How to Win at Halo Wars

Scout early and often to make sure you know what your enemy is planning and can react accordingly.

Remember to grab as many supply crates as possible at the start of the game.

You should always build the units that best counter your opponent's units. The best choice may not always be obvious; for example, groups of Hunters (infantry) will defeat Flamethrowers (anti-infantry) due to their impressive health stats and longer range. The only way to learn what unit is best in every situation is to practice.

Scarabs can be countered by Cobras, Scorpions, Banshees and Hunters (to name a few) and are easily surrounded by ODST's. Good players will also anticipate them being built. Outside low-level games, they are very difficult to use effectively.

As a UNSC player, your best early-game unit is the Warthog. They can be used to harass enemy bases, clear expansions/hooks and kill the un-upgraded Prophet. Flamethrowers are good against Covenant leaders. Towards the middle of the game you should shift towards Scorpions; as a general rule, once these are on the field, Warthogs are obsolete. Your vehicle depot contains your best units and vehicles should be the bulk of your late-game army.

Many newer Covenant users focus on their leader and do not build other units; this leaves you woefully unprepared for the mid-late game and usually leads to their defeat.

Remember to balance unit production, upgrades and your economy.