13 replies to this topic

[Hex Pallett]

Shadowhawk is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too large in size for its own good.

Seriously, despite the horribly close cannon in my left shoulder that blocks half of my already hideously narrow field-of-view, I can see the top of Catapult from my cockpit! PGI! It's just a 55-toner! I was worrying that Shadowhawk may outclass Hunchback when it comes out... NOEP. Hunchback may has a giant hunch but Shadowhawk has giant EVERYWHERE. Especially side torsos. Both of them. The few points of extra armor are absolutely not enough to justify the size and the slower reaction comparing to a 50-toner.

Anyway, I'm having a really hard time grasping Shadowhawk. Now the rant's over. I'm gonna play some Thunderbolt. Btw - yet another really solid 65-toner.

Also, if you wanna try out Medium...get yourself a Hunchback.

[Wintersdark]

Yeaaaaah; meh. The hunchback isn't obsoleted, but the Shadow Hawk absolutely has some advantages. Yes, it's tall, but it's slim - and slenderness is more valuable than shortness. Nobody misses a hunchback because they accidentally shot over it's head.

Shawks:
Much, much higher speed cap
Jump Jets
Less reliant on a giant, easy to cronk hunch
Flexible
Resilient

Hunchbacks:
Compact
Agile (Awesome torso twist!)

The hunchback is arguably a better ninja-striker, sneaking in, hitting hard and escaping, as it's small profile and heavy payload allow it to approach unnoticed and kick face in. Still the premier Atlas's Little Buddy, IMHO.

The Shadowhawk, however, is a much more flexible chassis overall. Jump jets add substantial tactical advantages particularly on some maps, like Canyons or Crimson Straights. A larger engine cap and multiple missile hardpoints make shadowhawks excellent light hunters too. Speed and agility make the Shawk a much better support medium for a fast, agile assault like a Victor, too.

The size difference just isn't a big deal, at least not when your playing against average+ players: They're going to hit you just as often in a hunchback as they are in an Atlas.

[Autobot9000]

From the performance I have seen out of Shadowhawks there seems very little room to complain - they seem very strong.

[AnotherOne]

I have to disagree at the very least on the side torso-part.

I might not be a very good player, but in my experience most of the times the CT gets hit WAY more than the others.

Point is: I like them a lot.

[Bhelogan]

I actually get legged quite a bit in my shadow hawk. Having said that, one v one, it IS my favorite mech right now. The torso twist , speed and JJ allow you to easy spread out the damage across your mech. The hard point layout is very flexible and formidable.

I also think the height is an advantage in a lot of situations. Nothing is quite as satisfying as jumping up, and delivering a salvo of SSRMs onto an opponent, then dropping back behind your building. Your not jumping very high to do it.

Edited by Bhelogan, 19 October 2013 - 05:27 AM.

[Softarget]

Personally I'm loving my shadowhawks, and it's probably the only 'mech that I've found that I can enjoy every variant (other than maybe the jager.)

The height is kind of a non-issue for me. Sure, out in the open, brawling, I wish I had a slimmer profile to hit, but I've also got enough speed and maneuverability to stay out of those situations most of the time. Vis-a-vis terrain, it's really no big deal. The cockpit-level weapons generally mean that if they can see you, you can shoot them. I've even been able to shoot over the heads of friendly heavies and assaults while standing on the slightest of rises.

The shadowhawk isn't perfect but then, if it was, there would be even more reason to complain about it

[Bront]

Yeah, count me in among those finding the hight an advantage rather than a disadvantage. It's great for firing over lights or terrain, and the slim frame I find is harder to hit than a shorter, squat frame.

Comparing it to a hunchie, the Hunchie is a much more focussed chasis. You want energy hardpints? Where, here's 9. You want an AC20? Here it is. If that's what you want to do, the Hunchie is likely better. If you want a more flexible or more mobile chasis, the Shadowhawk is your mech.

[xengk]

The Shadowhawk have a wide and tall frontal profile, this make them easy to hit if they are leading the charge.
Their ballistic torso are also high priority target like on the Hunchback and Atlas.

However, they have slim side profile and large arms that can work as shield, it even comes with a blank arm just for that (except 1 variant).
The ballistic are mounted high on the torso, this coupled with being tall allow them to snipe over ledge or over the head of teammate. Jump jet makes this task even easier.

[Magna Canus]

The Shadowhawk is the only chasis so far where I like all 3 varients. It's simply a wonderful mech. =)

[spectralthundr]

Helmstif, on 18 October 2013 - 09:57 PM, said:

Shadowhawk is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too large in size for its own good.

Seriously, despite the horribly close cannon in my left shoulder that blocks half of my already hideously narrow field-of-view, I can see the top of Catapult from my cockpit! PGI! It's just a 55-toner! I was worrying that Shadowhawk may outclass Hunchback when it comes out... NOEP. Hunchback may has a giant hunch but Shadowhawk has giant EVERYWHERE. Especially side torsos. Both of them. The few points of extra armor are absolutely not enough to justify the size and the slower reaction comparing to a 50-toner.

Anyway, I'm having a really hard time grasping Shadowhawk. Now the rant's over. I'm gonna play some Thunderbolt. Btw - yet another really solid 65-toner.

Also, if you wanna try out Medium...get yourself a Hunchback.

You're doing it wrong then. Not only is the SH one of the most survivable mediums in the game right now even with an XL engine, but the hardpoints allow for some pretty heavy firepower while still having the mobility of a medium mech with JJ's.
I routinely do 500+ a game with all 3 varients by using cover when needed and sticking with lancemates.

If you find you're consistantly getting your *** kicked, you're doing it wrong. IMO it's actually the best mech in the entire phoenix pakage since the Battlemaster has that same CT issue that the Orion and Kintaro had at release. The TB is solid too however, I'll give ya that.

[Eaerie]

I have been having great luck on my shadowhawk. Great survivability, JJ's give it great mobility, Good hardpoints and weapon loadouts, Good speed. It is tall but it is also narrow, I tend to protect my legs more than anything. From what I have noticed almost no one misses by shooting over a mech's head no matter the size, they miss a lot more due to scatter off to one side or the other which the Shadowhawk is great at when moving at 90+kph, jumping and torso twisting.

I don't think the battlemaster has an issue with CT like the kintaro. It just has a BIG CT, look at it it's a big freeking cross on its chest, in its defense though it does allow the use of an XL without to many issues as long as you aren't brawling but even then torso twisting spreads damage EVERYWHERE on it.
The thunderbolts seem solid, but still working on loadouts i like personally.
Only having issues with the locusts, I keep thinking of them as driving a supercharged pinto loaded with a few barrels of gasoline. a fireball waiting to happen LOL

[Jungle Plague]

I think the 'Hawk is a solid mech, but I also think that it is a little on the large side - if only for appearances sake... I can almost look an Atlas in the eye... (was not fun running around THAT corner and seeing a pissed off atlas right there...)

I do think that they should scale the thing down a bit... if only for aesthetics sake. Right now - looking at it, the eyeballs say it should tip the scales at 80+ tons... 55's should just be smaller.

[Eaerie]

Not saying it should be as tall as it is, just saying that people almost never miss by shooting to high they miss by scattering off to one side so the height really doesnt make much difference to the hawks survivability in most situations. Make it shorter but keep the same slim profile.

[RickySpanish]

Post a few of your builds OP, and tell us how you typically pilot the Mech in a match - e.g. use of XL, do you brawl, are there any maps in particular you have trouble with?