EMPULSE Mech Bounty Mode Guide
Complete Mech Bounty mode guide — VIP-style mech scoring where destroying the enemy mech earns 5 points vs 1 for standard kills.
Last updated: 2026-07-06
Mech Bounty Mode Guide
Mech Bounty is a VIP-style game mode added in Patch 1.0 (June 26, 2026). Each team fields a mech pilot as a high-value target — destroying the enemy mech earns 5 points, while standard player kills are worth 1 point. The mode makes EMPULSE’s contested mech design explicit: mechs are team objectives, not solo power fantasies.
How Mech Bounty Works
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Kill enemy mech pilot / destroy enemy mech | 5 |
| Standard player kill | 1 |
Each team has access to mech spawns at fixed map locations. The team that controls mech timing and protects their pilot while hunting the enemy mech wins. Coordination matters more here than in Team Deathmatch — a lone mech push without team anti-mech support often trades poorly.
Core Strategy
Protect Your Mech
- Assign one experienced pilot; others play anti-mech and escort roles
- Never let your mech cross open ground without teammate cover
- Use bubble shield before entering contested culverts or plazas
- Call out when your mech is low — rotate pilot or dismount before giving 5 points
Hunt the Enemy Mech
- Stack Volta with Mech Slayer for fastest mech delete
- Grapple-melee players can drop the mech shield for focus fire (Anti-Mech Guide)
- Do not chase standard kills when the enemy mech is exposed — 5 points swing rounds
- Explosive P.A.I.N.T. zones near mech paths chip damage during shield downtime
Map Awareness
Mech Bounty plays best on maps with clear mech lanes and anti-mech cover:
- Drainage — culvert sightlines for focus fire
- Plaza — central mech battleground with flank options
- Harbor — container cover vs open dock mech control
Recommended Loadouts
| Role | Weapon | Perks | P.A.I.N.T. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mech pilot | Compressor / Volta | Mech Tanker, Mech Gunner | Heal |
| Anti-mech DPS | Volta | Mech Slayer, Glutton | Explosive |
| Grapple melee | Echo / Coda | Martial Elite, Kill Refresh | Sticky |
| Support / escort | Modulator | Mech Healer, Kill Runner | Speed |
Communication Callouts
Effective Mech Bounty teams call:
- “Our mech up” / “Enemy mech spawning”
- “Mech low — focus fire”
- “Shield down” after grapple-melee hit
- “Mech crossing open” before 5-point opportunity
Related Guides
- Mech Overview — abilities and spawn rules
- How to Counter Mechs — shield drop and focus fire
- Anti-Mech Guide — team coordination
- Mech Combat Guide — piloting tips
- Patch Notes 1.0 — mode release details