You could do that before and after the nerf, it's just an alternative playstyle that noone uses and this nerf in no way encourages this.
The thing about exposing your side guns is, well. If you point your front at the enemy, you expose: Your two front guns and hull.
While if you turn the side...
I know about the pyra. But taking and mustering up the damage may no longer be the ideal situation which people are bitching about.
So here is the alternative, disable the enemy when you go in. Use side guns for the kill.
Not. Use side guns. But, Use all guns. Heck maybe even flamer artemis combo side after dual carro front.
Dual merc front to make the enemy ship feel like hell even by far away, then gat mort for the kill after their armor got softened and you getting close enough.
Im giving this as an alternative because if the health nerf is such a big nerf, then perhaps think about what the enemy can do, instead of just jousting in.
If the pyra can still run in and kill with simply using the frontal guns just as effeciently, then i dont know why people are complaining.
Pyras could use all 4 in the way im suggesting before, but it was not as effecient because you just needed to get the front guns in.
Today, a spire will kill you in 1 hwacha barrage. He wont think about "Ruupairing" his hull when your charging him. He will take pyras armor down, at the time pyra takes spires armor, and one hwacha will kill the pyra, and only 2 mortars would come out of the pyra. If it is a worry that pyra now with this health, then disable front, side guns kill.