This guide aims to improve the average brother's understanding of the meta Bulwark build. It is built upon my experience in Hard Siege up to wave 35, with teammates of similar skill level.

The build in question:

Only thing interchangable is the second to last column. All 3 perks are good.

3 piece combo

Grab into Unburrow

Lunge into Unburrow into 3 piece combo

Least threatening tyranid extremis. Don't follow their toxic trail. Watch out for the constant grab attempts.

Running attack into sidestep

Running attack into unblockable Jump

Swipe into sudden Upsweep

Swiping combo into Claws

Claws into 2 unblockable Jumps

Lictor's grab is dealt with in the same way as the Ravener's. I didn't find a way to recreate it in the testing arena. Perfect dodge -> couple charged shots -> gunstrike

Balls 1

Balls 2

Double beam

Double Zoanthrope

Most of the time you'll have teammates that are better equipped to deal with these. Engaging with your fist is risky if there are other threats on the field because there is a chance of missing.

Approaching the Biovore

Chain jumps into Unblockable

Claw into Unblockable into jump

Shield cancel to stop charging and shoot the spore mines

Unblockable mid punch dodged by Shield canceling

Biovores should be top priority in Siege. Let them live for too long and the whole field will be covered in spore mines. The other extremis exist to stop you from getting to them.

Any blockable attack is immediately punishable by execution

Unblockable jump into Grab attempt

Grab into unblockable jump

This is the least threatening extremis for a Bulwark.

Any blockable attack is immediately punishable by execution

Soulreaper minigun

Targeted missile barrage

A non-targeted missile barrage (Terminator leans back and explodes everything around it) is also possible. Getting far enough away is tricky, so the best course of action is to spam charged plasma shots until the Terminator is executable.

The Ranged Terminator should be top priority in Siege. Their missile barrages cover vast distances and come at the most inconvenient times. And the minigun that barely tickles your shield will be ravaging your teammates. You should use their minigun to recharge your banner (with the appropriate prestige perk, Masterful Defence).

The Sorcerer is defenseless
The Sorcerer's main weapon is the legion of Rubricae he resurrects. Make attemps to interrupt him with plasma. Their blue flying skulls damage you through your shield while you block the Terminator's minigun.

Be aware they may teleport away at ANY moment after you break their shields.

(Thrice)

The ravener's main weapon is its assault on your mental fortitude with how often it evades you by burrowing. Do not lose patience, do not waste your adrenaline surge onto nothing. Shield cancel your attack if you know it won't land.

(Thrice)

Lictors on the other hand do have potential to end your life. They test your reaction time and stunlock evasion. Know which attacks knock you back and which you can tank through. Keep your plasma pistol ready to recover (as shown in the last clip).

(Twice)

In these situations it is hugely important to block/evade attacks that knock you back. If you don't have armor - any attack will knock you back unless you're charging the fist (before letting go of the charge). Be patient with throwing punches. If in doubt - block. Intimidating Aura will do its part of the job.

Treat tyranid majoris as cattle for the slaughter. In this clip I take more risk than needed to optimize time to kill. Executions are plenty, take one whenever needed.

Absolute breakpoints for all majoris (assuming no adrenaline surge):

3 Segments on the lock-on indicator - full charge punch to execute
2 Segments on the lock-on indicator - half charge punch to execute
1 Segment on the lock-on indicator - uncharged (+followup sometimes needed) punch to execute

With even 1 charge of adrenaline surge you can start taking shortcuts in the breakpoints.

Never use light attacks or running attacks if your situation is tense.

(Twice)

Make sure to punish the terminator to death if you get to block his attack. For clearing the horde - block twice into half-charge punch is your best friend.

Prioritize ranged Terminators. Keep plasma pistol ready to recover health. Rubricae and Enlightened Tzangor melee attacks are way overtuned in damage, avoid them hitting your health at all costs.

This technique allows you to cancel most animations you find yourself in. Simply hold your shield button to interrupt whatever your character is doing.

This is most useful in 2 scenarios:
1) Canceling charging your fist without dodging, in case you want to keep your current position.
2) Canceling the recovery after throwing a punch, nullifying your vulnerability period, so you can dodge in the middle of meleeing the enemy. This is extremely important.

Shield cancel into dodge gets you out of most sticky situations.


NOTE: this does not work in the pvp-arena in the battle barge, you'll have to load into a mission to try it.

With the sweatlord knowledge you now possess, hopefully you'll be reaching this kind of melee damage numbers soon!


My personal best

For the Emperor, and happy fisting!