Halo Wars is one of, if not the best RTS game on consoles. Check out our review if you aren’t all caught up. Microsoft is looking to expand on the title with a few new modes for multiplayer.

• Keepaway Mode is the “Halo Wars” adaptation of Capture the Flag.  Teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. Capture three sentinels to claim victory.
• Tug of War Mode is all about having a stronger army than the opponent.  Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.
• In Reinforcement Mode, all active battle units are provided in successive waves.  Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy.

There’s also 100 more gamerscore points for you Achievement whores out there. No pricing or release date has been set as of yet, but I would expect at least $5, if not $10. My best guess for a release date would be early May, but who knows.

Here’s the full press release:

“Strategic Options” Game Add-on Pack Delivers Dynamic New Gameplay to “Halo Wars”

“Halo Wars,” the best selling real-time strategy game on any current generation console, mixes up the battlefield like never before with the “Strategic Options” Game Add-on Pack, available in the coming weeks exclusively on Xbox 360.

“Strategic Options” ushers in the next wave of battle for “Halo Wars” fans with three new game modes which dramatically change the multiplayer experience and challenge players to rethink their battle tactics. The three new modes include:

· Keepaway Mode is the “Halo Wars” adaptation of Capture the Flag.  Teams will battle it out to capture a free-roaming Forerunner Sentinel to score points before the other team. Capture three sentinels to claim victory.

· Tug of War Mode is all about having a stronger army than the opponent.  Defeating enemies is essential, but success is determined by a combination of the army, buildings and resources left standing in the end.

· In Reinforcement Mode, all active battle units are provided in successive waves.  Players must adapt their tactics and use the ever-changing set of units to outwit and outlast the enemy.

“Strategic Options” also adds four new Achievements worth a total of 100 points:

· “One and Done” (30 points):  Score the winning point in a game of Keepaway against Legendary A.I.’s

· “Pull Hard, Pull Deep” (20 points):  Win and never trail in a Tug of War game

· “Freak on a Streak” (20 points):  Gain at least 15 population from a single wave in a Reinforcement game

· “Living Loving Bug” (30 points):  Obtain a Scarab during a Reinforcement game

More information on “Strategic Options” including release date and pricing will be available soon. “Halo Wars” is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and 16+ PEGI and is available worldwide. A demo is also available on Xbox LIVE in all LIVE enabled regions worldwide. For more information including screenshots from the “Strategic Options” Add-on, visit Xbox.com/Halo or HaloWars.com.