A challenge for the new and oldtimers

[Serapis]

You new Aw'ers will find, like I did when I came over, that the individual planes may be a bit different from what you're used to in AW. I'm not talking the general physics engine -- which is different of course -- but the individual flight models. After a month of getting used to the general changes, I decided to fly every plane (at least fighters initially)only switching to a new plane after five kills.

It was quite a learning experience, and kept things pretty interesting at the same time. The hardest part was sticking with it when flying a plane not particularly suited to  your flying style  -- I always seemd to find Eagler in his 109 when I was out of E at low alt in some p-47     That's where PTs and GVs come in -- a kill is a kill     I did learn a lot about each aircraft and managed to keep a pretty good K/D except for a few days that were like the Kevin Costner character trying to drive across that water trap in Tin Cup. Throw in a country switch every week for more variety.

The Spitfire still suits my general furball style, but it just lacks a little acceleration and speed needed to get the kill or escape in many cases. The Yak seems to bridge the gap between speed and manuverability. As a surprise, the 205 was a sharp ride and the LA-7 is perhaps the closest ride in AH to the FW-109A8 of AW fame (which I flew down low successfully in AW by not letting it get slow). I will likely now fly a variety of aircraft depending upon the situation. I will not likely fly the G6, 202 (a real "Assist" generator) or 190A8 very much though    

Just a thought, and I imagine even a change of pace for some oldtimers looking for something to break up the routine in the MA. Hell, I miss it now that I'm "free" to fly what I like.

Charon

[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Charon ]

[Rotorian]

Originally posted by Charon:
You new Aw'ers will find, like I did when I came over, that the individual planes may be a bit different from what you're used to in AW.
[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Charon ]

Thxs, for the hints.  Do you have a P38 clue rake?  I need to get smacked by it.

[Serapis]

Thxs, for the hints. Do you have a P38 clue rake? I need to get smacked by it.

Rotor  

There are any number of pilots here who are hot sticks in the 38, who would know better than I (Tac and Fester/Citibria, for example). I found a number of problems which have apparently been fixed with the latest update (1 ping engine kills and poor dive brake modeling) and one that hasn't -- the glass tail. A few pings and the tail falls off. P-38s like the P-47 seem to attract a crowd and the glass tail made it a bad ride for me. I suppose if you always keep the enemy away from your six ...     I'll have to try a new five-kill ride to see how much it has changed. Basically, if you keep it fast it will do some useful stuff.

That's why my little challenge approach to the aircraft was so useful to me personally. You get a good feel for the small difference when flying the planes as opposed to just flying a handful of main rides and fighting them all. I'm sure most of the old hands have scored well over ace status in most of the AH planes, but I'm not sure I even did this in 8 years flying AW.

Charon

[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Charon ]

[Vermillion]

Rotor wrote:
 

Thxs, for the hints. Do you have a P38 clue rake? I need to get smacked by it.

Yup.... Don't fly it  

Seriously, the P38 strengths are fighting at altitude (20k and above), or in a Pac only theater where everything is slow.

Two serious differences between AH and AW make the 38 much less a threat here.

1.) One is the magically mystery flaps in AW (Did you know that in AW they actually had more flap settings than the real P38?). If you knew how to pump em,you could loop indefinitely and gain alt. They just don't work that way here, but are still good to get that last little bit of angle for the shot.

2.) The magic anti-HO deflector shields which all planes had, combined with #1 allowed the P38 too constantly defeat the shot until it gained a E advantage and then you were toast.  In AH if you loop into the enemy, eventually you will give him a good enough planeform shot and he will rip you in half.

If you want to fly the P-38 in AH, you have to fly it like a very disciplined Pony driver in AW.

Always stay high and fast. If the fight gets below 15k, get out.

You'll have to know the strengths and weakness's of every aircraft in the game, because the 38 excels at nothing (but is decent at everything). So you'll have to turn fight some, and BnZ others.

In the main arena, it takes a real experienced and disciplined 38 driver to be effective and get home alive. Oh, but the 38 is KING of the Jabo attack in AH.  

[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Vermillion ]

[Rotorian]

Originally posted by Charon:

and poor dive brake modeling

[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Charon ]

Actually, I aint no expoit either.  However, I find this thing compresses fast, even if you throttle back and drop dive flaps.  What gits me is, this thing is supposed to be a L model.

 

Originally posted by Charon:
) and one that hasn't -- the glass tail. A few pings and the tail falls off.
[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Charon ]

Alas, I was beginning to think i had really really bad luck.  Thxs.

[Rotorian]

Originally posted by Vermillion:


Yup.... Don't fly it    
]

But but, I might be halfway decent in another ride.  I think i must have some masochist gene  .
 

Originally posted by Vermillion:
Rotor wrote:

1.) One is the magically mystery flaps in AW (Did you know that in AW they actually had more flap settings than the real P38?).

]

Playing  offline i realised this aint no loopie doo doo looptie place.  Been trying to keep it BnZ, but them all turn and burn genes are hard to break.  Oh, the AW 38 had two more flap settings than a real one  .

 

Originally posted by Vermillion:

If you want to fly the P-38 in AH, you have to fly it like a very disciplined Pony driver in AW.

Always stay high and fast. If the fight gets below 15k, get out.]

But that is boring  .  Will try tho, might be time to change fav ride.

 

Originally posted by Vermillion:
the 38 excels at nothing (but is decent at everything). [ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Vermillion ]

That sounds very familiar  .

 

Originally posted by Vermillion:
Oh, but the 38 is KING of the Jabo attack in AH.    
[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: Vermillion ]

Been blowing up stuph here and dara, ya knaw pork is the other white meat.

Thxs.

[DamnedSoggy]

Originally posted by Vermillion:
If you want to fly the P-38 in AH, you have to fly it like a very disciplined Pony driver in AW.

Pony drivers in AW had discipline?

Wasn't me, I turn fought every plane modeled...

And "hi" Verm, haven't 'seen' you in a long time.  <wave>


[Edit]  UBB is hard!  [/Lum]
And thanks for the tips, Charon, I've been trying to get into new rides this past weekend so I understand what does what again.  Its actually made it more fun climbing into new stuff.
[/Edit]

Rick
Soggy

[ 10-29-2001: Message edited by: DamnedSog ]

[moose]

magical anti-HO deflector?

you serious?

[Dead Man Flying]

Originally posted by moose:
magical anti-HO deflector?

you serious?

Air Warrior limited headons to a roughly 3% probability of hitting for "gameplay" purposes.  At the same time, the game did not support inflight collisions.

For these reasons alone, many former AW players find the transition to Aces High, where both headons and collisions are enabled, to be quite difficult.  The sorts of merges and anti-BnZ tactics practiced in AW just don't work in AH.  It's like having to relearn how to ride a bike all over again a different way.

-- Todd/Leviathn

[Vermillion]

Yup like Todd said, it was for gameplay purposes.

Specifically, if you were within a 45 degree cone off your enemy's nose, and you scored a gun hit, the FE randomly threw out 95-99% of those hits as if they never happened(it was a server adjustable setting).

So to defeat any BnZ attack on you, all you had to do was get your nose pointed roughly at your attacker, and he couldn't hurt you.

Thats why people use to the AW system, get more upset than most about "HO'ers". Since there it is a stupid and usually a newbie move. Basically a waste of ammo.

Plus every merge tactic they ever learned is basically useless, since almost all involved some varient of a fly thru.

[Rotorian]

Originally posted by Vermillion:

Plus every merge tactic they ever learned is basically useless, since almost all involved some varient of a fly thru.

MOM! make the bad man stop.    

[DanielMcIntyre]

I think manual trim is real important in the P38?  I think thats the secret, get real good at manual trimming.  Damn plane compresses / stiffens in level flight for crying out loud.  

BTW Rotarian, everytime i've seen you in a P38 was in a furball low level.  You may have noticed my spit dive past all the other red planes and head straight for you? P38 easy meat for high spittie.

[Serapis]

The headon factor does take some getting used to after so much AW time where it wasn't an issue. They are easy to avoid most of the time, but not always of course. If you see a Hurricane expect it, but then that's about all the advantage that aircraft has unless you get yourself too slow   The Typhoon and N1K2 use the tactic a lot, which is taking the easy way out since they have other advantages to exploit, but whatever floats your boat. The 30mm armed LW rides can also be a surprise.

Don't be afraid to take a HO though, or feel it's "unsportsman like", or you'll be very irritated when the other guy does and you lose a wing   The tactic was valid in WW2, particularly with the big American iron, and in some situations that's about the only option you will have (being vulched by a swarm, etc.). It takes a few weeks, but after a while the new merge environment becomes as natural as the old. And, if you ever see a MC202 heading straight at you, well...

Charon

[Hajo]

There is an "auto" combat flap feature that can be used.   I don't like it, and manually trim the aircraft myself.  Learn to "trim" manually, and you'll learn more about each aircraft.