Editing Aspect Warrior (section)

==Howling Banshees==

[[File:Howling Banshee Exarch %26 Warriors.jpg|270px|right|thumb|If not their screams, then their swords and pistols will tear you a new one. Still a good way to die.]]

The second Aspect temple created was that of the Howling Banshees, founded by [[Jain Zar]]. Their namesake comes from Eldar mythology, in which banshees are warp apparitions that foreshadow doom with their loud cries.

As the story goes, [[Morai-Heg]], the Crone Goddess, wanted to drink her own divine blood and learn all of knowledge stored in it. But the only creature capable of harming a deity was Khaine, who actually didn't want to help her out. So she sent her daughters to [[-4 Str|bitch and whine]] at Khaine until he relented and cut off her hand to shut her up. In return, he kept ownership rights to the Banshees and created an aspect.

Howling Banshees specialize in melee combat and carry [[Power weapon#Eldar Power Sword|power swords]] and [[Shuriken Pistol]]s. Each Banshee wears a [[Banshee Mask]], which amplifies the wearer's battle cries into a psychic scream that disorients targets, giving the Banshees the initiative and allowing them to live up to their namesake as the [[Kharn|screaming harbingers of bloody murder]]. A Banshee Exarch may wield twin [[Power weapon#Powerblades|powerblades]], a pistol and a [[Power weapon#Triskele|Triskele]] (glaive, the throwing kind), or a badass [[Power weapon#Executioner|Executioner]] (glaive, the polearm kind). High initiative (as high as [[Slaanesh]]-marked [[Chaos Space Marines]]) and power weapons make them big trouble for power-armored foes. They are also a favored target of fa/tg/uy lusts due to their...[[/d/|form-fitting armor.]] Despite their feminine-shaped armor and majority female members [[Trap|men can join too...]] but they wear the female armor and adapt a female persona for the duration of their stay (so fa/tg/uys are taking a heavy risk).

[[File:Space Faggots.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Yep, it goes kinda like this.]]

On the tabletop, Howling Banshees have had a rough time of things since their 4th edition rules. This is due to being fragile at T3 with a 4+ save, striking at S3 when their main targets ([[Space Marines|Marines]]) have a toughness of 4 or better, not having quite enough weight of attack to deal with large numbers of enemies, and having Initiative and WS values only somewhat better than their targets of choice (and inferior to Wyches, who serve much the same role in [[Dark Eldar]] armies). This is compounded by a lack of assault grenades to strike first against enemies in cover or assault transports to bring them to their opponents safely. History follows like so.

*6th edition slapped them hard right off the bat with the new power weapons rules, the many nerfs to assault (not being able to run and charge was especially devastating), and a restriction that only allows them to bring swords. They got a lateral buff at best with the new book, which really didn't fix their old problems but improved their competition (buffing Scorpions a bit and introducing Wraithblades). The Exarchs did get quite a lot better, but they have been reduced to glorified sergeants.

*The new 7th edition codex gave them a rather significant buff. They still didn't have plasma grenades, but could ignore cover when charging and could charge further. Also, their masks suppressed overwatch fire, which helps them out quite a bit, especially against shooty folks like [[Tau]], or units with multiple flamers. Furthermore, the entire Eldar book and indeed the meta as a whole really wasn't lacking for AP3 killing capacity, thus further ensuring that the primary role of Banshees in 7th was that of shelf decoration— a cruel fate for one of the most iconic Eldar units.

*8th edition changed them up by re-introducing the move stat which has finally allowed GW to do away with the million and one awkward rules that modified how fast a unit could move. The only [[Fail|remaining mystery]] is why they ever removed the move stat in the first place. With a movement stat of eight, being able to charge after advancing, and getting three extra inches on their charge distance, Banshees can threaten anything within an average of twenty one and a half inches. Or more if you pick the Red and therefore fastest Craftworld. They also have outright immunity to Overwatch (suck it Tau!) and as long as the Exarch is in play, enemies have a -1 penalty to hit them in close combat. This means that most units will hit them on a 4+ at best, and when combined with stratagems and psychic powers dealing with Banshees in melee can become pretty hard, to say the least.

Unfortunately, for several editions now Banshees have been let down by not having enough attacks while also not having a high enough strength value to outperform similar units such as Striking Scorpions. With only two attacks base with a S3 AP-2 power weapon and a Shuriken pistol, they struggle to kill their supposed intended target of MEQs. Consider that against Marines Banshees will hit two out of three times, wound only one out of three times, and will be deflected by the Marine's pauldrons one out of three times. Therefore a unit of 10 Banshees (without an Exarch) would statistically kill 3 models - meaning that they're rather shockingly bad at killing Space Marines. At this rate, it'll actually be the forty second millennium before GW realizes that a Space Marine's toughness score is just as much a part of their defence as their armour save and that S3 power weapons are exceedingly mediocre at killing Marines without a lot of wounds to throw around.

*The 9th edition Craftworld codex did throw Howling Banshees a ''much'' needed bone; their power swords now add +1 to their strength are up to -4 AP ''and'' they've got a +1 to wound when charging, letting them actually put the hurt on Space Marines and effortlessly butcher GEQ targets unaided. Their masks prevent targets from firing overwatch against them and also force targets to fight last, after everything else in your army has had a chance to go. Unfortunately, marines now have 2 wounds apiece now, making their D1 weapons a bit lackluster against their intended targets. Additionally, while their ability to shut down Overwatch remains, it's dramatically less useful this edition since every army can only fire overwatch once per turn.

Banshees no longer ''need'' psyker support any more to just cut their way through infantry. With Psyker support, they're exceptionally lethal, and their Exarch is one hell of a brutal and killy melee beatstick that can put out 10 high AP attacks a turn by herself. Yeah. Try to use their amazing mobility and threat range to assassinate isolated, high-value targets, and just try not to bite off more than they can chew. If you're using your unsupported squad of 5 Banshees to charge a fresh mob of 30 [[Ork]] Boyz, you're definitely doing it wrong.

They represent Khaine in his aspect as a harbinger of doom.

THEY ARE NOW IN PLASTIC! REJOICE, AND CRY FOR JOY! HUZZAH!