Shishkebab ​​(brought to you by Kestril)

Description

​Bring extra napkins... this cookout will be a reel mess. It's time to skewer, baste, and barbecue certified flanks of select meatbags. Let the fragrance of foes spark your senses. Now we're cookin' with kero.

What makes this special?

​Some might think this rule set is a bit of an overlap with Bumper Boats, but I'd argue it's the opposite: Bumper Boats encourages pilot movement using helm tools and favors aggressive ramming while Shishkebab encourages more conservative maneuvers relying on the crew using the ship's Harpoons and makes ramming more dangerous and a risk to positioning (because of the banned helm tools). Furthermore, Shishkebab allows pilots more freedom with helm tool selection (beyond the required Tar Barrel and the banned Phoenix Claw/Moonshine) and might result in a much more vertical battle, especially to escape the tar clouds.

Appropriate Map Modes

-​Deathmatch
-King of the Hill
-Crazy King
-VIP Deathmatch
-1-Team Brawl
-2-Team Brawl

Ships Allowed/Required

Required:
​-Pyramidion

Ships Prohibited

All except above

Weapons Allowed/Required

Required:
-Javelin Light Harpoon Gun (Quantity: 2)
-Dragon Tongue Flamerthrower (Quantity: 2)

Slots 1 and 2 must have one of each gun. Slots 3 and 4 must have one of each gun. 

Weapons Prohibited

All except above

Classes Allowed/Required

​1st Slot: Pilot
2nd Slot: Gunner
3rd & 4th Slots: Engineers

Classes Prohibited

​None

Pilot Tools Allowed/Required

Required:
-Kerosene

Pilot Tools Prohibited

-Moonshine
​-Tar Barrel

Repair Tools Allowed/Required

Allowed:
-Chemical Spray (Quantity: 1)

Repair Tools Prohibited

None

Ammunition Types Allowed/Required

Allowed:
-Incendiary
-Heatsink
-Charged
-Lesmok

Ammunition Types Prohibited

All except above

Tips and Strategies

​Gunners are required to bring Incendiary, Heatsink, Charged, and Lesmok (choose 3), but Engineers and Pilots can only choose one of these ammo types. Each ammo has a certain purpose. For example, Lesmok allows easier use of the Harpoon and allows flames to travel much farther. Charged ammo makes the single shot from the Harpoon do significantly more damage in order to (hopefully, eventually) break the hull and also causes the Flame Thrower to do more permanent damage to the hull once the armor is down. Heatsink ammo will prevent guns from catching abalze or put out small stacks of flames, while Incendiary will increase the likelihood of setting fires with every lick.

A variety of strategies are possible depending on which specific slots the captain places the Harpoons and Flamers. If the Harpoon is placed by the balloon (slot 2), the Engineer can mount it while maintaining the balloon and assisting the Gunner, who is most likely utilizing the Flame Thrower (in slot 1). That top deck Engineer may be tempted to hop down to the main deck and fire the other Flame Thrower (if it is placed in slot 3)... or perhaps the main deck Engineer (or even the Pilot!) can use it when the action isn't so hot. While the previously described weapon configuration (slot 1 Flamer, 2 Harpoon, 3 Flamer, 4 Harpoon) will likely be the most common, it does have its downsides...

When Harpoons reel in (with right click) after connecting with the main deck of an enemy, the rope pulls taut and will spin both the enemy (depending on the location of the Harpoon impact) AND your ship (depending on the position of the weapon compared to the ship's center of gravity). This means a Harpoon shot into the enemy from the slot 3 emplacement will pull the enemy into a broadside of flames (from the slot 4 Flamer). However, using the Harpoon in slot 4 will enable the ship to execute tighter maneuvers when using a 'pooned enemy to spin your vessel. And if the slot 4 Harpoon will allow the ship to turn quickly to the left, it is logical to place the top deck Harpoon AWAY from the balloon on the right side (slot 1) to allow quick maneuvers to the right. Of course, that puts the Flamer by the balloon when that weapon most benefits from multiple ammo types... decisions, decisions...

Tarbeque sauce--... pardon me... Tar Barrels will play a significant role in combat. While the main deck Engineer is most likely to carry the only Chemical Spray per ship to keep the flames at bay, this won't help when the captain is damaging the engines by actively dropping tar and the enemy is using tar as well. Once the chemical spray "network" goes down (either by ramming, enemy, or friendly tar), the main deck is going to have terrifying flame problems and will likely require the Gunner (at least) to hop down from the top and assist in repairs. Communication will be key, knowing where to move, when to Harpoon (and when to complete other duties), when to reel in the enemy, where to land the shot, what ammo to use, and when to repair.