Season 1 (Halo Wars 2)

Season 1 was the first season of Halo Wars 2 to launch, beginning on February 28, 2017. The season followed the launch-era Season 0 and was succeeded by Season 2 on April 28, 2017. The season was released to coincide with the Kinsano DLC, and features Kinsano's Cyclops as the Season banner.

Season 1 Title Updates
A number of Title Updates were released for Halo Wars 2 during Season 1.

March 20 patch notes
The latest update for Halo Wars 2 is rolling out today for Xbox One & Windows 10 and includes more fixes, improvements, a number of balance changes, and paves the way for our first new leader, Kinsano!

Crashes / Errors / Performance

 * Fixed a crash that occurred in Skirmish against AI opponents
 * Fixed some error handling with Xbox live service messages
 * Fixed a crash that can occur in a LASO play through
 * Fixed a hardlock that could occur when loading into “Lights Out”
 * Fixed a desync that could be hit in Firefight
 * Fixed a crash that could occur while watching the prologue cinematic
 * Fixed a crash that could occur while a user signs out while loading into a certain game mode
 * Fixed a crash that could occur when transporting newly deployed units
 * Fixed an Win 10 specific issue with the game hanging sometimes when restarting a mission
 * Fixed some suspend/idle issues that caused infinite loads
 * Fixed some Intel Iris Graphics 520 issues that could cause a crash
 * Improved performance when running on various Intel integrated GPUs
 * Fixed some improper localization strings in controller layout while playing the Basic Tutorial
 * Fixed an issue that could cause a crash when a Wolverine is destroyed by a Lightbridge toggling off while it was on it
 * Improved stability by fixing a large variety of one-off crashes
 * Fixed some performance hitches in Campaign that were caused by scripted events triggering

Gameplay

 * Fixed an issue where players were sometimes able to quickly assign one Leader Power point to two different Leader Powers
 * AI now garrisons a bit more often in Legendary when low on health
 * Nightingale Smoke bombs now stop Turrets shooting outside of the smoke, identical to how units behave
 * Damage against Bases show as soon as it happens
 * Fixed an issue with Hornets sometimes not responding to Banished unit attacks
 * Fixed an issue with pressing the ‘Q’ key twice did not select all units, if there were no units on the screen
 * Fixed an issue with Challenges sometimes not progressing in Solo/Team War or Team Objective Playlists
 * Fixed Shift-Right-clicking to set multiple waypoints not working in some cases
 * Fixed an issue with AI ignoring Sentinel recaptured Control Points
 * Fixed some units getting stuck on the campaign mission “The Halo”
 * Fixed a bug where the enemy AI retreats too often on Normal
 * Fixed an issue where the AI would sometimes kill its own units by toggling a Lightbridge
 * Fixed an issue with units doing no damage in a specific scenario
 * Fixed an issue with “Departures” video being unlocked after completing “The Halo”
 * Fixed a bug with “Just the Facts” and “The full story” achievements not triggering properly
 * Fixed an issue where players would get their Favorite Leader instead of the one picked
 * Various unit animation fixes
 * Added three new achievements unique to the upcoming “Kinsano” leader DLC

Cosmetic

 * Fixed some text truncation that could occur in some Campaign missions
 * Fixed some text in a few Phoenix logs
 * Fixed some UI callouts for failed objectives in a previously played mission showing in a different mission

Audio

 * Fixed some cases of audio corruption when multiple sound effects were played at the same time
 * Fixed an issue with vehicle engine audio stuttering when on the edge of battle
 * Fixed an issue with clipping/corruption occurring in higher waves of Blitz Firefight

Design & Balance Changes
Note: Balance changes affect units in standard and Blitz multiplayer modes unless otherwise noted. For Halo Wars 2 game designer notes and context surrounding these changes, please check out the March 16th Community Update blog.

Leader Powers

 * Shipmaster’s Scout mines cannot be dropped on buildings anymore
 * The Banished Cleansing Beam speed slightly reduced
 * ODSTs cost increased from 600 to 800, HP slightly decreased

Economy

 * Adjusted the Supply income curve to give less of a bonus income on the first few Supply Pads/Warehouses, but less limiting as player’s build additional pads.

Leaders

 * Sgt. Forge: Removed the discount on Supply Pads and Reactors in the “Rolling Economy” leader power
 * Sgt. Forge: Accelerated Assembly and Lotus mines swapped places

Units

 * Jump Pack Brutes:


 * Increased HP
 * Incased basic DPS
 * Slight increase to move speed
 * Hellbringers:


 * Significant increase to HP
 * Significant increase to fire damage dealt to basic infantry units
 * Move speed slightly increased
 * Cost reduced from 80/50 to 80/40
 * Reduced pre-attack and post-attack cooldown to improve responsiveness
 * Suicide Grunts (NOT Blitz Suicide Grunts)


 * Increased HP
 * Base damage decreased
 * Base AOE range increased
 * Move speed slightly increased
 * Charge distance increased
 * Charge speed decreased
 * Cost reduced from 100/25 to 100/20
 * Elite Rangers


 * Significantly increased HP
 * Armor type changed to be more resistant to small arms fire from Marine & Grunt squads
 * Cost reworked from 80/110 to 125/90
 * DPS increased
 * Jackrabbit


 * Cost reduced from 220/15 to 200/12
 * Ghost


 * Cost reduced from 265/20 to 230/15
 * Chopper


 * Cost reduced from 280/20 to 245/15
 * Hunters


 * Cost reduced from 150/200 to 160/160
 * DPS reduced
 * Cyclops


 * Cost reduced from 120/150 to 120/120
 * DPS reduced
 * Wraiths


 * HP significantly increased
 * Shields significantly increased
 * Build time reduced
 * Cost changed from 550/40 to 525/70
 * Plasma Cannon DPS increased
 * Plasma Mortar DPS increased
 * Plasma Mortar Fire rate increased
 * Y ability initial damage increased significantly
 * Incoming healing reduced
 * Scorpion


 * HP increased
 * Cost changed from 650/50 to 600/90
 * Machinegun DPS increased
 * Cannon DPS increased
 * Cannon AOE size decreased
 * Canister shell DPS increased
 * Canister shell AOE size increased
 * Incoming healing reduced
 * Grizzly


 * HP increased
 * Machinegun DPS increased
 * Missile pod DPS increased
 * Cannon DPS increased
 * Missile Barrage ability damage increased
 * Grunts


 * Grunt squad build time reduced
 * Overall DPS increased for basic and mine-upgrade squads
 * Overall DPS increased for pack brother upgrade squads
 * Marines


 * Grenade DPS decreased significantly
 * Grenade large AOE size reduced
 * Anders’ Sentinels


 * Move speed decreased
 * No longer has a huge damage bonus vs. buildings
 * General DPS decreased
 * Lockdown Bolt damage decreased significantly
 * Banshees


 * Banshee Plasma Torpedo damage reduced
 * Locusts


 * Basic DPS slightly reduced
 * Line of sight range reduced
 * Weapon range reduced
 * Base Turrets


 * UNSC and Banished upgraded turrets DPS increased
 * Banished turrets HP increased
 * UNSC turrets build time reduced
 * Banished turret build time reduced
 * Strongholds


 * UNSC and Banished HQ HP increased to a constant, high HP amount across all tech tiers

April 4 patch notes
This week another small patch will be released for Halo Wars 2 that addresses a saved-game issue that was introduced with the Kinsano update in addition to a few smaller fixes. Please see below for the full details:

Crashes / Errors / Performance

 * Fixed an issue where campaign save files from previous versions/patches were crashing on load. The save files now load successfully.

Gameplay

 * Fixed an issue where watchtowers and motion sensors did not detect cloaked units
 * Fixed an issue where cloaking generators would stop cloaking after 15 seconds if the advanced cloaking leader power was fully unlocked/upgraded
 * Fixed an issue where Forge’s warthog was not displaying aura VFX and his upgrades were not working.

Cosmetic

 * Updated text for Forge’s “Rolling Economy” Leader Power to match balance changes made in the Kinsano update (removed text referring to reduced building cost)

The next Halo Wars 2 update is underway and is currently scheduled for release in conjunction with the new leader launch later this month. More details to come!