Hwachas...

[MrCanadianMenace]

Hello, I am a new player and this is my first post to the forums.  I know that there has been a topic on Hwachas before this, and I don't plan to bring any grief at all.  I love this game, but in my most recent match with some friends, we had some problems fighting a team of two goldfish ships with Hwachas equipped.  The problem we were having wasn't necessarily that they were destroying us immediately, because aside from our guns the damage being taken was completely reasonable (we were in a Galleon).  We just couldn't counter-attack because all our guns were destroyed by one clip from the Hwachas.  I've heard there are methods of countering the Hwachas, but even so, I think disabling a ships cannons instantaneously is just ridiculous.

[Dutch Vanya]

The Hwachas are supposed to be an effective disabling weapon more so than a killing weapon.

[treseritops]

What was your teammate in? Also you have two small guns up top on the galleon, put an artemis up there and snipe the hwacha before they get to you!

Truthfully, and I'm not trying to be critical, but the best advice on being a better pilot is to not pilot for awhile when you start. You'll learn more from being on someone else's ship initially versus "trial and error" in the games.

Level 1-2 pilots are going to struggle, but a level 1-2 pilot who is brand new to the game is really difficult to even play with at times. It's better to be a level 3 engineer/gunner and have the game mechanics mastered before you start piloting.

[JaegerDelta]

Yeah, i understand the frustration of fighting a maneuverable disabling ship like the hwatchafish.

you can check your enemies ship load outs and fly a ship that is designed to couter their builds or  if you prefer your galleon try building a long left side and using a combination of field gun and lumberjacks to bring them down before they get to you, with the field gun always aiming for the enemy guns.

Also, I suspect your teammate kinda let you down there. the hwatcha can lockdown a galleon, true. However, to do that it has to keep laying down fire on that single target. That is when your ally should come in and help you out. You can tank the damage in a galleon while your ally kills them. Alternatively, you can use a bit of creative rebuilding to get your guns back.

When all your guns go down have your crew partially rebuild them so it only takes one more hit to bring it back online, as the guns cannot take more damage while they are already broken they will be safe. Then, after your enemy fires another volley on your broken guns, finish the rebuild and open fire with some luck and a bit of good gunning you will take out their gun during the reload and you can turn the tables on your enemy and keep them disabled or kill them outright.

[Captain Smollett]

Mr.CanadianMenace, you are experiencing the natural growing pains of being a new pilot in GOI.  To most new pilots and crew the hwacha seems grossly over powered and hard to deal with.  After some time with this game you will learn how to best organize your crew and deal decisively with hwacha fish in order to make them a non factor.

JaegerDelta's advice is sound and works great.  Also check through the forums and read through the dozens of other posts made by new pilots regarding similar topics and the advice given by players there. 

The hwacha is the terror of the lower level locked games but it quickly loses its efficacy one you learn how to engineer through and counter it.

[Squidslinger Gilder]

Pre rebuild and rebuild after blast is good. Another and what I recommend is your pilot using tools to evade blasts. Even if one hits you can negate a lot of its dmg by evasion. Takes practice and sometimes just instinct in predicting when a hwacha gunner is going to fire.