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BANISHED INFANTRY
grunts
Unit Class: Core Infantry Accessed Via: Banished bases and minibases Strengths/Weaknesses: Cheap and expendable. Low Population count. Quick capture unit.
UNIT DETAILS
Grunts may not be strong, brave, intelligent, hygienic, or particularly fearsome warriors, but those forced to serve the Banished have a healthy enough fear of their Brute leaders to stay on-task and motivated. Even if their fellows are used as target practice by bored Brutes or disintegrated by Forerunner Sentinels, the survivors can at least look forward to a full food nipple and a brief nap in the methane atmosphere they call home.
Though they’re derided as cannon fodder, there is no mistaking the military value of having an almost endless supply of cheap infantry armed with plasma pistols to hurl at a foe. Each Grunt squad is led by a Brute armed with a spiker, who can be upgraded to plant a cloaked proximity-fused shrapnel mine on the battlefield. The Grunts can be upgraded to add a sub-commander and another Grunt.
BASIC TACTICS
A Banished leader begins each Multiplayer match with at least three Grunt squads. Use them to claim nearby resources, and consider training an extra squad or two as early as possible. A group of four Grunt squads is enough to claim a Domination Control Point or Resource Node early in a match. With their low supply cost, these are great units with which to quickly take control of a map. Don’t create too many, and use them with caution in the early game; enemy scouts are counter-infantry and make short work of the Grunts.
JUMP pack brutes
Unit Class: Anti-Building Accessed Via: Raid Camp Strengths/Weaknesses: Melee combat. Short-range jump (active ability). Cannot attack air
UNIT DETAILS
Jump Pack Brutes are favored by Atriox for their mobility and savagery. As such, the Banished make extensive use of them for reconnaissance, hit-and-run harassment, and devastating close-quarters assaults. Though the jump packs cannot provide full flight capabilities and must cool down after each use, they allow the Brute warriors to quickly smash into enemy lines, crushing all who stand against the Banished.
BASIC TACTICS
This Brute heavy infantry unit is outfitted with jump packs and gravity hammers. Brutes leap short distances with the packs’ assistance, unleashing a crushing attack that deals area-of-effect damage at their destination. Jump Pack Brutes in the service of Atriox also drop trip mines along their jump paths to deter enemy pursuit. All Jump Pack Brute squads can increase their unit size with the Dark Skies upgrade. Like all unit-specific upgrades, this also benefits Brutes who are already out on the battlefield. While the Jump Pack Brute is fairly weak against other units of all types, it excels at tearing down enemy buildings. Use a couple of them to harass a new enemy minibase, or use their jump packs to send them flying into an enemy base to demolish key structures. A well-aimed leap can cripple your opponent’s unit training or resource production. When you decide to rush an enemy’s base, consider adding a small group of Jump Pack Brutes to the mix. Doing so can make your assault much more effective.
SUICIDE GRunts
Unit Class: Anti-Infantry Accessed Via: Raid Camp Strengths/Weaknesses: Deadly in numbers. Cannot attack air. One-time use.
UNIT DETAILS
Truly aggressive and violent Grunts are rare, but without Covenant oversight or the environmental hazards of Balaho to cull them from the population, the number of aberrant has increased dramatically in thrall colonies. The Banished have adapted existing indoctrination protocols to turn the aggression and natural cleverness of these Grunts to their own violent purposes.
Suicide Grunts are specially chosen infantry with exaggerated aggressive tendencies. Each Grunt is fitted with an unstable plasma cell and detonator and given only one order: rush the assigned target and violently explode. They can be upgraded with new “recruits” and plasma lensing, which increases their damage against structures and vehicles. Killing Suicide Grunts before they reach their target reduces the effectiveness of their detonation.
BASIC TACTICS
Use Suicide Grunts with caution. Whether or not your attack is effective, these explosive units don’t make it back alive. It’s often best to save Suicide Grunts for large-scale assaults. If your assault force includes Suicide Grunts, consider supporting them with a Shroud or two. Between the Shroud’s passive shield and active cloaking ability, you greatly increase the chances of your Suicide Grunts reaching their target. If you have an undefended expansion base, consider setting a trap for potential invaders. Put the base on lockdown, then train a few Suicide Grunts. When an enemy attacks, unleash your Suicide Grunts and enjoy the fireworks—just remember that Suicide Grunts are only effective against ground units.
ELITE RANGERS
Unit Class: Anti-Infantry Accessed Via: Raid Camp Strengths/Weaknesses: Medium-long range. Detects cloaked units.
UNIT DETAILS
The Elite Rangers are specialist infantry units devoted to anti-personnel duties. They are armed with rapid-fire carbines having excellent range, and have no need to stop moving in order to fire, like the UNSC Sniper.
Rangers serve as the skirmishers and snipers of the Shipmaster’s mercenary group, tasked with eliminating high-value enemy leaders and scouting routes for his raiding squads. Rangers deploy in pairs that can operate for days, even weeks, away from the main Banished forces. All are hardened raiders and merciless killers who would (and did) sell their own clan if there was profit in it.
BASIC TACTICS
Elite Rangers rely on their mobility to stay out of danger, and they can often diminish hostile forces before finding themselves within range of a counterattack. Target high-priority infantry units for as long as possible, then make a hasty retreat. If you’re assembling a large force of air units, consider training a few squads of Elite Rangers to deal with enemy infantry.
Hunters
Unit Class: Anti-Vehicle Accessed Via: Raid Camp Strengths/Weaknesses: Heavily armored. Slow-moving. Cannot attack air.
UNIT DETAILS
The Hunter is just one form taken by Lekgolo worm colonies, with other notable examples including the musculature and control systems for the Scarab and Locust. Always cryptic and indecipherable, Lekgolo in the service of the Banished seem curiously aggressive, and the Brutes take great care to separate them from the general population of thralls and mercenaries under their banner to avoid unnecessary carnage. It’s possible the Hunters’ service is not voluntary, though only Atriox’s inner circle knows the truth.
BASIC TACTICS
Hunters are super-heavy infantry who fight in bonded pairs. They are very resilient to all attacks, and their fuel-rod cannons deal heavy damage to any ground target and to vehicles in particular. Hunters can be upgraded to equip beam cannons that fire a constant stream of energy at a target. As the beam travels toward its target, enemy units caught in its path are also damaged. Position your Hunters to cause maximum damage against larger forces. If you’ve opted to focus on infantry production, make sure you train at least a few groups of Hunters. Their power and durability make them a formidable tool against enemy ground forces. Remember that Hunters—like all infantry units—take increased damage from vehicles. If you’re hoping to minimize casualties, use Engineers to keep your Hunters healthy between battles.
