 armored vehicles serve different purposes, and the M1, though 'rated' lower (i.e., 1 is less than 2), would obviously do just fine (to say the least) against an M2 in a one-on-one battlefield situation, let alone an M113, though an M2 would also have no problem handling an M113 (see, the power of the vehicle isn't linear based on it's numerical designation, is what I'm illustrating). Something like that. I know it seems unlikely, because of the phrasing ('minimum rating' and all that), but that's the best I've got.

[Trevelyan]

"Combat personnel will only be permitted to wear [combat skin] rated below [class 8] in core areas, once operations begin"

"Non-combat personnel are required to wear [combat skin] with a minimum rating of at least [class 12] in non-restricted areas, once the fleet is underway. [Class 14] or lesser [combat skin] is acceptable in core areas."


Note permitted and required. I guess that this means that they are restricted to a lower class. Possibly, as mentioned earlier, not to "scare" the population.. possibly also so that if they were to be infected by the Flood, they wouldn't become so dangerous (A class 12 host zomg).

Could also be because of mobility restrictions.. a class 12 suit could be more bulky and provide less mobility than a class 2 (Mark 5 armour).

Also it is remotely possible that the translation isn't 100% accurate. Lesser/Greater or an extra 1 somewhere could be misleading.

[dan_rules]

hmmm... i think MC does have direct lineage to forerunners. Gravemind tells him that he is a monument to all his sins, and that he would not forgive the son of the fathers who sined. Hm. Also, in the last level, 343 straight up shouts "you ARE forerunner! while this is yours by right, you will not claim it. IT IS MINE!" .. oorr something to that extent in a wierdly programed british robotic accent (no one else find it weird the 343 is really just a butler for halo?). I think that 343 knows MC is somehow to recieve this the halos through inheritance, so he knows that ultimately it's his call, but he'll put up the WORST last level boss fight ever to try and stop him. Moral of the story, kids, is that i think halo 3 was tryin to tell us that MC is, at the very least, a direct desendant of forerunner.... maybe?

[AfRo SaUcE]

I think its been kind of obvious throughout the games that Humans, and not just MC, are Forerunner. The SPARTANS notice the forerunner glyphs to be familiar but just can't remember where they've seen them. MC see's the activation button on the light bridge without even knowing if he was sure. Only Reclaimers can reunite the Index with the Core, not an AI, not even Covenant. Truth could've activated the Ark at any time if a Human hand didn't need to be used to do so.

EDIT: Whoops, now I know what you're saying.. my bad.