Halo Wars 'Strategic Options' DLC adds new multiplayer, achievements
by David Hinkle 
{ Apr 21st 2009 at 11:09AM } 
First up is Keepaway, a CTF variant featuring 3 different flags for capture. Next up is Reinforcement, a mode that provides support in waves, disabling your ability to build armies. Finally, there's Tug of War, which Microsoft has not divulged any info on, though our own pre-school experience with the gametype causes us to assume it will involve a rope, and take place near the jungle gym. We're kidding: the winner is decided based on total volume of assets, including units, buildings, and resources.
The new achievements are:
- "One and Done" (30 points): Score the winning point in a game of Keepaway against Legendary A.I.'s
- "Pull Hard, Pull Deep" (20 points): Win and never trail in a Tug of War game
- "Freak on a Streak" (20 points): Gain at least 15 population from a single wave in a Reinforcement game
- "Living Loving Bug" (30 points): Obtain a Scarab during a Reinforcement game
Gallery: Halo Wars 'Strategic Options' DLC
[Thanks Patrik K.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shogan @ Apr 21st 2009 11:23AM
I love the game, but these don't sound all that interesting. A few new units, and maybe some extra defense options would be nice.
Manly Mcbeefigan (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 21st 2009 11:45AM
You know all we want is to play as the flood.
eMax @ Apr 21st 2009 1:21PM
Yeah i agree...whiles its not expensive i'd rather pay twice the price and have real game content like new units, or maps, or missions.
For all we know this could just be "unlocking" these features instead of actually installing anything. while it is kinda the same thing, it makes me feel like im getting less for my money if was already there just locked.
Sorta like Vista Home & Vista Ultimate. Its all the same u just need the right key.
all that being said. I think the 100 points might be the exact amount I have left over from the last purchase I made for real content. The 100 points has been stuck in limbo only able to purchase new clothes for Ryu in SFIV. Now I might be able to use it.
umm....hello??? @ Apr 21st 2009 3:27PM
100 points is referring to the gamerscore achievement points, not the price of the DLC which is still TBD.
SAGExSDX @ Apr 21st 2009 11:24AM
"Reinforcement" sounds like DotA a little to me. probably not anything like it though
Larry @ Apr 21st 2009 11:28AM
A small update for 100 points seems OK to me. It will give me an excuse to get online more with the game.
Einhanderkiller @ Apr 21st 2009 11:33AM
As cuteSAVAGE said, it's 100 Gamerscore points for the achievements, but the price of the DLC has not yet been confirmed. It'll probably be something crazy like $10.
brentnahmias44 @ Apr 21st 2009 11:29AM
price is right unlike over priced crap like RE5 and Fable2
cuteSAVAGE @ Apr 21st 2009 11:30AM
Thats 100 Gamerscore, not Microsoft Points. They haven't announced the price yet,
cuteSAVAGE @ Apr 21st 2009 11:31AM
Meant for Larry, but I guess it works here too. Also, *That's*
Manly Mcbeefigan (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 21st 2009 12:00PM
Aww C'mon savage why you had to burst our bubble?
The Baron @ Apr 21st 2009 11:32AM
We all know how Halo Wars game could have sold an extra 10 million copies:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/47096.html
The Baron @ Apr 21st 2009 11:33AM
^- ignore awful grammar
Premature ejaculation man @ Apr 21st 2009 7:40PM
What did I just watch? O_O
The Baron @ Apr 22nd 2009 3:40PM
I don't know. I just don't know.
Look At This Suit @ Apr 21st 2009 11:32AM
The achievements total to 100 gamerscore. That isn't the price of the DLC, guys.
Larry @ Apr 21st 2009 11:44AM
Ohh...too bad 100 points would be a no-brainer. I guess I will wait and see what the actual price. Thanks cuteSAVAGE for pointing that out.
myabsolution @ Apr 21st 2009 11:48AM
I love the online, play it every day.
Must have for me.
WRE @ Apr 21st 2009 1:10PM
Same here, but they need to make the Covenant a little less powerful right at the beginning. I play as UNSC exclusively and I'm so fucking sick of getting bombarded by leader powers and wraiths before I can even build my second reactor. Covenant rush strategy is for pussies and not even fun.
myabsolution @ Apr 21st 2009 2:02PM
Yeppers man.
I primarily play 2v2 and if me and my teammate decide on being UNSC we are running the risk of getting pwned right off bat.
PoR is deadly at rushing, the speed and strength is retarded. Hell even Arby is a bit much sometimes against giant armies.
Luckily the next patch I believe PoR speed getting nerfed. Hopefully theyre remove his shields or lower his actual health.
There is literally no effin USNC unit early on that can properly deal with those hero rushing, Arby owns Warthogs and a blessed immolation PoR makes short work of them too. I think flamethrower units need a buff to be more on par with jackals, so as to better combat those two heroes.
WRE @ Apr 21st 2009 5:33PM
What's your gamertag, man? Mine is HaloKissesBoys, send me a friend request.
Premature ejaculation man @ Apr 21st 2009 7:42PM
It is surprisingly fun game actually. I'd also request games, but being from a different region, I worry for the potential lag.
Babel @ Apr 21st 2009 11:50AM
So did Ensemble make this before they closed down? 'Cos wouldn't that mean it should have been in the game in the first place? Correct me if I'm wrong (and I hope I am)...
Larry @ Apr 21st 2009 12:06PM
It is very possible they completed this before the game came out, but not before they finish the final code. Also Robot (made up of former Ensemble people) is supporting the game so they could have finished the polish and dealt with the certification process after the fact.
They have been very upfront all along that they made additional content for the game.
Niroth @ Apr 21st 2009 12:56PM
DLC is being done by Robot Entertainment, one of the Studios that formed when Ensemble broke up..
BluLeonard369 @ Apr 21st 2009 5:44PM
What about new maps? The 3v3 maps are starting to get really old now...
StLouisRibs7734 @ Apr 21st 2009 8:20PM
Solution:
1v1 and 2v2 maps!
Manly Mcbeefigan (Mr. ESC) @ Apr 21st 2009 12:01PM
I hope is at least cheap to be honest I found the game a bit bland I mean as far RTS is okay but for Ensemble standards this was its weakest game ever. Only 2 Civilizations, Some Heroes have pretty much the same abilities, The Arbiter is fun but useless compared to the rest, Air units are unnecessary most of the time and Humans seem to be overpowered but the worst part is that you can’t play as the flood.
The campaign is okay but nothing compared to AoE2 campaign, hell even Empire Earth campaign was better. The CGI is impressive; it has this “Blizzard” quality over it nice stuff…the story by the other hand is a pointless event in the Halo Universe, I which the campaign was based on the Fall of Reach novel.
Then again Halo Wars is the closest you get to Starcraft 2 with the exception of starcraft.
WRE @ Apr 21st 2009 1:11PM
Humans are overpowered? Are we playing the same game?
Adam Gillespie @ Apr 21st 2009 1:05PM
This could inject a new flavour into online matches . anything to get away from leader rushes online lol
Oh and too people who call humans over powered you havnt seen what hunters do to grizzley's or jackles to ODST's or banshee's/vampires to hawks
its very well balanced apart from maybe the speed Anders can get to full tech
TakeCTRL @ Apr 21st 2009 1:48PM
no humans are overpowered 1:1 that's why the cov gets 50 and the unsc gets 40.
and you just named the anti-vehicle unit fighting a vehicle, an anti-infantry unit fight the infantry, and the anti-air fighting an air unit.... so of course it's going to do a lot of dmg to the unsc....
Adam Gillespie @ Apr 21st 2009 2:16PM
thats my point lol everything in halo wars can be destroyed by somthing else in a heart beat.
Its a very rock paper style of RTS with a few soft counters as well
Deeznuts420 @ Apr 21st 2009 1:16PM
zerg UHH i mean covenant rush!!
zaglis @ Apr 21st 2009 1:56PM
Its OOOOOOONLY 100 points for stuff that shouldnt be 0 points. BUYZ IT NOWW!
Cole @ Apr 21st 2009 4:20PM
the 100 points is the gamerscore that it adds... not the price.
Wish that was the price tho
Dan the Man @ Apr 21st 2009 2:24PM
That's a steal
snafuperman @ Apr 21st 2009 2:25PM
Sweet!
RedSonRising @ Apr 21st 2009 3:35PM
comment crazies have such poor reading skills.
the new dlc doesnt impress me, i never play those types of gametypes: ffa / deathmatch all day for me.. i hope theyre workin on the flood cause not having a third 'zerg' race is killin me.
maybe theyre trying to avoid lookin even more like starcraft. who knows
Mazrael @ Apr 21st 2009 9:37PM
Guessin 800msp..
can I get these chieves against the AI.. found the game gets dull quick.. done the campaign.. beat the AI on all the maps.. improved a few scores.. I was pretty much done with it within a week..