Settlement Sentinels for dummies

[Krash Megiddo]

Rifle / Scatter blaster + Paralysis Mortar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44m3CL1dqzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4S8nJXb4qQ

[japp_02]

My recent encounter with a Walker on my settlement was a desaster, although i have a Scatter Blaster equiped with all S-Class upgrades. My difficulty level is normal. i was not able to make any progress in confronting him, his hit bar didn't go down, I guess I was hitting the wrong part of it. After some time I had to flee for not dying - which I then did anyway.
So, Scatter Blaster for me = a paper bullet against Walkers since Outlaws.

[Zep Tepi]

Originally posted by japp_02:

My recent encounter with a Walker on my settlement was a desaster, although i have a Scatter Blaster equiped with all S-Class upgrades. My difficulty level is normal. i was not able to make any progress in confronting him, his hit bar didn't go down, I guess I was hitting the wrong part of it. After some time I had to flee for not dying - which I then did anyway.
So, Scatter Blaster for me = a paper bullet against Walkers since Outlaws.

Was it getting healed by one of those small healer drones? You have to take those out first, or just be really quick. They often do follow walkers around.

[llanita]

Take out the healer sentinels, then shoot at the knee joints. They'll eventually stop walking and you can start shooting at the head to get the walker brain. Keep moving in circles around it

[japp_02]

Originally posted by Zep Tepi:

Originally posted by japp_02:

My recent encounter with a Walker on my settlement was a desaster, although i have a Scatter Blaster equiped with all S-Class upgrades. My difficulty level is normal. i was not able to make any progress in confronting him, his hit bar didn't go down, I guess I was hitting the wrong part of it. After some time I had to flee for not dying - which I then did anyway.
So, Scatter Blaster for me = a paper bullet against Walkers since Outlaws.

Was it getting healed by one of those small healer drones? You have to take those out first, or just be really quick. They often do follow walkers around.

Yeah you must be right, I noticed that the smaller sentinels didn't stop comming-in. I must get familiar with these new sentinel groups which HG has introduced, the entire ground combat is getting much heavier now.
BTW, against anything other than the Walker my Scatter Blaster was top.

[TachyonTraveller]

Walkers are a complicated fight. The Walker Brain is on the top of the Walker, and can't be immediately damaged. You need to damage the Walker's legs first.

The walker will shoot a number of missiles in the air if you damage enough protection - after that animation the head of the walker will take damage.
Recommended loadout for these is a geology cannon for the raw firepower, if you have plasma for ammo or backup tools.
I've taken out Walkers with a Blaze Javelin solo by stun locking them. Minotaur support can be useful. Scatter Blaster is intended for close range - for Walkers it's one of the worst weapons you can choose.
I believe Neutron Cannons have taken a nerf, however I have had good results with them.

Pulse spitter is awesome for these, use Supercharged Slots for the Pulse Spitter upgrades and have some high-stat Sentinel upgrades.

Can't comment on Boltcaster, I hardly ever use it. I understand with Sentinel mods it's a steady weapon but overperformed by the Pulse Spitter.

[Krash Megiddo]

Originally posted by japp_02:

My recent encounter with a Walker on my settlement was a desaster, although i have a Scatter Blaster equiped with all S-Class upgrades. My difficulty level is normal. i was not able to make any progress in confronting him, his hit bar didn't go down, I guess I was hitting the wrong part of it. After some time I had to flee for not dying - which I then did anyway.
So, Scatter Blaster for me = a paper bullet against Walkers since Outlaws.

Having the minotaur on your side is a game changer.

[japp_02]

Originally posted by Krash Megiddo:

Originally posted by japp_02:

My recent encounter with a Walker on my settlement was a desaster, although i have a Scatter Blaster equiped with all S-Class upgrades. My difficulty level is normal. i was not able to make any progress in confronting him, his hit bar didn't go down, I guess I was hitting the wrong part of it. After some time I had to flee for not dying - which I then did anyway.
So, Scatter Blaster for me = a paper bullet against Walkers since Outlaws.

Having the minotaur on your side is a game changer.

Thanks for the tip :)

[japp_02]

Originally posted by llanita:

Take out the healer sentinels, then shoot at the knee joints. They'll eventually stop walking and you can start shooting at the head to get the walker brain. Keep moving in circles around it

Thanks for your tips, I will have to totally change my approach, this is clear after watching some vids.

[babyseal]

Early game when you're puny and weak;
- don't collect the power up drums from kills till you need the life restore boost.
- Save the purple/blue ones for dire need.
- Kill the healer drones as priority targets.
- Get on top of something...seems like you take less damage, especially from the dogs.
- If you're taking alot of damage...jump around so they loose you.
- When in doubt, run away, let your suit regen...they're not going anywhere.
- I find it best, early game, to find a factory building and fight them from the doorway.
- If the "searching" clock starts running down, step out, kill one/get detected, step back inside till your suit regens.
- Walkers when you're weak, if you do it right, shoot their legs when they're in front of the factory door. They'll circle around in front and you can shoot them from the doorway. If you've killed the healer bots, you can just keep chipping away at them.
- Don't forget, after you kill the walker, use "E" to get the first brain instead of just shooting it right off.
- First "basalt" planet you find, take the time to mine a bunch.
- Quickest/easiest way to get the "glass" drops to break down for the upgrade modules you need, is to find a Sentinel outpost, land next to the control station, shut down the Sentinels. Then destroy the control modules and pick up the green and purple drums.
- All I ever use is a boltcaster. Pulse splitter is a bit more powerful, but the rounds travel slower, so harder to get hits at range, to pick off the healer drones. Scatter blasters are "meh". Usually have one equipped as a secondary weapon, but rarely use it.

[taniwhat]

Pulse splitter fully amped up also works quite well. It doesn't have the recoil problems of the boltcaster, doesn't need to be quite so close as the scatter blaster. Shoot in bursts changing targets between bursts because the burning damage effect almost gives it an AOE effect if you do that. i.e. the one you left with some health left will likely go down due to fire damage while you target the next one.

They all work, but a how useful they are depends a lot on how coordinated the player is. I'm pretty unco :) and found the garden hose pretty effective. Particularly at taking down healers.