Banshee mechanics

Just a quick question for the community about the way the banshees fly.

I’ve noticed that over the last couple Halo games (Halo Reach and Halo 4) the banshee has been a bit of an issue often dominating teams and making a generally not fun experience. I believe this is partly poor team work but also has something to do with the mechanics of the aircraft it’s self.

While using the banshee it has the ability to roll and do flips at the touch of a button quickly dodging most if not all projectiles which isn’t necessary a bad thing but when it becomes the main way someone uses the banshee it becomes a bit ridiculous.

My question to everyone is: would the ability to “free fly” the banshee be better?

By free fly I mean the pilot be able to roll or flip the banshee by moving the thumbsticks, kinda like how aircraft games like warthunder works, where if you pitch upwards and continue to do so you will eventually do a back flip, rolling may work with bumpers or with the thumbsticks as well.

This would eliminate the quick rolls that are constantly used and make the aircraft feel more in control while still being able to dodge rockets and other anti aircraft equipment, at least in my opinion.

what do you guys think about this?

Just nerf the banshee bomb…

I get that it’s a bomb and should be insta-kill if it makes direct contact, but the skill factor kinda disappears if it kills anyway if you miss… The AOE damage isn’t scaling by distance, at all, and it’s radius is absolutely MASSIVE. lol that’s not okay…

I thought is was the strongest in halo 2 even without the bomb. Easy to take out in 4.

I want the Halo 3: ODST Banshee in Halo 5!

I would like the halo CE one when you use it you can keep in the air like an helicopter

Compare the banshee’s abilities to a Spartan in Halo 5.

  • The Banshee can boost, and use its increased momentum to splatter things.- The Spartan can use Spartan Charge, and use their increased momentum to smash into things.- The Banshee can boost infinitely in a forwards direction [in some iterations].- The Spartan can sprint infintely in a forwards direction.- The Banshee can evade with aerial maneouvers.- The Spartan can evade using thruster pack.- The Banshee can hover [in Halo CE]- Spartans can hover [using stablizer].- The Banshee has a primary and secondary weapon.- The Spartan has a primary and secondary weapon.- The Banshee will damage things when it runs into them, even without boosting.- The Spartan can use melee.- Spartans have grenades.- Banshees have a secondary weapon which is basically a grenade launcher. Sometimes the fuel rods even bounce.- Spartans could equip additional equipment in Halo 4. Now they can’t in Halo 5.- Banshees have a Spartan piloting them. Mjolnir armour probably accounts for additional equipment.- Banshees were either indestructibe [Halo CE multiplayer, I think] or had higher health/hitpoints than Spartans.- Spartans have regenerating shields. Banshees don’t.Sorry, that was a bit off-topic. As to your suggested change in controls–it could definitely work, and could make banshee duels more interesting. Your suggested change is basically putting the player in more direct control of the banshee, and I can’t say that would be a bad thing at all.

Great idea. I’d also nerf the bomb, but the Press X To Flip mechanic definitely made evasion too easy.

Would the aiming reticle stay in the middle of the screen the whole time or travel? I don’t know why but I envision the reticle staying near the center of the screen but moving with the Banshee in your idea.

What I would like to see for balance is the elimination of the banshee bomb, or a set number of bombs on board, like 5 or so. Also, to Balance the banshee I would like to see the “aiming helpers” the Elites had in reach when using plasma weapons. That way the bombs are less detrimental and the Plasma Turrets are easier to use.

> 2535460843083983;2:
> Just nerf the banshee bomb…
>
> I get that it’s a bomb and should be insta-kill if it makes direct contact, but the skill factor kinda disappears if it kills anyway if you miss… The AOE damage isn’t scaling by distance, at all, and it’s radius is absolutely MASSIVE. lol that’s not okay…

Then you get the worthless piece of crap that was the Halo 3 banshee.

I just want to be able to aim directly up or down with the banshee again. That’s all I want.

> 2533274803493024;8:
> Would the aiming reticle stay in the middle of the screen the whole time or travel? I don’t know why but I envision the reticle staying near the center of the screen but moving with the Banshee in your idea.
>
> What I would like to see for balance is the elimination of the banshee bomb, or a set number of bombs on board, like 5 or so. Also, to Balance the banshee I would like to see the “aiming helpers” the Elites had in reach when using plasma weapons. That way the bombs are less detrimental and the Plasma Turrets are easier to use.

with my Idea I had envisioned the reticle staying in the center of the screen and the camera would follow behind the banshee so it would be like walking around I guess

> 2533274833380875;9:
> > 2535460843083983;2:
> > Just nerf the banshee bomb…
> >
> > I get that it’s a bomb and should be insta-kill if it makes direct contact, but the skill factor kinda disappears if it kills anyway if you miss… The AOE damage isn’t scaling by distance, at all, and it’s radius is absolutely MASSIVE. lol that’s not okay…
>
>
>
> Then you get the worthless piece of crap that was the Halo 3 banshee.

The only banshees that were worthless were Reach’s and Halo 4’s. 3 clips of DMR from a team, and it’s already done for. The only reason both of those versions of the banshee had better weapons than Halo 3’s was because they were turned into glass cannons.

Halo 3’s banshee was actually challenging to take down because you weren’t just spawning with an anti-vehicle rifle, you actually had to find specific weapons to kill it with. Reach was probably the worst thing to happen to Halo’s vehicle mechanics, and Halo 4 recycled that terrible system.

> 2535432359236232;12:
> > 2533274833380875;9:
> > > 2535460843083983;2:
> > > Just nerf the banshee bomb…
> > >
> > > I get that it’s a bomb and should be insta-kill if it makes direct contact, but the skill factor kinda disappears if it kills anyway if you miss… The AOE damage isn’t scaling by distance, at all, and it’s radius is absolutely MASSIVE. lol that’s not okay…
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Then you get the worthless piece of crap that was the Halo 3 banshee.
>
>
> The only banshees that were worthless were Reach’s and Halo 4’s. 3 clips of DMR from a team, and it’s already done for. The only reason both of those versions of the banshee had better weapons than Halo 3’s was because they were turned into glass cannons.
>
> Halo 3’s banshee was actually challenging to take down because you weren’t just spawning with an anti-vehicle rifle, you actually had to find specific weapons to kill it with. Reach was probably the worst thing to happen to Halo’s vehicle mechanics, and Halo 4 recycled that terrible system.

Regardless of the armor the Banshee was still terribly vulnerable to BR fire. The controls on the Halo 3 banshee made the cannons totally useless because unlike Halo 2 the banshee moved at nearly full speed when not boosting forcing you to do a run on your target from halfway across the map to stop the risk of boarding. In addition to that, the banshee flips did not lose missile pod targeting locks and were all but useless at escaping someone that was about to board you on the ground.

Also unlike the Reach and 4 banshee 3’s banshee had a heavy vulnerability on the pods at the ends of the wings. Take those down and the banshee blows up. Concentrated BR fire can easily kill the driver and blow the thing up, the only difference is that retreating and getting your shields back might help you out.

Banshee bomb has the same problems that the cannons have. It is effective against vehicles at the cost of being near worthless against infantry. The bomb did little splash damage and required immediate retreat whether you hit the target or not due to the clunky movement mechanics.

Sorry dude, but I think the only reason you think it’s balanced is because in 90% of the games on Valhalla and Sandtrap it is destroyed the entire game immediately from the beginning and never has any effect on the game’s outcome.

Halo Reach and 4’s Banshees while using a different health system are 10 times more effective than Halo 3’s.

It’s fine. Vehicles are meant to be strong, and they are more strong when a skilled player uses them. Keep vehicles strong.

> 2533274833380875;13:
> > 2535432359236232;12:
> > > 2533274833380875;9:
> > > > 2535460843083983;2:
> > > > Just nerf the banshee bomb…
> > > >
> > > > I get that it’s a bomb and should be insta-kill if it makes direct contact, but the skill factor kinda disappears if it kills anyway if you miss… The AOE damage isn’t scaling by distance, at all, and it’s radius is absolutely MASSIVE. lol that’s not okay…
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Then you get the worthless piece of crap that was the Halo 3 banshee.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > The only banshees that were worthless were Reach’s and Halo 4’s. 3 clips of DMR from a team, and it’s already done for. The only reason both of those versions of the banshee had better weapons than Halo 3’s was because they were turned into glass cannons.
> >
> > Halo 3’s banshee was actually challenging to take down because you weren’t just spawning with an anti-vehicle rifle, you actually had to find specific weapons to kill it with. Reach was probably the worst thing to happen to Halo’s vehicle mechanics, and Halo 4 recycled that terrible system.
>
>
>
>
> Regardless of the armor the Banshee was still terribly vulnerable to BR fire. The controls on the Halo 3 banshee made the cannons totally useless because unlike Halo 2 the banshee moved at nearly full speed when not boosting forcing you to do a run on your target from halfway across the map to stop the risk of boarding. In addition to that, the banshee flips did not lose missile pod targeting locks and were all but useless at escaping someone that was about to board you on the ground.
>
> Also unlike the Reach and 4 banshee 3’s banshee had a heavy vulnerability on the pods at the ends of the wings. Take those down and the banshee blows up. Concentrated BR fire can easily kill the driver and blow the thing up, the only difference is that retreating and getting your shields back might help you out.
>
> Banshee bomb has the same problems that the cannons have. It is effective against vehicles at the cost of being near worthless against infantry. The bomb did little splash damage and required immediate retreat whether you hit the target or not due to the clunky movement mechanics.
>
> Sorry dude, but I think the only reason you think it’s balanced is because in 90% of the games on Valhalla and Sandtrap it is destroyed the entire game immediately from the beginning and never has any effect on the game’s outcome.
>
> Halo Reach and 4’s Banshees while using a different health system are 10 times more effective than Halo 3’s.

Ok, a couple of things.

  • Yes, the Banshee pilot could be shot out of the banshee in Halo 3, but at least the vehicle itself was sometimes still useable after the pilot dies. In Reach/4, the thing blows up with the pilot practically every time. The fact that the H3 banshee moved faster when not boosting seems to be for balance more than anything. It presented a risk when strafe running targets that required a bit more skill to avoid being hijacked. Also, believe it or not, the H3 banshee can lose missile pod missiles, although it isn’t as easy as simply doing a roll to reset the lock on like it is in Reach. For example, a missile pod has my banshee locked on in Vallhalla, so I boost towards either base and roll behind the tower. The missiles hit the tower almost every time. That takes a bit more skill to pull off than spamming super fast starfox-like barrel rolls until the rockets whiz past you.

  • Ok, two pods on the H3 banshee made it vulnerable. The wraith has it’s engine in the back that makes it vulnerable, is that a problem? Also, two tiny pods still beats vulnerability of the entire vehicle being hit by almost every weapon in the sandbox like Reach/4’s banshees.

  • Little splash damage? Sounds like someone had trouble aiming, which was required to use H3’s banshee bomb effectively. Spamming a mini-nuke fuel rod from Reach/4’s banshee is almost as easy as pointing and shooting the Scorpion’s cannon. As I said before, the movement mechanics were the way they were so that the banshee was actually vulnerable to boarding, which is a much more interesting and skillful way to eliminate the threat compared to spamming hitscan rifles at it until it all blows up.

  • You’d be surprised at how many games I’ve had inside the banshee where people didn’t know what to do to take it out, despite Valhalla having plasma pistols, missile pods, sticky nades and power drains, and sandtrap having splazers, at each base. I think that you think Reach/4’s banshee is balanced because its a glass cannon, so it’s pathetic durability is justified by it’s power. Only problem is, the vehicles shouldn’t be made of glass/cardboard/paper in the first place. People have been complaining about this since Reach, and they praise Halo 2 and 3’s vehicle gameplay because it’s that much better.