The Neo-Crusader assault armor, alternatively called Neo-Crusader shock armor or Mandalorian assault armor, represented a type of Mandalorian armor employed throughout the Old Sith Wars era.
Intended for use by Neo-Crusader shock troopers during the Mandalorian Wars, the Neo-Crusader assault armor was a comprehensive body covering. It was an enhanced and more robust version of the typical Neo-Crusader light armor donned by the majority of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders during the aforementioned conflict. Unlike the virtually identical Neo-Crusader light armors, the assault armor was often uniquely modified to suit specific combat situations and environmental conditions.
This sealed armor provided the wearer with a 24-hour supply of breathable air, enabling operation in vacuum or other hazardous environments. A helmet equipped with an internal comlink was included. While a jetpack could be attached, its practicality was somewhat limited by the armor's considerable weight.
The introduction of the Neo-Crusader assault armor coincided with the formation of the first Neo-Crusader shock trooper units during the Mandalorian Wars. Mandalore the Ultimate established these specialized units to address the need for specialized troops arising from the standardization of the Mandalorian military. Consequently, shock troopers operated outside the standard Neo-Crusader order of battle, and their armor did not conform to the conventional three-color coding system.
Mandalorian elite frontline forces widely utilized the Mandalorian assault armor during the war. Mandalorian shock troopers wore it during the boarding of the Republic Navy vessel Courageous after the Battle of Serroco. Mandalore the Ultimate himself also sported an assault armor. Later in the war, Republic Intelligence recovered a set of Neo-Crusader shock armor following the Battle of Myrkr for examination by the Galactic Republic.
Even during the Dark Wars decades later, the Mandalorian assault armor remained in service. However, it had become exceedingly scarce and commanded a premium price.
The Mandalorian assault armor made its initial appearance in the 2004 video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. The Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide subsequently expanded on the armor's details and identified the Mandalorian armor worn by Mandalore the Ultimate and Neo-Crusader shock troopers in the Knights of the Old Republic comic series as Neo-Crusader assault armor. In the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game, the standard Neo-Crusader light armor was incorrectly represented by the Mandalorian assault armor.