Where, What, and How? An Engineer's Guide

[N-Sunderland]

Added details relating to Helmic's and Hamster's suggestions. If anything doesn't look right, remember to point it out. I'll start my Galleon write-up soon.

[N-Sunderland]

Added a section for the Galleon. There aren't really any viable alternative strategies, so it just covers the two usual engineers. Remember to provide feedback on anything about the guide!

[N-Sunderland]

Added the section for the Spire. The engineer's role on that ship is way more straightforward, so it's a bit shorter.

[Kyren]

Very nice job again! I found the mention of the repair cycle on the Galleon especially helpful, that'll do me some good if I ever get to serve on one again!

[Pickle]

Added a section for the Galleon. There aren't really any viable alternative strategies, so it just covers the two usual engineers. Remember to provide feedback on anything about the guide!

I accidentally joined a flak-hwacha galleon as a buffing engineer - the match countdown was on 2 whan I joined the lobby.  The Captain suggested I stayed as I was and went lower deck.  I discovered a few things that match:
- buffing engineer is a valid role for gungineer on a Galleon
- a buffed Hwacha is very effective
- Gelleon layouts that require the lower deck to run diagonals don't work - if you mix Flak/Hwacha, keep the Hwacha on the aft mounts on both sides

With battle-wagons like the Galleon and Junker, the Captain can gain a significant increase in fighting efficiency by bringing Drogue Chute to buy fighting time.  And once he's placed the ship into firing position he can help with the balloon - after all, it really isn't a running-away ship.

[Kyren]

Added a section for the Galleon. There aren't really any viable alternative strategies, so it just covers the two usual engineers. Remember to provide feedback on anything about the guide!

I accidentally joined a flak-hwacha galleon as a buffing engineer - the match countdown was on 2 whan I joined the lobby.  The Captain suggested I stayed as I was and went lower deck.  I discovered a few things that match:
- buffing engineer is a valid role for gungineer on a Galleon
- a buffed Hwacha is very effective
- Gelleon layouts that require the lower deck to run diagonals don't work - if you mix Flak/Hwacha, keep the Hwacha on the aft mounts on both sides

With battle-wagons like the Galleon and Junker, the Captain can gain a significant increase in fighting efficiency by bringing Drogue Chute to buy fighting time.  And once he's placed the ship into firing position he can help with the balloon - after all, it really isn't a running-away ship.

I guess the effect of the Drogue Chute runs out after 3 seconds if the Captain leaves the helm though?

[N-Sunderland]

Added a section for the Galleon. There aren't really any viable alternative strategies, so it just covers the two usual engineers. Remember to provide feedback on anything about the guide!

I accidentally joined a flak-hwacha galleon as a buffing engineer - the match countdown was on 2 whan I joined the lobby.  The Captain suggested I stayed as I was and went lower deck.  I discovered a few things that match:
- buffing engineer is a valid role for gungineer on a Galleon
- a buffed Hwacha is very effective
- Gelleon layouts that require the lower deck to run diagonals don't work - if you mix Flak/Hwacha, keep the Hwacha on the aft mounts on both sides

With battle-wagons like the Galleon and Junker, the Captain can gain a significant increase in fighting efficiency by bringing Drogue Chute to buy fighting time.  And once he's placed the ship into firing position he can help with the balloon - after all, it really isn't a running-away ship.

That's pretty interesting about buffing. It would really hurt if the guns started getting wiped out, though. And you wouldn't be able to buff mid-battle, so I guess you'd want to pre-buff. It could also be a big boost to the Galleon's already high tankiness by buffing the hull. You'd just have to weigh that against the downsides and see if it's worth it. I mean, if your guns start getting Hwacha'd out, then you're in serious trouble without a spanner.

[Pickle]

I guess the effect of the Drogue Chute runs out after 3 seconds if the Captain leaves the helm though?

I've never tested that.. I feel a Sandbox session coming on..

[Pickle]

I guess the effect of the Drogue Chute runs out after 3 seconds if the Captain leaves the helm though?

I've never tested that.. I feel a Sandbox session coming on..

Tested.. you don't even get 3 seconds - step off the helm and it's no longer effective (but there's no delay in its effect when you take the helm again).

However, thet doesn't stop the pilot giving the balloon a tap before it's destroyed, which was the circumstance I was thinking of.  Drogue shoot just slows the descent enough to get another broadside fired.  Which might be enough to finish off your target.

[N-Sunderland]

Added an alternative section to the Galleon relating to the buffgineer. Thanks to PIckle for the suggestion.

[HamsterIV]

This is a little beyond the scope of the tutorial, but when a galleon gets pinned by carronade fire I call the entire crew upstairs. The lower deck guns will not get a shot if the enemy lurks above the firing arc so it is better having the gunner upstairs taking potshots with the light guns whenever possible. It might not be enough to kill an attacker, but I know many squid pilots who hit the helium the moment their hull goes red out of instinct. Also if the engineers see some one is shooting the light guns they are less inclined to stop repairing to shoot back. The worst possible situation to be in is where your ship can't shoot at a ship who is attacking you. The Galleon falls victim to this more than most.

[Kyren]

Tested.. you don't even get 3 seconds - step off the helm and it's no longer effective (but there's no delay in its effect when you take the helm again).

We'll have to test that with Hydrogen and Chute Vent, especially the latter, and then report a possible exploit, I guess.

[N-Sunderland]

I've added a Goldfish section. Remember to provide feedback as usual. The details you guys have added so far have been awesome.

The Junker should be slightly annoying to write, since there are a few different possible choices in terms if roles. The Squid, though, that'll be a nightmare. If I want to cover everything, it'll be really freaking long.

[Helmic]

For both the Pyramidion and Goldfish, the engineer can make great use out of the side guns.  On the Pyramidion, any wide-arcing weapon like the Gatling or Flamethrower can be used in a trifecta; repairs come first obviously, but if your captain manages to get in an enemy's blind spot you can GREATLY screw them over by manning that third gun, it's often an absurdly fast kill if all three guns can hit at once.  On the Goldfish, in between Hwacha rounds it's possible for the pilot to do the Goldfish wiggle and bring a side Gatling or Flamethrower in arc while the Hwacha reloads; the gunner counts down until his reload to let the pilot know when to bring the front gun back up.  It puts a lot of stress on the enemy engineers who need to repair enginers or the main cannon and then get distracted by the exposed hull or everything suddenly catching fire.

Those are both tactics that you can bring up to your captain if he's a bit inexperienced, otherwise if the captain makes it clear he's not going to try those maneuvers it's better to just stick to the occasional defensive pass.

[HamsterIV]

You can't really cover every deployment option on a junker without writing a novel. I would just stick with one or two deployment options, to give people an idea of how to treat the ship. People can improvise once they have the basics.

As for crewing a squid I find it an exercise in controlled chaos. There is no real plan and a lot of screaming. I normally ask for 3 engineers each taking different specialty ammo for each gun. Every one preloads their ammo before contact then runs hitting stuff and screaming. Did I mention the screaming? Screaming is very important on the squid, it makes the engines go faster.