Snapshots

[sandwich]

  Other than the multitude of people that will post on weapons damage and be like "hurr, why cant I get snapshots? why you change the damage model HT? WHY SECRETLY CHANGE THE DAMAGE MODEL ON ME?!"

I realize the reason I dont get kills on snapshots is because I'm doing something wrong.

I see people all the time get snapshot kills, see videos of it, see other people using the same plane get snapshot kills, so obviously it can be done.

So what am I doing wrong? Is it like a convergance issue or what? Am I not firing early enough?

[Scotch]

Generally it's a matter of putting enough fire power on the target. What plane and weapons package do you use the most?

[sandwich]

Mossie

A-20

P-38L

Spit Mk IX

Heavy guns, mostly based on the nose. Idk why I cant get a successful snapshot.

[Scotch]

Okay, yes those are all pretty big gun packages, but they do require you to put a good burst into the enemy plane to achieve an instant kill, where as a lot of guys, including me (when I flew), are able to get away with quick snapshots by using the 30mm armed birds. With these planes you listed it is generally better to try and "saddle up" on your enemy and wait for a good guns solution. It can take a good 1 second burst of .50cal ammo to take down a plane. So, back to snapshots, while you may not be getting the instant kills you're looking for, you are hopefully inflicting some serious damage that will accumulate to a kill on your next solution.

I don't feel like inundating you with a wall of text, so let's go down the list so to speak.

Obviously the first, and most important factor, is your ability to hit the target in one concentrated spot. Aiming for a wing is probably the best place to put your bullets if they present that profile. If you get a side profile, well, head to tail, aiming for his nose. Since most of your planes use nose mounted guns, convergence is not such an issue, but do try to have them all set at or about the same distance. For the spit, be sure to have convergence set in your general firing range. 300yds is generally what I use for 50cal/20mm.

What distance do you tend to find yourself taking snapshots?
How much time do you generally give yourself when setting up shots?
Do you fire all your guns at once?
Do you know you're hitting with the 20mm and not just the .303's in the Mossie for example?

[Amaazee]

Whenever I attempt a snapshot I always make sure I am in a plane with some kinda E. The best way I have found of doing a snapshot is when they pull up in their BnZ at about D-600, I fire, and it just about always work.

I actually pulled one off on KaZan at about D-800 with NIKI cannon with convergence set at 600. I guess snapshot's are all based on timing and amount of E you have.

[sandwich]

What distance do you tend to find yourself taking snapshots?
How much time do you generally give yourself when setting up shots?
Do you fire all your guns at once?
Do you know you're hitting with the 20mm and not just the .303's in the Mossie for example?

At mostly D200 D400 ish

Not alot of time. See him making a move where I think he'll pass in front of my nose, chop throttle, prepare to fire.

I want that plane to be gone asap, I fire away with all I got.

Well, I'm at such a close range usually, and the cannon have such high muzzle velocity, if the cannons arent hitting, then he's got a magical forcefield thing going on. lol.

[ImADot]

As the victim of many snapshots, it's usually a round to the head that gets me.  Some guys are scary good at giving you a pilot wound or outright pilot kill.

[Ghosth]

Here is an analogy that I've used for years to help people grasp the concept.

Pretend your standing by the interstate highway with your garden hose.
Your trying to hit the car's wizzing past by aiming at the cars. But man those cars are moving, we talking autobahn, 150 mph and up. So you aim your hose at the car, and then try to correct your lead forward, and your hitting behind the car 90% of the time.


Instead pick a point well out in front of the car, put the stream of water into the his lane, and let him run into it. If you do it that way they will run into it every time. Now with practice, you can slowly learn to adjust your timing, so that you use less and less water to hit each car. (Saving ammo, for the next one)

And your really not concerned with trying to kill them, although if you do it right, that will happen at times. But even if you get 2 hits and knock off an aileron or an elevator, that just tipped the fight in your favor. So if you can set him up for 2 or 3 crossing high deflection shots, go for it. But don't try to aim at the plane. When your lining up the shot in your up forward view and your figuring out which "lane" he is in. That's when you are also figuring out when to shoot.

Be aware that smart drivers when you see you with the hose will be kicking rudder, popping the elevator a notch, anything to try to get themselves out of the "lane" they were in. Because they know the waters coming. And it just takes a small change to make it much much harder to hit them.
Any small correction out of plane will rob you of that crossing shot. So when they see you bringing your nose around watch for them to try to duck.

[awrabbit]

The snapshot is all about timing.  which my terrible gunnery/timing does not allow me to take advantage.   

I see the  chance for the snapshot  as plain as day think I have shot set up, Fire and Miss ! Crappy timing !
There are some pilots here that have very good gunnery and timing, They get those instant kills.
When I get this all put together I feel that I will do much better.
 I always find myself firing all around the target even if I am saddled up.  So, crap gunnery + crap timing = very few kills and even less of a chance for  a snapshot. both go hand in hand. 

Practice is the only cure ! I think my bad gunnery is the single most thing that gets me killed more than anything else that I do in the game.

Your mileage will vary, but gunnery is my biggest weak point. 

[Belial]

You said you like to fly the P38 and the Mossie.

Both of these planes have a view over the nose thats a real advantage.  Try paging up all the way and hitting F-10 to save head position, then use your cursor as your gunsight.

This way you can make those snapshots much easier because they dont dissapear under your nose.

Like Ghost said...at first use as much ammo as you need....take the mossie and fire a big stream of bullets at a point in the air ahead of the con that they will likely be flying through.  Eventually you will be able to make about 90% of snapshots in the Moss and with a little teamwork can make it home most of the time.