A new mod for Arma 3 introduces the Halo universe to the realistic PC shooter. Operation: Trebuchet is a new Arma 3 Halo mod that converts Bohemia Interactive’s 2013 shooter into the last conflict between humans before Covenant contact. Operation: Trebuchet was released as an early alpha build through Steam Workshop and is a total conversion of Arma 3.
The mod focuses on “the struggles of the common soldier” instead of the usual Spartan program soldiers such as Master Chief. Players are cast as members of the UNSC or the human insurrection led by Colonel Robert Watts of the United Rebel Front. The Arma 3 Halo mod brings weapons, vehicles, and other assets to Arma 3. Players can pilot Warthogs, Grizzly tanks, Hornets, and more.
The mod is one of several attempting to bring Halo to Arma 3, although it appears to have the most development time behind it. Article 2 Studios is the indie development group behind Operation: Trebuchet, and are also working on an expansion called First Contact. First Contact looks to add Covenant troops to its already impressive Arma 3 mod. First Contact will be developed on a slower timeline than the main Operation: Trebuchet mod, as it is being considered a side project by the team.
If you’re worried about this project getting hit by a cease-and-desist from Microsoft, the team has already worked to ensure that doesn’t happen. Microsoft’s game content usage rules are pretty flexible with what people can use from Microsoft-owned properties, such as Halo. As long as the product isn’t being sold, and doesn’t try to market itself as an official product, creators are generally free to do what they want. Of course, if the team at Article 2 Studios did rip assets from Halo titles it might be in hot water, depending on how they obtained the data.
A cinematic trailer was released earlier this week highlighting the mod and the work the team at Article 2 Studios put into it.
