41 replies to this topic

[Katotonic]

Does anyone have their own review or a link to another person's review on the Banshee (all models)?

How to use it? (Slow walking almost turret or mobile with less firepower; best positional role on the battlefield like a sniper, direct fire brawler, direct fire support mid range, etc)
XL friendly?
How good a platform is it in comparison to other options in the weight class and in the role(s)
And all those other fun facts that people are looking for.

I know this is all fairly build dependent but i am NOT really looking for build advice. Instead I want a feel for the mech (i.e. Is it a game dominator like a cataphract/jager, a solid mech, or something most people should not touch with a ten foot pole.)

[Modo44]

People seem to like. The arms actually shield, so it can be more durable than an Atlas -- with a bit more speed. The high gun mounts make it easier to use than the Battlemaster. Buuut if you do not have a Highlander or Victor yet, those are still stronger first choices.

[BLOOD WOLF]

nah, i rack up so much kills in the banshee, that i wouldn't trade it for the world(expression). Kat, I smacked highlanders around in that banshee and stalkers. It has potential to punch if you manage your heat.

Put a standard engine, no need for a XL because your gonna need room for as many heatsinks allowed. highest rating if you wish so you can put 3 heatsinks in the engine(saves space) or you can go for two in engine but that's your call. After that the ballistics is optional if you ask me but if you wanna save weight pack a AC/10 or 5 if you wanna be a brawler you stick a 20 and Srm's and 7 med but you don't need to fire super fast. Just work on opening up their cores(especially if assault with concentrated fire) then unleash to kill but don't ever rush because you see an enemy in front of you. I mean Don't ever overheat or your toast

Edited by BLOOD WOLF, 22 March 2014 - 04:47 AM.

[Wintersdark]

The banshee, in a nutshell:
The M is objectively bad due to our heat system. Energy boating assaults are just not good.
The S is basically a slightly tougher Atlas without an ECM option.
The E is a monster created specifically to ruin heavy and assault mechs.

The E is what I'll address here, as its the only interesting Banshee. Capable of laying down a withering calvacade of fire (typically 3ac5 or 2ac2+2ac5 and some ppc's or heavy beams) it can blast through assault level armour in short order, while having large shield arms and massive armor itself.

The E is a fantastic Big Thing killer.

But, as is usually the case for a mech that excels at something, it has a glaring weaknesses. It's lack of arm mounted weapons and slow torso twist means its very hard to bring that massed firepower to bear on a fast light or medium. Even stalkers twist and turn faster, and other assaults have precision from arm mounted weapons. Also, this lack of arm mounted weaponry means you can find yourself unable to engage foes at different elevations, so you need to be cautious around cliffs, hills,and buildings.

[Fuggles]

Xl friendly, yeah the mech itself is. It's not like an atlas at all, it's rare to loose a torso. I run an xl in the M variant and although I have had xl deaths, the deaths were going to happen regardless.

The other models, S and E, your not going to want to run an XL as it severely limits your ballistic options in the torso.

The mech itself is durable, but slow and has a hard time with terrain. The lack of JJs compared to a highlands is very noticeable. You might find yourself late to the battle, or unable to retreat (similar to an atlas but I've found people don't support you like they do in am atlas.)
Weaponry is where the banshee excels, which is ironic considering the stock loadout of the E and M. It seriously packs a lot of firepower and can flat out ruin someone's day. The hard part is getting to the fight and once you get there utilizing it's torso weapons.

I find all the models enjoyable to pilot but the S and E can be one of those mechs where You just get pummeled with missles and throw your mouse. The M is a great candidate for a large XL wich really helps with mobility. Finding a layout that won't melt you before it melts the red team is a challenge but I finally settled on 4 LLas and 4mlas. Once I went to this layout I stopped hating this mech.

Hope this helps

[Rebas Kradd]

The 3E is terrific because of the power of ballistics and not necessarily because of its own merit. It's basically a bigger, tougher Jagermech. I refuse on principle to use it for the same reason I won't touch a Jagermech, Cataphract, Highlander, or Victor. I'm determined to earn my success, not have it handed to me. Autocannons will be getting a nerf presently anyway, so that thing won't be king for long.

I pilot a 3S with a STD 335 (XL seems to call to every AC40 Jagermech on the map like a piece of meat calls to maggots). Like any assault, the key is mobility and positioning. I haven't yet gotten it speed tweak, so when it gets left behind by the team, stuck on terrain, or otherwise caught in the open (these all happen a lot if I don't pay attention), it's stone cold dead in a hurry. But if I can avoid becoming the punching bag of five assaults simultaneously, it's terrific. Arms make great shields, nice high-mounted missile hardpoint helps my LRM20 clear terrain easily. I got five kills in my first match with it, then went five matches without a single kill. It's that kind of mech until it gets some nimbleness.

[MisterPlanetarian]

I'd save my Cbills for a Mauler or atleast wait untill the Clans arrive and see what IS mechs we get by then. But if the banshee is what you insist on then the 3E is the obvious first choice.

[Hex Pallett]

Not Banshee.

Because Battlemaster.

[wintersborn]

This look like a good build ?

BNC-3E

[MisterPlanetarian]

Change it up a littlebit:

BNC-3E

[Katotonic]

So to summarise the listing of people's posts:

It looks like the general consensus is the Banshee is a solid mech overall with the 3E really standing out?

Also people seem to be saying that XLs work well dmg and hit-box wise but will limit your weapon choice (at least on the 3E).

This means the average role will be a slower but heavy hitting brawler/direct fire support? Similar in play style to an Atlas and NOT as much like a more mobile assault like a Victor? (This disappoints me a bit as I could see giving up a ballistic spot, on the 3E, and running a XL380 or so and running with the slower mediums and heavies but with a LOT more tanking power. Has anyone tried this and had success that makes it more worthwhile than bringing up the rear with the Atlai?)

[Modo44]

On most mechs, XL engines only "work" until you learn to twist to spread damage. If you want a more mobile, faster assault, you will be much better served by buying a Victor. That thing is a beast despite the recent nerfs. The Banshee is set up for turret mode -- slow, hard to kill area denial weapon.

[Fuggles]

Modo is exactly right, it's never going to be as fast as a victor, Victors and heavies will leave you behind. Use the mech to it's strengths and you'll do well. It's hard to say what it plays like because it's a unique mech. It plays like a 95 ton mech with no JJs and torso mounted weapons.

I run a xl380 in the 3M because there's nothing else to spend tonnage on other than engine and heatsinks and it does help, but it's still not "fast" it's just not as slow.

[MisterPlanetarian]

Speed is pretty much a non factor for an Assault mech unless its below 52 or above 70. Anything in between is more about torso twisting than anything else.

That said if you are building a dedicated Brawler Assault mech you generally want to aim for atleast 60kph with a standard engine. It's the right split between firepower, top speed and general mobility to no be left behind.

Edited by MisterPlanetarian, 23 March 2014 - 07:44 AM.

[Katotonic]

MisterPlanetarian, on 23 March 2014 - 07:43 AM, said:

Speed is pretty much a non factor for an Assault mech unless its below 52 or above 70. Anything in between is more about torso twisting than anything else.

That said if you are building a dedicated Brawler Assault mech you generally want to aim for atleast 60kph with a standard engine. It's the right split between firepower, top speed and general mobility to no be left behind.

Fair enough on the speed factor you guys have mentioned but just to point out, a 380 engine in a Banshee gets you going 71.3KPH with speed tweek. Do you guys think this makes the point valid? :-P

[Modo44]

It is doable, but the tradeoff for a big engine is just very harsh. You are welcome to try something like AC20+4xML, and compare it to the slower, medium/long-range builds. It may be more fun if/when you have a Banshee. However, it will not do well vs an AC20 setup on a Highlander or Victor, simply because the mech is inherently not suited for close-range fights.

Edited by Modo44, 23 March 2014 - 10:09 AM.

[meteorol]

Keep in mind though, the banshee seems to be a bullet magnet at the moment. (atleast for me)
Don't know why, but guys seem to get into "OMG BANSHEE SHOOT IT" mode when they see one.

Had several occasions with 2 or 3 guys focusing me even if there were as many as 8 of my teammates between me and them.
Completely ignored the fact that half of my team was right infront of their face, gotta kill that banshee. Needless to say, they were shreaded by my teammates, but i ate more than enough during that time.

Probably because it's new or they heard so many horror stories about the 3Es ballistic torso, but it can get annoying at times.

[oldradagast]

I've played in Atlas's and played against Banshees.

The Banshee seems good, though more of a mixed bag vs. the Atlas. All the Atlas variants are similar and are well balanced, for better or for worse. Regardless of the Atlas, you have some idea what to expect when facing them.

Banshees are strange. Their variants are rather different from each other. The 3E is basically a slower, vastly up-armored Jagermech with solid energy backup. The 3S is sort of like an Atlas with a bit less ballistics and missiles, but more energy... it still falls into the role of a mixed-use build. And the 3M is... um.... an all-energy assault mech of... well, limited use from what I've seen. I'm not really sure of anything that can be done with it since have a billion energy hardpoints and nothing else just makes you overheat nicely.

Other than that, they seem to tank damage well enough, but have almost entirely torso weapons, so tracking fast targets is harder. They can mount huge engines, but at the cost of weapons, though they often have excess weapon slots. They don't have quite the recognition and battlefield presence of an Atlas since they do not have as unique a shape at range, but they will still draw fire as all assaults do. If you can handle a Stalker or Jager - mechs that have great firepower but somewhat poor mobility, - you can handle a Banshee, IMHO.

[Jon Gotham]

Rebas Kradd, on 22 March 2014 - 09:46 AM, said:

The 3E is terrific because of the power of ballistics and not necessarily because of its own merit. It's basically a bigger, tougher Jagermech. I refuse on principle to use it for the same reason I won't touch a Jagermech, Cataphract, Highlander, or Victor. I'm determined to earn my success, not have it handed to me. Autocannons will be getting a nerf presently anyway, so that thing won't be king for long.

GOOD MAN!

Banshee E.
We have too many assault mechs in game already.
We have an AC boating problem in game already.
PGI: I know! Let's combine the two issues in one mech!!!!

*high fives all round*

[Reza Malin]

I like the banshee a lot. As has been said the 3E is a beast at medium range with the AC capability, i have 2 PPCs on there as well for even more range firepower.

I like the LM a lot too. It has very balanced build options in my opinion, and is fun. It is also better at torso twisting than the standard variants due to extra twist speed.

Also, i too have noticed the side torsos seem to be harder to target than a lot of other assault mechs. I run an XL in my LM and very very rarely get side torso deaths. Which is nice as i was giving up hope on XL's in anything other than a medium/light

Of the two though, i get better results in PUG games from the 3E, due to the high cheese factor of multi AC builds.