33 replies to this topic

[Anjian]

Shoulder ballistic is the best feature of the Shadowhawk so far, as with all mechs with shoulder ballistics or energy weapons. It has great accuracy and hump clearance at the expense of elevation and twist coverage. A good Shadowhawk build (and battlefield strategy) must be centered around exploiting its shoulder weapon.

[Capt Sternn]

My 2D2 has 275XL, DHS, Ultra Ac5, 4 Tons Ammo, 4 SSRM2s+ 3 tons ammo, BAP, and 2 ML. Works wonderful. If you don't Like Ultras you can always Pop in an AC5.

[Bishop Steiner]

Anjian, on 02 November 2013 - 05:06 PM, said:

Shoulder ballistic is the best feature of the Shadowhawk so far, as with all mechs with shoulder ballistics or energy weapons. It has great accuracy and hump clearance at the expense of elevation and twist coverage. A good Shadowhawk build (and battlefield strategy) must be centered around exploiting its shoulder weapon.

Yup. It just doesn't need to be in exclusion to all the rest off theShawk's strong points, mobility, versatiltiy, etc.

[Jaegerwulf]

okay here is my current loadout for the 2h

Jaegerwulf's current SHD-2H

any comments? potential improvements?

[Bishop Steiner]

Jaegerwulf, on 02 November 2013 - 07:25 PM, said:

okay here is my current loadout for the 2h

Jaegerwulf's current SHD-2H

any comments? potential improvements?

Looks very solid, TBH. Depending on how you do in it, you might experiment between the Large and a Medium Laser, and the AC5 and an AC10, but that is just more a matter of finding what suits you, as both versions work very well.

Might consider a 280XL though, since they weigh the same as a 275, unless you are just re-using the one from your 5M, which is what I did.

[Jaegerwulf]

yes I am reusing the 5m's 275 xl, cause I am languishing at about 4 million cbils and still need to figure out loadouts for the other two shawks, and then my thunderbolts.... im kinda focusing on the phoenix variant(s) for the cbill boost while still having a good use for the xp (elite and master efficiencies after I get basics on the other 2 variants)

[Bishop Steiner]

Jaegerwulf, on 02 November 2013 - 07:42 PM, said:

yes I am reusing the 5m's 275 xl, cause I am languishing at about 4 million cbils and still need to figure out loadouts for the other two shawks, and then my thunderbolts.... im kinda focusing on the phoenix variant(s) for the cbill boost while still having a good use for the xp (elite and master efficiencies after I get basics on the other 2 variants)

hope you have more fun with the Thuds than I did. Tis sad as they were the one's I was looking forward to. The happy note? ShadowHawks returned me to my proper role as a Medium Jock. (The BLR's ain't too shabby either, but I might like my Shads more than my Jagers and VTRs, which is saying something)

[FupDup]

I prefer to use a 300 XL in my Shaq Hawks, because I wanna go fast.


SHD-2D2

SHD-2H

SHD-5M

[Escef]

Jaegerwulf, on 02 November 2013 - 07:25 PM, said:

okay here is my current loadout for the 2h

Jaegerwulf's current SHD-2H

any comments? potential improvements?

Very similar to my 2H, but you trade a slightly smaller engine for a slightly larger AC. You should do fine with it. My only criticism is that you have A LOT of ammo for a single AC5. I'd pull a ton of it and add a heat sink, or maybe even upgrade to a UAC5 (but I'd go for the sink).

[Jaegerwulf]

okay now I am struggling with my SHD-5M. Any 5m Specific builds?

[Escef]

Jaegerwulf, on 09 November 2013 - 06:47 PM, said:

okay now I am struggling with my SHD-5M. Any 5m Specific builds?

Honestly, the 5M is weird. What it has over the other SHDs is the ability to mount 5 jets. Which is nice, but not spectacular. I've been struggling to find a 5M load out I like, too. And the problem, at least for me, is the temptation to keep that 275XL in there. I ended up going for a 300 XL, LL, AC2, and 10 SRMs (4 & 6).

[Jaegerwulf]

currently on my 5m I have 2 ac5's and 2 Mlasers, and no missiles, but I am somewhat underwhelmed by it even though its a highly and frequently rated build. I want to make use of both ballistic slots among other things but not sure how to change what I have. also I have a bit of an ocd moment not putting something in the missle slots as well.

and for my 2h should I be using all three ballistic hardpoints? I have seen combos of lb10x + 2 mg's while spectating but not sure if I want to try it or not.

[OneEyed Jack]

Jaegerwulf, on 10 December 2013 - 06:18 PM, said:

and for my 2h should I be using all three ballistic hardpoints? I have seen combos of lb10x + 2 mg's while spectating but not sure if I want to try it or not.

That's what I do, but I'm crazy like that.

[zztophat]

Bishop Steiner, on 02 November 2013 - 04:36 PM, said:

Would disagree, as TBH, most of the variants using more than one ballistic either overspecialize (triple ac2 is a horrible build, sorry) or use too small of weapons (3 MG on a shawk, really?!?!?!)

IMO, THIS
SHD-2D2Bishop'sBaby
is the poster child of SHD perfection. (though my 5M is not far off)

This may not have happened to you but I had AC ammo in the same arm of my hawk and three games in a row I had my arm shot off, with the resulting ammo explosion taking out my side torso and XL engine. On that variant I switched to the AC10 and dropped back to 3 tons of AC ammo and I haven't had any problems since. I thought the arm would be a safe place for ammo but it turned out badly. I moved the UAC5 to the SHD-5M where I effectively only needed 1 ton of streak ammo and thus was able to place the cannon ammo more safely and I haven't had any problems since.

The change also allowed me to use the arm as a shield again.

Edited by zztophat, 11 December 2013 - 02:07 AM.