Halo: Flashpoint – The Banished Are Coming So Here’s A Rules Preview To Prepare
Halo: Flashpoint is essentially getting a new faction added to the game. It’s time to meet the Banished before they arrive this Summer!
The Banished an exciting new option joining the tabletop in Halo: Flashpoint. They are actually called the Jiralhanae but it’s okay if you call them Banished, too. That said, today we’re going over their new units and what they can do. So let’s meet these mighty warriors coming to Halo: Flashpoint!
Meet The Banished
The Banished have four new units coming to the game and each one has a different role and options. That said, they do share a few overarching similarities. Here’s what Mantic has to say about them:
- The Banished are durable and hard-hitting, easily fielding teams of up to five in games of 200pts.
- They are intimidating in close combat and can both kill and survive effectively.
- However they have shorter movement than Spartans and therefore benefit heavily from movement-based items like the Thruster or Grappleshot.
- Jiralhanae in particular have higher health points (but don’t have shields on every unit). They will often stick around on the tabletop, especially if they’re in close combat…
I think that’s a great summary of what you can expect overall. Now, let’s get into each of the new units.
Jiralhanae Warriors
Calling the Warriors the front line is a bit of an undersell of these Banished. They are the most well-rounded option but don’t think of them as simple or sacrificial pawns. They have access to weapons like the VK78 Commando Rifle and Spike Grenades, too. They might be the “cheap” option but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate them. The Warriors are tough and have Knockback in close combat like the other Jiralhanae. They function well at range or up close and are there to get the job done — at a discount!
There’s also the Chosen Warrior option for them, too. This is the upgraded version that comes with better armor and also Tactician. With a higher healthpool and access to weapons like the Sentinel Beam you can really get a lot of work done with this option. Don’t forget to slap on some health packs. And for a good counter-ranged option check out the M41 SPNKR or Plasma Launcher. They can take a hit and then dish it right back at the enemy.
Jiralhanae Snipers
If you’re looking for some more traditional “snipers” the Jiralhanae Snipers might be the unit option for you. They have access to a wide array of ranged death. Weapons like the Mangler, Skewer, Shock Rifle, and Disruptor are theirs to wield. Keep in mind they still have Knockback in close combat so running them with the closer range weapons is still a viable threat. Alternatively, if you want to stick to long range don’t forget to bring along the Threat Sensors. They can make their job a lot easier.
Jiralhanae Berserkers
Naturally, these massive Banished also have their own version of close-combat experts. That’s the Berserkers! They specialize in moving so they can close the gap and get into close combat even faster. Equipment-wise, they come with Dynamo or the shielded Berserker with those nasty Spike Grenades. Regardless of how you run the,m you can count on their minimum of 5 dice in close combat to do some work. It’s also worth noting that giving them a Grappleshot or Advanced Command Dice is very handy.
Jiralhanae Captains
Finally, we have the Captains to take a look at. These Jiralhanae come with better stats all around. They have improved movement, armor, shields, and health points. They even have better ranged and close-combat stats, too. While they do cost more points than the others they make up for it with the improvements to their stats and access to other keywords like Tactican.
Due to their baseline being better, they don’t need much in the way of upgrades compared to the other Banished units. However, tossing them a Jump Pack or Hardlight Shields might just make them an even bigger problem to deal with. Combined with either the Hydra or Ravager weapons they are quite the powerhouse on the tabletop.
Your first crack at these will be in the Rise of the Banished expansion pack that’s currently up for Pre-order from Mantic Games. Note for US customers: pre-order before June 1, 2025 to lock in the current prices before they increase due to the Trump Tariff situation.
