14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer 343 Industries and the team at Spartan Games are announcing that they are creating a new board game called Halo: Ground Command, which is designed to allow fans to take part in the initial battles against the Covenant that took place on Reach during the initial invasion of the alien forces.
Gamers who have followed titles linked to the Master Chief powered franchise know that the planet will be destroyed in its entirety, but before that happens, armies will clash on its surface, with the UNSC using the most powerful forces that it has to test the might of their opponents.
The official site states, "From massive tank engagements at Szurdok Ridge to small groups of Spartans deployed in defense of New Alexandria, you are in control, making life-and-death decisions as a UNSC commander charged with the safety of this critical planet. Or take the role of an alien invader, leading the Covenant invasion force as a field marshal ordered to exterminate humanity, at any cost."
Spartan Games and 343 Industries believe that the title is a perfect fit for those who have enjoyed Halo: Fleet Battles and want a more hands-on battle experience that gives them the option to create innovative tactics and try out new ideas.
Ground Command aims for a massive scale experience
Neil Fawcett, one of the creators of Ground Command, explains that infantry, armor, and aerial vehicles can be fielded at the same time and that both balanced forces and overwhelming focus on one can deliver good results.
The 1:100 scale also allows Spartan Games to model the most iconic elements of the franchise, including Pelican dropships, Scarabs, Scorpions and more.
Inspiration for the tabletop experience was drawn from Halo: The Fall of Reach and other novels that show how the actions of normal soldiers inside the UNSC were just as important to keeping back the Covenant tide as the heroics of Master Chief and other Spartans.
Special forces can be used in Halo: Ground Command, and gamers will also be able to field Warthogs, Hunters, Ghosts, drop pods, Falcons, Phantoms, Wraiths and more, with hundreds of vehicles and thousands of infantry on the field at the same time.
A new Reaction mechanic means that players will be engaged with the video game even when their opponent is activating units, and the video game is still in the development process, with 343 Industries and Spartan Games aiming to launch it later in the year.
