Hell Jumpers Clan Info

We are the Hell Jumpers a clan on Halo Reach, We are mainly a Halo Reach clan and aim to just have fun with our clan.we only takes the people out there in the Halo community who takes pride in team work. You don't have to be best of the best but as long you know the basics of the game, and you can pass our specially designed test score system you would be able to join. If you are interested in joining the Hell Jumpers fill out the forum at the bottom of the screen and send rpeet1 a message saying you want to try out for the clan or you can contact us at our Facebook, ODST Helljumper.

                                    Some Activities We as a clan do

Me Left4Reach and rpeet1 love to forge maps and set up game types so we can host a custom games match. We love having a blast with our friends. You are more than welcome to forge with us we also love to play Match Making. Me Left4Reach have both Noble and Defiant map packs to enjoy with you. If you have bought any map packs for Halo Reach. If you are in the clan try to talk to us at the least every month. If you have not talked in over a month we will notify you if you don't respond for another 1-1 weeks you are banned from the clan, but you can try out again.

Please do not use the name World War on any forged maps possessed by you. World War is the clan map name Hell Jumpers use in their maps.

    If you are interested in joining please fill out the forum, and also make sure your gamertag is exactly right. Please ask any questions if you are wondering about something.

Info On What a Hell Jumper Is

This article is about the special forces group. 
AllegianceUnited Nations Space Command

BranchUNSC Marine Corps

TypeSpecial Operations

SizeSeveral Divisions

Nickname"Helljumpers"

Motto"Feet first into hell!"
Equipment BattlesNotable Commanders "Most of the crew - not to mention your fellow jarheads - will be leaving the ship in lifeboats. They'll ride to the surface in air conditioned comfort, sipping wine, and nibbling on appetizers. Not you, however. Oh no, you're going to leave the Pillar of Autumn in a different method. Tell me boys and girls... how will you leave?"--Major Antonio Silva, aboard the Pillar of Autumn."We go feet first, sir!"—Shock Trooper's response.The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST) are an elite group of UNSC Marines that specialize in special warfare tactics. The ODSTs are one of the primary Special Operations units of the United Nations Space Command, and is under the command of UNSC Naval Special Warfare Command.

Contents
Background The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are one of many Special Operations Forces in the UNSC Defense Force. The ODSTs are under the operational authority of the Naval Special Warfare Command/Naval Special Weapons their methods of operation allow them to conduct missions against targets that more conventional forces cannot approach undetected. ODSTs are recruited from the Special Operations Groups of all the nations of the Unified Earth Government and is a strictly all volunteer fighting force. Potential ODSTs are selected because of their performance in their chosen MOS; every ODST candidate is a veteran from another Special Operations outfit and therefore have already gone through at least two layers of screening and months of intense training — not counting the years of training received before volunteering for the ODSTs. There are no age or gender restrictions — as long as the candidate meets the physical and mental requirements they are guaranteed the opportunity to try out for the ODSTs. Once in the ODSTs, a candidate's training continues - its entrance requirements serve as a third layer of screening upon two more, where applicants would have theoretically failed to pass. Candidates would, therefore, already have extensive experience in conducting the types of high-risk missions that the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers typically perform.

ODST units are not embedded within conventional UNSC forces, they do however participate in joint operations, and tend to be force multipliers - increasing the effectiveness, willingness, and morale of those they fight alongside with. ODST combat teams usually consist of six to eight ODST Troopers - with each combat team specializing in a particular mission set, but they are expected to be flexible enough to adapt to any given situation. These combat teams however can vary from company to company. Each combat team also consists of ten to fourteen operators, each of whom has a specific function on the team. ODSTs are known for their unusual methods of insertion, dropping from orbit onto terrestrial environments. Similar to their ground-based counterparts, the ODSTs maintain units of varying strength aboard many UNSC vessels and Installations.

The ODSTs perform highly specialized, small scale, high-risk operations including:

  • Deep Ground Surveillance or Long Range Reconnaissance: Patrols in small groups, in uniform, usually far behind the enemy lines. While DGS units may direct air or artillery strikes against enemy positions, they strive to be unobserved, and have only self-defense, not DA, capability. Groups engaging in surveillance deep behind enemy lines, are commonly known as "Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols" or LRRP's.
  • Direct Action: Short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover, or damage designated targets. Direct action differs from conventional offensive actions in the level of physical and political risk, operational techniques, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force to achieve specific objectives.
  • Unconventional Warfare: Military and paramilitary operations, normally of long duration, predominantly conducted by indigenous or surrogate forces who are organized, trained, equipped, supported, and directed in varying degrees by an external source. It includes guerrilla warfare and other direct offensive, low visibility, covert, or clandestine operations, as well as the indirect activities of subversion, sabotage, intelligence gathering, escape and evasion.
  • Counter-Terrorism Operations: The response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.
  • Counter-Contraband Operations: Missions undertaking the recapturing of smuggled/stolen goods.
  • Personnel and Special Equipment Recovery/Capture: The recovery/medical treatment of friendly personnel in combat environments, as well as the capability of capturing high valued individuals and any equipment.
History Origins The idea of inserting highly trained troops behind enemy lines from high altitudes has its roots in the paratroopers of 20th and 21st century fame, who dropped frequently behind enemy lines to capture strategically important targets in anticipation for a larger advance by more conventional and numerous military forces.

Such troops were first used prior to World War II by Italian and Soviet forces, but the first serious application of the doctrine was seen in 1940 by the German Air Force in World War II to overrun the Allied positions in Denmark, the Netherlands and the legendary Eben Emael fortress in Belgium. Paratroops were also used to capture the entire island of Crete. Later, during the Battle of Normandy known as Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944, when two American Airborne Divisions and one British Airborne Division landed behind enemy lines in Normandy, France on D-Day and again in Operation Market Garden. Although they were only marginally successful, they proved the concept of paratroops as useful and effective in large scale warfare.

While the concept of dropping human soldiers from orbit had been around since the early 21st century, the establishment of the UN Marine Corps in 2163, would be the historic first deployment of the future 105th infantry in the Martian Campaign against the Neo-Communist Koslovics.[3] The UN Marines historic first drop onto Mars in support of UN led war against the Koslovics and the Frieden forces not only proved the feasibility of such an option, but also the effectiveness of deploying soldiers from orbit. The success of the Argyre Planitia Campaign by the UN, and its participants of the first drop onto martian soil would become the predecessors, or early members, to the modern ODST units.[4]

At the conclusion of the Rain Forest Wars and the Jovian Moons Campaign, the Orbital Drop Shock Trooper was a fully established force and participated in every high risk operation during those conflicts. However, the conclusion of these conflicts in 2170, along with the signing of the Callisto Treaty and the subsequent years that followed, the ODSTs saw little action as more political, and more important issues such as overpopulation and famine and a massive military with no purpose gripped the postwar nations of Earth.[5] The first major combat re-emergence of the ODSTs occurred in 2490 during the beginnings of the civil conflict between the UEG and the Insurrection. Using the ORIONs as exemplary models, the reputation of the ODSTs, as well as their training, was restored and enhanced as time passes. For the years leading up to 2525, the ODSTs would once again conduct high risk operations against the Insurrectionist, to either stop the enemy before they could carry out attacks against supporters, and officials of the Earth Government or to cut off major suppliers to the Insurrectionists.

Human-Covenant War Main article: Human-Covenant WarOn November 1, 2525, the UNSC moved into a full alert status after the devastating and horrifying first contact with the Covenant at Harvest; this marked a change in objectives for the ODSTs, who up until that point had been fighting the Insurrectionists. As humanity's military turned to meet the threat of the Covenant, divisions of ODSTs prepared to participate in the most critical engagements in the war and also to conduct the riskiest missions in the history of mankind. The Battle of Hat Yai marked one of the first deployments of ODSTs against Covenant ground forces; although the planet was lost in the ensuing conflict, the ODSTs were successfully extracted before the UNSC retreated.

Not long after the Harvest Campaign, the ODSTs participated in the First Battle of Arcadia where they assisted Marine forces and SPARTAN-II Red Team in defending the capital city from Covenant ground forces, thus allowing the evacuation of the civilian population. Having successfully kept Covenant forces from occupying the city, the Corps began launching multiple assaults on the Covenant's bases of operations to reclaim the planet. Several ODST battalions joined the Spirit of Fire's rescue operation after retaking the planet and soon participated in the Battle of the Shield World.

Following the enactment of the Cole Protocol in 2535, ODST combat teams were tasked with boarding commercial and private vessels and purging their navigation databases. During one of these routine operations, a group of ODSTs aboard the UNSC Midsummer Night were captured and taken to the Rubble. They, in conjunction with SPARTAN-II Gray Team, would later defeat a Kig-yar plan to trick the inhabitants of the Rubble out of their navigation data, which could compromise the location of Earth.

As the Covenant-Human war progressed, the ODSTs would go on to participate in many engagements; among these were the Battle of Jericho VII, an assassination mission on Heian, the Battle of Skopje, the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, the Battle of New Jerusalem, the Battle of Tribute, and the Battle of Ariel. The numerous campaigns and operations in which the ODSTs participated throughout the long war all pale in comparison to the Fall of Reach in 2552, during which countless ODSTs lost their lives defending strategic locations on the planet.

During the initial invasion of Reach, a large contingent of ODSTs participated in the Battle of Viery, assisting the UNSC Army in repelling the Covenant forces from the planet. Throughout the course of the battle, the UNSC formed joint forces to combat against the overwhelming Covenant forces. Some time during the event, several battalions were stationed on the UNSC Pillar of Autumn. As the planet fell to the Covenant onslaught, the vessel made a blind Slipspace jump away from the Epsilon Eridani system, discovering the long-abandoned Installation 04. During the Battle of Installation 04, shock troopers led by Major Antonio Silva and First Lieutenant Melissa McKay, operated as a guerrilla force by conducting hit-and-run operations against the forces of the Covenant's Fleet of Particular Justice.[6]

Fresh from the disastrous loss of Reach, the ODSTs participated in the most significant battle of the entire war: the Battle of Earth. The battle began on October 20, 2552, when a smaller-than-expected Covenant fleet led by the Prophet of Regret jumped into the Sol System. ODST combat teams, along with the Marines, began engaging Covenant forces on the Orbital Defense Platforms Cairo, Athens, and Malta. Despite the ODSTs' valiant efforts, Malta and Athens were destroyed. As the Covenant ship carrying the Prophet of Regret landed over the African mega-city of Mombasa, teams of ODSTs were deployed over the city from orbit in an attempt to board the carrier; before the teams could reach the target, however, the carrier jumped into Slipspace. Only a single squad managed to safely land in the city to carry out the retrieval of the Superintendent's data.

After Regret's unexpected retreat from New Mombasa, members of the 7th Shock Troops Battalion would later drop from the In Amber Clad onto Installation 05 during the operation to capture the Prophet of Regret. Most of these troopers would perish during the initial firefights against the Covenant, and only a few would escape back to Earth with Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keyes to lead a resistance against the Covenant occupation forces.[7]

Overall, the defense of Earth was one of the largest campaigns the ODSTs fought in during the entire war. The fighting spread across the globe and in space as the Fleet of Furious Redemption and the Prophet of Truth's own fleet attacked the remnants of the Orbital Defense Grid. The fleets soon deployed troops throughout the continents of North America, South America, Europe and Asia. The Battle of Cleveland is one example of the ODSTs' participation during the war on Earth. Two ODSTs from the 2nd Shock Troops Battalion fought alongside a detachment of Marines in the Battle of Pawas.[8] Troopers T. Rymarr and S. Hartley were tasked with calculating the crash site of John-117 on Earth, while a Marine battalion was tasked with defending a narrow corridor between Covenant and UNSC forces in Pakistan. Bravo-21 and numerous Marines were killed in the clash, while Bravo-22 was injured along with some of the other surviving Marines. Their actions successfully allowed HIGHCOM to track and locate the Spartan.

After the opening of the Artifact in November of 2552, the 11th Marine Force Reconnaissance/ODST, stationed aboard the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, fought alongside the Master Chief, during Operation: BLIND FAITH.[9] Men and women from this battalion were also some of the first humans to travel outside the Milky Way Galaxy, during the Battle of Installation 00.[10] One such assault happened during a mission to destroy numerous Covenant anti-aircraft artillery platforms overlooking a desert. These AA guns were destroyed by the ODSTs, allowing the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn to successfully land near the Cartographer building.[10] During the last battle of the Ark campaign - the last battle of the war - ODSTs were again airlifted into combat. This time, they punched holes in Covenant armor and artillery positions to allow SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter to eliminate the Prophet of Truth.[11]

Subordinate UnitsPersonnel The status of each trooper is in accordance with their last known appearance.

Field Grade Officers

Company Grade Officers

Staff Non-Commissioned Officers

Non-Commissioned Officers

Enlisted Men

Unknown Ranks

Equipment Battle Dress Uniform Main article: ODST Ballistic Battle ArmorThe ODST Battle Dress Uniform is the signature piece of equipment used by the ODSTs - the armor is vacuum-rated, capable of extravehicular activity for fifteen minutes. The ODST BDU has been in use for well over 50 years by the 105th, and remains untouched by its ability to protect its wearer during the toughest operations.

Human Entry Vehicles Main article: Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion VehicleThe Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle abbreviated SOEIV is a tear-drop shaped pod made of Titanium-A, Lead Foil and coated with ceramic skin. The SOEIV is the signature piece of equipment used by the ODSTs and is known for its risks and intense heat which has garner the ODST nickname Helljumpers.

Armed Assault Boats Main article: Armed Assault BoatsArmed Assault Boats were aircraft used by the UNSC Navy and Marine Corps, to deploy troopers for air assaults. However, the armed assault boats proved to be ineffective, taking heavy fire once within ground firing range and were also very slow. At some point they were replaced by the SOEIV.[6]

  • The ODSTs were heavily influenced by the novel Starship Troopers.
  • The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers have been referred to by Bungie as a futuristic successor to the American Marine Force Recon and the British Special Air Service.[12]
  • On the right side of an ODST's body armor is a Chinese character which, when translated, means roughly "Complete Bad Ass", a reference to the ODSTs hardcore attitude. Putting these symbols together spells the Chinese word "混蛋", which stands for "bastard".
  • In Halo: Uprising, when the ODSTs drop off the Hornets, they use a sort of cable they keep inside their belt, much like modern day armed forces off of a helicopter.
  • Aboard the UNSC Carrier Atlas, John-117 had a confrontational moment with four ODSTs in the ship's gym. John had removed a pin from the weights at the bench press, and forgot to put it back. The ODSTs walked into the gym and went straight to the bench press. The weights fell and almost crushed one of the soldiers' feet. A fight ensued and John killed three of the ODSTs and severely injured the other. Ever since then, relations between the Spartans and the ODSTs have been tensed and uneasy.[6][13] However, this does not seem to stop them from working to their utmost efficiency during the Fall of Reach,[14][15] Battle of Installation 05[16] and Battle of Installation 00.[10]
  • The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are a playable unit in Halo Wars. They are available in a few missions of the Campaign but are only available in Skirmish Mode if the player chose Captain Cutter as their hero unit.
  • Interestingly, in some special dialogue cases, ODSTs (particularly the Rookie) are called "imps" by Covenant members similar to how Spartans are known as "demons" among their ranks.
  • Strangely enough, the ODSTs in Halo: Reach are seen using standard-issue UNSC Army weapons, instead of ones normally used by Marines, the branch that the ODSTs belong to. The reason for this is unknown, though it is most likely for gameplay purposes. An in-continuity explanation could be that the ODSTs borrowed weapons from the army due to lack of supplies or maybe losing their own weapons in battle.
  • Captain Jacob Keyes had an ODST tattoo stenciled into his arm, given to him after he saved the lives of many ODSTs during a routine mission on the Finnigan's Wake

Halo Hell Jumpers: Where The Hell Jumpers Originated (Book Novel)

Issue #1 Summary Main article: Halo: Helljumper Issue 1"Comic legend Peter David and up-and-coming artist Eric Nguyen bring a whole new HALO story to life! When the colony planet Ariel sends out a mysterious distress signal, it’s up to the UNSC’s elite, highly skilled special-ops Marines, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 105th, to find out what’s happening. Also known as ODSTs or “Helljumpers”, these soldiers are some of the toughest in the galaxy…and some of the roughest as well. When the distress signal comes, two Helljumpers will find themselves at the center of the mystery on Ariel, and before it’s solved, they’ll have to put their friendship—and their lives—on the line…[3]"—Marvel.comReleased July 22nd, 2009

Issue #2 Summary Main article: Halo: Helljumper Issue 2"Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 105th Division—more famously known as the “Helljumpers”—have arrived at a distressed science colony on the planet Ariel…only problem? The place is totally abandoned. As the Helljumpers investigate, trying to figure out what happened to the colonists, it becomes increasingly clear that the colony isn’t quite as empty as it seemed… the discovery of a large Covenant military presence raises more questions than it answers. Helljumpers Dutch and Romeo have penetrated farthest into the Covenant-held facility, and when all hell breaks loose, it will be the ultimate test of their fighting prowess—and their friendship.[4]"—Marvel.comReleased August 26th, 2009

Issue #3 Summary Main article: Halo: Helljumper Issue 3"Mysteries deepen as the Helljumpers’ investigation of the curious events at the Space Colony Ariel continues. Cut off from the rest of their company, Dutch and Romeo must use every ounce of skill and strength to stay alive. But earth-shaking events--both physical and personal--will truly test the mettle of these two brothers-in-arms.[5]"—Marvel.comReleased September 23rd, 2009

Issue #4 Summary Main article: Halo: Helljumper Issue 4"With an entire Covenant regiment hot on the trail of their comrades, Dutch and Romeo don't have a lot of options...the radios are out, so they can't alert their CO as to what's behind them, and they don't have enough firepower to take the Covenant force out on their own. But... hey, what's this here? A lightly guarded Covenant Drop Ship? But who'd be stupid enough to steal a Drop Ship? Two of the UNSC's finest, perhaps?[6]"—Marvel.comReleased October 28th, 2009

Issue #5 Summary Main article: Halo: Helljumper Issue 5"Dutch and Romeo have gotten themselves into some pretty crazy situations, but stealing a Covenant ship would definitely get both of them a medal for Most Insane Thing Done In the Line of Duty. If they survive this, they'll still have plenty of questions to answer: what the heck are the Covenant doing here on Planet Ariel, an otherwise harmless colony? And why are they acting so strange-taking the humans hostage instead of glassing the planet, which is their M.O.? Whatever's lurking deep underneath the surface, if the Covenant wants it that bad, it has to be big... and deadly. DON'T MISS THE GRIPPING CONCLUSION TO THIS HEART-STOPPING STORY![7]"—Marvel.comReleased November 25th, 2009

Halo Reach Info

Characters and setting Halo: Reach takes place in late 2552, during the Covenant invasion of the Human colony world Reach, which serves as the main military center of the UNSC. The game follows Noble Team, a six-man special operations unit of one SPARTAN-II and five SPARTAN-III commandos. The player assumes the role of the team's latest member, SPARTAN-B312 or "Noble Six" and will be defending Reach from its ultimate downfall at the hands of the Covenant forces.[6][7]

Over the course of the campaign, the players will visit various locales on and above planet Reach which includes remote civilian homesteads, high-tech ONI facilities such as Sword Base, the metropolitan city of New Alexandria, as well as a segment of space combat in a Sabre fighter.[8] The player will also encounter indigenous creatures such as the Moa and the Gúta.

Plot Halo: Reach takes place on the UNSC fortress world of Reach in the weeks prior to Halo: Combat Evolved. Noble Team, a squad of SPARTAN supersoldiers, is ordered by Colonel Urban Holland to investigate the sudden loss of transmission from the Visegrad Relay Communications Outpost. Expecting Insurrectionists, the team is baffled to discover that it is the work of the Covenant, and an invasion becomes apparent. As the Covenant begin their assault on the planet, the UNSC begin their heroic yet hopeless attempt to halt the brutal alien invaders. Soon after, Noble Team is deployed to "Sword Base", an installation belonging to the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), for defensive purposes. Dr. Catherine Halsey, mastermind of the SPARTAN-II Program and the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor worn by all SPARTAN characters, informs Noble Team that the Covenant at the relay were searching for important information pertaining to the Covenant religion.

As the Covenant arrive on the planet in force, Noble Team is dispatched on various defensive missions such as assaulting a Covenant ground base and removing fortified Covenant defenses. One of these defenses was a Spire transporting Covenant arsenal unto Reach. After Noble Six brought down the shield of the Spire, the UNSC Frigate Grafton destroys the Spire with MAC Rounds. When a massive supercarrier joins the fight and destroys UNSC Frigate Grafton, Kat comes up with a plan to strike back at the Covenant. Her idea is to sneak a Slipspace Bomb unto a Covenant Corvette which they would then send on a refueling run to the Covenant Supercarrier to activate the bomb. Jorge and Six infiltrate the Corvette, intending to dock it with the supercarrier and then detonate a makeshift slipspace bomb, but the detonator malfunctions, Jorge sacrifices himself to destroy the carrier; soon thereafter a larger Covenant fleet arrives to continue the assault. Six is thrown out of the corvette by Jorge to fall back unto the planet Reach. Six lands near New Alexandria, which is already besieged by the Covenant. Noble Six regroups with the rest of the team in assisting with the evacuation of the planet, during which Kat is killed by a sniper and New Alexandria is glassed by the Covenant.

Recalling Noble Team to Sword Base, Halsey shows them an ancient Forerunner artifact that she believes is key to winning the war. Noble Six, Carter, and Emile are entrusted with taking the artificial intelligence Cortana, and the information she carries, to the UNSC ship Pillar of Autumn, while Jun is assigned to evacuate Halsey in a Pelican dropship. Charges are detonated in the artifact, ultimately destroying it and any evidence of its information.

During the journey to the Autumn's dry dock, Carter is hit by Banshee fire and is mortally wounded. Six and Emile jump out of the Pelican and slide down to safety. When they fight out of many caves, they encounter a Scarab, which attempts to kill the Spartans. Carter sacrifices himself and the team's Pelican to destroy the mobile assault platform. Finally, Six and Emile reach the ship breaking yards. Emile takes control of a mass driver to defend the Autumn while Captain Jacob Keyes arrives to secure Cortana. Emile is slain by Elite Zealots, and Six opts to remain on Reach and take Emile's place at the gun while the Autumn escapes. The game depicts the opening scene of Halo: Combat Evolved, in which Cortana discovers Installation 04, followed by the credits and a personal message of thanks from Bungie.

The post-credits scene puts the player in control of Noble Six's last stand against overwhelming Covenant forces. After sustaining more and more damage, Six's helmet cracks. The SPARTAN takes it off and continues to fight, but is overwelmed by Elites and is killed. Six's shattered helmet is left discarded on the ground in a shot that mirrors the game's opening scene. Over thirty years later, the same helmet rests on the grassy plains of a now-rejuvenated Reach. Life has returned, and recolonization has begun. A narration by Halsey eulogizes Noble Team's sacrifice, which enabled the victory over the Covenant.

GameplayEditA gameplay preview of Noble Six and Noble Team questioning a civilian.Added by N7Halo: Reach features many new additions to the Halo sandbox while still retaining the core gameplay. The player damage system is similar to that of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3: ODST. The HUD highlights environmental features and overlay information about them, and the motion sensor display is three-dimensional. Halo: Reach also introduces a refined equipment system known as "Armor Abilities." Pieces of equipment can now be selected upon respawning (or picked up off the ground for certain gametypes and campaign); armor abilities are reusable with a recharge time between uses. A new assassination system is also featured, in which holding down the melee button will trigger a context-sensitive, third-person assassination animation. Simply hitting the melee button allows for the old-instant-kill assassination.

The weapon selection has been streamlined from that of Halo 3, so that every weapon has a specific role. The number of different grenade types has also been reduced from that of Halo 3, and incendiary grenades and spike grenades did not return. Human weapons all hit more or less instantly after pulling the trigger, giving them a more powerful feel. There is no longer dual-wielding available in Halo: Reach, following the same path as Halo 3: ODST. Compensating for this, the weapons that were known as dual weapons in Halo 3 that are now in Halo: Reach became drastically stronger. The M6G Magnum, for example, is now almost as powerful as the M6D Pistol in Halo: CE, and has an even higher rate of fire.

Players are able to personalize their character's armor with a greater variety of customization options, and the appearance will be consistent across campaign and multiplayer, unlike in Halo 3 where it would only be seen during multiplayer matches. Like in Halo 3, the armor permutations are only to be cosmetic and will not affect gameplay. The design of multiplayer models in Halo: Reach differs than those previously used in Halo 3; players are limited to a SPARTAN multiplayer model but given the option of changing their character's gender. Players are given the option to play as an Elite multiplayer model, though only in specific gametypes such as Firefight Versus, Invasion and other Elite-specific gametypes. Both multiplayer models have different gameplay properties; the Elite multiplayer model is physically superior, has a fully recharging health and faster shield regeneration than their SPARTAN counterpart. Overall, their only disadvantage is their massive size which makes them much more noticeable targets. This gives the SPARTANs the advantage of being more nimble and tougher to hit, especially with headshots.

While the rest of Noble Team accompany the player for most of the game, Halo: Reach will not feature any kind of tactical squad mechanic. Much like the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam in Halo 3, the rest of the squad will fight alongside the player, but will not interact with the player, other than certain scripted actions and dialogue. The levels will be more open and teleportation in co-op will be far less strict.[9][10]

As seen in the E3 2010 trailer, a small section of the Halo: Reach campaign level Long Night of Solace involves space combat, a new element to the game. This space battle above Reach is the first and only space combat level played in the saga.[11][12]

Campaign The campaign in Halo: Reach consists of eleven levels, ten of which are playable.

  1. Noble Actual - "Welcome to Reach." (Cutscene)
  2. Winter Contingency - "There's a disturbance on the frontier."
  3. ONI: Sword Base - "Covenant are attacking a vital ONI base. Drive the bastards off."
  4. Nightfall - "Move in behind enemy lines and evaluate the opposition."
  5. Tip of The Spear - "Two massive armies clash! Time to go to war against the Covenant."
  6. Long Night of Solace - "Move up the beach and secure the launch facility. Take the battle to the Covenant Super Carrier."
  7. Exodus - "All is not lost. Evacuate civilians from an occupied city."
  8. New Alexandria - "Provide air support in a forest of crumbling skyscrapers."
  9. The Package - "Your orders are to destroy Sword Base... Or are they?"
  10. The Pillar of Autumn - "Deliver Halsey's data package to the Pillar of Autumn."
  11. Lone Wolf - "Spartans never die. They're just missing in action..."
MultiplayerEditA total of seventeen multiplayer maps are available in Halo: Reach, with nine standard multiplayer maps and eight Firefight maps.

MultiplayerDefault

Noble Map Pack

Main article: Noble Map PackDefiant Map Pack

Main article: Defiant Map Pack
  • Condemned
  • High Lands
  • Unearthed (Firefight)
FirefightFeaturesEditCharactersEditEventsEditLocationsEditOrganizationsSpeciesEditVehiclesWeaponsEquipmentDevelopment "Where there will be a full three-year cycle, it's got all-new tech, akin to the change from Halo 2 to Halo 3, not like ODST, which is just built on top of the foundation."—Bungie Community Manager, Brian Jarrard.Reach has been in development since the completion of Halo 3, in the tradition of a full three year cycle and will use a completely new game engine created specifically for the game. It was confirmed in October 2009 that Martin O'Donnell, Bungie's lead composer, had begun casting voice actors for Reach.[27][28]

The Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta, used to gather information and tweak gameplay features in the game, ran from May 3 through May 20, 2010. The Zero-bug release milestone in Halo: Reach's development was reached on June 24, 2010,[29] and the game's audio, including soundtrack, voices and sound effects, was finished on July 15, 2010.[30] As of August 5, 2010, Halo: Reach has "gone gold", meaning all development of the game has been completed and mass manufacturing of the game has begun.[31] The game was released on September 14, 2010 as planned.

Design Bungie has taken a new design direction with Halo: Reach, aiming for a more somber and gritty atmosphere. The more serious tone is also reflected in camera angles; instead of long, sweeping shots, the cinematic camera angles are actually made to look as if shot with actual cameras.

In many ways, the character designs, especially those of Sangheili and human personnel, harken back to Halo: Combat Evolved. Models for enemies and allies boast remarkable levels of new detail in form of higher-resolution textures and more polygons. Enemies and allies will have more individual features to denote ranks and provide more visual variety, such as each soldier having an individual name tag in their BDUs.[32] Bungie made an effort to make the Covenant feel more alien and threatening; for example, the Covenant will speak in their own languages instead of English.

Engine Bungie is using a completely redone version of the Halo engine for Halo: Reach, with no component left untouched.[33][9][10]

The environments, while larger than in the previous games, are far more detailed. The graphical effects have been drastically improved, allowing for a new atmospheric effects system and more dynamic lighting for dramatic shadows and moving light sources in interiors. The engine was improved with "imposters" systems; this allows very cheap textures far away, and moving closer will make them improve.[33] This was proved with the map, Forge World. Rain and fogging effects are also improved. Halo: Reach also features a new animation system, which smoothly blends movement between standing, walking and running as well as jumps, grenade throws and firing. The facial animation system has been completely revamped, including motion capture. Weapon effects are amplified to be more powerful and visceral than before, giving them a more serious tone. Human weapons will sound more powerful and emit smoke and showers of sparks. Plasma bolts now burn through material as they hit, and explosions will throw clouds of dirt and debris around.

Halo: Reach's engine is able to support up to 40 active AI characters and 20 vehicles with AI characters on screen at once, twice as many as in Halo 3. In addition, distant battles between AI characters follow automated behavior models, which convert into scripted behaviors as the player gets closer, and finally convert to full AI.[9][10]

Audio "I want it to be more visceral, to have a bigger sense of loss, a personal feeling of sacrifice"--Martin O'Donnell, on the audio design of Halo: Reach[34]A more serious and realistic approach has been taken in the audio design of Halo: Reach than in the previous Halo games.

The music of Reach was referred to as being more somber and more visceral, as the plot is more character-driven than previous Halo titles and that it focuses on a planet known to have fallen.[35] As of now, it has been stated that the Halo Theme will not be heard in the game, but there is some foreshadowing of Halo themes.[9][10]

The in-game effects such as weapon sounds have also been amplified to sound more powerful and realistic. In addition to various different audio filters for interiors and exteriors, the space environment in the level Long Night of Solace required an entirely new audio filter to make the environment feel more realistic.[36] A significant improvement in the game's audio technology allows for more fluid transition between different layers of music; whereas the first Halo could barely manage more than two layers of music at once, Reach can run seven layers at once, coordinating which ones fade in and out based on relatively minor changes in the player's behavior.[34]

It was announced by Bungie that the Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack would be released on September 28, 2010.

Matchmaking Halo: Reach's matchmaking allows players to compete with each other over the Xbox Live online service or System Link, for 16 players on the Xbox. The matchmaking system has been improved and redesigned from Halo 3; instead of having experience and rank as two separate features, Halo: Reach combines these two into a credit system where the player is scored on how well they play in each individual performance, instead of a win/loss system. As players gain credits, they achieve higher military rank, and are able to buy armor permutations to customize their SPARTAN and Elites character model. A new matchmaking system called the Arena is introduced for hardcore/competitive players where they will play in month-long seasons and be put into divisions of either Onyx, Gold, Silver, Bronze or Steel, depending on how well they play. Along with this, Bungie has announced that Campaign will also have matchmaking support as well.[37] Players will be able to vote on which Campaign mission to play, similar to how voting works in competitive Matchmaking.[38]

The multiplayer mode features standard multiplayer gametypes such as Slayer, Capture the Flag and King of the Hill, as well as reintroducing Race, a gametype that was once made exclusive only to Halo: Combat Evolved. Firefight mode, a cooperative gameplay mode that was made present in Halo 3: ODST, will be featured in Halo: Reach with much more customizable features, from the skulls that turn on every round to the very enemies the player will face every wave, as well as having Matchmaking support. Halo: Reach also introduces new gametypes to multiplayer such as Invasion, Stockpile, and Headhunter.

The character models in Halo: Reach differs significantly than their previous architecture in Halo 3; both character models are now composed of different hitboxes and have different gameplay properties. The Elite character models are formidably larger, and physically superior, having faster shield regeneration and the ability to regain health fully over time than their SPARTAN counterpart. SPARTANs are smaller and weaker than their Elite counterpart and would only regain health to thirds over time unless they pick up a health pack. For these balancing issues, only specific gametypes in matchmaking allow SPARTANs and Elites to face each other in team-based games