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Blitz is an all-new gametype featured in the real-time strategy game Halo Wars 2. Instead of base building and resource management, Blitz focuses on faster paced card-based strategy. It can be played in teams of one, two and three.[1]

Description[]

Mechanics[]

Unlike the rest of Halo Wars 2, the player is not given command over a base. Instead, they will be required to select one of their decks of cards, which they can customise from the Blitz menu. Each leader can have a maximum of three decks saved at once, and each deck supports 12 cards. Cards represent units and leader powers and each card consumes a different amount of energy when deployed. Some cards have prefixes denoting special attributes such as the "Terror Chopper" which has the Shock attribute. These attributes change how the unit performs in battle. The starting army of any given deck can be altered, changing which units the player spawns with at the start of the game.[1]

Once a deck has been created and a match started, the player's starting army will be at their home base, a Forerunner structure that heals any friendly units that are placed on it. Four random cards will be drawn from the player's deck and placed in their hand, which is visible at the bottom of their screen. These can be deployed, provided the player has enough energy, by (on Xbox One) holding LT, selecting a card and pressing A. The required energy will be subtracted from the player's total, the unit will spawn wherever the crosshairs are pointing and the card in the hand will be swapped for another. If a unit is not spawned at home base (excluding units with the Rush attribute), it will spawn at half health and deal half damage in what is known as deployment fatigue. After a few seconds, these debuffs will deactivate, provided the unit does not get damaged by the enemy. If a player does not like a card in their hand, they can swap it out for another random card at the cost of 5 energy points.[1]

Energy is required to deploy units and use leader powers. In normal Blitz, energy is accumulated passively at a slow rate. Periodically, energy pickups will be dropped onto the map. Destroying these pods and collecting the energy that spills out of them will increase the rate at which energy is accumulated. Units experiencing deployment fatigue will be unable to pick up the energy from such pods.[1]

Objective[]

The objective of Blitz is to hold more of the three control points than the enemy team. Control points can be captured simply by placing units upon them, however there must be no enemy units on the plate at the same time, else it will be contested. Whenever a team holds more control points than their enemy, they will begin to slowly earn points. Once a team reaches 200 points, they will win the match. If neither team manages to accumulate 200 points, then the winner will be decided by whichever team has the most points when the time limit is up.[1]

Variants[]

Below are a list of variants of the Blitz gametype:

  • Blitz Firefight: Blitz Firefight player(s) to survive for as long as possible against unlimited waves of enemies controlled by the AI. As with normal Blitz, the AI wins if it accumulates 200 points by owning more control points than its enemy. Players cannot win in this manner. They must simply defend these points for as long as they are capable. Otherwise, Blitz Firefight functions identically to normal Blitz, except that energy isn't earned passively - it can only be replenished by destroying and collecting energy drops.[1]

Supported Maps[]

Currently, Blitz can only be played on The Proving Grounds.[1]

Earning Blitz cards[]

Blitz cards can be found in Blitz packs. Such packs reward the player with 6 Blitz cards each. Packs can be earned in a variety of ways. Completing challenges will award the player with packs, as will earning enough XP to rank up. Also, completing the three tutorials and each campaign mission for the first time will award Blitz packs.[1] Additionally, certain actions such as earning the Playin' the Field and Adjudicate the Arbiter achievements in Halo Wars and Halo Wars: Definitive Edition will earn the player one and three Blitz packs respectively (if the player owns both games, they can earn these packs twice by earning the achievements in both games). Participants in the Blitz Beta will have earned at least one pack, possibly two if they completed a match in it.[2] Finally, Blitz packs can be purchased for real money from the Microsoft store.[1]

List of Blitz cards[]

Main article: List of Blitz cards
Help
This section requires expansion.

Below is a list of all Blitz cards in Halo Wars 2. A more detailed list can be found here.

Image Name Energy Cost Rarity Keywords Faction Leader Restriction
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Grunts Grunts 10 Common N/A The Banished None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Marines-Alt Marines 10 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork AggressorSentinel Aggressor Sentinel 20 Common N/A UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Chopper Chopper 20 Common N/A The Banished None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Hellbringer Hellbringers 20 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Artwork Jackrabbit Jackrabbit 20 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Blitz Jump Pack Brutes Jump Pack Brute 20 Common N/A The Banished None
HW2 Blitz Cyclops Cyclops 30 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork EliteRangers Elite Rangers 30 Common
  • Detect
The Banished None
HW2 Ghost Ghost 30 Uncommon
  • Shield
The Banished Shipmaster
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Holo-Decoy Holo-Decoy 30 Uncommon N/A UNSC Isabel
HW2 Blitz-Artwork LivingBarrier Living Barrier 30 Rare N/A The Banished Colony
HW2 Blitz-Artwork PelicanTransport Pelican Transport 30 Uncommon N/A UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 Veteran Hellbringers Veteran Hellbringers 30 Rare N/A UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Watchtower Watchtower 30 Uncommon
  • Detect
UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Banshee Banshee 40 Common N/A The Banished None
HW2 Cryo Troopers Cryo Troopers 40 Common
  • Shield
UNSC Serina
HW2 Blitz Elite Enforcer.png Elite Enforcers 40 Common
  • Shield
The Banished The Arbiter
HW2 Blitz-Artwork GoliathHunter Goliath 40 Common N/A The Banished Colony
HW2 Blitz Brute Rider.png Grunt Riders 40 Common N/A The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
HW2 Blitz Heavy Grunts.png Heavy Grunt 40 Common N/A The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
HW2 Helldrop Helldrop 40 Uncommon N/A UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Hunter Hunters 40 common N/A The Banished None

Prowling Grunts 40 Uncommon
  • Cloak
The Banished The Arbiter
HW2 Scarred Grenadiers Scarred Grenadiers 40 Common N/A The Banished Voridus

Scorch Mines 40 Unommon
  • Cloak
The Banished Atriox
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ShrapnelMines Shrapnel Mines 40 Uncommon
  • Cloak
UNSC Isabel
HW2 Veteran Jackrabbit Veteran Jackrabbit 40 Uncommon
  • Rush
  • Detect
UNSC None
HW2 Artwork Warthog Warthog 40 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork WildHellbringers Wild Hellbringers 40 Uncommon
  • Blast
UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Wolverine Wolverine 40 Common
  • Detect
UNSC None
HW2 Assault Elites Assault Elite 50 Uncommon
  • Rush
  • Detect
The Banished None
HW2 Bloodfuel Grunts Bloodfuel Grunts 50 Uncommon
  • Siphon
The Banished Decimus
HW2 Bunker Bunker Drop 50 Uncommon N/A UNSC Sergeant Johnson
HW2 Cryogenic Detonantor Cryogenic Detonantor 50 Uncommon
  • Cloak
UNSC Serina
HW2 Extractor Marines Extractor Marines 50 Uncommon
  • Siphon
UNSC None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork FlameWarthog Flame Warthog 50 Common
  • Rush
UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Artwork Hornet Hornet 50 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Ice Barrier Ice Barrier 50 Rare N/A UNSC Serina
HW2 Infused Engineer Infused Engineer 50 Common
  • Detect
  • Support
The Banished Voridus
HW2 Infused Mines Infused Mines 50 Uncommon
  • Cloak
The Banished Voridus
HW2 Artwork Marauder Marauder 50 Common N/A The Banished None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ProtectorSentinel Protector Sentinel 50 Uncommon N/A UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Blitz Reactive Cyclops Reactive Cyclops 50 Rare
  • Reflect
UNSC None
HW2 Artwork ReactiveMarines Reactive Marines 50 Rare
  • Reflect
UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 Reaver Reaver 50 Common
  • Shield
  • Detect
The Banished None
HW2 Seismic Charge Seismic Blast 50 Uncommon N/A UNSC Serina
HW2 Spartan Morale Spartan Morale 50 Uncommon
  • Rally
UNSC Commander Jerome
HW2 Spike Turret Spike Turret 50 Uncommon
  • Rush
Banished Atriox
HW2 Blitz Terror Chopper Terror Chopper 50 Rare
  • Shock
The Banished Decimus
HW2 Ultra Mines Ultra Mines 50 Uncommon
  • Cloak
The Banished Pavium
HW2 Blitz-Artwork VehicleSymbiotes Vehicle Symbiotes 50 Uncommon N/A The Banished Colony
HW2 Blitz-Artwork AdvancedOptics-Alt Advanced Optics 60 Rare N/A UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Artwork ArmouredMarines Armored Marines 60 Rare
  • Guard
UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ArmoredWarthog Armored Warthog 60 Rare
  • Guard
UNSC Isabel
HW2 Blast Hammer Blast Hammer 60 Uncommon N/A The Banished Decimus
HW2 Cloaking Field Cloaking Field 60 Rare
  • Cloak
The Banished Shipmaster
HW2 Blitz-Artwork DoubleTime Double Time 60 Rare N/A UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Engineer Engineer 60 Common
  • Detect
  • Support
The Banished None
HW2 Frostraven Frostraven 60 Common N/A UNSC Serina
HW2 Grunt Mob Grunt Mob 60 Rare
  • Rush
The Banished None
HW2 Artwork HeavyMetal Heavy Metal 60 Uncommon N/A UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 Hellcharge Hellcharge 60 Uncommon N/A UNSC Kinsano

Invigorating Frenzy 60 Uncommon N/A The Banished Voridus
HW2 Artwork Ironclad Hunters Ironclad Hunters 60 Uncommon
  • Guard
Banished Atriox

Locust 60 Common
  • Shield
The Banished None
HW2 Mantis Mantis 60 Common N/A UNSC Sergeant Johnson
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Mastodon Mastodon 60 Common N/A UNSC Commander Jerome

Sniper 60 Common
  • Cloak
  • Detect
UNSC None
HW2 Stasis Stasis 60 Rare N/A The Banished The Arbiter

Suicide Grunts 60 Common
  • Blast
The Banished None
HW2 teleport Teleport 60 Uncommon N/A The Banished Shipmaster

Unstable Jump Brutes 60 Uncommon
  • Blast
The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
HW2 Blitz-Artwork WildJackrabbit Wild Jackrabbit 60 Rare
  • Blast
UNSC Isabel
HW2 Conduit of Rage Conduit of Rage 70 Uncommon The Banished The Arbiter

Enduring Will 70 Common N/A The Banished Pavium
HW2 Blitz-Artwork EngineerSwarm Engineer Swarm 70 Uncommon N/A The Banished Colony
HW2 Mech Overcharge Mech Overcharge 70 Rare N/A UNSC Sergeant Johnson
HW2 Artwork Methane Wagon Methane Wagon 70 Common N/A The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Nightingale Nightingale 70 Common
  • Detect
  • Support
UNSC None
HW2 Prowling Marauder Prowling Marauder 70 Uncommon
  • Cloak
The Banished Shipmaster
HW2 Blitz-Artwork RestorationDrones Restoration Drones 70 Uncommon N/A UNSC Anders
HW2 Artwork ShadeDrop Shade Drop Drones 70 Uncommon N/A The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
HW2 Blitz-Artwork UnstableBanshee Unstable Banshee 70 Rare
  • Blast
The Banished Shipmaster

Vanguard Wolverine 70 Uncommon
  • Rush
  • Detect
UNSC None
HW2 Blitz Veteran Cyclops Vanguard Cyclops 70 Uncommon N/A UNSC None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork VeteranFlameWarthog Vanguard Flame 'Hog 70 Common N/A UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Concept BloodfuelLocust Bloodfuel Locust 80 Uncommon
  • Siphon
  • Shield
The Banished None
HW2 Cataclysm Cataclysm 80 Rare N/A The Banished Voridus
HW2 Enduring Salve Enduring Salvo 80 Uncommon N/A UNSC Commander Jerome
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ODSTDrop ODST Drop 80 Uncommon N/A UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Blitz Phantom.png Phantom 80 Common N/A The Banished The Arbiter
HW2 Plasma Bolt Plasma Bolt 80 Uncommon N/A The Banished The Arbiter

Prowling Reaver 80 Rare
  • Shield
  • Cloak
  • Detect
The Banished None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ScarredHunters Scarred Hunters 80 Common N/A The Banished Colony
HW2 Artwork Scatterbomb Scatter Bomb 80 Uncommon N/A UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 Cryo Bomb Cryo Bomb 90 Uncommon N/A UNSC Serina
HW2 Blitz-Artwork EnduringLocust Enduring Locust 90 Rare
  • Last Stand 2
  • Shield
The Banished Colony
HW2 Napalm Missiles Napalm Missiles 90 Uncommon N/A UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Siege Turret Siege Turret 90 Rare N/A UNSC Sergeant Johnson
Siphon Field 90 Uncommon N/A The Banished Decimus
HW2 Artwork Skitterer Skitterer Mob 90 Uncommon N/A The Banished Colony
HW2 Blitz AV14B Trooper Hornet 90 Uncommon
  • Last Stand 2
UNSC Captain Cutter
Trooper Nightingale 90 Rare
  • Last Stand 2
  • Detect
  • Support
UNSC Commander Jerome
Veteran Mantis 90 Uncommon
  • Shield
UNSC Sergeant Johnson
Wraith 90 Common
  • Shield
The Banished None
HW2 Wraith Invader Wraith Invader 90 Common
  • Shield
The Banished Pavium
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ArcherMissiles Archer Missiles 100 Uncommon N/A UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Blitz-Artwork ArkDefense Ark Defense 100 Rare N/A UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Artwork CombatSalvage Combat Salvage 100 Rare N/A UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 EMP Mac Blast EMP MAC Blast 100 Uncommon N/A UNSC Sergeant Johnson
Gruntdome 100 Rare N/A The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
Infusion Wake 100 Uncommon N/A The Banished Voridus
Kodiak 100 Common N/A UNSC None
Scorpion 100 Common N/A UNSC None
Shockwave 100 Uncommon N/A The Banished Atriox
HW2 Artwork TrooperWarthog Trooper Warthog 100 Rare
  • Last Stand 3
UNSC None
HW2 Veteran Sniper Veteran Sniper 100 Common
  • Cloak
  • Detect
UNSC Commander Jerome
Vortex 100 Rare N/A The Banished Decimus
Atriox's Bulwark 110 Rare N/A The Banished Atriox
HW2 Artwork VanguardKodiak Vanguard Kodiak 110 Common
  • Rush
UNSC Sergeant Forge
Blisterback 120 Common N/A The Banished None
HW2 Blitz-Artwork GhostintheMachine Ghost in the Machine 120 Rare N/A UNSC Isabel
HW2 Blitz-Artwork MACBlast MAC Blast 120 Rare N/A UNSC Isabel
HW2 Marauder Warchief Marauder Warchief 120 Rare
  • Rally
The Banished Decimus
HW2 Mega Turret Mega Turret 120 Rare N/A The Banished Pavium
Methane Party 120 Rare N/A The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
Rain of Fire 120 Uncommon N/A The Banished Pavium
HW2 Blitz-Artwork StealthKodiak Stealth Kodiak 120 Rare
  • Cloak
UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Victory Turret Victory Turret 120 Rare N/A UNSC Commander Jerome
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Colossus Colossus 130 Common N/A UNSC Sergeant Johnson
HW2 Glacial Storm Glacial Storm 130 Rare N/A UNSC Serina
Ironclad Blisterback 130 Uncommon
  • Guard
The Banished Pavium
HW2 Blitz-Artwork BoundlessFury Boundless Fury 140 Rare N/A The Banished Decimus
HW2 Glassing Beam Glassing Beam 140 Uncommon N/A The Banished Shipmaster
HW2 Blitz Ironclad Wraith Ironclad Wraith 140 Rare
  • Guard
  • Shield
The Banished None
HW2 Artwork LockdownScorpion Lockdown Scorpion 140 Rare
  • Shock
  • Shield
UNSC Isabel
HW2 TerrorWraith Terror Wraith 140 Rare
  • Shock
  • Shield
The Banished Voridus
Vulture 140 Common N/A UNSC None
HW2 Blitz Enduring Blisterback Enduring Blisterback 150 Rare
  • Last Stand 3
The Banished Atriox
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Grizzly Grizzly 150 Common N/A UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 Spirit Support Spirit Assault 150 Rare N/A The Banished Shipmaster
HW2 Blitz PelicanGunship Close Air Support 160 Rare N/A UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Goblin Grunt Goblins 160 Legendary
  • Rush
The Banished Yapyap THE DESTROYER
HW2 Inferno Inferno 160 Rare N/A UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Artwork TeamOmega Omega Team 170 Legendary N/A UNSC Commander Jerome
HW2 Artwork Warlord Warlord 170 Legendary
  • Siphon
  • Shield
The Banished Decimus
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Alice-130 Alice-130 180 Legendary
  • Reflect
  • Shield
UNSC Isabel
HW2 Atriox's Chosen Atriox's Chosen 180 Legendary
  • Shock
  • Shield
The Banished Atriox
HW2 Artwork Eradication Eradication 180 Rare N/A The Banished Atriox
HW2 Artwork Forge'sWarthog Forge's Warthog 180 Legendary
  • Rally
  • Shield
UNSC Sergeant Forge
HW2 Blitz-Artwork HonorGuardsmen Honor Guard 180 Legendary
  • Shield
  • Cloak
The Banished Shipmaster
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Jerome-092 Jerome-092 180 Legendary
  • Rush
  • Shield
UNSC Captain Cutter
HW2 Kinsano's Cyclops Kinsano's Cyclops 180 Legendary
  • Blast
  • Shield
UNSC Kinsano
HW2 Artwork Vanguard Lich Lich Vanguard 180 Rare N/A The Banished Pavium
Mass Cloaking 180 Rare N/A The Banished The Arbiter
HW2 Sergeant Johnson Sergeant Johnson 180 Legendary
  • Shock
  • Shield
UNSC Sergeant Johnson
HW2 Blitz-Artwork HunterCaptain Hunter Captain 190 Legendary
  • Shock
  • Siphon
  • Shield
The Banished Colony
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Pavium Pavium 190 Legendary
  • Reflect
  • Shield
The Banished Pavium
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Voridus Voridus 190 Legendary
  • Shock
  • Shield
The Banished Voridus
HW2 Blitz-Artwork CommanderJerome Commander Jerome 200 Legendary
  • Rally
  • Shield
UNSC Commander Jerome
HW2 Blitz-Artwork Douglas-042 Douglas-042 200 Legendary
  • Guard
  • Shield
UNSC Professor Anders
HW2 Blitz The Arbiter The Arbiter 200 Legendary
  • Reflect
  • Shield
The Banished The Arbiter
HW2 Artwork TundraBison Bison 220 Legendary
  • Shield
UNSC Serina
HW2 Concept CondorGunship Condor Strike 270 Legendary N/A UNSC None
Scarab Assault 270 Legendary N/A The Banished None

Trivia[]

  • Blitz is the only gametype in Halo Wars 2 to feature Jeff Steitzer as the Announcer.[1]
  • Aggressor Sentinels, Ghost, Cryo Troopers, Elite Enforcers, Goliath, Grunt Riders, Heavy Grunts, Scarred Grenadiers, Protector Sentinels, Frostraven, Mastodon, Suicide Grunts, Methane Wagon, Phantom, Wraith Invader, Colossus, Vulture and Grizzles lack a variant.
  • Shroud, Retriever, Volatile Scarab, Cannon Fodder Grunts and Decimus are absent from the card library.
  • The Extractor Marines are seen holding a Railgun in the render but they're not holding it in-game.
  • Enduring Locusts are seen in the loading screen in Terminus Firefight but they're never accessible there!

Sources[]


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