Pyramidion Role Reversal

[Skulldish]

So, as we all know, the standard configuration for a pyramidion's upper deck is the gunner on the flak and the engineer on the gatling gun. However, I would like to know if anyone else agrees with me that the opposite is true: the gunner on the gatling gun and the engineer on the flak. This way, the gatling gun can be fired nonstop and take down the hull armor of the enemy, allowing the pilot to ram them. This way when the engineer repairs the balloon, the gatling gun is still firing.

[Lord Dick Tim]

Typically I keep the engineer on the gat still firing greased, the magazine dumps faster and during reloads they just turn around and wack the balloon with the mallet.

The gat is also less effective with different ammo types, at various ranges, good for specific strategies like using heavy clip to disable, incindiary for annoying engines and charged for faster armor stripping. 

But the chain gun strips armor usually before it's clip is ever spent, so I'd rather have the gunner on flak with multiple ammo types so they can take full advantage of an armor less ship in the distance, or close range, using charged, les or heavy clip as needed.

[Helmic]

Charged gives you three shots at 125%, burst gives you five at 100%, and it shoots them pretty quickly anyways.  Not that I much care, an engineer with heavy clip is all you really need on that flak, four shots will take out most ships just fine and you'll never have to worry about missing.  It also allows you to have that gatling on the right side away from the balloon so that you can have an easier to use trifecta.

[Lord Dick Tim]

Going to remember that burst > charged tid bit, thanks helmic.  You just made my pyramidion 1 shot 125% more effective.

[Pickle]

I also default to the Flak on the UL and the Gatling on the UR, and for pretty much the same reason as the first post - plus a couple of others.  I think the Gatling benefits more from an additional ammunition type than the Flak, and the greater arc of the Gatling from the right opens up opportunities to bring both front guns and both side guns into play on the same target.  If I'm in control of the situation this allows the hull engineer to join in with either flak-flak-gatling or gatling-flak-gatling.

[Keon]

Aww, and I thought this was something about using flack-gat on the bottom deck and dual howitzers on top.

Yeah, I use a engineer on the flack for starters, unless they can't hit with it, and then I ask them to trade guns.

[HamsterIV]

Oddly enough I tried swapping my config from flack right to flack left this weekend and had a great deal of success with it. Some times the engineer takes too long to whack the balloon during a reload cycle and looses choice ammo. So I find it preferable to let the gunner work the chain gun since they can keep optimal ammo in it at all times, also the flack works pretty well with standard ammo.

There is a slight problem with this build however, and it is called "powder monkey." I have flown with some great gunners in my day, but for the most of the time I get stuck with some paste eating new guy who needs thinks all weapons are hit scan, doesn't know how to swap ammo, and wont listen to me unless I am standing in front of him jumping up and down. In that case I entrust the chain gun to the Gungineer and let the new guy amuse hims self with the gun that goes bang.

[Pickle]

There is a slight problem with this build however, and it is called "powder monkey." 

The solution to the Powder Monkey problem is dual-Gatling on the upper mounts, and Impact Bumpers.


Edit.  And for forget to scream into the mic, "For gawds sake get down from their, we're about to ram, you'll be ki-lled!!!"


(and I've also had occasional success telling Powder Monkeys that I'm about to disable the gun their on via the "Captain's control board" to transfer more power to -the gun I want them to be on-.  But it only works once.  Or twice.).

[Chango]

Most Cogs team run in this form.

[Keon]

(and I've also had occasional success telling Powder Monkeys that I'm about to disable the gun their on via the "Captain's control board" to transfer more power to -the gun I want them to be on-.  But it only works once.  Or twice.).

Get your engineer to say it, that way it sounds like it's part of his job. "MrZawesomzFaceNub53, I'm transferring all steam to the front gun, you need to be on it, your old gun is going to shut down."

[Machiavelliest]

What ship deals balloon damage anymore?  Even if it does, if your gunner carries heavy ammo, he switches to gat and your eng (who is right next to the balloon with gat left) moves to repair.  One-gun Pyr can be done quite easily with a competent gunner.  If he's a Gungineer with a hammer/pipewrench, he's got the whole thing decently unless you're faced with a ship bent on balloon breaking.  But if you're in that range with gat/light flak, you're a bad pilot.

[Queso]

The baloon point makes it easy to put a gun without the need to fire constantly on the left. Put the gat on the left where you can fire constantly and have the engineer whack the balloon between flak shots. I know Smollett always shoots for a balloon if the gats on the left because it will get the gat off him for a few seconds.
I don't know of any pyramidion changes in any upcoming patch! What are you talking about? Who have you talked to? I don't know anything! Nothing I say

[Nidh]

I thought this would be about how nobody actually rams with the Pyra and it's become more of a bruiser ship

[Adrian Locke]

I thought this would be about how nobody actually rams with the Pyra and it's become more of a bruiser ship

I hope to see you aboard the Lockehart someday soon. I feel like you'd enjoy the way I get things done.

[Nidh]

I thought this would be about how nobody actually rams with the Pyra and it's become more of a bruiser ship

I hope to see you aboard the Lockehart someday soon. I feel like you'd enjoy the way I get things done.

Hope is restored!