Halo: Flashpoint – Get Tactical with Wave 2

March has arrived, and Wave 2 will be upon us in the second half of the month - shipping from 20th March. Before sending you off to war with the [REDACTED], it's time to gear up with new loadouts and complete your advanced training in the War Games arena. So, what have we got in the armoury for you?

All the following options are variants of the Mark V [B] Mjolnir Armour and each also brings new weapon options into the game.

In this blog, we'll show you the new classes that are coming along with detailed tips from Dylan, from the Rules Committee, on how to get the very best use out of them on the tabletop - and how you may think about customising them using the upcoming War Games Expansion.

1) JFO Spartans

JFOs, or Joint Fires Observers, are specialists that will help you to control the area of operations.

Tactics from the Rules Committee:

"JFOs are perfect for when you need heavy armour and long-range firepower. A JFO can either come with a Concussion Rifle or a H-165 Target Locator. As both options come with Frag, the JFO is great on objective-based missions like Oddball and Strongholds. The JFO also comes with better armour than most other Spartans, making it quite tricky to kill without power weapons. The combination of this and Scout means that a JFO is very strong early-game, as it can set up and control a large area effectively."

Customisation Tips:

"JFOs don’t really need ranged upgrades as they already come with excellent firepower, and as they have better armour they don’t really need health upgrades either. An M11 Combat Knife is useful to round out the JFO in ranged and melee, that way it can fight effectively in CC too. A really useful role for the JFO is to range ahead and secure objectives or to disrupt and pick off weakened Spartans with either the Concussion Rifle or the Target Locator. This works especially well in Strongholds and Oddball as the JFO’s durability and weapons make it easy to score or defend."

2) HAZOP Spartans

HAZOP, short for Hazardous Operability, Spartans are equipped to thrive and fight in arduous conditions. They are dangerous up close and make good use of their environment.

Tactics from the Rules Committee:

"HAZOP Spartans come equipped with either an M45 Shotgun or a Paegaas Spike Rifle; short-ranged but brutal weapons. The unique feature of a HAZOP is access to Flight, the first unit in Flashpoint able to glide up and down different levels with ease. Flight is really useful to get the most out of these weapons, as you can easily position to get Clear Shots and High Ground bonuses. This is especially deadly with the M45, Lethal (2) and extra dice from these modifiers will put a dent into pretty much anything! The Spiker is great for suppression and limiting your opponent’s choices when it comes to activations, you can also use it in CC as a finisher move, perfect to pick off a weakened model."

Customisation Tips:

"HAZOPs are especially useful as they are the cheapest Spartans available, so that frees up more points for extra bits. It benefits from buying a Thruster in particular, as this allows it to make the most use of Flight and fly right across the map, great for grabbing objectives or assassinating a key model."

3) Gungnir Spartans

Gungnir is a reference to Odin's unfailingly accurate spear, and an appropriate name for these specialists in long-range combat!

Tactics from the Rules Committee:

"Spartan Gungnirs are ranged specialists that excel at indirect attacks; both versions come with Grenade weapons, meaning they do not require LOS to shoot them. Gungnirs start equipped with either Plasma Launchers, long-range and deadly, or M319 Grenade Launchers which can fire in two different ways for flexibility. Gungnirs also have several new rules: Stable and Guarded. These both lend themselves to ranged fights, making the Gungnir far more durable and also better at shooting certain weapon types. Gungnirs also have Tactician, pushing their usefulness up even further. They are invaluable in any scenario but especially in missions such as Slayer and Strongholds, as they are both durable and can reliably eliminate other enemies from range."

Customisation Tips:

"Due to Guarded boosting its durability already, a Gungnir doesn’t really need items for its health or armour that much. An M11 Combat Knife is useful to give it a punch in combat in case an enemy gets too close. Weapons like the Shock Rifle and the M6 Spartan Laser work best on the Gungnir, as it plays into its role as a long-range attacker and give it extra killing power."

4) CQB Spartans

CQB, or Close Quarter Battle, armour is designed for getting up close and personal with the enemy. Don't hold back!

Tactics from the Rules Committee:

"Spartan CQBs are your go-to for heavy duty CC, coming with either an Energy Sword or Gravity Hammer. CQBs have high HPs and armour as well as extra buffs to help in CC. The Energy Sword easily slices through anything while the Gravity Hammer is invaluable with Knockback and Lethal. Whenever possible a CQB wants to be in combat and locking down enemy models, it has no problem surviving a counterattack with its heavy armour and HP. In Slayer and Oddball the CQB really shines as it can quickly earn kills and escape or obliterate the Oddball carrier."

Customisation Tips:

"Buying a movement-based item is best as it will help getting to combat sooner and more reliably, meaning more kills for you! A Grappleshot or Health Pack are both excellent choices to help a CQB stay around longer or travel around more. Alternatively, buying a cheap ranged weapon can help the CQB interact from afar as well."

Next Steps: Where To Get The New Loadouts

The most impactful release in Wave 2 is the War Games Expansion, packed with not only one of each of these new Spartan types - but all the rules, cards and equipment you'll need to start building custom fireteams in Halo: Flashpoint. This gives you a host of new options and flexibility for everything in the game so far, and we can't wait to see the combinations and synergies you devise to start tearing across the battlefield very soon.

The first thing you need to know is that when we say there's a lot of content in this box...we really mean it:

Next up, you'll find the rest of the new Wave 2 loadouts in Fireteam Cerberus, armed to the teeth and ready to dish out some serious damage:

And Finally...

Keep an eye on our YouTube channel this week for two brand new videos from Andy - covering the contents of Wave 2, and an in-depth look at the War Games expansion itself.

So - are you ready Spartans? Gear up, and prepared to dive back into the arena...