Hello Kruel,
BnZ is a repeatable move, like a rope or a reversal. It is a move that is only possible with an existing energy advantage.
Energy fighting is a style and one that is widely misunderstood. In fact, one of the most pure forms of energy fighting as it was defined by real fighter pilots was not so much in the vertical as in the horizontal. The ability to utilise a better sustained turn than your pursuing enemy to win an energy advantage from an equal or disadvantaged energy state and only then take the fight vertical to perform the killing blow.
Most people don't ever learn this in this game. Most assume energy fighting is all about vertical advantage. Many assume the simple BnZ tactic is the essence of E fighting. This is false. The essence of E fighting is in gaining the E advantage, not starting with it. I do not mean winning the E advantage on a co-alt DA style merge in the same planes. This is again just a very tiny element of E fighting and one that is only usually possible if the enemy cannot, or chooses not to, conserve all energy on the merge.
If you want to show some real skilled energy fighting then do it starting from an E disadvantage. It is possible and also extremely rewarding.
If you ever change your mind and find the courage to come and fight in the DA/TA with me I would be happy to teach you what I have so far learned about the almost lost art of E fighting. But I fear you will not, because you would hate for your 'I'm an E fighter' crutch to be pulled out from under you as you discover that you know very little about the subject you claim to be so loyally attached to and, in fact, all you are doing is boom and zoom from an existing advantage.
yours respectfully and sincerely,
batfink
S!
Mr. batfink, I do like the way you think sir.
In my opinion, everyone has their own opinion of 'Air Combat Energy Management'. I would like to try to simplify to those that may have not understood your point. Energy Management is simply using your opponents energy to their disadvantage and (more importantly) your advantage. First step would be to gain the energy advantage in a position where your opponent cannot resolve a solution to shoot. Next would be to maintain energy management advantage by continuing your efforts to position your opponent in a disadvantage until a mistake is made for you to capitalize on it.
This can be done via Boom and Zoom, turn fighting (which ultimately would turn into stall fighting), maintaining energy knowing your opponents aircraft cannot based on specifics below and so forth.
There are many factors if you'd like to get detailed, which can be found at this link,
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a092974.pdf. Below are some examples.
*Aircrafts
weight (top, middle, bottom heavy?)
turn-rate
climb-rate
speed velocity
turn/climb-rate + velocity
damage/undamaged (location of damage)
drag
position
etc..
I look forward to meeting you in the game to learn more from you sir. I love and miss these discussions since I consider myself pure energy fighter, which in my opinion is used and portrayed most in the 1v1 formats.
=s=
Admiral
