Advice from one of the best 109 drivers ever in Aces High.
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT - JG2 ONLY (DISCLAIMER: THE INFO HERE IS NOT LAW USE YOUR OWN DISCRETION WHEN APPLING THESE TACTICS IN A WARTIME ENVIROMENT)
To fly and fight in the Me-109 G-10:
Let’s start with a brief description of this fighter and what it is capable of doing in air combat. The 109 in Aces High I would deem an advanced plane to fly for the following reasons.
1. Poor fuel efficiency and time over the battlefield
2. Small gun package with even smaller ammo load out.
3. Excessive trim input to keep plane in flight
4. Raped climb in version .39 of Aces High; now corrected a good bit in version .46
Now lets talk about the good things:
1. Good energy retention under light handling
2. Good roll and maneuverability when in proper trim
3. Accurate gun package with little convergence, can set at 350yds with no problems
4. Acceleration and Topspeed
5. Unique climb characteristics exp. 2k per minute @ 275 MPH sustained climb
Basic energy tactics in 109:
Offense-
The 109 are an excellent Energy fighter able to use its speed and climb to control the battle. These traits are necessary when considering that you will have few chances to kill the enemy with one burst. My experience with this plane is usually to fly using Robert Shaw’s tactics of beating your enemy first and then killing him. I will now guide you to do this.
Exp: 2 planes are of similar e states have just turned to start the head-on and merge at say 5k. As the planes close the Me109 is trying to get maximum speed so that he has some vertical options at the merge. Also note that when in a 109 never go for the head-on shot, Why? Your plane is flimsy, always try to avoid all enemy fire. Even 13mm bullets can be fatal so don’t do it. Instead come into the merge at a slight angle so that the enemy has to really turn to get any sort of deflection lead on your plane. This is a good thing because if he goes for the shot he bleeds energy quickly and you can parry this attack by using a low g turn either in or against to the grain to throw off his shot. After the planes pass, gently go into a low g immelmann and watch what your opponent does. If he does any high energy maneuvers with the exception of a immelmann to match yours then you will have him in 1-2 more turns (most planes do this high energy bull and are easy meat.) If the enemy did any sort of immelmann then go into extended climb and use that unique climb ability of the 109 to set up another merge attempt after say 3k or so. (If you feel brave you can also do the double imelman which is awesome when it works but is very risky due to head-on shot enemy will take on you at top of immelmann # 1)
So say the enemy did a high-energy turn and I am over him now what do I do, do I dive and attack? No you do not, you go into slight dive toward enemy which usually entices the enemy to try to get a gun solution on your aircraft (the solution is head-on or high deflection usually) You parry just as you did before but you have option of going high yo-yo now. This is where it gets fun. By now this guy should be chugging and you are still misering energy, so now its time to use that extra power. Now just use good ACM to finish the enemy. That’s it…. Simple…. (If for any reason he’s not chugging rinse and repeat the merge tactics after separating, sooner or later frustration will set in and he’ll make a mistake)
Now there are exceptions to these tactics. In the arena its usually gang bangs so try to know where you are at all times and know what direction to escape in…You don’t want to be performing your energy ballet and have some uber dweebstang pilot come diving in on you. I can’t stress this enough..
Defense-
Defense in a 109 is pretty simple in 1 Vs 1 engagements here's why. Roll is good in a 109 combined with the fact that it turns well is even better. Exp. You in a 109 are traveling and spitfire starts diving in on your 5, 6, or 7 o’clock (this happens all the time) after you just blew up someone. Don’t fret stay calm get as much speed as you can and wait till spit is say 700-800 yards (this depends on net lag and rate of closure) and closing for shot. Do a low energy turn to the right or left and spit will start to close even faster, now that he is firing or ready to; quickly barrel roll the opposite direction of low g turn and force the over shot. If he’s smart he will climb out and try to get another shot (back to square one but he has less energy though, so repeat this process) If he is dumb or overconfident he will try to cut throttle/bleed e by jinking and stay on you 6… This is good in a way, he is usually under 300yds spraying and praying. “What ACM should I use, he’s right on me?” I personally like rolling scissors when they are that close, why? Look at it from their perspective, he just botched shot and is now really pissed and wants blood. He will do anything to kill you and you use this against him in the scissors maneuver. Be sure when you do the scissors to make first turn a low under horizon turn and follow with e bleeder high-angle turn. From the enemy’s view u break out of gun solution low and by the time enemy adjusts your energy is way lower and you zip right through his view going the opposite direction ugHH! (If he’s is really good then he will use e advantage to high yo-yo and get back on you 6. So watch for this and cut back into enemy to close angle and force head-on or high deflection shot, at least make him earn the kill don’t just give it to him. If he did drooping high yo-yo then you have a little time to get some speed back and are back to square one with him on you 6.)
Lets talk about Trim:
Trim is the most import aspect about flying the 109. All other aircraft can fly and still get job done even out of trim a bit. The 109 simply does not fly out of trim, it fights you. I suggest mapping trim keys to your hat switch on your joystick if you haven’t already. These helps but use whatever works for you do it to keep your aircraft in trim.
I can successfully take my 109 to over 500 mphs but it takes practice…. And note that if whatever you are chasing turns you must use trim to turn with it. Exp.- if enemy breaks right, trim right to roll and crank elevator up trim to really turn hard, if you don’t, you get mush-omatic turn performance and you will have to catch enemy again.
I must say trim is overmodeled in 109 big time. Historically Luftwaffe 109’s where easy to trim. One or two cranks of wheel would trim the aircraft. Also note that a aircraft in real life out of trim is still flyable and not a deathtrap…
High-tech could make this easier by having manual trim presets. Some say that realism may suffer but I think any ace in any plane would be able to trim aircraft in say 1-2 sec’s as opposed to the 3-4 sec’s it takes in this simulation due to slow trim key times.
Well enough babble about trim…. This will at least get you started in the 109. Also note that these energy tactics really work well in most fighters. Some guy was complaining because I did double imelman in a 190a8 to gain an energy advantage and tap-danced on his head; he was piloting a spitfire. He sweared I had more energy at the merge. Actually I created energy by smart flying. Hope he doesn’t read this tutorial.
More basics and quirks:
Don’t expect to shallow dive escape the 109.. It is very light and Aces High models this; most other aircraft will out dive you. (This lack of dive can be used to your advantage in steep dives when enemy is trying to shoot you. By going steep dive the enemy will gain energy faster than you and give you a chance to out turn him by radius and escape)
When fighting try to keep the fight going up. Your aircraft excels at this so use it’s strength. Always keep enough energy to maneuver incase things turn on you. Exp: on reversals always go high yo yo or immelmann every little bit helps.. Also if you must dive and gain e quickly don’t forget about unloading the plane… Exp: 0-G dive as mush as possible when diving.
Maximize fuel by getting to alt under full power and attaining a good cruise speed; then power down engine by adjusting manifold and rpm settings. (My preference is 2000-2500 rpm and 40 on the manifold)
Use the benefits of the 109’s tight gun package…. Exp: My convergence is 350, that gives me an effective range of 500-700 yds out. Most wing mounted arms can shoot that far but when under their convergence setting they over shoot and never hit the target in the same spot with both wings thus reducing firepower greatly.
Regards,
DoctorYO
JG-2 “Richthofen”
Dunno what happened to Doc, haven't seen him online in ages.
