Spartan

Spartans are a genetically engineered type of human from the Halo universe.

Physiology
Spartans stand at an average of 7 feet tall (fully armoured), and have a reinforced endoskeleton. Their training and physical conditioning along with the chemical and genetic enhancements give them super-human speed, strength and endurance. They are able to punch through solid concrete without doing damage to themselves.

History
The first Spartan program, called Project Orion, was the UNSC's attempt at mass producing super-soldiers in order to control a growing populace.

Although it was considerd a failure by many (the Spartans falling far short of expectations), the idea stayed.

In 2511 the project relaunched as the SPARTAN-II Program, held at the military fortress world Reach. These candidates were far more successful. Out of 300 five year olds chosen, only 75 became Spartan candidates. Trained from the age of 6 until 14, they followed a training course equivelant to a Special Forces program, just as children. By the age of 14, they were said to have physiques of fully grown Olypmic athletes due to their rigorous training. They then had biochemical and surgical augmentations, making their bones unbreakable, their reflexes near instant and their strength three times that of a strong human. They would also later recieve MJOLNIR armour, which boosts the strength of the user by 5; so ultimately, their strenth would be 15 times that of an average human (3 x 5).

This program was followed by the SPARTAN-III Program, designed to make many more Spartans due to the threat of the human extinction by the Covenant. The SPARTAN-IIIs underwent similar training at the planet Onyx, having similar augmentations after a lengthy training period, again as children. The SPARTAN-IIIs however used less effective armour to make the program more cost effective for the UNSC. Whilst many SPARTAN-IIIs died due to being put on what would be considered impossible suicide missions, they always achieved victory in their supposedly impossible objectives, proving their worth. Some SPARTAN-IIIs, however, did survive.

After more than 20 years of warfare most Spartans died at the Fall of Reach (2552). Survivors include John-117, Kelly-087, Fred-104, Linda-058 and Naomi-010 (SPARTAN-IIs) and Team Katana, Lucy and Tom, as well as 300 Spartans of Gamma Company (SPARTAN-IIIs).

As of 2553, the SPARTAN-IV Program was in progress; to what extent their training or augmentations went is unknown.

(There could be more Spartan survivors of the Human-Covenant war if the three aboard Spirit Of Fire are included, who are SPARTAN-IIs. These are Douglas 042, Alice 130 and Jerome 092)