Hawkmoth
| Hawkmoth | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Faction | Inner Sphere | |
| Ticket cost: | 4 upon destruction | |
| Tier: | 4 | |
| Tonnage: | 25 tons | |
| Speed: | 198 km/h | |
| Variant Armament | ||
| Variant | Weapons | Equipment |
| Prime: Price: 47 500 CBills Total armor: 16 376 |
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| A: Price: 44 500 CBills Total armor: 17 685 |
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| B: Price: 46 000 CBills Total armor: 16 376 |
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| C: Price: 54 100 CBills Total armor: 15 064 |
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| D: Price: 47 000 CBills Total armor: 17 685 |
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| E: Price: 53 300 CBills Total armor: 15 064 |
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| F: Price: 63 000 CBills Total armor: 16 376 |
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| G: Price: 53 100 CBills Total armor: 16 376 |
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| Armor Points Distribution | ||
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All stats current as of release 0.15.3
The Hawkmoth is a light VTOL available to the Inner Sphere. Its light armor and high mobility allow it to skirt above and around the battlefield, tackling objectives and finishing off stragglers. The greatest weaknesses of the Hawkmoth is its lackluster damage potential and fragility, both comparable to a light hovertank. Because of the unique flying capabilities of VTOLs, pilots should be looking for targets of opportunity, back-capping and relaying enemy ground troop movements.
Contents
Roles and Gameplay Hints
Prime
A long-range sniper variant. Probably most suitable for typical gunship duty - it can pop-up from behind cover at extreme range, fire a single damaging projectile, then hide before the enemy manages to return fire. When near the front line poking the enemy to distract them is a sound tactic. The greatest problem of this variant is lack of damage potential. While the LtGauss has incredible range, it also has a poor damage profile, meaning that this unit should prey on the wounded and focus fire on units that are retreating from the front-line for repairs while relaying Intel of the opposing units. Housing 16 shots per ton, the Hawkmoth Prime comes with two Free Tons bring the total shot capability to 48. Four MG spray a hail of bullets etching away armor. Equipped with EOptics and BAP aid it in it's search for prey and enemy movement.
Variant A
The A has a devastating combination of two MRM10 to batter and soften targets, and a complement of Small and Medium Lasers to finish ablated components off. This variant boasts both the highest DPS and burst potential of the Hawkmoth family, but quickly loses steam around beyond 500m, and is useless beyond 650m. The effective VTOL pilot will use this variant to harass the enemy- punish 'mechs that attempt to focus you with a few easily slung salvo of MRM10 before drifting behind cover- and quickly obliterate any 'mech that makes the mistake of ignoring this flying powerhouse. An extra half-ton of armor will grant you a hair more staying power over the other Hawkmoth variants, but not enough to forgo careful flying- at the end of the day even 5 tons of armor will vanish under a heavy mech's sneeze.
Variant B - "Buzz"
The Hawkmoth B is the de facto mid-range Hawkmoth. Not only sporting the second-highest DPS of the Hawkmoth family, it can tear into any 'mech up to 800m. The two Air RAC2 damage quickly drops to zero in the 800m - 1000m bracket, however a proficient pilot who keeps in range can still utilize this variant as an extremely capable Anti-Air asset, especially with the bonus damage Aerospace incur from Air RAC2. While it has two Free Tons to pack with ammo, it doesn't last more than just a few engagements- requiring you to return to the base, or a friendly APC; to resupply frequently. The other variants deliver their damage in short bursts and allow for short windows of maneuverability during combat, but the Hawkmoth B requires sustained focus on the target, limiting maneuverability options if you're intent on delivering bullets. While it may seem like a small downside, remember that only your maneuverability and 4.5 tons of armor to stand between you and a quick death.
Variant C
The C variant replaces the standard LGauss with a Thunderbolt 15 launcher and a TAG, trading direct-fire capacity for more damage and some limited fire support capabilities. The EOptics extend it's Tagging ability while the 2 Free Tons helps prolong it's stay in the field. The TAG makes it an excellent companion to any team built around long range missiles. Where the Prime has some capacity for Anti-Air capabilities with its easy to aim LtGauss, the C is utterly helpless in contested airspace with its sluggish Thunderbolt 15. While it's tempting to TAG your missiles in from 1350m out, this variant's true strength shines much, much closer. The Thunderbolt 15 offers considerable screenshake that can make an already well-piloted VTOL even harder to hit, while 3 SPL pump out more damage than a LXPL, and easily chew through components of battered and fumbling foes.
Variant D
The Hawkmoth D sports the second-highest burst potential of the Hawkmoth family. The additional GECM reduces your radar footprint, allowing for nasty surprise attacks if you manage your range right. Its dual LPPCs provides a relatively strong mid-range punch the equivalent of a standard PPC as an Alpha hit or Chain-fired to keep your foe off balance. Backed by a pair of Air SRM4 racks with zero min range out to 498 meters. An effective pilot will use this Variant to support in a brawl, Chain-firing its salvo of screen-shaking projectiles to tip any 'mech encounter in your teams favor. However, it's short range of 500m means this variant needs to utilize good maneuvering and terrain cover to avoid being out-ranged by the average 'mech.
Variant E
This variant of the Hawkmoth's LPL and two Air SRM4 allowing for a good general-purpose VTOL. Compared to the other variants, it's the middle-ground in terms of both DPS and burst potential. The quick-fire Large Pulse Laser offers punishment against enemy aerospace and in conjunction with quickly-reloading Air SRM4 it can focus down components of ground assets with a steady hand. Being equipped with a cool IS engineered LPL means that this variant will shine brighter in hot climates where its Donar cousin with a Clan engineered LPL will be overheating.
Variant F - "Evil Eye"
Effectively a flying Raven Prime, the Hawkmoth F carries the same iNARC 900-meter system plus TAG for painting targets a 1350m for missile attacks. The F also carries BHP which boosts detection range by 400m and improves lock on time, C3 that distributes Radar readings to any teammates in range, and Air GECM that increases the time it takes for an enemy to achieve target lock, which combined with its better targeting angles from being airborne as well as its greater speed, this variant can be used on any map for Intelligence Recon and Targeting - and is a must-have for teams built around long range missiles. The F is primarily a support and intel asset - and only carries three MGs. They can, in a pinch, finish off a low enemy or inattentive battle-armor .. but otherwise won't be able to stand toe-to-toe against anything else on the field.
Variant G
The Air RAC5 has impressive damage for a VTOL - which can be delivered from 860m out, with a significant punch coming in at 500m with 4 Air ERSL and an Air ML - combined, is a blast with more damage than an LBX10 and can be refired nearly twice as fast. Equipped with EOptics and BAP aid it in it's search for prey and enemy movement. The RAC5 is easiest to land on larger, slower targets, which should be a priority considering that maintaining a bead will severely affect your maneuverability. 3 Free Tons should be topped up at every opportunity to take full advantage of your powerful RAC5 which is likely to chew through multiple tons of ammo per engagement.
Trivia
Up until version 0.7.0 there was no Hawkmoth D available ingame, because the name was considered "reserved" for an imaginary asset. The Hawkmoth D was a variant set up by KingLeerUK, one of the MWLL team's Lead Developers. The proposed configuration was 4 Long Tom, 6 Heavy Gauss, 8 RAC20, 1 MG with additional 4 LAMS, GECM, BHP and C3. See original post. The Hawkmoth D quickly became a common in-joke of the forum community, and is sometimes mentioned in discussions about alternate variants and anything regarding "overkill". There are promotional posters near some spawn points, showing Hawkmoth D advertisements.
Canon
The Hawkmoth is the lighter cousin of the immensely popular Yellow Jacket VTOL. Another Michaelson Heavy Industries design, the Hawk Moth was designed around the Light Gauss, just as the Yellow Jacket was around the larger Gauss Rifle. Using the weight saved by the smaller weapon, the Hawk Moth can zip along at up to 130kph and also carries enough ammunition for a prolonged engagement at extreme stand-off range. However, it carries very light armor, and stands very little chance of survival when engaging outside the environment for which it was designed.
Date Introduced 3060 during the Era known as "Clan Invasion" (3050 - 3061) - Unit Role: Sniper
