Official Kurak Alliance Thread: Hawker Industries

[Whyarecarrots 128]

17 hours ago, RecklessPrudence said:

And one last thing, has anyone fitted Excelsior sidepods to a Regent model yet, like in that photoshop up there? I'd like to see how it compares to the Resolute sidepod conversion in the photos a bit later.

Thanks!

I did try, but unfortunately the Excelsior pods were just too big to look good: my Photoshop bodge job got the scale completely wrong unfortunately. 

Ironically enough, I've actually decided to keep my Regent stock: it grew on me quite a lot when I saw it in the resin. 

[RecklessPrudence 27]

3 hours ago, Whyarecarrots said:

I did try, but unfortunately the Excelsior pods were just too big to look good: my Photoshop bodge job got the scale completely wrong unfortunately. 

Ironically enough, I've actually decided to keep my Regent stock: it grew on me quite a lot when I saw it in the resin. 

Okay, thanks for the info. When I finally get a Regent, I'll compare it to the photos upthread of it with the Resolute pods, and see if I want to vandalise a Resolute.

[Nicoli17 71]

The regent does look alot better in the flesh than the store photos I think. I personally really like it. 

 

 

 

[Whyarecarrots 128]

On 30/10/2016 at 11:20 AM, RecklessPrudence said:

Okay, thanks for the info. When I finally get a Regent, I'll compare it to the photos upthread of it with the Resolute pods, and see if I want to vandalise a Resolute.

I don't think that commodore Jones has necessarily had to vandalise a Resolute for that. Those side pods on the Regent appear to be largely identical to those on the Resolute; the commodore can correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like only very minor modifications would be needed for that conversion. 

[Bessemer 340]

Yep. the side pods are exactly like the resolute. the two back mounts Will fit the panels exactly, the front is a different story. It's on an angle and there's a bit of trim partly filling the gap. the amount of work needed  to fit the third panel would just be too much.

[Commodore Jones 529]

You'll need to grind/cut some of the molding off the back slots in order to get the panels mount in the same inward sweep angle as a Resolute (like shown in my photo).

[Commodore Jones 529]

I'm getting the ship design itch again, just curious which tier classes would you like to see Hawker get new ships? Tier 1, 2, or 3: pick two of them.

[ThePayneTrayn 73]

Tier 2 and Tier 3. I'd like to see Hawker destroyers and cruisers of the light and heavy variant. Perhaps R&D cruisers as well, but I'm not sure I want them to have the unique Directorate hull.

[Bessemer 340]

He'll yas to a T3! Have already stated my preference for a R&D T2

[BluFlcn 463]

Definitely a Tier 2 or Tier 3. I have to echo the calls for light cruisers, a destroyer, or an R&D of some kind. Honestly a cyber warfare cruiser like the Directorate but tankier and not stealthy would be cool and kind of fitting.

[ThePayneTrayn 73]

Hmm...to get an R&D cruiser in all but name, maybe have an option to switch cruiser turrets to cyberwarfare? If we want an actual R&D cruiser, perhaps weaken port/starboard, make the turrets cyber, add in a third range band to make it (4/6/3/-). Instead of weapon shielding as a hardpoint, maybe either another shield or a 6th HP? I could also see Dirty Secrets, since it's on a squadron basis.

Destroyers I could see cyber with Hidden Killer.

[BluFlcn 463]

I like that, that's a neat concept. Maybe a free upgrade to switch turrets to cyber on an R&D cruiser? I like the idea of a long range destroyer covering the advance of the rest of the fleet. I ran into this major problem playing an Aquan player who had range on me. In one game I tricked him into approaching me where I could put up a fight at RB 1 with a hawker fleet. I then brawled him down. But in another game I got kited and the pathetic range and slow(ish) movement of the cruisers and battleship meant I wasn't able to do much.

So yeah like a long range destroyer would be nice to give some punch, or a tanky little Tier 2 that can chuck cyber weapons would be great. I'd say escort carriers would be neat too, but I'd rather see Hawker have fewer SRS options and tankier ships with occasional cyber warfare.

That said, I would love to see a heavy cruiser as a concept but I personally feel like the standard resolute is such a beast it might as well be a heavy cruiser. With weapon shielding it has crazy staying power. So I can't imagine what a heavy cruiser would look like and still remain balanced. But a light cruiser with high speed would be nice.

 

[Endgame 103]

Maybe a hawker gunship instead of a heavy cruiser?  Perhaps use something similar to the resolute, but extend the turrets all the way out to RB 4 and drop either the HP or CR (or both) down a notch.  I would love to see a 4/6/5/4 turret on a Hawker Gunship, with an optional Cyber turret, and put it in the 90 point range - there isn't much in the alliance or Terran fleets that currently occupies that point zone.

[Whyarecarrots 128]

I would be interested in seeing something a bit cheaper in the tier 2 or tier 3 slot for Hawker. I know expensive and powerful is one of their things, but having the cheapest ship in the fleet be 35 points is a bit limiting on building options. Would the idea of a longer range destroyer, with good firepower but on a more flimsy hull work?

[ThePayneTrayn 73]

Have light frigates that are like regular frigates? For destroyers, maybe turn the convention on its head: Fast ship  with a lot of close range power, but lacking at longer ranges. Maybe fore guns and torps, a turret, and a big set of engines.

[Bessemer 340]

Giving the Resolute the CW turrets is one thing I included in my commander in this thread here.

To be honest, I'm more in need of a T3 that isn't 35 pts a pop than another T2...and an Escort that's worth the points, but thats been discussed ad nauseam on this thread already!

 

[alextroy 582]

What does Hawker Industries need?  A new Hawker Industries Reinforcement Box with:

• Hawker Light Cruisers (the cruiser is a "light" heavy cruiser as it is)
• Upgrade pieces to turn the Light Cruisers into "Cyberwarfare" Destroyers
• Corvettes as an alternate Tier 3 choice to our "heavy" Frigates

[Starslayer 2]

Any Hawker advice or tactics ?  

What are their strengths /weakness?

How are they different from the Terrans?

-----------------

 

There's lots of info on Terrans, not so much on Hawker .  I am trying to decide between the two . 

Thank you.

[Endgame 103]

20 minutes ago, Starslayer said:

Any Hawker advice or tactics ?  

What are their strengths /weakness?

How are they different from the Terrans?

 

Thank you.

I don't have any Hawker models and haven't played them (so I won't comment on tactics), but from what I know about playing terrans and looking at the alliance pdf.

In common:

Both fleets are generally slow, have turrets, have weapon shielding available to them, have nukes, and have generic primaries as a general rule.  Note, Hawker are natural allies to Terrans, so they can be mixed and matched 50 / 50 in a Terran fleet.  

Differences

Hawker is part of the alliance fleet, meaning after you meet core requirements, you can mix and match other alliance squads as you like
Terrans rely more on shields - Hawker trades some shields for a higher CR rating
Hawker has Cyber Weapons
Hawker tends to have upgrades for more HP and MV, while Terrans have more upgrades for shields and beams.  This gives Terrans a bit of a range advantage with upgrades, while hawker ends up a little more durable and can make up some of the speed / range deficit by pulling ships from another race
Hawker ships tend to be expensive, especially with upgrades, including the frigates which can hurt when it comes to activation count.  Terrans can fill minimum requirements more cheaply.  

 

[BluFlcn 463]

Endgame really hit the nail on the head. Hawker do what Terrans do (except shields galore) but to a greater extreme. They like RB 1 and their ships are tough as nails. You can't shoot up a couple of cruisers and expect the squadron to be gutted. You need to commit dice and time to destroy them outright because even at 1 HP a weapon shielded cruiser is still dangerous. Instead of shields they're generally tougher.

Hawker also comes with cyber weapons as a neat trick, but it only comes on the two tier 1s and they don't do it quite as well as the Directorate. But as an extra tool in the box it is nice to have. 

The things they do poorly is long range. Torpedoes are mainly fore arc while their main weapons are broadsides and turrets that don't do range well. This combined with their slow speed means you're not going to chase down an enemy ship and clobber them. But once up close they really lay down the hurt.

[Zebo 89]

What I'd like to see on Hawker Industries is first a long ranged tier 2. Looking our weapons (primary, nuclear and torpedoes) and having the Terran's destroyer with nuclear direct weapon, I'd like some kind of torpedo destroyer, mostly with torpedo spook, bit that should be too cool. 

 

The other option. . .  Probably should be better another tier 3 option, but I'm in love with Battlecruisers, and that would be my choice. 

[Whyarecarrots 128]

15 hours ago, alextroy said:

What does Hawker Industries need?  A new Hawker Industries Reinforcement Box with:

• Hawker Light Cruisers (the cruiser is a "light" heavy cruiser as it is)
• Upgrade pieces to turn the Light Cruisers into "Cyberwarfare" Destroyers
• Corvettes as an alternate Tier 3 choice to our "heavy" Frigates

I would buy this box. I know that Hawker are technically supposed to be part of the Kurak Alliance as a whole, but I like having slightly more consistent looking fleets, and the current pure-Hawker ORBAT is therefore very limited.

[Endgame 103]

I wouldn't limit myself to pure of any race in the Alliance pdf outside of Terquai, and even there I'm not entirely in love with the T1 options.  The various minor races in the Alliance all seem to be designed with specific gaps in them to be filled from another alliance race.  

I really think Hawker should keep the expensive ship vibe and add long range Gunships. If it contains an upgrade kit, I'd be cool with light cruisers paired with Gun ships, as the Light Cruisers become T3 in the larger battles, making them more expensive frigates.

[Starslayer 2]

I thinks i'll just stick with the Terrans for now. They have a much larger choice of available models, and i prefer to start with a "pure" fleet. Maybe expand to allies later.

Thank you for the advice. I appreciate it.

[Resa F 79]

I think something which would help with counteracting Hawker's brawling focus if they do get more ships is beam weapons. More advanced than primaries, but still solidly Terran, with longer range bands. You could tie in some fluff about an R&D cruiser which the Aquans or Terquai are helping out with, or indeed a gunship.. Although if you go R&D cruiser you can justify nonsense like variable loadout beam weapons. Nuke beams? The boys down the lab say it's possible!

I also think going more cyberwarfare & T3s is a good idea, so why not combine the two? In fact, if you make the T2 option a gunship then you can introduce R&D frigates as a thing to justify the cyber focus.