HR Maps - Paradiso

Paradiso is one of the new maps that wasn't in the Beta, click below images for huge.  It's a large, symmetrical map that we've seen in Invasion Slayer.

Key locations:

• (A) Spartan Laser - This is at the end of the high catwalk on the center tower.  The tower is accessible from either team's teleporter, and the catwalk is accessed via mancannon.  Laser is always there, regardless of territories captured.
• (B) Grenade Launcher (Pro Pipe) - This is on the ground in the middle of the man made tunnel through the mountain.
• (C) Blue Base
• (D) Blue Teleporter - Has a Concussion Rifle on the platform, teleporter leads to center tower
• (E) Red Base
• (F) Red Teleporter - Has a Concussion Rifle on the platform, teleporter leads to center tower
• (G) Bridge - Two manconnons on either side just speed crossing the bridge

I've also placed six green circles on the map to represent the Invasion Slayer territories.  Though there are Scorpions, Banshees, and Ghosts pictured on the map here, they do not actually start on the map until territories are captured.  At the beginning of Invasion Slayer matches, there is generally a rush through the teleporters to take the center tower and laser.  The opposing territories can be suppressed from the tower with the laser in that fashion.

Close up screenshots of weapon locations:

 

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo Reach.

Like last week, I will participate as I am able.  However, the new baby isn't entirely settled into a routine, so my gaming may still be somewhat sporadic.  I apologize in advance for having to drop out of games.

Halo Reach Commendations

Commendations are cool little recognitions that the game pops up to recognize stylistic things that you do.  They are designed to showcase what "type" a player is, since folks will tend to gravitate towards one type of commendation over another.  It's not explicitly clear what does what on same of the commendations, but here is some info I've found on the ones that pop for using specific weapons:

[Updated 10/19/10]

• Crack Shot: DMR, Needle Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Focus Rifle
• Sidearm: Magnum, Plasma Pistol
• Trigger Man: Assault Rifle, Spiker, Plasma Repeater, Plasma Rifle, Needler
• Heavy Weapon: Rocket Launcher, Spartan Laser, Fuel Rod Cannon, Plasma Launcher, Grenade Launcher, Concussion Rifle, Target Locator
• Close Quarters: Melee, Shotgun, Energy Sword, Gravity Hammer.
• EMP (not a commendation): Plasma Pistol, Grenade Launcher, Armor Lock
• Supercombine: Needler, Needle Rifle

I think that the Needler is an automatic weapon and counts towards Trigger Man but haven't confirmed it yet.  Jack of All Trades is mysterious because it counts "incredible feats", but this is the one I've progressed the furthest, so it must count lots of stuff.

There is an achievement to advance a commendation to silver, but I'm fairly confident that everyone will eventually get this just with playtime.

Campaign by the Numbers

So I've now finished the campaign on Normal Co-op (4 players), Legendary Co-op (2-4 players) and Legendary Solo.  Here's some tidbits that the data suggests:

• Level 2 "Winter Contingency" (this is first "real" level, level 1 is just cutscenes), as would be expected, is the easiest campaign level.  It has the fewest enemies, takes the shortest time to finish, and is the easiest to survive without dying.  Would be a good level to work on the Campaign commendations, especially "Flawless Cowboy."
• Level 10 [Title redacted for spoilers] is overall the hardest campaign level.  I won't say much more here to avoid spoilers in case anybody hasn't played it yet.
• The game does not appear to adjust anything for co-op play.  Enemies, weapons, ammo, available points are all essentially the same whether you are playing solo or co-op.
• Pro: This means there are fewer enemies each player needs to kill in co-op.
• Pro: Co-op brings with it significant advantages in that you can respawn in place when you die instead of returning to a check-point.
• Con: Because the game also does not generate more ammo and vehicles for co-op, so that can be a restriction on occasion.
• Con: The total number of points stays the same, so you will generate score more points per person playing on solo.
• Level 5 "Tip of the Spear" has the best opportunity to generate kills on co-op.  On my two co-op playthroughs (Normal and Legendary), this level ranked #1 in kills per minute.
• Level 10 had the highest rank in points per minute per person on co-op.  On Legendary Solo, Level 8 had the highest rank in points per minute.
• Level 4 "Night Fall" and Level 10 both start out with good opportunities to work on the "If They Came to Hear Me Beg" achievement.  I got it on level 4, OD got it on level 10.

There's still a handful of Campaign commendations that I'm working on, so I'm happy to join folks in playing some Campaign if people are interested.  I'm consistently on-line every night from 10pm-1am.

Pro Tip: Get a New Bird

On the eighth campaign mission, New Alexandria, you can effectively request a new Falcon at any time.  If your plane has gotten shot up and is smoking, just set it down on any roof top or balcony and get out.  You will see a prompt that says "Call for emergency evac."  Hit down on your D-pad, and Kat will send up a brand new Falcon with two new gunners and you can continue right where you left off.

L4D2 The Passing DLC

Valve has discounted the price on the L4D2 "The Passing" DLC to 320 points, down from 560 points. This represents a discount from about $7 to $4. Good for this week.

If They Came to Hear Me - SPLAT

Posted at xkcd:

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo Reach.

We just brought the new baby home, so I will participate as best as I am able.  But expect that everyone else will be on.  Remember if that you are joining late, you can see the clan folks in your Active Roster.  Go ahead and join their party, even if they're in game.  This will queue you up to join and you'll automatically get added the next time they're in lobby.

You've Been BoomDizzled

Thanks to FishBone10 for sharing.

Snoop Dogg vs LL Cool J: The Ultimate Halo Smack Down from LL Cool J

Player Spotlight: Mean Mrs Monkey

Mean Mrs Monkey is one of our most active players, starting in the days of Left 4 Dead and continuing to this day in Halo Reach.  Per popular request, we sat down for a quick interview to find out more about her.

Q1: What's your name in real life?
A1: Kendall

Q2: What is your day job?
A2: Stay at Home Mom and Full Time Student at SJSU.

Q3: What's an interesting thing about you?
A3: I only learned how to play xBox about 1.5 years ago, before I had no coordination for the game.

Q4: How did you get into Halo and/or video games?
A4: I started playing it because MEAN MR MONKEY was playing it and encouraged me to after I got the hang of Viva Pinta and L4D.

Q5: What's your favorite thing about playing Halo?
A5: Honestly...now that REACH is out, I prefer it to all other Halos.  It seems to be a little easier for me to control my player because the jumping is "normal" and the movements are not as exaggerated which is really difficult for me. So just having a more normal play is what I like.

Q6: What's your biggest dislike about playing Halo?
A6: I think my biggest dislike is that I am so bad at Slayer, I try to play and try to get the hang of it but I think most people who are on have been playing since Halo [1] and so they have the game down and I am just running around trying to figure things out....makes for a lot of deaths for me.

Q7: Do you think it's different being a girl playing Halo?
A7: Uhm...yeah...when I play without the clan people are a bit more forgiving of my bad playing or if I betray them....because I am a chick.  But when I play with the clan I think I am just another one of the people playing and I am treated pretty equal...

Q8: Do you wish you didn't have to play split screen all the time?
A8: Yes.  We are going to be getting one of the new xBox's....we want to play on different TV's.  But I think that will be our Christmas gift to ourselves.

Many thanks to Mean Mrs Monkey for being a great sport and continuing to participate in the clan!

HR Weapons - Summary

Most of the weapons from the Beta appear to be largely unchanged, so I'll just link them here.  There are a handful of weapons that were not in the Beta, I will post details about them in the next few days.

New infantry weapons:

• HR: Covenant Weapons - Concussion Rifle (Type 50): This fires sparkly red stuff, the same thing that the Revenants fire.  Has a very similar damage effect to the Brute Shot.  It has a mild amount of splash damage, and also some "push" effect which can push people and vehicles around.
• HR: Covenant Weapons - Spiker (Type 25): The Brute Spiker returns in this game and functions just like it did before (albeit without dual wielding).  Is fully automatic and shoots projectiles, is a similar weapon to the UNSC Assault Rifle.
• HR: Covenant Weapons - Fuel Rod Cannon (Type 33): Carried by leaders or Spec Ops Grunts, the Fuel Rod Cannon looks slightly different than it did in previous games, but functions very similar.  Shoots green energy "grenades" and can do significant damage.
• HR: UNSC Weapons - Target Locator (H165): I've only seen this in campaign and Firefight so far (not in multi-player) but allows you to summon orbital rounds that obliterate the target area.  Is basically the "God button."

 New vehicle weapons:

• HR: UNSC Weapons - Automatic Grenade Launcher (MG460): The side turrets on the Falcon can be either chain guns or grenade launchers.  The chain guns are like all the other ones and can overheat.  The grenade launcher works just like the UNSC grenade launcher where you can fire and forget, or hold the trigger and release where you want it to explode.  Great for knocking Banshees out of the sky.
• HR: UNSC Weapons - ALA Cannon (M1024): The Sabre (space ship) comes with two types of weapons, an auto cannon and a set of missiles.  The auto cannons fire repeatedly and never overheat or run out of ammo.  They are excellent for taking down the shields on Seraphs and have a leading circle in the targeting reticle.  Press 'Y' to switch between weapons.
• HR: UNSC Weapons - Medusa Missile: The other weapon on the Sabre is a set of target-tracking missiles.  If you keep the reticle on a target long enough, it will lock and allow the missiles to automatically key in on the target.  Fires in a burst of 4.  Excellent for Banshees and for Seraphs after their shields are down.

Previously profiled Covenant weapons:

• Plasma Grenade
• Needler
• Gravity Hammer
• Plasma Pistol "Green Gun"
• Focus Rifle "Laser Beam"
• Plasma Repeater
• Energy Sword
• Plasma Turret
• Needle Rifle
• Plasma Launcher "n00b tube"

Previously profiled UNSC weapons:

• Bullets
• Spartan Laser
• Sniper Rifle
• Chain Gun
• Shotgun
• Rocket Launcher
• Assault Rifle
• Combat Knife
• Frag Grenade
• Magnum
• DMR
• Grenade Launcher "Pro Pipe"

HR Maps - Boardwalk

Boardwalk is one of the new maps that wasn't in the Beta, click below images for huge.  It's an asymmetrical map that we've seen in Territories.

 Key weapon locations:

• (A) Human Sniper Rifle #1 - This is on the small half wall where the bottom team spawns
• (B) Human Sniper Rifle #2 - This is on the ground up in the balcony where the top team spawns, or where territory 4 is
• (C) Shotgun - This is either on the ground or leaning against the wall
• (D) Plasma Launcher (n00b tube) -This is on the ground at the bottom of the stairs, or where territory 1 is
• (E) Rocket Launcher - This is on the underground catwalk, near one of the re-spawn points

 Close up screenshots of weapon locations

HR: Armor Abilities - Summary

For those of you who weren't paying attention, or just don't bother reading the blog, I have previously described the Halo Reach Armor Abilities in painstaking detail.  As I have time, I'll start posting more info about the new abilities, new weapons, new maps, etc.  People who leave comments may be able to influence what gets posted first.  The Armor Abilities from the Beta are unchanged, as far as I can tell, so for those, I'll just link them here:

• Armor Lock - Makes player invincible but immobile
• Sprint - Allows player to run fast but unable to shoot
• Jet Pack - Allows player to fly but is slow and loud
• Active Camo - Makes player invisible but jams their own radar
• Evade - Allows Elites to dive roll but unable to shoot

There are two new Armor Abilities in the Beta which are, frankly, pretty awesome:

• Drop Shield - Allows player to deploy a bubble shield
• Hologram - Sends out a virtual version of the player as a decoy

The blog is not only searchable, it also has a label cloud.   Look at the bottom of the right column and you'll see a ton of words.  Clicking on any of them ("armor" as an example) will show you all the posts that have been tagged with that label.

Xbox Live 12-Month Gold Promotion: $29.99

In alignment with Halo Reach launching, Microsoft is running a 12-month Xbox Live Gold promotion for only $29.99.  This is HALF OFF what it will cost starting on November 1.  You can purchase this even if your current subscription is still active, it will just add on to the end.  I just did it, and got an e-mail that the new 12-month membership will be active starting April 5, 2011, when my current one runs out.  Just fire up your Xbox 360 and the offer should show up as one of the featured promotions.  This offer is active now and runs until Monday, 9/20.

Single Player

Another from Penny Arcade.

Playlist: Grownups

Posted on Penny Arcade today.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. REACH.

zomgstfuwtfitstimeforhaloreach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Get on-line fools.  We'll be dropping Xbox Live party chat and using the in-game chat so that we can pick up friends and listen to team mates.  We'll keep this model until the on-line banter gets too annoying.  Remember that you can always mute people not in your party or your team if you'd like, just check your audio preferences.

Reach Midnight Campaign Run

Starting now starring gtdroptop, OmniscientDeath, Fishbone10 and TimMAY 1023.  We'll have an Xbox Live party running if you'd like to pop in to say hello.

SPOILERZ ALERT!!! Campaign Preview

Some more clips from the campaign with Bungie staff voiceovers. Note that there are major campaign spoilers in here, watch at your own risk.

How Very Headshot-y

SWAT on Countdown.

Reach Falls in 6 Days

There's some new info posted up at Bungie's Reach page.

• Fiction: In the CAA Factbook there's more details around the fiction of Halo.  One interesting tidbit is a page about piracy and space pirates.  I have to assume this comes into play in the story of Reach.  The ODSTs are also mentioned.
• Noble profiles:
• Noble 1: Carter (S-259), Commander, DMR, natural leader
• Noble 2: Kat (S-320), Lt. Commander, AR/Magnum, girl
• Noble 3: Jun (S-266), Warrant Ofc, Sniper Rifle, chatty
• Noble 4: Emile (S-239), Warrant Ofc, Shotgun, sweet helmet
• Noble 5: Jorge (S-052), Chief Warrant Ofc, Chain Gun, old guy
• Noble 6: XXX (S-312), Lieutenant, AR, hyper-lethal lone wolf
• Ordnance:
• Details around the Fuel Rod Gun, Concussion Rifle, which hadn't been mentioned much before.
• Notes on the Revenant, a Warthog/Ghost cross-over and the Falcon, essentially a flying Warthog.
• All Armor Abilities are listed, including the hinted-at Hologram and Drop Shield abilities.

Mrs. Monkey is our only girl, so I guess a natural fit for Kat.  I can see Porter or BeerMonkeee as Jun, OD as Jorge, and norpo as Noble 6.  What do you think?  Who's your favorite?

Clan night tonight. 9pm PT. Halo 3.

Exactly one week to Reach.  We have a full team signed up for a midnight campaign run: gtdroptop, OmniscientDeath, TimMAY 1023, Fishbone10.  If there are others who want to commit to a 7 hour campaign run at midnight, have pre-ordered their game at a retailer open at midnight, and are looking for friends, I'm happy to help coordinate.

About blog usage

I want to be clear about one thing: This blog exists to bring together friends with similar interests, coordinate those friends in regular clan nights, and to distribute information that may be useful to those friends.  It is intended to be consumed either directly on the webpage of the blog itself or via an RSS reader.  It can be consumed via e-mail subscription, as a widget, or any million of other ways, but I have neither the time nor the desire to make it perfect for each individual's niche usage model.  I am happy to make a best effort to help.  But if you can't make adjustments to read it the way I intend, I'm not really willing to go out of my way to help you in your special situation.

I don't get paid to do this.  Nobody else does this for you.  I don't get anything from listening to your complaints.  And it doesn't make me feel very accommodating when you tell me that nobody reads it and then in the same breath bitch about how the formatting isn't perfect for you.

How Very ODST-y

Headhunter on a newly released map, Boardwalk.

Xbox Live: Price increasing to $59.99/year

It was just announced that Microsoft will be increasing the regular Xbox Live subscription cost by 20% to $59.99/year starting on November 1, 2010.  If you renew before then, you can avoid the increase for another year. I previously posted a special at Amazon.com for just $34.99 which I still think is the most efficient way of renewing your subscription.  That special is over, but it's worthwhile to keep your eyes open for sales like that.

Clan night tonight. 9pm PT. Halo 3.

JUST TWO MORE FRIGGIN' WEEKS LEFT!!!!!!!

Clan night tonight. 10pm PT. Halo 3.

I am out of town traveling, but can host clan night for those that want to log on later at 10pm. We had some good sack action last week, may be our choice of playlists until Reach Falls.

Assault: The Cage

Showing another Forged map, this a multi-bomb versus game.  The Cage is the historical predecessor to Lockout/Blackout.

Firefight: Outpost

Showing off a Firefight variant called Skeet Shoot.  This is a custom gametype that was made for the purposes of the video where everyone gets unlimited ammo sniper guns, and waves drop Heretic Elite Snipers.  Bungie has previously said that Elites only appear in Firefight when they are human controlled, so unclear if this is a contradiction or there are actually that many human opponents.  Video also showcases impressive no-scope sniping.

Firefight: Corvette

Indoor Wraiths, Bubble Shield ability, Human controlled Elites, female Spartan voice, Hunters.  All very interesting.  This map feels very Halo 1.

Who to Choose?

Noble 3 has the long gun, Noble 4 has the sweet helmet, Noble 5 has the chaingun, and Noble 6 is Hyper-Lethal.  I can't decide.

Clan night tonight. 9pm PT. Halo 3.

Have the clips of Reach gotten you excited?  Less than one month away!

How Very Ascension-Y

I get that this is supposed to be an example of what you can do in Forge 2.0, but did these guys make ANY new maps?

How Very Purple-Y

It's like Midship.  But not.

How Very Asian-y

Ivory Tower has never looked so gorgeous.

Halo Reach Special Offers

Amazon.com is offering a $20 credit on a future video game purchase if you pre-order Halo Reach.  It comes with free shipping, but generally takes 1-2 weeks if you go that route.

Compare this to GameStop's pre-order bonus of a special armor variant and a chance to win a life size Spartan.  Many GameStops are also offering midnight pickups on September 14.

Pre-ordering anywhere will unlock the Recon helmet pre-order bonus.

Clan night tonight. 9pm PT. Halo 3.

Clan nights will more regularly start at 9pm now.  Hopefully this helps to consolidate attendance.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo 3.

6 weeks to Reach.

Customer Fable III Villager

Was just announced today that you can make your own Fable III villager that you can activate in-game.  Honestly, I tried out the character builder, and it's not all that compelling.  But it's an interesting little tidbit nevertheless.

Trailerz

Must be getting close.  I've got a hard-on.

Clan night tonight. 8:30pm PT. Halo 3.

Good attendance last week and fun times, thanks to all who showed up.  I'm traveling today and might not be able to get on until  8:30pm or so but plan to be on.

Forge on 'Roids

If you've ever tried to make anything in Halo 3 Forge, the new capabilites in Reach will boggle your mind.  Custom maps are going to be REDONK.  If you've never tried Forge and never plan to, this is the most tantalizing tease for custom games from this video: King of the Hill where the WARTHOG IS THE HILL!!!!!

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo 3.

I'm going to need to see critical mass attendance for H3 if we are to stay on this game.  Even though it got the most votes, people aren't showing up in enough numbers or at the same time to make it worthwhile.  Many thanks to the Mean Monkeys for being the most consistent participants of clan night.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo 3.

I call BR.

It's Good and It's Bad

Good: Gamestop has announced that Halo:Reach pre-orders will get exclusive armor permutations.
Bad: There's a new achievement in Halo:Reach for finishing on Legendary.  Alone.

Frak.

ZOMG ROCKETPUMA!!?!?!?!??!

Happy Bungie day, children.



Highlights to note:

• 1:37 - Everyone's favorite map is back
• 2:40 - ZOMGROCKETPUMA?!?!?!?!?!?
• 3:08 - The original swimming pool
• 3:28 - wtf?  Is this a joke?
• 4:25 - wtf x2?  I thought this wasn't allowed.
• 4:48 - Go outside the canyon

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo 3.

Pretty much everybody should be back in town at this point.  Back to our regularly scheduled Halo 3 programming.  Use your H3: ODST multiplayer disc for best effect.

This is not your father's Halo

Space combat.  zomgspaceballs.  And these are Sabres, not Longswords like I had previously guessed.

Video Games | Halo: Reach | Exclusive Space Combat Gameplay

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Tank!

Firefight footage from E3 is out and it looks hellaz cool.  New revelations: You can now board and drive Wraiths, there is some kind of "bubble shield" armor ability, Covies can come armed with plasma launchers, orbital bombing shown in more detail.



Oh. And Race is back.

Living Dead Double EXP Weekend

Zombie playlist this weekend.  Is a good chance to pick up the "Delicious Brains" and "Zombie Repeller" achievements, each worth 25G.

Clan night next week

I'm out of town next Tuesday, but clan night's have had pretty good attendance as of late.  If folks are interested in gaming next week, leave a comment here and I'll start an e-mail thread amongst those interested.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Left 4 Dead 2.

Since they have apparently made the human AIs retarded in L4D1, we'll try L4D2 tonight.  Maybe 3v2 Versus will work better there.

Reach Firefight Details

Crazy customization options, but the best announcements: No buggers, and no Black Eye skull.  YAAYYYY!!!!

More here in the weekly update.

Firefight 2.0

Firefight returns in Halo Reach.  Details are scarce, but a trailer has been released, including some kind of ridiculous air raid ability.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Left 4 Dead 1.

While attendance is still low due to summertime silliness, I'm planning to host an L4D1 tonight.  Campaign is still good times, and Versus mode works better with 5 people on L4D1 than on L4D2.  For all you goons that voted for H3, I need you to actually show up on clan night to make it work.

ZOMG LONGSWORDS!!!!!!!!

If you don't know what a Longsword is, I recommend you check out the E3 Reach Trailer.

L4D1 @ 9pm tonight

Note that due to request of attendees, we'll be playing Left 4 Dead 1 tonight.  Starting at 9pm.  See you kids on-line.

Clan night tonight. 9pm PT. Left 4 Dead 1.

Please let me know if you'll be playing tonight.  We have a few regulars out and want to make sure we have critical mass.

HR: Player Profiles - darknorpo

Player: darknorpo

• Rank: Corporal
• Games: 12; Kills: 135; Deaths: 158; Assists: 65; Time: 0:01:44; Wins: 5; Medals: 218
• Win %: 42%; K/D: 0.85; K/G: 11.25; D/G: 13.17; A/G: 5.42; M/G: 18.17; Encounters/G: 30.69

Bombadier Frontline Leader, Hammer Specialist. Having logged the fewest games in the Beta helped darknorpo to lead the clan in K/G (11.25), A/G (5.42), Encounters/G (30.69) and Medals/G (18.17).  Tending to use the default AR and frag grenades the most often like the Bombadier archetype, also shows an ability to use the Gravity Hammer effectively.

Best suited: Short to medium range slayer, leading fireteams into the frontlines.

Recommend: Logging more gametime and learning the maps.  A proven ability to lead in past games would be really beneficial to the clan in Halo Reach.  Also suggest getting comfortable with the Magnum.  Should be a fairly easy learning curve and more versatile for killing.

HR: Player Profiles - CoolerSopranos2

Player: CoolerSopranos2

• Rank: Corporal
• Games: 21; Kills: 148; Deaths: 233; Assists: 72; Time: 0:03:01; Wins: 5; Medals: 191
• Win %: 24%; K/D: 0.64; K/G: 7.05; D/G: 11.10; A/G: 3.43; M/G: 9.10; Encounters/G: 22.21

Run and Gun Frontline Support. A really high melee kill percentage (24%) with almost nearly as high of an AR kill percentage (23%) imply a Halo 1 style of play, charging into action and punching through the finish.  A low K/D ratio (0.64) is compounded by low Assists (3.43/game) and high Encounters (22.21/game).  DMR stats do show up in top five weapons (19 kills, 13%) along with Headshot! medals (13, 7%).

Best suited: Medium to long range slayer, providing kill and assist support to team mates.

Recommend: Suggest changing play style to Ranged.  Learn how the Magnum works in Halo Reach.  It is very similar to the Magnum from Halo 1 and is an extremely effective weapon in the new game.  Also consider getting better with the DMR and hanging further back from the action.  Improving accuracy and headshot skills, while staying out of direct fire will really boost the K/D ratio.

HR: Player Profiles - TimMAY 1023

Player: TimMAY 1023

• Rank: Corporal
• Games: 21; Kills: 108; Deaths: 187; Assists: 82; Time: 0:02:50; Wins: 8; Medals: 168
• Win %: 38%; K/D: 0.58; K/G: 5.14; D/G: 8.90; A/G: 3.90; M/G: 8.00; Encounters/G: 18.53

Ranged Precision Slayer, Sniper Specialist. Though not obvious from the Reach stats due to low game count, TimMAY 1023 is the only player in the clan with an affinity for sniping.  Interesting stats include highest kill percentage with the Needle Rifle (11%), lowest Death/Game ratio (8.90) and second lowest Encounters/Game ratio (18.53) all point to a play style hanging really far back from the action.

Best suited: Long range slayer, controlling sniper weapons and calling out enemy locations.

Recommend: Continuing to refine sniping skills, learning spots on maps to move around to, learning common terms for map geography to direct team mates.

HR: Player Profiles - Beer4Porter

Player: Beer4Porter

• Rank: Corporal
• Games: 28; Kills: 109; Deaths: 324; Assists: 82; Time: 0:03:57; Wins: 4; Medals: 159
• Win %: 14%; K/D: 0.34; K/G: 3.89; D/G: 11.57; A/G: 2.93; M/G: 5.68; Encounters/G: 18.73

Bombadier Frontline Support: Beer4Porter is the only player in the clan where only two weapons contribute to over 50% of his overall kills (frag grenade 36%, AR 27%).  This points to a strong propensity to hang back from the action, lobbing frags and spraying from afar.  Although he earned the most Assist medals compared to other medals (51%), his actual assist numbers are relatively low (2.93 per game).  Relatively low Encounters/Game stat is consistent with a Bombadier type and helps to balance a low K/D ratio.

Best suited: Short to medium range slayer, providing tactical and objective support for the team.

Recommend: Although slaying may not be Beer4Porter's strength, he is by far the best team mate for fireteam spawning.  Really excels at following a fireteam leader and backing out to allow respawns.  Consider learning how to gain objectives better as well, would be another way to really help the team.  i.e., grabbing flags, learning efficient carry paths home, where to bring the skull so that it can be defended, etc.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo 3.

Per popular vote, we'll be playing Halo 3 multiplayer moving forward.  Please use your Halo 3: ODST multiplayer disc or make sure you have purchased all the DLC maps if you don't have ODST.

HR: Player Profiles - Octurian Poon

Player: Octurian Poon

• Rank: Corporal Grade 1
• Games: 48; Kills: 444; Deaths: 534; Assists: 219; Time: 0:07:09; Wins: 25; Medals: 559
• Win %: 52%; K/D: 0.83; K/G: 9.25; D/G: 11.13; A/G: 4.56; M/G: 11.65; Encounters/G: 25.77

Bombadier Frontline Support, Needler Specialist. As opposed to Run and Gun types, Octurian Poon is a Bombadier using AR and frag grenades the most, which points to a propensity to hang further back in battle without relying so much on melee.  Seeks out the Needler, when available.  Has high overall Assist stats, as well as leading the clan in several stat categories for Invasion.

Best suited: Short to medium slayer, providing assists and kill support to team mates on the front lines.

Recommend: Consider learning to use the Needle Rifle.  Although it doesn't track targets like the Needler, it has both automatic fire and combine kill features which will allow for a transition period from the Needler.  Additionally, it has DMR characteristics like being headshot-capable, having extended range, and being able to zoom in.  For Bombadier types that like to hang back a little bit, the Needle Rifle may be a better tool.

HR: Player Profiles - BeerMonkeee

Player: BeerMonkeee

• Rank: Sergeant Grade 1
• Games: 63; Kills: 589; Deaths: 630; Assists: 278; Time: 0:09:10; Wins: 35; Medals: 840
• Win %: 56%; K/D: 0.93; K/G: 9.35; D/G: 10.00; A/G: 4.41; M/G: 13.33; Encounters/G: 24.70

Run and Gun Frontline Leader, Needler Specialist. With vehicles being nerfed in the Beta, BeerMonkeee was much more hands-on than in past Halo games, most notably leading the entire clan in overall win percentage (56%).  Seeks out the Needler and Rocket Launcher, when available, but most comfortable with the Run and Gun standard AR and melee combo.  A high K/D ratio and high Assist stat makes BeerMonkeee an ideal Frontline Leader.

Best suited: Short range slayer, leading teams into firefights on the front line.  Good for supporting rushes to grab Rocket Launcher and can hold the power weapon if the primary user doesn't make it.

Recommend: Consider using frag grenades more often.  BeerMonkeee has an overall frag grenade kill stat of 67 (11% of total kills).  The average range for the clan is 6-23%, so 11% is on the low side.  Even if melee is changed to be more effective in the production release, lobbing more grenades ahead of firefights will increase the effectiveness of the AR/melee combo, and will increase the K/D ratio.

HR: Player Profiles - Mean Mrs Monkey

Player: Mean Mrs Monkey

• Rank: Corporal Grade 1
• Games: 63; Kills: 207; Deaths: 627; Assists: 142; Time: 0:08:50; Wins: 25; Medals: 347
• Win %: 40%; K/D: 0.33; K/G: 3.29; D/G: 9.95; A/G: 2.25; M/G: 5.51; Encounters/G: 15.82

Run and Gun Frontline Support, Objective Specialist. Though relatively new to the Halo universe, Mean Mrs Monkey had an impressive showing in the highly competitive ranked playlist with a clan high win percentage and clan low deaths/game in Arena.  She also notably has the highest overall melee percentage, and the most flag kills in the clan.  Usually sticks to the Run and Gun prototype of AR and melee.

Best suited: Short to medium slayer, providing kill support while avoiding fire and prioritizing the objective.  Mean Mrs Monkey excels at all objective games and does well with fireteam slayer support around.

Recommend: Continue to stay out of the middle of firefights.  A low K/D ratio is balanced by the lowest Encounters*/Game (15.82) in the clan.  This is perfect as Mean Mrs Monkey specializes in grabbing objectives, so staying alive and out of the line of fire is ideal.


* Encounters: Total sum of Kills, Assists and Deaths.  Is a strong indicator of how often a player is engaged in firefights in each game.  As a general rule, players with high K/D ratios (near or over 1.0) help the team the most with correspondingly high E/G stats.  Conversely, players with low K/D ratios (0.70 or below) can hurt the team more with high E/G stats, but can minimize the effect by lowering the E/G number and helping the team in other ways (like working on objectives).

Bye Bye Beta

Bungie's short montage of the Beta.  Good, Bad-ass and Ugly.  Some really neat clips in the Bad-ass and Ugly sections.  :)

HR: Player Profiles - MEAN MR MONKEY

Player: MEAN MR MONKEY

• Rank: Sergeant Grade 1
• Games: 77; Kills: 723; Deaths: 818; Assists: 289; Time: 0:10:56; Wins: 31; Medals: 955
• Win %: 40%; K/D: 0.88; K/G: 9.39; D/G: 10.62; A/G: 3.75; M/G: 12.40; Encounters/G: 24.65

Run and Gun Frontline Support, Launcher Specialist.  One of only two clan players not to lead a single stat category, MEAN MR MONKEY falls within the average standard deviation range across the board.  Seeks out the Rocket Launcher and Plasma Launcher, when available, but uses the default AR and melee the most often.  Has a high enough K/D ratio that he could probably be a Frontline Leader, but has relatively low Assist numbers, so may not pair as well with Ranged support.

Best suited: Short to medium range slayer, ideally suited for rushing power weapons with a Frontline Leader - MEAN MR MONKEY has demonstrated an ability to use power weapons effectively and can control them for the team with close fireteam support.

Recommend: Consider using frag grenades more often.  MEAN MR MONKEY has an overall frag grenade kill stat of 82 (11% of total kills).  The average range for the clan is 6-23%, so 11% is on the low side.  Even if melee is changed to be more effective in the production release, lobbing more grenades ahead of firefights will increase the effectiveness of the AR/melee combo, and will increase the K/D ratio.

HR: Player Profiles - OmniscientDeath

Player: OmniscientDeath

• Rank: Warrant Officer
• Games: 113; Kills: 1042; Deaths: 1088; Assists: 481; Time: 0:16:17; Wins: 61; Medals: 1373
• Win %: 54%; K/D: 0.96; K/G: 9.22; D/G: 9.63; A/G: 4.26; M/G: 12.15; Encounters/G: 24.06

Run and Gun Frontline Leader.  Logged the most Invasion games in the Beta and leads as many stat categories as FishBone10.  Is most comfortable with the AR and Melee, with a healthy amount of frag grenades thrown in for good measure.  Is the best Warthog Gunner in the clan, but is not reflected as much in the Beta stats because of how vehicles have been nerfed.  A respectable K/D ratio and high Assists stats shows that OmniscientDeath is able to hold his own on the frontlines.

Best suited: Short range slayer, leading fireteams into the front.  Well paired with a Bombadier type that allows fireteam respawn close to  battle, or with Ranged support to clean up kills.

Recommend: Consider using frag grenades more often.  OmniscientDeath has an overall frag grenade kill stat of 113 (11% of total kills).  The average range for the clan is 6-23%, so 11% is on the low side.  The melee system is expected to change for production, so AR to melee may become more effective than it was in the Beta.  Even if it does change though, lobbing more grenades ahead of firefights will increase the effectiveness of the AR/melee combo, and will increase the K/D ratio.

HR: Player Profiles - FishBone10

Player: FishBone10

• Rank: Warrant Officer; Arena Season 1: Silver
• Games: 115; Kills: 1162; Deaths: 1066; Assists: 445; Time: 0:16:53; Wins: 62; Medals: 1513
• Win %: 54%; K/D: 1.09; K/G: 10.10; D/G: 9.27; A/G: 3.87; M/G: 13.16; Encounters/G: 24.33

Ranged Precision Slayer. Having logged the most Arena games in the Beta, FishBone10 leads the clan in an appropriate amount of stat categories.  Seeks out the DMR when available, is also comfortable at shorter range with the AR or melee.  Has notably high Win %, K/D ratio, Kills/Game and low Deaths/Game ratios.  Comparatively low Assists/Game numbers indicate a propensity to get headshots at range.

Best suited: Medium range slayer, providing kill support with an ability to join in on the front line.

Recommend: More practice with the Magnum, the most versatile weapon in the game.  Capable of the exact same shots/kill as the DMR with faster firing speed and easier close quarter kills.

HR: Player Profiles

I've gone through and spent some time analyzing the clan's stats from the Beta and have some interesting data to share.  Our clan falls out into a few basic groups of players.  I'll post one profile a day until I've got everybody's up.  If you want yours early, comment here and I'll prioritize.  You'll see "types" of players from these defintions:

• Style
• Ranged: Prefers medium to long range weapons, excels at headshots.  These players use weapons like the DMR, Needle Rifle and Magnum most often.  Can operate effectively alone, but is most effective supporting teammates that are up close in battle.
• Run and Gun: Prefers short range encounters, tends to jump straight into battle.  These players  use the AR and melee most often.  They put most of their rounds into the body area and have higher assist numbers, generally most effective when operating in groups of 2 or more.
• Bombadier: Prefers short to medium range encounters, tends be more cautious during battle and may pull out to avoid fire or allow shields to recharge.  These players use the AR and frag grenade most often.  Typically do well when supported by Run and Gun types.
• Role
• Precision Slayer: All "Ranged" style players are classified as Precision Slayer.  This means they are skilled at getting precision headshots and cleaning up kills at range.
• Frontline Leader: This is seasoned player that thrives on the frontlines.  They can hold their own and get kills without support, but are best utilized when leading fireteams into the fray.
• Frontline Support: This is a player that enjoys being in the firefight, but would benefit from being able to drop out of the fight on occasion to recharge.  Best suited for following a "Frontline Leader" player and providing support fire.
• Specialist
• Some players gravitate towards power weapons or other specialty roles.  I will point this out when appropriate.

As an example, here is my profile to start things off:

Player: gtdroptop

• Rank: Warrant Officer Grade 2; Arena Season 1: Silver
• Games: 168; Kills: 1796; Deaths: 1647; Assists: 666; Time: 1:00:18; Wins: 83; Medals: 2398
• Win %: 49%; K/D: 1.09; K/G: 10.69; D/G: 9.80; A/G: 3.96; M/G: 14.27; Encounters/G: 25.55

Ranged Precision Slayer, Hammer Specialist. Having logged the most games in the Beta, gtdroptop leads the clan in more stat categories than anyone else.  Seeks out the DMR and Gravity Hammer, when available, is also comfortable with similar precision weapons like the Magnum or Needle Rifle.  Has the highest Kill/Death ratio in the Beta, also notably has high Kills/Game and Medals/Game ratios.  Comparatively low Assists/Game numbers indicate a propensity to get headshots at range.

Best suited: Medium to long range slayer, providing precision kill support to team mates on the front lines.

No clan night this week.

Local conflict for several of us.

Halo: Reach Launches September 14

Bungie has formally announced that Reach will launch on September 14.  People picking up their copy on launch day will receive a free code to unlock Recon.  Expect me to pick it up at launch and play through the campaign immediately.

The Next Five Months

While it was fun, the Halo Reach multiplayer beta is officially over.  The full game doesn't come out until "this fall" which is likely five or more months away.  I just posted a poll at the top of the page where you can voice your opinion about what we play next.  Here are the descriptions:

• Halo 3: This is an older game, but keeps people in the mindset.  Plus, it's free.
• L4D1: We could revisit this since people had so much fun with the original.  Or add the new DLC which links the two games in campaign, plus adds new maps and MP modes.  L4D1 is free since most people have it, the DLC is relatively cheap.
• L4D2: We could go back to this, but it had gotten somewhat stale.  There is DLC that links it back to the first plus new maps and modes.  The DLC is the same price for either game, but is different for each game.
• Rainbow Six Vegas 2: We skipped this because it's release date was too close to Halo 3, even though we really enjoyed the first one. It's really cheap now, and could be a nice distraction for the summer.  But the MP community is probably really small now.
• Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: Still one of the most played games on XBL and some of the clan already has it.  Still pretty pricey, and would be a really crappy learning curve at this point since most of the community is much better at this point.
• Battlefield Bad Company 2: One of the newer games out there so it's still pricey, but has good XBL community support and everybody would be starting on the same playing field.  This is another shooter, and is the #3 top game on Gamespot right now.
• Red Dead Redemption: Extremely new, from the makers of Grand Theft Auto 4 (and similar in game type).  This is a sandbox world kind of game, but has GTA4-style multiplayer...is the #1 top rated game on Gamespot right now.
• 2010 FIFA World Cup: A popular game on XBL right now, this is EA's latest FIFA soccer game.  Like all their other sports games, it now supports much more extensive multiplayer with 4 player co-op, or what appears to be 4v4 multiplayer versus mode.  If folks want an alternative to the FPS staple.
• Other: If you have another game to suggest, please leave a comment here.

Clan night starts at 9pm tonight.

Because I'm sure nobody will read the comments.  OD will be on after 9pm to host games and suggests that you take the first hour to warm up.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo Reach Beta.

I'm on a flight from Tokyo to SFO.  OmniscientDeath will be hosting games.

HR Maps - Powerhouse

Powerhouse is an asymmetrical outdoor map that shows up in all the 4v4 and FFA gametypes.  It hosts Slayer, CTF, Stockpile, Oddball, Headhunter, Crazy King, and Territories.  It has several power weapons, so controlling those will tend to tilt the board in your favor.  These are the things you should know (click for huge):

1. Gravity Hammer - This is on the floor in this little room.  It is the closest power weapon from spawn, and the first that teams go for.  The fastest way there is to loadout with Scout and sprint the whole way.  It helps to have one person for backup, expect company.
2. Grenade Launcher (Pro Pipe) - This is on the floor against the farthest left wall of the downstairs shower.  It is rarely claimed, so cruise by later in the match to grab it for great effect.
3. Rocket Launcher - This is the most popular power weapon on the map, and most teams will send several people to claim it.  Since it only holds 4 rockets, it is spent quickly and will continually respawn, so check back often.  It is leaning against the wall in the water spillway.  The fastest way to get there and back is via jetpack.
4. Focus Rifle (Laser Gun) - Because this map is pretty spread out and has decent sightlines, the Focus Rifle can be used pretty well, even if as supporting fire.  It is on the ground near the stairs.  This should be prioritized below the Hammer and Rockets because a team of two can take down the shooter pretty easily if the other team grabs it.  This pairs well with jetpack on this map as the shooter can hover up high and provide covering fire.

HR Maps - Boneyard

I get on a plane to Japan in 12 hours which means, sadly, that I've likely logged my last game of the Halo Reach Beta.  Hopefully they extend it so that I can get my Warrant Officer Grade 3 stripes and my shiny new helmet.  I leave you with some tidbits.

[Updated 12/6/10: This is no longer true in the production release.] After Phase 1, several weapons caches become available.  Directly to either side of the first pair of generators are Covenant weapon caches.  Each one holds a Plasma Launcher (n00b tube) and Focus Rifle (laser gun).  These pictures show the caches along with paths from each generator.  Click for huge.

Though good teams will both fight for these caches, Spartans get their own weapons cache as well.  The UNSC weapons cache is located above the indoor generator in Phase 2.  It holds two of each: Rocket Launcher, Sniper Rifle, Spartan Laser.  This cache will continually respawn more goodies as long as the game runs, so visit it often.  Click for huge.

Reach Beta - Overlook Strategies

This gametype actually isn't all that deep, but it is challenging because it's 3v3 with 3 generators to defend.  At the beginning there are random weapon drops that fall from the sky with power weapons.  Rocket Launcher, Sniper Rifle and Spartan Laser are all available.  You will want to grab these because all of them can do massive damage to the generators.

Spartans

• Keep the generators locked down!  They only need to cool off for a couple seconds between lock downs, so keep them locked down.  Even if they're not being immediately attacked, they are vulnerable to quick ranged damage from rockets or laser if left unattended.
• Because there are only 3 Spartans to defend 3 generators, one Spartan should sprint off to each generator and lock it down.  The Spartan on B can then head over to A to help hold that one, as its the harder of the two outdoor ones.  Once A or C falls, one Spartan should stay near each one, with a runner between the two.  Once B is the last one left, everyone should fall back indoors.  Though the generator can take damage from outside, most players don't know that yet.  Also, staying indoors helps keep the generator locked down as much as possible.
• Watch out for friendly fire!  The generators CAN take damage from friendly fire.  Be careful of lobbing grenades at Elites near generators.

Elites

• Grab the power weapons!  Because the generators are vulnerable from range, you can do massive damage without risk if you're holding any of the power weapons.
• Grenade and melee!  These have the highest ROI of damage to the generators.  Some Elite loadouts give you 3 grenades, take advantage.
• Divide and conquer!  The Spartans can't be in two places at once, so if you see one generator lock down, that means another is likely vulnerable.

HR: Maps - Overlook

Overlook is the map that Network Test 1 (a.k.a. Generator Defense) is played on, the playlist that went live yesterday morning.  It is a medium sized, asymmetrical, outdoor map that pits Spartans against Elites.   Click for huge:

These are the locations you should be aware of:

1. Spartan Spawn - This is where the Spartans start.  There are a couple points to choose from, but they're all basically around this base.
2. Elite Spawn - This is where the Elites start.  Again, there are a couple points to choose from, but they're all basically below the river in this picture.  From the Elite spawn point, both Generators A and C are visible and hittable with ranged weapons.  Generator B can be hit from a perch on the hillside on the bottom right of this picture, reachable by jetpack from the spawn.
3. Generator A: This is the hardest one to get to from Spartan Spawn and generally the one that falls first.  It should still be defended to tick time off the clock.
4. Generator B: This is actually inside the Spartan base so is usually the last to fall.  Note that it can be hit from outside the base though, so Spartans will want to keep it continually locked down.
5. Generator C: This is easily accessible by Spartans from a number of paths and has a chaingun mounted nearby.

Generator Defense is Live!

The 3v3 Generator Defense playlist (a.k.a. Network Test 1) went live at about 11:30am PT today.  I won't be on until around 10pm tonight.

Reach Beta - Generator Defense goes live today

The last playlist and associated map goes live today.  Generator Defense is a 3v3 asymmetrical Spartans vs Elites game type played on Overlook.  Beta friends and family went live at 10am, the Beta went public around 10:30am, and Invasion went live about 11am.  I would expect a similar schedule again.

Role Model Slayer

Some recent games:

• Arena Slayer on Sword Base: Best in game, 19 kills, +12 K/D, 1690 rating, 28 medals, DMR and Sniper
• Arena Slayer on Sword Base: Best in game, 18 kills, +7 K/D, 1635 rating, 21 medals, Sword and Magnum
• SvE Slayer on Sword Base: Best in game, 18 kills, +11 K/D, 29 medals, 4/4 "Most Killed By", Sword, Nerfle and n00b Tube

It's about leading by example.

Reach Beta - Title Update

Bungie has released its first patch of bug fixes.  No download needed, you'll automatically get these with your next game:

• Spartans vs Elites slayer gametype added to Grab Bag playlist
• DMR removed from Spartan loadouts in Invasion Phase 1
• CTF return radius increased
• Headhunter skull pickup radius increased
• Bug fixed in Stockpile which allowed players to pick teammates' flags to get credit for points

Reach Beta - More Subtleties

An extensive breakdown of some of the subtleties in Reach has been posted on bungie.net.  Here's the newest tidbits:

• Field of vision is wider than H3, may consider increasing look sensitivity by 1 to compensate
• Gravity is stronger in Reach, so jumps are less "floaty"
• As posted here, bullets are "instant hit" now, but bullet contrails may look funny and not represent actual shot
• Crouching slightly improves accuracy
• Crouching reduces fall damage
• Melee will take down shields completely, but will NOT break through shields.  This is a pretty big difference and may be manifesting in many frustrating ways.  But if you charge in with AR and punch, the other guy will not die if he had *ANY* shields left (even 1%) before the melee.  You can compensate in the Reach Beta by punching twice quickly (though the double punch is considered a Beta bug and may go away in production.)
• [Update] Needle rifle is not "instant-hit" like the DMR.  3 needles to an unshielded body will combine kill, as will 1 head-shot.
• Needle rifle has automatic fire capability by holding down the trigger.  Recommended to use it in 3-shot bursts or single-shot mode for accuracy though.
  

HR: Covenant Weapons - Plasma Grenade (Type-1)

Basic description: a.k.a, "stickies" or "blue spiders." Usually one at a time unless launched from Plasma Launcher. Bounces off of walls and ceilings, but will stick to people, vehicles and floors. Causes EMP damage like frag grenades. Loadouts vary from 1 to 3, usually can carry 2 max. Nearly dentical in function to previous games.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Does significantly more damage than in previous games. Stickiness is slightly increased in the beta. Can be "unstuck" with Armor Lock.

Restrictions: Seems to take more to kill Warthogs in Reach.

Uses:Any range, stickies are instant kills as is nearby splash damage. Generally takes more than one to kill a vehicle, even Warthogs. Is a still one-shot kill when boarding tanks. Pairs well with jet pack and evade.

Best for: New players to spam congested areas, flushing out corners, Covie Slayer gametype, killing vehicles.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Needler (Type-33)

Basic description: Fully automatic, ~20 needles per magazine, ~80 max capacity.  Medium accuracy, projectiles track targets slightly, can "combine kill" by filling a target with needles until they explode.  Takes slightly less than a full magazine to combine kill.  Very similar in function to previous games, can only be single-wielded. Available as a primary weapon loadout option for Elites in Invasion gametypes.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Magazine and capacity sizes haven't been verified yet, can not be dual wielded.  "Leading" reticle.

Restrictions: Moving quickly will tend to break target lock and projectile tracking.  Does not appear to suffer from much (if any) reticle bloom, but needles to not lock as tightly as in previous games.  New "leading" reticle is available to direct where to shoot at moving targets.  Following the "leading" reticle makes this weapon *significantly* more accurate.

Uses: Short to medium range, does best in tight corridors or against slow moving jet pack players.  Pairs well with active camo.

Best for: New players who don't need to worry about accuracy, or players who like to run and gun.  Also good for sneaking into places up to medium range and finishing the kill without need for up close encounters (like Sword or Shotgun).  Good as front line support with Needle Rifle fire behind.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Gravity Hammer (Type-2)

Basic description: Hand held melee weapon, is the Brute equivalent of the Elite energy sword. Is a one-strike kill, either directly or very nearby splash damage. Splash damage also pushes other players away from the radius. Melee effect is not as effective. Holds enough charge for about 10 kills. No reticle bloom. Similar in function to previous games.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: None known.

Restrictions: Is very large and obvious when carried as primary or secondary weapon, expect to draw enemy fire. Very short range, does little to no damage outside of splash damage radius.  Can not pick up ammo on the field.

Uses: Very short range. Instant kill. Good for closer quarters combat, protecting or gaining objectives. Pairs extremely well with sprint.

Best for: Fast reflex players, protecting objectives, or clearing rooms.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Plasma Pistol (Type-25)

Basic description: a.k.a., "green gun." Very fast single shot rate of fire, medium accuracy, does not require reloading. Can be "overcharged" by holding down the trigger. Overcharges immediately drain infantry shields, stop vehicles for about 2 seconds, and may stall jet packs (haven't tried this yet). Must vent and cool down after overcharge is fired. Can switch weapons to undo overcharge. Very similar in function to previous games. Haven't tested reticle bloom. Overcharge shots have slight tracking ability. Is typically the secondary weapon for Elite loadouts.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: May stall jetpacks (unverified).

Restrictions: Single shots are basically useless and do next to no damage. Overcharges take time and may drain energy while held.  Can not pick up ammo on the field.  Holding overcharge will continually drain the battery.  Switch weapons to undo.

Uses: Short to medium range. Almost impossible to get kills by itself, but works very well with any precision weapon (Magnum, DMR, Needle Rifle) for headshots with one-two kill. Very good against vehicles. Pairs well with armor lock when going after vehicles.

Best for: Players pairing with precision weapons, or as part of two-man fireteam combo.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Focus Rifle (Type-52)

Basic description: Fully automatic, scoped, continuous fire, sniper weapon.  Appears to be the replacement for the Convenant Beam Rifle, and is the counterpart to the human sniper rifle, but functions very differently.  Unknown capacity, but can overheat if continuously fired for too long.  Trigger can be held to produce a continuous beam of destruction, most effective against infantry, similar but much more powerful than the Sentinel Beam in previous games.  Unknown if headshots are effective.  Considered a power weapon and can kill in ~1.5 seconds of continuous fire.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Brand new for Reach.

Restrictions: Continuous beam makes tracking back to yourself extremely easy.  Targets that can find cover quickly are hard to kill because there is no "instant kill" headshot ability.  Does not appear to be affected by reticle bloom, but will unscope if shot at.

Uses: Medium to long range, but is more effective and usable at short range than human sniper rifle.  Pairs well with jet pack to reach sniper perches or gain temporary height.

Best for: Snipers or long range support with team shooting.  Good for pinning targets down behind cover while teammates flank for kills.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Plasma Repeater (Type-51)

Basic description: Fully automatic, medium accuracy, infantry suppression weapon.  Covenant equivalent of the Assault Rifle.  Never needs to be reloaded.  Shoots plasma energy instead of bullets, so is more effective at dropping shields than doing health damage.  Fires faster and longer than Plasma Rifle from previous games, but is approximately the equivalent of dual wielding Plasma Rifles.  Generally available as a primary weapon loadout option for Elites in all gametypes.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Brand new for Reach.  Weapon will never fully overheat, will just slow down its rate of fire.  Hit reload button to "vent" and regain full firing speed.

Restrictions: Loses effectiveness at range.  Can not pick up ammo on the field.  Continuous fire will slow down firing rate, requiring a vent cycle.  Recommend firing in bursts.

Uses: Short to medium range.  Good for rushing in and dropping shields, causes good havoc in firefights.

Best for: AR players and those that like to run and gun.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Energy Sword (Type-1)

Basic description: Single action, no reload time, locks on at short range, instant kill. Can be swung using "attack" or "melee" buttons with slightly different actions, melee is much faster but does not lock. Enough charge for about 10 enemies. Appears during Elite assassination animations even if not equipped. No reticle bloom. Available as an Elite loadout in Invasion phase 3. Very similar in function to previous energy swords.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Can be blocked by  melee. Weapon switch time is slow, so harder to switch at the last second. Goes invisible with the player using active camo.

Restrictions: Weapon switch time is slower than before. Extremely short range, does 0 damage when outside of range.  A player that melees at the exact right moment can actually block a Sword attack with his arm, stopping the kill.  Can not pick up ammo on the field.

Uses: Extremely short range. Instant kill. Good for tight spaces, defending objectives. Pairs very well with active camo, sprint, armor lock.

Best for: Players who like to be in the thick of the action, or those that like to camp objectives.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Plasma Turret (Class-2)

Basic description: Mounted on the Wraith, requires a separate gunner, fully automatic, unlimited ammunition.  No reticle bloom.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Wraith turret can overheat if fired continuously.  Overheats have not been noticed on the Ghost or Banshee plasma cannons yet.

Restrictions: Overheating will result in weapon being temporarily inoperable.  Wraith has a blind spot all the way around in close quarters.

Uses: Medium range, best for infantry suppression to prevent boarding.

Best for: Players who can communicate well with their driver to call out targets.  The plasma cannon does not kill targets easily, but can greatly weaken them so that targets can be killed with splash damage instead of direct hits.

Clan night tonight. 8pm PT. Halo Reach Beta.

Last week I'll be able to host Halo Reach clan nights until this fall, unless they extend the Beta.  I'll be in Japan next week during clan night.

HR: Covenant Weapons - Needle Rifle (Type-31)

Basic description: a.k.a., "nerfle" Fully-automatic, scoped, 16 round magazine, unknown max capacity, very accurate.  Will continually fire if the trigger is held, but most people use it in single-shot mode for accuracy.  Covenant equivalent of the UNSC DMR.  Takes 6 shots to drop shields and one more headshot to kill.  Needles do not track targets, but three needles to an unshielded body can explode to cause a "combine kill" like the needler.  Usually available as a primary weapon loadout option for Elites.

NEW FOR HALO REACH: Brand new for Reach.  Nerfle rounds are *not* "instant-hit" like the DMR and will have some latency effects.

Restrictions: Takes more body shots to drop shields than DMR.  Suffers from significant reticle bloom, so shots much be spaced out for accuracy.  Somewhat less accurate than the DMR, but has faster sustained rate of fire.

Uses: Medium to long range.  Good for anti-sniper and picking jet packs off.  Combine kill rewards "team shooting" more than the DMR, allowing teams to get fast kills without headshots.

Best for: Covenant Carbine or BR players from Halo 3.  Players that prefer to hang back slightly from the thick of battle and pick off headshots to finish kills.