The iconic Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from Halo 3: ODST have been turned into a range of models thanks to a new expansion for the Halo: Flashpoint miniature wargame. On Thursday publisher Mantic Games announced the deluxe starter set 'Feet First Into Hell', which comes with sixteen ODST miniatures and everything needed to play - and it's on pre-order right now.
Feet First Into Hell is a deluxe starter set for Halo: Flashpoint, which comes with sixteen pre-built plastic miniatures of ODST troopers, a play mat, a set of 3D cardboard terrain, dice, unit cards, and tokens. Early pre-orders will receive two resin character miniatures, Gunnery Sergeant Buck and Captain Dare, for free, though these will go on general sale later.
Pre-orders for Feet First Into Hell are already live on the Mantic Games website for $139 (£100), with a scheduled shipping date of October 31.
For Halo fans who've not heard of Halo: Flashpoint up until now, it's a two player tactical game that pits teams of four fighters against one another in a variety of match types inspired by Halo multiplayer modes. Flashpoint was one of the best miniature wargames I tested in 2024 - it has easy-to-grasp rules for movement, the combat system is also very approachable, and fights have the same back and forth momentum found in Halo multiplayer, but a zoomed out and tactical play experience.
It's also an excellent gateway game if you want to go from board games into full tabletop wargames. Partly that's because of the great ideas it borrows from Halo multiplayer, like respawns and game modes like King of the Hill and Oddball, which really reduce the runaway leader effect common to miniature wargames; partly that's because everything you need to play comes in one box, and you don't even have to glue the minis together.
For miniature wargamers confused about how the ODST are different from Master Chief and the Spartans, Spartans are modified super soldiers - a bit like the Space Marine chapters but with a lot less incense - while ODST are just elite human troopers.
We don't know yet how that difference will be represented in their rules for Flashpoint. Canonically, ODST don't have the same rechargeable shields as Spartans, so it's a fair assumption that they're going to be squishier and will compensate for that handicap with other capabilities.
Intrigued by this wargaming malarkey, or already a Flashpoint player and want to chat about it, or share photos of your gorgeously painted Spartans? Come and hang out in the official Wargamer Discord community.