Halo Wars 2

*Halo Wars 2*

*“Know your enemy.”*— Halo Wars 2 tagline.
***Halo Wars 2*** is an upcoming real-time strategy science fiction video game being developed by Creative Assembly and will be published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox One and PC. It is the official sequel to *Halo Wars*.

*Halo Wars 2* is planned for simultaneous release on PC and Xbox One on October 4, 2016. The sequel for the game was eventually confirmed many years after *Halo Wars*, and will be made by Creative Assembly, due to the original game's creator, Ensemble Studios, having become defunct after the development of *Halo Wars*.

## Story

### Plot

*Halo Wars 2* will take place thirty years after the events of *Halo Wars*. The *Spirit of Fire*, still drifting, arrives over the Ark, where they encounter a Covenant splinter faction called the Banished led by a cunning and brilliant Jiralhanae tactician named Atriox. After arriving on the installation, Red Team is deployed to investigate an abandoned research outpost, where they are forced to fall back after encountering the Banished. During their investigation they come across Isabel, the AI overseeing the outpost and the only survivor of the Banished's attack.

Alone and without the support of the UNSC, the crew of the *Spirit of Fire*are outnumbered and outgunned. Together, they must defeat the Banished and stop Atriox from unlocking the secret to activating the Halo Array.

### Campaign

The *Halo Wars 2*campaign will consist of thirteen levels. These are:

### Characters

#### Major Characters

UNSC

* Jerome-092
* Douglas-042
* Alice-130
* Captain Cutter
* Isabel
* Ellen Anders
* Serina

The Banished

* Atriox
* Decimus
* Let 'Volir

#### Minor Characters

The Banished

* Recon-01

## Features

### Difficulty

* Easy
* Normal
* Heroic
* Legendary

### Factions

* **United Nations Space Command**
* **The Banished**
* **Sentinels**

### **​**Buildings

* UNSC
* The Banished
* Forerunner (Unusable)

* Minibase/Firebase/Combat Station/Command Center/Headquarters
	+ Minibase: 1-2 Building Slots and the base itself.
	+ Firebase: 2 Building Slots and the base itself
	+ Combat Station: 5 Building Slots and the base itself.
	+ Command Center: 6 Building Slots and the base itself.
	+ Headquarters: N/A
	+ Stronghold (gametype): Gametype specific.

* UNSC Air Pad

* UNSC Armory

* UNSC Barracks

* UNSC Garage

* UNSC Generator
	+ Advanced Generator

* UNSC Supply Pad:
	+ Heavy Supply Pad

* Spike Turret (Anti-Infantry, Anti-Vehicle, Anti-Aircraft)
	+ Watchtower
	+ Siege Turret

* Minibase/Outpost/Stronghold/Citadel/Fortress
	+ Minibase: N/A
	+ Outpost: N/A
	+ Stronghold: N/A
	+ Citadel: N/A
	+ Fortress: N/A
	+ Stronghold: Gametype specific.

* Apex

* Foundry

* Harvester
	+ Augmented Harvester

* Power Extractor
	+ Augmented Extractor

* Raid Camp

* War Council

* Light Plasma Turret (Anti-Infantry, Anti-Vehicle, Anti-Aircraft)
	+ Sensor Tower
	+ Shield Generator

* Domination Point (gametype specific)

* Garrison

* Power Node

### Units

* UNSC
* The Banished
* Forerunner (Unusable)

### Infantry

* UNSC Marines

* Hellbringers

* UNSC Snipers

* SPARTAN-II

* Cyclops

### Vehicles

* Warthog

* Scorpion

* Cyclops

* Wolverine

* Jackrabbit

* Kodiak

### Aircraft

* Hornet

* Vulture

* Nightingale

* Condor (super unit)

### Infantry

* Grunt Lance

* Elite Ranger

* Hunter Pair

* Jump Back Brutes

* Suicide Grunts

### Vehicles

* Ghost

* Chopper

* Wraith

* Locust

* Marauder

* Reaver

* Scarab

### Aircraft

* Banshee

* Blisterback

* Engineer

* Shroud

### Leader Units

#### UNSC

* Captain Cutter
* Isabel

#### The Banished

* Atriox
* Decimus
* Shipmaster Let 'Volir

## Marketing Promotions and Release

### Trailers

#### Announcement

*Main Article: Halo Wars 2 Announcement Trailer*

Released at Gamescom 2015, the Halo Wars 2 Announcement Trailer officially confirmed the development of *Halo Wars 2*. In the trailer, 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 that Douglas is down and requests assistance. As he is dragged along, Douglas draws his M6C magnum, takes a moment to aim, and then fires. The screen cuts to Red Team, sweeping an area with their flashlights. They encounter a large Jiralhanae, who picks one of them (presumably Douglas) up off the ground, and throws him. Cuts back to Douglas being dragged along, who fires another shot off into the darkness. This time, it cuts to Red Team being attacked from several different angles by presumably more Jiralhanae. Finally, after cutting to Douglas firing one final shot, several shots of Red Team trying to retaliate (to no avail) are shown. After this, the camera cuts to Douglas trying to line up a fourth shot, but his pistol clicks empty. Having no way to defend himself, he lets his arm, carrying his gun, slip to the floor, and his grip loosens. Next, the camera cuts to the aforementioned Brute Chieftain, who appears to be holding an energy mace.  He taunts the Spartans, before the scene cuts to black. The 343 Industries and Creative Assembly logos follow in succession, finally followed by the title for *Halo Wars 2*. Afterwards, a short scene of the Brute Chieftain turning away and ordering his cohorts to "hunt them down" is seen.

#### E3 2016

*Main Article: Halo Wars 2 E3 2016 Trailer*
   At E3 2016, Creative Assembly showcased the official trailer for *Halo Wars*2. During the opening of the trailer, Cutter is shown walking through debris, while a squad of marines set up infront of him. The marines prepare to move forward, but are attacked by a Jiralhanae. One marine retaliates with a shotgun blast, but is then attacked by another Jiralhanae. While this occurs in slow motion, James Cutter walks silently and calmly forward, walking past the Jiralhanae. A Warthog appears from behind him, killing a Jiralhanae with its main gun, and ramming another. Another Warthog appears, but is destroyed. Two new Covenant vehicles, known as Blisterbacks, deploy, firing missiles towards the UNSC forces. Time slows down, and Atriox, the Brute Chieftain, walks by, sliding his hands over the frozen missiles. Time speeds up, and the missiles destroy the Warthog. A trio of armed Cyclops' charge forward, and time slows once more, with Cutter once again appearing, ever calm and silent. Cutter looks up to see a UNSC ship in orbit, and time speeds up again as SOEIV pods descend upon the Covenant lines. The pods slam into both Blisterbacks, destroying them even as Atriox walks by. The pods split open, and ODST soldiers run forward as they are joined by SPARTAN-IIs, and the Cyclops'. Atriox continues to stalk forward slowly, and finally meets with Cutter on the battlefield. The two of them stare at each other as their respective forces meet head on, the frame freezing as the two forces prepare to clash. The camera pans up, showing all the different forces, before cutting away to the battered battlefield. The scene fades to black, and the *Halo Wars 2*title art appears on screen, followed by a release date.

#### Multiplayer Beta

*Main Article: Halo Wars 2 E3 Multiplayer Beta Trailer*
At E3 2016, Creative Assembly released a trailer for the*Halo Wars 2* Multiplayer Beta. The trailer showed gameplay of the game where Banished and UNSC forces battle each other, showcasing new and returning vehicles, the new base design, as well as the revamped gameplay.

## Trivia

* *Halo Wars 2*will be developed by Creative Assembly in colloboration with 343 Industries. Creative Assembly are a well-known RTS developer, with their most famous franchise being the Total War games.
* The original developer of *Halo Wars*, Ensemble Studios, became defunct shortly after releasing the game. *Halo Wars*was their last product before disbanding.

## Gallery

Halo Wars 2 title artHalo Wars 2 Draft cover artThe possible cover art for Halo Wars 2
## Links

### External Links

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 **Halo Waypoint** - *Halo Wars 2*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 **Youtube:** *Halo Wars 2: Announce Teaser*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 **Twitter** - Creative Assembly
4. ↑ **Blur** - Halo Wars 2: Announce Trailer