Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: toonces3 on April 10, 2008, 02:22:32 PM
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Hi all.
This is something I've been thinking about alot lately. I've been playing about a year now. I've tried most of the planes in the lineup, although I've definately flown some more than others. Still, I think I've given most of the lineup a fair try.
Now that I've been playing a while, and beat most of the total NooBiness out of myself, I think I've developed some of my own style of playing the game. I have my own way of approaching fights and conducting a dogfight.
Additionally, I've come to feel that certain planes just inherently seem to 'fit' my way of playing better than others. What I mean is this: I can up most almost any fighter in the game and land some kills. But, there are some planes that I find much more success with than others.
For example: I have really, really tried to like the jug. My squad, the 348th FG was a P-47 squad in WW2 and so for history sake I've tried to fly and be proficient in the plane. But, I simply cannot adapt myself well to the style the plane demands. I have an idea of how the fly the plane, and I have great squad mates who are proficient in the plane and can coach me through a successful sortie, but I don't 'enjoy' the flight, and I don't feel comfortable in the plane.
However, a plane I find an absolute joy to fly is the Ki-84. I put this plane on and I feel like I can...just fly...without having to manage my style so much like I do in the jug. I spend less time thinking about what I'm doing and I'm flying more instinctively.
Furthermore, I simply stink in 50 cal planes. Try as much as I want, I just don't enjoy success in the pony. I can get assists all day, but I have real trouble keeping those guns on an opponent long enough to get the kill. Cannons are my friend. I probably have more air-air kills, and a better K/D in the Mossie than the P-51.
Anyway, I think that there's a few way to approach this game. The really good players are going to land kills in anything. Heck, I saw SHawk land a few kills in a C-47 the other day! But I think for those of us that are sort of middle ground, there may be a struggle between either adapting how you fly to a plane, or picking a plane that simply suits your style. For me, I think I'm finding alot more success by finding the planes that just fit how I like to play best.
I'm interested to hear how you guys feel about this.
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While you are learning, pick a plane whose strengths compliment your style. Once you are comfortable, start branching out. Your ultimate goal is to be able to adapt your style to match the strengths of the plane. Once you can do that, you will be one of those who can be successful in anything. One of my most recent fun tours was going out and getting kills in every fighter.
Regards,
Hammer
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Lately, I have been doing the same thing toonces. I have been flying airplanes that I just don't usually fly. I have been realy tring the Niki and it ust dosen't seem to fit what I want out of it, even though I have enjoyed flying cannon airplanes.
Now I have tried to fly the F4U1-C. I absolutly love that plane. No matter if I die or land, I always end up getting 5 kills or more. LA's I hate and cain't fly. A6M's I have been flying and I seem to land some kills in them all the time. Hurris and spits can be enjoyable sometimes, especially the MK1 series.
I still love the A-8's and G6, in the DA G-6 is the best plane for me. It is always fun to fly them all, because when KOTH comes around I have a feel for all of them.
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I have style? Uh... OK.
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Main thing is to have fun.
If you have more fun flying any plane that fits you.. go for it.
If you like a plane and want to learn to fly it... go for it.
I picked a plane I really liked and learned to fly it.
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I have a few picked favorites after trying most of them. Although I don't fly anything great in these few I do better than others.
BF109K
BF109G2
Yak9U
F4UA
SPIT 16
A20
B25H
P51B and hopefully someday the P39Q
Maybe these are interesting? Fast? I don't know but they are comfortable.
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There are two conflicting elements at play here...
Familiarity builds confidance and that free's you up to explore the possibilities in that one plane...
"Stlye" is not readily transferable across dissimiliar plane types.
So a guy who "masters" the jug isn't normally going to fly the k1-84 nearly as well (assuming he can even keep the wings on).
As a general rule most pilots do better in planes that exploit an in plane lift vector well (think T&B). It's a bit harder to learn planes that require more out of plane manuevers to succeed. The 2nd factor is planes that are what I call "tip stable" on the edge (read hard to stall a wing) allow more aggressive moves to achieve a shot and are a better gun platform. Thats why the Hurricane is so deadly. It makes an average pilot uber and requires almost no "thinking"...
Now once you get a feel for the benifits of "out of plane" & "stall a tip" the tremendous 3 dimensional capabilities of some of the "lesser" birds become stellar. To a degree I uae the combination pretty well in the A-20. As i'm continueing to brush up my "DA game" again its amazing how much importance the high AoA, low speed touch plays even in phone booth fights. The guy who can get even 75ft of vertical with a tip stall (and control it) while on the edge has a huge edge...you just cant fly a plane "around" as fast as it can be "flipped".
So to try and answer your question there is a steep learning curve and progression comes in stages. The Jug is a very hard plane to learn early. The Ki-84 is a monster in good hands. I'd focus on the 109F4 as a good plane to learn the combination of verticals/throttle/flap & rudder. A well flown 109F can kill anything it finds (or that finds it) unless the other guy is a top notch stick. It also is very adaptable and you can learn alot of ways to fly one plane.
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I think you speak to a couple of things.
There are guys out there who learn a plane and exploit it's strengths even if it's not the best bird in the game. I can think of guys I hate to see in certain birds because I know they can do magic things with them because they've taken the time to learn them. That includes any number of Jug drivers who can do things in it I can't because I don't know the Jug like they do.
Most people like to succeed as quickly and easily as possible. it explains the La's, Spit 16s, etc. If that's how they have fun, who am I to complain?
But I think they miss out on a big part of things by never stepping out of those birds and being willing to get clobbered for a while while flying a less then uber bird and learning how to make it work. For some folks that kind of 'cyber risk' is worth the challenge/reward of doing more with less. Sadly too many are worried about their 'cyber' lives and never leave the training wheels behind :)
Bottom line though, is it's your dime and you have to have fun however you choose.
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I just recently decided to learn how to fly instead of GV all the time. I like the YAK... because of the clear 6 view (which is the only time I really get to see any other planes); so I guess that would be me picking the plane based on my style: dodging while looking behind me. :D
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I tend to go for cannon armed planes, because I can never hold my guns on a target for long enough to get a lot of hits in.
<S>
Yossarian
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<-- makes everything fly like a Spitfire :D
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<-- makes everything fly like a Spitfire :D
Flaming into the ground missing a wing? ;)
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Totally depends on what feel like doing that moment.
Ki84 has definately become my go-to ride. Plays to my own strengths as well, I see why you like it. Good vertical performance, stable, rudder kicks nicely when you need. Guns are crappy, but I don't shoot until i'm 200 out or less. And the gas mileage...LOL. 1/2 tank keeps you in the air for 24 mins. I've flown two sectors on 9 gallons, at 18 K ultra conservative, and landed under power.
I use the Yak9t for tuning up my gunnery. Fly that bird for a week or so, and it's amazing how good your gunnery gets. Don't even use the MG.... just that big beautiful cannon.
For perk flying the Tempest is gold. I jump in one any time they are under 40.
When I'm feeling really frisky....I up a D3A. Not many people understand that it was also used as a fighter and will outturn many rides built late. Slow and ultra crappy guns.... but fun to fly and surprise people in. Got two spixteens the other night.. they thought they could turn with me. LMAO.
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Flaming into the ground missing a wing? ;)
ROFLMAO :rofl
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I think a "flying style" develops over time and experience. I guess my fighting style is a blend of both Energy and Angles fighting, which allows me to switch seemless between both in the middle of a fight. As such, those that run into me can usually tell that it's me at the controls.
If you pay attention to how certain people fight, you can then pick up some tell tale signs that might give away their next move. For example, ManeTMP. After watching him a few times, it became easy to spot when he would try and do a barrel roll reversal. He'd slip his plane just prior to the maneuver and once this "sign" was recognized, it was easy to avoid the reversal and get the kill.
ack-ack
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I've always loved the 109... I always wanted to fly it in a realistic environment... so, once I got tired of the La7 and Spixteen, I tried to fly the 109. Since I had no prior experience, my fighting style formed around the 109... and as I wanted to fly the 190 more and more, I didn't adapt my fighting style per say, but my fighting style evolved, and I now apply what Ive learned in the 190 to the 109 and vice versa.
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If you pay attention to how certain people fight, you can then pick up some tell tale signs that might give away their next move.
Yep, there are a number of people over the years, where I knew exactly who it was after one pass.
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My 'flying style' remains the same in almost any plane. i have offensive(+energy) or deffensive(-energy) stances that remain the same in almost any plane. obviously different planes require different flying to aquire the same moves but my fighting concept remains the same. i know i can do exactly the same evasive reversal kill in a mosquito as i can do in a spitfire; the aircraft are flown differently to achieve the same result. my 'flying style' is based on the principles of math and physics not a certain plane's performance. the grade of an aircraft to me is how well it fits my style not how well i can fit my style around it.
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But I think for those of us that are sort of middle ground, there may be a struggle between either adapting how you fly to a plane, or picking a plane that simply suits your style.
Thats a real chicken and egg situation. Your 'style' develops from what you fly most, and you tend to fly what suits your style. The two are inseperable. I guess it comes down to 'youll be the best at what you fly most often and you'll develop a style which suits that'.
However, branching out to new aircraft which doesnt suit your style should therefore 'extend' your style eventually and broaden your skill base. To start with i think you're best off stick with one aircraft and learn it well - like for hundreds of hours, IMO. Then you can branch out with a solid foundation. Eventually, your 'style' will be broad enough to be truly proficient in just about anything.
If you're finding your style doesnt compliment some aircraft, then i think it just means, you have more to learn :) - dont we all...
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While you are learning, pick a plane whose strengths compliment your style. Once you are comfortable, start branching out. Your ultimate goal is to be able to adapt your style to match the strengths of the plane. Once you can do that, you will be one of those who can be successful in anything. One of my most recent fun tours was going out and getting kills in every fighter.
Regards,
Hammer
Yup, I second this. You can't make a plane do what the code says it can't do. Also, while I agree you can learn to be good at anything over time and with the proper instruction, some people are just naturally gifted at certain things without having to really try. So, if being maximally successful is your goal, fly the plane that suits your natural gifts. When trying to learn something new or something you're not naturally good at it's smarter to select a plane that is strong in that area rather than trying to force a plane not coded to do something to do it, which alot of people try to do...
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Well after watching hours of films of Pilots like Fester BearKats SkyRock just to name a few..i learned ALOT from them.
Plus the hours BK spent in the DA with me teaching me how to fly really help :aok
But one thing i learned is. You fly the plane not the plane flying you.
You can make anyplane do what you want it to no matter what it is
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I make my style fit the plane strenths...
Which explains me tryna fight nose up in p-47 :noid
<<<<--109 dweeb
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It took me years to find my planes... been playin bout 4 now, alittle longer.. and so far mine r
A6M
P-47
Fm-2
i still havent gotten good in the P-51.. which i wish i could, i wanna b able 2 fly it like 0Ldemon does
-BigBOBCH
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I prefer the turny burny type of fighting - hence you'll find me a lot in Hurri's, Zero's and Spits etc - The only downside of those are you cant run away so you have to fight. Rolex, Batfink, Gianlupo, Lengro and the guys in my squad are helping me to learn proper acm (so I dont die quite as fast) and for that, I thank them profusely.
Personally, I fly all the planes I fly the same way........(generally badly too lol..)
Wurzel
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Neither. I fly ANY cartoon plane like I stole it.
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i have the style.........to get shot down! Which plane suits that.........ALL OF THEM!!
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Question:
Did you try flying the 47 with a wingman? Given the extremely low altitude of the fights in AH, the 47 is not in its element... But it can still be deadly when flown in pairs.
When you talk about your style not fitting certain aircraft, what I hear is that you're too reliant on one or two strengths, and not using the strengths that the 47 has to offer. Specifically, I would think about roll rate and what that has to offer. The Ki84 isn't so good in this department, but the 47 is only 2nd to the 190 here.
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I found a plane that fit my style the best.
I always enjoyed turn fighting against agile planes in larger "less capable" aircraft. I found the P38 was the best plane for me. Very capable aircraft but takes a lot of work to learn.
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The "style" mentioned in this topic is actually one of my worst enemies in the game. After roaming the virtual skies for about eight years I have noticed that my tendency is to try and fly by instinct - something I've learned to do by "muscle memory". This is bad. Because by this "habbit" (that constitutes the mentioned "signature") I seem to repeat even the things I do wrong. The most hardest part is to try and outlearn this illusion of know-how by actually thinking fresh and trying to learn from mistakes.
And to this very shallow style of mine, I think 109g-6 is the very best platform. It is a kind of all-around-plane that does pretty well in every aspect other than diving. It's not the fastes climber, it may not have the best turn- or roll rate in the game, but neither it is dominated by any one of these traits.
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I do have to agree that for some odd reason, I could make certain planes sing.
Among them the 110, the Spit 14, and more recently the P39q. Only the 110 was learned with much practice, being that it's the squad's favorite ride.
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my best fighters are the a6m, ki84, ki61, hurricane1, f6f, and fm2. i seem to have difficulty with the other fighters. never the same problem.