How to play as Yap Yap - Halo Wars 2

Yap Yap is one of the last leaders added into Halo Wars 2. His strength is "death by a thousand cuts" - he has many annoying powers, unit buffs, and units that work really well together.

Key Strengths

Grunt Goblins (Hero Units)

• Among the best hero units in the game
• Not for their attack, but for their Y ability
• Healing is incredibly fast
• You get THREE Grunt Goblins
• Can heal bases, Scarabs, units - anything that needs healing

Cannon Fodder

• Yap Yap starts with 5 Cannon Fodder instead of the normal 3 Grunts
• They're FREE units
• Weak, but that's the point - they're cannon fodder
• Use them for annoyances, scouting, grabbing power crates, and swarming

Build Order

Early Game

• Build two Harvesters, then one Power Extractor
• Send Cannon Fodder everywhere: supplies, power, expos, scouting
• Queue up 6-8 Cannon Fodder while getting economy going
• Upgrade your Harvester

Infantry Rush Build

• Build two Raid Camps
• Pump out Cannon Fodder and mix in Choppers
• Alternate between Heavy Grunts and Grunt Riders

Key Units

Heavy Grunts:

• Consume NO power
• Tougher, flexible ground troops
• Quick capture units
• With Party's Over upgrade, get EMP Y ability that stuns vehicles and aircraft
• Great against Vulture spam
• With EMP upgrade, become GREEN (effective) against air

Grunt Riders:

• Cost 75 pop
• Good early aggression unit

Leader Powers

First Point: Surprise Party

• Drops a single mine
• When triggered, spawns veteran Cannon Fodder squads
• Critical: Get Surprise Party 2 with your second point
  • Adds a second mine
  • Spawns Vet 3 Cannon Fodder
  • Mines are very powerful (can make ODST squads vanish)

Vet 3 Cannon Fodder Tips

• They're temporary (on a timer)
• Don't underestimate them
• Send them to attack opponent's base - worst case you scout, best case you get some kills

Third Point: Shade Drop

• Drops four turrets
• Gives four more targets for your opponent to shoot
• Turrets distract from your squads
• Can be used defensively when retreating

Fourth Point: Grunts from Above

• Deploys Heavy Grunts, Grunt Riders, and Methane Wagon
• Great way to get Methane Wagons without the separate power

Fifth Point: Methane Party

• Similar animation to Forge's Scatter Bomb
• Drops methane that debuffs enemies
• Increases Grunt combat effectiveness
• Synergizes with Yap Yap's ground infantry strength

Other Notable Powers

• Grunt Dome: Shield from damage, great for your army or allies
• Glassing Beam: Get to Level 3
• Please Don't Shoot Me: Good if losing and need extra time (get later)

Cannon Fodder Upgrades

Worth Investing In

• First upgrade: 400 power
• Second upgrade (Refer a Friend): 600 power - grants passive self-healing
• When fully upgraded, surprisingly effective
• Can do significant damage even against a Condor

Tech 2 and Beyond

Transition

• Get Shield Generator
• Build War Council and Foundry
• Sacrifice one Raid Camp for a Harvester (early rush only works once)
• Get your three Grunt Goblins immediately
• Get the Grunt Hustle ability

Engineers

• Don't forget to build Engineers
• Engineer shield + Methane Wagons + Grunt Goblin Y ability = Dangerous combination

Infantry Focus

• Keep a Raid Camp on hand
• Get infantry upgrades (works for Cannon Fodder too)
• Heavy Grunts and Hunters are key
• Elite Rangers don't have upgrades for any Banished leader

Tech 3

Wraiths

• Still really good
• Mix Wraiths with your infantry

Countering Threats

• If opponent goes vehicles: Use Hunters or a few Banshees
• If opponent goes air: Heavy Grunts with Party's Over are excellent
• Reavers are your best bet for dedicated anti-air

Army Composition Tips

DO:

• Focus on Grunt Goblins
• Invest in infantry
• Make sure you can counter vehicles
• Use Methane Wagons as support
• Combine healing abilities (Engineer shield + Methane Wagon + Grunt Goblin Y)

DON'T:

• Go mass air - that's not Yap Yap's strength
• Neglect counters for enemy vehicles

Summary

Yap Yap's individual abilities may not seem broken (except the Grunt Goblins' healing), but combining everything makes him a really strong leader. His annoyances stack up through free units, powerful mines, infantry buffs, and incredible healing capability. Focus on ground game, use your free Cannon Fodder wisely, and don't underestimate the power of stacking his various abilities together.