54 replies to this topic

[Bishop Steiner]

So, I only have the Base Pack, and have mixed in other mechs (and a couple days devoted to dropping in my Clan Acct), so I can't comment on the Reinforcement or High Roller.

Overall verdict?

A fun, if not overly competitive mech.

Pros? Tanks well from the front, open to multiple builds, with decent mobility. And it looks really good.

Cons? Side Torsos make it InstaDead if you do get flanked, and and the JoAT nature that allows for diverse builds also make it pretty mediocre at the overspecialization preferred in MetaMechs. Also the torso missile boxes aren't your friend.

Most Meta Build? Dual AC10 in the torso, probably. Despite the protestations of some players, 20 ppfld every 2.5 seconds is pretty effective, especially in a Flanker Unit.

That said, I find.... it's a lot of fun, at least in the Chaos of Quick Play. It's not a first choice for serious FW play, at least not the base variants, but the primary 3 do allow for enough build diversity to make them relatively fun and different to grind. And what allows me to feel like I actually accomplished something, as opposed to my KDK3, where I show up, do 900 dmg, 5 kills, yawn, wash, rinse and repeat.

So all in all, I'm actually happier to have it in game than I expected. It's not great, but it's not bad... which is where it's supposed to be.

[RestosIII]

Glad to hear. It's one of my true beloved babies from the entire Battletech line-up, so I can't wait to get it when it comes out for C-Bills. Been aching for it for a long time.

[The Lighthouse]

Bishop Steiner, on 04 February 2017 - 06:23 PM, said:

Cons? Side Torsos make it InstaDead if you do get flanked, and and the JoAT nature that allows for diverse builds also make it pretty mediocre at the overspecialization preferred in MetaMechs. Also the torso missile boxes aren't your friend.

Yes. stock XL engine is a deathtrap. Swap with a STD engine you get a really, really tanky mech.

[Snazzy Dragon]

The Lighthouse, on 04 February 2017 - 06:33 PM, said:

Yes. stock XL engine is a deathtrap. Swap with a STD engine you get a really, really tanky mech.

But then you get the firepower of a light mech and the speed of a slow heavy!

[The Lighthouse]

Snazzy Dragon, on 04 February 2017 - 06:36 PM, said:

But then you get the firepower of a light mech and the speed of a slow heavy!

Yes, Bushwacker will have a firepower of a light clan mech and the speed of a clan assault, thanks to XL engine imbalance.

However, you can still squeeze two UAC 5 on chassis and 2 medium lasers with STD 250, which is quite respectable fire power with about 79kph movement speed after the elite skills... which is not bad at all. You can do this build on 4 of the 6 chassis too.

[Bishop Steiner]

The Lighthouse, on 04 February 2017 - 06:33 PM, said:

Yes. stock XL engine is a deathtrap. Swap with a STD engine you get a really, really tanky mech.

Or you learn to control the engagement, face the OpFor and shake. All mine are running the Stock XL, and as long as I don't get flanked, it's plenty tanky. With a STD the firepower is laughable, I might as well bring a Panther.

The Lighthouse, on 04 February 2017 - 06:46 PM, said:

Yes, Bushwacker will have a firepower of a light clan mech and the speed of a clan assault, thanks to XL engine imbalance.

However, you can still squeeze two UAC 5 on chassis and 2 medium lasers with STD 250, which is quite respectable fire power with about 79kph movement speed after the elite skills... which is not bad at all. You can do this build on 4 of the 6 chassis too.

yes...just what I want...to run the same build on 4 different mechs....

[The Lighthouse]

Bishop Steiner, on 04 February 2017 - 06:47 PM, said:

Or you learn to control the engagement, face the OpFor and shake. All mine are running the Stock XL, and as long as I don't get flanked, it's plenty tanky. With a STD the firepower is laughable, I might as well bring a Panther.

Or you can also recognize that my opponent(s) can control the engagement as well. Pretty much majority of my Bushwacker kills are with side torso destruction. As long as a person can aim, be patient to wait for the torso twisting, it is actually super easy to hit side torsos thanks to really, really long body shape.

When we get into the IS XL vs. Clan XL argument, this seems to be first method for the denial. Please, this is getting old and we all know it is not even remotely close to reality.

Quote

yes...just what I want...to run the same build on 4 different mechs....

Well, I didn't say you have to use the same build on 4 different mechs.

I mean P1 does really good SRM boat, and X1 can do really good dakka, and they all can be done with STD engines with respectable speed.

The strength of bushwacker is not really a fire power, it is durability + STD engine durability really, just like a lot of IS mechs.

Edited by The Lighthouse, 04 February 2017 - 06:58 PM.

[Bishop Steiner]

The Lighthouse, on 04 February 2017 - 06:57 PM, said:

Or you can also recognize that my opponent(s) can control the engagement as well. Pretty much majority of my Bushwacker kills are with side torso destruction. As long as a person can aim, be patient to wait for the torso twisting, it is actually super easy to hit side torsos thanks to really, really long body shape.

When we get into the IS XL vs. Clan XL argument, this seems to be first method for the denial. Please, this is getting old and we all know it is not even remotely close to reality.



Well, I didn't say you have to use the same build on 4 different mechs.

I mean P1 does really good SRM boat, and X1 can do really good dakka, and they all can be done with STD engines with respectable speed.

The strength of bushwacker is not really a fire power, it is durability + STD engine durability really, just like a lot of IS mechs.

Cool story.

I'll keep running XLs, and you keep clinging to your beliefs. I survived 4 years of that nonsense with the Centurion, I reckon I'll do OK here.

[Composite Armour]

Really enjoying the wacker, having a lot of fun just messing around with different builds. P1 is my favourite variant of the bunch, P2 a close second.

IS XLs are annoying, but I'm managing to work around them. Just need to make sure to use the mobility I'm granted for defense.

[The Lighthouse]

Bishop Steiner, on 04 February 2017 - 07:04 PM, said:

Cool story.

I'll keep running XLs, and you keep clinging to your beliefs. I survived 4 years of that nonsense with the Centurion, I reckon I'll do OK here.

Gosh, and you mention Centurion, which has the best torso twist speed, amazing shield arm (or arms if you go torso weapon-only build) that actually fully cover the entire side torso, relative good hitboxes AND structure bonuses, to counter my argument?

I am pretty sure you will be definitely ok with XL Centurion considering that mech gets everything for the survival, but you really do not refute my point at all with such weak argument.

[TorinZ]

I had the basic pack and the hero. I enjoyed them. I didn't touch the missile variant. I wasn't sold on adding more targets to the mech from the frontal view for my foes to shoot at. I kept XLs on all of mine as well and didn't really feel like they were an issue unless I found myself out of position.

I found that I ended up with a few variations around the dual UAC5s on the X1 and X2. I did run through a few setups with other weapons too, but I found I was happier with the UAC5s (at least that week). Though I will probably play around with a few other builds later just to make sure I have some different setups. I am really looking forward to some other choices we may get from new tech when PGI does the time jump later this year. The High Roller, I changed that build probably 3-4 times during the leaderboard event for the Bushwacker. I had a couple builds that just were too hot, moved to UAC5s and a PPC which worked pretty well, and then ended with a LPulse build with 2 MGs for fun.

Next mech, the Assassin...Not sure why I am really looking forward to the mech, nostalgia maybe from MW2 Mercs. I hope it works out.

[MacClearly]

The Lighthouse, on 04 February 2017 - 06:46 PM, said:

Yes, Bushwacker will have a firepower of a light clan mech and the speed of a clan assault, thanks to XL engine imbalance.

However, you can still squeeze two UAC 5 on chassis and 2 medium lasers with STD 250, which is quite respectable fire power with about 79kph movement speed after the elite skills... which is not bad at all. You can do this build on 4 of the 6 chassis too.

I am willing to bet most will do better with the added speed dashing in and out while punching the enemy with the strong alpha most of them can pack.

Did ok in the event with them and in three days of playing them I mastered four and elited another. All of them with either an XL 275 or 300 and the splat 330.

Granted I fanboyed the ever living crap out of them and was over the moon most of the time, but I can't think of one mech I leveled faster without going the root of I need this now and spending gxp to do so.

[El Bandito]

Just killed a Bushwacker hiding behind low building, in HPG. He thought himself well hidden, except his torso missiles were visible enough to pop. I also do not like how wonky its CT hitbox is, where rear CT can be hit from the front.

[stealthraccoon]

The torso rotation seems right up there with the HBK, but never get caught broadside!
XL300 for me but I'm sure one speed tweak is set the XL280 would serve just fine. I'll save the STD builds for my Crabs, who weren't blessed with ballistic hard points.

Oh yes, and anything other than MG's in the torso ballistic spots would be heresy.

Edited by stealthraccoon, 04 February 2017 - 07:46 PM.

[Bishop Steiner]

stealthraccoon, on 04 February 2017 - 07:31 PM, said:

The torso rotation seems right up there with the HBK, but never get caught broadside!
XL300 for me but I'm sure one speed tweak is set the XL280 would serve just fine. I'll save the STD builds for my Crabs, who weren't blessed with ballistic hard points.

Oh yes, and anything other than MG's in the torso ballistic spots would be heresy.

do UAC5s count as really big, slow MGs?

[Bishop Steiner]

The Lighthouse, on 04 February 2017 - 07:17 PM, said:

Gosh, and you mention Centurion, which has the best torso twist speed, amazing shield arm (or arms if you go torso weapon-only build) that actually fully cover the entire side torso, relative good hitboxes AND structure bonuses, to counter my argument?

I am pretty sure you will be definitely ok with XL Centurion considering that mech gets everything for the survival, but you really do not refute my point at all with such weak argument.

I don't feel any need to waste time "refuting your point". My play in it has done that enough for my satisfaction. Cling to your slow STD builds all you like.

[Bishop Steiner]

El Bandito, on 04 February 2017 - 07:28 PM, said:

Just killed a Bushwacker hiding behind low building, in HPG. He thought himself well hidden, except his torso missiles were visible enough to pop. I also do not like how wonky its CT hitbox is, where rear CT can be hit from the front.

Yup. it has some wonky traits. But I still get enough fun out of it. Had the fun of starting the night killing a Spirit Bear... of course, anytime someone blasphemes a Spirit Bear by making it a LRMboat? They deserve the ignominy of being killed by a mediocre JoAT Mech half their size.

That said, I like that even with the basic 275xl they come with, they are a decently mobile robot. If I don't get cocky or swarmed, it can usually serve OK. Will it repalce my Cent Delta or Hunchy 4Golly? Doubt it (though I hope the ASN will), but it's an enjoyable enough addition to my Mechbay. And since I expected to be highly underwhelmed by it, that's good enough for now (as opposed to the PXH that I had really hoped to be a more interesting mech than it is).

But for my Medium Mech fun.... I'd put them on the higher end of the middle of the pack, overall.

[Snowbluff]

Bishop Steiner, on 04 February 2017 - 08:54 PM, said:

Will it repalce my Cent Delta or Hunchy 4Golly? Doubt it (though I hope the ASN will)

How about an Assassin with a heavy PPC in the little gun arm? :0

[SuomiWarder]

I pretty much stick to an AC-10, 10 or 15 LRM tubes and whatever else I can cram in laser wise. Mixed range, lowish firepower by current standards. But it survives pretty well for an IS medium, even with an XL, and I like them. Mainly nostalgia probably but still a preferred ride even non mastered with no modules.

I mix it up with an AC-5 or LBX -10 and some SRMs from time to time. The map and how the match plays out seems to be more important than which weapon mix I take.

[CycKath]

Actually really enjoy them. I tend to shy away from XL engines for most of IS 'Mechs, but kept them all in my six Bushwackers It might have been the leaderboard, but had most success with the P1 and P2 in general.