
The next building you should construct is the Power Generator (or Power Extractor for the Banished). Every single unit, ability, and building will require a certain amount of supplies to build, and you really don’t want to wait until you’re all out before you start worrying about this. First and foremost, you’re going to need to build a Supply Pad (or Harvester for the Banished) before doing anything else. Now that you know how RTS games work, it’s time to talk about some of the better ways to start your match off. Build a Supply Pad and a Power Generator ASAP Blitz is relatively straightforward to get to grips with, so you’ll mostly just be learning the controls. The third and final one is for Blitz mode, and like the previous two, gets you a free card pack and a bit of XP for your trouble. You don’t want to skip this one, as there are a few things Halo Wars 2 handles differently than say, Command & Conquer or StarCraft. The next one is where the game gives you control of a base, and exposes how base building, unit queuing and other integral parts of its core loop work. If this is your first RTS game, playing this tutorial is a must, especially since you’ll be introduced to concepts like "control groups," "waypoints," and other RTS vernacular. If you played an RTS before, you probably don’t need to do this one, but it’s worth spending the ten or so minutes it takes to complete to get a Blitz card pack and some XP. The first deals with basic unit movement and teaches you some handy keyboard shortcuts. There are three tutorials in Halo Wars 2. You can use these tips when playing skirmish, multiplayer, and the campaign missions that don’t limit you for story reasons. Some may seem obvious, but are worth spelling out, just because some of the differences that will throw you off at first.

The tips to follow are essential in helping you nail down how Halo Wars 2 works on a fundamental level. We’ve been playing the PC version, and being RTS fans ourselves, we found that there are certain design elements and unique quirks here that are not commonly seen in other games in the genre. A lot of what you may remember about how the genre typically works will help you here, but not everything will transfer over. That said, if this is your first RTS, or your first in a long time - let’s face it, we haven’t seen that that style of RTS for years - then you’ll want to get a refresher course. Being designed to - at the very least - be playable with a controller is part of the reason why, but it also means you’ll have an easier time understanding its main mechanics than you’d expect. Halo Wars 2 may be one of the most accessible RTS games ever. Halo Wars 2 guide: tips for upgrades, Firebase, Leader Powers, Barracks, Jackrabbit and more
