Author Topic: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA  (Read 1944 times)

Offline toonces3

  • Nickel Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 799
I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« on: September 15, 2008, 10:52:04 AM »
This isn't a really shocking revelation.

Speed=options=life.  If you have speed, you have options. 

Yes, if you can get into a fight in the MA, you need to capitalize on your plane's strengths. And in and of itself, speed doesn't necessarily buy you anything magical with respect to killing the other guy.

But, speed allows you to dictate the terms of the fight somewhat, and more importantly, allows you to decide when it's time to get out and get home...and then allow you to do so.

I used to think that hitting power was the biggest factor in the MA.  Being able to hit a guy in one pass and decapitate him immediately (like the k4's tater gun).  I'm starting to think fast might be the biggest factor instead.

Provided you want to live to fight again in the same plane.  If you don't plan on landing, speed doesn't matter as much.
"And I got my  :rocklying problem fix but my voice is going to inplode your head" -Kennyhayes

"My thread is forum gold, it should be melted down, turned into minature f/a-18 fighter jets and handed out to everyone who participated." -Thrila

Offline Guppy35

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 20385
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2008, 11:23:08 AM »
Haven't flown much lately, but the last couple times in the MA I was surprised at how few people were down low.  Everyone seemed to be in something fast, and everyone seemed to be much higher then I am used to.  Hit and run, hit and run...usually with numbers as well.  This included the Spit and N1K drivers who in my experience are more apt to stick around and fight.

Just another phase the MA is going through I guess.
Dan/CorkyJr
8th FS "Headhunters

Offline LYNX

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2263
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2008, 12:40:13 PM »
MA seems to be dominated by niki's or runstangs.  The niki's will spray an pray but stay.  Runstangs you literally got to offer them your arse to keep um in the fight.

Yep....just another faze

Offline Steve

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6728
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2008, 12:45:40 PM »
I used to think that hitting power was the biggest factor in the MA.  Being able to hit a guy in one pass and decapitate him immediately (like the k4's tater gun).  I'm starting to think fast might be the biggest factor instead.

Provided you want to live to fight again in the same plane.  If you don't plan on landing, speed doesn't matter as much.

Doesn't the k4 offer the best of both worlds? The tater gun and basically as fast as a 51?
Member: Hot Soup Mafia - Cream of Myshroom
Army of Muppets  Yes, my ingame name is Steve

Offline JunkyII

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8428
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2008, 12:57:54 PM »
Doesn't the k4 offer the best of both worlds? The tater gun and basically as fast as a 51?
A tator is harder to shoot then a 50 and also your 51 has a great dive speed(perfect for running :aok)










not saying you run I have never lived long enough to see that :D
DFC Member
Proud Member of Pigs on the Wing
"Yikes"

Offline bongaroo

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1822
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2008, 12:58:50 PM »
MA seems to be dominated by niki's or runstangs.  The niki's will spray an pray but stay.  Runstangs you literally got to offer them your arse to keep um in the fight.

Yep....just another faze

I really hate having to do that, but it does seem to me sometimes that if I don't pretend to not see them, they won't come within 4k of me!  Those usually end up as some of the worst fights.  Reverse and watch them run off after the advantage is blown.  The only way to get them to come back is to stop chasing and let them get behind you!

At least I'm getting a lot better at hitting my targets after reversing instead of just missing; my improved fps is probably helping that a lot actually.
Callsign: Bongaroo
Formerly: 420ace


Offline Steve

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6728
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2008, 01:07:57 PM »
A tator is harder to shoot then a 50 and also your 51 has a great dive speed(perfect for running :aok)

Uhh you may be right but this doesn't address what the OP is referring to. What I mean is, he was discussing hitting  power and speed. With WEP, the K4 is actually fasdter than the 51. I'm not an expert though, I'm going off charts/data.
Member: Hot Soup Mafia - Cream of Myshroom
Army of Muppets  Yes, my ingame name is Steve

Offline Anaxogoras

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 7072
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2008, 01:19:18 PM »
The K-4 is faster than the 51, but try hitting a maneuvering target with the tater at high speed. :lol
gavagai
334th FS


RPS for Aces High!

Offline Steve

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6728
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2008, 01:21:24 PM »
The K-4 is faster than the 51, but try hitting a maneuvering target with the tater at high speed. :lol

It makes sense what you and junky say don't get me wrong, but this wasn't a concern of the OP. If I'm nitpicking, I apologize.
Member: Hot Soup Mafia - Cream of Myshroom
Army of Muppets  Yes, my ingame name is Steve

Offline toonces3

  • Nickel Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 799
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2008, 01:29:39 PM »
In my opinion, the K4 is the best non-perk plane in the game.  The only downside, if it's a downside, is that the tater gun is hard to hit with.  Some uber-stick is going to argue this point with me, but I put forth that for the average player, the tater is hard to hit with.  But if I can hit with it, then it can be done.

You have to get close.  Real close.  Whites of their eyes close.  Then shoot.  Don't shoot unless/until the shot you take you expect to hit.  Like that exact tater you're shooting you expect to hit.  

The only thing the K4 sucks at is going downhill.  BnZ is hard without hawking your airspeed indicator.  It's not a big advantage to come in with alot of alt to kill cause the plane sucks going downhill.  

But, yes, lots of speed and provided you don't get careless, you can extricate yourself from a bad position.  Tons of WEP so you can out-WEP pretty much anything but another German plane, and maybe the La-7 (dunno).

N1K.  Great plane. But not dominating.  Yes the cannons are scary.  But it's not a superior plane.  It's not fast.
Get in a fight with a Pony and blow all your ammo and/or speed.  Now try to get out of the fight.  You're not going to be able to.

How about that Pony that's running?  If he doesn't turn around, the fight's over.

Last night was when I started thinking about this alot.  I flew an F4U-1A to an enemy field solo.  Only a small darbar, so I figured I could get in, get my kill, and get out.  

I get there and actually there's a 190a8 over the field go-alt.  Go a few rounds, he runs to the ack except, for some reason, the server was porked and the ack didn't work!  LOL. So I kill him.

See another friendly with a spit and La-5 on him.  Light up the La-5, but run out of ammo.

Spit 9 gets right on my tail, along with a Yak-9T.  It's getting really busy.  A hornets nest is stirred up.  Red cons all over.  I reef into a turn and drop flaps and throw out everything that isn't strapped down and start eating up the angles on the Yak.  Yak breaks off.  A green con flashes by somewhere.  Go a turn or two with the Spit.  Spit breaks off.

Nothing behind me.  I egress at 100' on the water, full WEP.  Flaps sucked up.  I'm checking 6, but I look clear.  About 3 minutes go by and then WHAM!  something lights me up and it's straight to the tower.  Some dude got tucked in behind that blast shield, reeled in the distance, lit me up point blank.  

Some speed and I would have gotten away clean.  Without speed, no ammo, no options.  

I'd have been better off burning my ammo off in the K4, then I could have scooted out and walked away from most of the planes back there.
"And I got my  :rocklying problem fix but my voice is going to inplode your head" -Kennyhayes

"My thread is forum gold, it should be melted down, turned into minature f/a-18 fighter jets and handed out to everyone who participated." -Thrila

Offline JunkyII

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8428
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2008, 01:36:53 PM »
It makes sense what you and junky say don't get me wrong, but this wasn't a concern of the OP. If I'm nitpicking, I apologize.
Honestly a pack of any high speed planes can completely dominate a base. One dives in others hold alt,another dives, so on and so forth. This tactic is really fun to do but being the enemy of this it gets really old. Im starting to fly the ki84 and the ki61 because they are both very good movers and pretty fast at climbing, seems to confuse the bnzers a bit.
DFC Member
Proud Member of Pigs on the Wing
"Yikes"

Offline SkyRock

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 7758
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2008, 01:43:23 PM »
Haven't flown much lately, but the last couple times in the MA I was surprised at how few people were down low.  Everyone seemed to be in something fast, and everyone seemed to be much higher then I am used to.  Hit and run, hit and run...usually with numbers as well.  This included the Spit and N1K drivers who in my experience are more apt to stick around and fight.

Just another phase the MA is going through I guess.
I logged on last night, upped a base with red dar, and saw 13 ponies, 6 doras, and 4 niki's.  I was actually shocked to see the spixteen come in. :rolleyes:

Triton28 - "...his stats suggest he has a healthy combination of suck and sissy!"

Offline Lusche

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 23870
      • Last.FM Profile
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2008, 01:50:05 PM »
Im starting to fly the ki84 and the ki61 because they are both very good movers and pretty fast at climbing, seems to confuse the bnzers a bit.

The Ki-84 has a good rate of climb indeed, but the 61 is a mediocre climber, barely scratching 3000 fpm at sea level. It's even beaten by American planes like the P-47D40, P-51 and P40E
Steam: DrKalv
E:D Snailman

Offline fudgums

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3875
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2008, 05:57:26 PM »
alt=life at most times

speed second thing
"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27

Offline 1pLUs44

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3332
Re: I'm beginning to think speed is the #1 asset in the MA
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2008, 06:00:25 PM »
Yea, ponies are getting sad. I've seen people I've known for a while try to BnZ me off the runway in a Pony then take off. I dont give chase, but by the time they come back around, I'm above them in my pony. So, I just hunt em down and kill em.  :rolleyes:
No one knows what the future may bring.