Jump to content

What Am I To Do With My Phoenix Hawks?


19 replies to this topic

#1 Chryckan

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The 1 Percent
  • The 1 Percent
  • 301 posts

Posted 15 April 2018 - 08:14 AM

I have three PXHs, the PXH-1; PXH-1B and PXH-1k.
All with old builds from before the new tech dropped, which in all honesty was rather lacklustre even then.

I have no idea what to do with them. I love the speed and agility of the mech. But the lack of hard points and fragility turns it into a slower oversized spider.

I tried putting a heavy PPC in the shoulder mount of the PXH-1B but even with a 15 points alpha it makes for a mediocre sniper.

So any suggestions what to do with them? As I said I like the mech so I would like to be able to play them.

#2 Horseman

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Mercenary
  • The Mercenary
  • 4,694 posts
  • LocationPoland

Posted 15 April 2018 - 03:01 PM

PXH-1K is basically an alternative for BJ-1X. Neither has jumpjets, hardpoints are very similar, although the PXH has higher engine cap.

#3 Jonathan8883

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Shredder
  • Shredder
  • 708 posts

Posted 15 April 2018 - 03:28 PM

Following. They're too big.

#4 Chryckan

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The 1 Percent
  • The 1 Percent
  • 301 posts

Posted 16 April 2018 - 12:58 AM

View PostHorseman, on 15 April 2018 - 03:01 PM, said:

PXH-1K is basically an alternative for BJ-1X. Neither has jumpjets, hardpoints are very similar, although the PXH has higher engine cap.


I've noticed. Except for the engine cap and the actually physical model they could be carbon copies of each other.
Which means that both can have identical builds.

PXH-1K
BJ-1X

Ofc, if you're like me and like to have some variation between your mechs that's just boring. Plus, if feel the BJ somehow is always the better alternative for any build.

Yet, the PXH-1K is the one Phoenix Hawk that feels even remotely viable.

Edited by Chryckan, 16 April 2018 - 01:00 AM.


#5 Brethren

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 94 posts

Posted 16 April 2018 - 02:27 AM

The PXH-1B is my favourite hawk, especially for faction play.
It is rather slow with just 100 kph, but it's usually enough to get in position. There you get to use an ECM poptart that hurles energy balls with ~2500 mps at an optimal range of 923m. And with 6 JJs the sky is the limit in terms of positioning. Posted Image

Depending on map and mode (Faction Alpine!) you can pull 500 to 1k damage (the latter in rare cases) before they get to you.


P.S.: Admittedly, you could drop 2 jets for an additional heat sink... but where's the fun in that? Posted Image

Edited by Brethren, 16 April 2018 - 02:34 AM.


#6 DarkFhoenix

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Terror
  • The Terror
  • 401 posts

Posted 16 April 2018 - 03:18 AM

View PostBrethren, on 16 April 2018 - 02:27 AM, said:

The PXH-1B is my favourite hawk, especially for faction play.
It is rather slow with just 100 kph, but it's usually enough to get in position. There you get to use an ECM poptart that hurles energy balls with ~2500 mps at an optimal range of 923m. And with 6 JJs the sky is the limit in terms of positioning. Posted Image

Depending on map and mode (Faction Alpine!) you can pull 500 to 1k damage (the latter in rare cases) before they get to you.


P.S.: Admittedly, you could drop 2 jets for an additional heat sink... but where's the fun in that? Posted Image



If i can pull out JJ,s. I do so . You want to win a match , extra armour and weapons and even AMS are far more important than jump jets .

If one wants to improve his Phoenix Hawks ,a good place to start is toss the jump jets . Locust the weakest mech you can possibly pilot and it has no jump jets and it is fine without them .

There is plenty of Clan mechs that wont let you pull out jump jets . Play with those is you enjoy jumping .
But for IS mechs you have a choice .

#7 Brethren

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 94 posts

Posted 16 April 2018 - 04:07 AM

View PostDarkFhoenix, on 16 April 2018 - 03:18 AM, said:

There is plenty of Clan mechs that wont let you pull out jump jets . Play with those is you enjoy jumping .
But for IS mechs you have a choice .

Since I'm with the pink parrots right now I don't have the choice of playing jumpy clan mechs in faction play. Posted Image

Edited by Brethren, 16 April 2018 - 04:07 AM.


#8 Chryckan

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The 1 Percent
  • The 1 Percent
  • 301 posts

Posted 16 April 2018 - 05:30 AM

Trouble is that it's the JJ's that makes the PXH unique. The only thing it are beter at than any other mechs is that it can fly. The PXH can turn mwo into a plattform game.
But as been pointed out the JJs doesn't really fill any fuction in mwo combat.
If they had been as fast as in the fluff allowing you to actually jump out of the way of an attack then they would have been great but now JJs are only there to help you get over troublesome terrain.

Which doesn't help with the PXH conundrum.

#9 Zookeeper Dan

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Bad Company
  • Bad Company
  • 487 posts
  • LocationBeer City USA

Posted 16 April 2018 - 10:13 AM

In quick play the only role that I've found that Phoenix Hawks work well in is as an escort for heavies and assaults. I mainly play the 1B or ROC. Early LRM cover with ECM or duel AMS. You're small and fast enough you can provide fire support without getting focused, even pop tarting over teammates if needed. Phoenix Hawka also work very well chasing away enemy lights. You are fast, better armored, and have good firepower. And the arm mounted weapons are a plus making it easier to focus on legs.

In my builds the 1B has ECM, Ultra AC5, and Medium Lasers. The ROC has 2 MRM10s, 2 AMS, and Meduim Pulse Lasers.

#10 IllCaesar

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 980 posts

Posted 16 April 2018 - 10:35 AM

For the 1B I'm planning on trying out a 5xMPL and 2xHMG for Solaris. I think the Phoenix Hawks will do a good job there due to their advantage from JJs. Otherwise, for the 1B I'd say a sniper build like the one posted above.

#11 Damnedtroll

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 676 posts
  • LocationFrog land of Quebec

Posted 16 April 2018 - 04:29 PM

Using the 1B with 2lmg and 2 lpls for surgical backstab strike.

#12 ShiverMeRivets

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Shredder
  • 520 posts

Posted 17 April 2018 - 11:01 AM

PHX really shine with JJs, and you need at least 4 of them. Less then that is only good for climbing obstacles and pop tarting. PHX-2 can take 6 lasers and ECM. Mine does 110 km/h (LE engine) so it is faster than some light mechs. If you opt for XL it goes at light speeds (pun intended;) ). The -3s can reach 150-160 kph with MASC, but the cost is less firepower than the -2 and no ECM. The -1k can boat 8(!) lasers but no ECM.

It is basically a heavy-light that is used for scouting and back-stabbing, making the most of the ECM. In a brawl you jump around a lot, behind and over obstacles so that non flying mechs cannot follow you and those without arm mounted weapons (or using arm lock) have trouble aiming up at you at high angles, while you can shoot down with 6 arm lasers - "death from above!". You pick up speed, take off, fly over them/terrain, turn the legs in the air, so when you land you immediately start accelerating in a new direction.

The arms have good armor quirks, so it is tankier than expected, even though it is big for its weight. It has very good torso speeds, so twist like a mofo and spread the damage. The arms can take it better than the side torsos thanks to the quirks - never shave armor from arms or torsos in PHX!

After a long and frustrating learning period, I love my PHX-2.

#13 Chryckan

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The 1 Percent
  • The 1 Percent
  • 301 posts

Posted 17 April 2018 - 12:31 PM

Only got the -1 versions which feels like the neglected stepbrother compared to the -2 and -3 versions.

Fast, jumpy PXH with 6xlaservomit. Yes please.
Fast, jumpy PXH with a turbo. Very nice.
PXH with 3-4 lasers and 2-3xMGs that you barely can afford the weight of the ammo if you want them fast and jumpy. Not so much.

The trouble with with the PXH-1 and PXH-1B is that they have neither energy hard points for laservomit nor the ballistic hardpoints for MG vomit.
The PXH-1k is just a BJ-1X but with a larger silhouette.

You go for speed and jumpyness you can't afford the weight for decent weapons. You get decent weapons instead you're playing a 45 ton Atlas.

The only build you can do with them is poptarting snipers which the BJ-3 already excels at because it has better hard point locations.

The Pxh-1B have the exact hardpoint layout as a Pirates Bane. But lack the speed and size to get away with a locust loadout.

Sorry for the whine but all viable build I can think of is either or types. You either get speed and agility or you get a decent punch and then there are plenty othe mech chassis that does it so much better.

#14 PeeWrinkle

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 384 posts

Posted 21 April 2018 - 07:03 PM

The new tech doesn't help the PXH much. The ERMLs do a bit, but the extra heat makes the mechs less efficient. I have not changed any out to LXLs either because losing an ST and dying usually happens after you loose all or most of your weapons anyway.

I do like the PXH-1K in Solaris. The 8 SPL build is quite effective. So much so it will get nerfed soon enough.

I run the PXH-1 like this and the PXH-1B like this if that helps at all. I recently switched to that PXH-1B build and find it to be a lot of fun.

#15 ShiverMeRivets

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Shredder
  • 520 posts

Posted 21 April 2018 - 11:47 PM

View PostPeeWrinkle, on 21 April 2018 - 07:03 PM, said:

The new tech doesn't help the PXH much. The ERMLs do a bit, but the extra heat makes the mechs less efficient. I have not changed any out to LXLs either because losing an ST and dying usually happens after you loose all or most of your weapons anyway.

I do like the PXH-1K in Solaris. The 8 SPL build is quite effective. So much so it will get nerfed soon enough.

I run the PXH-1 like this and the PXH-1B like this if that helps at all. I recently switched to that PXH-1B build and find it to be a lot of fun.

4 ERMLs with no extra HS seems very hot to me, unless you completely rely on the lbx10 and fire the ERMLs situationally. I would down grade to MLs, or even to the very efficient ERSLs which will net you 2 more tons to play with, less heat, while not much lower dps than ML (lower alpha though). You can use the extra tons for HSs and almost unlimited fire, more ammo for the lbx, lots if JJs, or whatever.

It is important to note that the -1B has lower arm armor quirks: only +14 vs +21 on all other PHXs. In the others the arm is actualy better armored than the ST. In the -1B you are more likely to lose arms before the ST, and an XL engine is indeed better justified. I dont feel this way reguarding some of the others.

#16 Reno Blade

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Blade
  • The Blade
  • 3,456 posts
  • LocationGermany

Posted 03 August 2018 - 12:36 PM

I'm still struggling with the ROC.
When I try to use the AMS and Missile hardpoints, the best I could get to work was
3x ERML, 2x SRM6, 2x LAMS, 6x JJ and 3DHS with a XL280 or so.
But it feels too weak to use the loadout as it can't really brawl or snipe.

Using 2x ERLL means i need to remove the missiles, but this is the only difference to the other variants...
Any tips?

#17 panzer1b

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 703 posts

Posted 04 August 2018 - 07:56 AM

Now i do not own one, but i have to say the most effective build that ive come across (and about the only one i even consider to be a threat) is 6 ML/ERML with a large engine and some extra DHS. Its agile enough to reposition, hard to pin down, and plays sorta like teh 5-6 ERML ice fridge which is basically a clam PHX.

The only other thing that it can do is poptart, but given how heavy PPCs are (limiting their effective use to heavier mechs), its really not worth it when you can get a better quirked mech with better hardpoints to do that job.

#18 ShiverMeRivets

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Shredder
  • 520 posts

Posted 04 August 2018 - 10:37 AM

View PostReno Blade, on 03 August 2018 - 12:36 PM, said:

I'm still struggling with the ROC.
When I try to use the AMS and Missile hardpoints, the best I could get to work was
3x ERML, 2x SRM6, 2x LAMS, 6x JJ and 3DHS with a XL280 or so.
But it feels too weak to use the loadout as it can't really brawl or snipe.

Using 2x ERLL means i need to remove the missiles, but this is the only difference to the other variants...
Any tips?

I do not own Roc, but I have the -2 and -3. The above build looks pretty bad.
ERML are a bad weapon, they are only good supplementing other heavier weapons - too low dps and too high heat per damage. SRM6 without artemis are point blank weapon and are a poor match to ERML. On top of that, 2LAMS will overheat you all on their own...

With XL280, you can go 3MPL and 2 SRM6+Artemis, 4JJ. This is the skirmisher/poptart variant that relies more on the SRMs. It is a bit hot though, so pick up all the heat related skill nodes.

If you want more range and less SRM, you can take 2LL+1ML and 2SRM2. This is a case where swithing ML with ERML makes sense. ERML has longer cooldown than the LL, but will sync better in range. ML sync better in time with the LL. SRMs in this case add some punch when the ranges are close. The have very short cool down and light mechs dont like them.

With the XL280 you will go 100 kph before skills. Switching to LFE will take you down to 90 kph with the above builds. Take all the speed tweaks always in the PHXs.

#19 Shinichi Yamamoto

    Member

  • PipPip
  • Tai-i
  • Tai-i
  • 47 posts

Posted 08 August 2018 - 03:49 AM

If you didn't figure out yet what to do with the PXH-1:
3LLs + 3LMGs on an XL280 is what works best for me.

It's a mobile harasser, ideal for flanking maneuvers and ready for all ranges of engagement.
The offensive quirks of +10% LL range and +10% MG RoF help to engage from safer distances and shredding internals once in range. All weapons are arm-mounted and heavily armor-quirked, which help me to keep LL burns an MGs on single components, even when in motion.

On average I score 436 dmg and 1.43 kills per match in Tier 1. Stats below:

Quote

PHOENIX HAWK PXH-1 | 114 | 69 | 44 | 1.57 | 163 | 60 | 2.72 | 49,737 | 152,295 | 13:47:44

Edited by Shinichi Yamamoto, 08 August 2018 - 04:02 AM.


#20 TooDumbToQuit

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Death Wish
  • 1,539 posts

Posted 08 August 2018 - 04:22 AM

This is the mech that stopped me from ever preordering a Mech pack again.

I hate it so much. Too big, but with not enough firepower to fight or enough speed to run.

I wish PGI would allow us to sell or even simply delete Heros/Specials etc. I'd rather have the mech bays.

And while I'm there, how about a way to trash the trash like "Christmas lights" and other crap I never want to use.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users