I use it as a guard for lrm boats. Pair it up with an archer or catapult and dont push. Let the lrm boat go stationary and fire away from cover while the battlemaster hangs out close enough to threaten anyone that tries to close. Alternatively you could do something similar with the support mech being long range big guns. Where I think people make mistakes with a battlemaster is trying to push early. Its not fast enough to catch mediums and its not going to win going 1v1 vs a slower assault mech without a bit of luck. You need to give those lrm boats a few turns to soften something up before you start taking damage on your battlemaster. Once you soften up a target then send the battlemaster in full speed with the goal being to close in to melee and kicking the target. If you want to get the absolute best mileage put it 3-4 hexes in front of the lrm boat in a position where it cant be shot at all. Think about that for awhile. Would you want to close on an objective that has a battlemaster guarding it while you are running a light mech? Would you want to cross that 1-7 hex range to get to grips with an lrm boat if a battlemaster is sitting there waiting to play with you? The answer to both is generally no.
My first assault mech. Was in the 3rd edition starter set. Im glad its still in the starter set to this day. Traditionally I paired it up with a Warhammer, Marauder and a Griffin or Panther.
Offensively, the BattleMaster is going to have to close. Most players are going to want that BLR-1G in the center. Try advancing it on your left flank instead. That'll allow you full range of motion on the right arm, where the PPC is located, while using the table edge to shield that left side from damage. You don't want that left side taking a lot of damage from small autocannons and LRM spreads in those early rounds. That's where all the ammo and your short range punch is at. You need to keep the left side of your record sheet as clean as you can before engaging. If you have to choose a side to expose, choose the right side. I'd rather go into the midgame in a BattleMaster with a blown off right arm, and a clean left side, than a BattleMaster with an intact PPC, but a left torso that's heavily damaged. Because once you advance halfway or better up the board, the PPC is no longer necessary. You'll want to use your short range options, especially that SRM/6. Once you get halfway up the board, start engaging with the closest target of opportunity. The great thing about this machine is that there isn't a bad target for it to fight. It has the punch to take on center maulers, and it has the multiplicity of weapons to take on speedy targets that give you bad dice. It'll devastate infantry. Not only does it have the MGs, but so much antimaterial fire is coming down, it's like another AP weapon. That said, you might want to be cautious when engaging fresh heavies and assaults. The BattleMaster is not the kind of mech that is the best at starting fights with stuff like Orions, Crusaders, T-Bolts, and those kinds of mechs. But it is excellent at finishing fights with those kinds of mechs. If you score a big hit with the Hunchie or the Victor, peel off those units to undamaged targets if you can, and let the BLR-1G finish them off. The BattleMaster has so much, coming from so many weapons systems at short range, something out of that is going to hit where you want it for the critical hits that'll put those center maulers down or into forced withdrawal.
I've had a lot of fun with this guy. The PPC is great while moving in, the MLs and SRMs are devastating, and the two MLs in the back combined with the sheer armor can hold off and partially strip even a Grasshopper in my experience. It really is the master of the battlefield. I don't think I'd feel uncomfortable sending it to fight anything besides a 100 ton mech.
In a campaing Id like to refit my Battlemaster. Take out the MGs and SRM 6 for 2 LRM 5s with 1 ton of ammo. Swap the rear lasers to the MG arm. Throw on a few extra armor plates. Makes it a little better at long range, and makes it arguably better in short range ;) The base battlemaster is pretty good tho. I like the variants with command consoles!
Eject the MG ammo and wade in. Use your PPC while closing, then you start wailing away with the lasers, missiles and punches. Dont worry too much about being flanked, you have those rear facing lasers too. Best done with a bodyguard like an enforcer or something, but also works fine as the anchor that your sniper/lrmboat and skirmisher can support.
First assault mech I painted, alongside the Awesome in the GoAC box set. It's a lovely beast, and actually it's fairly good at protecting its own back as well if a little mech gets behind it. I tend to pair it with an Axman, which I think has the same basis as the Hunchback and serves a very similar role.
I use it as a guard for lrm boats. Pair it up with an archer or catapult and dont push. Let the lrm boat go stationary and fire away from cover while the battlemaster hangs out close enough to threaten anyone that tries to close. Alternatively you could do something similar with the support mech being long range big guns.
Where I think people make mistakes with a battlemaster is trying to push early. Its not fast enough to catch mediums and its not going to win going 1v1 vs a slower assault mech without a bit of luck. You need to give those lrm boats a few turns to soften something up before you start taking damage on your battlemaster. Once you soften up a target then send the battlemaster in full speed with the goal being to close in to melee and kicking the target.
If you want to get the absolute best mileage put it 3-4 hexes in front of the lrm boat in a position where it cant be shot at all.
Think about that for awhile. Would you want to close on an objective that has a battlemaster guarding it while you are running a light mech? Would you want to cross that 1-7 hex range to get to grips with an lrm boat if a battlemaster is sitting there waiting to play with you? The answer to both is generally no.
My first assault mech. Was in the 3rd edition starter set. Im glad its still in the starter set to this day.
Traditionally I paired it up with a Warhammer, Marauder and a Griffin or Panther.
Offensively, the BattleMaster is going to have to close. Most players are going to want that BLR-1G in the center. Try advancing it on your left flank instead. That'll allow you full range of motion on the right arm, where the PPC is located, while using the table edge to shield that left side from damage. You don't want that left side taking a lot of damage from small autocannons and LRM spreads in those early rounds. That's where all the ammo and your short range punch is at. You need to keep the left side of your record sheet as clean as you can before engaging.
If you have to choose a side to expose, choose the right side. I'd rather go into the midgame in a BattleMaster with a blown off right arm, and a clean left side, than a BattleMaster with an intact PPC, but a left torso that's heavily damaged. Because once you advance halfway or better up the board, the PPC is no longer necessary. You'll want to use your short range options, especially that SRM/6. Once you get halfway up the board, start engaging with the closest target of opportunity. The great thing about this machine is that there isn't a bad target for it to fight. It has the punch to take on center maulers, and it has the multiplicity of weapons to take on speedy targets that give you bad dice. It'll devastate infantry. Not only does it have the MGs, but so much antimaterial fire is coming down, it's like another AP weapon.
That said, you might want to be cautious when engaging fresh heavies and assaults. The BattleMaster is not the kind of mech that is the best at starting fights with stuff like Orions, Crusaders, T-Bolts, and those kinds of mechs. But it is excellent at finishing fights with those kinds of mechs. If you score a big hit with the Hunchie or the Victor, peel off those units to undamaged targets if you can, and let the BLR-1G finish them off. The BattleMaster has so much, coming from so many weapons systems at short range, something out of that is going to hit where you want it for the critical hits that'll put those center maulers down or into forced withdrawal.
I've had a lot of fun with this guy. The PPC is great while moving in, the MLs and SRMs are devastating, and the two MLs in the back combined with the sheer armor can hold off and partially strip even a Grasshopper in my experience. It really is the master of the battlefield. I don't think I'd feel uncomfortable sending it to fight anything besides a 100 ton mech.
This 'mech is so reliable. I was impressed with it the first time I used it almost a year ago. One of my favorite Inner Sphere 'mechs of all time.
In a campaing Id like to refit my Battlemaster. Take out the MGs and SRM 6 for 2 LRM 5s with 1 ton of ammo. Swap the rear lasers to the MG arm. Throw on a few extra armor plates. Makes it a little better at long range, and makes it arguably better in short range ;)
The base battlemaster is pretty good tho. I like the variants with command consoles!
Eject the MG ammo and wade in. Use your PPC while closing, then you start wailing away with the lasers, missiles and punches. Dont worry too much about being flanked, you have those rear facing lasers too.
Best done with a bodyguard like an enforcer or something, but also works fine as the anchor that your sniper/lrmboat and skirmisher can support.
First assault mech I painted, alongside the Awesome in the GoAC box set. It's a lovely beast, and actually it's fairly good at protecting its own back as well if a little mech gets behind it. I tend to pair it with an Axman, which I think has the same basis as the Hunchback and serves a very similar role.
I usually pair Battlemaster with Thunderbolt or Crusader.