The Anvil Hawk in Star Citizen’s 4.3 PTU patch has been significantly buffed with increased durability, improved maneuverability, and enhanced EMP capabilities, making it a more competitive and agile close-range fighter. While it excels in PvE stealth and dogfighting scenarios, its EMP effectiveness is strong but secondary to ships like the Saber Raven, offering a balanced option for players seeking versatility in combat.
The Anvil Hawk received significant buffs in Star Citizen’s 4.3 PTU patch, focusing on improving its close-quarter combat capabilities. Key changes include increased hull hit points from 11,200 to 16,600, enhanced vital parts health, and a slight speed boost in both SEM and navigation speeds. Maneuverability was also rebalanced, with pitch slightly reduced but yaw and roll increased substantially, making the Hawk more agile and survivable in dogfights. These adjustments point to Cloud Imperium’s intent to position the Hawk as a more durable and nimble light fighter.
In addition to combat improvements, the video explores the Hawk’s stealth potential. Equipped with full stealth components, the ship achieves a low frontal cross-section and infrared signature, making it effective for PvE stealth engagements. However, its high side cross-section limits stealth viability in PvP scenarios. The Hawk lacks physicalized components but features several functional exterior buttons, including external storage and a weapon rack, although some interactions remain buggy. Notably, the landing gear bug has been fixed, and the ship boasts impressive transformation animations when retracting its landing gear and folding its wings.
The Hawk’s armament includes six hardpoints but no missiles, complemented by a single EMP generator located centrally. The video demonstrates the Hawk’s rapid pilot seat entry and praises its transformation animations. In combat testing, the Hawk exhibits improved maneuverability and durability, performing well against various enemy ships. The pilot enjoys the ship’s nimbleness and responsiveness, which enhance its dogfighting capabilities in engagements against both NPCs and players.
EMP combat tests reveal the Hawk’s strengths and limitations. Its single EMP generator deals 2,450 EMP damage with a 12-second charge and cooldown time and a 750-meter range. While effective against many ships, disabling some, like the Hornet or Reliant, requires multiple EMP bursts due to server desync issues and ship resilience. Compared to the Saber Raven, which has two EMP generators totaling 5,500 EMP damage, the Hawk is a strong but secondary EMP platform. Despite some desync challenges, the Hawk’s EMP remains a powerful tool for disabling enemy shields and systems in combat.
Overall, the video highlights the Anvil Hawk’s evolution into a more competitive close-range fighter with enhanced durability, maneuverability, and EMP capabilities. While not the top stealth or EMP ship, it offers a balanced package suited for PvE and certain PvP roles. The detailed combat and EMP tests showcase the Hawk’s practical applications and limitations, providing valuable insights for players considering it as a versatile light fighter in Star Citizen.