Casual BSW-HR "Mr.Sensible" (3xLMG, 4xMPL, 1xSRM6+A, AMS, LE305)

Hello.



I got the high roller as my first medium, but it doesn't seem like its any better than the other BSW variants. But, since I paid for it, I tried to make a build that uses all of its quirks and hardpoints. This isn't radically different from too many other 3xMG builds, although I think using light machine guns and faster engine can increase survivability, as you can't hope to dish out quick damage like the BSW 2xrac5 builds...

I find this build works well as a kind of clean-up crew. If you can manage to not take much damage in the beginning of the match, you can roll up and pretty quickly take advantage of some already damaged mechs, even assaults and heavies.

I have no idea what to do with my skill tree, however. Right now it looks like this: a3b68300238000402d0dfffffffef71e038730000d8ef730e000000000000

Any help with the skill tree would be appreciated!!

Edit: I am also considering replacing the MPLs with MLs for added heat efficiency and an even bigger engine. This makes for a surprisingly tanky and fast bushwacker, at the cost of firepower of course.

 

About the skill tree and without chaning your build, I would use something like this: max ammo, max heat gen, good armor, max AMS, max seismic sensor, good radar deprivation, +1 consumable
https://kitlaan.gitlab.io/mwoskill/...c6200000000000000000050a7dbb0000000#s=Weapons

BUT, in my humble opinion any MG build on any bushwacker is a waste.

Yes, you get a "nice" MG RoF, but in this case you need to fit a full ton of armor on an arm for a single MG, plus due to the fact you can only fit 3, you get an overall +45% dps boost to MGs only... So instead of firing 3 MG, you will be firing the equivalent of 3.45 MGs at the overall cost of ~4 tons and being forced to face-tank any foe because you can't twist while shooting those MGS... IMHO it's not worth it.

Bushwacker is arguably the tankiest IS medium (thanks to both armor quirks and "shape") and the heaviest best medium mech that can manage an XL engine: keep in mind that you can easily force any enemy to focus one of your side torso by torso twisting, making it exceptionally tankier in prolonged mid-ranged fights. That's where Bushwacker truly shines and that's why you should always fit an XL engine: XL engine means more weaponry, more weaponry means longer optimal range, longer optimal range means you can deal damage more often without getting close and personal.

Back when I played Solaris, you could win 1vs1 against a king crab with proper movement and armor management. Go check out BSW-X1 "Medium's dakka champion" (2xUAC10, XL280) , there is even a baradul's video when he faced my friend "ProSecco" with my very same build

Spoiler: My friend won with a dual UAC10 build

8:13

Unluckily High Roller doesn't get a +10% ballistic range, but those ballistic mount are still fairly high (just below your cockpit) and you can still exploit its energy range quirk with SL: ERSL generates 2x times the heat but with a mere +25% range increase. This quirk helps achieve ERSL performance with no heat increase

My favourite build on a high roller are 2xLBX10 + 4xSL (or 2xAC10 + 4xSL but you have to pick a skill tree very similar to mine BSW-HR "Ranged shotgun" (2xAC10, 4xSL, XL280) )

If you can't manage an XL engine, you can still fit a fairly strong dual LBX10 build with LE (while being fairly slow)

 

Thanks for the reply! I am completely new so it is much appreciated. I will try that skill loadout for a couple of matches. You might find it interesting that just after I posted that build I played a match and got 680 damage with it! That might be the highest I ever got with this build, but I am floating between tier 5 and tier 4 so that could be the reason too (easy prey, including myself!).

I have heard both opinions about an XL in a BSW: some say it is too easy to lose a side torso (since the CT is apparently harder to hit), while others say the bushwacker twists so well that its fine. But in any case, I agree that the builds you suggest are way better than my bushwacker. I was running the 2xRAC5 BSW-HR and had a blast with it for a little while. BUT it just seems like if you're going to try to force an HR to play an X1 build, you might as well just do it on a BSW-X1, since it is just a superior chassis (as far as I can tell). The build I am suggesting sacrifices lots of firepower in exchange for both tankiness and maneuverability. This is probably the only mech I have ever played where I could make terrible positioning mistakes, find myself running from 2-3 assaults/heavies, and still somehow find myself back to the group to keep supporting once again (but again, could be my tier!).

If one must stubbornly run 3xMG's (even if it is worse, and it is), I am willing to throw this build into the ring as an viable option. The MLs, LMGs, and SRMs sync up so well in terms of range, plus you have minor brawling capabilities from tankiness (especially considering you have a LE and Ferro in this build: it took so long for the striker to take me down last match I was amazed). Since I am new and still make lots of positioning mistakes, I think this is a great build. Your right side is basically your shield side, and even if you lose it, your damage capabilities are not lost, and you support your team with the AMS, of course. I think of it as "persistant support," basically one that can survive in the second rank until the end of the match....

 

The first is true especially if you find meet an high-alpha strike brawler: some SRM builds can two-shot you if they hit the same side torso, that's why you should always try to engage above 300 meters (SRM + skills range) with any XL build. At range, though, it is a lot harder to isolate hitboxes and if you peek carefully with your team mates, you can achieve multiple free trades thanks to your decent range and acceleration / deceleration provided you are using AC10/LBX10 instead of MGs or RACs.

By the way, I've just noticed my LBX10 + 4xSL has overall a very similar DPS compared to yours (13.29 DPS against your 12.60 DPS) better sustained DPS (9.01 VS your 6.93), better range (LBX10 despite the spread can easily apply damage to few components up to 400 meters) but slightly worse speed and obviously the frightening XL engine.

Give it a shot BSW-HR "ClanRoller" (2xLBX10, 4xSL, XL295) + alt (LE, AMS): don't hug your target, torso twist to spread incoming damage, stick with your team mates (don't poke assaults unless you are certain they won't return fire and you should be fine.

If you never learne how to torso twist / tank, I strongly recommend using a MAD-3R 'BoomBoom Pewx4' (2x LBX10, 4x MLas, STD300) to learn it. In case of your XL bushwacker, thought, you should watch BOTH your side torsoes HP status and decide where to receive the incoming damage

Spoiler: MAD-3R explanation

In very few words, this build works because it fits a Standard Engine (no debuffs or malus when a side torso get destroyed) and your left side has only 2xML, so that's your "dead" side torso to use a s shield. You should also know that any damage to a destroyed side torso will be transfered to CT but with a very low percentage, 40% if I remember correctly: this means that if an AC10 will hit your dead and destroyed side torso, only 4 damage will be transfered to CT. Couple this tactice with maxed armor and structure skills and quirks and you achieve a 75 tonner that can easily reach a 95 ton mech HP when played correctly.

EDIT: now that I think about it, another good medium mech to learn torso twist is the Centurion: I remember playing a CN-9A with 3xSRM6+A + 2xML, but I've dropped it because of new quirks and for not being able to keep up with bushwackers and new tech (weapons and equipment released in a patch)

Spoiler: Centurion to learn torso twist

Have you ever tried 3xRAC2 builds instead of 2xRAC5?
RAC2s has been buffed a lot and overall 3xRAC2 is better than 2xRAC5 due to longer time to jam, better optimal range, projectile speed despite slightly lower Damage Per Second (~22 dps vs ~19.5 dps) and more tonnage occupied (20 tons vs 24 tons).

BSW-X1 works better because you can strip armor from the left arm and you also get a nice +10% ballistic range quirk, but it is manageable on a high roller.

 

Thanks again for all the ideas. I haven't tried the marauder or the centurion yet. I think the centurion is especially interesting. If I weren't saving for clan mechs, I would probably pick one up next. I have not tried the 3xRac2 build, but I really want to try that on the Dragon!!!

EDIT: my problem is I want EVERY CHASSIS so I can experiment, but this game is SO EXPENSIVE AND I AM SO IMPATIENT!!!