Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft

Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft "Banshees of legend warned of death, and today all UNSC veterans know the cry of this glittering alien terror."

- Halo Encyclopedia

The Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft, more commonly identified as the Banshee, is an atmospheric craft that is typically used for reconnaissance, ground support, and ground attack missions. It is lightly armored and, while not particularly vulnerable to small arms, can be brought down by concentrated fire from infantry.

Design details
The Banshee is a versatile personal aerial assault craft in the Covenant's vehicular arsenal, piloted either by a Jiralhanae or a Sangheili. In most designs, the cowling of the craft are purple in color and act as an outer 'shell'. It is equipped with two wings which terminate in a propulsion jet and an anti-gravity pod, leaving behind a signature vaporous exhaust trail while flying. The craft is capable of achieving velocity over 100 km/h. and reaching an altitude of 100 – 300 meters. In addition to its versatile design, the Banshee is capable of performing complex maneuvers, such as aileron rolls and flips.

Armament
The Banshee sports two weapon pods attached underneath the fuselage; each pod contains a Class-2 plasma cannon capable of firing in 100-250 kilowatts range and a Class-2 projectile launcher. The plasma cannons, though classified as "light", are deadly to the common infantry; one bolt will instantly kill a lightly armored target. Heavily armored targets like the MJOLNIR-equipped SPARTANs can only withstand a few bolts before being killed. A direct hit from the Banshee's fuel rod cannon could instantly blow any infantry target into bits of charred flesh.

In the context of the Halo games, all of the plasma weapon's strength and lethality are compensated for the sake of gameplay.

Advantages
The Banshee is one of the most versatile and agile crafts in the Covenant arsenal. In the control of an experienced pilot, they can be extraordinarily difficult to take out, making it an easy way to penetrate enemy lines and disable some of their infantry.

Its twin, rapid fire plasma cannons are exceptionally efficient at taking out individual infantry, and a single fuel rod cannon shot can make easy work of an entire group of enemy infantry. The boosting capability of the craft allows for quick entry and exit from combat situations, or to catch up to a particular target. Boosting and evasive abilities allows a pilot to outpace a homing projectile, or slip away from opposing craft and small arms fire. The boosting capability may also be used to ram your opponent to get an easy kill. Utilizing aileron rolls and flips, the Banshee is able to avoid slow moving projectiles at short or long range, while also facilitating quick turns around obstacles or close threats. As a support aircraft, the Banshee is able to pin down enemy forces until ground forces can move in, or destroy light structures that may be a hindrance to advancing ground forces.

Disadvantages
The Banshee is lightly armored and, thus, vulnerable to high velocity rounds, explosives, anti-vehicle weaponry, and even moderate small arms fire from human projectile weaponry. The Banshee's low flight ceiling makes it very vulnerable to weapons like the M41 LAAG, which can easily punch through the armor of the Banshee, and injure or kill the pilot. The Banshee is also prone to EMP devices which can disable the craft either temporarily or permanently.

Maneuvering the Banshee takes a considerable amount of skill to do; an unskilled pilot may crash the banshee into the ground or another oncoming object by accident.

In multiplayer a single plasma grenade or two, stuck to the aircraft, will destroy it.

Using the overdrive to ram enemies is not recommended as it may leave you vulnerable to boarding and damage your Banshee.

Tactics
The best method to controlling the Banshee is to first understand its behavior. The onboard propulsion system has the craft constantly in motion. It is the fact that it does not hover that makes the Banshee so difficult to control. The Banshee is very lightly armored, therefore it is very unforgiving when the pilot is inattentive. He or she may be prone to damage by DMR, Assault rifle, Sniper rifle fire or even crashing the Banshee itself. It should be known that; like most covenant vehicle and craft, has three stages of destruction. Stage One: the Banshee is in perfect condition much like that at the beginning of the game; it has taken little or no fire. Stage Two: the Banshee has visibly taken damage, the outer skin is damaged and or scorched, parts of the wings may be missing and the conduits may even be exposed. Stage Three: The Banshee is next to completely demolished. While still flyable; it will be missing both wings and most of the outer skin will be missing along with most of the conduit exposed. A purple/blue fire will be streaming from the craft making it a beacon in the sky for enemy gunfire. It is extremely advised that during Stage Three, the pilot retreat from the battlefield, out of sight and enemy gunfire and eject him or herself in a remote area of the map. He or she should then proceed to destroy the Banshee with a grenade or other explosive. The player should then 'mark' the timer at which he or she does this as the Banshee takes 3:00 minutes to respawn on most maps.

The novice pilot is best suited to trying the craft in a game setting where he or she is the lone player, (i.e. Customs or Forge). Once in the game he or she should try the following steps:

1. Use the left thumbstick to increase or decrease the speed and alter the turning radius. (Up increases speed while down decreases speed). (Left steers the craft left and Right steers the craft right).

2. Use the right thumbstick to alter pitch and yaw. (Up causes the Banshee to fly up while down causes the Banshee to fly down). (Left will cause the Banshee to pitch left and Right will cause the banshee to pitch right).

From there the pilot can explore the other abilities of the Banshee:

Pulling the left trigger causes the Banshee to go into a momentary boost as indicated by the boost meter in the lower left hand corner of the screen. The Yellow 'Y' button switches between the plasma cannon and the fuel rod bombs. Pressing the Right Bumper while pushing foreward on the left thumbstick causes the Banshee to do a short back flip while pressing back on the thumbstick causes it to do a long back flip. Pressing the Right Bumper and pushing left or right on the Right thumbstick will cause the Banshee to do an Aileron Roll (Barrel Roll) in their respective directions. Note: Doing Aerial combat maneuvers, such as the Aileron Roll or back flips will recharge the boost meter, essentially allowing the player to infinitely boost the craft. Also note that the weapons systems are still functional during the combat maneuvers and can be used as a deadly surprise to unsuspecting combatants.

Ground Units:

The easiest and most effective method of taking out infantry and vehicle ground units is to utilze the fuel rod bomb. The player should line up with the target and make a strafing run on the opposing player. When squarely in the pilots sights, they should pull the right trigger releasing a fuel rod bomb killing one or multiple opponents. (Note: For added safety; if the player is not too close to the ground or surrounding terrain when releasing the fuel rod bomb, he or she should make an attempt and habit to complete a back flip once the bomb has been released. This provides for a deadly pilot and an even harder target to hit.

Kamakazi Banshees are infrequent and often rare as it takes a dedicated and skilled pilot, but they have surfaced on occasion in Multiplayer Matchmaking. The process by which this occurs begins with the stage of destruction the banshee is in. The craft must be in at least stage two or greater. The pilot should proceed to switch their weapons to the fuel rod bombs if not already done so. (This maneuver works best on stationary damaged 'high value' vehicles such as Scorpions, Wraiths, grounded Banshees, and even the occasional 3 player Warthog.) Once the bombs have been selected, the pilot should then proceed to eye up his or her target while being completely mindful of their surroundings as in this stage the Banshee is likely to be destroyed by infantry gunfire. When the target is acquired, the pilot should try to climb to at least half the altitude of the maximum height of the map. Once there, the target should make the final calculations necessary to not over or undershoot the target and press the Right trigger boosting strait at the target. Once the Banshee has collided with said target, (provided it has not yet exploded) the player then proceeds to pushing the left trigger releasing a fuel rod bomb detonating only several feet from its release point. The subsequent detonation will cause the banshee to violently explode magnifying the fuel rod bomb's initial blast exponentially resulting in an or multiple kill points for the pilot and a suicide if the pilot has not taken any shield damage greater than 1/3 of the maximum shield strength. This is almost 90% effective against hard to kill ground units if performed correctly. Although please note, this technique is very difficult to master and will take a lot of practice to accomplish, it is unadvised that a novice pilot attempt this maneuver especially with a Stage One Banshee.

Taking out an enemy banshee:

Once the player has learned to fly the craft, they must learn to combat it. The Banshee can be one of the most difficult craft to destroy in a game. Its combined speed and agility make it a formidable opponent that should not be underestimated at any time. Usually the sound of its overhead whirring is met with swift and unforgiving punishment time and time again if it is not dealt with early in the game. There are several methods to taking out a Banshee with the most effective being first:

The Sniper Rifle: In the hands of a skilled player, the sniper is one of the Banshee pilot's most feared adversaries. One clip of 4 shots can bring the banshee crashing down and limit his or her flight radius to a very small area.

The Spartan Laser: Accuracy is crucial here. It is very easy to miss the Banshee while the pilot performs an unexpected aerial maneuver; however, if the wielder hits home, the results are spectacular.

Team Firing: Believe it or not, teamwork actually pays off. If the team can gather effectively, the constant bombardment of DMR rounds can bring a Banshee down faster than almost anything else, the problem is orchestrating the attack.

EMP Blasts: What better way to take out a Banshee than to forcibly remove the pilot and make it yours? It is best to use a plasma pistol if available, although it should be noted that an accurate shot with the grenade launcher is also effective.

Scorpion Cannon: The Scorpion has deadly power. If the driver can lock onto the Banshee, he or she can bring the Banshee down in one hit.

Mounted Turret: While not as accurate as the other weapons, the constant sustained and well placed fire of an automatic weapon can cause the Banshee to hit Stage Three in less than 5 seconds.

Banshee to Banshee combat: One of the hardest skills to master is dog fighting, but if learned and used properly, there is truly no adversary more dangerous than another Banshee pilot.

These are the most effective ways of taking down an enemy Banshee, although it is the preference of the player. It is different for everyone; although it should be mentioned that needle weapons are completely ineffective against the Banshee and for the most part ricochet right off the hull. Assault rifle fire can be effective but is usually a last ditch effort once the DMR ammunition is depleted as the fire cannot really be controlled and is often sporadic; the pistol is also falls into this category.

Campaign

 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Rocket Launcher is the only handheld weapon powerful enough to take down a Banshee with a single shot. To increase chances of defeating one without wasting ammunition, it is highly recommended for the player to separate from the rest of the action; the player's surroundings might divert the player's attention from the Banshee. Once in a relatively sheltered position, focus entirely on downing the Banshee. If need be, get the pilot's attention with small arms fire. Get the Banshee to turn and start a strafing run on the player's position; the pilot will not break off his run until he gets close to the player.
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, the banshee is a craft with a unique shape. In Blood Gulch, players should not plunge down to the enemy's base, because the wing can easily get caught to the quadrilateral objects that stick up from the base. This gives a chance for the enemies to throw grenades or fire rocket launchers at the pilot in the Banshee. The pilot of the Banshee should also 'twirl' in a circular motion to resist shots from rocket launchers and scorpions. It is highly recommended that players do not try and kill drivers in Scorpions; Scorpions can easily shoot down a Banshee. A good tactic is to fire the fuel rod gun of the Banshee to moving Warthog or Ghost to make them flip. If highly skilled, try and fire the fuel rod gun of the Banshee at the back of the moving vehicle, immediately flipping and killing the driver or pilot of the vehicle. Normally, when another banshee is controlled by the enemy, they like to try and kill the pilot. To avoid shots from the foe's Banshee, fly in a circular motion. The other banshee will follow you, and when you think it is the correct time, fly the other way and fire the fuel rod gun at the enemy's Banshee.
 * In Halo 2 and Halo: Reach, it is highly recommended for players to equip themselves with the rocket launcher when facing a Banshee. Make sure to lock-on to the Banshee and anticipate their behavior; firing a missile when the pilot performs a maneuver will likely result in a kill.
 * In Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, it is always useful to disable the Banshee using an EMP burst from a plasma pistol. Once disabled, the Banshee will be far easier to destroy.

Multiplayer

 * Alert your teammates as soon as you spot the enemy Banshee in the air.
 * Although Banshees are a big threat to Falcons, the Falcon's turret is effective against Banshees.
 * Splattering with a Banshee is very tempting; however, you can easily be stuck with a grenade, especially in tight quarters or, even worse, be skyjacked.
 * Know when you are taking enough damage; if you suffer too much damage, the Banshee can be disabled and the enemy can use it in their favor.
 * The Banshee can be a big threat if not taken out quickly. To lessen the chance of being blown up, engage the enemy in a hit and run style.
 * The biggest bane of the Banshee is the Spartan Laser. Before charging with a Banshee, ensure that your team is in control of the Spartan Laser.
 * If you boost into a wall while damaged, the Banshee will explode and eject you with downed shields. This is a useful escape if being skyjacked.
 * Trickery can be a weapon that can get you a free Banshee. If you run into a tight corner and distract an enemy Banshee, the pilot may become overconfident and try to splatter you. Funnel it in to a tight area to trap it and possibly skyjack it.
 * Even if the Banshee is destroyed, it still can be deadly. The canopy and the hull can become debris of doom, crushing anyone who is underneath. Be sure the parts are on the ground before you advance.
 * A tactic against tanks using the Banshee is to try to come as close as you can to the tank undetected, and then boost. When right above the target, eject and then you can board the tank.
 * In Halo: Reach's multiplayer, one must be very careful of spawning on your partner if they are in a Banshee. The fall damage can be enough to kill you immediately after you spawn.
 * In Halo: Reach, if you use a sniper rifle, you can destroy the banshee with five shots if you hit it head on, unlike in previous titles, where the Banshee was nearly invulnerable to small arms fire
 * Be sure to lead your shots. A player that utilizes slow-moving projectiles effectively must aim in the Banshee's flight path. These craft move fast.
 * In Halo 3's multiplayer, shooting the legs of the pilot can kill him/her without damaging the craft, allowing a free Banshee.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2

 * It is now capable of hovering in mid-air, which was not featured in the Xbox-version of Halo: Combat Evolved.
 * The iconic 'screams' of the Banshee can only be heard from a very short distance away in Halo 2, while it could be heard from very far away in Halo: Combat Evolved.
 * The Banshee, including all other Covenant vehicle & craft, and John-117 featured in Halo: Combat Evolved Campaign, no longer has a health bar similar to the player's.
 * In Halo 2, the ability to boost the Banshee's engines was added, but at the cost of maneuverability and weapon power.
 * In Halo 2, the ability to hijack, or "skyjack," an occupied enemy Banshee has been added.
 * In Halo 2, when damaged, the Banshee will lose parts and emit blue sparks.
 * The Banshee has gained the ability to move left and right without having to roll, allowing it to strafe more effectively. A new type of Banshee is introduced called the Heretic Banshee which is used, quite obviously, by the Heretics.
 * The use of Banshee tricks has been added, possibly to balance homing rockets.
 * Overall, a Halo 2 Banshee that is not boosting is slower than the model from Halo: Combat Evolved.
 * High velocity impacts will now injure the player whilst in the Banshee.
 * The Halo 2 Banshee's plasma cannons are now more accurate than those in Halo: CE, but the bolts only travel half as far before evaporating.
 * Banshees can no longer be flown backwards.
 * The engine's behind the canopy are more visible.

Changes from Halo 2 to Halo 3

 * The Banshee in Halo 3 is largely unchanged from Halo 2; The most notable difference is the time in which a stunt can be performed and an increase in boosting speed.
 * The Fuel Rod Cannon has been added for use in Multiplayer.
 * The Banshee can no longer face any lower than 45 degrees, to prevent it from overpowering ground players and for more airplane-like strafing runs.
 * In Halo 3 the Banshee's wings cannot be fully shot off, as the official canon states that without the anti-grav pods, the Banshee has nothing to keep it in the air.
 * NPCs can now fire the Fuel Rod Gun which can home in to vehicles.
 * Along with the Wraith, the Banshee has received a substantial visual upgrade. Its canopy now has a green iridescent sheen, which appears almost insectoid. It resembles a true alien alloy and adds to the verisimilitude of Halo 3.
 * Its plasma trail that it forms in the air looks more plasma-based than in Halo 2.
 * The plasma guns sound different than in Halo 2.

Changes from Halo 3 to Halo 3: ODST

 * The Banshee can now hover when not being moved.
 * The Banshee can now face nearly completely downwards.
 * The Banshee can now rotate 360 degrees in mid air.
 * The engines on the Banshee's body are much more noticeable.
 * There is a new engine inside the Banshee's canopy.
 * The fuel rod projectile doesn't arc down, instead it stays straight.

Changes from Halo 3: ODST to Halo: Reach

 * The Banshee like all vehicle and craft now have a health meter like Halo: Combat Evolved, albeit unseen. After taking a set amount of damage, and having many critical parts damaged or destroyed, it will explode regardless of the occupants health and shields.
 * The iridescent sheen is less noticeable.
 * The canopy appears wider.
 * The propulsion pods are flat and hidden inside the wing.
 * The shafts that hold the cannons are bigger and appear more primitive in appearance.
 * The plasma cannons have two extra tubes that look like range-finders.
 * The two wings are bent and partially merged.
 * Both wings can be knocked completely off with repeated melee hits or by weapons fire without affecting the craft's performance.
 * The overall size appears smaller.
 * The tricks are much faster and seem to go farther than in Halo 2 and 3. Tricks have also been moved from the Jump button to the Armor Ability button.
 * There are two variants for the Type-26; the regular T-26 GSA and the vacuum-sealed Type-27 XMF.
 * The Banshee has two separate reticules for the Fuel Rod Cannon and twin Plasma Cannons. The "Switch Weapons" button (default 'Y') toggles which weapon is armed.
 * The Fuel Rod Cannon can home in on other vehicles.
 * The Fuel Rod Cannon shot has a much more pronounced arc when it is not homing in on a vehicle, and does a lot more damage when it explodes.
 * The wings are much larger and can move individually, suggesting that they produce lift alongside the propulsion pods.
 * The Banshee can no longer hover in place.
 * The Banshee now has a closed canopy, so the pilots legs cannot be seen (or sniped).
 * The wings turn when the pilot does, acting like ailerons.
 * The hull is sturdier, now able to withstand two Plasma Grenade sticks.
 * A boost limit has been imposed, as is the case with all Covenant vehicle and craft. The boost meter replaces the Armor Ability meter in the HUD.
 * The player is now able to fire the Banshee's weapons while performing Banshee tricks.
 * The Banshee can now perform tricks without using boost.
 * The Banshee, like all Covenant vehicle and craft in Halo: Reach, now has a scale like pattern on its hull. The canopy has its own separate pattern.

Halo Wars
The Banshee appears in most Halo Wars levels and can be used by players in Skirmish mode when choosing a Covenant Leader. They can be built inside the Summit at a price of 200 resources and have up to 3 available upgrades:
 * "Boost": the Banshee now has a speed boost ability that can be activated with 'Y'. Costs 200 resources and requires tech level 1.
 * "Repeating Cannon": Increases fire rate of cannons. Costs 400 resources and requires tech level 2.
 * "Sacrifice": when destroyed, the Banshee crashes against a ground target to inflict impact damage. Costs 700 resources and requires tech level 3.

Banshees are effective against ground troops and most vehicles. They are capable of hovering in the game, like that of the version in Halo 3: ODST. Banshees become the fastest unit in Halo Wars while they boost. A common strategy is to create an army of about 20 Banshees and swarm the opposing army, especially if their forces are mainly composed out of vehicles.

Banshees are extremely vulnerable to Wolverines and Vampires.

Miscellaneous

 * A Heretic version of the Banshee appears in Halo 2, the notable difference being the absence of the purple, protective cowling.
 * Banshees are seen in the three part series Halo: Landfall. They seem to fly much faster than in Halo 3, often performing strafing runs, and its weapons seem to do more damage. The plasma projectiles seem to also travel much faster. This may be to add the illusion of fast-paced action, similar to how camera movements appear to add realism to visual media, mostly in battlefield-themed media. This could also be a gameplay measure.
 * A lightly recurring theme throughout the series is players almost dying in vehicle and craft crashes, mainly in the Banshee. In The Maw, when the John-117 enters the, the Banshee he is riding crashes into the side of the ship, much to Cortana's annoyance. Midway through Halo 2's The Oracle, the Arbiter crashes his Banshee into a platform, only to climb up unscathed, just as the Chief did. This theme is actually featured in every Halo game, but in Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Reach it occurs with Warthogs. (in ODST it can occur with a Chopper or Ghost)
 * In the novel Halo: First Strike, a Banshee is capable of carrying John-117 and a second SPARTAN-II, Linda-058; this Banshee is incorrectly referred to as having "cockpit seats". In addition, Zuka 'Zamamee and Yayap rode in a Banshee together in Halo: The Flood, whilst escaping the battle for Alpha Base. In all the games, a Banshee can only carry one person.
 * In Halo: First Strike, Linda-058 was able to kill Banshee pilots with perfect ricochets from her Sniper Rifle, a feat nearly impossible in gameplay.
 * Sanj'ik, a female Elite Weapons Master, improved the Banshee's Fuel Rod Cannons to increase their lethality and rate of fire.
 * On page 129 of The Art of Halo, Banshees are seen firing Fuel Rod Cannons on the Halo 2 map Waterworks, in the Halo 2 Beta.
 * The Banshee shares its name and general role with the McDonnell F2H, a jet fighter used by the United States Navy in the late 1940s, several other aircraft in the Halo franchise also share their names with U.S. aircraft,such as the Hornet, Spirit, Phantom, and Sabre, but none match their real-world counterpart as closely as the Banshee.
 * Strangely, the Banshees shown flying near High Charity in the Halo 2 cutscene "Heretic" are regular banshees, not the vacuum sealed Type 27 XMF banshees. One such explanation is that they might be piloted by rangers as they can operate in space.
 * If a Banshee is flying in the air and if you have a plasma pistol, get into range for the EMP burst to home on in to the craft, disabling it's engines and causing it to fatally plunge from the sky.
 * The Banshee is slightly similar to the Ghost in appearance. This may be why the Ghost and Banshee are both named after paranormal creatures.

Mistakes

 * Banshees use anti-gravity pods on the ends of their wings to fly. However, in Halo 2, a Banshee can have both of these pods shot off and still fly normally. In Halo: Reach, the Banshee does not possess anti-gravity pods but can have both of its wings shot off and still perform normally. It is unknown if Bungie intended for the Banshees to have an emergency propulsion system, or if this was simply overlooked in the making of the game.
 * On Halo: Combat Evolved's back cover previews the player flying a Banshee on the Campaign level The Silent Cartographer, this is not possible considering that there is no Banshee encountered through the entire level.
 * On the cover of the Halo: Combat Evolved, the two Banshees appear to be un-piloted as the top canopy enclosing the driver is up. Also, the two Banshees that shot down Foehammer also had open canopies, on the end of the level Keyes if you ignore the flood and covenant and get to the shuttle bay earlier, where the two banshees were, they will not be there and a few seconds later, they will fly in with a spirit dropship and they will also have no pilots. These were probably related to the Banshee's scripted movements, while the former could be an early version.
 * In Halo: Reach, if a player shoots/melees the Banshee to its maximum damage (when it is flaming up) and attempts to fly and turn the craft in the air, he/she might notice that there is no possible way for the Banshee to turn in midair because there are no wings to support its turns. It is possible that the pilot relies on the Banshee's rudders and the player's body weight when at this critical damage.
 * During the Halo: Reach level New Alexandria, if the player hijacks a Banshee there is nobody inside piloting it, yet it still flies, and shoots as if there were a pilot controlling it.
 * When maneuvering, the Banshee's wings rotate in the wrong direction for the maneuver, in fact, their movement would result in the opposite of the intended maneuver, i.e. nose up = nose down.
 * In Halo: Reach, when you protect Halsey's lab, if you EMP a Banshee with the grenade launcher you will find it empty, resulting in Noble Six kicking an invisible Elite out of the Banshee.
 * In the Halo Wars trailer, a squadron of Banshees is seen rising from behind a couple of Elites, hovering for a second, and then advancing. This is not possible for the Banshee, since it must keep moving to remain in the air.
 * In Halo: Reach, if you get hijacked by an Elite in a Banshee that is damaged to the third stage, the Elite will fly out of the map boundaries in the sky and disappear.

Related Pages

 * Banshee Glitch
 * The Great Banshee Switch
 * Banshee Jumping
 * Phantom
 * Spirit
 * Banshee Interceptor
 * Hornet (UNSC Counterpart)

Banshee