6 replies to this topic

[3xnihilo]

Hello medium pilots, I have recently acquired both the shadowhawk 5m and 2d2. I am a light pilot hoping to learn a little about mediums. But what I have learned so far is that I am utterly incompetent in a tall mech going 81kph. The shawks have a pretty high engine cap so I know they can go a lot faster, and I was wondering if anyone has some faster shadowhawk builds that they have found effective and maybe what a good "universal" engine is to share between variants.

[Kodyn]

I personally prefer an XL 300 in both my 2K and 2H, but I know many pilots prefer to go larger. With the 300 I get 97 kph after speed tweak, which I find perfect for my 'Hawks.

Too much bigger and you aren't going to have a lot of weapons, sinks, ammo, or armor, I've found. Depends on play style and build however.

[SilentScreamer]

I would say missile slots are the 2d2's best feature. My 2d2 runs a 325 XL with a mix of 2LRM and 2SRM, but I am not yet satisfied with it's performance.

I prefer SRM builds for mediums and use hit and run or stick near my bigger allies. Artemis is usually a good addition for those builds. The Shadowhawk 2d2 can carry 2 SRM6+A and one SRM4+A ( head slot does not work with artemis) making it competitive with both the Griffin and Centurion. The downside is it has neither the torso range of motion of the Griffin or the arms for blocking enemy fire like the Centurion.

Pure Streaks or LRMs are options that I do not have much luck with.

Edited by SilentScreamer, 02 November 2014 - 05:24 PM.

[Zordicron]

You will find keeping the speed under 100KPH is required to put enough weapons on it to have an impact on the match.

You can make it faster, but will be left with a hot running laser boat loadout, and not even really a boat, just a hot running laser loadout.

Mediums just dont play like lights. You need to learn to position better, hang with bigger mechs to add support fire, and really learn some awareness of terrain and enemy position because you cant run away from a mistake you made. you will find these things more and more prominent the heavier you go on mechs. An Atlas, you can;t afford to make a positioning error, or you will pay a steep price.

Look at it this way: move first, shoot after. Dont move just to take a shot, move to get to a position where you have advantage to take a shot. Or, more simply, dont just chase an enemy, look where they are, look at where your team is, and terrain, and then decide to move. As a medium, you will have to trust your bigger mech pals to decide this for you a lot, you can;t get out on your own or you will die, and you can;t lead the team or you will die. you support bigger mechs, you have firepower of a heavy, but more speed to respond to the fight. You are sort of the floating edge support mech, responding to add firepower where it is needed on the edges of the battle more. You will do a lot of moving, like a light, but it will all be around the blob of the team, around the back and sides, keeping an eye for targets and helping to focus fire down enemy when the opportunity comes up, and fending off light mech harrassars. Medium mechs are the helpiest helper mechs.

[Spectral Ceramite]

I don't agree about going under 100kph tbh.

I bought all the shadowhawks mastered them all and then sold them all except the 2K (for mech space and that is the variant I liked the most).

In my 2K I run (I ran exact same in my 2D2 except the LPL is in the right arm not torso):

XL 340 (110kph with tweak), 3x srm4 (5 tonnes ammo), 1xLPL, 12 DHS, 2x JJ.

I find it works well if I have to support or brawl and is still fast enough to hit and run. Moreover, it runs pretty cool so is non-stop dmg.
Works well for my play style and I used my XL 340 in all my shads. However, it is my play style, speed and maneuverability (being able to re-position quick to a better fire position or retreat to flank etc) are the key things I look for and use in a mech, so each to own.

Maybe not the 2D2 (but the 2K for my setup is predominately the same) I do rather well in it, on avg get a few kills and 500+ dmg. For example, last game I played in it (about 10mins ago) got 4 kills, 6 assists, 6 component destruction's and 748 dmg, and that is pretty normal (I only pug but).

[Kmieciu]

AC10+4xSRM4 FTW!

[3xnihilo]

Thanks for the responses. The XL 300 would pair well with jenners so would make a good economical choice. I know some day I will need to figure out how to make mechs work below 90kph. But I am easing my way into it. I am probably going to srm boat the 2d2 but I honestly haven't given a lot of thought to the 5m yet.