Help with air to air combat

[Muzzy]

Only thing I can add besides encouraging you to get some instruction time with Soulyss is to read as much as you can.  Follow the links on the trainer's sites and study up on the plane evaluations in the AH wiki.  If a particular plane is giving you grief check its performance ratings against your ride (Doku has a good if somewhat dated comparison program, again available through links on the trainers site) and see what the advantages and disadvantages are.  Sadly, with the 38L you'll find a couple of birds that will pretty much outclass you in everything, but good piloting skill will make up for that.  (and I've got enough 38-produced holes in my cockpit to verify that.)

[Puma44]

Here's a link for some excellent BFM and ACM "How To" instruction.

https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/pubs/folder5/T45/P-1230.PDF

Even though written for modern day jets, the principles still apply to our WWII rides.  Early in the document, there is a good description with graphics of the "energy egg".  Enjoy!  

Check six!  

[Puma44]

Here's an even better reference, courtesy of Jappa52:  http://sci-ops.net/data/Air-to-Air%20Reference%20Text.pdf
 

[Donpost]

Hi all 

Just dropping in to say I'm still in the game  Thanks for all your posts - I have read a lot of the texts you've put up and they are really helpful.

However, I think I'm going to need some 1 on 1 tuition on actually putting the theory into practice because online the fights are far between and the MA doesn't tell you what you did right or wrong. What's the best way about getting some 1 on 1 help? I drop in the training arena every now and then but there isn't always someone who is free to help.

My current tactic in the MA is, avoid a fight unless I clearly have a massive advantage 

[Soulyss]

However, I think I'm going to need some 1 on 1 tuition on actually putting the theory into practice because online the fights are far between and the MA doesn't tell you what you did right or wrong. What's the best way about getting some 1 on 1 help? I drop in the training arena every now and then but there isn't always someone who is free to help.

Best bet would be to send one of the trainers a PM (private message) here on the forums to set up an appointment.  I've recently switched from the training staff to the CM's (event staff) but I'd be happy to set aside some time to go over a couple of the more common MA situations that you typically find yourself in. 

[Donpost]

Thanks I appreciate that. Who are the trainers? I'm in the UK so the time difference might cause problems

[Soulyss]

UK probably wouldn't be possible during the week, that's 8-9 hours ahead of me here (west coast, US).  I don't think we have a UK based player on the training staff, but there are some people based on the east coast which would shave 3 hours or so off the difference.  You can try contacting Delirium, he's on the east coast here but he's been pretty busy being a dad lately so his time may be limited. 

Some of the other trainers include
Morfiend
BigRat
Silat
FLS
GhostH
Rodent57
Rolex
Tequilla Chaser
Rapier

I still have access to the trainers forum for the time being so I'll drop a post in there and see if anyone is free.

[Badboy]

Thanks I appreciate that. Who are the trainers? I'm in the UK so the time difference might cause problems

Hi Donpost,

I'm in the UK so we should be able to hook up.

I've sent you a PM with some times.

Badboy

[Soulyss]

Hi Donpost,

I'm in the UK so we should be able to hook up.

I've sent you a PM with some times.

Badboy

Show's what I know.

[TheRapier]

There is a lot of great stuff in this thread so I'll just add this bit.

If your train 1v1 you get very, very good at 1v1. The problem if you fly in an arena the fights are only rarely 1v1. Even if they start that way they morph. You have to be ready to morph with them.

That means if you enter a 1v1 you have to fly it with the thought of "What if another enemy enters this fight either: low? co-alt? higher?" When you do that, you start to survive the fights that morph on you because you are ready for it. There are lots of great pilots in a 1v1 that get waxed the moment a second bandit joins the fight. It's because everything has been focused on beating the one other guy and now there are two.

IMHO, a really good pilot has the SA to change with the changing situation and not only survive but win and get kills as the battle shifts.

[Blagard]

2) Practice gunnery on the offline drones. Is there any way to make the drones behave a bit more erratically? It's one thing to shoot a plane flying in a lazy circle around an airfield, another thing entirely to shoot something that is trying to maneouvore out of your way!

I am just your average AH user, once in a while if my aim gets even worse than usual, I fly offline to try and get it sorted with tracers on (I fly tracers off in the MA). The thing is don't just saddle up behind a drone. Whilst the tail end shot will show you how much you need to lead a slow target in a gentle turn, that will only help so far. Try attacking from the side and you will soon find that you need quite a bit of lead in anything other than straight and level. In the Main Arena I find that in a tight turn fight I have to pull the nose over the target to get enough lead to hit it. Also the aircraft generally are flying faster in the MA so you need even more lead than you will learn offline.

On the survival side of things, if you do end up with some-one saddled up on your six, remember to jink. Maybe only a little if you are getting away, more so if you are not. The game is not just about shooting some-one down although that is my main objective. Learning defense means you may avoid getting shot down. It also helps you understand how to attack the guy with a good  defense!

As a UK user, I do fly Spits in the main. - You will get Jibes about being a Spit dweeb but just ignore them.

[Agent360]

I do not recommend you follow my advice.

I recommend you follow the proven methods stated in this thread.

However, if you would like to take a more unconventional approach then I have a few ideas.

I am serous..this is not a joke post.

Fly a crappy plane such as a ki61, spit 5 or 109f4. These are not necessarily crappy...in fact they are good...what makes them crappy is the top speed. There are other crappy planes...just pick one. A 30 eny plane is crappy enough.

Fly at 8k or less. Try to outsmart them. DO NOT follow a faster plane into a vertical stall. Break off and dive.

Take off from another base...NOT THE ONE that is under attack. Come in at 8k or less with max speed.

Pick a target and go after it.

Fly your plane to a spot that will intersect their flight path....try to ram them in essence...but fire ahead before...and don't actually ram.

DO NOT go head on with any target...roll out and stay fast.

DO NOT get trapped by a hord....egress to friendlies

Maintain your energy...stay at 5k....egress to 5k and come back.

Altitude doesn't matter...SPEED is the key in ANY PLANE.

Everything is a 4 way stop....run over the curb and crash into the other guy.....meaning fire across the yard.

Cut every angle you can....always always always cut the angle off....fly ahead and set your shot.

FIRE ALL YOUR ammo...if you died with ammo then you didn't fire enough.

Forget about landing kills.

Forget about score.

Forget about the gangtards and hotards...you WILL get ganged and hoed..planes are free. FOR GET ABOUT IT.

Don't fly good planes like the spit16, La7, p51, and others like them.

STAY IN A CRAPPY PLANE.....You wont learn jack until you can figure out how to beat a better plane in a crappy plane.

You Will die thousands of times..it is a fact...therefor you mise well get used to that fact. Expect to die on every sortie.

The point is to learn. You will not learn crap if you fly a spit16.

There is more but try this out first.

Good luck.

Agent360
----Bad bad Agent the badest pilot in the whole dam cemetery---

[Ardy123]

Crappy does not equate to "Clown Wagon". No you will not get better if you constantly fly a zero or a spit V or a brewster. You need a plane that has a middle of the road turn rate as well as middle of the road speed.

[Agent360]

Crappy does not equate to "Clown Wagon". No you will not get better if you constantly fly a zero or a spit V or a brewster. You need a plane that has a middle of the road turn rate as well as middle of the road speed.

preying mantis (ardy) is wise.

crouching tiger (agent) fly with your mind. Do not use a hammer to smash a fly. Do not use a feather to crush a beer can.

Young grasshopper (Donpost)....you must learn to catch the bait before you can catch the fish.

[Donpost]

Badboy - Thanks for the PM, I have replied 

There is a lot of great stuff in this thread so I'll just add this bit.

If your train 1v1 you get very, very good at 1v1. The problem if you fly in an arena the fights are only rarely 1v1. Even if they start that way they morph. You have to be ready to morph with them.

That means if you enter a 1v1 you have to fly it with the thought of "What if another enemy enters this fight either: low? co-alt? higher?" When you do that, you start to survive the fights that morph on you because you are ready for it. There are lots of great pilots in a 1v1 that get waxed the moment a second bandit joins the fight. It's because everything has been focused on beating the one other guy and now there are two.

IMHO, a really good pilot has the SA to change with the changing situation and not only survive but win and get kills as the battle shifts.

This is so true. I have been concentrating a lot on this recently and it has helped tremedously.

The other day in the MA I came across 3 red 109s at higher alt than me. Rather than just climbing up to meet them, I turned away as soon as they appeared as specks in the sky to gain some E and await friendlies. What would be the point in me going 3v1?! Anyway, long story short, two friendlies arrived making it an even fight. I came back co-E, circling and waiting for the 109s to kill their own E and for the chance to attack whilst preventing them from getting a chance to attack me. Patient. Ended up getting a kill and damaging another into RTB without a shot even being fired in my direction.

So yeah in my limited experience, SA and patience go a long long way.