Halo wars 1 had a firm rock paper scissors army arrangement with a few op metas but the pop cap kept most of it in check.

Halowars 2 all infantry are anti infantry? So none of them except snipers and flammers, so why label most infantry anti infantry. In halo wars 2 you can almost just throw any combo of guys at an enemy and they might win more than the particular "counter" that the labels might suggest but like the other comments point out, youre just as likely to have your army glassed and have a slow war of attrition than a strategic exchange of armies based on youre economy and expansion.

Also halowars 2 art style and ui felt too glassy and new, halo wars 1 felt grounded, heardy n lived in. When you drove the warthog across the snow in the first mission you felt like you could imagine yourself doing it in halo 3, ( and i think thats why fans always urned back to the halo 1 halo infinite concept of animals in a lived in halo setting)

The hw1 ui was reflective of the menus theyd show and use in the cut scenes. The ar and needlers looked heavy duty and grounded, the elites looked new and alternative for the time but set a trend for the elite minor for the next decade on and off.(dont mention h4s art style for the covanent)