Miniatures of the Fortnight #73: Shadow Hawk, Shadow Hawk IIC, and SHD-X2 LAM

[Xiwo Xerase]

If you started playing BattleTech in the '80's or early '90's, this fortnight's 'Mech really needs no introduction.  It graced the cover of the rulebooks for BattleTech, Second Edition, AeroTech, and CityTech, First Edition.  That's right, ladies and gentlemen, this fortnight, we're looking at the Shadow Hawk and its offspring.

An old friend, the Shadow Hawk has been with us from the beginning, even from Battledroids -- except for its absence as one of the Unseen.  Technical Readout: Project Phoenix brought us the Reseen versions and newer days have brought us a Primitive version and the new Classic version.

The Clans, of course, can't leave anything alone and created the Shadow Hawk IIC, ten tons later but still dangerous.  And, if you believe the original art in Technical Readout: 3055, provided by Victor Musical Industries, Inc., prone to melodramatic poses.  And, like the other second-line BattleMechs in TRO: 3055, it too became Unseen and then Reseen.

And then in Technical Readout: 3085, we got the bimodal Shadow Hawk LAM.  Billed as the first produced LAM design, I believe it is the only canon bimodal LAM thus far.  It is also the first LAM to appear in the Miniature of the Fortnight series.

If you'd like to learn about using any of these in game, please see these resources:

• The 'Mech of the Week and Alpha Strike articles for the Shadow Hawk.
• The 'Mech of the Week article for the Shadow Hawk IIC.

The Shadow Hawk itself has a large number of sculpts, listed here in rough chronological order:

• The original Battledroids sculpt was released by Ral Partha as 20-836.
• The Unseen sculpt was later released by Ral Partha under the same product code, 20-836.
• The BattleTech, Third Edition boxed set released by FASA featured a plastic mini based on the Ral Partha Unseen sculpt.
• The first Reseen sculpt was for the Shadow Hawk SHD-5D, released by Iron Wind Metals as 20-212.
• The other Reseen sculpt was for the SHD-7CS and SHD-7M models, released by IWM as 20-301.
• The Primitive sculpt for the SHD-1R was released by IWM as CE-001 (and also as part of the Bounty Hunter Companion Mechs set (10-051)).
• The Classic sculpt of the Shadow Hawk SHD-2H was released by IWM as 20-5141.
• A variant Classic sculpt for the SHD-2K was released by IWM as an online exclusive (BT-399).
• A sculpt for the Royal variant, the SHD-2Hb, was released by IWM as 20-5169.
• A jumping version of the SHD-2Hb was released by IWM as a limited edition mini (SHD2Hb-18).
• And, finally, the Game of Armored Combat boxed set released by CGL contains a new plastic sculpt of the Shadow Hawk.

The Shadow Hawk IIC only has two sculpts:

• The original Unseen sculpt released by Ral Partha (20-658).
• The Reseeen sculpt for the Shadow Hawk IIC 4 released by IWM (20-224).

The Shadow Hawk LAM SHD-X2 has two sculpts:

• The 'Mech form (BT-323).
• The fighter form (BT-324).

Whew.  That's a lot of sculpts.  Hopefully you, our community, have plenty of painted versions.  Why don't you show us?  We'd love to see them.

Thank you for reading!

Our next three fortnights will be:

• Special (7/29): Aerospace Fighters
• Mixed (8/12): Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt IIC
• Clan (8/26): Vixen (Incubus) and Incubus II

[dirty harry]

Two reseen Shadow Hawks, that can be played as three.

First of all there is a standard Shadow Hawk -5D in 1. Aragon Borderers colors.
Then there is the -7CS/-7M variant, which; using magnets; can be played as both. Pure white as a -7CS for Comstar, with gold application as a -7M as part of the 1. Knights of the Inner Sphere.

Although i do own both variations of the IIc, none of them has been build so far.

[qc mech3]

The first mini I got twenty years ago. I decided to do a black knight persona with it. I discovered Camospec way later.

[Cazaril]

According to my catalog, I've got three painted... But I only have pictures for two (I may add the other one later)...

Stormbringers / 349th Dragoons



This is a custom SHD-3J (4/6/4 - LL, LRM-15, x3 ML)

17th Galedon Regulars



This SHD-2K is part Sun Cobra, part Patriot, and a whole lot of green stuff, brass and styrene.

Caz

Apparently it is "later"

This was the original SHD-3J Shadowhawk

Davion - Sakhara Military Academy



Caz

[Valkerie]

Did somebody say Shadow Hawk? :D

Not only my most favorite mech (still), but it was the one that got me into BattleTech.  2nd Edition Rulebook cover, and the very first Mechwarrior video game made me fall in love with it.  Yeah, it not great at any one thing, but I love it anyway. :smitten:  SHD-5M is still my preferred variant.

So, I have a few, and not all are complete.  I have three that are done, plus three more in progress.  Had two of the old unseen version, but those were lost years ago. :'(

So, here we have my 3rd Ceti Hussars SHD-2H, two Dragoons Shadow Hawks (the Primitive model is played as a SHD-2H) and a Kell Hounds version from the new box set (in progress.)

[Valkerie]

Last we have my jumping Star League Shadow Hawk in progress.

And just for the hell of it, a group shot of all of them (plus one unpainted party crasher.)

And Caz, those are some sweet looking Shadow Hawks. :thumbsup:

[Luciora]

For some reason, I always favored this one over its trio brethren, maybe because of my first exposure to it from Mechwarrior by Activision, and its prominent role as cover mech for Second Edition.  But onto the mechs!

OGs first.  SHD-2H and 2K, followed by a 2Hb, 2D and a 7M.

Next is the PP version with the 5D, 7CS and 7M

[Luciora]

Next is the Reseen designs and the IICs in my collection.

2 Primitives, one painted in the requisite Dougram colors. (Note to self, acquire another metal Classic to Dougramize at some point)

Reseen 2H, 2K and 2Hb

Shadow Hawk IIC and IIC4

2 customs, a modified IIC painted up as the RXGPO1 and my only favorite PP sculpt of Cobra Commander.

[Vaaish]

Here's mine. All done up as ELH.

[Empyrus]

Once again, seeing pics of the nuClassics and the old miniatures, i keep thinking the old ones are new lol. In lineart, the old classics are thinner than their miniature counterparts and so the the new ones look more different. But comparing miniatures... CGL has done incredible job with the nuClassics, they're very much recognizable and faithful to the originals yet improved.

[Phobos101]

Once again, seeing pics of the nuClassics and the old miniatures, i keep thinking the old ones are new lol. In lineart, the old classics are thinner than their miniature counterparts and so the the new ones look more different. But comparing miniatures... CGL has done incredible job with the nuClassics, they're very much recognizable and faithful to the originals yet improved.

Well let me really mess with your head and post both in the same photo!



From left to right: Plastic 2H from AGoAC box set in Free Worlds Guards colours, 2x RP metal unseen 2Hs in GDL colours, IWM 2K in a generic House Kurita scheme, and an IWM 2H in Donegal Guards colours. Hopefully decals should arrive in the post soonm and I can finish them up...

[B1Bflyer]

Ryuken-Yon Shadow Hawk 2K

2019-07-21_09-02-12 by f15cflyer79, on Flickr

[Starbuck]

here are the ones i have painted so far.

an unseen one for the 15th Arcturan Guards,
and a classic of the 15th Benjamin Regulars.

[Pat Payne]

Ever since Anthony Scroggins did his absolutely superb redesign of the Shad, I've fallen in love with it. (I thought the Dougram!Shad was a bit blah, to be honest, and looking at the two side by side, Anthony's is far and away superior  :thumbsup: )

It's become something of a painting muse and I sunk way more money than was strictly responsible of me to in getting them from IWM and from the AGoAC boxes. Here are just a few of them:

1. 17th Avalon Hussars IWM SHD-2H
2. Marik Militia IWM SHD-2H
3. Marik Militia AGoAC SHD-2H Custom (the AC/5 barrel went MIA at some point either in manufacture or transit so I made it a Large Laser)
4. Dieron Regulars (or any Kurita formation, honestly -- the camo is based on the camo pattern for the Imperial Japanese Type 97 Chi-ha light tank) IWM SHD-2K

[Wotan]

There is this nice Kurita variant of the new classic Shadow Hawk i couldn't resist to paint in traditional Nightstalker colors.

And there is this triple of 5th Crucis Lancers Shadow Hawks - Unseen 2H, Unseen 2D and classic 2H.

[Luciora]

Gotta add the 2nd Night Stalkers (Dougram!) Shadow Hawk to this.

[EthrDemon]

Vaaish & B1Bflyer: those look amazing, have either of you done how-to posts?

[Valkerie]

Vaaish & B1Bflyer: those look amazing, have either of you done how-to posts?

Here's a link to CamoSpecs YouTube channel.  B1Bflyer does all the videos.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw72skaSLl7jjgsbZVaZ6jw

[Daemion]

My Shadow Hawk Collection.  New hotness on the right left.  Vintage Ral Partha metal on the left right.  Kitbashed Map Scale versions up front.

edit: got my directions mixed up.   :P

Also, close-ups of three of the Micro Mechs.  I built these off the three different Dougram configurations seen in the anime.  The Dougram Fast Pack is the one most people associate with the Shadow Hawk. I personally look at the fully armed one as the true Shadow Hawk, the LRM-5 and SRM-2 housed in the tube launcher.  I often use the base Dougram as a -K model.  Two of these will be repainted for Team Blue and Team Red, and 3 have yet to be rebased.

I do plan on reshooting them when I'm finished.

[Nips]

Since this popped up again, figured I'd add mine to the pile.

Generic Team Purple, with his Wolvie buddy.


Liao, Syn's Hussars

[Jhousdan]

3rd edition plastic minis are difficult to clean up and make look nice. This one is in 7th Crucis Lancers colors