Ready for some RTS action? The Halo Wars 2 Blitz beta is available now on both Xbox One and Windows 10 (where the download is around 12GB).

　　This is your chance to try the game before it fully launches in about a month from now; this Halo Wars 2 Blitz beta will last until January 30th, so you have some time available even if you're busy this weekend.

　　Blitz is the brand new mode that Creative Assembly and 343 Industries crafted for this sequel. Here's how it works, in the words of the creators.

　　

WHAT IS BLITZ?

Blitz is a new addition to the Halo Wars experience offering a twist on RTS gameplay that combines the deck building and split-second decision making of card-based strategy play with explosive tactical combat in the Halo universe. Your card deck, along with your faction leader, are your greatest resources as you assemble a collection of air, ground and infantry units and seek to out-think and out-maneuver your opponents on the battlefield. Blitz is a PVP gametype that offers 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 configurations via Xbox Live matchmaking.

　　

WHAT’S THE OBJECTIVE?

The goal in Blitz is to score more points than your opponent(s) by using the cards in your deck to capture and hold the majority of control points on the map. To capture a point all you need to do is position your units over it – air or ground will suffice – and it’s yours for the taking provided your opponent isn’t there to contest it. Any time you are holding more control points than your opponent, you will start to accumulate score points. If both teams control an equal amount of points, then scoring is paused until one team re-takes majority control. The winner of a Blitz game is the team to reach 200 points first OR the team with the highest score when the 12-minute game timer expires.

　　You can find a lot more on it between the official blog post and the video tutorial embedded below.