Halo Wars: The Official Guide / Ready for War / Blog 05/06

Part 05: The Skirmish and Multiplayer Modes

Spartans Alice and Douglas get a jump on the enemy, tussling with two Covenant Elites on the Shield World. Expect no mercy in Multiplayer Mode!

The Covenant make a classic mistake, leaving the UNSC to built up their Grizzly tank forces for too long, and paying dearly for this error.

A Brute Chieftain makes short work of a group of Creep soldiers guarding a critical Hook on the Multiplayer Map 2v2: Beasley's Plateau.

Perhaps the most important, and certainly one of the most entertaining aspects of Halo Wars is challenging friends to online battles ranging between small skirmishes between dueling players, to all-out war raging between two sizes of three players each. With the propensity for confusion and disaster always at the forefront of a Halo Wars general, a sizable chunk of the guide was given over to this extremely important game mode, with a general emphasis given to ensuring battlefield domination. Blogs 02 and 03 deal with aspects of the two warring Factions present in the game, and they provide thorough knowledge regarding specific unit usage. For the Multiplayer chapter, we visit every single one of the Multiplayer Maps, from the instantly recognizable 1v1 Blood Gulch, to the sprawling 3v3 Fort Deen. Each of the maps receives a thorough inspection, beginning with a map itself.

Taking almost an entire page, the Maps are worth the price of admission on their own, as they instantly reveal the topography of each level, allowing you to plan attacks accordingly. If your friend chooses to play “1v1 Chasm”, for example, you can instantly see the cracks in the tundra, the dotted rock islands, and the narrow passageways. Only after close study of each map can you easily recognize where you are in the game, the shortest point to your foe’s base, and the numerous features designed to help or hinder your progress.

Hooks are vital to gain the upper hand against your opponent while challenging them to online skirmishes, and are structures, usually Forerunner in origin, that house large Supply Elevators, or Reactors, that (when overrun by your forces) give you the appropriate economic or technological bonuses. After study of the maps, you can then figure out whether spending resources on a UNSC Reactor is worthwhile, compared to claiming one already built, and freeing up a Base socket for a different building in the process.

There are a range of hooks to learn about too, and include Forerunner Relics that can release Flood hordes to pillage your opponent’s troops, a Mega-Turret that can lay waste to entire tank detachments, and even a Life Support station that can increase the total population cap of your army. Knowing which maps house these advantageous places, and how far they are from your starting base, is critical to your online ranking. Simply put, the Multiplayer maps alone shave weeks of learning, and second-place finishes in battle, as you quickly ascertain the right battle tactics that vary from map to map.

Also of relevance on the battlefield are the locations of empty bases, and Neutral Bases, which are guarded by groups known as The Creep. They don’t response well to light attack strategies, but quickly overpowering them with heavier vehicles or artillery allows you to take over their base of operations. But do you try this, or head for an early Rush and beat your opponent quickly? It all depends on the Map, which is handy, as there’s copious tactical information gleamed from Ensemble Studios lead designers and QA department; this is a distillation of the months of strategizing they completed.

Join us one last time, when hint at some game secrets, and peek behind the exclusive Gallery, filled with Halo Wars artwork.

Head here, for Ready for War video Overviews, guide purchasing options, and the chance to win a Bungie-signed Halo 3 artbook. 

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Halo Wars: The Official Guide / Ready for War / Blog 04/06

Part 04: The Campaign Missions, with Professor Ellen Anders

Crucial to your continued Mission success, the latest in prototype warrior enhancements arrive. Meet Spartans Alice, Jerome, and Douglas.

Sergeant Forge brings the full troop firepower of his Fortress to bear on a troublesome (and not to mention, disgusting) Flood Colony.

Spartan: Alice commands a Scarab, and together with the pride of the UNSC air force, decimates a Covenant Citadel.

Halo Wars ships with a sizable and hugely entertaining Campaign mode, where you (or a cooperative friend) are tasked with completing 15 explosive, punishing, and intense missions, all interspersed with some of the best cut-scene movies seen anywhere, ever. The feeling of a frantic firefight is captured perfectly, and the missions vary wildly, from an assault on a Firebase currently overrun by Covenant scum, to a battle against the Flood on the outer hull of the Spirit of Fire itself. Here’s what to look for in the strategy guide, and in the game.

The Missions themselves follow a storyline arc that is divided into four Acts. Each gets its own art opener, with an explanation of what’s going on, whether you’re battling to enter a Forerunner structure, or you’re stuck on an alien world, locating and rescuing ODST overrun by viciously tendrilled alien puss-bags. Whatever the current combat conditions, the Walkthrough is designed to help you as much as you wish, thanks to specifically coded tactical information. For example, if you only wish to know about playing through on Cooperative mode, simply look for the appropriate box-out. The same if you’re intending on attempting the brutal Legendary difficulty; all Missions have been finished at the highest difficulty, no matter how deranged the predicaments. Two Xbox 360 debugs were lost in the making of this Walkthrough.

In terms of layout, each Mission begins with a quick overview, and a list of Objectives, both mandatory and optional. Each objective has a points value, which influences your end ranking, so naturally, we included these values. Then comes the Par Time (how long you should expect to finish this Mission once you perfect it), and the Win/Loss Conditions. Then there’s a labeled map, showing every single major chokepoint, and all the “secret” information. As the Fog of War covers your movements throughout the game, getting a fully-revealed map of each locale is incredibly useful.

Perhaps the most important information takes the form of the Difficulty Modifications box-out. If you want to know (for example), what the differences are between playing Mission 04 on Easy, compared to Heroic or Legendary, you can check this, and prepare accordingly. Then comes the Mission tactics itself, crammed with screenshots (taken from lossless video), notes, tips, cautions, and divergent tactic advice depending on the Mission parameters themselves. Each Mission ends with a summary, where Ranking totals (how many points you need for a Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Tin medal) are calculated. This is handy, as you can see exactly what the points multipliers are for each Mission, and react accordingly.

This all adds up to a fully-complete Walkthrough, designed in conjunction with Ensemble Studios, and packed with credible tactics from the developers, with special attention paid to the highest of difficulty settings. Join us next time, when we reveal just what’s on offer for the Skirmish and Multiplayer maps.

Head here, for Ready for War video Overviews, guide purchasing options, and the chance to win a Bungie-signed Halo 3 artbook. 

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Halo Wars: The Official Guide / Ready for War / Blog 03/06

Part 03: UNSC Faction Facts, with the Prophet of Regret

Forge and the Arbiter have a slight disagreement. Unlike the UNSC, the three Covenant Leaders take to the battlefield with their troops.

A quintet of Wraiths fire enhanced plasma ordnance into a UNSC Firebase. Power these tanks with shields, and they become devastating.

Even a Spartan-controlled Wraith is no match for the Covenant's biggest and baddest unit; the devastating, base-killing Scarab.

The second major Faction you’re able to control in Halo Wars are the Covenant, and although there are similarities between the two forces (such as how the economy works), there are numerous differences too. The most striking are how the Leaders work on the battlefield. Instead of peering down from the relative comfort of the Spirit of Fire, the Covenant prefer the crackle of plasma and human bloodshed up close and personal, which is why each of the three Covenant Leaders receives their own personal unit, and devastating combat power they employ themselves. The first Leader is the Arbiter, a beast capable of leveling entire bases himself (indeed, this is a popular tactic at the earliest stages of battle). With his Rage power, he can actually regenerate hit points as well as cutting swathes of foes (or parts off buildings). He’s accompanied by Suicide Grunts, who don’t usually return from their combat missions, and are useful when you need a sure-fire way to stop a vehicle, or drop a building.

 The Brute Chieftain is the personification of punishment, armed with a massive hammer and a power known as the Vortex; a whirling maelstrom that can tear apart already weakened units with amazing ferocity. The Chieftain has two units that he alone brings into battle; the Brute infantry, and the Brute Chopper. The Infantry can be upgraded with jetpacks, allowing them to swarm remote supply or reactor locations known as Hooks. The Chopper meanwhile, is like a toughened Ghost, but with greater combat prowess, and costs to boot.

Perhaps the most fear-inducing of the three Covenant Leaders is the Prophet of Regret. Armed with a terrifying power called Cleansing, this is like a moving MAC Blast that cuts through every type of enemy in seconds. The Prophet is accompanied by his Elite Honor Guards, who are adept at sneak attacks thanks to their cloaking upgrades. With all the different combat permutations, it is vital you learn how these attacks work, and more importantly, who they work on. This is where the guide comes in.

In much the same way as we did with the UNSC, the Covenant’s base of operations (the Citadel) is explained, along with the key construction choices, and unique buildings. Visual representations are important, as you’ll want to know what strangely-shaped building your opponent is constructing before you’re swamped with units you haven’t defended against. But more importantly, the costs, advantages, and shortfalls of these structures are revealed. Need to Hot-Drop Wraiths to back up your base-savaging Brute Chieftain? We show you how, and why this is an excellent plan.

As for the troops themselves, each of the main buildings that spawn unit types are explained in great detail. The Hall, for example, releases Grunts, Jackals, and Hunters. If there was ever a unit to counter the devastating power of the UNSC Scorpion, the Hunter (with its Fuel Rod Override capacity) fits the bill. If you’re wanting to learn about ground vehicles, there’s copious tactical advice on the Ghost, Wraith, and Locust; a building killer that can crush enemy fortifications from long distance. And the more said about the Scarab, the better; this stomping great behemoth is the Covenant’s most dangerous (and hilariously expensive) unit. Try spawning two on a battle, and your opponent isn’t trying hard enough.

Covenant units are slightly weaker than UNSC ones, but they make up for it with their air Engineers; floating sacs that attach to different units and heal them constantly throughout a battle. There’s also the Banshee and Vampire to round off the Covenant forces, each equipped with devastating (and different) upgrade paths and strength, and all revealed in the strategy guide. Its an extremely satisfying feeling to take out a UNSC Spartan by upgrading a Banshee with “Sacrifice”, allowing it to crash into an enemy instead of simply exploding!

It is also extremely satisfying to complete the entire series of Campaign Missions on Legendary Difficulty: Which is what I’ll reveal snippets of next time.

Head here, for Ready for War video Overviews, guide purchasing options, and the chance to win a Bungie-signed Halo 3 artbook. 

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Halo Wars: The Official Guide / Ready for War / Blog 02/06

Part 02: UNSC Faction Facts, with Captain James Gregory Cutter

Anders and Cutter talk tactics with Serina aboard the Spirit of Fire, while Sergeant Forge is planetside, doing the dirty work.

While the Covenant are preoccupied elsewhere, the Cobras show their secondary ability and clamp down before devastating a Turret.

Anders gains air superiority with her Hawks; an incredibly destructive unit. Note the veterancy star; one pilot has already survived a fight!

With the overview of the main game facets out of the way in the Training chapter, the first, 28-page part of the Factions chapter lays out in mind-boggling detail the full compliment of UNSC forces that can be commanded on the battlefield. With suitable gravitas, this section begins with a look at the three UNSC leaders, starting with Captain Cutter. For those seeking additional Halo canon, Ensemble Studios kindly supplied official background details for the good captain, along with a short story you’ll find nowhere else. Well, until we’re allowed to reprint it somewhere else. Cutter’s story is particularly amusing, as it features a slightly strained series of communications with AI Construct Serina. Then we find out Cutter’s advantages: He begins with a unique unit (a mobile Barracks called the Elephant), can rely on a MAC Blast (a devastating orbital cannon shot from the Spirit of Fire), has a “Super Unit” of ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers; the cream of the non-Spartan crop), and begins with a bigger base.

Sergeant John Forge meanwhile, aside from a penchant for English swearing, and a rough and ready past, uses his own unique unit; an exo-skeletal engineer called a Cyclops to mend bases and heal troops. Or, when he’s wanted to unleash molten death, he can call in a Shortsword to rake the battlefield with a Carpet Bomb. His real advantage takes the form of a staggeringly powerful tank known as the Grizzly. Plus, he begins with Heavy Supply Pads, offering extra and immediate income.

 Professor Ellen Anders is the third UNSC leader, and gets a crash course on military terminology on her way to the Spirit of Fire. She opts for a light vehicle called the Gremlin, and fires EMP waves and bolts that can shut down rival vehicles in seconds. Her Cryo Bomb strikes fear into even the most level-headed of Banshee pilots, as they’re more concerned with her Super Unit; the Hawk. More devastating than a Hornet, and juist as agile, Hawks rule the skies. Well, until you accidentally hit them with your own Cryo Bomb. He technological know-how means her units research and upgrade in half the time and cost.

As you might expect, each of these leaders plays considerably differently from each other, so you’d be hoping for highly-detailed tactics specifically tailored to each one. And you’d be right; we’ve done just that, from the strengths and weaknesses of each asset, when to use it, what it effects, and what units can successfully counter it. Then, after detailing AI Construct Serina’s rather saucy simulations, we move on to figuring out exactly what and when to use the Spirit of Fire’s rather potent attacks and repair functions. And that’s before we even meet the rank-and-file of the UNSC army.

After lengthy revelations on how exactly to utilize all the building types for your Fortress, we check out the units your base can employ, including the classic Warthog. Next are units emerging from Barracks; the Marines, Flamethrowers, and Spartans. All upgrades are shown (along with their cost), and a complete series of tactical advantages (and drawbacks) are shown for each. Need to instantly know how much it costs to upgrade a Spartan to carry a devastating M6 Laser? You’ve come to the right chapter. As all of the tactics were gleamed from multiple Ensemble Studios testers and months of play, they are guaranteed functional and helpful. You’ll learn, for example, that Spartans can not only Jack enemy vehicles, but can command UNSC vehicles too, and add significant combat enhancements in the process. In fact, the only problems Spartans have is their weakness during a vehicle Jack (which can be lessened with a Neutral Implant Upgrade), and sustained enemy fire. Trying to kill a Spartan? Launch everything you’ve got at him! Or her….

The UNSC forces continue with a thorough inspection of the Scorpion, Cobra, and Wolverine. By now, you may have figured out that each unit caters to different general battlefield occurrences. The Cobra, for example, excels in blasting both vehicles and buildings, but can’t fire skyward. Not a problem if you partner it with a Wolverine, as it is specifically designed to destroy aircraft. Finally, the UNSC air units are detailed, from the Hornet with its spectacular agility and low armor, to the Vulture with its less-than-spectacular agility, and even armor to withstand a MAC Blast. Half the battle is knowing what unit to use and when, and how each unit affects all the others. This chapter clues you in on all of this.

Come back next time, when I detail some of the fearsome displays of the Covenant, from cloaked Elites to the Brute Chopper.

Head here, for Ready for War video Overviews, guide purchasing options, and the chance to win a Bungie-signed Halo 3 artbook. 

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Halo Wars: The Official Guide / Ready for War / Blog 01/06

Part 01: Tactical Training with Sergeant John Forge

Meet Sergeant Forge, and Spartan Red Team. You'll get to know them, and just how incredibly bad-ass they are, as the guide and game progresses.

A trio of Grizzly tanks completely obliterates a Brute unit on the way to a decisive UNSC Ambush victory.

UNSC Warthogs execute a tactical Rush, catching the Covenant completely off-guard in a Skirmish map known as Blood Gulch.

It has taken three months, hundreds of Skirmish and Multiplayer games, two destroyed Xbox 360 debug units, and a steady hand coupled with almost telepathic abilities to complete the Campaign on Legendary, but I’ve finally finished the fight, and the 208-page guide to Halo Wars. Work began last Fall with a trip to Ensemble Studios in Dallas, where I had the good fortune to receive copious notes, tips, tricks, and advice from some exceptional RTS experts, who were extremely keen for this guide to be as comprehensive as possible. I feel we’ve succeeded, in no small part because of their continuous help and support.

Over the next six Blog posts, I’ll be encapsulating what it took to piece together this guide, with an overview on the various chapters. To begin with, I worked closely with Ensemble to craft a Training section that removed “instruction manual” advice in favor of more advanced information, including technical data that only Ensemble was in possession of. By now you’ll probably be aware that Halo Wars is based on the RTS tenet of RPS (or Rock Paper Scissors), with different unit types generally having advantages over others (in this case, ground vehicles defeat infantry, that can take down air units, which can crack open ground vehicles… etc). Fortunately, Halo Wars is much deeper than that, as (for example) it introduces specific “counter” units, adept in tackling a specific foe. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of these troops (which the guide reveals in meticulous detail), and you have complete battlefield dominance.

The Training section also revealed advice on Veterancy (yes, troops can survive confrontations time and time again, and becoming grizzled bad-asses grants you more than just a fearsome reputation; there are other interesting enhancements, too). The same goes for Upgrades. Although the forthcoming Blog 02 on Factions lets you know more about Upgrades, there’s plenty of general information to impart, too. We even go into detail about some hidden items that are likely to appeal to those already familiar with the franchise….

One of the key elements to gaining in proficiency at Halo Wars is knowing how to construct a Fortress (UNSC) or Citadel (Covenant) both quickly and effectively. With different Leaders requiring different Base progressions, a step-by-step route showing which Base buildings to construct, and when, provides immediate clarity. The Training also digs deeper into the key tactical methods of play, beginning with a Glossary to bring those unfamiliar with the term “Turtling” up to speed. Then, we reveal exactly how to attempt a Rush, Boom, Tech, Turtle, Ambush, Hit-and-Run, or Scout strategy, and how to pinpoint whether one is happening to you. There’s advice on Hot-Dropping troops into the battlefield, prioritizing your Queues, Ambushes, Sling-Shooting tactics, and more.

The Training section comes to an end with a thorough inspection of how to effectively play against an A.I. opponent, what Leader Powers are, what the key differences are (and there are many) between an Easy and Legendary foe, and to round off the Training chapter in its entirely, we present a few general Tips. Okay, about 170 of them. And this is 17 pages into the strategy guide….

Come back next time, when I offer an overview of the Factions chapter, showcase some key UNSC units, and figure out just what exactly can stop a Spartan….

Head to the Prima Halo Wars Feature Page, for Ready for War video Overviews, guide purchasing options, and the chance to win a Bungie-signed Halo 3 artbook.

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