Halo: Reach

Halo: Reach is the first game in the series to add sprint. As a speedrun, it has many tricks, but it is less popular than the main trilogy.

Halo Runs record page: http://www.haloruns.com/records?lb=500 (click the timestamps for video links)

Basic Techniques

Sprint

Even though Sprint is an armor ability it is put here because you need to have in mind that sprint cycles are a thing in this game, sprinting earlier or saving a few frames with a different sprint cycle can be slower over time, most of the sprint used in some levels is delayed or preserved for some sections to be able to survive or to get slidejumps that may seem slower at the beginning but overall it ends up saving time.

Sprint and jumping

Unlike other games with sprint such as Call of Duty, in Reach your sprint meter continues to be used up if you jump while sprinting. This means that bunny-hopping is not useful as a sprint preservation technique. However, since jumping preserves some of your momentum, you can gain a little extra distance out of your sprint by jumping at near the end of a sprint. Testing shows this can save over a second for every 4 full sprints. http://pastebin.com/V5VruCH6

Noob Combo

Well known trick that consists in using an EMP for taking out the shields of any Elite and then switching to a Magnum or DMR to kill it with a headshot.

Cutscene Skips

Most of the cutscenes can be skiped by holding (Y) and (A)or whatever your skip button is at the same time before they even start, that can save up to 2 secs per level in a Full Game Run.

Slide Jumping

This consists on keeping your vertical momentum (from jumping from a cliff or a normal jump) to gain more speed by jumping as soon as you land on a slope.

Grenade Jumping

As in some other shooters you can use a grenade explosion to gain extra height on a jump, something very useful when we talk about speedruns, can be used for skipping some triggers and also reaching some objectives. You can do this with almost any explosion in the game (Concussion Rifle, Vehicle Explosion, etc) you can try doing it with a Rocket or a Plasma nade but you will mostly die.

Box Launching

Similar to Halo 3, using an ammo crate (UNSC), a Gravity Hammer and a Grenade for launching, is a common trick used for jumptages and barely used in this game’s speedrun. There are very few places where you can boxlaunch and save some seconds (this trick is more common in ILs).

Level Strategies

Enemies

The enemies in Reach underwent a major change from the main trilogy. Elite ranks were reorganized. In addition, AI of other enemies behaves somewhat differently.

Elites

The basic way to deal with elites is using a noob combo.

Minor Elites are blue color, they have weak shields (a melee is enought to take them out on legendary difficulty) and not much health.

Major Elites are a red-orange color, not to be confused with the gold armor of Generals. Have more shields and health than minors, when unshielded, they can withstand a melee on easy difficulty.

Spec Ops Elites are black color they are the weakest elites in the game, less shields and health than the minors and always have active camo on.

Ranger Elites in Reach are white color with jetpacks. They have weak shields and have been seen using plasma repeaters, needle rifles, concussion rifles, and focus rifles.

Ultra Elites are white color. They will occasionally use Armor Lock to tank explosions, such as grenades or needler supercombines. Unlike in Halo 2, they possess no sword pull ability, their shields can tank a plasma grenade on legendary difficulty.

Zealot Elites are maroon/purple color, have more health and shields. They appear on the levels Winter Contingency, Tip of the Spear, and The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach).

General Elites are gold color and have the strongest shields of all the Elites (besides BOB), even stronger than Zealots. They are also fairly common. They are usually found wielding swords or heavy weapons (FRG/Plasma Launcher).

Field Marshal Elites are basically Generals but with a shield than can handle an emp, one of them is encountered at the end of The Pillar of Autumn. He’s noticeably faster and more responsive, and carries two weapons, fuel rod gun and energy swordd.

BOB Elites are golden rangers and can take a full EMP without losing their shields. They can be seen in every level carrying concussion rifles or fuel rods.

Brutes

To easily deal with brutes use a needler or a needle rifle, they tend to continuously armorlock up to 3 times in a row without cooldown.

Infantry Brutes don’t have shields and a supercombine or 3 headshtos kills them really fast.

Captain Brutes don’t have shields, they take 5 headshots or one supercombine.

Chieftain Brutes have shields and hevy weapons you will need to take them down and then get the supercombine.

Grunts

Easy to kill, say no more.

Infantry Grunts die with just a headshot on any difficulty.

Specialist Grunts can carry heavy weapons such as FRG they also die with one headshot.

Ultra Grunts are a bit stronger, they have a mask that protects them from headshots so you will need to remove the mask first.

Other Enemies

There are other enemies in the game but there aren’t a thread because you barely fight against them.

Hunters - Either use heavy weapons and explosives or shoot them at the back.
Buggers - Hard to land but a headshot kills them.
Skirmishes - Just a headshot is need it to kill them.
Jackals - Doesn’t matter the color of the shield, just shoot them in the arm/foot and then a headshot.

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