halo wars swordsWhether you’re part of the UNSC or the Covenant, it’s time to shape up and ship out with this new downloadable add-on for the ever popular (best selling RTS game of current consoles) Halo Wars real-time strategy game. Microsoft and Robot Entertainment are expanding the battlefield this coming July 21st by adding four new multiplayer maps that highlight key turning points in the UNSC / Covenant war.

The “Historic Battle” add on will run you 800 MS points on Xbox Live and as mentioned above, will be available July 21st. Continue after the break for details of the four new maps as well as four new achievements.

Barrens (1v1 map): Harsh terrain guide troops into killing zones. Whomever weilds the Forerunner artifacts are the best bet to win the battle.

Blood River (1v1 map): Take over bases on cliff edges that overlook the blood soaked river below. Soliders battle over the two narrow crossings are perhaps the reason the river will forever run red.

Glacial Ravine (3v3 map): Snow covered mountains form natural barriers that split the land in half. Control of the two energy walls often determine the outcome of war.

Memorial Basin (2v2 map): High grounds in the middle of the map offer good cover for infantry. Otherwise it’s hunting season in an open field surrounding it.

The four achievements (worth a total of 100 points) include:

Tour coming through: Hot drop 50 squads to your Covenant leader in a single game on Memorial Basin (30 points).

Never leave a man behind: Finish a game with 5000 net resources contributed to your teammates on Barrens (15 points).

Drain Cleaner: Kill 20 enemy squads with a continuous Covenant leader power on Memorial Basin (30 points).

Killjoy: Disrupt 5 active leader powers in a single game on Blood River (25 points).

Kind of weird that no achievements have been annouced for the Glacial Ravine level, but otherwise this seems like a fantastic reason to dust off Halo Wars and give it another go either online or against the computer.

Master Chief out.






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