Nice design indeed.
The pins act as the required fins, and there's still an inpingement effect on the baseplate and, to some extend, up the sides of the pins.
But the proportion of those pins leave a much smaller "fin equivalent". The "Cascade" being the reverse design, the fins are more massive, in higher proportion, and most important: connected.
I'm sure it would be an excellent performer, but I wouldn't bet that it would beat a Cascade just yet.
The main issue I see is that by reversing the design, you have the incoming flow interfere with the second inpingement effect, and adding an almost useless laminar flow parallel to the pins. The secondary inpingement may also end up forming on a plane perpendicular to the baseplate, between the pins, which would be another loss of pressure, without any thermal benefit.
On a scale so small, I'd consider press fitting the copper pins into the baseplate. Got an Enermax around the shop?
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