| abstract | - Overview The Imperial Infantry Corps is the backbone of the Allied Empire’s military, primarily responsible for planet-side operations. Despite being thought to be obsolete, especially by Naval personnel, the Imperial Infantry is a massive organisation and holds a vital role in fighting the Empire’s many enemies. The Imperial Infantry has been invaluable in driving back The Swarms’ massive military forces. The Swarm always try everything in their power to bring the fight to the ground, and the Imperial Infantry has engaged Swarm ground forces in nearly every battle of the war. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Imperial Infantry can hold its own against a much larger force thanks to superior tactics, not to mention the extensive use of powered armour and vehicle support. The Imperial Infantry appears to be a cross between an Army and a Marine corps. While they are primarily a land-based force tasked with the defence of Imperial worlds, they are also stationed on and are responsible for the security of Capital ships. This implies that there are two kinds of Imperial Infantry: defensive infantry and offensive infantry. Species Despite the Allied Empire being a multi-species organisation, the Imperial Infantry does not allow some species to serve. This may be due to physical limitations, not to mention mental limitations and the general nature of a species. For example: Unggoy are not permitted to serve as Infantry soldiers due to all three instances above, though they may serve in non-combat roles in other branches of the military. Currently, only three species may serve in the Infantry. Namely Sangheili, humans, and Kig-Yar. Sangheili – Due to their strength, intelligence and warrior culture, members of the Sangheili may serve in the infantry in whatever role they desire, though because of their size and aggression they are usually deployed as regular infantry soldiers. It is rare to find a Sangheili Sharpshooter or Scout. Humans- Unlike the Sangheili, humans are not overly aggressive and have proven themselves to be very capable in stealthier aspects of the Imperial Infantry, therefore are the only species to be common in every Infantry role. Humans are also given several performance-enhancing augmentations, which allow them to use powered armour systems. Kig-Yar- The Kig-Yar are the third species eligible to serve in the Imperial Infantry, though they do not fight as regular soldiers. This is due to their fragile structure and inability to carry energy shielding systems. Instead they are placed in roles more specific to their abilities, such as Scouts and Sharpshooters. Deployment Imperial Infantrymen are deployed into battle via a number of different methods. If being deployed from a Starship, they will usually be launched down in drop pods, with a team of four in each pod. For mass deployment from orbit, they are ferried down in dropships, usually the Skymaster Gunship. After their mission is accomplished, Preservation-class Retrieval boats will land at a designated Landing zone and pick them up. On the ground, Infantrymen can use T-16 Groundhog APC’s and B14 Land Dreadnoughts to travel into battle, and Skymaster Gunships can be used in a much more flexible role akin to that of modern day Helicopters. Infantrymen can also parachute to a combat area, and if all else fails, walking is also an effective means of deployment. Armour With the evolution of the Infantry, armour systems have also changed since the end of the Great War. All species in the Imperial Infantry are equipped with a suit of powered armour. Below is a list of the suits issued to each species. MJOLNIR Mk 25/B Powered Assault Armour- First designed before the Great War, the MJOLNIR series of powered armour has provided superb protection for human soldiers and is still going strong during the Swarm War. With performance-enhancing augmentations available to most human beings, the suits are available to all human Infantry soldiers. There have been many designs since the end of the Great War, the latest variant being the Mark 25/B. The Mk 25/B is the standard issue armour system for all human Infantry. It retains the design features that made its predecessors so successful, giving the wearer increased physical strength, speed, reflexes, and defensive capability. It also boasts a number of minor technical improvements, such as a more effective motion tracker, long-range radar, and a selection of different visual modes. Apart from these improvements, the armour remains much the same as the Mk V and MK IV, despite the five hundred year gap. In fact, it can be considered inferior to the older variants due to the decreased abilities of its wearer, and the fact that the older systems were practically indestructible, a feature the Mk 25/B does not possess. Despite these flaws, the Mk 25/B is a powerful and effective set of armour, and remains in solid infantry use during the Swarm War. Sangheili Combat harness- Standard issue armour for the Sangheili, the Combat harness is an evolution of the armour worn during the reign of the Covenant Empire. Based on old pre-Covenant designs, the Combat harness is a robust and very effective form of protection. Thicker and tougher than the human MJOLNIR system, the Combat harness reinforces the Sangheili position of Elite soldiers in the Imperial military. Like the MJOLNIR Mk 25/B, it is equipped with personal energy shields and performance enhancers, and has been through little major changes since the end of the Great War. Unlike any other form of Sangheili armour though, it is fitted with a wide visor instead of goggle-like eyeholes. Kig-Yar SCOUTSUIT- The SCOUTSUIT is the standard issue infantry armour for Kig-Yar soldiers, specifically designed to boost the stealth abilities of the birdlike aliens. Because of their fragile frame, Kig-Yar cannot go through the bio-augmentations given to humans. Consequently, they cannot wear powered armour or use energy shield systems. However, the armour compensates for this by diverting its power to other systems. The SCOUTSUIT’s motion tracker can cover a square kilometre, while the long-range radar can span for hundreds of miles. It boasts a number of visual modes, and also gives the wearer the option of a 360-degree view of the battlefield. It also enhances the aim of the wearer, giving them perfect accuracy. By far the most useful feature however is the addition of an Active Camouflage system. Combined with the improved aim, this transforms Kig-Yar into invaluable snipers and scouts.
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