Strafing and deacking a field with minimal success. Need better strategy tips.

[BLKBaron]

I'm guessing I just got lucky the other night as it was my first attempt on this; deacked an entire vehicle base and got its radar and a fuel/ammo bunker (don't remember which one) all in a single sortie, using only cannon in a Bf 110G-2.

Brought in a goon and captured.

SUCCESS! 

That had been a goal of mine for awhile now and with just under 2 months of flying in the MA under my belt, I don't think it's half bad.

I tried tonight to replicate that same scenario, same plane, same load-out (DTs only) but this time I could barely get 4 guns down before getting shot down 2-3 times. I tried upping in a P-39 (30mm .50 cal, and 37mm guns package) but same held true with that. I really liked the firing capabilities and the maneuverability (although no WEP) of the P-39.

I think it's my approach. I know that if you're inexperienced like I am, it's never a good idea to fly over AAA while engaging a different gun on the field. And also that you have to fight the urge to fixate on the target and not pop off too many rounds (with the P-39s arms, a very short burst with minimal accuracy is enough).

I'm a little confused on the approach angle, height, distance to start firing and when you should break off so to make yourself a difficult and small target to hit. I've tried porpousing while extending out but I'll still get a stray hit. I've even tried barrel rolling but the saturation of lead while I'm closer usually lands a hit.

I'm sticking to guns instead of rockets or bombs for now. My goal is a 2 pass run over a field to completely deack (Or so I've been told that most "good sticks" in the game can do so by themselves  ).

I don't know, maybe the P-39 isn't cut out to strafe. Am I wrong in choosing that crate?

Another problem that I have is keeping the pipper locked onto my target. From very early on, I've always incorporated rudder with ailerons to perform a turn or maneuver (I use a Logitech 3D Pro stick and the twisting z-axis is rudder control) and using rudder to realign the gunsight on my target causes the nose (and pipper) to dance when I'm lining up the target. I'm trying to get out of that frame of mind but it's almost like an instinct. If anyone had this issue and has a success story or a good and helpful idea on how to break the habit, please let me know.

I think those are all my current issues pertaining to this particular goal. May have been luck the first time, I may have just been having an unlucky night tonight.

Either way, you guys are the experts and I've got my pen and paper out.

Thank you.

[Muzzy]

There are several ways to deal with trying to keep your nose steady. For one thing, you might want to try experimenting with stick calibration. Sometimes adjusting your stick sensitivity will help you stay on target.

With regards to deacking, it's very difficult to fly over a base and nail more than one or two guns per pass. The longer you stay over the field the more likely it is you will be hit. I usually work the edges of the field first before going across the center and trying for more than one gun. Also, you stand a better chance of not getting hit if you stay low after your pass....like in the weeds low. That way fewer guns can find an angle on you.

[Bizman]

Muzzy's advice is sound. You might also want to know that auto ack can calculate your path, so it's not wise to choose a direct path trying to get the most guns on a single pass.

As you thought, Lady Luck does her part even here. Not only you may have succeeded finding the optimal route through the random gunning pattern, you might also have got the best Internet connection between you and the server. As you may know, the IP addresses are dynamic, meaning they can change while you're not online. That can also mean a change of hardware your signal is going through, even change the route geographically. So if you've once been successful it's alright to assume you're capable of doing it when all the elements are on your side. Skill is learning how to handle with the less optimal conditions.

[FLS]

Forget what people say about what the good sticks can do. Note what the speaker can show you.

You aim the guns by aiming the aircraft but your controls are not simple gunsight controls. When you use rudder to swing the nose the aerodynamic forces also roll your aircraft. For accurate shots you want to stabilize the sight on your ground track leading up to the target and shoot when it gets there.

Dive on the ack. Speed makes you harder to hit. Set up your run to minimize how many guns can shoot back, as Muzzy said work in from the outside. Don't fly over the field more than you have to. Exit each run on the deck if shot at and pull up out of gun range. If a gun is manned you may be more or less likely to be hit, depending on the gunner.

Practice shooting offline or in the training arena. You can spend more time practicing shooting when you don't get shot down.

Muzzy's advice is sound. You might also want to know that auto ack can calculate your path, so it's not wise to choose a direct path trying to get the most guns on a single pass.

As you thought, Lady Luck does her part even here. Not only you may have succeeded finding the optimal route through the random gunning pattern, you might also have got the best Internet connection between you and the server. As you may know, the IP addresses are dynamic, meaning they can change while you're not online. That can also mean a change of hardware your signal is going through, even change the route geographically. So if you've once been successful it's alright to assume you're capable of doing it when all the elements are on your side. Skill is learning how to handle with the less optimal conditions.

You shoot at targets on your own PC. The auto-ack shoots at you on your own PC. How would your internet connection affect that?

[Zimme83]

Rockets are preferable when deacking. start with guns on the edge do u dont fly trough the fire of the remaining guns. Try to get the fast firing guns first, they are the dangreous ones.

[Wiley]

Be fast on your run.  Go for ack guns at the edges first, and come in diving.  I like to pick one on the far side of the field at an edge when I make my first couple runs.  When you're in range of the ack guns never put your nose above the horizon if you can help it.  I like to come in fairly steep on my attack run, then make the dive shallower aiming the nose at the ground around 2-300 yards off the perimeter of the base on the far side.  Once I've made my gunnery run, I start to jink every second and a half to 2 seconds.  Tiny little jinks, just a quick hard pull up, then a quick hard push down.  The main thing to vary is your attitude up/down, with a little bit of sideways if you get too low and need to put your nose above level on egress.

If you make your attack run on an edge of the field, never turn away from it on your egress while in gun range.  It makes you an easier target.  You want to be always moving sideways relative to the field guns and varying your up/down attitude as you head out of gun range.

The main thing is ideally to be losing altitude at all times when you're within gun range.  It's not always possible, but I almost never get pinged if I'm going down.  It's always when my nose is above the horizon.

Wiley.

[Bizman]

You shoot at targets on your own PC. The auto-ack shoots at you on your own PC. How would your internet connection affect that?

Actually I don't know. But that's the only variable which I can't affect. Some good and bad days can be explained with variations in mental alertness, but if most days are on the worse side I'd prefer other explanations.

I may be wrong here, but doesn't the destroy text message come from the server instead of your computer? Logically thinking the ack would be shooting back until the info packet of its destruction has reached the server. I know about the patented code which should eliminate the effect of ping time, but if I've understood correctly there should be no variation in delay for the function to take effect. Thus a slightly unstable connection might not show as warping but could make you fly against bullets a second too long. But I repeat, I may have understood things wrong.

[FLS]

Killing auto-ack on your PC sends the destruct message to the server. It doesn't need a response AFAIK. If there is a player gunner then I believe the message would go to the server then to the player gunner and the player gunner might have a hit message heading your way. I think that with the OP it's more likely that experience will improve consistency and worrying about connection quality would just be a distraction.

[Bizman]

You're right, FLS, let's keep this simple. Practice will develop the skills to minimize the effects of bad luck caused by any reason. 

[Ack-Ack]

If you have some friendly air cover over the enemy base, I'd recommend taking the B-25H for deacking an airfield.  You'll be able to take out the majority of the guns (except the 88mm) well outside of their gun range with the 75mm cannon.

ack-ack

[Yankee67]

My favorite deacker is the 190F.  Can get 3 guns in one pass regularly.  I start on V fields by dropping a 500kg bomb between the radar tower and the two manned guns, which takes them out.  Then work outside in.

[Hap]

Baron, hope this helps.  Rockets are your best friend when de-acking.  Use the Mark 9US gunsite; it's available under "options."  You will quickly find for long range ack hits low 6 on the gunsite works.  Piddle around offline, and you'll get the hang of it as to how high you have to fire to allow for a rocket's descent on the way to the ack.

Also, when de-acking, un-check the "bump map terrian" box under advanced graphics options.  You can re-check it later when you want to.

Go for the ack with the circular embankments; they are the auto ack; line up on 2 at a time; with practice, you will be felling 2 ack a pass almost prior to it opening up on you.

Then tackle the square boxed manned ack embakments.  Again, line up two at a time.

Good luck!

[JimmyD3]

Best de-acker is the YAK 9T. I can deack a Vbase in 3 passes, most of the time. The 37mm is a good standoff weapon, just need practice.

[FLS]

Here's an 8th AF manual on flak and deacking a field.

Deacking