Flying the Me 163?

[skysnipr]

For some reason I am unable to fly a Me 163 online, it's not that I don't have enough perks, the name just appears in gray and it says "you are unable to fly your plane from this field" if I try to fly it. Now that I think about it, I have never seen a Me 163 being flown around in the MA, or even seen someone land victories in one.

Why would they bother to put the plane in there if you can't even fly it? I think it would be great for blasting formations of heavies that fly over your base at 15k, all you have to do is take off and point your nose up, and in a minute or two you are there.

[zorstorer]

There are only 3 bases that have the 163 enabled and these are usually near the HQ.

[RTSigma]

You can only fly the 163 from the bases surrounding the HQ, where you'll usually encounter high-alt buffs that are bombing it.

[Lusche]

Only 1 base per country has 163 enabled, and like zorstorer & rtsigma said, itīs near the HQ.
On big maps HQ raids are rare unless the "front" has closed in on one countries, so thatīs the reason you donīt have seen any pilot landing kills in a Me 163 (But yesterday I did see several, including mine )

[frank3]

Would be awesome to fly a 163 to a front-based airfield, land and stop exactly on the rearming pad, you'll have another go with it

[scottydawg]

Originally posted by skysnipr
For some reason I am unable to fly a Me 163 online, it's not that I don't have enough perks, the name just appears in gray and it says "you are unable to fly your plane from this field" if I try to fly it. Now that I think about it, I have never seen a Me 163 being flown around in the MA, or even seen someone land victories in one.

Why would they bother to put the plane in there if you can't even fly it? I think it would be great for blasting formations of heavies that fly over your base at 15k, all you have to do is take off and point your nose up, and in a minute or two you are there.

I think part of the reason that the 163 isn't used more often is that its fuel load is pitiful and since you can only fly it from near the HQ, you run out of fuel before you can meaningfully engage the enemy.

[Mustaine]

Originally posted by skysnipr
Why would they bother to put the plane in there if you can't even fly it? I think it would be great for blasting formations of heavies that fly over your base at 15k, all you have to do is take off and point your nose up, and in a minute or two you are there.

exactly why it is not allowed at every base. it would be too much of an imbalancer to the game.

[RTSigma]

Dogfighting against and in a 163 is difficult. Mainly because you're a small target, you don't have many rounds to make snap shots and such, your small fuel supply and the fact that you are very vulnerable when landing.

The 163 is just meant to get to altitude quickly, make a few passes on the bomber stream, run out of fuel usually, and glide back down. I think at max you can get 10 mins out of the tank.

[skysnipr]

Originally posted by Mustaine
exactly why it is not allowed at every base. it would be too much of an imbalancer to the game.

It wouldn't be an imbalancer because it's perked. You have shell out somewhere around 40-60 perks for it.

And since it's really not much good as a dogfighter, it would be used against bombers almost exclusively, as it is currently when you actually get a chance.

Anyway, thanks for the replies guys, I was a little confused about that, although I think it's sort of dumb.

[Raptor]

163s are fun to fly. I fly em any chance I get. They can turn with a spit5 and if things get hairy then high tail it out of there.

[SAS_KID]

If they make em for all bases i got 6k perks to waste.

[Geary420]

Originally posted by skysnipr

And since it's really not much good as a dogfighter, it would be used against bombers almost exclusively, as it is currently when you actually get a chance.

You couldn't be any further from the truth, IMO it is hands down the BEST fighter plane in the game.  Nothing makes me happier than to log on and see that the enemy is near my HQ so I can up a 163 and start whooping ass.  Nothing can outrun it, and when you get it slow and drop the flaps pretty much nothing can out turn it.  If it was enabled at every base they would have to charge 500 perks for them.

[Mace2004]

Gotta agree with Geary...it's probably the best fighter in the game although you certainly need to learn how to use it.  Because it has very little fuel you have to manage it by boosting to alt and then spending most of your time with the engine off.  When you're about out of fuel zoom for altitude and the damn thing will glide forever.  The potato guns are incredible, if you can hit something.  This takes practice....lots and lots of practice, and lead....lots and lots of lead (also helps if you set your forward views correctly).  Biggest mistake I've seen is folks stay way too fast in it (hint, use the landing skid as a speedbrake).  It'll easily maneuver at 80 kts with flaps down and then get you out of a fight with great acceleration.  Best I've ever done in it was 10 kills in one fight, all bombers and fighters in a big old Rook raid.  Was going to re-arm and re-up for more but the damn thing taxis like crap  ;-)

Oh...forgot to mention a strange bug on the 163....anyone notice that the RAT (the small prop on the nose) works in concert with the throttle?  Shut the rocket down and the prop stops....not exactly right.

[Reynolds]

Just thought id say, theres a funny sound pack out there, that when you start an Me-163 engines, it plays the theme from Jaws

[Reynolds]

Originally posted by Mace2004
the RAT (the small prop on the nose)

Whats that for anyway?