Halo Wars 1.1 Invisible Assassin invisibleassassin (AT) gmail (DOT) com ----------------------- / Table of Contents / ----------------------- Intro..............................................IN01 Version Info.......................................VI01 Basic Tips.........................................BT01 Walkthrough........................................WT00 Tutorial......................................WTTB Mission 01: Alpha Base........................WT01 Mission 02: Relic Approach....................WT02 Mission 03: Relic Interior....................WT03 Mission 04: Arcadia City......................WT04 Mission 05: Arcadia Outskirts.................WT05 Mission 06: Dome of Light.....................WT06 Mission 07: Scarab............................WT07 Mission 08: Anders' Signal....................WT08 Mission 09: The Flood.........................WT09 Mission 10: Shield World......................WT10 Mission 11: Cleansing.........................WT11 Mission 12: Repairs...........................WT12 Mission 13: Beachhead.........................WT13 Mission 14: Reactor...........................WT14 Mission 15: Escape............................WT15 Skulls.............................................SK01 Leaders............................................LD01 Legal..............................................LG01 ----------------------- / Intro IN01/ ----------------------- Welcome to my Halo Wars guide. I wrote this guide at the same time as I first played the game so all strategies are bound to work. You may notice they're rather simplistic and monotonous but Halo Wars lends itself to this gamestyle as it is a rather toned down RTS. Point in fact, I did this all in less than a day. Being a strategy game, it's impossible to give instructions that work every single time so I've provided a less structured walkthrough and made it so that you can feel free to work around with it to suit your play style. All I really list is the unit that works best and the tactics that lead to a quick and decisive victory. This was made for Normal mode and will get you Gold medals as well (I got them all using these methods). I'd recommend you only use this guide if you're really stuck. Half the fun of a strategy game is finding a new strategy to use in order to win. Good luck. ----------------------- / Version Info VI01/ ----------------------- Version 1.0- missions complete, skull, black boxes and achievement objectives Mar 13 are all listed. Version 1.1- added Skulls section and email address (can't believe I forgot) Mar 14 and Leaders section. Should I do something for each unit and building? Seems like a waste of time as the manual has it covered as well can be. Fixed Mission 12's information. ----------------------- / Basic Tips BT01/ ----------------------- -Any infantry or scout unit can gather resourcs. -Pressing Up on the D-pad will bring up your mothership ability list so you can call for healing, repairs or offensive attacks. Be sure to use this. -Turrets. Turrets. Turrets. -Upgrade your buildings as soon as possible, especially Supply Pads. -Upgrade your unit abilities too, especially things which increase attack and defense. -Upgrading Reactors is more expensive than making a new one but it saves you space. Decide which is more important for the situation. -Flamethrowes are best close up against groups of enemies and have more hitpoints than Marines. However, they often need support. -Don't be afraid to use a unit's special power. It is beneficial more than it is a waste. -Always build turrets in bases that are being or will be attacked. Always. -Black boxes look like black cubes with orange stripes. -When you complete the optional objective requirement for a skull, a mark will come up on your radar where the skull is. ----------------------- / Walkthrough WT00/ ----------------------- This Walkthrough is written for Normal difficulty. The first Optional Objective is always the requirement for the Skull. The last Optional Objective is always the requirement for the Achievement. Pictures of all Black Boxes and Skulls are available at http://www.xboxlife.com/halo-wars.html ========== Tutorial ========== WTTB ----------------------------------------------------- Primary Objectives: 1. Learn Camera Control (/3) 2. Learn Unit Selection (/1) 3. Learn Movement (/5) 4. Group Select (/1) 5. Group Move (/3) 6. Learn Attacking (/3) Optional Objectives: N/A Black Box: N/A Skull: N/A ----------------------------------------------------- 1. Follow the instructions, really. Nothing difficult here. 2. Don't worry about losing units. There's no way to avoid it. ======================== Mission 01: Alpha Base ======================== WT01 ----------------------------------------------------- Primary Objectives: 1. Fight your way to Alpha Base 2. Use Marines to Destroy Barrier Power Source 3. Eliminate Covenant within Alpha Base Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 100 Grunts (/100) 2. Find and Rescue Pinned Marines 3. Ram 50 Grunts (/50) Black Box: Last bridge before Alpha Base, before the barrier. Take a unit under the bridge by the ramp left of the bridge and collect it. Skull: Kill 100 Grunts and then get a fast unit back to the main gate of the base, where the Marines were. ----------------------------------------------------- 1. For this mission, all you have to to is take your units, and any you come across through all the waypoints. 2. When you run into enemies, always ram first. You take out a large chunk and disrupt their formations. 3. It's easier to get the Achievements on higher difficulties. ============================= Mission 02: Relic Approach ============================= WT02 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Get Alpha Base online 2. Train 5 Marines (/5) 3. Build a Supply Pad 4. Build a Barracks 5. Fight your way to the Structure in the ice 6. Enter the Structure 7. Destroy the Detonator Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 20 Jackal Snipers (/20) 2. Rescue all trapped Warthogs (/2) 3. Destroy the Covenant Base 4. Destroy all Methane canisters Black Box: In the northwest, behind a barrier. Skull: Kill 20 Jackals and then look in the south of Alpha Base. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. Build a Station, Supply Pad and Barracks first. Build 5 Marines and then group ALL your units in front of your Station for now. You will be under constant attack by dropped units so build four turrets ASAP. Next, build a Reactor and then upgrade at least two turrets to Anti-Air. 2. Your front gate will open early but stay in the base and build up otherwise you will find yourself swarmed. When building up, be sure to upgrade your Station to a Fortress so you get 7 spaces and build three Supply Pads. Upgrade them for massive income. Then get two Reactors, upgrade one of them, one Barracks and one Vehicle Depot. 3. Marines are better in this mission than Warthogs due to all the Hunters, Jackal snipers and barriers. Scorpions, however, are fantastic on this level so build three or four and send them out with about six groups of Marines. 4. Take this group and clear out gigantic chunks of the map at a time. You'll be virtually unstoppable. Always keep a few groups of Marines and Forge at your base for defense. I suggest going left first. You'll pick up so many reinforcements, you won't need to make any more. 5. On the left side of the map, take out the Refineries to stop the unit drops. On both sides of the map are Warthogs captured behind barriers. Destroy them to free the Warthogs. There is also and airpad where you will receive extra units if you clear it out. Clear out both sides of the map before attacking the base in the middle. 6. When attacking the base, take out the turrets first and units first. Then focus on the main building. 7. Smooth sailing from here, even if all you have left are your Scorpions. Just sail your way to the north of the map, killing everything. 8. Most of the Methane tanks are on the left side. There is one pile on the right side of the map. They are all near Covenant buildings. ============================ Mission 03: Relic Interior ============================ WT03 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Fight your way to Forge and Anders' location 2. Escape the Chamber with Forge and Anders 3. Move Anders to the other Bridge's control panel 4. Cover Anders as she hacks the Bridge Controls 5. Get Forge and Anders to the Landing Zone. Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 45 Hunters (/50) 2. Use the Bridge to kill Covenant Units Black Box: To the left of start point, go south first and then down the ramp on the left. It's down the path here. Skull: Once you kill the Hunters, take a Grizzly to where Forge and Anders were pinned down. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. You get two Grizzlies, which are Forge's uber units. They make this mission a cakewalk. Just don't do anything stupid like make them go to Forge and Anders immediately and you'll be fine. 2. When you get to them, use the Grizzlies to cover everyone else as they take tons of damage, deal tons of damage and can be repaired by Anders. 3. When you have to cover Anders, send your Marines and Forge to the door right next to the ramp and have your Grizzles in front of the ramp. That way you won't have any problems. 4. After that, just make your way out. The Grizzlies really make things easy. 5. To kill 5 Covenant units with the bridge, just disable it soon after you fix it. This is extremely easy to get as the Covenant rush you from across the bridge as soon as you fix it. ========================== Mission 04: Arcadia City ========================== WT04 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objective: 1. Clear Covenant from Subway Exit 2. Protect Civiliasns and Cargo Transports until Launch Optional Objective: 1. Kill 50 Elites (/50) 2. Establish a Second Base 3. Save 500 Citizens 4. Save 1000 Citizens 5. Save Adam Black Box: Directly north of the start point, on the stairs of the only building in the area. Skull: Kill 50 Elites, then check the bronze statue east of the Street base. Use Hornets to get it. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. You start off with Forge and six Hornets (less on high difficulties). Clear the Covenant out of the Subway first using Forge's ram special on the elites and shooting the rest. 2. Don't worry about protecting #3. It always gets blown up. Instead, help #1 and #2. Build your base up in the grass as soon as possible and spam Hornets. 3. Don't bother looking around for Covenant buildings, there aren't any. Just keep clearing the paths for the civilians. Try and stay in tight groups as well so you can clear out enemies faster. 4. For the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, don't stray too far away from the Escape pods. There are walls of Wraiths and turrets that will destroy you. 5. Use your Heal and Repair ability to fix up the Cargo ships. 6. Adam is directly north of the starting point, right next to where the Black Box was. Press A on the door to the building. When he comes out, ESCORT HIM. One hit and he's dead. You have to cover him all the way to Ship 2. =============================== Mission 05: Arcadia Outskirts =============================== WT05 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Retreat to the Southern Crater 2. Secure the Area by killing all the Covenant in the area 3. Defend the Crater until Omega Team arrives 4. Destroy the Covenant Base and its Guards Optional Objectives: 1. Destroy 5 Wraiths (/5) 2. Contruct a Second Base 3. Jack 6 Covenant vehicles (/6) Black Box: As you're fleeing the Covenant, go down the first stairs on the right. It's at the bottom of this little area. Skull: Follow the tracks west of your main base. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. First things first, run to that Southern Crater and make your base. 2. You're going to be under constant attack so get some Marines behind the Pelicans and jack some Covenant vehicles. This will hold you over for a while. 3. Once Omega Team arrives, it's all cakewalk. You've got 10 invincible units that can cause heavy damage, never die and jack vehicles. Enjoy. Take out the large cannon in the area north of your base, to the left of the highway and build your second base. 4. The easiest way to finish this level is to jack the Wraiths at the beginning and send them in with Omega Team to take out the Covenant base. 5. To get the Achievement easily, just send one Spartan in to jack a vehicle, then send that unit in alone until it gets destroyed. Repeat. =========================== Mission 06: Dome of Light =========================== WT06 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Kill approaching Covenant Infantry 2. Request a Rhino at the Landing Pad 3. Get the Rhino to the First Position 4. Place a Rhino at the Marked 2nd Position 5. Transport a Rhino to the Marked 3rd Position 6. Get Rhinos to the last two Marked Positions Secondary Objectives: 1. Kill 50 Banshees 2. Claim 2 Oni Reactors (/2) 3. Destroy the Dome Generators and Air Defenses 4. Successfully protect every Rhino Black Box: In the 3rd Marked Position Skull: Kill 50 Banshees and then check the hangar behind your base. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. Once again, you start out attacked. However, you have three Spartans and Forge so it's no problem. Build turrets as soon as possible and upgrade them to Anti-Air. 2. Contruct and finalize a good base and make some Wolverines and Scorpions before calling in a Rhino. Take them all to the first position. 3. Use the Spartans, Forge and a couple of Scorpions to clear the other point before sending the Rhinos, Wolverines and a Scorpion or two in. 4. For the third point, send in a Scorpion and Rhino. 5. For the last two, you'll be attacked at first. Clear out these threats before trying for the rest. You'll be reaching your population cap soon so don't build anymore Scorpions. Rely on your hero units to clear out the points and move two Wolverines and a Rhino to each. 6. You get 40 Mac Cannon shots, so have fun. Destroy all the buildings. 7. As long as you have two Wolverines at the first and second Rhino, you should be fine for the Achievement. ==================== Mission 07: Scarab ==================== WT07 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Destroy the Super Scarab Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 10 Locusts (/10) 2. Destroy all enemy Power Nodes (/7) 3. Do not destroy any Power Nodes Black Box: In an alcove in the east, by some resources. Skull: Kill 10 Locusts and then search the northwest. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. This mission has a twist in that there is a white light going back and forth over the map. AVOID IT. You'll need fast units for this level, so get some Warthogs going. 2. Take a large group of Warthogs (including Forge) around the edge of the map to take out all enemies and Power Nodes. They're fast, do lots of damage in a swarm and are expendable. Perfect for this mission. 3. The Scarab has tons of hitpoints. Take your Warthogs and Scorpions right up to it and blow it to hell. Try and move your units from side to side so the laser doesn't kill them all at once. 4. To get this Achievement, do it on Easy. I don't even think it's possible to get on a higher difficulty. ============================ Mission 08: Anders' Signal ============================ WT08 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Get to Base Drop Beacon 2. Investigate Echo Team 3. Find and Recover lost Elephants (/2) 4. Bring all three Elephants back to the Base Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 750 Infection Forms (/750) 2. Train sqauds out of Elephant 3. Find lost ODST squads (/4) 4. Use Elephants to train 100 Squads Black Box: After the beacon, go up the ridge right of it. It's on the side opposite the Flood building. Skull: After killing 750 Forms, go north as far as you can; it's on a ridge northeast of the second Elephant. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. Train freakin' TONS of Marines. Then rush north. Spartans should join you soon. 2. This mission is fairly straight forward. Go to the West base that was overrun, clear it. You get a base and it gets attacked pretty quickly. Send your Spartans to defend it and build some resources. I suggest building tons of Marines from your Elephants so you at least get the Achievement. Or you could use flamethrowers if you want to end the mission very quickly. 3. Take them all directly south on a straight run and destroy the buildings and units ASAP. They will infect a fair chunk of your units but as long as you have Flamethrowes, you should be fine. 4. The ODST are hidden all over the branching paths, around the direct path to the third Elephant. 5. This Acvievement is ridiculously easy to get. If you want to farm for the skull, build marines. If you want overkill, go for flamethrowers. ======================= Mission 09: The Flood ======================= WT09 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Reinforce Spartan Red Team 2. Destroy Flood Boss Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 20 Flood Stalks 4. Have all 5 Flood Colonies dormant at once Black Box: In the very west of the map, pretty much lined up with the minimap arrow. Skull: After you kill 20 Flood Stalks check northeast of your base, by a downed and smoking Pelican. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. Start out with a Reactor. You already have two Supply Pads. Go for some turrets too, as you will have Flood coming. You also have some Elephants for training your infantry. Your automated defenses should take care of any attacks for now. 2. If you plan on training infantry, go for flamethrowers. Lots of them. Otherwise, Warthogs and Hornets will do wonders. 3. Get to the Spartans before worrying about anything else. 4. Easiest way? Hornets, fully upgraded. Lots of them. You will be unstoppable. 5. A mass of Hornets really is the best for getting this Achievement with some support from the MAC cannon. The Colonies regenerate after a few minutes so units that can go from place to place fast is what you need. Just be sure to clear out the enemies surrounded the Colonies first. ========================== Mission 10: Shield World ========================== WT10 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Clear Evacuation Flight Paths 2. Get Charlie Platoon to the Landing Zone Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 350 Swarms (/350) 2. Place Gremlin at Pylon (/4) Black Box: Right by Bravo Platoon. You can see it from the start. Skull: After killing 350 Swarms, fly a Hornet northeast of your base, past the first tower, in a narrow strip surrounded by Flood eggs. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. Scorpions. Lots of Scorpions, upgraded with their first tech and backed up by some Wolverines. Do this and you're golden. 2. Disable all the Tractor Beams so you get more time. They're located in all four corners of the map. 3. After you have to move Charlie to the transport, your base will come under heavy attack. Be sure to have Scorpions on hand. 4. The first Pylon is at your base, the second is north of Alpha, the third is between Alpha and Bravo and the last is between your base and Charlie. The first is free, clear out Alpha before attempting for the second and third. As for the fourth, you will have to escort the Gremlin in as the path there is guarded by a few Flood Launchers. ======================= Mission 11: Cleansing ======================= WT11 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Clean the Flood off the Hull 2. At least one Airlock must survive 3. Permanently remove the Flood structures Optional Objetives: 1. Kill 100 Sentinels (/100) 5. Save all airlocks Black Box: Take a flying unit to the left rear of the ship on the wing. Skull: Send a hornet to the nose of the ship after killing 100 Sentinels; it's floating in midair. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. This level is a bit weird. You have to get units from the airlock and destroy the Flood buildings in time for the big laser killing shield thing. 2. Build lots of flamethrowers and ravage the Flood. You'll need a flying unit to get the Flood on the side of the hull. You can either do it now or wait for the Vultures to come in. Your call. Try and destroy the buildings within a minute of the shield so it gets destroyed. 3. Clear out the Flood on the tail of the ship first. There aren't that many buildings on the nose. You don't even have to worry about the Flood Launcher on the right side of the nose as the shield takes it out with two passes. 4. The Achivement for this one is a bit difficult. Build turrets constantly and keep groups of units around your buildings until the shield comes by. ===================== Mission 12: Repairs ===================== WT12 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Repair the Power Core Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 12 Spirit Transports (/12) 2. Keep at least one Deck Gun alive 3. Repair the Power Core in less than 4 minutes Black Box: On the left side of the Spirit of Fire, just like the last mission. Skull: After killing 12 Spirit Transports, take a flying unit up the ramp between the lower two airlocks. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. This one is easier than it seems. Rush the first units you see to the Power Core. 2. At your base, contruct tons of Marines and group them all in the middle. That way, you fend off any attack. Now build more Cyclops and have them repair the Power Core. Jack the Locusts for some extra defense. 3. You may have to micromanage around your Cyclops so you don't get wiped out. Even taking one Cyclops out to clear an enemy is a good idea if Forge and your Wolverines can't keep up. 4. To get this Achievement, play on Easy. Just spam Cyclops and use your Repair and Heal power on the core. ======================= Mission 13: Beachhead ======================= WT13 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Get Anders to the LZ 2. Find a new LZ 3. Hold the LZ 4. Capture and hold 4 bases Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 10 Bomber Forms (/10) 2. Take control of the Scarab 3. Destroy 25 units with the Scarab Black Box: On a high ridge to the right of the second teleporter. Use a flying unit to get it. Skull: By the Flood base near the starting point. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. The first part of the mission is a follow the waypoint kinda thing. 2. Capture the base to the south. Build it up and defend it from the constant Banshee attack with some turrets. Upgrade your tech so you can get ODSTs and send them out with your Spartans to take the bases. 3. Grab the Scarab before you do anything else. It will make life so much easier. 3. If you're running low, just keep dropping ODSTs from your command menu. 4. This Achievement should come to you as long as you grab the Scarab and not let it get swarmed. ===================== Mission 14: Reactor ===================== WT14 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Bring and Attach Elephant to FTL Reactor Core 2. Use an Elephant to tow the Core up to the Apex Base site. Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 20 Vampires (/20) 2. Don't claim an extra base Black Box: On the ridge left of the first ramp. You'll need a flying unit to reach it. Skull: After killing 20 Vampires, go to the second Covenant base; it's just north of it by some crates. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. This mission is also easier than it seems. Build some Anti-Air turrets and upgrade to ODSTs. You can take the units you start off with and take out the first Covenant base without losing a unit and defend it. 2. Clear your path with your ODSTs, Spartans and Forge and send your Elephant, dragging the Core, up to the Apex Base site. 3. This Achievement is simple enough. The only problem is that if you lose your Elephant, it's going to take you a while to get back to the Core. Remember to escort it. ==================== Mission 15: Escape ==================== WT15 ------------------------------------------------------ Primary Objectives: 1. Clear out all enemies near the Interlock Tower 2. Activate the Interlock 3. Open the Portal Optional Objectives: 1. Kill 3 Scarabs (/3) Black Box: On the other side of the map from the starting point. Hell, you can see it from the start. Skull: After the Scarabs, it's at the north, right in the middle of the Flood. ------------------------------------------------------ 1. Stay by your base at the beginning and activate your switch. Train up to ODSTs and research your MAC Cannon. Then let loose around the map with both. 2. Jack the Scarabs for some extra firepower. 3. I suggest two teams of ODSTs, each backed up by some Spartans. This way, you can clear out bases with relative ease and not worry too much about losing units because they can be quickly replaced. You can also hit both switches at the same time. 4. Speaking of switches, you have to hit two opposite ones in order or else you will have to redo it. 5. Don't worry about the Achievement for this level, it comes automatically. Congrats, you just beat Halo Wars! ----------------------- / Skulls SK01/ ----------------------- Listed in order by mission 1. Look Daddy! When Grunts die, their methane tank always shoots off. 2. Grunt Brithday Party Grunts explode into confetti. 3. Cowbell Destruction physics magnified. 4. Wuv Woo Scarabs shoot rainbow beams made of Pure Love. 5. Fog No minimap. 6. Sickness All player units have 50% fewer hitpoints. 7. Rebel Sympathizer Non-player units recive 25% more hit points. Final score will increase. 8. Rebel Supporter Non-player units inflict 50% more damage. Final score will increase. 9. Rebel Leader Non-player units start with extra veterancy. Final score will increase. 10. Catch All player units recharge unit abilities in half the time. Final score will decrease. 11. Sugar Cookies All player units have 50% more hit points. Final sore will decrease. 12. Boomstick 5% chance any non-player unit blows up upon death with explosive area of effect damage. Final score will decrease. 13. Pain Train All player units train 50% faster. Final score will decrease. 14. Bountiful Harvest Supplies come in 25% faster. Final score will decrease. 15. Emporer All player powers recharge in half the time. Final score will decrease. ----------------------- / Leaders LD01/ ----------------------- ====== UNSC ====== Captain Cutter -------------- Leader Power: MAC Cannon Unique Unit: Elephant Super Upgrade: ODST Economy Bonus: Bases start with more build sites Sergeant Forge -------------- Leader Power: Carpet Bomb Unique Unit: Cyclops Super Upgrade: Grizzly Economy Bonus: Supply Pads start as Heavy Supply Pads Professor Anders ---------------- Leader Power: Cryo Bomb Unique Unit: Gremlin Super Upgrade: Hawk Economy Bonus: Cost and unit research time for unit upgrades reduced by half ========== Covenant ========== The Prophet of Regret --------------------- Weapon: Plasma Cannon Special: Cleansing Unique Unit: Elite Honor Guard Combat Upgrades: Blessed Immolation Ancestral Perversion Divine Absolution Special Upgrades: Regret's Sentence Regret's Doom Regret's Condemnation Brute Chieftan -------------- Weapon: Gravity Hammer Special: Vortex Unique Unit: Brutes Brute Chopper Combat Upgrades: Inheritance Birthright Destiny Special Upgrades: Tsunami Hurricane Singularity The Arbiter ----------- Weapon: Dual Energy Swords Special: Rage Unique Unit: Suicide Grunt Combat Upgrades: Fiendish Return Vicious Blades Ghastly Vision Special Upgrades: Defiant Rage Spiteful Rage Blinding Rage ----------------------- / Legal LG01/ ----------------------- This guide is Copyright (2009) to Jeroen Amin You have permission to print this guide as long as credit is given to me. Do not plagiarize please. I have worked hard on this guide and I would not like it to be passed off as somebody else's.