Can anyone explain the Harpoon Gun to me?

[Arthem White]

Yesterday my crew and I decided to try something for fun and fit a Pyramidion with 4 Harpoon Guns. Time to go whaling!

The idea was to use the front harpoons to attack to the enemy and ram it repeteadly. Despite not knowing much how the harpoon worked we thought it would help keeping us lined up for the ram.

Oh boy how wrong we were.

After the disaster of a game that followed, I just want to ask: How exactly does the harpoon gun work? I didn't feel any traction on my ship when we had the harpoons attached. The only effect I could measure was a completely inability to turn, apparently related to the direction the other ship was turning to. This made it completely impossible to ram, and at some points I could swear I was under the effect of moonshine, except without the awesome speed.

So, how does the Harpoon work exactly? What is it good for? Is there any loadout that uses the harpoon?

Thanks!

[Coldcurse]

it shoots harpoon.

the harpoon gun was first invented to hunt skywhales.
the skywhales now are exterminated because people have hunt them down too much.
lord dick tim was the one that killed the last skywhale.

now the harpoon gun is only there to remind us of the skywhales.

[Coldcurse]

https://gunsoficarus.com/community/forum/index.php/topic,304.0.html

this will give you more information.

(sorry about the post earlier)

[Lord Dick Tim]

You get a salute for that coldcurse, and for posting the link for our friend here.

[Squidslinger Gilder]

The pointy end goes into the other ship...there, thats all you need to know.

[Sammy B. T.]

I don't know if anyone truly understands the things and they have gone through many revisions. Before the most recent patch, my use of them was regulated to using them as a chaos engine of sorts, remove the abilty of the enemy pilot to effectively control his ship as we yoyoes back and forth. The yo-yoing has been decreased but still it greatly reduces the abilities of the enemy ship.

[HamsterIV]

So long as there is a rope connecting the two ships together they will exert a pull towards each other. Try not to imagine rope physics but instead a small rocket pointed at the other ship and from the other ship towards you, both these rockets are pulling your ships closer together, but you can still use your engines to maneuver (sortof).

Also when you shoot the harpoon again it detaches. The only time I have used is successfully is on the back of a squid. The idea is that you pass close by an enemy ship and tag them with the harpoon as you fly away. If the hit is good you open up the throttle and aim yourself at the nearest rock. Your ship should slow down as the harpoon drags you back to the enemy ship. The enemy ship should come flying at you, right before it hits you, tell your gunner to disengage the harpoon (shoot it again) and hit helium to get out of the way. If you did it right the enemy ship should fling itself into the rock and your crew should shower you in praise. If you did it wrong... well there are so many things that can go wrong I can't list them all.

Good luck.

[Watchmaker]

Hamster's description is accurate.

I've seen the build you're describing used (moderately) effectively, and I think the trick is to get both harpoons in at about the same time.  Otherwise, the torque produced on your own ship (because the harpoon mount itself is off-center) tends to twist you out of line for a ram.

[teweedo]

Thanks Hamster, I now found an utility for my squid which I wasn't really appealing to me so far haha

[-Muse- Cullen]

The only time I have used is successfully is on the back of a squid.

Good times.

[Sonoskay]

I sometimes put it on the front of my junker and it makes it easy to straffe.... sometimes.... sometimes it makes it an uncontrollable mess and makes it so everything but my broadside  pointing at the enemy. seems to depend on the pilot and the ship i hook to... though ive also gotten real easy kills by this

[Jiggle Billy]

I was a little disheartened that the harpoon gun doesn't work how it does in my mind. I envisioned making a pass on a ship and hooking into it, causing the two ships to circle one another while we (hopefully) disable their broadside weapons and carronade the shit out of the enemy balloon until they crash.

Instead, we couldn't quite make a left turn and were promptly dragged into a cliff. Good times.