Metamidion: the case for the left gat

[BlackenedPies]

Everyone knows the metamidion has the gat on the right side but I'm gonna make the case that you're doing it wrong. Pioneered by the Glowater Thralls, the purpose of the swap is for efficient repairs and buffs while the gat is always shooting.

The build uses the standard 3 engi setup with the main engi spanner mallet chem, balloon engi wrench buff chem, and spanner mallet buff "gunner". On spawn the balloon engi buffs and loads top deck while the gunner buffs bottom deck. Buffs are recycled until combat when the gunner runs to the top. Balloon needs at least 60 seconds of buff with prebuff before engaging. Balloon engi should run and chem the mortar before getting into greased gat range. The disadvantage of this is that it's easier for the mortar to chem the gat than the gat to chem the mortar. Rangefinder has a limited use for the gunner to call out when you'll reach exactly 360m.

If the balloon takes significant damage in combat the gunner should run and mallet it. This is an advantage because it's better for the mortar to mallet balloon than the gat. Balloon engi should chem/repair balloon every reload and finish the prebuff when necessary. The balloon engi stays up top no matter what. If you're in trouble and need an engi downstairs then the gunner can jump down and help. Importantly you don't lose the gat and can still support and kill while the gunner is downstairs. Calling down the gunner is a last resort and only for if you can't kill without bottom deck repairs.

[GrimlockWarlock]

I will have to  try this loadout design ! It does sounds great . This could become the new Metamidion !

[nanoduckling]

One of the ex-thralls, cant remember which, convinced me this is the right way to run this a while back. I don't pilot metamidions unless with a totally novice crew so it doesn't really apply to me outside of crewing, but this seems the most efficient way to run a meta. If I am bringing a meta it is because my crew are all very new and probably struggling a bit, in which case I have the more standard variant because this versions virtues come from constant buffing and chemming, and you aren't getting that out of a crew who were overwhelmed by a hwachafish or the like.

[BlackenedPies]

Make sure the gunner is only up top when necessary. It's important to have full bottom deck buffs on pyra. Hull only needs a prebuff and it's the last buff you finish before going up. In gaps between combat the gunner should be buffing. Buff hull last and only if there's time. It takes about 17 seconds to go down, buff engines, and go up. Stamina down to the bottom and stamina after the last engine is buffed.

Against hwatcha I've tried pre-breaking the guns with lochnagar (main engi). You don't wanna get too close because hwatcha can break engines from the front. We come in leisurely and wait for the hwatcha. After the hwatcha we burn and finish the guns. If you're not charging the hwatcha head on or are against galleon this is unnecessary. A similar strategy is using a side incendiary mine to put fires on the front guns (chem everything else). This is risky but has the benefit that you don't need to wait for the guns to reload like with lochnagar.

The best strategy against hwatcha is to either not get hit or to charge hard and control. With a buffed balloon you have more than double the vertical of unbuffed fish and you should use that (6.88 m/s2 vs 3.25). Start low and burn into them or charge hard and control with your weight. The pre-breaking guns was mostly for testing.