A Cannon build needs a useful firing angle before it needs another damage bonus. Bring the side of your castle alongside a target, use the broadside when the target is in that arc and move away when the exchange becomes costly. Driving straight at everything can leave your main weapon poorly positioned.
Automatic fire attacks nearby enemies; the active ability fires a broadside.
Open Cannon properties →Present your side to the target
Choose a manageable enemy with room beside it. Approach on a route that lets your side weapons face the enemy, then watch whether automatic shots connect. Avoid testing the angle while squeezed between several fortresses: you need enough room to correct the turn.
If the target stays in front of you and shots pass beside it, change your route before judging the weapon. A wider pass can keep the side firing for longer, but do not circle so close that you repeatedly absorb incoming attacks. The useful distance is one where your shots connect and you can still leave.
Time the broadside around an opening
- Check that the active is available and identify the target you intend to hit.
- Turn the relevant side toward it, leaving a clear exit beyond your current position.
- Activate the broadside when the target occupies that firing area.
- Watch the result, move out of danger and prepare the next pass while the ability recovers.
If you trigger the burst before finishing the turn, shorter cooldowns may simply produce more missed bursts. Practise repeatable placement first. During the wait, let automatic attacks and your crew contribute where they can.
Separate damage, volleys and cooldown
| Problem | Useful comparison |
|---|---|
| Shots connect but leave the target alive | Damage changes for the attack you are using. |
| Your active is unavailable at each good pass | Cooldown choices and whether you are spending the ability too early. |
| You want to change the attack pattern | Bonus Volley for the active versus Star Spread Auto for automatic shots. |
Use the Cannon upgrade tree to compare those branches. Bonus Volley and Star Spread Auto change different attacks; neither is a blanket upgrade to every cannonball your castle produces.
Choose support for the exposed angle
Archer Crew can provide nearby automatic fire while you arrange a broadside. A back-slot Mine Layer offers another option when enemies follow your route. Choose support because it solves a recurring problem, then reserve enough upgrades for the Cannon to remain your main attack.
For artifacts, distinguish direct cannonball damage from an effect that needs a kill. Iron Bullet increases cannonball damage; Cluster Core triggers an explosion when a cannonball destroys an enemy vehicle. The second effect needs that finishing event, so it is not the same as a permanent increase to every hit.
Next: cover the route behind you with mines →