Martian Banshees and their weapons

[Archer]

Not often I pose one of these questions....

  In looking over the Martian Banshees and their stats, I got to wondering about how a weapon switch might improve them.... as in their being armed with a CAR 24 instead of the M-50.

  Given their role as skirmishers and shock-troops, I would think the SMG would make them a more effective unit at their role.  Anyone else have the same idea?

[luckyone]

For their points IMHO they don't pack enough puch up close to be used as an effective close combat unit. I would employ them to quickly gain key terrain on the battlefield and hold it untill reinforcements arrive. The only problem with this is infiltraters will get there first leaving you high and dry. The lack of specialist (FT or Heavy Weapon) seriosly inhibits their usefullness. Wailing Banshees have a LFT and a grenadier at their disposal. A sub machine gun would work to boost their usefullness but a points increase would be necessary.

The bottom line is they can get there quickly enough but what can they do for you once they get there with a M-50? They become heavy infantry with no HMG's. I don't know about you but we just got our asses kicked.

All they need is a pistol, sword or a SMG to be included in my army list.

All I want is freakin' sharks with freakin' lasers. Is that so hard

[Archer]

A sub machine gun would work to boost their usefullness but a points increase would be necessary.

I don't think so...  I think they would be fine with the point value they are at with a weapon swap only.  But thats me.

[luckyone]

A couple of things I noticed also:

Why do they have a MV of 6 when Wailing Banshees have a MV of 5 with the same rocket? Shouldn't that be the same, or do the Wailing Banshees have a PX and Commissary on their post?

The SMG would make them a fast-moving and hard hitting force best used to fly in at ideal range (PB) and let loose some lead. Hopefully devastating enough to avoid the charge/return fire from the enemy squads(s). Then regroup and fly to another perfect range against another target or flank a key enemy unit engaged to their front. Oh the possibilities are endless. You could "fly" over an enemy behind hard cover and open up on them from behind, "fly" over an enemy to hit their supprt units behind them, rapidly deploy to support an airborne operation, rapidly deploy to fill in as a reactionary force to an area that is needed (economy of force) etc etc etc.  My point is I understand now why they don't have SMG's They would become the unit that is always in an army force. I, being a Capital player, would like them to have SMG's, but again the points would need to go up at lease by 1 or 2 for this to be balanced with the other corporations etc. IMHO.

[dmcgee1]

For the sake of argument, let's say that the Martian Banshees were to get tweaked to have SMG's.  I totally agree with luckyone in that they would then need to cost more.  As it is now, they are a good unit.  They are a balanced unit.  Just because they happen to have an AR as opposed to an SMG doesn't mean that they can't lay down lead.  If you put an SMG in their hands, they become vicious in PB and CC, where they are now only good at SR and MR.

SMG's would overpower this unit, not make it "interesting," nor fair.

[Archer]

*ducks dave's forceful commentary*

  Ok...  I can both see and not see this.  Comparing to the Wailing Banshees, they are slightly better to stick around from Morale versus lesser AR which is lass a chance to stick around when fire is directed their way..  With the SMG, they would lay some serious bullets downrange... and buy survival time.  While I like the idea of SMG's I can see the point against.


  Does anyone use these models?


As an aside, I own two units of them; Dave, f you wanna game some day with them lets set up a time to get together.  I think I have a 1k list in mind that will let me use both 13th Div units in it.

[luckyone]

If you did use them they are best employed as a strike force to rapidly deploy to a key location/terrain. Their mission there would be to hold the location/terrain until reinforcements arrive or flushed out. Could be used to support infiltrators or airborne ops. Also employed to bypass terrain/obstacles/etc that would normally slow down foot soldiers.  With current weaponry, best used at main weapons most effective range. A SMG would just make them vicious. I wouldn't mind it though. They just can't get up close and personal.


"For close encounters."

[dmcgee1]

*ducks dave's forceful commentary*

Really?  Wow, I gotta watch how hard I hit   t h e s e   K E Y S !

[luckyone]

WTF happened Dave?

[Topkick]

An interesting proposal but one that would alter the method of using the figs. As designed the Banshees appear best suited to going out and seizing a key objective and holding it with AR fire that reaches farther to pin down approaching enemy troops. Giving them SMG's would change that role to a rapid deployment assault unit. They would have to get too close to effectively pin down enemy troops and would have to hope to kill more points than they cost quickly before dying.

All this being said it would be a simple playtest. Field the Banshees a few times with the change of weapon noted and a few times as in the book and check results. Personally I think you will find the results to be fairly close and based mostly on terrain and objective assigned to the unit. Fluff wise the SMG option would best be given to the 13th Div Banshees as they seem to have a deat wish and holding terrain seems less suited to their fluff than all out charging and slaughtering of the enemy.