So you’ve had a chance now to see the whole list of REQs coming with the Hammer Storm update. Let’s take a closer look at each section of the REQs.

First up let’s take a peek at the all NEW multiplayer map Torque!

The first look we had of this was as a concept piece of art from Sparth of 343.

We next got a look at some in-development shots last week:

Now we have some shots of the finished map. These were snapped from the LiveStream earlier today (2-23-16).

The in-progess shots map the map seem a bit bland of color. However, as you can see by these screenshots of actual gameplay, there is a bit more color to the map.

In the shot above you see a hologram of the full space station itself. Love it!

What’s really cool about this map is that it’s rotating within the habitat ring of the space station.

Above shows part of the space station itself. While your play area is stable, it actually is moving around the habitat ring. This is just immensely cool!

The map is quite long from base to base with it not being as wide. There are LOTS of pathways to take, yet plenty of long sight lines for you snipers.

It seems large enough for BTB. Then again, I’m only going off what I saw in the Live stream. It’s definitely bit enough for 5v5 CTF! And of course it’s ready for Assault!Check out that UNSC ball!!! Torque is a map that 343 plans to bring to the Halo World Championship circuit. Likely not for this season as it’s about to end though. Will the Assault game type make the cut for eSports? We’ll see…

Next let’s talk shortly about the game modes coming. It’s ALL about the balls! Well, okay, maybe not ALL balls, LOL. We are finally getting Grifball.

With that game mode, we also get Assault and can make Oddball from those settings as well. This is exciting news for those who love Grifball. There’s a WHOLE sub-community of Halo that is dedicated to Grifball. The most well known and largest of these is Grifballhub.com.

One shot of actual Grifball play. This map was made by Nokyard. It takes after an NHL hockey rink. This will be the only Grifball specific map in the update, though the design team plans on introducing more. Community made maps will feature heavily in this now PERMANENT playlist! YES!

I’ll be looking to have an HFFL Grifball team to participate in their tournaments. If interested, you first must become a member of the HFFL Spartan Company.

A quick screen of the stats at the end of the game. It should be noted that this version of Grifball is NOT round based, but ongoing. SO the first team to get to 5 scores wins.

Now for the reintroduction of classic Halo weapons!

I don’t know about you, but I’m STOKED for BOTH weapons! The grave hammer will bring a lot of fun to the game, especially in Grifball. The Halo CE Pistol….OH MY….This weapon is going to be BEASTLY! It’s damage is greater than that of the regular Halo 5 pistol. As well, when you get a kill with it, the enemy spartan will spin around before collapsing to the ground. That’s a VERY cool added touch! 

Weapons skins are of course being added. We get two for the Storm Rifle and a set for the UNSC weapons!

It’s safe to say now that the progression of weapons skins for the Swords of Sangheli is normal purple to the mustard yellow to the crimson/blood red. I’m LOVING that!

Here’s the set call “Last Dawn” for the UNSC.

Two more stances added:

You can expect to see Grifballers using the Hammer Time stance! I’m digging’ the Old School stance.

We do get one new visor.

I wonder if this is a play off the wretched cheap alcohol Mad Dog 20/20? LOL

Two new assassinations.

The Needful things is gruesome. You bash the spartan a couple of times in the head with your knee before you toss them aside. Terminal Velocity is all about style while assassinating. You put the enemy spartan on the ground, then take a jump and thrust/ground pound down on to them. It’s exquisite!

Several armor skins with two new ones making an introduction into Halo 5.

Decimator is supposed to be 343’s successor to Halo Reach’s Mark V [b] armor. Marauder is all new.

Along with those two new ones we get skins for Jumpmaster, Shinobi and Helioskrill. Not to mention two others for the new Marauder as well.

I am VERY excited for the Helioskrill Bloodgorger skin. Just plain awesomeness, IMO!

A slew of new emblems comes in this update…I don’t know about you, but this is the ONE area of REQs I’m always behind in.

I’m looking forward to the Spartan Helmet and Rabbit emblems the most of these. Again, Grifball gets it’s own. One very COOL fan tribute is the Ducat. This was made for Ducain23 one of our community forgers. This is the emblem he has used for some time. I think it’s wonderful that fans outside of just the few big fan sites are getting some recognition. Ducain23 is well deserving of it.

We are getting some very interesting Weapons Upgrades!

The two new symbols next to these upgrades mean this…The blade like one is a Knight Blade attached to the end of the weapon. It allows for extra melee damage. Below are two screens of it. The other symbols means an extended clip. For instance instead of 64 shots with the AR, it goes up to 90+. So less reloading! This can be a lifesaver! Definitely can be a game changer. Now, it wasn’t mentioned if the same amount of ammo is there and just that the clip is bigger or if the amount of starting ammo with this upgrade also adds more overall ammo.

Now a couple of non-REQ things.

As I’ve mentioned in the previews for Hammer Storm, we are getting the ability to change color to our emblems without the presets.

As well we get MORE colors for our spartans!The only slightly disappointing part to this is that we won’t be able to change that white color that is so prevalent one many of the armor skins. I hope in a future update, that will become a tertiary color that we will be able to change.

Lastly, there were a few forge things mentioned.

Below is a screen of a new Forge map. No name was given as yet. This is looking down. You will actually be building in the sky for this map. The sky is blue NOT space. I can’t wait to get building here. I really want to make a specific recreation of a Halo map on this forge map…

One last note, during the Forge part of the LiveStream, Tom French, Lead Forge engineer with 343 stated that a Pelican object will now be included with forge!!!! YES!!! It’s not flyable, though if you do the weld/vehicle hack, you can make it so. We will get a Pelican with a closed back hatch. Another with no hatch, and the hatch itself. SO you can make one with it’s hatch partially or fully open. Man, I have MANY ideas for this.

What’s cool is that I was talking with Tom last month about adding in larger vehicles into forge. The pelican was one such vehicle talked about. Now if the others I suggested get in…. (I suggested the Mammoth as a stationary base type object, the Scarab and Lich as well.)

The update will go live within the week (as of this writing).

So that’s it…hmm, that’s a LOT! If you folks think this is a small update, well, there’s no pleasing you then, LOL.

So what are your thoughts on all of this coolness? Reply below, I would LOVE to know!!

-Sal