<Tr> <Th> Genre (s) </Th> <Td> Real - time strategy </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mode (s) </Th> <Td> Single - player, multiplayer </Td> </Tr> <P> Halo Wars 2 is a real - time strategy (RTS) video game developed by 343 Industries and Creative Assembly . It was published by Microsoft Studios and released in February 2017 on Windows and Xbox One . The game is set in the science fiction universe of the Halo franchise in 2559 . It is a sequel to Halo Wars (2009) and takes place shortly after the events of Halo 5: Guardians (2015). The story follows a human crew that is part of a military organization, the United Nations Space Command (UNSC). The crew's starship arrives at the Ark, a Forerunner installation responsible for constructing and remotely controlling the titular Halo rings . On the Ark, they encounter a mercenary alien faction known as the Banished, and a war ensues . </P> <P> In Halo Wars 2, players construct a base of operations, accumulate resources to deploy infantry and vehicle units, and command their armies from a bird's - eye view of the battlefield . The primary goal during a battle is typically to destroy an opponent's bases or to capture and control territories on the battlefield . Combat is balanced by a "rock--paper--scissors" counter-attack system, in which ground vehicles are effective in combat against infantry, infantry are effective against aircraft, and aircraft are effective against ground vehicles . The game supports online multiplayer for playing cooperatively or competitively with other players . </P>

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