I expected all my enemies to be level 32 using Thorn or TLW with a shotgun secondary. I expected lag to make the games unplayable. I expected to get destroyed. I figured I wouldn't win enough games nor complete hardly any bounties to hit rank three and get that sniper rifle with the beautiful perks. I didn't have a maxed out TLW, Thorn or shotgun, so there is no way I was winning gun fights. But I was going to give it a go anyway. I wanted that sniper rifle and I wanted some practice before Trials dropped with HoW. I was wrong. There were full teams of 32's occasionally, but there were several 31's. The 31 v. level 32 didn't seem to make a meaningful difference. The problem was that my guns weren't maxed. That did seem to make the difference. I started off using a half upgraded Suros. I got knocked around a bit the first couple of games. You also have to realize that I haven't played Crucible in over three months, if not more. So, I went back to the tower and bought enough Helium Filaments to finish maxing Suros. I also put on my Radian Dance Machines and maxed my Hunters Agility and Armor. That did the trick. I was in business. I had a couple of games where I could hardly manage 8 kills and a .50 K/D, but I also had games where I got 20+ kills and have a 2.5+ K/D. Overall, I did very well most of the time. A lot depended on my team and the map. Sometimes the flow would be great and I felt comfortable and everything would go my way. Other times I felt like I couldn't get through any lane without being wrecked. At the end of the day, I had a lot of fun. Some of the best fun I have had on Destiny in a while. I hit rank 4 and a little more on Sunday night and purchased the helmet, chest piece, sniper rifle, emblem, shader, and the cloak. I now have enough pieces to make my newish Hunter a 32. Kinda nice it not being all CE gear like my Titan. I said all that to say this... Iron Banner is nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be on this forum. Lag wasn't much of an issue, shotguns weren't everywhere and Thorn is nowhere near OP. TLW, on the other hand, is insta-melt. But at the same time, not a whole lot of truly skilled people were using it. (I could tell the difference between skilled and unskilled TLW users. If a dude wrecked me while I was strafing back and forth, you my friend are a good shot. A lot of people weren't. Speed is a decent counter to TLW and Thorn.) I shied away from playing the Iron Banner because of what all I heard on these forums. Obviously it was my fault for drinking the Kool-Aid and not trying it out for myself. But it turns out I was missing something pretty fun with some good rewards along the way and now I have a poop ton of Curible marks to buy upgrade materials for my new stuff. Just don't have an glimmer. :-( Iron Banner hooked me up. Definitely going to be playing more Crucible from here on out. Forgot how much fun it could be. Edit: I don't think I have ever been as proud of and eager to put on gear that I have gotten in Destiny. This is the first time that I felt like I truly earned something between playing the Crucible and grinding for glimmer. Also, I forgot to add this the first time, but the only thing that really bothered me while playing the Iron Banner is that NOT ONE TIME did I get to hold the flag for my team before a match!