History VideoGame / Hawken

** Also the battleships in Siege mode. You ''can'' take them out using your mechs, but there's a reason the secondary objective is an AA gun when they're active.

* MemeticMutation: "Cupcake," which was originally the name of a player that kills the "protagonist" at the end of the Hawken Story Trailer. It became a running joke among the community during the Alpha and Closed Beta, which culminated in a special mech dubbed the Cupcake as part of the Vanguard Initiative.\\
\\
In-universe, that mech is known as the H3 Cupcake C-Class Vanguard (AKA "Vanguard Cupcake"), used only by Prosk's "royal guard" units. They were so rarely seen that any transmissions involving them were regarded as wild speculation, until concrete evidence was leaked--sparking a massive riot among jealous pilots who wanted their own Cupcake. In response, Prosk outfitted special versions for rapid close-range riot control.
* MightyGlacier: The "C Class" Heavy mechs, are lumbering and move slowly compared to their lighter counterparts, but have high health and defensive capabilities. They can transform into turrets via metal plates mounted on the chassis.\\
\\
Also the battleships in Siege mode. You ''can'' take them out using your mechs, but there's a reason the secondary objective is an AA gun when they're active.

* RealRobotGenre

* MiniMecha: The mechs are essentially walking cockpits with guns and, in the case of heavy mechs, armor panels.

** All of the Heavy mechs are said to be outdated models that, like the Hiefram, are often abandoned if badly damaged, because repairing them would be extremely expensive and time-consuming. Maintaining them is expensive, in the first place.

* MiniMecha: The mechs are essentially cockpits with guns and, in the case of heavy mechs, armor panels.

* MiniMecha: For a game that revolves completely around mecha combat, the said mechs are actually a good deal smaller than the [[HumongousMecha usual mechs you'd find in other science-fiction]].

* Short Range Shotgun: The Flak Cannon, a giant shotgun (see above for more information)capable of turning enemy mechs into piles of scrap, is only really effective at punching distance.
* Signature Sound Effect: The warning klaxon that bases make when a battleship is either attacking them (in Siege mode) or when the enemy controls all of the missile silos (in Missile Assault mode). Also, the iconic HRRRNNN of the Battleship's engines.
* The Turret Master: EVERYONE can deploy turrets. They come in 2 variants, one armed with a Point D Vulcan Minigun and the other a TOW Launcher. Heavy mechs can turn into turrets via large metal shields mounted onto their chassis.

* GrenadeLauncher: Used by several mechs, specifically the Grenadier.

* MightyGlacier: The "C Class" Heavy mechs, are lumbering and move slowly compared to their lighter counterparts, but have high health and defensive capabilities. They can transform into turrets via metal plates mounted on the chassis.

* WarForFunAndProfit: The two sides are corporations fighting for what's left of a world that used to be dominated by three--the third inadvertently unleashed the Hawken virus that is slowly turning the planet into random metal bits, and got blown up in the process. The comic states that they take precious materials and metals off of the planet and sell them in space.

** Prosk, the company that developed the L3 Piston A-Class Berserker mechs, has a unit of veterans known as the Skull-Dogs that's commonly seen looting the wreckage of Sentium B and C-Class mechs.

* CorporateWarfare

* Overheating: Firing weapons for continous periods without letting them cooldown will eventually result in them overheating. However, not only will overheating disable the weapons, it will also shut down all systems (save for movement), leaving overheated mechs sitting ducks for enemy fire.

* Signature Sound Effect: The warning klaxon that bases make when a battleship is either attacking them (in Siege mode) or when the enemy controls all of the missile silos (in Missile Assault mode).

* Signature Sound Effect: The Siege Battleship's iconic HRRRNNNNN engine sound.

* GreyGoo: The Hawken Virus works this way, although it differs from the typical example in that the virus is aimlessly ''building'' something as it spreads, rather than just making more of itself.

** All of the Heavy mechs are said to be outdated models that, like the Hiefram, are often abandoned if badly damaged, because repairing them would be extremely expensive and time-consuming.
** The only mechs that avert this is the Infiltrator, a SuperPrototype that is continuously upgraded with new parts, and the Cupcake, a mech that was reserved [[ElitesAreMoreGlamorous for Sentium's "royal guard".]]

** The only mech that averts this is the Infiltrator, a SuperPrototype that is continuously upgraded with new parts.

* WarIsHell: Implied. Scout mechs have an incredibly high mortality rate, which forces the corporations to use ''scrap metal'' for them. Damaged heavy mechs are left on the battlefield to rot, as returning them to base to be repaired would cost even more than just ordering or building one from scratch. Players die by the dozen, each destroyed mech another pilot lost in the war. The comics outright state this.

* MightyGlacier: The "C Class" Heavy mechs, are lumbering and move slowly compared to their lighter counterparts, but have high health and defensive capabilities. They can transform into turrets via metal plates mounted on the main chassis.

* Short Range Shotgun: The Flak Cannon, a weapon built from 4 re-purposed AA cannons bolted togetther and capable of turning enemy mechs into piles of scrap, is only really effective at punching distance.
* TheTurretMaster: EVERYONE can deploy turrets. They come in 2 variants, one armed with a Point D Vulcan Minigun and the other a TOW Launcher. Heavy mechs can turn into turrets via large metal shields mounted onto their chassis.

* MightyGlacier: Long-range and close-range support mechs move slowly, but pack a punch. Some can even turn into a turret.

* JackOfAllStats: The CR-T Recruit mech you start with is the most balanced mech, with the assault rifle and TOW missile giving it good firepower at mid-long ranges, and the unlockable SMC giving some shorter-range punch.

* MoreDakka: The SMG cannon, Submachine Cannon and Point D Vulcan.

In-universe, that mech is known as the H3 Cupcake C-Class Vanguard (AKA "Vanguard Cupcake"), used only by Prosk's "royal guard" units. They were so rarely seen that any transmissions involving them were regarded as wild speculation, until concrete evidence was leaked--sparking a massive riot among jealous Sentium pilots who wanted their own Cupcake.

** All of the Heavy mechs are said to be outdated models.