10
Jul
2009
Unit Veteran Stars & Spartans
If your not aware of the ‘Veteran’ system on Halo Wars, this is a quick guide to introduce you to what it’s all about. In the campaign you’ll see some 5 star units, notably ODST units. In multi-player the maximum is three stars.
You’ve no doubt gone through a game and started to see a star or 2 above the units which are doing well in your battles. This is a Veteran star, and each of them increases the defense and attack performance of the unit.
Defense & Attack increase per Veteran star (%)
1 star=15%*
2 stars=45%*
3 stars=95%*
So 1 3 star unit almost delivers the same damage and has the same ‘health’ or prevention of damage as 2 standard equivalent units.
Unit ‘combat ranking’:
You’ll also see with most units when they are selected, a small shield with a number in it. This displays their upgrade and veterancy ranking. It will start at ’1′, and as you upgrade the unit with research, that number will increase. The higher that number the better the unit, as it gets each Veteran star it will gain an additional combat rank.
Both veteran stars and the unit ranking contribute to the overall number you see in the shield (upgrade level + veterancy = unit rank)
Spartan stars:
You’ll notice immediately when you place a Spartan in a vehicle, or ‘jack’ an enemy’s, that there are stars next to the Spartan symbol on the unit. This is the Spartan’s own individual ranking combined with the unit’s. Spartans can get 1, 2 or 3 stars just like other units, and when jacked are added to the jacked vehicle’s veteran and upgrade ranking.
See below how each star adds up to the overall ranking of the unit.
For example:
- Unit: Spartan (1) + Chain gun (1) + Implant (1) + Spartan laser (1) +
- Veteran: Spartan 1st Veteran star (1) + Spartan 2nd Veteran star (1) + Spartan 3rd Veteran star (1)
- Unit: Cobra (1) + Deflection plating upgrade (1) + Piercing shot upgrade (1) +
- Veteran: Cobra’s 1st veteran star (1) + Cobra’s 2nd veteran star (1) + Cobra’s 3rd veteran star (1)
= 13 stars (maximum for a Cobra)
Each star a Spartan gains gives an additional 15% damage and attack.
If you have a ‘super unit’ such as a Hawk or Grizzly, you can get up to 14 stars, as each of these units has a 3rd upgrade (turning the Hornet in to a Hawk, and Scorpion in to Grizzly, thus adding an extra star).
This is why if the vehicle your Spartans in gets destroyed, and that Spartan gets in another vehicle; it won’t have as many stars; as that vehicle has to work towards its own Veteran stars which will in turn add stars. It is also why you can get a 15 star Wraith, as they have 1 additional (4) unit upgrade, rather than the 3 you get with the UNSC Hawk and Grizzly.
*information from Halo Wars rep. Note: Some of this information has neither been confirmed or denied by Robot or Ensemble to my knowledge, the theory though is justified.
[...] already written about what Veteran stars to do units in terms of their ability, but haven’t said much about how to get [...]
1 question, if a leader on the Covenant kills a building or unit using their leader powrs, will it still count towards their veterancy? because as the brute, i’ve vortexed so many hornets yet my stars seem to never increase