Author Topic: My critical error in knifefights. (Read 619 times)

OOZ662 · « **on:** July 13, 2005, 03:45:17 AM »

Enter two Spitfire Mk. V's, head-on merge with no shots fired. Both aircraft loop upward due to a lack of altitude. My aircraft pulls a bit tighter due to my secret technique, and the planes come back down. My energy is just a smidge lower. The fight continues this way until the foe goes for a horizonal manouver.

I usually do a 270 degree roll (elevators nuetral) to throw off the opponent and pull toward him from whichever area of the loop I'm in. It seems like my energy has been cut in half and as I pull around, I have an almost perfect gun solution, but not good enough to get a deadly shot in. The opponent comes around as my wings flutter helplessly and take the fight.

Is that roll really killing that much of my energy? Can I use a different tactic, other than a massive extension, to gain more energy, or manage it better, and come around for the kill?

Thanks in advance.

Schutt · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2005, 04:42:58 AM »

The roll takes to much time, as i understand you do it while vertical? Then you are to slow at the end of the immelman because you went to high up.

I would rather pull the half loop with a 90 degree roll.

With lvl ho merge you mean that you come in at the same altitude and with no vertical separation?

I think its better to have either horizontal or vertical separation and use it somehow during the merge, though i dont know how to use it.

Another point is you can lead turn to finish your reverse before the other guy reverses. That sometimes gives you a nice shot early in the fight, which is enough to finish the other one in spitV. But it brings you close to the enemy and when he s good he can use to his advantage.

You can pull the immelman angled.

I dont know what secret techinque you use, but it might give you energy loss.

You mention that you merge head on so i asume you have also the same speed both. That should be enough energy for you, so no need for a massive extension. Since the other plane is the same an extension will be hard and dangerous since you cant really get away.

When you have much less energy than he has then you lost it somewhere.. so yes better management would put you on or above his energy level. But you dont need the same energy to shoot someone down.

Basically you try to trade in your energy to gain enough angle on him to shoot him down. When you lost more energy than him and didnt get an angle advantage you did wrong.

Another point is that your tactic depends on what the other guy does, you cant figure out an all kill strategy from first to last move.

Especially if you do the same opening strategy (say the first 2 moves) everytime a good pilot will beat you after the second duel in every fight.

So if you always pull tight for the angles he always conserves his energy till hes above your lvl and then finishes you.

So basically if you always pull your secret immelman, where its hard to judge the outcome if you dont want to tell what secret strat you use, he will pull a diffrent opening move and be all over you.

Ghosth · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2005, 07:02:30 AM »

Depends on what your looking for.

If I'm looking for a quick kill or disable I'll pull tight on the first merge, along with a lead turn to try to get quick angles. However like schutt said you need to kill him quick or he'll get you.

If I'm not in a hurry, or if I suspect he may be able to out turn me I'll go for more of a max zoom immelman. Especially if I think I can get above him.
May take a bit longer, but eventually he's going to blow his E & I'll still have some. If I can fly a lag pursuit I'll gain even more in the process.

Instead of that 270 degree roll, you may want to try a different move. If he's coming around on you that 270 degree roll isn't really very hard to follow. And really doesn't buy you much in the way of time or misdirection.

DamnedRen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2005, 07:22:44 AM »

film it and send it to me.

Dead Man Flying · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2005, 09:31:38 AM »

Film and post it here, OOZ. I'm sure many of us would be happy to help you.

-- Todd/Leviathn

pellik · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2005, 01:39:08 PM »

lvl HO merge? Just face shoot the guy and be done with it.

OOZ662 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2005, 08:29:36 PM »

It was a DA fight with a couple friends at 3 A.M. with no HO shots allowed. I'll try to get Thang to let me film it.

Wadke · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2005, 01:51:09 AM »

Anytime u see me in the MA give me a holler. I'll help u out in some merges and that stuff.

Soulyss · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2005, 09:50:58 AM »

holler.

Wadke · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2005, 12:35:59 PM »

Anytime i'm on souly

Love to teach me hellcat brethren