56 replies to this topic

[Alistair Winter]

Disclaimer: I am not some l33t comp player. So far this month, my KDR and WLR are just about 1.0 each, which marks me as quite possibly the most mediocre player at Tier 1. However, I do have a lot of posts on the forum.

I first bought the Phoenix Hawk mech pack when it was available for pre-order. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a complete failure of a mech, so I managed to get a refund, thanks to the lovely people at support. But now that PGI finally gave it some sensible quirks, I've bought all the Phoenix C-bill variants. The PXH-1, the PXH-1B, the PXH-1K, the PXH-2 and the PXH-3S. Every terribad, hardpoint starved, oversized Phoenix Hawk that C-bills can buy. And here's what I've learned.

• The PXH-2 is the only one I've managed to brawl with successfully, because it's the only one with both ECM and 6 energy hardpoints. And when I say "successfully", I mean that I can consistently beat someone who is either incompetent or not equipped for brawling.
  
• With the exception of my PXH-2, all my Pee Hawks are mid-range snipers. In my opinion, 3xLL is the best build for several variants. MGs optional.
  
• The PXH has the front profile of a heavy mech, and the structure points of a light mech. It's not a good combination for brawling, in my experience. Then again, the arms aren't very good for sniping, but what are you gonna do?
  
• The PXH-1B is ok with dual ERPPCs, the PXH-3S is ok with dual LPLs. MGs optional.
  
• In a brawl, just about any brawler in the game will beat the Pee Hawk. Doesn't matter how many SPLs or SRM4s or MGs I'm carrying. It doesn't react well to enemy fire.
  
• While it's tempting to experiment with big ballistics on the PXH, like LB10X, AC10 or 2xAC2, they're all rather bad due to lack of ballistic quirks. For example, the CN9-D has almost twice your ROF with the LBX, due to quirks. Whatever advantages the Pee Hawk has over the Centurion don't compensate for this DPS discrepancy.
  
• MASC on the PXH-3S is a complete waste of time. There are 0 builds that make MASC useful, unlike the Shadow Cat.
  
• It's actually quite a fun mech, now that you have +21 armor in the arms. It used to be a piece of trash, and now I believe it has climbed the ranks to claim its title as certifiably... mediocre.

Take my advice for what it's worth. Not a lot. If you're looking for a fun and different experience, the PXH may give you an entertaining challenge. With enough practice, you may get some very, very average results.

Edited by Alistair Winter, 22 November 2016 - 07:46 PM.

[Deathlike]

Wouldn't you rather run an Ice Ferret?

[RestosIII]

Alistair Winter, on 22 November 2016 - 07:41 PM, said:

However, I do have a lot of posts on the forum.

And that's all that matters.

Honestly, I bought the basic pack of the Phoenix Hawk, loaded it up for maybe 2 matches, and hated it instantly. Haven't piloted them since. Still haven't sold them because I feel weird about selling mechs I spent real $ for, so I'll probably go back to them eventually, I guess. If you, and others learn to like them, good on ya. I just know that I hate it myself.

[Alistair Winter]

Deathlike, on 22 November 2016 - 07:43 PM, said:

Wouldn't you rather run an Ice Ferret?

Since I actually paid real money for the Ice Fridge, I have tried hard to love it. I've mastered all the variants, of course. I've played a lot with different builds. Brawlers, snipers, even with ballistics and LRMs. Its real problem is not the hardpoint limitations, the fragile arms or its fragility.

But it's just way too ugly for me to play it regularly.

[Deathlike]

Alistair Winter, on 22 November 2016 - 07:45 PM, said:

Since I actually paid real money for the Ice Fridge, I have tried hard to love it. I've mastered all the variants, of course. I've played a lot with different builds. Brawlers, snipers, even with ballistics and LRMs. Its real problem is not the hardpoint limitations, the fragile arms or its fragility.

The Ice Fridge is solid... despite the minor issues.

Quote

But it's just way too ugly for me to play it regularly.

Don't judge a mech by its racks.

[Alistair Winter]

Deathlike, on 22 November 2016 - 07:47 PM, said:

The Ice Fridge is solid... despite the minor issues.

Like many other Clan mechs, it has a few viable builds (like SPL boating) and an infinite amount of terrible builds.

Deathlike, on 22 November 2016 - 07:47 PM, said:

Don't judge a mech by its racks.

I only play mechs that look good. With builds that look good.

Chicks dig a guy with good taste in mechs.

RestosIII, on 22 November 2016 - 07:45 PM, said:

And that's all that matters.
Honestly, I bought the basic pack of the Phoenix Hawk, loaded it up for maybe 2 matches, and hated it instantly. Haven't piloted them since. Still haven't sold them because I feel weird about selling mechs I spent real $ for, so I'll probably go back to them eventually, I guess. If you, and others learn to like them, good on ya. I just know that I hate it myself.

Well, I didn't expect to like them after they were first released and I got the refund. But they're different now. You can actually torso twist to spread damage, instead of staring at people to make them shoot your CT instead of blowing your arms off.

[Deathlike]

Alistair Winter, on 22 November 2016 - 07:51 PM, said:

Like many other Clan mechs, it has a few viable builds (like SPL boating) and an infinite amount of terrible builds.

5 CERMED still good.

Quote

I only play mechs that look good. With builds that look good.

Chicks dig a guy with good taste in mechs.

I thought Chicks dig the KMDD.

The Ice Fridge is pretty, relatively speaking.

[Y E O N N E]

Alistair Winter, on 22 November 2016 - 07:51 PM, said:

I only play mechs that look good. With builds that look good.

Chicks dig a guy with good taste in mechs.

[DAYLEET]

Ive not tried them since the buff but i had a lot of fun in them after i got accustomed to feel like an oversized light with no torso-twist ability(arm buff changed that i suppose). They are fast and those with JJ can load enough to actually be good and fun to use.

My -1K has 6spl+2flamer.
My -1 Has 3Mg (BECAUSE!) and 3mpl
both are fine

My -2 has 6ml for maximum boring and i did terrible in it.

Just dont be the one starting the fight and even though you feel like a light, dont you be flanking behind enemy line at the start of a game! you are not a light.

I shall take them for a run sooner that later to test drive that buff. Having fun in fs9 right now.

[dervishx5]

Step 1: Have Elemental attach itself to your cockpit glass.
Step 2: Engage jumpjets
Step 3: Mid-jump, eject.

Note: Elemental may require additional killing.

[Deathlike]

Yeonne Greene, on 22 November 2016 - 08:16 PM, said:

You're compensating.

[Wildstreak]

C'mon, gotta be better than Vindicators, same tonnage too.

If I did buy, I would probably get the 1B, 2 and 3S. No reason to get the others except the 1 to test JJs.

P-Hawk was never meant to operate big Ballistics so I understand the lack of quirks for them.

[Alistair Winter]

Deathlike, on 22 November 2016 - 07:54 PM, said:

5 CERMED still good.

I've pretty much abandoned it after PGI increased cERML heat

Deathlike, on 22 November 2016 - 07:54 PM, said:

I thought Chicks dig the KMDD.
The Ice Fridge is pretty, relatively speaking.

It's... got character, I'll give you that.

It looks like it was designed by Jakub Rozalski.
https://www.artstati...t/jakubrozalski

Wildstreak, on 22 November 2016 - 09:28 PM, said:

C'mon, gotta be better than Vindicators, same tonnage too.
If I did buy, I would probably get the 1B, 2 and 3S. No reason to get the others except the 1 to test JJs.
P-Hawk was never meant to operate big Ballistics so I understand the lack of quirks for them.

Definitely better than the Vindicator. The PXH is an average mech, in my opinion. The Vindicator is one of the worst in the game. Arguably the worst medium mech in the game.

As for the PXH-1, unfortunately PGI gave 2 extra jump jet slots to a mech that has no PPC quirks. Which entirely defeats the point of having 8 jump jets. Why would I equip 8 jump jets on a mech with LLs and MLs? Makes no sense.

Yeonne Greene, on 22 November 2016 - 08:16 PM, said:

screenshot

That's not even the Invasion mode special deluxe limited edition Mist Lynx with the spherical skirts of doom.

GTFO.

DAYLEET, on 22 November 2016 - 08:57 PM, said:

My -1K has 6spl+2flamer.
My -1 Has 3Mg (BECAUSE!) and 3mpl
both are fine

Personally, I've had no success with any variants that have less than 6 energy hardpoints, unless they're boating LLs, LPLs or PPCs. I've never had any success with something like 3MPL+3MG, and I've never seen anyone get good results with a build like that. I'm not calling you a liar, obviously. I'm just saying.

DAYLEET, on 22 November 2016 - 08:57 PM, said:

My -2 has 6ml for maximum boring and i did terrible in it.

Same here, I did much better with 6xSPL or 4xSPL+2xMPL. And the XL350 is necessary for brawling, IMO.

[DAYLEET]

Alistair Winter, on 22 November 2016 - 09:34 PM, said:

Personally, I've had no success with any variants that have less than 6 energy hardpoints, unless they're boating LLs, LPLs or PPCs. I've never had any success with something like 3MPL+3MG, and I've never seen anyone get good results with a build like that. I'm not calling you a liar, obviously. I'm just saying.

We just have a different view on what is success and what is acceptable. Im perfectly fine with a wr of 1 and a kd of 096. i average 220 damage in it and average 870xp per match. Im also guilty of liking a mech if it look nice and handle well, The PXH handle better than all my lights.

[STEF_]

Phoenix Hawk.
One of the many reasons why volumetric rescale is been so stooopid.... along with stupidity of those ones jubilating for volumetric rescale.


and this is all I have to say about.

Edited by Stefka Kerensky, 22 November 2016 - 10:56 PM.

[Stefan the Usurper Amaris]

Ive bought the phawk a while back and didnt use it much as i was in my Victor stage. Now that im done mastering it, ive decided to give my phawks a whirl. So far ive been having fun with them. Im not looking for numbers, just fun it. I have however used one of my phawks with an LBX10... lol oh what fun i had popping that gun! I do use the ECM version mostly with a combination of MLs, SPLs and MGs and sometimes do raise great results, other times i have a bad day. Then again, im only in for the fun with it.

[Juodas Varnas]

I can't and won't buy the Phoenix hawk, completely based off its ridiculous weapon geometry prioritization.

It's just so bloody random and literally IMPOSSIBLE to make it look like its canonically supposed to look - medium lasers in the vambrace mounts and large laser in the pistol.

[627]

All I know from shooting phawks all the time is that they are mostly a nuisance like a spider 5V but not a real thread. At least if they don't sit one km away and can actually aim with PPCs.

I can't remember if I ever died to one in close quarters, at least not in a 1on1. But I do remember that the back armor on some variants are made from unobtainium. Often the smartest thing phawks to is running away from a brawler, so my splat cent can shoot their back. And again and again. And again. I dropped 12 volleys into the back of one and it didn't die (I counted, trust me).
Haven't seen this weird hitreg problems with srms on any other mech these days.

[FLG 01]

I am doing mildly alright with mediums, including the PXH; having some 300 avg match score and a KDR of slightly better than 2.
The PXH is a fun Mech. It objectively has a number of weaknesses but it is far from hopeless. I am dealing slightly less damage with the PXH than with other mediums, because the PXH is not much of a damage dealer. Being successful with it means being fast. Speed is its best asset, either coupled with ECM or more speed (= MASC). Again, speed is life (and fun!). Any engine rating below 300 is suicide (and boring).
And that is the true problem: pilots who deserve the Darwin Award by voluntarily giving up the prime advantage just to run some copy-and-paste build which works on another Mech instead of just using that other Mech in the first place.

[Paigan]

Alistair Winter, on 22 November 2016 - 07:41 PM, said:

[...]
I first bought the Phoenix Hawk mech pack when it was available for pre-order. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a complete failure of a mech, so I managed to get a refund, thanks to the lovely people at support. But now that PGI finally gave it some sensible quirks, I've bought all the Phoenix C-bill variants.
[...]

Way to support the company that provids the service you use on a daily basis!

Seriously, no one else finds that a little ... itchy?

You don't have to be some "comp" player for being able to look at the detailed Mech spec page and roughly evaluate its worth.
You know the tonnage, you know the hardpoints, you know the customization options (engine ranges and such).
You know in advance that it won't be some 100 ton alpha brawling beast.
You know in advance that you'll get the 45tonner you ordered.

If it's not the uber brawler you wished it was, it's your fault, not theirs. I don't understand why they refund such cases.

Also, you don't really buy performance like it's some new car. You mostly buy a nicely looking Mech and support the people working on keeping the game alive.
Buying first, then getting a refund and then buying per C-Bills is kid of sleazy.


Oh, and on the topic:
You know the tonnage, you know the hardpoints, you know the customization options.
Use your brain. That's all there is to do.