Spartan II Class III

The SPARTAN-II Class III Program (also called Project ARES) was a spinoff project of the SPARTAN-II Program, designed to produce genetically and cybernetically enhanced Spartan-grade supersoldiers for the UNSC. Based off of the Class I Project by Halsey and headed by Colonel Griffin Standoff, the program was started in 2540 after all recruits had been successfully secured and moved to secret training grounds in catacombs underneath Fort Hamill on Tantalus, to be trained by Class I SPARTAN-II and Leonidan operative Laszlo Katona.

History
With the fall of the outer colonies and the steady loss of more of the inner colonies, the only units found to be able to produce extraordinary success rates in battle against the Covenant were the commandos of Class I SPARTAN-II and SPARTAN-III Alpha Company. With their impressive service records, many in the UNSC's top echelon decided that the spartans were humanity's best hope of survival, and backed continuations of the programs. Thus, Class II of the SPARTAN-II Program and Beta Company for SPARTAN-III were approved in 2537 – though the latter would have to search for viable recruits for some time before finally kicking off training in 2539.

Yet, the demand for spartans wasn't satisfied; in late 2539, Rear Admiral Ned Rich – head of the Covert Operations Group – started to collect funding and gather expert drill instructors and scientists to begin another SPARTAN Project. Though initially called Project ARES, most who worked with the project referred to it as Class III of the SPARTAN-II Program. Out of desperation within the UNSC, the project was approved and headstarted in 2540.

However, recruitment and funding proved to be difficult; the former because most children of the suitable genetic characteristics had been picked clean by the recruitment/abduction efforts of Class II and Beta Company, the latter conversely because the two previous projects had wasted much of HIGHCOM's treasury.

To counter the recruitment problem, the set genetic parameters were loosened, thus allowing more subjects to be identified – despite the obvious risk that this would increase the loss of recruits in the augmentations procedure. In the end, this allowed for the identification of a total of 75 candidates, though 15 of these ended up killed in Covenant attacks on their respective homeworlds before they could be successfully abducted. Though the bulk of these recruits were made up of a much lesser genetic stock than that of the original SPARTAN-IIs, a chosen few were nearly equal to them, and would end up proving their worth in the field much like their predecessors.

Financial difficulties were dealt with by cutting several planned sub-operations of the project from the budget, most notably the development of MJOLNIR suits. Though attempts were made to procure a beneficial deal with RKD, the developers of the Hayabusa armor, this proved to still put the project above its limited budget. In the end, it was decided that the Class IIIs would have to rely on the much cheaper but less effective Semi-Powered Infiltration (SPI) Armor system. By collecting additional funding through the use of false charity organizations, stripmining of defeated rebel groups' hidden accounts etc., the program was finally properly begun in mid-2540 under the direct oversight of Colonel Griffin Standoff.

The 50 remaining recruits were then either abducted (for those who didn't volunteer) or transported (in the case of those who did volunteer) away from their homes - as part of Operation: CLOAK AND DAGGER - and relocated to newly built and secret training grounds in hollowed-out tunnels underneath Fort Hamill (the headquarters of the Covert Ops Group), Tantalus. To maximize the efficiency of the soon-to-be spartans' training as an attempt to counter the drawbacks in other departments of the project, Rich chose his personal Leonidan operative, Laszlo-108, to head the training regimen, backed by the SPARTAN-I Dean Jackson.

The roughly eight years of training that followed often mimicked the training of the original Class I Project closely, as Laszlo used his own experiences to run the regimen. Similarly to their predecessors, the Class IIIs were early grouped into teams, five members each, named after colors. However, despite Laszlo's best efforts, things went badly during the augmentations procedure; in addition to the ill suitable widening of the gene pool, the project's troublesome finances forced it to make use of older augmentation procedures than the ones used in the SPARTAN-III Program. As a result, 40% of the candidates failed the procedure, either suffering crippling consequences rendering them unfit for combat duty or dying outright.

The remaining 30 spartans went on to successfully graduate, even carrying the memories of their 'failed' comrades as they did. To meet up with the demand of sending spartans to an increasing number of fronts, the Class III teams were reorganized into three-man units, allowing the deployment of 10 separate squads. After gearing up in their SPI armors, they were then deployed into the field – carefully kept separate to ensure not all teams would perish at once – to varying degrees of success. Though impressive, their track record didn't quite live up to the reputation of their predecessors – though much of this can be blamed on the fact that they were poorly equipped compared to the other classes.

While most of the teams perished at separate points of the Human-Covenant War (the particularly tragic battle at Troy II resulted in the destruction two full teams), a select few of the Class IIIs managed to survive the war, and continued to serve for some time afterwards, eventually becoming integrated with the SPARTAN-IV Program in the 27th century.

Post-Identification Roster

 * SPARTAN-301 (Maria) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-302 (Mickey)
 * SPARTAN-303 (Jacob) - WIA (Wounded in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-304 (Draco)
 * SPARTAN-305 (Diego) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-306 (Anne) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-307 (Maria)
 * SPARTAN-308 (Megan) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-309 (Adam)
 * SPARTAN-310 (Hayley) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-311 (Mica)
 * SPARTAN-312 (Richard)
 * SPARTAN-313 (Jack) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-314 (Domnic)
 * SPARTAN-315 (Austin) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-316 (Jack)
 * SPARTAN-317 (Mason)
 * SPARTAN-318 (Dillon) - WIA (Wounded in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-319 (James)
 * SPARTAN-320 (Samuel) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-321 (Jessica) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-322 (Timothy)
 * SPARTAN-323 (Melinda) - WIA (Wounded in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-324 (James)
 * SPARTAN-325 (Casey) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-326 (Tuck)
 * SPARTAN-327 (Maggie) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-328 (Griffin) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-329 (Lucy)
 * SPARTAN-330 (Arthur) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-331 (Joshua) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-332 (Mellissa)
 * SPARTAN-333 (Susan) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-334 (Gregory)
 * SPARTAN-335 (Theresa) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-336 (Otto) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-337 (Barney) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-338 (Connor)
 * SPARTAN-339 (Jonathan)
 * SPARTAN-340 (Gerard) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-341 (Roger)
 * SPARTAN-342 (David) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-343 (Rachel)
 * SPARTAN-344 (Lily)
 * SPARTAN-345 (Cathy) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-346 (Anisha) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-347 (Jennifer)
 * SPARTAN-348 (Jackson) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-349 (Lucia)
 * SPARTAN-350 (Jimmy) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-351 (Arnold)
 * SPARTAN-352 (Kelly) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-353 (Rick) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-354 (Nancy)
 * SPARTAN-355 (Heather) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-356 (Michael)
 * SPARTAN-357 (George) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-358 (Aaron) - WIA (Wounded in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-359 (Jacky)
 * SPARTAN-360 (Rose) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-361 (Olivia) -KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-362 (Keegan) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-363 (Mathew)
 * SPARTAN-364 (Lucius)
 * SPARTAN-365 (Andrew) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-366 (Daniel) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-367 (Christopher) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-368 (Reynold) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-369 (Alai) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-370 (Steven) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-371 (Landry) - WIA (Killed in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-372 (Lauren) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)
 * SPARTAN-373 (Amber) - WIA (Wounded in Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-374 (Anna) - WIA (Killed In Augmentation)
 * SPARTAN-375 (Lisa) - KIA (In Covenant Strike)

Post-Augmentations Roster

 * SPARTAN-302 (Mickey) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-304 (Draco) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-307 (Maria) - Active
 * SPARTAN-309 (Adam) - Active
 * SPARTAN-311 (Mica) - MIA (Killed in action on Stallion IV)
 * SPARTAN-312 (Richard) - MIA (Killed by Gold Team after going rogue in 2552)
 * SPARTAN-314 (Domnic) - MIA (Killed during the Kiribati Skirmish)
 * SPARTAN-316 (Jack) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-317 (Mason) - Active
 * SPARTAN-319 (James) - MIA (Killed in action on Stallion IV)
 * SPARTAN-322 (Timothy) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-324 (James) - Active
 * SPARTAN-326 (Tuck) - MIA (Killed in action on Troy II)
 * SPARTAN-329 (Lucy) - Active
 * SPARTAN-332 (Melissa) - Active
 * SPARTAN-334 (Gregory) - MIA (Killed during the Kiribati Skirmish)
 * SPARTAN-338 (Connor) - Active
 * SPARTAN-339 (Jonathan) - Active
 * SPARTAN-341 (Roger) - MIA (Killed in action on Stallion IV)
 * SPARTAN-343 (Rachel) - Active
 * SPARTAN-344 (Lily) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-347 (Jennifer) - MIA (Killed by SPARTAN-312)
 * SPARTAN-349 (Lucia) - Active
 * SPARTAN-351 (Arnold) - MIA (Killed in action on Troy II)
 * SPARTAN-354 (Nancy) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-356 (Michael) - MIA (Killed by SPARTAN-312)
 * SPARTAN-359 (Jacky) - Active
 * SPARTAN-361 (Olivia) - MIA (Killed in Action)
 * SPARTAN-363 (Mathew) - Active
 * SPARTAN-364 (Lucius) - MIA (Killed in action on Troy II)

Post-Great War Roster

 * SPARTAN-363 (Mathew) - Active
 * SPARTAN-359 (Jacky) - Active
 * SPARTAN-317 (Mason) - Active
 * SPARTAN-343 (Rachel) - Active
 * SPARTAN-338 (Connor) - Active
 * SPARTAN-309 (Adam) - Active
 * SPARTAN-349 (Lucia) - Active

Silver Team

 * SPARTAN-364 (Lucius) - MIA (Killed in action on Troy II)
 * SPARTAN-326 (Tuck) - MIA (Killed in action on Troy II)
 * SPARTAN-312 (Richard) - MIA (Killed by Gold Team after going rogue in 2552)

Gold Team

 * SPARTAN-363 (Mathew) - Active
 * SPARTAN-359 (Jacky) - Active
 * SPARTAN-317 (Mason) - Active

Scarlet Team

 * SPARTAN-356 (Michael) - MIA (Killed by SPARTAN-312)
 * SPARTAN-347 (Jennifer) - MIA (Killed by SPARTAN-312)
 * SPARTAN-351 (Arnold) - MIA (Killed by SPARTAN-312)

Orange Team

 * SPARTAN-339 (Jonathan) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-324 (James) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-307 (Maria) - MIA (KIA)

Cyan Team

 * SPARTAN-314 (Domnic) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-334 (Gregory) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-343 (Rachel) - Active

Olive Team

 * SPARTAN-316 (Jack) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-322 (Timothy) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-344 (Lily) - MIA (KIA)

Violet Team

 * SPARTAN-302 (Mickey) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-304 (Draco) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-354 (Nancy) - MIA (KIA)

Tan Team

 * SPARTAN-329 (Lucy) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-332 (Melissa) - MIA (KIA)
 * SPARTAN-338 (Connor) - MIA (KIA)

Crimson Team

 * SPARTAN-311 (Mica) - MIA (killed in Action on Stallion IV)
 * SPARTAN-341 (Roger) - MIA (killed in Action on Stallion IV)
 * SPARTAN-319 (James) - MIA (killed in Action on Stallion IV)

Turquoise Team

 * SPARTAN-309 (Adam) - Ghost Company XO
 * SPARTAN-361 (Olivia) - MIA (KIA during the Battle of the New Tokyo Gas Mines)
 * SPARTAN-349 (Lucia) - Ghost Company Squadron CO

Trivia

 * In 2552, Spartan 312 went rogue, and both Scarlet and Gold Teams were called in to take him down. Scarlet was killed by 312, but Gold managed to eliminate him.