How to make gunslinger followers more efficient in combat?

Suppose you're playing a tech character and want a gunslinger team- Vollinger, Sebastian and Franklyn Payne. They're nice to have around because of the stuff they make (especially Sebastian). The problem is that they are VERY incompetent fighters. They're too weak to use any decent gun, too slow to make more than two-three shots per turn, and almost never use the range advantage the firearms give. So I've got some questions about using gunslingers more effectively:
1)What is the best gun that can be used by a character with ST9? Is there anything better than the hand cannon or Bronwyck's gun?
2)Suppose I give Vollinger (ST9) a mechanized gun (required ST12). Does it slow him down, or does it make him miss more?
3)Are there any other suggestions on increasing combat efficiency of the gunslinger followers, except charged rings and eye gear/helmet of vision? I mean the ammount of damage done per turn- whether by more shots or more damage per shot.

 

Janya is a key player on the tech team. Her potions give +2 ST, DX, & PE. Don't ignore the ST as lowering encumbrance = more shots. The speed & +TH often make the Fine Revolver a better choice than the Hand Cannon. More so the Sharp Shooters Pistol. Try the Charged Accelerator Gun, faster & more dammage than the Fine Revolver, lower MSR & ammo consumption than the Mechanized Gun.

Being on the downside of the MSR curve means more crit misses. I think more regular ones too.

Equip Sebastian with Stun Grenades. He will throw them. He, at least is a very competent fighter. I have seen him throw a grenade, shoot a gun, & switch to a mele weapon in one combat. Take that Elephant Gun AWAY from Payne. You will notice that its falures are a central point of many of his stories, could MSR be why?

And check out the Trapmaker's Spectacles.

On the lowering encumbrance thing. Have a tank. Give him the heavy stuff. Keep the gunslingers in light armor. Leather or Healing Jackets. Don't load them up with 1,000 rounds each. Those bullets weigh quite a bit after a while. Your gunslingers should never be encumbered beyond light. Better is none.

Think about learning a little magic. Agility of Fire, Streingth of Earth, & Illuminate are all handy to a gunslinging crew. You could even consider the Educator Background. (Or a saved game editor.) If they were Apprenticed, it would mean one extra shot each.

 

LOL good one :lol:
Fine revolver as a main weapon doesn't impress me too much- speed and TH is nice, but the damage is way too low. What is the MSR for Charged Accelerator gun?
Also, I noticed that Vollinger can use LGR. The question is if he has enough action points to make at least one shot per turn.

 

I've also considerd giving Vollinger a LGR because he'sbound to hit with it and do alot of damage. How many shots he'll get with it I don't know but consider this the amount of damage that other guns do and ask yourself will that amount to more damage with the LGR? Personally, I think not.

Since theres only one LGR in the game I think I'll invest 5 points into Gunsmithy and equip Vollinger with a LGR (or maybe even a LRP) and I'll be using the Tesla gun with the LGR as a backup when fighting Fire Elementals etc.

 

Actually, I came up with a certain idea today. In the Stonecutter clan you find schematics for "muscle maker", that gives you +1 on ST,CN,DX and BE. If you use this muscle maker and Jayna's elixir of strength on Vollinger, you get the combined effect (I tried it when I wanted to make Raven use Bow of the Ecclesiastes). That gives Vollinger ST12- enough for an elephant gun or even a mechanized gun.
I'm thinking about making a gunslinger+therapeutics kind of character. A combined effect of all ST and DX boosting drugs in the game will probably turn even the weakling like Jormund into a tank.
Oh and what's with all the obsession over the Tesla gun? The average damage of Tesla and the blade launcher is exactly the same, bullets are easier to get than charges. Even the MSR is the same I think. The only difference is that Tesla damage is electric, but its not always a good thing.

 

As a back up it is good, certanly against hard to hit magical critters. The Sharp Shooter's Pistol has + 15 TH IIRC, & a longer range than the FR, but is otherwise identical.

Lower than 8. D 1 - 15, FT 1 - 3, R 15, ED 10 - 10, speed 13.

You always get one shot / turn.