Should the Galleon really be intermediate difficulty?

[AgentMatchbox]

I know that I'm new to the game, but the Galleon seems to take almost no skill to pilot. Whenever I use my double Hwachas, i often find my self parked beside the enemy, with my engines off and just spinning in circles. The slow turning speed keeps the broadside of my ship at a perfect angle from the enemy, and in the few situations where it's not, popping the phoenix claw for 2 seconds quickly and completely negates the problem.

It may just be that the people I play with aren't good, but the Galleon seems slightly too simple for it's difficulty rating.

Feedback is very much welcome, as I wish to improve my piloting skills in the future.


Edit: It may just be that I've been playing mostly in the beginner matches, but I still feel like it's easier than it should be.

[Nidh]

I would say the intermediate tag does not come from the performing of fancy maneuvers in the Galleon's case, but rather from fancy, and correct, positioning. I'd say that correct positioning is an intermediate skill that is not found very often in beginner level games. If your Galleon is out-positioned, or flanked, then it's slow speed makes it very vulnerable.

[Echoez]

Welcome to the game!

The Galleon is a very strong ship with tons of firepower as you have already figured, though the skill in piloting comes primarily from your spatial awareness and positioning skills. As you advance into the game and reach higher level of play you will soon figure out that the Galleon is not that simple.

Your guns are exposed and you are a slow vessel, surely not too slow, but you can't compete with the Pyramidion or the Goldfish. You will see that with your current loadout, simple long range based enemy loadouts will have an easy time taking you out if you are not careful, Mercury guns will be the bane of your weapons' existance. You will need a skilled ally to protect you from people that get to close and provide sniper support when needed.

You will see the need to switch to a longer ranged set up with the Galleon later on, you will need skilled gunners that can shoot the Lumberjack and the Heavy Flak, or even a Hwacha at long ranges, you have to know when to use your close range side (usually heavy carronades and hwachas) on the enemy and when you keep them on your long range side.

All I have to say is keep playing 

[Captain Smollett]

It's interesting to see a beginner's perspective.  Due to its lumbering nature and reliance on good gunnery I was initially surprised to see that it was only rated as intermediate and not advanced (until I remembered that the Spire existed and needed to be fit into the difficulty scale).

[Echoez]

(until I remembered that the Spire existed and needed to be fit into the difficulty scale).

Poor, poor Spire..

[N-Sunderland]

Also, you have to remember that the difficulty doesn't only apply to the pilot. It's a pretty demanding ship for gunners and engineers.

[AgentMatchbox]

Thanks guys. You're comments gave me a better perspective about the game.

Also, just a quick question.
When I use Double Hwachas, I use a gatling gun on the upper left side for getting rid of the hull armour, making the destruction of an enemy ship not take so ridiculously long. Is this a good strategy, or would another weapon be better in a scenario like this?


Edit: Another question, will using burst rounds on a hwacha provide a greater area of denial effect, or would it be more worth it to take a different type of ammo?

[Keon]

Depends on what range you want to engage at. Close range, a gatling. Long range, take a mercury field gun.

As for ammo, burst is great for utter destruction at close range. At long range, take heavy clip, so you get a tighter cone of fire.

[AgentMatchbox]

Thanks for the tips. Glad to know I'm not doing something wrong

[HamsterIV]

Also, just a quick question.
When I use Double Hwachas, I use a gatling gun on the upper left side for getting rid of the hull armour, making the destruction of an enemy ship not take so ridiculously long. Is this a good strategy, or would another weapon be better in a scenario like this?

Yes side mounted gat is the best choice for a Hwacha galleon, since it is a close range build. If you take longer range guns a mercury field gun becomes the better choice.

IMO one Gatling gun and one hwacha is enough to kill most ship reasonably quickly, the 2nd hwacha is a bit overkill at close range and denies you the long range option. I have a gat, manticore and lumber jack on the left side of my galleon in case I am forced into a sniper duel. The Galleon is no good at chasing down snipers so you have to plan ahead. Double Hwacha is better if you are going to do all your fighting at close range, but when an experienced pilot sees that build in lobby they will start configuring a sniper ships.

Another question, will using burst rounds on a hwacha provide a greater area of denial effect, or would it be more worth it to take a different type of ammo?

Burst rounds provide the highest DPS for that gun when most of your shots hit (close range). When engaging at medium to long range Heavy clip becomes better since it will result in less misses.

[Squash]

Just a reminder. Galleons have the worst acceleration and turn speed, they also have the worst ascent and descent speed, pilots can't see anything underneath them, and there's a giant pole right behind them that blocks their rear view. Most importantly, it's the only ship without a front gun. Galleons are a difficult ship.

[N-Sunderland]

Burst rounds provide the highest DPS for that gun when most of your shots hit (close range).

DPS isn't really a factor here (greased gives the highest DPS). What burst gives you is a larger clip and AoE, which are essential to both disabling and finishing.

[AgentMatchbox]

IMO one Gatling gun and one hwacha is enough to kill most ship reasonably quickly, the 2nd hwacha is a bit overkill at close range and denies you the long range option.

So essentially, I should switch up one of them to a longer ranged weapon. However, I'm unsure of which one to switch. Are there certain benefits by having the Hwacha closer to the middle and a lumberjack near the front, or is it entirely interchangeable?

[N-Sunderland]

IMO one Gatling gun and one hwacha is enough to kill most ship reasonably quickly, the 2nd hwacha is a bit overkill at close range and denies you the long range option.

So essentially, I should switch up one of them to a longer ranged weapon. However, I'm unsure of which one to switch. Are there certain benefits by having the Hwacha closer to the middle and a lumberjack near the front, or is it entirely interchangeable?

Put the lumberjack on the front. You want your gungineer to be closer to the engines, and the hwacha is less dependant on multiple ammo types.

[AgentMatchbox]

Thanks for all the help, you guys are awesome.