Halo Wars: Definitive Edition

Halo Wars: Definitive Edition

495 ratings
Halo Wars: Collectibles
By Psychedelic Adventurer
The definitive guide to finding all Skulls and Blackboxes. *Image heavy*

2
2
7
3
   
Award
Favorite
Favorited
Unfavorite
Intro











Hello everyone!
Welcome to another one of my my guides. Today, we'll be looking at how to attain all of the collectibes hidden through every mission in Halo Wars. Halo is possibly my favorite franchise of all time, so I'll try and make this guide reflect it as such.

The guide will tell you what things you need to collect, and where you can find them. Images will also be supplied to help you find it. Good luck!

You can follow me, and see the rest of my guides here:
http://steamproxy.net/id/StarSide/myworkshopfiles/?section=guides


Also, a call to those who don't want the Halo Wars trading cards. I will gladly take them off your hands. Here is another trade link:
https://steamproxy.net/tradeoffer/new/?partner=38602821&token=A3SrzMse
A guide to Trinkets
There are two types of collectibles hidden through the missions in Halo Wars.Each section of the guide will cover 1 mission, each of which carries 1 skull and 1 Black Box.

Skulls





A common occurence throughout the Halo games. All games (except Halo:CE, excluding Oddball) has had them buried somewhere, often outside or on the borders of levels. Halo wars is not different.
For each mission of the campaign, there will be an opitional objective a "kill requirement", if you will.
(e.g. "Kill 100 elites"). The guide will highlight what you need to do make the skull appear, and then once you have completed the objective, where the skull can be collected.


Skulls can be activated from the pause menu and each one has a unique effect on gameplay.



Black Boxes




A new addition. Just like the skull, there is 1 Black Box hidden in each mission of the campaign . The remaining Black Boxes can be unlocked by beating Skirmish Mode with each of the 6 leaders (Arbiter, Prophet, Cutter, Brute Chieftan, Forge, and Anders) and by winning a Skirmish match on each Skirmish map. Black Boxes unlock text in the Timeline
Mission 1: Alpha Base
Skull #1: Look Daddy
Description: When Grunts die, their methane tank always shoots off.
Requirement: Kill 100 Grunts



For the first challenge in the game, this is pretty hard. Finding a hundred Grunts to murder on this mission can be tricky on Normal difficulty and may be impossible on Easy difficulty, so you might have to bump it up to Heroic. Once you get to close to the base, rush forward to take out as many Grunts as possible before “the support” eliminates your chances.
Once you hit the required number, the skull will appear just outside the base.

Black Box #1: In the area before Alpha Base, check under the bridge to collect the box.

Mission 2: Relic Approach
Skull #2: Grunt Birthday Party
Description: Grunts explode into confetti.
Requirement: Kill 20 Jackal Snipers


These guys appear on pads on mountains, sniper towers and landing pads. Before advancing through the gate to the end of the level, search the remainder of the level for Jackals. There are plenty even on Easy. The Skull appears at Alpha base, by the entrance you took in the last level


Black Box #2: Northwest of your second base is an area blocked off by an energy shield. Destroy the power source with some infantry and both the crate and a good chunk of supplies are yours for the taking.

Mission 3: Relic Interior
Skull #3: Cowbell
Description: Destruction physics magnified.
Requirement: Kill 45 Hunters.


You'll need to play through most of the mission to reach your last Hunter, since the majority don't attack you until you're making your final escape up the ramp. To save time, leave a unit back at the relic (you know, the big glowing column thing where you found Forge and Anders). A skull will materialize right at the command console.


Black Box #3: Grab this one at the very beginning of the mission. Simply turn your Grizzly tanks around and head in the opposite direction of the objective arrow. You'll discover a separate pathway, winding to the northwest. At the very end, near a crashed Pelican, is the crate.

Mission 4: Arcadia City
Skull #4: Wuv Woo
Description: Scarabs shoot rainbow beams made of Pure Love.
Requirement: Kill 50 Elites.


In protecting the cargo ships, you should reach fifty Covenant Elites fairly easily. When you do, scroll over to the most eastern base (you can build three on this map) and find the wide staircase promenade below it. The skull is up those stairs, past the statue of a reading man and nestled amidst some lovely palm trees.


Black Box #4: Now scroll to your western most base. Directly north of it is column supporting a skyway. At the base of this column, on top of a few stairs, is the crate you seek.

Mission 5: Arcadia Outskirts
Skull #5: Fog
Description: No minimap.
Requirement: Kill 5 Wraith Tanks


In the northwest corner of the map is a super powerful Covenant tower and an optional location for a base. Past those, pushing further into the northwest corner, is a two-lane glass freeway that branches off the larger roads. At the very end of this is the skull. Take an air unit to collect it.


Black Box #5: In the middle of the map, almost halfway between your original base and the northern Covenant base is a power plant-like structure that you can take over for extra supply gathering. The crate is on the grass immediately to the west of this platform, near some ferns and an infantry cover spot.

Mission 6: Dome of Light
Skull #6: Sickness
Description: All player units have 50% fewer hitpoints.
Requirement: Kill 50 Banshees


This skull is stupid simple. Your units will destroy twenty Banshees without any help from you and, upon doing so, the glowing cranium will conveniently place itself in the open hangar behind your base.

Black Box #6: Wait until you place the third Rhino across the broken bridge using the "transport" power. Before leaving the area to concentrate on other tasks, check the western shadows for a short separate path. The crate is there.

Mission 7: Scarab
Skull #7: Rebel Sympathizer
Description: Non-player units get 25% more hitpoints.
Requirement: Kill 10 Locust


If you obliterate every power node, you'll probably obliterate the necessary number of Locust at the same time. The skull materializes right next to one of those power nodes, on a little peninsula near the middle of the map.

Black Box #7: At the very top of the map, and as far east from the Scarab as possible, is a small area surrounded by cliffs. Look for the bountiful gathering of shiny blue supplies and you'll find the crate too.

Mission 8: Anders's Signal
Skull #8: Rebel Supporter
Description: Non-player units do 50% more damage.
Requirement: Kill 750 Infection Forms


This one will take some patience, but little effort. Just make sure to build all four turrets at your base and enhance them with anti-infantry tech; with enough time, they should eliminate most of the 750 Flood on their own. The skull appears in the northern tip of the map, at the end of a precarious cliffside road.

Black Box #8: Hidden right under your nose! Directly south of the base, on a tree-ringed plateau, is the crate.

Mission 9: The Flood
Skull #9: Rebel Leader
Description: Non-player units start with extra veterancy.
Requirement: Kill 20 Flood Stalks


To collect this skull immediately, build a squadron of Hornets and fly around the map searching for the mushroom-like stalks. They're all over. When finished, return home and look just a bit northwest. The skull is next to the crashed Pelican... you'll need the Hornets or some other air unit to nab it.

Black Box #9: On the western side of the map, near one of the Flood structures you have to put down.

Mission 10: Shield World
Skull #10: Catch
Description: All player units recharge unit abilities in half the time.
Requirement: Kill 350 Swarms


Set up some turrets with anti-air tech and you'll reach 350 no problem. To find the skull, start at the base and follow the southeastern edge of the map. Past the first tractor beam generator is a Flood-infested area and the skull you desire.

Black Box #10: Hey, remember those squads you're supposed to be saving? Well, the middle one - Team Bravo - happens to be blocking the path to the black box. Rescue them and any unit can collect it... or fly a Hornet over, drop down for the crate and leave the entire lot to die.

Mission 11: Cleansing
Skull #11: Sugar Cookies
Description: All player units have 50% more hitpoints, final score will decrease.
Requirement: Destroy 100 Sentinels

To reach 100 Sentinels, construct as many turrets and Hornets as possible. Constantly check the sides of the ship, as the robots tend to congregate there. The skull will pop into existence at the front of the Spirit of Fire, floating in the air below the observation deck. You'll need a flying unit to get it.


Black Box #11: You'll need a Hornet for this one, too. It's resting on the northwestern flank of the ship, at the opposite end you found the skull. Note that by "flank," we mean the very edges of the Spirit of Fire... beyond the fences, where the ship slopes down.

Mission 12: Repairs
Skull #12: Boomstick
Description: 5% chance any non-player unit blows up upon death with explosive area of effect damage.
Requirement: Kill 12 Spirit Transports


Same strategy as the last mission. Build as many turrets and air units as possible to destroy the transports before they fly away. Also try upgrading your Marines to have the RPG ability. The skull materializes on the northeastern tip of the ship, right above the text reading "Spirit of Fire" and "Captain Cutter". You'll need an air unit to reach it.

Black Box #12: Like the last crate, this is on the outer edge of the ship (northern flank, southern tip), but tucked closer to the outer fences. Again, you'll need an air unit.

Mission 13: Beachhead
Skull #13: Pain Train
Description: All player units train 50% faster.
Requirement: Kill 10 Bomber Forms


Check dark corners of the map for Flood infestation and the bulbous blimps you need to annihilate. When you've killed ten, the skull will be waiting for you in the Flood-filled valley north of the mission's first teleporter.

Black Box #13: Head to the northeast edge of the map. Go to the middle of that edge. On a very high and flower-covered cliff is the crate. Pretty, ain't it? You can reach this vista with a ground unit, but as usual, an air unit's a lot easier and quicker.

Mission 14: Reactor
Skull #14: Bountiful Harvest
Description: Supplies come in 25% faster.
Requirement: Kill 20 Vampires


You'll destroy twenty Vampires just trying to stay alive in this mission. The skull appears at the top of the third ramp, behind the second Covenant base, and is surrounded by a half circle of purple crates.

Black Box #14: This crate is hidden south-west of the first Covenant base and the possible location of your second UNSC base. It's in a raised grass rectangle, bordered by metal, and you'll need an air unit to get there.


Mission 15: Escape
Skull #15: Emperor
Description: All player powers recharge in half the time.
Requirement: Kill 3 Scarabs


Possibly the trickiest skull to collect. The Scarabs tend to wander around the center of the blue ring, but they're difficult to destroy and the mission is timed. We recommend building a Field Armory and researching enhanced versions of the MAC Cannon. That way, you can destroy each Scarab with three or four instantaneous blasts from the sky. The skull is in the northern (slightly northeastern) area of the map, amidst a large infestation of Flood.

Black Box #15: Compared to the skull, this is a piece of cake. Just take a Warthog from your original base, drive north across the blue ring structure and you'll see the crate in a very obvious location.

Conclusion
Well, there you it. Hopefully you have all the Skulls and Black Boxes which can be found throughout the campaign. If you've missed any, don't worry, you can replay all the missions as many times as you want.

Now you're done with the collectibles, jump back in on a higher difficulty, or play the fantastic multiplayer. Get going Spartans!!

Link to my other Collectible guides can be found here:
http://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=809004114 http://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=384513814


If any pictures or locations are are not correct, or uploaded in the wrong place, please tell me down below in the comments.
[Optional] Donate!
If this guide helped you out, and you would like to say thanks,throw something my way.
Of course this is not necessary however; It just gives me a little more insentive to write and edit more in the future!

https://steamproxy.net/tradeoffer/new/?partner=38602821&token=A3SrzMse
23 Comments
HelloHalo 13 Apr, 2023 @ 1:02pm 
good guide
💖 Officer Hotpants 💖 24 Nov, 2022 @ 2:53pm 
Very helpful. I wasn't entirely looking forward to spending a week puzzling some of the black boxes out again like I did back in the day. Thank you.

Now to try to recall how to unlock all the rest of the timeline entries...
Tagadhur 10 Apr, 2022 @ 2:47pm 
ok, so, game's buggy but i got what i wanted from this, thanks for making this!
Tagadhur 10 Apr, 2022 @ 1:32pm 
ok so issue, all ten dont spawn on 7... only 8
Tagadhur 10 Apr, 2022 @ 1:17pm 
wait how did you rotate your screen for number 6? i cant do that on my end
Samtaro 4 Sep, 2021 @ 7:34pm 
Great guide, thanks for the help!
tf2 rp gamer 10 Jun, 2021 @ 4:17am 
i want halo wars 2
bobwhit1955 28 Feb, 2021 @ 9:16pm 
Excellent resource. Thank you.
Symphatic 29 Mar, 2020 @ 7:17pm 
On legendary
Symphatic 29 Mar, 2020 @ 7:17pm 
30:40 minutes and only 8 vampires... 8.