Newbie questions....

[Artix]

Hello all!
  First and foremost this is one helluva game folks! I love it!
 
 
  I've only been playing since Sunday and up untill last night I flew the Spit of course Since I started my life as a pilot its pretty much been like this...takeoff..fly...get shot down.. Ive learned to hate being forced to the deck and getting * low and slow*. Last night I decided to try something different. After browsing this forum and all the links to squad sites I decided to try to do some Boom and Zooming. Grabbed a 109g10 and let me tell you my life has changed! 10 kills last night! That baby can climb!

   So let me ask a couple questions to you guys..
 
   What do you against the planes that are just as fast as you? Especially the dastardly La7s that plagued me all night long. Do you end up turn fighting with them? What I was doing last night when one of those was on my 6 was do about a 45ish degree climb and when they got within 800ish feet rollover, dive to get back some speed  and avoid a HO then climb back up the opposite direction. That would get me some seperation but invariably the enemy plane would catch back up (especially the dastardly LA7).
   
   How much speed are you guys willing to loose when coming down on a plane to get a shot at it? The 109g10 at 400ish mph doesnt respond well, at least to this newbie pilot anyways. If I slow to 250ish then I can turn well enough to adjust my aim but then I feel like I have this big red x painted on my back. Thats assuming I can get it slowed down in time which most of the time I cant.
 
   I guess thats about it and thanks in advance for any replies. I really had a good time flying that way last night. You just have so many more OPTIONS when you have Alt and speed than when you are on the deck.

 Artix
"Bane of La7s"
BTW...can you tell have a deep seated desire to flame every La7 in the sky?

[Soda]

You answered your own question with your last statement, "you have so many more options with speed and alt".

The quick summary for 109G10 vs La7:

1) Don't let him (La7) get you low and slow, break off the fight at an alt where you know you can still use your speed to get away (~5K with WEP).  I usually set my "combat floor" to something a couple of K above this so I can always dive to my best speed.  Even if he's closing on you at 5mph you can usually force a long drag till help can arrive.  The La7 guns are only effective out to about D350 with a steady target.  A friendly with a target in tow usually attracts more friendlies to help.  Ensure if you need to run, run to friendlies, not to the enemy side.

2) Don't pack gondolas.  I never bring them in a G10 unless I'm specifically bomber hunting.  In other 109's I do, but not the G10.  It's performance is already bad enough that gondolas turn it into a dumptruck with guns.  They also kill your top speed I think by as much as 25mph.

3) BnZ.. it's your best attack.  The La7 really isn't much of a turner, but the G10 is far less so (especially at low speeds).  If he starts to constantly turn then you have successfully set him up for BnZ or for someone else who's a better turner to pick off.  Watch your speed carefully, the 109G10 can get away from you with too much speed in the blink of an eye.  Don't dive from too high above in order to start your BnZ if it puts you into compression.  Get to a comfortable alt above the target and then start your attacks.

4) Exploit the La7 between 9K and 16K altitudes where it has no performance gains (it actually gets slower and loses any WEP advantages in that range).  The La7 at 9K will do basically ~400mph, at 16K is doing more like 380.  The G10 on the other hand at 9K is capable of 405mph increasing to 420 at 16K (with WEP).  Even more shocking is your climb rate at 10K (4500/min in G10 compared to only 2750 in La7) which gets even more lopsided at 16K

5) if you end up low and slow it means you are in a world of hurt unless friendlies can bail you out of trouble.  If not, hope your chute was packed properly back at the airfield.

Hope this helps.  

-Soda

[Roscoroo]

I suggest your ready to spend some time in that pesky booming zooming  LA7 . (I feel its better under 10k then the 109 but the advantage goes to the 109 at higher alts )
It becomes sluggish above 12-14k .It compresses and its control surfaces lock up just like a 109 in high speed dives .
Its just capable of shedding and gaining " E " quicker then the 109 .
You will also notice when the LA 7 loses the advantage it has to run away .(it cant stay in a turning fight to long and  stalls violently after a bit )
So fly the LA7 and get to know it and then you will see some of its weaknesses .(remember to have a paw on the throttle for it demands throttle control )

Stay away from the turn fighters (A6M's ect.) for they will do to the la7 as it is doing to your 109  (boom and zoom them or out smart them and get your shot )

Learn the other planes weaknesses and  advantages .You have a long way to go yet ..good luck !

[Artix]

Thanks Soda and Roscoroo !
 
    It looks like my biggest problems was I was starting my runs at about 9-10 k which is where the La7 is strongest. I guess  that explains why they were always the same alt as I when  I entered the fights.

     Tonight I'll try enter the fights at about 16-20k and try to keep above 10k.

     Roscorro I'll grab a La7 tonight as well and see whats been killing me.

 Artix
"Bane of the La7s"

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Artix
BTW...can you tell have a deep seated desire to flame every La7 in the sky?

Try killing one with an A6M. I love doing that.

[Soda]

I always considered the La7 strongest below 7K, any higher and many of the other planes seem higher in the food chain.  It holds it's own up to about 11K but above that it really starts to get badly out-classed.  It really does have a dead performance band between about 9K and 17K though the option always exists to dive away for low alt when things get rough.

Some notes about the La7 for ya.  For all it's strengths it also has some serious weaknesses.  It's not a great turner, barely average.  Anything that can actually turn is going to give it a problem if it slows down to fight.  The guns are terrible to aim with, all over the place and getting hits outside D350 is difficult at best.  The views are weak from the cockpit with several blindspots caused by large window frames.  Also, it stalls as if it loses a wing... the snaproll is very violent.  Finally, since it performs best at low alt, it generally can be found low and is almost always the target of the BnZ style attack.  It's rare for the La7 to hold an alt advantage and still be able to dictate a fight against something like a 190D9, P51 or 109G10... they all realize you are up where you shouldn't be and will tear you in half.

When I fly La7 I actually fear the P47D's the most since I know they will BnZ me and spray the air with 8*50's from D800.... of which you are sure to take some hits and damage.  Plus, they are always packing lots of E hidden in their speed and mass... so will zoom after you in a chase and catch you.

-Soda

[MANDOBLE]

Artix, at its alt, no nonperked plane can flee from a La7 by speed or climb, so you must to kill him in order to survive. If you get into a turnfight with it, the La will convert it into a vertical fight and you are done.
My advice is to try to flee from them, that is, set the La7 at your six with some separation. Then maintain a constant speed a bit above your corner speed and wait. The La will be aproaching fast. At D600 start a smooth scissors, or a wide turn to negate a firing solution. At D400 start violent scissors, slowing down just to corner speed. The La7 will not be able to slowdown enough and will overpass you with little angle difference. Use your corner speed to cut that angle as quick as possible and kill the dweeb

If you fail, you will have a chance to gain more separation.
Each time you have enough separation and you are above corner, use the exceed of speed to gain alt trying to set the combat above 10k.

[SLO]

1st suggestion.....get out of the 109G10....its a buff killer

get a plane where you can learn the basics of offensive AND defensive maneuvers....(suggestion...spit5 or 9)but mostly 9 cause you can use its speed for BnZ and turn fight it.

there's 2 kinds of fighters in here....

1- TnB(turn and burn) which you know....spit5, 9, zero, nik2 bla bla
2- BnZ(boom an zoom)which you learned not long ago...190's, Jug's(most 109's IMHO dependin on alt) bla bla

1st- learn to do both TnB and BnZ
2nd- learn to counter these(much much harder for a newbie)

if you ever have a question...usually look around for the EXP. drivers like mandoble(who just gave you an excellent defensive maneuver ...i'm sure they will answer your question and give you tips WHILE YOU ARE FLYIN.(which is best IMHO)

SLO:cool:
4WING=441 Silver Fox=