Battlemaster BLR-1G

**Battlemaster BLR-1G** is a Assault-class 'Mech in *Battletech*.

## Description

Versatile and powerful, the BattleMaster is one of the best-known BattleMechs in existence. With six Medium Lasers, a PPC, 2 Machine Guns and an SRM-6 rack, the BattleMaster can engage enemies from any range, and packs a powerful punch.

## Loadouts

* **Optimized Stock Loadout:** With fully half your firepower sharing the left torso with **three** ammo bins, moving the ammo out of the torso and into the arms or legs should be a priority. Stock firepower is very good, especially at close range, but runs extremely hot; removing the Machine Guns and their ammo allows swapping the PPC for an AC/5 + 1 ammo bin to tame the massive heat output of the stock weaponry. One ton of SRM ammo is likely more than enough for a single SRM6, so the second ton is completely unnecessary and can be replaced with an additional heatsink or extra armor (moving the remaining bin to an arm or leg is recommended).
* The Battlemaster has the highest max tonnage (health and armor) and highest weight capacity of the 'fast' Assault 'Mechs, barring the Cyclopses and fast Banshees, which require specialized builds. In an Assault lance, the higher speed makes the Battlemaster better able to rush into close range to deploy short-range weapons and melee attacks. While it has the same speed and payload as the Orion with lower initiative, the Battlemaster's *very* Energy-heavy hardpoint arrangement makes it easier to pack heavier armor yet still carry superior firepower, due to Energy weapons' lighter general weight (the ubiquitous Medium Laser is a standout here); while the Battlemaster's higher durability gives it notably better survivability against very heavy-tonnage, high-firepower opposition. Jump Jets are useful for this role, but will cut into tonnage for weapons or heatsinks.
* Making use of the Ballistic hardpoints (and the Missile as well, to a lesser degree) is an option to reduce heat or increase range, but their higher absolute weight will cut into either firepower, armor, or heatsinks; an Orion may be strictly superior in these cases depending on your specific weapon, armor, and heatsink choices. If you don't specifically want the Battlemaster or Orion's speed, a slower Assault with higher weight capacity is probably a better choice.
* One of the most practical campaign-builds is to use the Battlemaster as a 'Brickwall', replacing the PPC and SRM with more armor and Jump Jets. 7 Medium Lasers is more than sufficient for a close range brawler, and it can easily hold the attention of an enemy lance while its Lance mates focus on doing the actual damage.
* Given that most Battlemaster builds will be very heavy on Energy weapons but its weight capacity may restrict how many heatsinks it can carry, Double Heat Sinks and/or Heat Exchangers will be a huge benefit to the Battlemaster's sustained damage output.
* The 85 ton BLR-1G has 22.13 tons available at full armor for weapons, heatsinks and jump jets. This is similiar to the Victor VTR-9B and Zeus ZEU-6S, both have 23.38 tons available with full armor. This means that with its limited available tonnage, the BLR-1G is best suited to close range combat while avoiding heavier long range weapons in order to maximum its damage output.

## Strategy

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* "Versatile and powerful, the BattleMaster 1G is one of the best known BattleMechs in existence. Normally mounting a varied array of Energy weapons, the BattleMaster can engage enemies at any range and packs a powerful punch."
* Use evasion and defensive skills to reduce damage. Master Tactician can also be useful with this mech. Use your accurate lasers to incapacitate enemies by called shots. Hit defense gyro and cockpit mod are also very useful. This mech is very powerful in campaign and you get at least 2 chances to get it from story missions. It is strongly advised To try to get the whole mech by shooting its head the first chance you get. Later when you get King Crab and other >85t mechs, you can use this mech as a heavy scout.