BATTLETECH – Headshot Guide and Tips

You probably know that the Marauder is excellent at landing headshots in your games. But why is that, and how can you make it happen? This guide goes beyond the usual advice of “Get a Marauder with LosTech weapons” and delves into the specifics of setting up called shots, understanding the calculations involved, identifying the best weapons to target, and selecting the optimal mechs to form a headshot-focused lance.

Getting Started

You might have heard about headshots and the legendary Marauder from forums or guides. But if you’re a busy mercenary commander and want to keep your mech techs busy while you read the guide, here’s a shopping list for you to work on. This way, you can gain some headshot experience while taking in all the information.

First, assemble 3x Marauder-3R by either salvaging parts or buying them from unaligned worlds. Next, head to the Canopian faction store and grab MLaser++. Then, visit the Davion faction store for UAC2++. Finally, swing by the Liao faction store to purchase Inferno++. Additionally, obtain an SLDF Griffin from the Criminal Minds flashpoint, or you can build a Jagermech-6A. To round things off, earn faction with Pirates, explore black markets, and purchase more advanced items as you come across them.

If you’re already familiar with headshots and don’t want to dive into the math, feel free to skip ahead to another section:

• Headshot Weapons provides a review of weapon effectiveness.
• Headshot Lance discusses the suitability of different mechs for various roles in a headshot lance.

What are Headshots?

Success in most Battletech missions revolves around defeating enemy mechs, and there are various ways to achieve this. You can target the center torso, destroy both legs, incapacitate the mechwarrior, or aim for a headshot. Simply adding more firepower to speed up a center torso kill is the least efficient approach. Tactics like flanking and called shots help, but they become less effective against heavier mechs with more armor and structure. Headshots stand out because they bypass armor and structure, offering a way to easily defeat even the toughest and most dangerous enemy mechs.

A mech’s head typically has a maximum of 45 armor and 16 internal structure, requiring 61 points of damage to destroy. Opting for a headshot yields 3 salvage parts, making it a highly profitable strategy. The headshot lances in my Ironman Kerensky careers could consistently complete numerous consecutive 5-skull missions, securing plenty of salvage from assault mechs with minimal risk of failure, thanks to simple battlefield tactics. Since headshots rely more on specific weapon characteristics than raw damage output, it’s essential to understand the background to optimize your lance for this purpose.

Calling the Shot

To initiate any headshot strategy, the first step is to generate called shots, allowing you to choose the target location. The game provides four methods for this purpose:

1. Precision Strike (PS): By spending 30 resolve in combat, you can execute a Precision Strike. This grants a 20% bonus chance to hit and lets you select the target location. It’s advisable to use PS whenever possible, aiming for at least 1 PS in the first round and 2 or more in subsequent rounds.
2. Knockdown: If you deal enough stability damage to a mech already unstable, you can knock it down, enabling you to choose the target location. Note that knockdown targets have a different called shot profile. However, knocking down an enemy typically takes a minimum of two turns, making this method relatively weaker for generating called shots.
3. Break a Leg: Destroying a mech’s leg results in knocking it down, allowing you to select the target location. This method is faster than knockdown from stability damage, as it can be achieved in one turn with sufficient leg damage. However, it usually requires one PS to target the leg.
4. Shutdown: Overheating a mech (e.g., with Infernos and Flamers) causes it to shut down, providing a 20% bonus chance to hit. Additionally, it removes all mechwarrior effects and allows you to select the target location. A suitably-equipped mech can achieve a shutdown in just one turn, and combining this with TAG increases the threat level of your weapons.

The most effective way to generate called shots is through a combination of Precision Strike and shutdown. This combination grants the ability to disable or eliminate up to 3 mechs in a single round. No mech is immune to shutdowns, as even special mechs resistant to headshots can be shut down by infernos and eliminated with a CT called shot.

Headshot Math

Headshots are essentially based on probability, and effectively using them requires trusting the game’s RNG. While a detailed discussion of headshot math is beyond the scope of this guide, I can provide a foundational understanding and some useful tools for predicting the effectiveness of your headshot builds.

By default, the chance of a single-shot weapon hitting the head on a called shot is 2%. With Called Shot Expert from Tactics-6, this chance increases to 6%, and with Called Shot Master from Tactics-9, it rises to 18%. The Marauder’s Lance Command Module further boosts this chance to 35% for a Tactics-9 mechwarrior. However, the actual chance to hit the head varies based on the attack facing, with flank and prone facings having a slightly reduced chance, and targeting the head not being possible from a rear-facing position. For simplicity, this guide assumes a front-facing scenario and Tactics-9.

Weapons with multiple shots, such as MGs, SRMs, UACs, SPPCs, and LBXs, have a reduced chance to hit the head with each successive attack. Clustering weapons like LRMs set the targeted part on the initial attack, with subsequent hits on the head having only a 0.5% chance, making LRMs ineffective for headshots.

Consideration of weapon damage is crucial; it takes 61 damage to destroy the head. This can be achieved by a single large weapon or multiple hits from smaller ones. Damage reduction from guarding, cover, and Mechwarrior skills like Bulwark should also be taken into account.

Increasing damage dealt to the enemy is possible through methods like hitting the enemy with TAG / TAG+ / TAG++ for a damage bonus or using mechs with built-in damage bonuses, such as the Phoenix Hawk, Warhammer, or Annihilator.

Most mechs, including the Marauder, mount multiple weapons, and the probability of a headshot kill is equivalent to the chance of dealing enough damage to destroy the head in a single alpha strike. Simplifying the problem by classifying weapons based on the hits required to destroy the head, tables are provided to help understand how the probabilities work.

As an example, using a MAD-2R equipped with 2x LPulse++ (1-hit) and 4x ERMLaser++ (2-hit) against an undamaged target with no damage reduction, the chance for one of the two LPulse to hit the head and kill the target is 58%. The chance of two ERMLasers hitting the target is (100% – 58%) * 43% = 18%. Therefore, this mech has a 76% chance to kill its target with an alpha strike. Against a target that has already taken one hit to the head, any of the 6 weapons hitting the head would result in a kill, with a probability of 92.5%.

Headshot Weapons

The primary criterion for determining a weapon’s effectiveness at generating headshots is its headshot efficiency. This value is calculated based on the number of hits required, shots fired, accuracy modifiers, weapon weight, 8 shots of ammo, and the number of double heat sinks needed to manage heat.

For instance, let’s use the ERMLaser++ as the benchmark. It’s a 2-hit weapon weighing 1 ton, generating 20 heat, requiring 3.33 double heat sinks to neutralize. Its efficiency is calculated as 100 / (1 + 3.33) / 2 = 11.54.

Now, consider the LPulse++. It’s a 1-hit weapon weighing 6 tons and generating 30 heat. Its efficiency is 100 / (6 + 5) = 9.09, which is 79% of the ERMLaser++. Despite being less efficient, its increased range and the value of being a 1-hit weapon place it on par with the ERMLaser++.

While efficiency is crucial, other factors matter too. Range is vital as headshot fights are fast, and engaging enemies from a distance is important. Some weapons excel in specific situations or with certain mech quirks. Additionally, early-game players might not have access to top-tier gear and will have to make choices based on what’s available.

Endgame Weapons

These are the best weapons for shooting mechs in the head at the end of the game. These weapons are great because they are effective and have a good range. The mechs using these weapons have advanced equipment like double heat sinks and/or exchangers.

UAC2++
This weapon is super strong for headshots. It does a crazy 35 damage, weighs 5 tons, generates 8 heat, and has a range of 720 / 480 / 120. Even if you don’t have double heat sinks, it works well. It’s better than other ballistic weapons, especially for headshots. You can buy as many as you want from the Davion faction store. A Marauder 3R can carry 3 of these, making it a really powerful long-range sniper.

LPulse++
This weapon is the best for a one-hit kill. It does 65 damage, weighs 6 tons, generates 30 heat, and has a range of 450 / 300 / 0. It’s efficient, has good range, and gives an accuracy bonus. But, it’s expensive, hard to find, and needs double heat sinks. You might have to visit special worlds to get a pair for your Marauder 2R.

ERMLaser++
This weapon is a good all-around choice for headshots in the late game. It does 45 damage, weighs 1 ton, generates 20 heat, and has a range of 360 / 270 / 0. It has decent range, is lightweight, and fits on common energy hardpoints. The high heat can be managed with double heat sinks and exchangers. It remains a two-hit-kill weapon against enemies with 20% damage reduction and becomes a one-hit-kill weapon when shot by a Phoenix Hawk or Warhammer against a debuffed target. These can be hard to find since they’re only occasionally available on specific worlds and in the Black Market. Luckily, you can also get 4 of these from one of the mechs you get as a reward in the Heavy Metal flashpoints.

Situational Weapons

These weapons are situationally useful, whether it is at close range, with specific mech quirks, or as a replacement for something harder to get.

MLaser++
35 damage | 1 ton | 12 heat | 270 / 180 / 0 range | 144%

The MLaser++ is a very efficient but 2-hit headshot weapon hampered only by its short range. It is very good on SLDF mechs equipped with double heat sinks. Its advantages are that it’s lightweight and energy hardpoints are common. You can buy unlimited quantities of this weapon in the Canopian faction store.

ERSLaser++
40 damage | 0.5 tons | 10 heat | 150 / 150 / 0 range | 208%

The ERSLaser is the most efficient headshot weapon in the game but suffers from a very short range. If you have extra support hardpoints and can get the mech into range, it will improve your chances of scoring a kill. Since it is a support weapon, its accuracy is not affected by evasion making it an ideal weapon against light mechs. You can only find these in SLDF and Black Market shops and they are very useful for many applications so hoard them when they show up. This is an especially good weapon for fast mechs like the Phoenix Hawk.

ERPPC++
70 damage | 6 tons | 45 heat | 690 / 510 / 0 range | 64%

Though less efficient than the LPulse++, the ERPPC++ holds its own as a 1-hit headshot weapon. Its range is comparable to the UAC2++ and the extra damage lets it remain a 1-hit kill weapon against a Marauder’s 10% damage reduction. Even the sensor impairment can be useful by disrupting return attacks if you get unlucky and fail to secure the kill. The main weakness is the enormous amounts of heat it generates and the huge price tag. It can work well on a Marauder 2R if you’re having trouble getting LPulse++.

UAC5++
2×45 damage | 7 tons | 16 heat | 540 / 360 / 90 range | 61%

The UAC5++ is usually worse in every way than the UAC2++. The only exception is when it’s equipped on an Annihilator due to its ballistics damage bonus. Against an enemy debuffed by TAG, an Annihilator with 5x UAC5++ has 10 chances to destroy the head – 5 at full accuracy and 5 at reduced accuracy. Even if the enemy were to somehow survive, it would have taken a huge amount of damage and lighter mechs are likely to be outright destroyed.

MPulse++
50 damage | 2 tons | 16 heat | 270 / 180 / 0 range | 93%

The MPulse++ is inferior to the ERMLaser++ in both efficiency and range. However, it is a suitable replacement for when you don’t have enough ERMLasers to go around. This works well on mechs like the Phoenix Hawk that are not impacted by its shorter range and can make use of the improved accuracy and damage for called shots against other parts. Note that MPulse on a Phoenix Hawk will 1-shot a target debuffed by TAG.

SRM2+++
2×12 damage | 1 tons | 4 heat | 270 / 180 / 0 range | 100%

It may take 6-hits on its own to score a kill but the SRM2+++ has a niche use as a finisher when it delivers just enough damage to finish off what other weapons started. It is also the only headshot weapon for missile hardpoints and therefore good on mechs like the Warhammer 7A that carry a mix of weapons.

Early Game Weapons

This is the early game tier consisting of weapons that do not perform as well but get a pass because they are easy to obtain and use without endgame heat management like double heatsinks or exchangers.

AC2++
35 damage | 6 tons | 4 heat | 720 / 480 / 120 range | 60%

A 2-hit kill autocannon with very long range. It’s not as good as a UAC2++ but it is easy to find and works without double heatsinks. This is a great choice to put in the ballistic slots on your first Marauder.

AC10++
70 damage | 12 tons | 12 heat | 450 / 300 / 0 range | 52%

The first one-hit kill weapon a new player is likely to come across. The AC10++ is pretty inefficient but it does the job. I’d recommend passing this one up in favor of AC2++ since early Marauder 3Rs have plenty of ballistic hardpoints.

PPC++
60 damage | 7 tons | 35 heat | 540 / 360 / 90 range | 34%

The best non-LosTech energy weapon can do 1-hit headshots if equipped on a Phoenix Hawk or Warhammer or if used against an enemy debuffed by TAG.

Large Laser
40 damage | 5 tons | 18 heat | 450 / 300 / 0 range | 54%

Large Lasers are 2-hit kill weapons with good range that are available immediately. This makes it a good choice for those who obtain a Marauder early in their campaign or career. You’ll replace this with better weapons as you get them. There’s no difference between the LLaser and LLaser+++ for headshot purposes other than a slight damage increase to overcome damage reduction.

Medium Laser
25 damage | 1 tons | 12 heat | 270 / 180 / 0 range | 96%

This ubiquitous weapon can score a headshot kill in 3 hits and has short range. The only thing that recommends it is its relative efficiency and usefulness compared to other early game weapons. Load these up on your mechs and replace them with better weapons as you get them.

Overrated Weapons

This is the trap tier consisting of weapons that are often recommended but fail to live up to their promise. I’m including them here because I don’t want to discount them entirely. However, I haven’t found any good reasons to use these weapons yet.

Gauss Rifle++
80 damage | 13 tons | 5 heat | 660 / 360 / 180 range | 58%

Gauss Rifle is a trap. It is roughly tied with AC2++ in terms of efficiency but is far harder to acquire. By the time you see a Gauss Rifle++ and can afford one, you should already have access to the superior UAC2++. The ERPPC++ also becomes available at around the same time and is a better choice if you’re looking for something that can 1-hit at extra long range.

UAC20++
2×120 damage | 12 tons | 48 heat | 270 / 180 / 0 range | 39%

UAC20 is a trap. The recoil seriously impedes its second shot to the extent that there is no substantial gain over an AC20+++. It also has a very short range and is not that easy to obtain. You’re seriously better off with AC2++ or even an AC10++.

Headshot Lance

It is not helpful to rate headshot mechs without first understanding how they operate in a lance. If we take 4 headshot-optimized mechs into a battle, we quickly discover that we only have enough resolve for 2 to 3 PS headshots per round. To make up for this, we switch out one shooter for a support mech whose role is to generate knockdowns or shutdowns so that we can consistently get 3 headshots per round. The next thing to note is that headshots are highly susceptible to RNG and miss streaks do happen. Headshot optimized mechs tend to have weaknesses in areas such as scouting and raw damage output. Therefore, we reserve another slot for a mech that can contribute headshots but also brings another unique capability to the table. This set us up for 2 shooters, 1 support, and 1 wildcard in each lance.

Shooter Mechs

These are the mechs you want to optimize for raw headshot probability. We can categorize shooters into two subcategories: Marauder and non-Marauder. Marauders are clean shooters that excel at long-range front-quarter shots that cleanly decapitate enemies without too much risk of destroying the CT. Non-Marauders are messy shooters that work better for the mech surgery technique described by revenantsknight and prefer side-quarter shots that will destroy components with less risk of destroying the CT.

Marauder 3R
The gold standard in headshots is also easy to obtain via salvage and stores. The standard Marauder is best used with 3x UAC2 and as many ERMLaser and jump jets as you are comfortable with. Upgraded MLaser is a decent substitute before you get ERMLasers.

Marauder 2R
Harder to obtain than the 3R, the SLDF Marauder is best used with a full energy-based loadout consisting of 2x LPulse and as many ERMLaser and jump jets as you are comfortable with. It can dissipate 60 heat by default which helps a lot when running heavy energy-weapon loads. This is an ideal use case for Exchangers since it will always run hot.

Marauder 3D
Not as good as the other Marauders since it lacks the hardpoints for UAC2 or heat sinks for 1-shot energy weapons. At the end of the day, the Marauder headshot bonus makes up for its limited loadout options. Use it like a MAD-2R that has to pay more attention to heat.

Warhammer 7A
Optimized capacitors turn ERMLaser into a 1-hit headshot weapon against a tagged enemy. Armed with a mix of 7 ERMLaser, 2 ERSLaser, and 2 SRM2, this mech is a beast at close range and its lack of headshot accuracy ensures that arms and torsos will take plenty of damage on a flanking headshot. If things aren’t working out so well, it also has great damage output and you always retain the option to finish off the enemy with a CT shot instead.

Annihilator
Ballistic siege compensators turn the 5 UAC5s on this mech into 1-hit weapons against a tagged enemy generating an incredible 10 chances to get a 1-shot kill. This mech is extraordinarily messy and will splash damage across the entire target facing. It is slow so the best way to set up a flank is by using a scout to provoke the enemy into turning away from the Annihilator.

Wildcard Mechs

These mechs can do headshots but are not optimized for it. Instead, they bring some other useful functionality to the lance and give you more options on the battlefield.

Phoenix Hawk 1B
Best headshot for the tonnage. The Phoenix Hawk’s vectored thrust kit turns MPulse and ERMLaser into 1-hit headshot weapons against a tagged enemy. Its mobility allows it to make good use of short range weapons and is great at backstabbing enemies when you don’t feel like taking a chance on the headshot. Even though it’s not a Marauder, its mobility, versatility, and firepower makes the Phoenix Hawk a great wildcard to fill the fourth spot in a headshot lance.

Cyclops 1Z
This mech is mainly brought for the initiative bonus but it sometimes finds itself contributing to headshots. Armed mainly with 2-hit kill weapons like MLasers, SRM2s, and a UAC2, it is unlikely to kill an undamaged opponent. However, if the enemy has already been hit, the Cyclops can bring enough shots to finish the job. It’s also fairly messy and pairs well with assault mechs so is a good choice for the aspiring mech surgeon.

Support Mechs

Support mechs enable a condition that allows shooter mechs to do called shots without expending resolve. There are two kinds of support mechs: inferno and knockdown. Inferno mechs aim to deal 100 points of heat damage to an enemy in order to induce the shutdown state. Knockdown mechs aim to deal enough stability damage such that the next PS from a shooter will knock it down. That is a minimum of 324 stab to knock down an Entrenched assault mech. I personally consider inferno supports to be superior to knockdown supports but I can see how not every player may be comfortable with the idea of dedicating an entire drop slot to 8 inferno volleys.

Griffin 2N
Can carry 4 infernos, 2 flamers, and 2 TAGs. It is fast and has high initiative. This is ideal for players who like to move fast, have longer-range weapons on their Marauders, and run with a Phoenix Hawk. It’s easy to obtain in career mode from the Criminal Minds flashpoint. Since you need to hit with 7 out of 8 infernos to shut down a mech, consider getting closer to bring the flamers into play. Since it is on the frontline, this mech will frequently be the focus of enemy attacks so don’t hesitate to use Vigilance when outnumbered and prioritize killing any assault mechs in range that can defeat it with a lucky headshot punch.

Jagermech 6A
Can carry 4 infernos, 2 flamers, and 2 TAGs. This is a good starting inferno support for players who like to close in with their Marauders because they don’t have long range weapons yet. If you’re playing campaign mode, this will probably be your first inferno mech. Though it is slower and has slightly more armor, use the same tactics as you would with a Griffin inferno support.

Battlemaster 1S
Can carry 5 infernos and 2 TAGs. Unlike the Griffin or Jagermech, the Battlemaster inferno support does not use backup flamers and can engage evasive targets reliably from further away. It also has a lot more armor and is more durable. However, this comes at the cost of low initiative and it requires both Master Tactican and a Cyclops Z to stay at initiative 3. Despite being a non-SLDF design, this variant is hard to find. Totally worth it though.

Bull Shark M3
I’m not a big fan of knockdown supports so I’m still ironing out details on how to build the best one. The Bull Shark can support multiple configurations but the one I am currently working with is 4x LRM15+++ and 2x LB5X++. 4x LRM20+++ sounds tempting but it doesn’t have the 324 stab to destabilize entrenched assault mechs. The configuration above provides 360 stab which should be just about enough while still letting you knock down non-entrenched enemies using LRMs only.

Example Lances

Early Inferno
Jagermech 6A, Marauder 3R, Marauder 3R, Warhammer 6D

This is the easiest way to put together a competent headshot lance and can be done entirely without the black market. I replaced a 3rd Marauder with a Warhammer 6D as an example of how to escort the Jagermech with a close-range bruiser that can finish off damaged enemies.

Fast Inferno
Griffin 2N, Marauder 2R, Marauder 3R, Phoenix Hawk 1B

Despite the low tonnage, this lance is surprisingly effective at quickly taking out assault mechs. The Griffin’s extra speed lets it easily make use of its flamers and the Phoenix Hawk can finish off enemies with a PS RCT when you don’t feel like taking any more chances.

Heavy Inferno
Battlemaster 1S, Marauder 3R, Warhammer 7A, Cyclops 1Z

This is my attempt at putting together a mech surgery lance. I swapped out my usual Marauder 2R for a Warhammer 7A that will deal more collateral damage due to its higher damage and messier shot distribution.

Long Range Knockdown
Bull Shark M3, Marauder 3R, Annihilator, Cyclops 1Z

This is my attempt at putting together a long-range knockdown lance. Both shooters and the wildcard can deal stability damage to complete the knockdown.