*Unoriginal name, I know. 
While it is probably too late for a new, radical gametype to be made for Halo Xbox One, I don’t think it would be harmful to present something I’ve had floating around in my brain for the past few years now. Originally, War started out as a co-op gamemode I suggested for Halo: Reach on Bungie.net years ago under the name “New Johannesburg”. Essentially, you and three other players would begin in an UNSC cruiser above the aforementioned city and engage in a variety of missions in an open-world environment. You had the main city itself, the outskirts that included military installations and forests, a large mountain hiding a secret ONI complex ala CASTLE Base and a Covenant cruiser you infiltrate, a Covenant base camp and a planetside MAC gun housed on a nearby island ala the Silent Cartographer from Halo: CE.
The big things for “New Johannesburg” involved the ability to tackle any mission at any time in real-time with real-time consequences happening, dubbed the Ripple Effect. In one scenario, the players would destroy the Covenant base camp with the help of a collapsing space orbital tether, yet the tether would be long enough to take out a few mining scarabs trying to breach the ONI complex in the mountains, thus making the initial attack easier. Obviously the logistics are complicated, but it was only a suggestion.
Since Halo: Reach’s release I’ve had time to go over the idea off and on and I think I’ve got a far better foundation for this concept than I previously had. So, here is my pitch for War.
War
War is a two team, 32v32 (subject to change) objective-based gamemode that aims to take advantage of the Xbox One’s hardware capabilities to their fullest potential. The mode revolves around a large, open-world map housing a central city and lush wilderness beyond. The mode contains a story-component based on the expansive Halo universe. Using the UNSC Infinity’s sophisticated suite of simulation software, Spartans are able to craft a number of scenarios to test their leadership, coordination and teamwork skills. 32 players will assume the role of Spartans attempting to secure a city, rescue civilians and capture and destroy key UNSC and Covenant installations. However, the 32 other players assume the role of Covenant Sangheili invaders attempting to capture the city for cleansing by glassing, terminating the civilian evacuations and setting up excavation sites where UNSC bases once sat.
At the disposal of both factions are AI counterparts comprising of Army, Marines, Spartan-IVs, Grunts, Jackals, Hunters and Brutes. Depending on how well either faction does, the supply and presence of these allies will increase or diminish. Players will also have a variety of weapons and vehicles to use as they see fit, ranging from transports like Phantoms and Pelicans serving as large-scale troop transport and Warthogs and Ghosts serving as quick means to get across huge areas of the map on the ground. Players will also have access to personal loadouts, allowing for personal playstyle in this asymmetrical, non-traditional gamemode, and personal ordinance. Ordinance will function as it usually does, killing players builds up points, killing AI opponents builds up less points and taking objectives and accomplishing faction-specific missions builds up ordinance faster.
With the mechanics out of the way, let us examine how the mode will function with the example map: Reach.
> From the beginning, you know the end. The Fall of Reach was perhaps the greatest blow to morale during the First Human-Covenant War. Had we been better prepared, perhaps things may have been different. As Spartan-IVs, you have studied this key battle inside and out, well, now it is time for you to put your knowledge to the test. You will assume the mantle of the Spartan-II group known as Red Team. They paid with their lives to defend Reach, honor their legacy by avenging their sacrifice, even if it is only a simulation. The rest of you will take up the roles of Sangheili soldiers among the Covenant invaders, your task is to take what you learned from Reach and topple Red Team’s objectives. I know this will be hard on all of you, Reach is still a fresh wound. But those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Good luck Spartans.
>
> -UNSC Infinity AI Roland.
Set during the disastrous Fall of Reach, Reach presents the battle as it has never been seen before. Spartan players have several objectives to complete.
I. Two orbital defense generators powering the Super MAC cannons in Reach orbit must be defended from waves of Covenant infantry and other Covenant players looking to shut them down. Points will be awarded for how long the facilities remain intact or for their destruction.
II. A civilian spaceport resting in a nearby city must be defended and streams of civilian transport must be protected as they make their way to the spaceport. Points are awarded for the amount of civilian transports arriving intact and the amount of evac ships that escape intact. The Covenant players are awarded for each transport destroyed and for capturing the spaceport.
III. Covenant Scarabs are at the nearby CASTLE Base attempting to breach the deep titanium mines underneath the base and gain entrance in the classified facility. Players must destroy the Scarabs to secure the base while Covenant players must defend them. Points are awarded for each destroyed Scarab or for when they breach the mines.
IV. The Covenant have set up a base camp situated in the nearby wilderness. Bases from Halo Wars and spherical troop tents litter the area. Spartans get points for capturing the area and ordering an orbital MAC strike on the area. Vehicles and ammo resupply depots exist here as well.
V. A UNSC military base is situated on the far opposite side of the map from the Covenant base. More Halo Wars era bases and barracks litter the area. Covenant troops must capture the base and order a glassing run on the base for points. Vehicles and ammo resupply depots exist here as well.
Both players initially spawn via controllable ODST-tyle drops that can go to any of the locations. AI controlled allies will already be in the thick of the fight when you arrive and will resupply themselves via dropships. Locations will highlight their present allegiances by the presence of a UNSC warship or Covenant battlecrusier. These serve as a method of allowing AI, weapon drops and other features to be available in that area and can be destroyed to even the odds and get more points. Players will respawn in nearby locations controlled by their faction.
Once the match ends, the totals for each team are tabulated and a winner is determined from missions completed and kills. After that, a short cutscene plays going over how the game played out and presenting different endings. This is viewable optionally.
So that is War in a nutshell. It has a mixture of concepts from other games that I think compliments what 343i is trying to do with Halo, but gives them a place to do so outside of competitive multiplayer. Let me know what ya’ll think and make suggestions of your own.