Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft

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“Banshees! Fast and low!”

— UNSC Pelican Dropship pilot on Sierra 117

The Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft, otherwise known as the Banshee (pronounced BAN-she) by Humans, is the Covenant's standard ground assault aircraft.

Overview

Halo Wars Banshee — A Banshee concept art from the new game Halo Wars.

The Banshee is an extremely fast, primary personal aerial assault craft of the Covenant. The Banshee resembles a medium size jet with a hood, that opens upward from the rear. It is equipped with two stubby "wings", which are basically frames that terminate in the propulsion jets and anti-gravity pods that leave behind a signature exhaust trail while boosting. Usually attacking in pairs the Banshee is capable of reaching a speed of over 100 km/h^[4], extremely maneuverable, and is capable of performing loops and barrel rolls to evade incoming fire with the help of the boosting engines, which in common with most Covenant vehicles, results in the sacrifice of the weaponry for the duration of the maneuver. When flying, it makes a noise between a whistle and a whine. In Halo:Combat Evolved it is capable of hovering. It has two weapon pods mounted to either side of the fuselage. Each of these pods contains a light plasma cannon and a Fuel Rod Gun ^[5]. Though small arms fire may disrupt or disable the pilot (the SMG is very effective against it in Halo 2), only heavy weapons are capable of inflicting enough damage to destroy the vehicle. In Halo 2 Multiplayer, the secondary weapon, the Fuel Rod Gun, has been replaced by a speed boost. However, it is usable in Halo 3 Multiplayer.The easiest way to kill a person in a banshee is to shoot the person from the back of the banshee as it reveals the person's legs.One reminder to all is that do not ever climb out of a Banshee in midair. if you do not heed this advice, you will cause your own death and it will be counted as commiting suicide...

File:1210322537 Level7-banshee.jpg

A Banshee flying in Halo 3 while leaving twin moisture trails.

The Banshee is propelled by small anti-gravity pods attached to its wings, and larger units in the manouvering vanes at the rear of the craft. These pods create the field that keeps it flying, and make wailing sounds as the craft maneuvers, thus the name "Banshee." It was previously thought that the Banshee was powered by its "wing pods," but with a closer inspection you can see that the rear engines are the main source of propulsion, especially during boosting. This explains why if you melee the wing pods off, it can still fly, but with a bit more instability. The Banshee is also capable of space flight.^[6].

The Banshee is never seen being piloted by one of the "inferior" Covenant races. Instead, they are exclusively used by Elites and Brutes.

Banshees are seen in the three part series Halo: Arms Race. They seem to fly much faster in Halo 3, often performing strafing runs.

Versions

Halo: Combat Evolved

File:BansheeTwoBetrayals.jpg

Banshee on the level Two Betrayals.

In Halo: Combat Evolved the Banshee could almost hover in mid air. The player would use the control to move backwards, causing the Banshee to back up,hover up-sidown, but at a slow rate of speed making the Banshee appear to hover,leading advanced airmen to do complex stunts. Also, a Banshee in Campaign had a health bar similar to the player's. After its health is depleted the Banshee would explode, killing the driver. The Banshee also has increased armor in Halo: Combat Evolved. For example, several Shotgun blasts can impact the Banshee before it is destroyed. It is usable in the PC/MAC version's multiplayer, but on the Xbox version it is only usable in the single player levels Assault on the Control Room, Two Betrayals and briefly at the end of Keyes.

Banshees are also available on the multiplayer maps Blood Gulch, Infinity, Sidewinder, Death Island, and Gephyrophobia. The Banshee is exactly the same as in single player mode, but the vehicle does not take damage. In order for a Banshee to be neutralized, the driver must be killed. The driver can be killed by any weapon, although some weapons and tactics work better then others. Weapons of choice for killing Banshees are often the Fuel Rod Gun, the Rocket Launcher, and Assault rifle. Players who don't have one of these weapons will often try sticking the banshee, but mostly fail because of the banshee having a slippery front that bounces off grenades. The heavy weapons are self explanatory, while the Assault Rifle is used by more skilled players. They fire short bursts at medium range and fire full automatic if the Banshee is close enough. An inexperienced pilot will often flee if they lose their shields. If the pilot does this, then the player should switch to a Pistol and finish them off.

Both Fragmentation Grenades and Plasma Grenades can be used effectively to combat a Banshee. Some players stand on cliffs to lure the Banshee in, then attempt to stick it. More experienced players will wait for the banshee to be low to the ground, throw a grenade ahead of it, and the Banshee will fly into the detonation. Also in multiplayer, the driver can use the mounted Fuel Rod Gun on the Banshee.

Banshees are highly effective against players in large multiplayer maps such as Blood Gulch and Infinity. Their fuel rod cannons can flip warthogs and their plasma cannons can decimate infantry. Another tactic is to run over other players, which is an instant kill if the driver succeeds in hitting the target. This tactic can also be risky if the driver is not very experienced, when hitting the ground the Banshee has a good chance of slowing down and when this happens it could be stuck by a plasma grenade.

Halo 2

File:Banshee01.jpg

Banshee on Coagulation.

In Halo 2, the Banshee's engines can be pushed to provide an excellent boost in speed, but at the cost of maneuverability and weapon power. However, a skilled pilot can time brief periods between boosts to vastly improve their maneuverability. The Banshee can no longer hover, that function has been replaced with an air brake. Also in Halo 2, the ability to hijack, or "skyjack," an occupied enemy Banshee has been added. If the Banshee is traveling at a fairly slow pace and is flying low, then the player can jump onto the Banshee and force out the driver, allowing the player to take control by pressing the X button on the XBOX controller. An enemy is also able to jump on and steal the player's Banshee as well, both in multiplayer and campaign. This can be fatal on the Heroic and Legendary difficulties. Another change from the previous game is (while in campaign) the enemy's inability to fire the fuel rod cannon, although the player may use it. The ability of using the Fuel Rod Cannon has been removed from the multiplayer.

A rather large defensive change for Halo 2 was made for the Banshee. It now has the ability to perform stunts. Although it may seem like this ability is purely used to appear flashy, these stunts are very effective for avoiding enemy fire, especially against rockets. They can be used on both campaign and multiplayer, and on campaign can be used by enemies too. The stunts that can be performed are the ability to roll left, or right and do a back flip in mid air. On the Heroic and Legendary difficulty settings, these stunts can mean the difference between life and death.

Halo 3

The Banshee in Halo 3 is the same in design as its previous appearances in the last two installments. It has kept its boosting and aerial maneuvers, although you cannot do it as often. The Fuel Rod Cannon is now available as a secondary weapon in Multiplayer. Just like in the Halo 2 campaign, it can be fired with the "B" button (using the default button layout). The radius and size of the Fuel Rod blast has been decreased for balance with the other vehicles and weapons of the game.

The Banshee, as with the Warthog and Wraith, have received a substantial visual upgrade. Its canopy now has a green iridescent sheen, almost insectoid in appearance, which makes it look like a true alien alloy and adds to the realism. Also, the glowing wing tips now look like small turbines, and the tail fins now open up to reveal 2 more boosters. Other than that, it remains similar in design and usage to its Halo CE counterpart, though it cannot face any lower than 45 degrees, to prevent it from overpowering ground players and for more airplane-like strafing runs. The brake can still be used to stall out the craft for quick descents. However, the Banshee is much more maneuverable than the AV-14 Hornet, allowing for a skilled Banshee pilot to easily destroy a Hornet.

Another change in Halo 3, is a lack of any scripted usable Banshees in Halo 3's campaign. The only way to pilot a banshee in Halo 3's campaign is to hijack one, which is extremely difficult as the Brute pilots are intelligent enough to not let you get close enough to board their vehicle. Some players in co-op attempt to "wing walk" on a Hornet in The Covenant, then jump off in midair to grab a Banshee that way. This usually fails (often hilariously) due to the Banshee's greater speed and the AI's intelligence level. But however, if one plays on lower difficulties where Brutes have lesser health and shields, during the chapter "Journey's End" of the level The Covenant, if you constant fire the Hornet's chainguns at the back of the Banshee, sometimes the Brute pilot dies, but the Banshee vehicle is still usable (if it lands on a reachable spot in the snow) by the player. Using the Banshee to fight the Scarabs in that level is rather effective since doing Banshee stunts can save the player from other Banshees in the air and the Scarab's Plasma Turret and the Fuel Rod Beam, while firing the plasma cannons and Fuel Rod Cannon of the Banshee. Another easy way to get the Banshee is to lure it close to you then fire a charged Plasma Pistol shot at it. This should disable the Banshee temporarily allowing you to board. There are some Banshees that still can't be boarded even with this trick.

Halo Wars

File:BansheeHaloWars.jpg

Banshees in Halo Wars.

Banshees were seen in the Halo Wars demo and appear to be capable of boosting and performing barrel rolls and stunts. However, they appear to be missing the green sheen that they have in Halo 3. Banshees are effective against ground troops, and the only effective way of taking them out seems to be through the use of a UNSC Wolverine vehicle.

Piloting Tactics

Splattering an opponent with a Banshee is often tempting, but this is normally a very risky maneuver, because hitting the ground can slow down the Banshee and have it boarded. However, if you are relatively parallel and low to the ground, this is a great opportunity to rack up kills and medals. If you are stalled by an overcharged Plasma Pistol shot or Power Drain, get out immediately upon landing as you are basically defenseless without maneuvering.
If the Banshee is boarded there are a few ways to stop it being used against you:
- The first is to do a backflip in the Banshee, if timed right, you should be launched above and come back right down on it to take it back and get the Maybe Next Time Buddy Achievement.
- One more tactic is if the Banshee is severely damaged while being boarded, boost it into a wall, if you time it just right, you will be kicked out, the Banshee will explode with the opponent in it, and you may just get the kill for it.
Another good way to use it is to get close to the ground to fight the enemy team then fly back up quickly so you won't be skyjacked.
If you see a group of enemies near each other you should fire your Fuel Rod Cannon at them, then just shoot your plasma cannons at them.

Countering Tactics

In Halo:CE, using the Pistol will be satisfyingly easy to take down the pilot for a sharp shooter, whereas in close range combat, it is recommended to use an Assault Rifle or a Shotgun, firing while backing away. Relatively strong players may consider sticking a Plasma Grenade to counter the attack. For vehicles, it is generally recommended to use the turret on Warthogs to cut down the pilot in rapid successions. If the Banshee is REALLY close, it is recommended that you use a shotgun; however, the shotgun is still useful for damaging Banshees from close-to-mid range. Most Banshee pilots online tend to flee when confronted by a Shotgunner. Ducking can also be an effective way at dodging a Banshee pilot's attempt at ramming you. Otherwise, you can simply jump out of the way and throw a grenade while the Banshee is grounded. (It takes a few moments to get back in the air once you hit the ground in a Banshee.)

Bansheegowhee — A Banshee in full flight

The Banshee is lightly armored and thus vulnerable to explosives and anti-vehicle weaponry. The best weapon to destroy a Banshee is the Missile Pod or Spartan Laser, depending on your skill with either weapon, although the Missile Pod is much easier to use with its homing and lock on ability. The missiles home in on the Banshee and are difficult to evade but it is possible to do so. Other weapons such as the Rocket Launcher and Spartan Laser can instantly destroy a Banshee although they are harder to successfully hit the target at long ranges. Other alternatives include the Warthog's M41 LAAG(although if the warthog is stationary it is easy for the banshee pilot to flip you with a fuel rod shot), Machine Gun Turrets, and the Brute Shot. Scorpion Tanks and/or Wraiths are also quite effective against banshees as it is hard for the pilot to maneuver away from the shot from one of the two. At close range a Banshee can be destroyed with Plasma or Spike Grenades. It can also be hijacked at low speeds. This can be effective if there is a Gravity Lift, giving you the elevation needed to hijack a careful Banshee pilot.

Some good items to consider using in Halo 3 while engaged with a Banshee are overcharged shots from a Plasma Pistol or tossing a Power Drain as they both temporarily deactivate the Banshee's engines. Using a Bubble Shield against a Banshee should only be used against its weapons, you can still be splattered through the Bubble Shield. A decent fall back tactic is to use dual SMG-its fast rate of fire and the wide canopy of the Banshee ensure that the vehicle will be hit with the full power of two weapons at a close to mid range. Of course, practically any anti-vehicular weapons would be favorable, but it could do enough damage to scare the Banshee away, or leave it in a bad enough position to be destroyed by a team mate.

One of the things you can do to evade a Banshee is to run to the nearest place of cover. Rocks, trees, caves, and bases are all good places for cover from the Banshee's plasma cannons. If you are stuck in a wide open there is not much you can do unless you have an anti-vehicular weapon. However a Banshee can't hover in place, so it can only attack for a few seconds before having to reposition itself leaving you a chance to escape. Also, Banshees cannot shoot while boosting; try to take it down then.

Trivia

In Celtic Mythology a Banshee is a woman spirit who wails for the death of a particular person, before they die. The high pitched sound made by the Banshee in Halo is a reference to this, especially while performing tight maneuvers.
A Banshee can execute tricks. Hold A then press either left for a left roll, right for a right roll, or down for a looproll. These tricks are good for dodging enemy fire, especially the hornet's missiles and the missile pod, which are normally hard to avoid with other vehicles.
It is unknown what the covenant name for a Banshee is, as the name was given to them by the UNSC, but covenant characters still refer to them as Banshees.
A lightly recurring theme throughout the series is players almost dying in vehicle crashes, mainly in the Banshee. In The Maw, the Master Chief enters the Pillar of Autumn by deliberately crashing his Banshee to annoy Cortana. 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. Although this theme continued in Halo 3, with the Chief and Arbiter crashing, and surviving, in the opening cutscene of Halo, this was done in a Pelican. If you crash a Banshee in Halo 3 (for example, into a tree on Valhalla), you will not die. This could be a reference to the Banshee crash survivals in the campaign levels.
In Halo: Combat Evolved, because vehicles are instant kills when they touch other nearby living objects, many people don't even bother using the Plasma Cannons or the Fuel Rod Cannon on the Banshee.
Supposedly, Banshees use anti-grav pods on the ends of their wings to fly. However, in Halo 2 a Banshee can lose both of these pods and still fly normally. It is unknown if Bungie is intending for the Banshees to have an emergency propulsion system, or if this was simply overlooked in the making of the game.
If you ram the Banshee into enough terrain, it will be destroyed, but if your shields are full, you should be able to survive its destruction with only depleted shields. This can easily be tested on Sandtrap by ramming into its multiple pillars.
Although the Banshee in the games is made for one pilot which means they can only hold one person, in the novel Halo: First Strike, a Banshee carried Master Chief and a second Spartan II named Linda. Also, Zuka 'Zamamee and Yayap ride in a Banshee together in Halo: The Flood, whilst escaping the battle for Alpha Base.
On page 129 of The Art of Halo Banshees are seen firing fuel rod guns on the Halo 2 map Waterworks, although it is not possible for them to do so in that game, but this was in Halo 2 Beta.
The Banshee, like the Ghost, when it takes a lot of damage it starts to vibrate, shake, and whine then explodes which can cause damage to players and sometimes even kill them. However, in Halo 3, this effect on a critically damaged Banshee occurs much less often than in previous games.
In Halo 2 when you do barrel-rolls or something this blue light would come out of the thrusters. This does not happen in Halo 3.
The Banshee is the only drivable aircraft in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 campaign. Surprisingly, it is not a required vehicle to pilot in campaign mode on Halo 3 (in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 it was only possible to get through some stages in certain levels by piloting a Banshee, ex. Two Betrayals and The Arbiter), but it is possible and achievable to use it on The Covenant (level) if you get a chance to board it.
In Halo 2 if you go high enough and jump out you will die. An alternative occurrence is to boost while flying straight down and performing a looproll and to get out simultaneously. This, however, is disabled in Halo 3.
If you boost upwards and perform an aerial maneuver like a looproll and get out at the same time, when you fall down and die your character will spin downwards.
In Halo 3 using aerobatic tricks usually isn't enough to escape the laser of a Spartan laser. Exiting the craft allows for a much higher chance of survival.
In Halo 3 if you do a looproll and get out while the Banshee is looking straight up, the Banshee will shake and go a far distance in a random direction.
In Halo 3, the Fuel Rod Gun has a limited amount of homing upon enemy targets (whilst under AI use). This is most usually seen on The Covenant during the aerial dog fight section.
In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, you can go straight down (90 degree angle) while flying the Banshee. While in Halo 3, you can only go down at an angle, which has upset some gamers because it is easier for people to dodge Banshee 'splatters' (those who kill by running over players with vehicles) because the driver has to angle it right.
In Halo: Combat Evolved, Banshee plasma bolts can't break glass.
The Heretics from Halo 2 have a Heretic Banshee. It is like a normal Banshee but with a gold and purple color scheme.
In the level The Maw (Halo: Combat Evolved) it is possible to get a Banshee.
It is possible for the flag carrier to stand on top of a boosting Banshee and not fall off, if they keep walking forward slowly.
By sticking the driver of a Banshee and boarding it immediately, you can ride the burning wreckage of the Banshee.
In Halo 3 on Forge, if you enter a banshee in player mode and exit by pressing up to go in Forge mode, the banshee's top cover will stay down as if it was being piloted.
On the cover of the Halo: Combat Evolved game, the two banshee's appear to be pilotless as the top canopy enclosing the driver is up. Also, the two Banshees that shot down Foehammer also had open canopies. These were probably either an early render or a glitch in the rendering.
The Banshees on the cover of Halo: Combat Evolved fire a beam weapon instead of bolts of plasma.
On Halo 3, if you hit a severely damaged Banshee hard against something, a "fail-safe" feature will initiate, ejecting the pilot from the wreckage, saving their energy shields.
In Halo 3 boarding a Banshee is easy if someone trys to splatter you and they hit a wall.
When you attempet a banshee trick with the A button, the two flaps on either side of the back of the cockpit will bend to the left for a split-second. This only happens at the end of the trick.
If in the hands of an experienced player, the Banshee is very difficult to destroy due to its maneuverability.
In Halo 3 if you manage to board a Banshee on the level The Covenant, it will automatically explode when you dismount, much like the AA Wraith.
Much like the plasma mortar of the Wraith when you fire the plasma cannon it is affected by gravity.
In Halo 3, on the level Cortana, when you go to the Pelican and turn around you will see a Banshee if you are playing solo. This Banshee belongs to the Arbiter.
Players often nicknamed the vehicle "the Shee" and a person who excessively uses it a "Shee n00b" or "Banshee/Shee whore".
If you look at the front of the canopy in theater mode (zooming in makes it clearer) you can see a face.
In multiplayer, if someone locks on to you with a rocket launcher and you are in a Banshee, you can lose the lock by turning straight up, pressing "X" then quickly pressing it again to get back in.
In Halo 2 you can kill Tartarus using a Banshee, but it can be very difficult to get it inside the activation chamber.
The Banshee is one of only two Covenant vehicles usable in Halo:CE(with the ghost).
In multiplayer, if you are hit by a Rocket Launcher while doing a backflip the wreckage of the Banshee will be boosting without moving (as it does if hit with EMP).
If you preform a back-flip and jump out imidiately, you will be thrown out and if timed correctly, commit suicide.
In halo 3, the banshees wing tips are now small turbines, and the tail fins open up to reveal 2 more boosters.