Halo: Flashpoint Tactics – Sangheili Mercenaries

Hi everybody, welcome back to another tactical preview for The Banished, the second big faction release for Halo Flashpoint!

Together, we've already dived into some top tips for the Jiralhanae (Brutes) and Warmaster Atriox. Let's turn our attention now to another long-standing favourite from the Halo Universe who've joined the Banished cause....

Sangheili Mercenaries - Who Are They?

Often referred to as 'Elites' by humans, they are intelligent and formidable in battle. Following the Great Schism, entire Sangheili keeps pledged themselves to the Banished cause. Now, these former Covenant warriors fight alongside the Jiralhanae as seasoned mercenaries.

The detailed plastic Elite miniatures in Halo: Flashpoint bring these iconic Sangheili warriors to life with their angular armour and signature energy weapons. Since the game's retail launch at the end of 2024, they've been valiantly battling against the UNSC Spartans as the early vanguard for the full Banished faction arrival - now just mere weeks away!

So, in tribute to these courageous and deadly fighters, let's hand over to Dylan from the Halo: Flashpoint Rules Committee for a tactical deep-dive on how to get the best out of them both right now, and once Rise of the Banished arrives.

Sangheili Mercenaries - Rules Committee Notes

The Basics

Here are the first things you need to know as either a Banished player, or a UNSC player facing Elites in tabletop combat:

• Sangheili Mercenaries share the same base profile with 4 different weapon options.
• All come equipped with a Plasma Grenade; a One-Use weapon that can burn up shields and melt straight through armour.
• They are very reliable across the board, with 4+ in each stat as well as high movement and plenty of shields.

This means the Sangheili are well-prepared for most situations, skilled at both close combat and ranged attacks.

A key feature is their use of Evade, allowing them to dash into cover after an enemy fires on them. This is a hugely powerful ability and can force your opponent to really think about their activations so they don’t give you that extra movement opportunity. Shooting from close range suddenly takes a deadly turn when a Sangheili with Energy Sword then jumps into the cube!

Sangheili Weapons

Sangheili Mercenaries can come with Needlers, Plasma Rifles, Pulse Carbines or Energy Swords.

Each weapon has a distinct play style, and the Plasma Rifle and Needler are both reliable choices for Rapid Fire. The Plasma Rifle’s Continuous Fire guarantees two re-rolls at the cost of potential overheating, while the Needler provides a safer re-roll and Lethal for lucky kills.

The Pulse Carbine is an all-rounder weapon, capable of stripping shields or finishing off wounded units. It’s useful as an opener to the round, as the Carbine’s ESD will clear shields quickly.

The Energy Sword is an iconic weapon, easily slicing through enemies and cutting straight through any armour. With ESD 2 and AP 3 it will make short work of any enemy, making this a great choice for Slayer or Oddball.

All Sangheili Mercenaries have the option to buy an Energy Dagger for 2pts, providing them with deadly combat abilities, Lethal and AP 2 is a great finisher on an enemy with depleted shields. Mercenaries benefit from adding items such as the Grappleshot and Active Camouflage, allowing them to move up quickly and stealthily. Active Camouflage is both thematic and works well on those with Energy Swords, allowing easy combat and sneaky kills. Generally the Sangheili Mercenaries can use most weapons effectively due to their balanced stats, however weapons with Knockback work well to open up flexibility for missions.

Special Orders

Reinforcements Incoming is the Mercenaries’ signature Special Order, allowing an activated and killed Mercenary to activate for a second time. This is exceptionally useful on any mission as it essentially provides you with another Sangheili to use for a turn. However, since the Sangheili Mercenaries themselves are not Tacticians it can be quite tricky to get that result when you need it, so including extra command dice for your team is important to make the most of this order.

Everybody Needs Some Backup

Soon-to-be released Jiralhanae units like the Chosen Warrior and Captain complement the Sangheili Mercenaries particularly well, as they provide Tactician access and durability. This helps with getting the right command dice and also provides some heavy armour in your Banished fireteam.

Jiralhanae Snipers work great with Energy Sword-equipped Sangheili, a lethal combination offering expertise in both ranged and close combat.

Finally, Jiralhanae Berserkers are cheap and reliable combat units to round out your list, and can still leave you enough points to kit out your Mercenaries with additional gear.

Thanks to Dylan from the Rules Committee for that overview. Are you thinking about your next list yet?

Start trying out some new options in the Halo: Flashpoint App's list builder - right HERE.

Where Can I Get Them?

The great news is that the Sangheili Mercenary miniatures are easy to track down. Where's the best place to get them? It all depends where you are on your Flashpoint journey!

• Just starting and picking your Halo Flashpoint starter set? Grab the Spartan Edition for a bunch of exciting extras over and above the Recon Edition (more terrain, deluxe board, more loadouts, 3D arena accessories....) PLUS a team of playable Elites in the box!

• Are you an existing player looking for faction variety? You'll want the Rise of the Banished faction box, which will transform your games. It contains Brutes, Elites, Warmaster Atriox, a booklet with new content/scenarios, and a whole new battlefield to fight across!

• And if you're a miniatures collector/painter, and just after the Sangheili by themselves? We've got you covered there as well, with Elites also on their way as a totally separate release.

However you get started with the Banished in Halo: Flashpoint, you're in for a wild ride commanding these aggressive warriors on the battlefield!