166 replies to this topic

[Shaftronics]

Going fast is one thing, but when you finally reach the battle and carry less weaponry than an X-5, well that's another thing altogether, mate.

[FerretGR]

Shaftronics, on 01 November 2013 - 05:48 PM, said:

Going fast is one thing, but when you finally reach the battle and carry less weaponry than an X-5, well that's another thing altogether, mate.

None of the builds I posted have "less weaponry" than the X-5 stock. Only the 2D2 build has a lower "firepower" rating, but the 4SSRM, 1AC5 has a DPS of 9.05, while the 4ML + 2SRM2 (that's stock, right? it's been a while) has a DPS of 8.2. All three builds have a higher DPS than that. And we both know more consistent damage will be done by my 4SSRM+BAP than will be done with the X-5's loadout. And the Shadowhawk can jump.

I play the SHDs much like I play my Centurions: they're not loaded down with weapons but they're really fast and they're tough. My Wang goes 100+ kph post speed tweak. There really is a place for a mech like this, as a quick striker, as a light killer, as an escort for a team of lights, etc. It should be noted that I'm not a "super serious" gamer and don't play the 12-man scene, so perhaps I'm talking out of my ***.

[TheKildar]

My favorite shadowhawk build is on the 2D2, stock engine, fully mastered, 4 Streak SRM2's, 2 Large Lasers. full armor, double heat sinks, ferro, as much ammo as you can fit after that. Consistently gets 500 plus damage and can take a lot of punishment.

[Mechteric]

Jumping hunchback is clearly the best

[Kazma]

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=110&l=1531f3c8f55de2070ca4594ada86aa4207c8bce2
perfect Medium Poptart xD for those who are able to use the gauss well.

[Myke Pantera]

First things first, I am not a competitive player, hence I don't claim that my builds are any good. But i enjoy them anyways:

SHD-2H
My 'Sniper' approach to a Shadow Hawk. The ER S Laser to supports the Gauss Riffle at long ranges and an SRM2 for zombie brawling in case the Gauss Ammo is empty and the Laser arm shot to pieces. Speed is less of an issue, hence only 280.

SHD-2D2
Meant to run along with the heavies and try to flank the Opponent should the occasion arise or keep annoying lights away from your big buddy. The 330XL might be overkill, but i simply don't possess a 300XL at the moment. Use as support and close combat striker. I could use 3xSRM2 for higher dps, but the lower hps of the SRM6 is the better tradeoff, since this build tends to overheat if constant fire is required.

SHD-5M
Probably the most ordinary build. I played this with LRM-15 once, hence the Artemis (I just don't want to pay to remove it, and pay for again if i'd like to try some LRM build again). I still might remove the Artemis and 1JJ in exchange for a 300XL engine. Again more a support to big buddies as you won't survive long if isolated.

A few words:
- A mix of AC and LRM and medium lasers makes the SHD pretty versatile, but i just don't get the hang of LRMs. Target locking is annoying and playing from the save distance without even seeing the enemy kind of boring.
- A lot of people swear on Stream-SRMs but you need to waste tonnage on BAP in case of an enemy with ECM and you can't shoot the fool that overheated and is currently standing helpless in front of you. Just not my kind of weapon.
- I only run XL engines and don't think it's an issue with the SHD as i die through center torso 9 out of 10 times. Might be a different story against more competitive players though.
- The Dual/Triple AC-2 setups might be good, but due the heat and ammo issue and the requirement to constantly aim at the enemy i don't like these builds either.

[Navy Sixes]

With the C-Bill/loyalty (whatever that means) bonus, I have pretty much decided that the "P" was going to be my go-to Shadowhawk. The others I'll sell for the mechbays once I skill them out.

I'm really not liking under-effective SRMs right now, and I don't feel like the 'hawk has enough weight or tubes to do LRM's right (I'm coming off a LRM-cat. If I want to do LRMs, I've got that covered!)

With one energy slot in an arm that will probably get blown off, that leaves ballistics. 3 slots high-up by the cockpit. I haven't even tried to figure out what you'd have to do to shoehorn 3 AC5s in there, and three MG's seems like a waste of 55 tons of mech.

So I put 3 AC2s in there with a medium laser in the arm. I've been getting really strong results so far, both as a damage dealer and in a suppression role (keeping the enemy's head down while my team's brawlers move up... my experience with LRMs makes me pretty comfortable and effective at understanding these tactics).

While I've been consistently dealing out a lot of damage, my component/kill scores have been low. As I get more practice sharpshooting and keeping metal on target (the downside of too much LRM experience) my kills have been going up and up.

If they do something to make SRMs worthwhile, I'll reconsider leaving those missile slots empty (empty slots make me sad) and maybe running an AC10, along with a pair of MGs to augment the ML. Until then this feels like a good build for me.

Edited by Tycho von Gagern, 06 November 2013 - 02:55 PM.

[ShadowbaneX]

The Shadow Hawk is one of those rare mechs where theory crafting doesn't entirely work. You might think that the SRMs don't work, well, they do. You might think that the arm gets blown off? Occasionally it will, but that's less than 10% of most matches. The Hunch? Rarely gets taken out. Way too tall to be survivable, let alone for XL Engines? It's actually very survivable.

I'm pretty sure that many people the Shadow Hawk would be the worst of the Phoenix pack and that they're really only there for selling them off and getting mechs bays, when really, they might just be the best of the pack. Play them all and give them a chance before you toss them to the bin.

[PinkyAndTheBrain]

I've tried out 2 of the 3 ShadowHawk variants - the SHD-2H and the SHD-2D2. I think my best match in the SHD-2H was in River City Night where I scored 881 damage, with 2 kills and 4 assists. It was a kamikaze brawler-oriented build with an XL300, 1LL, 2SRM6+1SRM4 (with 5 tons ammo), 3MGs, 12DHS, 3JJs. This map played to the mech's strengths - fighting in a built-up area where JJs and the faster speed of a medium can help you to ambush unsuspecting opponents. I found that my consistently high damage matchups happened in built-up areas like River City, River City Night, Frozen City, and Frozen City Night.

My next best matchup was in the SHD-2D2 on River City, where I did 782 damage, with 1 kill and 9 assists. My build was an XL300, 2 LLs, 4 SSRMs with 3tons ammo, 1MG, BAP for locking on to ECM lights, and Adv. Target Decay for maintaining missile lock. Also, I had 12 DHS. I had the mandatory 3 JJs for extra mobility.

Overall I find my SHD-2H build favors a high-risk, high-reward play. I find that the lack of energy hardpoints on the SHD-2H limits my long range capability as I am unable to field an extra large laser for precision long range combat. On the other hand, my SHD-2D2 build favors a more balanced approach with 2LLs to attack at range and 4SSRMs for up close brawliing, though it doesn't pack the short-range punch of my SHD-2H build mentioned above.

[N a p e s]

Snipped for formatting.

PinkyAndTheBrain, on 07 November 2013 - 02:31 AM, said:

I've tried out 2 of the 3 ShadowHawk variants - the SHD-2H and the SHD-2D2. I think my best match in the SHD-2H was in River City Night where I scored 881 damage, with 2 kills and 4 assists. It was a kamikaze brawler-oriented build with an XL300, 1LL, 2SRM6+1SRM4 (with 5 tons ammo), 3MGs, 12DHS, 3JJs. This map played to the mech's strengths - fighting in a built-up area where JJs and the faster speed of a medium can help you to ambush unsuspecting opponents. I found that my consistently high damage matchups happened in built-up areas like River City, River City Night, Frozen City, and Frozen City Night.

That weapon loadout! Yes!

I've been trying to shoehorn heavy ballistics in the hunch for the past 3 weeks with decent but very inconsistent results
until I decided to try the 3 MG SHD builds which honestly just seemed like a joke... I mean MGs, ewwww. But you match them up with the max number of SRMs that can be crammed onto the mech and let loose with some big energy weapon (personally went with a PPC) and up the engine (325XL for me) and you've got one hell of a mech. I don't see myself changing the basics of this mech anytime soon.

[Choppah]

At first I hated the 2H, the hardpoints are wierd (to me), hard to make ballistics fit because of the weight, and the only viable tactic seemed to be poptarting with ac20. Until I tried this: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...300b31cb35270fd

As a skirmisher and back up for a heavy/assault, it excels. I went from 0-1 kills and 3 assists per match on average, to 2-3 kills and 8 assists. And from 200 damage to 450. My advice for this build, keep shooting until the ammo in the arms are empty, you are going to lose them if you don't and you will probably never overheat, even on Mordor, so fire away. Helps to be a good shot with srms too, hit reg doesn't matter if you can't aim (like me ).

[Dagon Zur]

longrange supressor:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...11d16a1ad2cb9c5

[Dagon Zur]

med-range hit&run alphastriker:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...18708bac32aebe4

short-range brawler, fast variant :

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...11e172badb6701f

[RetroActive]

I'm surprised someone hasn't posted this one yet. I call it the MetaHawk.

IMO a better option than 2xAC5 and 1 PPC.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f0ecf19cd17ae05

[Gunnr75]

I played around with the Hawks and didn't like them - until I slapped a xl360 in my 5m.
101 and I haven't speed tweaked yet.

The speed and jumps keep me alive and staying alive racks up points and kills.

At the moment I've dropped the ac's for mg's and swap around the lasers and missiles to fit my mood.

Start out scouting
Fall back to main force
Spin circles around any heavy that finds themselves separated from their group
Then at the end of the match go crit seeking and mop up

[Tooooonpie]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...693aa5e6a5704cd

Liked the idea of the BJ-1 build thats recently become popular, but didn't want to splash out on a Blackjack, so made this. There seems to be quite a lot of benefits of using the SH over the BJ, including a Standard Engine while still matching the speed of a BJ w XL

[juxstapo]

I've always ran right to the "biggest engine I can reasonably cram" philosophy, until one of my teammates pointed out that in this particular mech, the bigger engines give me more speed to get in trouble quicker. LoL.

Definitely a personality and playstyle based theory, but trimming back to a 300xl I've found actually improved my ShadHawk game with the extra armor and ammo.

As far as the mech itself, I can't make myself put an AC/20 in it. Simply because my BlackJack does it so much better. However, dual AC/5's and an AC/10 for the 2D2 have really shone for me.

[Tooooonpie]

juxstapo, on 17 November 2013 - 08:50 AM, said:

I've always ran right to the "biggest engine I can reasonably cram" philosophy, until one of my teammates pointed out that in this particular mech, the bigger engines give me more speed to get in trouble quicker. LoL.

Definitely a personality and playstyle based theory, but trimming back to a 300xl I've found actually improved my ShadHawk game with the extra armor and ammo.

As far as the mech itself, I can't make myself put an AC/20 in it. Simply because my BlackJack does it so much better. However, dual AC/5's and an AC/10 for the 2D2 have really shone for me.

How so? Looking at them side by side, the Shadowhawk seems to be better in some ways, while the BJ is better in others - SH has better hitboxes, more arm armour and the AC20 in the ST which means you can use your arms to protect it rather than it getting alpha'd, SH allows a Standard Engine while keeping almost the identical speed, and the sustained dps is higher on the SH w 2 MLas than the BJ-1 with 3 MLas, and SH also has more armour.

I'd probably agree that the BJ-1 is better if you were considering the tonnage (10t lighter), but right now tonnage doesn't mean anything at all parring them being either Light, Med, Heavy or Assault

Edit: And don't forget, because of the 2 MLas are on the arms, they are much better for hitting lights, or continued fire while torso twisting

Edited by Tooooonpie, 18 November 2013 - 08:23 AM.

[focuspark]

Tooooonpie, on 18 November 2013 - 08:21 AM, said:

How so? Looking at them side by side, the Shadowhawk seems to be better in some ways, while the BJ is better in others - SH has better hitboxes, more arm armour and the AC20 in the ST which means you can use your arms to protect it rather than it getting alpha'd, SH allows a Standard Engine while keeping almost the identical speed, and the sustained dps is higher on the SH w 2 MLas than the BJ-1 with 3 MLas, and SH also has more armour.

I'd probably agree that the BJ-1 is better if you were considering the tonnage (10t lighter), but right now tonnage doesn't mean anything at all parring them being either Light, Med, Heavy or Assault

Edit: And don't forget, because of the 2 MLas are on the arms, they are much better for hitting lights, or continued fire while torso twisting

AC20 in the side-torso means no XL. Using a STD engine means less of everything else.

[Blurry]

I have been alpha'd a few times into destruction with an XL. That and a good gauss shot. Other than that no issue at all on them.
Stuck with the xl275 and moved it arround.
I did end up with almost the same as op for a working set up. the ac10 and streaks.
was decent and enjoyable.