Units

Banshee

After much experimentation, Procyon Industries has developed a new approach to the air-to-ground attack vessel. As a planetary craft, the Banshee was fitted with economical twin turbofans instead of high-powered engines. Likewise, air-to-air weaponry was eliminated in favor of powerful air-to-ground missiles. These features allowed the Banshee to remain cheap, relatively robust, and effective in tactical strikes. It was adopted by the Dominion as a light-infantry support craft that could be transported quickly. Recently Banshees have earned a nasty reputation due to their involvement in urban conflicts, where their indiscriminate attacks have killed countless non-combatants.
Heart of the Swarm Wings of Liberty
Unit Statistics

3D Model

Basic information

Race: Terran
Life: 140
Energy: 200
Armor: 0 (0)
Movement: Fast
Attributes: Light - Mechanical

Production

Producer: Starport
Hotkey: E
Requires: Tech Lab
Cost: 150 100
Supply: 3
Build time: 60

Combat

Upgrades:
Weapon:
Ability:

3D Model

Basic information

Race: Terran
Life: 140
Energy: 200
Armor: 0 (3)
Movement: Fast
Attributes: Light - Mechanical

Production

Producer: Starport
Hotkey: E
Requires: Tech Lab
Cost: 150 100
Supply: 3
Build time: 60

Combat

Upgrades:
Weapon:
Ability:

Flight Manual

  • Tactical strike craft that can attack ground targets and gain the ability to cloak.
  • Excellent for hit-and-run attacks against the enemy’s mineral line, or key units or structures.
  • Vulnerable to air units; research Cloaking Field as soon as possible or have an air escort at all times.
  • Position your Banshees above impassable obstacles or cliffs to deny the enemy the chance to retaliate.

Tech Lab Upgrades

  • Cloaking Field: enables Banshees to use the cloak ability, rendering them invisible to enemy units.

Countermeasures

VS Terran
  • Place Missile Turrets in your mineral line and in key spots around your base to provide detection. Also, assign a hotkey to your Orbital Command and be prepared to use the Scanner Sweep ability.
  • Vikings are the best way to pick off Banshees. However, as both units move at the same speed, you’ll notice that the enemy will be able to eventually get away (not without losses however), as your Vikings must stop to fire.
  • Use the Thor’s long range, splash damage, and extra damage bonus to take out Banshees.
VS Zerg
  • Have Spore Crawlers in your mineral line and around your base to serve as both air defense and detection. Don’t forget to morph a few Overlords into Overseers as well.
  • Mutalisks are a great option due to their fast flight speed. Be sure to have an Overseer or two with them, and beware enemy aircraft escorts.
  • If you are confined to ground units, be sure to have researched Grooved Spines for your Hydralisks, and keep a group of them close to your mineral line at all times.
VS Protoss
  • Build Photon Cannons at your mineral line and around your base to serve as detectors. Get Observers as soon as possible.
  • Build Stalkers and research Blink; it will be very useful to catch up to retreating Banshees.
  • Use the High Templar Feedback ability to drain the energy of a single Banshee and deal damage to it (if the target has 130 or more energy, it will be destroyed instantly). If the Banshees are clumped up, unleash a few Psionic Storms.
  • The Phoenix is faster than the Banshee and does bonus damage against them.
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Comments (275)

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Clee #755
Clee
4/14/2013
Banshees are good as heck they are good to counter enemy ground armies. When you're face to face with their armies with you're armies. My guys in front fight in the front lines well you sneak behind the enemy and then start raining on them. Also good for attacking enemy expansions. But I also find it hard when facing them when I am playing different race. Then they are just strong as heck but the dislike about it is they can't attack air units.
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Zerashk #307
Zerashk
4/13/2013
Their voice annoys me greatly, I could barely stand that StarCraft Master challenge.
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RiffRaff #755
RiffRaff
3/24/2013
bring back the wraith
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WrathofShane #951
WrathofShane
3/13/2013
According to the lore, this is supposed to be the economy ship. Though its odd that its more expensive then the high tech, transformer mecha viking.
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Spike #1576
Spike
2/1/2013
Hate these things early game, and late-game they are terrible nuisances.
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Addison #632
Addison
1/6/2013
Love banshees op man
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Talboturbo #546
Talboturbo
12/4/2012
The fans rotate whe you rotate the picture. Thats pretty cool!
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ComradePaco #432
ComradePaco
3/24/2013
@Talboturbo: had to try that for myself
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Sargon #360
Sargon
11/9/2012
I enjoy getting 24 of them for a Blitzkrieg lol
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Peanut #520
Peanut
10/20/2012
Blizzard, you goofed up again! Lore CLEARLY states these guys are solely used for atmospheric combat, and yet cutscenes and the armory show it with jet engines. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!
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TheUED #769
TheUED
9/30/2012
I miss the old sc1 Wraiths
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KingGodFonzy #598
KingGodFonzy
8/22/2012
Really well balanced unit. I was happy with one. Very good at its job.
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Thunderwing #487
Thunderwing
8/10/2012
I love these units. I REALLY hate detectors after I discovered how to use this.
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defeatable #134
defeatable
8/7/2012
AWESOME AIR UNIT THEY CLOAK AND THEYRE ATTACK IS DEVASTATING!!!
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Aladril #534
Aladril
7/26/2012
I thought of a great research for these guys, even though it would make them super deadly: gravitational lance. It weighs down an enemy air unit so that banshees can blow it up. However, unlike gravitation beam, the unit can still attack.
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
8/6/2012
@Aladril: TvP mass banshees and vikings...
Gravitational lance your vikings and watch the toss deathball die... (stalkers and colossi are armored thus attacking at 9 range will make grounded vikings really good. banshees can handle the zealots as well as some marine support) Still energy is needed to cloak so... nonviable.
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xTorCHy #963
xTorCHy
7/20/2012
these things are pretty balanced haha
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NinjaNoob #597
NinjaNoob
7/8/2012
what bout a splash damage upgrade?
would make the better vs workers and would be used more as a
powerfull army unit. what to reserch first, cloaking or riptide rocket pods? lol
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Chaotic #627
Chaotic
8/12/2012
@NinjaNoob: i dont play terran but cloak seems alot more helpful
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Fusion #853
Fusion
6/13/2012
these guys are a balanced unit
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aragorn #871
aragorn
5/6/2012
awsome if you use them in 2v2 against a p-z team
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paprika #169
paprika
4/23/2012
This said they are weak against phoenixes they are anti ground only fail
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
6/14/2012
@paprika: phoenixes do bonus damage to light so banshees melt before them. even with no detector just follow them till their energy gives way. phoenixes also fly faster so as long as there is no cloak (energy run out or did'nt research) those banshees can't fall back and are toast.
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MasterChief #1427
MasterChief
4/6/2012
there are only a few problems with these guys,
1. don't attack air.
2. too weak.
3. get owned by Thors, any air anti-air units
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
5/1/2012
@ThePraetor: if banshees can attack air that will be too op. it will destroy many match ups. yes banshees are good as they are. u do not know how hard he raged when i attacked with 6 marauders with 12 cloak banshees against his colossi stalker army. also for new players fast colossi dies to marauders
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thecurrupted #246
thecurrupted
5/13/2012
@ThePraetor: <<Facepalm>> Ill have to show you how good they are
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
5/16/2012
@thecurrupted: 750... wins... take forever...

YOU DID IT!!! Congrats :D
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thecurrupted #246
thecurrupted
5/17/2012
@Mappy: it seems like forever ago i played my first game.
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Thunderwing #487
Thunderwing
8/11/2012
@ThePraetor: Maybe get Cloak, along with some armor upgrades? That's a good way to go. Also, backup units?
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
3/6/2012
cloaked banshiees are VERY GOOD if you have tech advantage
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thecurrupted #246
thecurrupted
5/22/2012
so they are not good if you dont have a tech advantage?
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
6/14/2012
@thecurrupted: no they work even better with a tech advantage

example zerg has no lair... banshees come in
compared with zerg HAS lair and overseers... banshees come in to hit and run
even without tech advantage they still can work.
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ReconMarine #663
ReconMarine
2/26/2012
These babies are perfect against Zerg since they rarely have anti-air. Love them.
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pleTHORic #876
pleTHORic
2/25/2012
Two Words Harassment unit
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
2/25/2012
@pleTHORic: no duh
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MasterChief #1427
MasterChief
3/26/2012
@Mappy: that was two words too!
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MappyTinfoil #727
MappyTinfoil
3/28/2012
@ThePraetor: lol
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Hyperion #719
Hyperion
4/9/2012
@Mappy: Ive played u before! In Starcraft Multiplayer!
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MasterChief #1427
MasterChief
4/11/2012
@Mappy: can i play you too?
lol
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paprika #169
paprika
4/23/2012
@pleTHORic: that is 4 words because of two words