Halo Wars is a strategy game based on the legendary Halo universe. Players will command armies of familiar and new UNSC units in its initial encounters against the Covenant, an alien coalition threatening to obliterate mankind. Halo Wars will immerse gamers in an early period of the storied “Halo” universe, allowing them to experience events leading up to the first Halo title for Xbox.

With the guidance of Serina, a spirited artificial intelligence (AI) persona, gamers will direct legions of UNSC soldiers, Warthogs and Scorpions against Covenant Grunts, Elites, Ghosts and Scarabs, each group having its own strengths and uses in battle. Strategic-minded players who react well under pressure will emerge victorious.

Halo Wars will have 2 player co-op vs. Covenant, and you will be able to jump on Xbox Live with up to 6 player for some multiplayer mayhem. No wood, iron, resource gathering, just "supplies," in order to steamline the action.

Halo Wars Update #3 details:

This new update is aimed at balance changes, a few bug fixes, and will be ready in a few weeks.

Balance Changes:

• UNSC Warthogs Gauss cannon damage against tanks and other heavily armored vehicles reduced by 25%
• UNSC Warthogs build time increased by 3 seconds to 25 seconds
• Anders research time bonus decreased to 25% from 50%. Her Research cost bonus remains unchanged at 50%
• Covenant and UNSC turrets have 5% increased health and 5% increased damage
• UNSC Elephants have a 20% more health
• Grenade damage type now has 25% additonal damage against Warthogs and other medium armor ground vehicles.
• Recycle basic cost return fixed to be 50% for constructed buildings.
• Locked down bases when unlocked will now release units inside very quickly, which means that when under attack a player can now build a fighting force while locked down and then release them much more quickly than before
• UNSC Leader powers disabled at the start of Reinforcement Matches
• -Players no longer receive points for team killing.
• Self Destructing/Recycling buildings now gives points to opponents

Bug Fixes:

• Players should now find it much easier to play System Link games
• Fixed Covenant Shield Generator Exploit
• Invisible Units should now have invisible health bars
• Players will no longer be able to scout opposing bases by using the area-select tool

Features:

• New take on a legendary world. Set in the iconic “Halo” universe, “Halo Wars” predates the original first-person shooter “Halo.” Fans of the “Halo” franchise will have the opportunity to experience the early battles between the UNSC and Covenant, the far-reaching conflict that has been diligently followed by the masses in the blockbuster “Halo” series.
• Players join the crew onboard the Spirit of Fire, a Phoenix-class colony ship converted for UNSC military use and guided by the AI persona Serina. The “Halo Wars” story line follows the Spirit of Fire’s discovery of an ancient artifact during a journey to the planet Harvest, the first planet to be attacked by the Covenant.
• Strategic command of armies in large-scale combat. “Halo Wars” put gamers in command of the battlefield, playing as either of two unique civilizations: UNSC and Covenant. They can counter and crush their opponent by tactically fielding the superior army. Players can also choose among Leaders that possess elite skills which can turn the tides of battle. Using various combinations of Leaders and units, players can create countless strategies tailored to their preferred playing styles and personalized strategies.
• Groundbreaking strategy game for the Xbox 360. Since inception, “Halo Wars” was explicitly designed to cater to console gamers and bring to the Xbox 360 a genre that has typically been played on the PC. Gamers can easily command and manage powerful armies, effortlessly control troops and incredible machines, engage in epic battles and expand their empire using an intuitive user interface for the Xbox 360. “Halo Wars” represents the true next-generation experience, combining a masterful control scheme using the Xbox 360 Controller with the award-winning strategic gameplay only Ensemble Studios can provide.

“Halo Wars, rated “T” for Teen, is currently available worldwide.