View source for HW:Captain Cutter

{{Status|Gameplay}}
{{Leader infobox
|name=
|image=[[File:HW-CaptJGCutter-Portrait.png|x300px]]
|game=
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo Wars: Definitive Edition]]''
|date=
|faction=[[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]
|playstyle=Infantry-focused
|starting=[[HW:Warthog|Warthog]]
|unique=
*[[HW:Elephant|Elephant]]
*[[HW:ODST|ODSTs]]
|powers=
*[[HW:MAC Blast|MAC Blast]]
*[[HW:Heal and Repair|Heal and Repair]]
*[[HW:Disruption Bomb|Disruption Bomb]]
*[[HW:Transport|Transport]]
|economy=Constructed bases start with more [[Socket Base|building sites]]
}}
'''Captain Cutter''' is a [[leader]] available to play as in the [[multiplayer]] of ''[[Halo Wars]]''. He was one of several leaders from ''Halo Wars'' to return in ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', [[HW2:Captain Cutter|see here]] for more information.

==Universe and lore==
{{Main|James Cutter}}
Captain [[James Cutter]] is the [[commanding officer]] of {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}.

==Gameplay==
===Campaign===
Throughout the [[campaign]] of ''Halo Wars'', Cutter is the leader ostensibly played by the player. He is the only UNSC character aboard ''Spirit of Fire'' to never be used in a mission as a selectable unit, though the specific loadouts and units available vary per-mission and often differ from those of his multiplayer counterpart.

===Multiplayer===
Captain Cutter is the default [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] leader, and likely the first one most players will play. He offers a balanced gameplay style with a focus on infantry-centric gameplay. This is enabled by his access to the [[HW:Elephant|Elephant]], which is able to deploy on the battlefield to serve as a mobile [[UNSC Barracks|Barracks]], allowing troops to be trained in the field. Late in the game, Cutter can upgrade his [[HW:Marine|Marines]] to [[HW:ODST|ODSTs]], giving him access to a unique [[leader power]]: the ability to drop ODSTs from orbit anywhere on the battlefield within his line of sight. This makes him able to respond to emerging threats quickly and project and maintain force close to the enemy, giving him map control.

====Unique units====
Cutter has two unique units. The first is the [[HW:Elephant|Elephant]], which can be constructed at the [[Firebase]] HQ from a Tech level of {{HWTech|2}}. The second are the [[HW:ODST|ODSTs]], which act as the fourth and final upgrade for the [[HW:Marine|Marines]].
<gallery>
File:HW M312Elephant.png|[[HW:Elephant|Elephant]]
File:HWunit ODST.png|[[HW:ODST|ODSTs]]
</gallery>

====Unique leader powers====
{{Main|Leader power}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 75%;" 
! rowspan="2" style="width: 30%" | Name !! colspan="3" style="width: 30%" | Cost !! rowspan="2" style="width: 40%" | Description
|- 
| style="width: 10%" | '''Population''' || style="width: 10%" | '''Tech''' || style="width: 10%" | '''Resources''' 
|-
! colspan="5"|All UNSC Leaders
|- style="height: 40px"
| [[XGBU-302 bomb|Disruption Bomb]] || N/A || {{HWTech|0}} || {{HWResources|450}} || Disrupts existing Leader Powers and prevents new Leader Powers from being initiated in a small area for 1 minute.
|- style="height: 40px"
| [[Pelican Transport|Transport]] || N/A || {{HWTech|0}} || {{HWResources|200}} || Call in [[D77H-TCI Pelican|Pelicans]] to transport a small group of units from one place to another.
|- style="height: 40px"
| [[Heal and Repair]] || N/A || {{HWTech|0}} || {{HWResources|350}} || Heal any units and repair any buildings in an area. 

|-
! colspan="5"|[[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[James Cutter|Cutter]]
|- style="height: 40px"
| MAC Blast || N/A || {{HWTech|1}} || {{HWResources|600}} || Use [[UNSC Spirit of Fire|Spirit of Fire]]'s awesome [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|Mass Accelerated Cannons]] to incinerate enemy troops.
|- style="height: 40px"
| [[ODST]] Drop || {{HWPop|1}} || {{HWTech|3}} || {{HWResources|100}} || 
* Requires [[UNSC Barracks#Halo Wars|ODST upgrade]].
* Drops an ODST squad at target location.
|}
<gallery>
File:HW MACBlast HUD.jpg|Aiming the MAC Blast.
</gallery>

====Economy bonus====
In addition to the above, Cutter has a unique economy bonus. All [[firebase]]s built by Cutter start at one upgrade tier higher than they would otherwise.
*The default starting base at game start is a '''Fortress''' instead of a '''Station''', meaning that it starts with all seven [[Socket Base|building sockets]] available rather than the standard five.
*Newly-constructed bases start automatically as a '''Station''' rather than a '''Firebase''', meaning that they have five building sockets and four [[M5 Talos|turret slots]] available, rather than the default three with no turrets.
These upgrades do not apply in [[Deathmatch]], as all bases start as Fortresses in that mode.

====Strategies====
*By constructing an Elephant early on, Cutter can offset his need to construct a Barracks, meaning that he is free to focus his initial building slots on [[UNSC Supply Pad|Supply Pads]] and [[UNSC Reactor|Reactors]].{{Ref/Book|Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide|Page=8}}
*Alongside the above, the lack of need to spend {{HWResources|[[resources]]}} on upgrading bases means that Cutter is able to quickly build up large armies in the early game.{{Ref/Book|Id=Guide21|Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide|Page=21}}
*Elephants can be used to rush enemy players early on in the match.{{Ref/Reuse|Guide21}}
*The above qualities mean that overall Cutter is the strongest UNSC leader in the early game, though by the late game he becomes the weakest as his ODSTs are not as powerful as [[HW:Professor Anders|Anders']] [[HW:Hawk|Hawks]] and [[HW:Sergeant Forge|Forge's]] [[HW:Grizzly|Grizzly tanks]].{{Ref/Reuse|Guide21}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:HWguide Cutter.png|An overview of Captain Cutter in the [[Halo Wars manual|''Halo Wars'' manual]].
File:HWDE Cutter LeaderProfile.jpg|Captain Cutter's [[personnel profile]], included in the ''[[Halo Wars Limited Edition]]'' and as a [[Steam reward/Halo Wars: Definitive Edition|Steam reward]] for ''[[Halo Wars: Definitive Edition]]''.
</gallery>

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
{{HW Leaders}}
[[Category:Halo Wars leaders]]