Battletech Lore - Banshee Assault Battlemech

[@tannerrennat7786]

"The head on the Atlas is so cool, we should do that again!" Nick Kerensky.

[@bartonbrevis3831]

The BNC-1C came first in 2445, the AS-7D came in the 2750's

[@TheGreatDayne1983]

The Banshee came first, the Atlas is copying it.

[@bkane573]

Woooosh

[@foff3804]

Basically all you have to is swap the weapons load out for large and medium or small lasers and more heat sinks. Then it's a good close to medium and brawler mech. And back in the old days when hatchets had no weight it became a thing of nightmares.

[@jekubfimbulwing5370]

I turned the 3M variant into a close combat monster in the Battletech PC game. 6 Medium Lasers, 5 Small Lasers, 19 heatsinks total and a few extra tons of armor. It's got enough armor to take a beating while getting in close, if it DOES get in close a called shot to the CT will put almost any mech out of commission. It your tactics stat is high enough you can blow the head off of another mech with a called shot, runs pretty hot while alpha striking but, it's worth it, just for the salvage!

[@LORDOFDORKNESS42]

Had a M3 too in my so far longest campaign, and it's honestly been my ace-in-the-hole for nearly two-thirds of the game. The bits of scrap you can use to build one are just so absurdly cheap that I got one while the game was still expecting me to run 1-2 skull missions, and it's just *absurdly* durable & hard hitting for that point of the game. Heck, was still using it end-game, if at that point I'd traded the PPCs for small lasers, max armor and max jump-jets, and it's basically a 95 ton ninja ballerina of death.

[@Morachnyion]

I’ll have to try that.

[@akiraguy]

Imagine this mech but with tsm.

[@LORDOFDORKNESS42]

@@akiraguy Have to admit I needed to google what TSM was, but yeah, that sounds like it would be crazy good on a brawler style Banshee. If there's ever a Battletech 2 from HBS, I really hope they expand the customization options to stuff like that.

[@benlaskowski357]

I put together a version with the AC5, the PPC and five medium lasers. Put in a 285 engine to do so. Added four tons of ammo for the AC and a shitload of heatsinks!! Have fun!

[@nerdfatha]

I always liked the Banshee. Probably because it looks like a linebacker that is cosplaying as a mech. and that just amuses the hell out of me.

[@exoterric]

I can dig it

[@UCSPanther20]

The original versions are a little too lightly armed for my tastes, but the Defiance re-engineered 3S is my favorite of the Banshee series.

[@bartonbrevis3831]

Definite likable odd ball. Tinkering required.

[@clayendfield4850]

The BNC-3S is easily one of my favorite Assaults in MWO. Mine runs an MRM 40, an AC20, & 6x Med Lasers with 16 Double Heatsinks. Not many BattleMechs can even boat that much ordinance, let alone handle the heat; but the BNC-3S is quirked to all hell for the kit. Mid range it functions as fire support & armor sharing; at close range though, it hurls 90 firepower alphas at Mach 2 and brawls pretty much anything into submission.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

That's a lot of firepower. Didn't even know it possible to mount those 2 big weapon systems and all those lasers besides.

[@StressmanFIN]

In HBS Battletech, Banshee was the first assault I encountered. It would continue to appear for the longest time before better assaults started spawning. It's such a bad 'mech. xD

[@Squiggles01]

It may not be an Atlas, but I still love this 95 ton nutcase! The thing needs a bit of TLC to make it shine!

[@Cbabilon675]

One of those next that got a bad reputation oh, and no one ever looked at the potential of the design. Take one banshee, adding one mad engineer, and you get one nightmare machine.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I personally think it looks cooler than the Atlas.

[@chrisflagg1329]

My 3S’s alpha strike can core ANYTHING up to and including an Atlas, granted it gets quite toasty afterward.

[@thegreatbamboozler4837]

Old skool BT gamer with 2 Banshees in my merc regiments from the early 90s and the Banshee 3050 variant wasn't the pushover found in 3025...not as well armed as an Awesome or Atlas but still a very dangerous adversary.

[@baker90338]

The lesser known appearance is kinda a good thing. That means when you can have bullshit. I saw a guy running a MRM 40, AC20, and six lasers on one a while back. Think about that for a second.

[@Shadow-Kalbo1]

In the battletech pc game the banshee is the one mech i have yet to find a role for you are better going with an Atlas The only Bansee is worth considering the 3S

[@johncaddick5075]

Give a stock chassis the arm mod and jump jets to get stuck in. But agree in principle.

[@LORDOFDORKNESS42]

The 3M can be turned in a pretty dang devastating brawler, though. Eight small lasers, max armor, jump jets, and a scout pilot, and you basically get a faux heavy that can core even some heavies in a single attack. All while moving like greased lightning for its weight, and with so much armor you only really need to start worrying once other assaults start entering the picture. Edit* Oh, and you can find those parts in stores basically as soon as you get your jump-ship, too, so it's crazy good early to mid game.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I think you are better off with an Atlas compared to many other mechs :D

[@Shadow-Kalbo1]

@@GrimDarkNarrator An Atlas solves many many problems and makes bad mechs go away lol

[@jamesc.2054]

@@GrimDarkNarrator Steiner scout lance ftw.

[@Aceman52]

There is so much potential in this design. I like to arm it with mostly energy weapons.

[@kazekamiha]

In the BT PC Game I remember getting this as my first Assault in a run. I hated it almost instantly with how limited the weaponry was. I used it half as a tank, half as a melee unit until I got better assaults.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thanks for the share.

[@Solon_The_Lich]

I'm still picking Mech trash in my first Campaign run, can't wait to finish and have a taste of the Battletech Revised Mod

[@ScottAT]

If you can fabricate an axe aka the axeman/hatchet man or salvage one it is quite a powerful in-brawler We used to play pre-clan invasion.

[@wallacetillery5557]

Never used a Banshee myself. They always felt under gunned for my liking and as long as you have fire support you can shred it's armor before it can close. Especially if you have some mediums and heavies to preoccupy it.

[@traviscochran6280]

Yes, but you have to concentrate fire on it to shred it. Takes a lot of fire to drop it, and when you shoot at it other mechs are left unfired on. And if it closes to melee even a damaged Banshee has a 95 ton kick.

[@wallacetillery5557]

@@traviscochran6280 that is why I rock C3 systems most of the time. Have a light mech to designate the Banshee and at least one good missile boat. With C3 and plenty of LRMs the Banshee will look like swiss cheese before it gets to meele range.

[@akiraguy]

If the banshee is alone and got no lancemates that may work. If he got friends that might not work well enough.

[@wallacetillery5557]

@@akiraguy very true.

[@wallacetillery5557]

@@traviscochran6280 I can see that. But when I run a fire support lance, I usually have an assault mech 1 assault mech, with 2 to 3 LRM 20 launchers, a heavy with 1 to 2, and a mix of 2 medium or 1 medium and 1 additional heavy with at least 1 LRM 20 or 2 LRM 10 launchers each. If you go with the max numbers or LRM load configuration linked by C3 Master Slave Units you have the potential of 180 points of damage in one strike. Not to mention the mediums and heavy can whittle down the Banshee with laser fire along the way. Like I said I have never used a Banshee, but there are few mechs I have run that could shrug off 180 points of potential damage like it was nothing.

[@Dariushellstrome]

I had stopped playing long before the HERESY of the Word of Blake against the true Imperium of Battletech (I might be mixing up the universes there) but I do like the revision with the axe it was such an under gunned mech but the very few defenders of it (all 2 of them) kept saying it was a great hand to hand fighter except at the convention where I watched it only be able to close into hand to hand range once out of 3 games. With the axe it might have been able to kill the medium in a hit, and take out the other 2 lights but nope

[@wanwanponpon4263]

Imagine having to go up against an assault mech that has multiple armored actuators. I was surprised to see that variant have 2 bombast lasers.

[@exoterric]

I've been hardcore rocking the banshees in MW5. Can't beat that speed

[@FuzzyNova]

I haven't done too many Banshee Videos but its on my list. I'll find a good build to run. Maximum energy Cooldown . Operations skilled to the max. Probably 3 large pulse 4 5 ER mediums. Or maybe just 2 large pulse. even 95 tonners have a hard time keeping up with heat in MWO. Hell I might buy a banshee today. From me experience at least I don't see too many Pilots taking the banshee out. When I do I have a nod of respect. Same goes with The Highlander. You have my respect

[@lorddurden4189]

I love my banshee 3p in Mechwarrior 5. It is perfect for raid missions decent armor a masc and 5 medium laser hard points. It’s perfect for getting in and destroying raid targets while taking very little damage and if it needs to you can melt enemy cockpits in a pinch. It has just enough firepower to get the job done very quickly

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thanks for sharing that.

[@schnarre0]

...Prior to 3050 this 'Mech is the proverbial, 'Better than nothing' platform, but that isn't saying much. The variant I had the most success with dropped the AC/5 & ammo with an LRM-10 rack with 1 ton of ammo, a Flamer on the left arm, & 2 Medium Lasers in the center torso: still under-armed for the tonnage, but workable. House Steiner's Banshee variant is still the best variant before the recovery of LosTech.

[@foff3804]

Obviously you've never seen the Charger.

[@Morachnyion]

One of my favorite assaults

[@Morachnyion]

Well. The 5s 3050 variant

[@traviscochran6280]

I am a fan of the 3s variant. We usually don't play with the advanced tech variants. We mostly still play in the 3025 era. @@Morachnyion

[@paulhuston9991]

This guy in most of its variants gave up any real fire power above medium weight class for speed. Oh it moves, like the charger but thats about it. Its hard to play, easy to smoosh and under gunned like a water park. As a punch bot it works and it has the armor to close most of the time. It makes a decent raider in the rpg but even for its speed and weight, its so under gunned it can be killed even by much that can catch a 95 ton mech... thats not a great record. But some of its later variants drop speed for guns and makes something a bit more usable as an assault mech. If you want a steiner scout, this is one of your boys for sure lol. Its fun to bring to draw allot of fire with its heavy armor for fairly low points cost and can save more tactically viable machines from allot of dakka. Plus the jokes across the table are always fun as friendly ball busting is part of the game

[@rjlarose5271]

One of my favorites even if it's not the best mech.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Yeah, the one thing the infamous Jyhad Era did right was give it a hatchet to play to its strong suit.

[@rjlarose5271]

@@dubuyajay9964 Wish other models had it. But I am a fan off the twin ppc build with supporting lasers for up close.

[@bentencho]

My favourite Assault 'mech to use for MPBT: Solaris.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Well, I can see how you can use its brawler traits in the relatively restricted space of the arena :)

[@rowanhawklan9707]

You would have to be a complete idiot not to be able to turn this into an awesome assault Battlemech, just off of the top of my head:- Replace engine with a Pitban285 (frees up 24.5 tonnes) Add 3 jumpjets (6 tonnes) Add 3 heat sinks Strip all weapons Add LRM20+2tonnes of ammo SRM6+2tonnes of ammo 2x LG LASERS 4x MED LASERS = 95 TONNES OR running a bit hot so drop 1 med laser and add 1 heatsink. A very very mobile Battlemech with pretty high consistent damage curve that has ammo for extended engagements or use and also have massive hth damage potential as well. I REST MY CASE.

[@joshuamidgette4846]

Assault mechs should not have small lasers. If anti infantry is required a single flamer is all that is required.

[@MarsStarcruiser]

Can get it way early in the campaign which is a big deal, especially when still hard pressed to get anything up to 60 tons. Underpowered or not, its a lifesaver through and through and easily getting my moneys worth many times over.

[@Nodwick123]

Tbh I do like the Banshee IIC version of it.

[@traviscochran6280]

I like the Banshee. It can be an unstoppable zombie as it closes to melee. Also variants like the 3s are just beasts. The 3S variant is better then the Atlas.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Have you experimented with the Blake one with the Hatchet?

[@traviscochran6280]

No, we tend to play in the 3025 era of the game. Some times we do Star League or Clan invasion. The Flakey Blakey's do sound like an opponent that would be fun to crush though. Might try a Com Guard vs Blake game sometime. @@dubuyajay9964

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@traviscochran6280 I know most fans hate the Jyhad and later, but a Banshee that finally got it right and has post Clans, Core, and Comstar tech and an axe sounds amazing. The tech heads finally got it right and gave it a melee weapon.

[@traviscochran6280]

Interesting fact, when the Hatchetman first came out they didn't allocate weight for the hatchet. Players saw that and soon everyone was hatchet crazy. They fixed that obviously. Side note: As per the rules you can use an improvised club with any mech that has hand actuators. A tree is one use but a mech limb of girder from a building can be used again and again. @@dubuyajay9964

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@traviscochran6280 I may have to kit bash a Banshee carrying a tree or steel beam. I still wish I could find a mini of the axe Banshee though.

[@Tekdruid]

At least in the Battletech PC game it feels like a way lighter mech than its weight.

[@GiangNg320]

Any chance that you will make lore about battletech power armor suit that the Clan and Innersphere used?

[@Shadow-Kalbo1]

Thanks for another great video

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

You're welcome.

[@AWholeLegionary]

I will collect as many banshees as I can in MW5 just to say they made more than 5,000 Banshees.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

lol

[@naomy1701]

i realy like the Banshee overall, just the first variant gives it a bad legacy, and makes it hard to take serious... however, the following alot better outfitted variants of it made sure to punish everyone that failed to see the threat they can pose ^^

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I find its look rather scary.

[@naomy1701]

@@GrimDarkNarrator agree, same as the Atlas ^^ and i love the Atlas, was the first Mech i ever saw and my first Mech i bought in MWO, funny enough, no matter what Mechs i got over the time, i awlays returned to my trusty old D-DC and it never disappointed ^^

[@D00MerJohn]

We want Turkina

[@mathewkelly9968]

My favourite mech

[@dubuyajay9964]

05:50. What is "No-Seal?"

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Not sure what you mean. Might've mispronounced something.

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@GrimDarkNarrator The place where the tournament is?

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Oh.

[@KageRyuu6]

But the icon claims it's Heavy...

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

My bad. I'll fix it ASAP.

[@Inignot12]

Augh wasted my chills on this behemoth in HBS Battletech and all its good for its melee

[@dubuyajay9964]

But what a melee monster it is.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

At least its good at one thing :D

[@gregdomenico1891]

I've always liked the looks of it, but as a Assault Mech, it's just totally underwhelming. No matter what I tried to do with it in the Battletech PC game, my 5 ton lighter Highlanders always proved to be better and more versatile. It's just one of those designs that have too many flaws.

[@Inignot12]

Highlanders are beast in that game, totally agree about the Banshee

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Highlander is definitely a superior design.

[@akiraguy]

It's a flavor mech; just like urbanmech. Being inefficient is the whole point it is in the game.

[@Tallus_ap_Mordren]

The Steiner variant with the lighter engine is viable, I run it as a zombie mech. Two PPCs, one AC/10, 3 jumpjets, and more armor. It plays like a beefed up Awesome.

[@kazekamiha]

@@akiraguy No, the Urbanmech has a point; a cheap, hard hitting mech designed for close confines in city combat.

[@monkeghthirtyfour2845]

‘Reeeeeeee!’

[@zarelli7831]

Just take the engine out!

[@JeanLucCaptain]

Female Eldar Aspect Warriors have joined the Chat.

[@rfdsdf1]

95 tons of poop.

[@power2084]

no, YOU are a pile of poop

[@Zetler]

Shit mech.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

:(

[@31tomcat]

Couldnt watch the video. Blank screens for far too long

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Sorry. Not sure what you mean.

[@31tomcat]

@@GrimDarkNarrator im not sure if its the video itself, or youtube, but there was a blank screen for well over a minute. I didn't mean any offense, as your content is usually excellent

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

You're right actually. It is the video, but I'm not sure what happened. I think it might've been a picture that didn't display properly when rendering. Can't really fix it without remaking the video, so sorry about that.