Highlights

  • Anvil Operation in Halo Infinite focuses on the Anvil Initiative, launching in July 2024, with new armor sets and cosmetics.
  • Anvil Initiative, established in 2555, aims to train Spartan 4s and SoS Elites together, developing joint task forces and new technologies.
  • Anvil has tested and developed various Spartan and Sword armor sets, with the potential for more Banished armor sets and playable Elites in future games.

The latest multiplayer operation in Halo Infinite will center around the relatively unknown Anvil Initiative and presumably its space station of the same name. The operation is expected to launch in July 2024.

Initially called Spartan Surplus, the Anvil Operation is expected to finally release the primarily Banished-manufactured Assailer, Cutthroat, Negotiator, and Okonom armor among several other new cosmetics. However, more new armor sets could be released in Halo Infinite to coincide more closely with the Anvil Initiative, a project dedicated to cooperation between the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the Swords of Sanghelios (SoS).

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The Origins and Mission of the Anvil Initiative

First introduced in 2015 with the announcement of the now-canceled Russian exclusive multiplayer game Halo Online, the Anvil Initiative was made to bolster the UNSC’s and SoS’ relationship following the end of the Covenant War. The Swords of Sanghelios is the dominant governing body of the Elites’ homeworld of Sanghelios after the Covenant War. Inspired by an ancient order of Elites, the modern SoS was established by Arbiter Thel Vadam with the intent of ensuring his people’s sustainability without the Covenant. While the SoS would continue to fight against hostile Covenant remnants, they often sought to create peaceful relations with other extraterrestrial species, most notably the Grunt Unggoy, the Hunter Lekgolo, and humanity.

The Anvil Initiative was created in 2555, two years after the fall of the Covenant empire, with the mission of training Spartan 4’s and SoS Elites together. Anvil worked in concourse with Project: CRUCIBLE, a project designed to create joint Spartan-Sangheili task forces and develop new technologies with SoS technicians. Both programs were located at the classified Anvil Station with personnel only allowed onto the station via invitation. Similar to the UNSC Infinity, Anvil Station houses a War Games simulator, allowing both Spartans and Swords to train together in realistic battle simulations.

Tech Developed and Tested by Anvil

Anvil is known to have tested and developed several new Spartan and Sword armor sets. The Anvil Spartan armor sets range from Halo 4’s Warrior armor to Halo Infinite’s Deadeye. The Anvil Elite armor sets range from the primarily human-designed Accord armor to Scion worn typically by female Sword warriors. Elite Anvil armor first debuted in Season 7 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection in 2021. It’s additionally suspected Anvil personnel helped develop the Anubis, Helioskril, and Freebooter mjolnir armor sets alongside UNSC-rifle integrated holoscopes and the Sword Needler Warthog vehicle seen in Halo 5: Guardians.

The Anvil Initiative's symbol is directly inspired by the handshake between the Arbiter and Admiral Lord Terrence Hood at the end of the Covenant War in Halo 3 .

Anvil’s Potential in Halo: Infinite and Beyond

It’s currently unknown why 343 Industries changed the next operation in Infinite from Spartan Surplus to Anvil, especially with most of its armor being made by the Banished. The Banished is an enemy to the Swords, the Arbiter having faced off against Atriox for the acquisition of a Guardian-destroying weapon before the events of Infinite in Halo: Outcasts. 343 Industries could use these Banished Spartan armor sets as a way to detail a possible conflict between the Banished-allied Spartans and the Swords-allied Spartans at Anvil Station. After the destruction of Doisac by Cortana, it would make sense for the Banished to seek out any and all UNSC forces, especially those allied with the SoS, as they could be a potential threat to remaining Jiralhanae.

For many fans, the reintroduction of Anvil could appear to be a tease for the return of playable Elites in Halo multiplayer, but this seems unlikely due to the large amount of work it would take to create a whole new playable avatar with unique armor sets in Infinite. Instead, 343 could reintroduce some classic Sangheili-inspired Spartan armor such as Helioskrill, alongside some new armor based on SoS designs. If the Anvil Operation proves to be popular, this could influence 343 to create even more Covenant species-focused events and possibly lead them to feature playable Elites in Halo 7. Halo 7’s multiplayer could even be set on Anvil Station while Infinity remains MIA after the events of Halo Infinite.