Bulwark: Probably OP

[A_Unique_Name]

As much as I hate to say it, after about 50 hours of gameplay, I've come to the conclusion the Bulwark is probably a little over the top. Anyone not a flanker or a scout ends up with Bulwark in my lineup, and it becomes WAY too easy to set up basically invincible firing positions. Behemoth in a BLR can soak damage for what feels like forever, and if you're smart and pop Vigilance while getting her into position, she'll never be unguarded.

Then you can hide someone behind her pretty effectively for the free Guard.

My personal working definition of 'OPness' is when a thing becomes the de facto skill/item/feat/equipment/whatever you ALWAYS get, no matter what the build, it's probably OP.

 

[CarpeMortis]

Lancers are my current Go-to Spec... Slap them in LRM boats (or an AWS-8Q) the park them on or behind a hill, Then slap a Scout in a sturdy spotter mech (currently a BLR with JJ, Steiner scout FTW!)

 

[A_Unique_Name]

Lancers are my current Go-to Spec... Slap them in LRM boats (or an AWS-8Q) the park them on or behind a hill, Then slap a Scout in a sturdy spotter mech (currently a BLR with JJ, Steiner scout FTW!)

Yeah, that's my go-to tactic, too. It is effective in any scenario where you aren't involved with a convoy.

To be fair, though, the issue is also partly because the AI fails to consolidate fire, actively seek to segregate individual 'mechs, or use any basic ground combat tactics beyond 'hey, I think I might be able to shoot him in the back!!!' Mobility would be far more important if the AI were smarter.

 

[Zarcon]

I have bulwark in most of my MechWarriors, and I generally regret it in the instances where I don’t.

Prob a bit OP, 50% dmg reduction makes even a demolisher tank easy to deal with.

I’ve lost ZERO peeps and I’m now running only Assaults and Heavies.

 

[CarpeMortis]

Yeah, that's my go-to tactic, too. It is effective in any scenario where you aren't involved with a convoy.

To be fair, though, the issue is also partly because the AI fails to consolidate fire, actively seek to segregate individual 'mechs, or use any basic ground combat tactics beyond 'hey, I think I might be able to shoot him in the back!!!' Mobility would be far more important if the AI were smarter.

it's even more broken for me, since my Scout has the permanent High Spirits bug. So I can constantly pop vigilance.

 

[CarpeMortis]

I have bulwark in most of my MechWarriors, and I generally regret it in the instances where I don’t.

Prob a bit OP, 50% dmg reduction makes even a demolisher tank easy to deal with.

I’ve lost ZERO peeps and I’m now running only Assaults and Heavies.

Early game Bullwark is meh. It's essentially useless on lights, but as you graduate to Heavies and Assaults is a must have.

 

[Shake Appeal]

I think it would be worth swapping Juggernaut and Bulwark on the tree, to be honest.

Juggernaut has its own problems, of course, which they've said they're looking at.

 

[CyberianK]

After trying a few other builds with my primary team on release and the days after I quickly noticed this and made sure I had 4+ MultiShot+Bulwark+BreachShot specced mechwarriors.
Its just the best overall. I still field Glitch and Dekker sometimes even they are subpar with their specs I gave them but you don't need to go 100% with exploiting everything to the max once you got good Mechs and weapons you can also do with other skilled pilots.

 

[TheWackyWombat]

As much as I hate to say it, after about 50 hours of gameplay, I've come to the conclusion the Bulwark is probably a little over the top. Anyone not a flanker or a scout ends up with Bulwark in my lineup, and it becomes WAY too easy to set up basically invincible firing positions. Behemoth in a BLR can soak damage for what feels like forever, and if you're smart and pop Vigilance while getting her into position, she'll never be unguarded.

Then you can hide someone behind her pretty effectively for the free Guard.

My personal working definition of 'OPness' is when a thing becomes the de facto skill/item/feat/equipment/whatever you ALWAYS get, no matter what the build, it's probably OP.

I think that has more to do with the evolving meta of the late game then the skill. Early on when you're in lights and meds bulwark is kinda... meh, evasion is way more important and a turn standing still can really wreck some of your mechs.

Completely different story in assaults, where the only way to get decent evasion in most of them is at a dead run.

The AMA review thread mentioned HBS was going to look at ways to put more light/med mech missions in the late game, and if they do that I think that'll help even things out a little.