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Halo Wars 2

Predecessor

Halo 5: Guardians

Successor

Halo Infinite

Halo Wars 2

General Information

Genre

Real-time Strategy

Platform(s)

Xbox One, Windows 10

Website

Halo Waypoint

Production Information

Publisher(s)

Microsoft Game Studios

Developer(s)

Creative Assembly and 343 Industries

Rating Information

ESRB

Teen (T) for Mild Blood, Mild Language, Violence[1]

PEGI

16

ACB

M [Source] • [Talk] • [Edit]

Know Your Enemy

— Official tagline

Halo Wars 2 is a real-time strategy game that was released on February 21, 2017 for Xbox One and Windows 10.[1]

Contents

• 1 Campaign
  • 1.1 Plot
  • 1.2 Major Characters
    • 1.2.1 UNSC
    • 1.2.2 The Banished
  • 1.3 Minor Characters
    • 1.3.1 UNSC
    • 1.3.2 The Banished
    • 1.3.3 Forerunner
  • 1.4 Organizations
  • 1.5 Species
  • 1.6 Technology
  • 1.7 Weapons
  • 1.8 Vehicles
• 2 Features
  • 2.1 UNSC
    • 2.1.1 Infantry
    • 2.1.2 Vehicles
    • 2.1.3 Buildings
  • 2.2 The Banished
    • 2.2.1 Infantry
    • 2.2.2 Vehicles
    • 2.2.3 Buildings
• 3 Multiplayer
  • 3.1 Maps
  • 3.2 Gametypes
• 4 Development
• 5 Ultimate Edition
• 6 Marketing
  • 6.1 Gamescom 2015 Teaser Trailer
  • 6.2 Official E3 Trailer
  • 6.3 E3 Multiplayer Beta Trailer
  • 6.4 SDCC 2016 Story Vidoc
  • 6.5 Multiplayer Vidoc
  • 6.6 Blitz Beta Trailer
• 7 Videos
• 8 Gallery
  • 8.1 Concept Art
  • 8.2 Trailer
    • 8.2.1 Announcement Trailer
    • 8.2.2 Official E3 2016 Trailer
  • 8.3 Beta Images
  • 8.4 Promotional Images
  • 8.5 Misc.
• 9 Sources

Campaign[]

The campaign consists of twelve missions spread across three acts. The player controls UNSC units from the Spirit of Fire to combat new foes.

Image	Mission	Description
	The Signal	Spartan Jerome and Red Team investigate the source of a UNSC emergency signal.
	A New Enemy	Captain Cutter prepares to take the fight to the Banished by attacking Atriox's field commander, Decimus.
	Ascension	Spartan Jerome and his forces fight through Banished fortifications on the way to the Cartographer.
	One Three Zero	Fighting behind enemy lines, Spartan Alice must rescue UNSC prisoners to open up a second front in the war against the Banished.
	The Cartographer	Professor Anders and Jerome arrive at the Cartographer to discover the secret of Atriox's command over the Ark.
	Lights Out	Jerome must destroy The Banished's portal network controls and cripple Atriox's transport capabilities across the Ark.
	From the Deep	Alice must defend against the Banished as they assault her rag-tag band of survivors.
	Hold the Line	In part one of Isabel's plan, the UNSC must defend a Forerunner cannon as it immobilizes the Banished's carrier and breaks through its shields.
	Under the Dark	In part two of Isabel's plan, Jerome and Isabel infiltrate a Banished compound and prepare to enter the belly of the beast.
	The Foundry	Alice and Douglas lead an assault to cut off the wave of Banished boarding the Halo.
	The Halo	A reunited Red Team must push back the Banished invasion of the Halo so Anders can reach the Control Room.
	Last Stand	Cutter and his crew must fend off the Banished in a final defense of Anders as she prepares the Halo for its voyage.
Gatecrashers	Major Vaughan leads his Boomerang Company ODST's to a Banished operation site.
Not On My Watch	Major Vaughan and his ODST team battle to stop the Banished from launching a Forerunner Ship.

Plot[]

The year is 2559, 28 years after UNSC Spirit of Fire left the destruction of Shield 0459.

Spirit of Fire, thought to have been lost with all hands and having drifted for almost 30 years, arrives at the Ark, a massive Forerunner installation capable of building Halo rings. Serina, the ship's AI, having long since begun developing rampancy due to a long service life, awakens the crew from cryosleep after leaving a final message for the Spirit of Fire's captain, James Cutter, stating it was an honor to serve with him, before destroying herself as per protocol. Cutter & Professor Ellen Anders briefly mourn her.

Cutter, unaware of the nature of the Ark or the current situation, sends Spartan Red Team, comprised of Jerome-092, Alice-130, and Douglas-042, down to the surface to investigate a UNSC signal coming from the surface. When the Spartans arrive, they find a UNSC research base that appears to have been attacked. They find the resident Logistics AI, Isabel, who attempts to warn them away, but an immensely powerful Jiralhanae ambushes the Spartans, easily overpowering them and badly wounding Douglas. Taking Isabel with them, the Spartans retreat to their Warthog, observing the area being overrun by a horde of Covenant who seem to have appeared out of thin air, and Jerome calls down Archer missile strikes to cover their retreat. Isabel, Jerome, and Douglas are extracted to the Spirit of Fire, with Alice being left behind.

Back on the Spirit of Fire, Cutter is debriefed by Isabel: the Human-Covenant War is over. However, the portal to the Ark inexplicably shut down, and a far greater threat appeared: the Banished, a huge horde of ex-Covenant warriors and pirates who killed all of Isabel's friends. Lead by the cunning Brute warlord Atriox, who had attacked the Spartans, this ever-growing horde had raided across Covenant space for years, and all attempts by the Covenant to put the Banished down failed. Isabel urges the Spirit of Fire to run, seeing no chance that a single, aged ship with half a crew winning against an opponent that even the Covenant at the height of their power could not stop . Cutter, however, realizes that Spirit of Fire is all that stands between Atriox and humanity, and inspires Isabel and his crew to stand and fight one more time.

The UNSC start by deciding to surgically weaken Atriox's command structure by taking out his subordinate leaders. Their first target was Decimus, a high-ranking Brute officer who is salvaging resources from the installation. Before he could be brought down, Decimus coldly orders Glassing Beam strikes down upon his own forces and withdraws. Investigating the wreckage, Isabel discovers the Cartographer, a map of key systems and weapons upon the Ark. UNSC forces accompany Anders to secure a Forerunner elevator and ascend to the Cartographer.

Meanwhile, Alice contacts the Spirit of Fire. Having rescued a large number of UNSC POWs, she has been raiding Banished forces, making them fight on two fronts. Alice and her survivors are eventually extracted. Ander's forces reach the Cartographer’s map room, being delayed by the Ark's guard dogs: hordes of autonomous drones called Sentinels which have been awakened because of the Banished mining operations. There, Anders discovers that Atriox has hijacked the Ark’s portal network, allowing him to transport troops across the whole structure. While trying to shut down the portal network Decimus arrives and this time he is killed. The network is shut down, dealing two heavy blows to Atriox's efforts.

Above the Ark, the Spirit of Fire is engaged by the Banished's CAS-class Assault Carrier, the Enduring Conviction. Lacking the firepower to take down a carrier, The Spirit of Fire begins to flounder. Professor Anders came up with a plan on how to escape back to UNSC-controlled space. Spirit of Fire had sacrificed its Slipspace drive back on Shield World 0459 and the Ark's portal to Earth was down, but there was another way: the Ark has produced another Halo ring and is holding it on standby, and if they launch it they can piggyback its Slipspace capability. The enemy flagship being the biggest obstacle, Isabel and Jerome are deployed to use a Forerunner particle cannon to immobilize the carrier and disable its shields so that the Spartan and AI could infiltrate it. While Jerome distracts the Banished troops guarding the ship, Isabel hacks into the ship and uses its Glassing Beam on full power on the Ark's surface, provoking an immense swarm of Sentinels to retaliate, shattering the huge capital ship in two.

Anders launches the Ring as the UNSC & the Banished struggle to control the Ringworld's surface. Red Team's forces prevent Banished reinforcements from reaching the Ring and then join the fight. Anders, having disabled Halo's weapons systems and set a UNSC beacon, uses the Ring's gravity systems to eject the last of the Banished troops into space. However, before the Spirit of Fire can follow, the Halo, with Anders on it, enters Slipspace, with Anders promising Cutter that she will bring the UNSC as soon as possible. Back on the Ark, Atriox, infuriated by the repeated losses to the UNSC, prepares his horde for another attack.

Shortly after, Anders finds that the Halo has exited Slipspace too early. As she steps out into the open, a Guardian, a huge Forerunner construct, looms just overhead.

Major Characters[] UNSC[] Douglas-042[2] Jerome-092 Alice-130 Ellen Anders[3] Isabel (First appearance) James Cutter John Forge[4] Morgan Kinsano (First appearance)[5] Avery Johnson The Banished[] Atriox (First appearance) Decimus (First appearance) Let 'Volir (First appearance) "Colony"[6] (First appearance) Ripa 'Moramee[7] Yapyap The Destroyer[8] (First appearance) Minor Characters[] UNSC[] Allieri (Voice only) Brewer (Mentioned only) John-117 (Mentioned only) Nathaniel Palmer (Logs only) Serina (Voice only) Subject D (Logs only) Subject S (Logs only) The Banished[] Orda Val 'Saham (Logs only) Balkarus (Logs only) Teranus (Logs only) Forerunner[] Unidentified Forerunner monitor (Logs only) Organizations[] Unified Earth Government United Nations Space Command UNSC Navy UNSC Naval Command Naval Special Warfare SPARTAN-II Program Red Team[2] UNSC Spirit of Fire UNSC Defense Force UNSC Marine Corps Orbital Drop Shock Troopers[9] The Banished Species[] Human (Both augmented and not) Jiralhanae Huragok Sangheili Unggoy Forerunner (Technology only) Mgalekgolo Goliath[6] Technology[] Mjolnir Powered Assault Armor Mark IV Jiralhanae Power Armor Forerunner Sentinels Z-1500 "Aggressor Sentinel" Protector Sentinel Retriever Halo Array Installation 00 Installation 09

Weapons[] UNSC MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System (Artwork only) M6C Personal Defense Weapon System BR55 Service Rifle M90 Close Assault Weapon System Model 99 Special Application Scoped Rifle M247H Heavy Machine Gun M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle M41 Surface-to-Surface Rocket Medium Anti-Vehicle/Assault Weapon The Banished Energy Mace Chainbreaker Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol Type-25 Grenade Launcher Type-51 Carbine Type-25 Carbine Vehicles[] UNSC M12 Force Application Vehicle M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle Flame Warthog (First appearance) M121 Light Strike Vehicle (First appearance) M9 Main Anti-Aircraft Tank HRUNTING Mark III (B) Exoskeleton Kinsano's Cyclops (First appearance) HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I[J] Armor Defense System[10] (First appearance) HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark IX Armor Defense System[10] Colossus[10] (First appearance) M400 Artillery System (First appearance) M650 Mastodon[7] (First appearance) M808S Main Battle Tank M850 Main Battle Tank AV-14B Attack VTOL[11] EV-44 Support VTOL[11] (First appearance) ZAV-48 Frostraven[12] (First appearance) Tundra Bison[12] (First appearance) AC-220 Gunship D81-LRT Condor G81 Heavy Gunship[13] (First appearance) D77-TC Pelican G77S Gunship[11] (First appearance) D82-EST Darter Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle Phoenix-class colony ship UNSC Spirit of Fire The Banished Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicle (Banished variant) Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage (Banished variant) Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle (Banished variant) Marauder (First appearance) Reaver (First appearance) Type-30 Light Excavation/Anti-Fortification Platform (Banished variant) Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft (Banished variant) Type-25 Troop Carrier (Banished variant) Type-47 Ultra-Heavy Assault Platform[14] (Banished variant) Type-52 Troop Carrier (Banished Variant)[7] Shroud (First appearance) Skitterer[6] (First appearance) Blisterback (First appearance) Type-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy Deployment Platform (Banished variant) CAS-class assault carrier Enduring Conviction

Features[]

UNSC[] Infantry[] Marines: Main-line infantry units of the UNSC. Hellbringers: Anti-infantry units of the UNSC. Snipers: Anti-infantry cloaked units for the UNSC that can be upgraded to wield a Stanchion. SPARTAN-II: Hero units for multiple leaders. Jerome-092: Hero unit to Captain James Cutter. Douglas-042: Hero unit to Professor Ellen Anders. Alice-130: Hero unit to Isabel. Leon-011: Hero unit to Commander Jerome. Robert-025: Hero unit to Commander Jerome. August-099: Hero unit to Commander Jerome. Vehicles[] Jackrabbit: A lightweight, fast-moving scout vehicle that can detect cloaked units. Warthog: The core ground unit available to the UNSC for scout and assault. HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark IX Armor Defense System: A slow-moving, ground unit exclusive to Sergeant Johnson Theseus: Upgraded version of the Mantis exclusive to Commander Jerome Cyclops: A fast-moving, anti-building unit. Wolverine: An anti-air ground unit. Kodiak: A heavy, eight-wheeled artillery vehicle with a giant cannon that is very strong aganst infantry. Scorpion: The core tank available to the UNSC. Colossus: Slow mech suit armed with a rail cannon that can take out infantry and ground vehicles. Hornet: The core air unit available to the UNSC. Nightingale: A non-combative support utility helicopter that can heal and repair friendly units. Vulture: A heavily-armed gunship. Condor Gunship: The UNSC's super unit. Buildings[] UNSC Base: Basic military structure of the UNSC. Firebase: 3 buildpads Combat Station: 5 buildpads, 4 turret slots Command Center: 7 buildpads, 4 turret slots Headquarters: 7 buildpads, 4 turret slots Garage: Trains vehicle units. Airpad: Trains aerial units. Barracks: Trains infantry. Supply Pad: Produces resources. Can be upgraded into a Heavy Supply Pad which produces resources twice as fast. Generator: Produces power. Can be upgraded into an Advanced Generator which produces power twice as fast. Armory: Provides high-tech upgrades for the UNSC. The Banished[] Infantry[] Grunt Squad: Cannon fodder of the Banished military. Elite Ranger: Anti-infantry cloaked units of the Banished military. Hunters: Anti-vehicle units of the Banished military. Jump Pack Brutes: Anti-building infantry units of the Banished military. Suicide Grunts: A group of fanatically loyal Grunts with specialized methane tanks. Warlord: The hero unit of the Banished military. Vehicles[] Blisterback: A dual-mode air/ground vehicle that acts as heavy artillery when deployed. Chopper: A frontline rapid attack vehicle in the Banished military. Banshee: The core aircraft in the Banished military. Wraith: The core tank in the Banished military. Locust: An anti-building unit in the Banished military. Marauder: A frontline tank in the Banished military with shots that slow players. Reaver: An anti-air walker used by the Banished military. Shroud: A non-combative support air unit. Engineer: A non-combative support air unit. Scarab: The Banished's super unit. Buildings[] Banished Base: Basic military structure of the Banished military. Outpost: 3 buildpads Stronghold: 5 buildpads, 4 turret slots Citadel: 7 buildpads, 4 turret slots Fortress: 7 buildpads, 4 turret slots Foundry: Trains vehicle units. Apex: Trains aerial units. Raid Camp: Trains infantry. Harvester: Produces resources. Can be upgraded into a Augmented Harvester which produces resources twice as fast. Power extractor: Produces power. Can be upgraded into an Augmented Power Extractor which produces power twice as fast. War Council: Provides high-tech upgrades for the Banished military.

Multiplayer[]

This section requires expansion.

Maps[]

Skirmish Image Map Type On-Disk Ashes 1v1 2v2 3v3 Badlands 1v1 2v2 Bedrock 1v1 2v2 3v3 Frontier 1v1 2v2 3v3 Highway 1v1 2v2 3v3 Rift 1v1 2v2 3v3 Sentry 1v1 2v2 Vault 1v1 2v2 3v3

Blitz Image Map Type On-Disk The Proving Grounds 1v1 2v2 3v3

Gametypes[]

Like its predecessor, Halo Wars 2 includes a Skirmish Mode. The player can battle AI opponents across 8 multiplayer maps in 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 matches. Skirmish has three game modes: Deathmatch, Domination, and Strongholds.

• Deathmatch: Destroy all enemy bases to win.
• Domination: Capture and hold Control Towers to score points. Reach the maximum score first to win.
• Strongholds: Build and hold the most Strongholds at the end of the match to win. All players have unlimited resources.

Development[]

Development of Halo Wars 2 was outsourced to Creative Assembly, the same studio behind the popular strategy game series Total War.[9] Once again, Blur created the pre-rendered cinematics for the game.[15]

Ultimate Edition[]

The Ultimate Edition of Halo Wars 2 was released on February 21, 2017, on the same date the standard edition, at a retail price of $79.99. It features a slightly different cover art with a part of the background covered in red. The Ultimate Edition consists of the base game along with the season pass, which includes 7 extra leaders and 2 campaign missions, and Halo Wars: Definitive Edition.

Marketing[]

Gamescom 2015 Teaser Trailer[]

Main article: Halo Wars 2 Announce Teaser

In the teaser trailer, a wounded Douglas-042 is being dragged by another member of Red Team, away from some form of enemy, most likely the Brute Chieftain seen later. Jerome-092 radios in, "Command, this is Red Team. Something hit us, Douglas is down. Immediate evac requested!" As he is dragged along, Douglas draws his M6C magnum, takes a moment to aim, then fires. The screen cuts to Red Team, sweeping an area with their flashlights. They encounter a large, hostile Jiralhanae, who picks a SPARTAN (probably Douglas) up by his throat, and throws him. It then returns to the wounded Douglas, firing another shot off into the darkness. This time, it cuts to Red Team being attacked from several angles by what can only be assumed to be Jiralhanae. Finally, after one more gunshot, several shots of Red Team attempting to retaliate (to no avail) are shown. After this, the camera cuts to Douglas who attempts to fire a fourth shot, but a "click" signifies his magazine is empty. Having no way to defend himself, he lets his right arm slip to the floor and his grip on the magnum loosens. Next, camera showcases the aforementioned Brute Chieftain properly, as he activates his energy mace, Chainbreaker, and growls, "Yes, run... Little demons." After cutting to black, the logos of 343 Industries, Creative Assembly and finally Halo Wars 2 flash onto the screen in quick succession. To close the trailer, there is a short shot of the Chieftain turning away from the camera, and ordering his cohorts to "Hunt them down."

Official E3 Trailer[]

Main article: Halo Wars 2 Official E3 Trailer

This section requires expansion.

E3 Multiplayer Beta Trailer[]

Main article: Halo Wars 2 E3 Multiplayer Beta Trailer

This section requires expansion.

SDCC 2016 Story Vidoc[]

Main article: Halo Wars 2 Story Vidoc

This section requires expansion.

Multiplayer Vidoc[]

Main article: Halo Wars 2 Multiplayer Vidoc

This section requires expansion.

Blitz Beta Trailer[]

Main article: Halo Wars 2 Blitz Beta Trailer

This section requires expansion.

Videos[]

Halo Wars 2 Announce TeaserHalo Wars 2 Official E3 TrailerHalo Wars 2 E3 Multiplayer Beta TrailerHalo Wars 2 Story VidocHalo Wars 2 Multiplayer VidocHalo Wars 2 Atriox Trailer

Gallery[]

Concept Art[]

Red Team investigating an abandon research base.

Trailer[]

Announcement Trailer A MJOLNIR Mk. IV-clad SPARTAN-II.Douglas-042 firing his M6C magnum, at an unseen foe.Two SPARTANs, scanning the area with their weapons.Atriox holding Chainbreaker.A close-up on Atriox's face, as he orders his compatriots to hunt down the SPARTANs. Official E3 2016 Trailer

Beta Images[]

Promotional Images[]

Announcement logo.Cover logo.Full Cover Art.

Misc.[]

A 3D-printed model of Atriox.

Sources[]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Halo Waypoint - Halo Wars 2
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Youtube: Halo Wars 2: Announce Teaser
3. ↑ YouTube - Halo Wars 2 Multiplayer Vidoc
4. ↑ Halo Waypoint - Welcome to the Halo Wars 2 Blitz Beta
5. ↑ Halo Waypoint - Wars, Worlds, & Weaponry
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Halo Waypoint - Leggo my Lekgolo
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Halo Waypoint - Know-Scope
8. ↑ Halo Waypoint: - Haze of Glory
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Twitter - Creative Assembly
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Halo Waypoint - Folks Need Heroes
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Halo Waypoint - Canon Fodder: THE ART OF WAR(S)
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Halo Waypoint - Canon Fodder: Stay Frosty
13. ↑ YouTube - Halo Wars 2 Gameplay - Blitz Mode - New UNSC Super Unit! The Condor
14. ↑ YouTube - Halo Wars 2 Gameplay - NEW Blitz Mode! SCARAB GAMEPLAY
15. ↑ Blur - Halo Wars 2: Announce Trailer

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