Thanks, V. Everything you wrote makes sense to me. I'd only add, the 109 also ropes well, but it's just because of the stellar climb rate. I too have reservations about this tactic - since it puts a bandit on my low 6 and leaves me mushing at the top, potentially.
But, any port in a storm...
Any words of wisdom on the N1K2? I find it highly enjoyable to fly. My impressions, it's low wingloading and heavy firepower make it nimble in any kind of turn fight. It accelerates better than I expect for something so light on its wings. The only thing it seems to lack is a high top end.
Yes the 109s do rope very well, but that is all about timing and knowing your opponents E state so that you can roll over at the right time to avoid a HO. Roping is all about timing and having just enough E. Also the spiral rope climb is the method I use, instead of going straight up, which cuts the angle off for the plane on your 6 and makes them use more angle to get a shot, which makes them go slower. The Spiral rope climb also helps against planes that attempt to pick you during the rope because you are more horizontal rather than vertical and its easier to get the nose over. It takes some experience to be able to time the E states correctly and perform a spiral rope climb against a plane that is lower with lower E than you, but it is highly effective when the maneuver works right.
The Nik is a plane that takes a lot of defensive skills to be really good in. While it is a very balanced and easy plane to control, it is very slow. This limits the capabilities of the aircraft and makes it harder for people to be successful and land lots of kills with it. It is easy to get ganged in because it cant out run a crowd.
The key to being good in the Nik is to fly it about 12k. This way you can have some alt advantage while also some room to dive if you have to escape a BnZer. The goal in the Nik is to basically jump in and out of a fight from an alt advantage and gain the alt ASAP after you make your first attack. Too many people stick around inside the furball and it makes the nik easy to gang. Notice how 2cmex is very good at defending against planes on his 6, gets them to overshoot, and then pops them with those nasty cannons. This is how to be a successful defensive pilot in slower planes. Before you know it, you can take on 2-4 planes at one time. The hardest part about the nik is that you wont be able to run from trouble, so you have to learn defensive maneuvers. It is a great plane to sharpen those skills. You always have to to try to stay above the fight in a Nik because it is so slow. This plane is really not the plane to use if you are a fast BnZ type fighter because well, you wont be able to zoom away lol. The key is to take the time to be patient to climb to higher alts. The planes is great defensively if you can get 10k over your own base during a defensive attack. The plane also works great against attacking a base with a lot of low cons. Its weakness is fighting 190Ds, P51s, and So on at 11+K and trying to furball with those planes. They will just HO, and BnZ you and dive away when you roll around on their 6. You have to be quick in the low furballs, constantly watch your 6, and use the plane in the correct situation, IE. Get high over base you are defending, dive on the JaBos and bombers approaching the base. Or get high over a base you are attacking and pick off all the low furballers.
The Nik really is a great plane to learn if you want to sharpen your ACM maneuvering skills. It has a great straight up vert that destroys most planes, It has great guns to destroy planes quickly, and it is very easy to control and perform maneuvers in. It will make a you a better pilot to learn to fly it because it will help you develop defensive skills.
So Stay high about 12k, make sure you can get some E and try not to end up on the deck going 220 at the base you are attacking. Its all about SA because you have to avoid the Fast BnZers while also jumping in and getting some kills yourself.
