No tracers option - discussion

[Ack-Ack]

I would think the rather steep learning curve would turn away the new player more than being shot down by a vet flying without tracers.

I personally don't fly with tracers for two reasons.  1) in the never ending quest to improve my crappy gunnery skills 2) Because of my crappy gunnery skills, I don't want to startle the other guy with my tracers before I get a chance to blow his wings off.



ack-ack

[stantond]

Roger that Ren,

Yep, I aim for the wing tips and that will take them out of the air.  Won't always give me the kill, depending on who else is around but that's not what I am worried about.  Currently I can effectively hit only from the 5, 6, or 7 o'clock positions which makes me very vulnerable when attacking.    Occasionally I can remove a wing tip from below but I consider that luck at this point.

Any information is appreciated.  


Regards,

Malta

[vorticon]

im just to lazy to turn em off.

[Simaril]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
I would think the rather steep learning curve would turn away the new player more than being shot down by a vet flying without tracers.

ack-ack

Hear, Hear!!!!

Learning curve is the hardest part of this game, especially with some pilots having a decade's worth of experience.  Tracers are just a small part of the noob's problems, and are NOWHERE near as important as the noob's generally poor SA.

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
I personally don't fly with tracers for two reasons. 1) in the never ending quest to improve my crappy gunnery skills 2) Because of my crappy gunnery skills, I don't want to startle the other guy with my tracers before I get a chance to blow his wings off


Interesting -- I flew without for a long time, but since last version I've turned 'em back on again to try to recapture the feel of correct angles. Hasnt helped. Maybe I should turn 'em back off again...

[SKJohn]

Originally posted by stantond
Ren,

This is a little off topic, but do you know of a way to turn the lead computer sights on in offline mode?  I want to practice attacking bombers at different speeds and angles (front, below, above, etc) which is not something the TA is set up for.  Not that I can't do this by trial and error, but if there is a tool to make it easier I'll use it.



Regards,

Malta

There is a way to do it, "cuz I have it mapped to a switch on my joystick, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is.  It's got someting to do with going into "arena settings", etc..
If you do a search for it, or "LCG", you should find it on here somewhere.  That's where I got the instructions about a year ago....
IMO it does help you to learn to judge lead angles etc.  THere is also a version for bombs that you can turn on in the same place to help you learn to dive bomb.

[stantond]

Ok,

Found what I was looking for:

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=114552&highlight=lead+computing+gunsite

Turns out I didn't know to 'tab' to the plane intended for the lead computing gunsite when offline.   I was expecting a lead computing gunsite that showed the point of impact of the rounds, much like the rockets and bombs training site.  That's what confused me.


Regards,

Malta

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by Simaril



Interesting -- I flew without for a long time, but since last version I've turned 'em back on again to try to recapture the feel of correct angles. Hasnt helped. Maybe I should turn 'em back off again...

In AH1, I had managed to work my gunnery up to the 18-20% hit range after Leviathn and Shane suggested I turn off the tracers to improve my gunnery skills.  Not bad considering I was at the 3-4% mark before turning them off.  But when AH2 came out, my average dropped back to near the 5% range.  So, I turned back on the tracers and with the first flight with them on, I found myself reverting to old habits of using the tracers to lead my target instead of the my gunsight.  So I turned them back off and have my hit % has steadily creeped up to around the 9-12% range.

I also suggest to any new player that asks me for advice to turn off the tracers so they don't learn the bad habit of leading with their tracers.


ack-ack

[DamnedRen]

Originally posted by stantond
Roger that Ren,

Yep, I aim for the wing tips and that will take them out of the air.  Won't always give me the kill, depending on who else is around but that's not what I am worried about.  Currently I can effectively hit only from the 5, 6, or 7 o'clock positions which makes me very vulnerable when attacking.    Occasionally I can remove a wing tip from below but I consider that luck at this point.

Any information is appreciated.  


Regards,

Malta

It's easy to get ahead of buffs, Just set a good ROC and a reasonable speed and you will end up ahead. Then when you dive in, point yer nose to a point out in front of him. You want to arrive there when he does. Think of it as a form of lead pursuit. You need to be going to that point in space where he will be when you get there. That might have you aiming for a point 1/2 mile ahead of where he is at that moment. Otherwise you end up behind his 3-9 line. As you arrive at that point fire a burst and use yer rudders to keep the hits in the same spot. As you go thru you want to roll to pull ahead and climb away in front again. You'll find your fwd speed/energy will easily let you turn back out in front and climb away for another pass if required. You can repeat it as many times as necessary to get the job done.

IMHO the hardest thing to get done is getting the bullets to hit one spot as you come in. Its the weight (mass) of those bullets hitting that does the damage. Raking the fuelage makes a lot of pretty holes but not much else.

Hope this helps.

Opps, edited to say if ya want a target to practice on let me know and we can meet in the TA.

[Meatwad]

I used to use tracers, but turned them off after a while. Seems I had more luck, plus it was fun in an ostie to peg em out of the sky from under a tree.