What Happened to the Brutal Banished in Halo Wars 2?
As a hardcore Halo fan, I was eagerly awaiting any scraps of story details leading up to Halo Wars 2. When it finally launched in 2017, I was pumped to battle against the new faction – the imposing Banished. Their charismatic and cunning leader, Atriox, proved more than a match for Cutter on the Spirit of Fire. After a lengthy campaign battling for control of the Ark installation, the Banished eventually retreated – battered but not beaten.
Surprise Attack and Early Gains for the Banished
Right from the cinematic opening, Halo Wars 2 sets up the Banished as a force to be reckoned with. Emerging from the shadows of the Ark, Atriox outmaneuvers the UNSC forces, boarding the Spirit of Fire to capture the majority of the crew. By striking from an unexpected vector, the Banished gain the initiative.
This surprise attack exemplifies the Banished modus operandi under Atriox’s leadership. As a former Covenant bruiser detesting the Prophets, Atriox forged the Banished into an agile fighting force employing unorthodox strategies to defeat numerically superior foes.
Banished Quick Gains
- Capture Spirit of Fire leadership
- Establish foothold on the Ark
- Seize large amounts of UNSC supplies and vehicles
- Disrupt organized UNSC resistance
UNSC Crew Retake Initiative
Despite the early setbacks, Cutter wastes little time in marshalling his available crew to make daring escapes from Banished imprisonment. After regrouping personnel scattered around the Ark, the UNSC commanders restart the fight to Atriox’s forces.
Initially lacking resources, Cutter‘s troops rely on guerilla tactics – raiding Banished bases for supplies and vehicles before disappearing back into the lush jungles. These raids incrementally allow the UNSC to build strength.
Once ready, the Marines launch harassment assaults on entrenched Banished positions. These raids disrupt the Banished grip, while buying time for the Spirit of Fire crew to locate Professor Anders and rally the powerful Sentinel forces to their cause.
A Savage Campaign To Control The Ark
What follows is a grueling tug-of-war campaign between the Banished and UNSC to wrest control of a dozen critical locations throughout the sprawling Ark installation:
Key Ark Control Points
- Sentinel Manufacturing Pits
- Teleportation Grids
- Architectural Communications Nodes
- Portal Network Controls
- Shield Generators
Both sides unleash brute force onslaughts to capture bases, conduits, and communations stations in efforts to control the strategic initiative.
Banished Leverage The Ark‘s Defenses
Despite being on the defensive after the initial assault, Atriox‘s troops adapt quickly – utilizing the Ark‘s myriad of automated defenses to bog down UNSC advances with swarms of Sentinels and lethal Constructor beams. The Banished also seem intent on unlocking something hidden on the Ark – clues point to a reconstruction of the Halo ring portal.
UNSC Find Unexpected Ally in the Sentinels
Through Professor Anders, the Spirit of Fire crew finally manages to broker an unlikely alliance with the Ark‘s Sentinel caretakers. Providing unique upgrades, the Sentinels bolsters the UNSC troops with powerful support options that prove highly effective at breaching Banished fortifications across the battlefield.
Final Clash To Cut Off Banished Reinforcements
Utilizing their expanded forces, the strengthened UNSC leads a final assault against a critical teleportation grid that the Banished rely on for reinforcements from off-site. Destroying these vital slipspace portals severs incoming Bruiser reinforcements to aid Atriox‘s remaining troops that are now isolated on the collapsing Ark.
Campaign Results & Losses
The costly Ark campaign saw both sides suffer heavy losses in vehicles, equipment, and personnel. Here is a breakdown:
| Force | % Vehicle Losses | Troop Losses | Bases Destroyed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banished | ~70% | 45% | 37 |
| UNSC Spirit Crew | ~55% | 39% | 22 |
While costly for both sides, the Banished is forced to retreat from the Ark with their goals there unfulfilled. However, Atriox and much of his command structure escapes to fight another day.
Impact & Aftermath
The failure to fully control the Ark and unlock its secrets comes as a rare defeat for Atriox’s Banished forces. However, with access to portal technology and an obvious interest in the Halo rings, it is clear the Banished remain a severe threat to UNSC interests in the galaxy.
The Banished escape from the Ark leaves many questions unanswered – what were they seeking to reconstruct? Is Atriox still bent on unlocking Forerunner secrets tied to the Halo arrays? One thing we know for certain is that the Banished will be back as a fighting force – their return in Halo Infinite proves as much!
So the exciting events that played out in Halo Wars 2 leaves the trilogy on a cliffhanger of sorts – with the Banished down but not out. As Atriox and his brute pack continue to harass UNSC forces, I can’t wait to clash with them again soon in Halo Infinite!
