In contrast to the UNSC, the Banished favor a more diverse selection of specialized Hero units. Atriox’s Chosen utilizes a powerful, long-range Brute Shot. Both Decimus and the Shipmaster rely on melee Hero units, but these powerful brawlers prefer wildly different tactics.
Atriox’s Chosen
Unit Class: Hero
Accessed Via: War Council
Strengths/Weaknesses:
- Ranged Hero
- Only available to Atriox
- Versatile spike ammo
- Limited to one active Hero (per army)
Training Requirements
| Tech Level |
|
|
|
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | 450 | 400 | 40s |
Available Research
| Icon | Name | Description | Tech Level | Requirements |
Requirements |
Requirements |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Plasma Rounds | (Weapon upgrade) Increases damage. Adds area of effect. | 1 | — | — | 400 | 25s |
|
Scorch Rounds | (Weapon upgrade) Increases damage. Damage over time. Requires Plasma Rounds. | 2 | — | — | 600 | 30s |
|
Rifled Barrel | (Weapon upgrade) Increases damage. Greatly increases range. Requires Scorch Rounds. | 3 | — | — | 800 | 35s |
Unit Details
Only the most cunning and loyal Brutes are chosen as Atriox’s personal enforcers. Their unquestioning devotion to Atriox makes them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, and personal energy shields make them even harder to kill. Each Chosen is armed with the explosive grenade launcher commonly known as a Brute Shot, which can be upgraded to increase both damage and range.
Basic Tactics
Atriox’s Chosen is a mighty Brute warrior armed with a powerful Brute Shot, making it the only ranged Hero unit currently available to the Banished.
Strong against all unit types, Atriox’s Chosen is a worthy addition to any army. All unit-specific upgrades serve to improve the already powerful Brute Shot. The Plasma Rounds upgrade adds area-of-effect damage capable of briefly stunning ground units; the Scorch Rounds upgrade adds a burning effect for damage over time; the Rifled Barrel upgrade greatly increases the Brute Shot’s range, making it something akin to an artillery weapon. Each of these upgrades also serves to boost the unit’s base damage and durability.
Atriox’s Chosen is certainly tough, but he isn’t as durable as the Warlord or the UNSC Spartans. Use his range to your advantage—deploy more expendable units to lure the enemy into range of the Brute Shot’s powerful attacks.
Warlord
Unit Class: Hero
Accessed Via: War Council
Strengths/Weaknesses:
- Melee Hero
- Only available to Decimus
- Powerful area attack
- Cannot attack air
- Limited to one active Hero (per army)
Training Requirements
| Tech Level |
|
|
|
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | 450 | 400 | 40s |
Available Research
| Icon | Name | Description | Tech Level | Requirements |
Requirements |
Requirements |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Hammer Pull | (New ability) Equips Warlord’s Hammer with a gravity beam to drag targets closer. | 1 | — | — | 400 | 25s |
|
Hammer Stun | (New ability) Warlord’s Hammer stuns and deals area-of-effect damage. Requires Hammer Pull. | 2 | — | — | 600 | 30s |
|
Siphon | (New ability) Warlord gains health with each attack. Requires Hammer Stun. | 3 | — | — | 800 | 35s |
Unit Details
Favored chieftains in Atriox’s retinue may be promoted to Warlord, agents who intercede on his behalf to bring recalcitrant packs to heel and direct critical Banished operations. Answerable only to Atriox and Decimus, these warriors are feared by lesser Brutes and hated by the Shipmaster’s troops, but none can deny the Warlords’ loyalty or ability to detect and destroy weak links in Banished operations. Many a prideful chieftain has forgotten who their work should be enriching and wound up on the receiving end of a Warlord’s gravity hammer.
Basic Tactics
The Warlord is the most durable Hero unit available to the Banished, but this doesn’t mean he’s invulnerable. Keep an eye on his personal shield, and pull him out of battle if he starts taking too much damage.
The Hammer Pull upgrade adds a passive ability that allows the Warlord to pull targets toward him—use this to your advantage by pulling high-priority targets away from their supporting units. The Hammer Stun active ability deals damage and stuns all units (including air) within its area of effect. With the Siphon upgrade, each blow to the enemy replenishes some of the Warlord’s health. All of these upgrades also serve to improve the Warlord’s base damage and durability.
Try grouping the Warlord with a few Jump Pack Brutes. A tight cluster of melee-only Brutes can make it much harder for your enemies to focus their attacks on your Hero.
Honor Guard
Unit Class: Hero
Accessed Via: War Council
Strengths/Weaknesses:
- Melee Hero
- Only available to Shipmaster
- High damage
- Can cloak (active ability)
- Cannot attack air
- Limited to one active Hero (per army)
Training Requirements
| Tech Level |
|
|
|
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | 450 | 400 | 40s |
Available Research
| Icon | Name | Description | Tech Level | Requirements |
Requirements |
Requirements |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mercenary Rage | (Unit upgrade) Increases movement speed. Increases attack. Increases health and shield. | 1 | — | — | 400 | 25s |
|
Mercenary Wrath | (Unit upgrade) Increases damage. Increases health and shield. Requires Mercenary Rage. | 2 | — | — | 600 | 30s |
|
Unseen Blade | (New ability) Permanent cloaking. Increases damage. Increases health and shield. Requires Mercenary Wrath. | 3 | — | — | 800 | 35s |
Unit Details
Borrowing the ceremonial gear and matching the martial prowess of the old Covenant Honor Guard, these mercenary sword masters evoke the traditions and accomplishments of their forebears in the service of their Shipmaster and his unconventional arrangement with Atriox and the Banished. Though the Honor Guards’ motives are not as pure as they once were, only a fool would dare risk their wrath by challenging their presumed honor and skill.
Basic Tactics
If you create an Honor Guard early enough, you can attempt to attack enemy bases that lack a detection unit—attack key structures until your Honor Guard is spotted, then beat a hasty retreat.
The Honor Guard’s unit-specific upgrades are all worthy investments. All three serve to boost base damage and durability, but Mercenary Rage also increases movement speed, while Unseen Blade grants a permanent cloaking field. A fully upgraded Honor Guard is an absolute terror on the battlefield.
In large-scale firefights, focus your army on destroying the detection units first. Keep your Honor Guard clear of the fighting until it can make full use of its cloaking ability.