Setting up first merge

[Klam]

Hello.

I'm trying find to options for myself to use on a basic first merge.
Ok, (co-alt/e) this is what I try to do:  The con is 12 o'clock and 6k out.  I have good speed and plenty of room below.  I start a gradual shallow dive at 2k out from the con and gently turn to the right.  At 1k out I will be 500ft below the con and 20-30deg off.  I start to pull up to level the plane, ease off throttle and then bank left towards the con.  At D600 I am pulling up to aim my nose at the cons tail by the time we cross 3-9 line.  All being well, the con has turned and dived towards me and is nose down, gaining speed.  I am full throttle and pulling a hard 45deg immelman to get on the cons 6.

My problem is with the con who is doing the same as I.  We are both trying to get under each other.  If I see this in time I roll wings level and pull up whilst looking back to see where the con went.  This kind of merge is not good for me, I get confused as to what to do next.  Maybe I should just climb gradually and use my speed to gain a bit more horizontal separation instead of pulling straight up.  This just seems to rush me into moves that are dictated by the con rather than patient thought out actions that allow me to stay in control of the fight.

What I'm looking for is a different kind of merge, for when my initial idea breaks down.  A kind of "plan b".  Is there an effective barrel roll merge that I can use add a little more "What's he doing?" and confusion for the con?

Thanks  <S>


 

[Blooz]

Try a nose to tail merge.

I find that sneaking in under an enemy's tail to about 300 yards works quite well.

http://www.savagesquadron.com/dicta.htm

[Klam]

Thanks Blooz.  I read them before.
What I'm looking for tho' is a merge maneuver that is different to the one I use mainly and could be used when the con is nose to nose and co-alt/e with me.

[Blooz]

Read them before but don't understand them yet?

Maneuver BEFORE the merge to bring yourself into a position behind your opponent.

Don't merge nose to nose. If you find yourself nose to nose with an opponent, go find another opponent because this guy that's nose to nose with you knows you're there.

[FLS]

It's annoying when the bandit doesn't follow our plan for the merge. It also makes you very predictable if you like to do the same thing every time.

I suggest you vary your merge, start lower, level, or higher, and go straight in, offset left, or offset right, to break you out of your habit and force you to watch the bandit, figure out what their actions do to limit your options as well as their own options and respond accordingly.

Looking for one plan B maneuver that will work along with your one merge isn't going to be successful against most bandits.  You'll find that your choice of merge tends to influence the bandit's choice of response and this can let you drive the fight. Sometimes the bandit will do this to you and that's when you want to review your film and figure out how they did that.

You have to keep sight of the bandit. Make sure you have your views set up properly to minimize loss of sight.

The training arena is a good place to get a lot of merge practice without actually getting shot down and having to replane and find another fight.

[mtnman]

I'd recommend a couple of things...

One, don't worry about "fancy" stuff like barrel roll merges etc.  They'll mainly bleed your E, and won't do much to actually confuse someone who has any idea at all of what they should be looking for on a merge.

On your "normal" merge, I don't recommend you veer so far to the side, and I don't recommend you ease off throttle.  You don't need that much lateral separation, and as often as not, it will hurt you.  Easing off throttle is a bad idea at this point as well, because your just wastefully burning energy.  I'm not saying you need to be haulin' azz, with so much speed you can't be effective either.  Regulate your speed by controlling your dive instead.  

Timing...  You sound "late".  Ideally, you'll recognize that dot on the horizon as unlikely to be friendly before you ever see the icon, and will have a good idea of whether you intend to attack him or not.  That said, by the time I see the icon, I "know" what my plan is, and will begin setting up my merge immediately.  By that, I mean begin my dive by 5.5k out.  That gives me some options when it comes to dive degree, and therefore speed.  I want to be "level" by 2k out, and under my opponent, just slightly to one side (so he'd need to kick rudder for a shot on me).  By 1.5k out, I'm already coming back up at his tail.  My "intention" is to come up as close behind him as possible.  Ideally, he'll be diving in while I'm coming up at him.  Most guys will pull an immelmann as they pass at the merge, regardless of whether it's a good option for them.

In the case above, being below your opponent with speed is an advantage.  Pulling up aiming at a point right behind your opponent (essentially beginning your immelmann) as he dives at you prior to beginning his own immelmann is an advantage (you've already begun yours, he hasn't).  He's also "following" your lead, which is another advantage (you're dictating the fight).  Done perfectly, with a willing opponent, you'll come over the top of your immelmann, pointing slightly nose down, and have a shot right into his cockpit as he's still going up in his immelmann.  Done not quite as well, you'll be able to dive slightly, and pull up onto his six as he comes over the top of his immelmann.

Back to your initial merge description...  AS you see he's doing what you're doing you roll level and pull up...  That sounds suicidal.  All he needs to do is pull up onto your six.

In the case where the other guy does what you're trying to do, there are a few options I use.  

One, beat him at the game, by starting my dive further out, and getting under him anyway.  

Two, let him "win" the low position (but don't make it obvious, act like you want it too).  As he passes you, pull up just slightly (10 degrees or so) so if he's watching, he'll crank into his immelmann.  Then you just continue on your course, in a slight climb (no immelmann for you!).  As he comes over the top, bring you nose up gradually, and draw him into a rope.  He follows you up, stalls below you and you come over the top and shoot him.  If he won't follow you up, you now have the alt advantage and can attack from above (this is also a useful trick to get a faster plane to commit to burning a bunch of his E).  

Three, trick him into taking a bad merge (riskiest choice).  Do this by simply letting him "win" the low position again, and then doing a flat around turn to the left.  While he's doing his immelmann (and likely near blackout with no vis on you) you're flying a flat 1/2 circle at your merge height (you MUST stay below him for this.  You also want to came around as fast as you can, but retain as much speed as possible- merge number two is coming up!).  As he comes to the top of his immelmann, and reacquires you, he'll point his nose down at you.  Meanwhile, you nose up at him...  Bingo!  Merge number two, this time with you below him and nose up, him above you nose down.  A variation of this is to pull onto his six right away as he dives past you.  As he comes over the top, and dives back at you, he'll almost always pass by on your left.  JUST AS he does this, you roll RIGHT, and pull into a dive right behind him.  This "merge" often works well because as your opponent comes over the top of his merge he's slow, and then as he dives in on you he doesn't have time to speed up much, but tries to pull another immelmann.  It's dangerous though, because that big flat 1/2 circle bleeds a ton of your E, and if he sees you do it he can just zoom way up out of reach, and then attack you from above.  One possible advantage this merge has is that it makes you look like an inexperienced pilot, who doesn't know that a flat turn is a bad merge choice.  This seems to cause lots of pilots to rush into that second "merge", when they really shouldn't.

[Hawk55]

Klam...Mtn is right on.  I've done some training with him and these were some of the techniques he taught me and they do work.  This man is smart & deadly in his Corsair.  I know his work hrs have changed, but if you can ever get together with him for a training session you should as he's very patient and extremely knowledeable.  If you can't, I've saved all my training films with him and can PM them to you.   

[mbailey]

Great write up gents........Hawk if you have them id love to see those films

Thx

 

Mbailey

[Klam]

Thanks again Blooz, I have read and did understand them.  The help I need is when the con does see me, I can't turn and egress  and we are closing nose to nose.
I'm riding the 109 e and f quite a bit and been advised to avoid turning right but now am using Spits until I get myself sorted out with this.  Nobody has told me not to turn right in a Spit.....yet.
FLS thanks for reminding me about the film viewer, the trails help me get an idea of where the con gained his angles.  I also saw that when the con got under me I was rolling 270deg left to get a view of the con instead of 90deg right...duh!  The time I was wasting looking for the con only helped make my moves rushed and ineffective.
mtnman, what you described the help I was looking for.  I will start my move earlier.  The second option is something I started to use but was just turning back towards the con once I got enough separation, never roped anyone ....yet.  The third option you said was to flat turn and then pull up to the con for merge two.  That is something I've never tried but will give it damn good go.
Hawk55, thanks for the offer.  PM me, I would love to see them.

Thanks very much for the prompt and helpful replies <S>

[Drano]

One factor to be considered as part of merge tactics that you haven't pointed out is what plane you're merging with. You say you're flying a Spit but not which model. While all turn well and hold E well some of the earlier models are a bit under powered relative to later war planes that may use their superior energy advantage against you.

I think you're on the right track trying to gain a bit of E in a dive prior to the merge. Just don't over do it. A break away will provide a bit of flight path separation and then breaking back into the target as you pass is also a good idea in order to gain angles initially. Use the verticle going upwards to manage your energy unless you see your target drawing away from you as you go up. This would indicate a rope attempt. Watch out for that. Co-energy doesn't really mean much unless you're in similar planes. Some hold their energy in the verticle very well. A heavier, generally less "turny" plane like a Jug might surprise you when he zooms up and over the top in a maneuver you can't follow because of your lighter weight.

There's no perfect merge tactic as every situation is a little bit different.

Drano

[Scotch]

klam, what's your ingame id?

The next time our unofficial group of pilots starts a 1v1 free for all in the DA I'll see if you're online. It's a great environment to practice merges against a variety of skill levels. And we can tell (and show) you what did and did not work.

[Melvin]

I was fortunate enough to get into one of those informal 1v1 sessions last week with some great sticks. I got a ton of awesome video and have learned as much about merge tactics in that one night, as I have in the last year.

Now, if I can only figure out how to apply those concepts to my flying I'll be in good shape.

<S> Melvin

[Drano]

I got a ton of awesome video and have learned as much about merge tactics in that one night, as I have in the last year.

Bingo! That right there is the single most important thing you can do. Film your fights. Watch the films. Turn on trails so you can more easily follow what's happening. After a while you'll start to see what you did right or wrong or what the other guy did to either win or lose the fight. Films are a great learning tool.

Drano

[Klam]

Scotch,  my in-game id is Klam.  Thanks I'll be sure to look you up.
What time do you usually play.  I'm in UK.
Melvin, if you have any good films?  See you there.

Drano, I was using the 109 e and f, now I use the Spit9 and Seafire off CV's.  F6F for attack.

The replies to my questions have been very helpful.  Thanks guys <<S>>

[Ardy123]

Klam,
Many of us DA occasionally, your free to join us. You can learn a lot.