The solider has three different types of 'banner' items that, when charged by dealing damage, allow him to 'buff' himself and his nearby teammates in different ways.
- The Buff Banner – Bestows all weapons with mini-crits
- The Batallion Backup – Reduces damage for all buff targets
- The Concheror – Provides healing for all buff targets per damage dealt
My question is, when is it best to use each of these different banners?
Best Answer
Each banner has a different situation in which it shines. Using it effectively provides the greatest bonus, both to your team and to yourself.
Buff Banner
The Buff Banner can, in the right situation, act as a mini-Kritzkreig for your entire team, helping them punch through an enemy front, take a capture point, or push back an attacking team entirely. It also chargest faster than any other Banner, which makes it easier to utilize in most situations, and is ideal for a defensive front since it allows your team to break apart a push.
But it won't be of much help if you don't have teammates that can deal that damage. Buff Banner is best used when you have multiple splash-damage allies on your team, such as other soldiers or demomen. Pyros can help too, as can Heavies. Basically any ally that can deal a lot of damage will help.
The Buff Banner also pairs well with an Uber medic, allowing you the benefit of both mini-crits and invulnerability at the same time.
Batallion's Backup
If the Buff Banner is like a mini-Kritzkreig, the Batallion's Backup is like a mini-Uber. The reduced damage can help lead your team into a push, and the added health will help you survive that push as well. If you have a lot of allies pushing together all at once, the defense bonus this item provides can prove devestating in a push. It can even help take down that pesky Sentry Nest.
Like the Buff Banner, this item pairs well in conjunction with its opposite in Medigun-technology. A kritzkreig with the Batallion's Backup will keep the Kritz target alive while they tear through your opponents.
The Concheror
The Conch is a little more difficult to place in terms of usefulness - it sort-of acts like the Quickfix, in that it will keep all of your allies topped up on health while in effect. If you have a lot of high-health allies (Soldiers, Demomen, Heavies ect), it can help them stay alive while pushing forward.
The Concheror, like the Batallion's Backup, pairs best with a non-Uber medic, like the Kritzkreig, since it allows the target to deal damage and heal equal ammounts from it at the same time. But it can also be beneficial if your team is lacking medics or other forms of healing, giving your team a much-needed healing boost.
Update The Concheror has an additional effect now: It acts as a Disciplinary Action effect to all in its area of effect, speeding up everyone's movement including the soldier. This adds some utility to the Concheror, allowing for a rapid push that can be very effective as an attacking team, when trying to capture a point, or when trying to claim and return with enemy intelligence.
In addition, both the Concheror and the Batallion's Backup have bonus effects. See Austin Mohr's answer for details.