Head Ons are killing me

[Spoons - SimHQ]

Yes, I realize that they are considered by some to be newbie manuevers when you have no other tricks in your bag, and yes, I agree that if can avoid them, the game's more fun, but I would guess 90% of my deaths are from bandits approaching me forward of the 3-9 line.  I try to avoid getting into head on situations, but it seems almost inevitable for me.

I typically fly the Mustang, but lately have started moving to the Yak.  Any thoughts on a.)  how to avoid them or b.) how to at least hit the other guy?  I try ho's against the offline drones and do equally poor.  Do I aim above the icon, when do I open fire?  

Need some help here.


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John Sponauer
Senior Editor, SimHQ.com
jsponauer@simhq.com

[humble]

1st lets clarify the term "head on", I refer to a HO as a front aspect shot (11 to 1) during the initial meeting (in roughly a co alt position) this is markedly different from a front aspect shot (10-2 in 360 degree cone).

Avoiding Head Ons is fairly easy.

1) when possible eastablish yourself in the lower slot...not much 300-500 ft is plenty.

2) as you close inside of 3500 look for horizontal seperation 500-1000 ft.

Togeather these make for a "down and away" move in the "mid merge"

In order for a bogie to gain tallie on you he'll need to point his nose down and turn into you. You can continue your down and out till 2000 or so to maximize your position. Then break up and ahead of con...not much but get your nose in front of his path. His increasing speed makes a pull up difficult and wastes E due to hi G load...as you close to 1000 or so you can use rudder and higher G's to tighten your pull up and move out of plane...since your climbing you can manuever better while storing some of your E.


Now often a plane will approach from a higher alt and attack your upper front aspect. To me this isnt really a HO. If I think he has a reasonable snap shot I'll chop throttle and break into his pass...if I think he'll miss shot I'll enter a gentle climb and then rev down into his overshoot.

Once your in any kind of E fight, the mustang will often be out turned, especially if your flying 100% on the gas. you'll need to decide if your going to be able to evade by applying your E (normally a late move to vertical that forces con into a hi G nose up position for shot attempt) or counter my reducing his angles. if you can't evade you'll like above...you'll need to come of gas to get your nose around quicker...then decide if you can get out of plane or need to trade front aspect shots...if your going to shoot you'll need to dump as much E as you can to win the nose war...cross control gear flaps...something...then open up early...1st ping may win or force him to evade. once you've got your nose around...unload your G's to shoot...some guys will barrel roll thru HO...seems to work sometimes.

[Westy]

Here you go Spoons:
 http://users.andara.com/~sconrad/hodefense.htm

-Westy

[eskimo]

1. To win a dead straight head on your plane must be trimmed well.  Get it in trim well before you need to fire.  
2. A bouncy nose from a spikey joystick also makes a HO difficult.  Take some time to mess around with the deadband and dampening settings in the joystick calibration set up and get it fine tuned.
3. Set convergence to 500 or more, and fire once you have a solution at 1.5 or under.  
4. Fly something with cannon.
5. After the merge, if you both took major hits, cut the power, put in some big yaw or spin or whatever you can manage to slow down with your one good wing and 1/2 elevator.  Now ride that flaming wreck all the way to the ground... last one to hit, wins!  

eskimo

[Sorrow[S=A]]

And one last piece of (useless) advice.
2 things that f*ck up their HO is :
A: Never be afraid to pull up into the vertical before they do. My rule of thumb is to keep a gentle dive under them and start the vertical merge at 700 yds. No chance of a HO if you are suddenly vertical instead of facing them. Remember my golden rule: never stay moving in the same direction. ie: roll slightly as you pull up so they cannot use the lead angle they fine tuned as they came in.

B: If forced into a HO run because of E disparity. Keep your smallest target to their lift line. Idealy keep your nose above or below them and your wings at 90 degree angle to them. This means you have the least amount of work to avoid their nose and they have to try and line you up with their rudder which is bouncy. Don't forget if you see them firing too accuratly kick your rudder and you will swing the whole plane away from them. As long as your lift line is on their yaw axis your in the best position to screw their shot.

Good luck!

[indian]

To avoid HO = turn
To shoot HO = put gun sight on nose.


Anymore guestions  

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Tommy (INDIAN) Toon
Indians Home page were links to help pages can be found.
Indian's Homepage

[Spoons - SimHQ]

Thanks guys....will give all that a try.



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John Sponauer
Senior Editor, SimHQ.com
jsponauer@simhq.com

[Andy Bush]

Sorrow

That's some good advice.

But on this:

>>As long as your lift line is on their yaw axis your in the best position to screw their shot.<<

I think you meant to say 'pitch axis'. Your concept of aligning your lift vector with the bandit's wing line is the right idea...it moves you away from the bandit's gun line which is co-located with his lift vector.

The yaw axis is a line that runs vertically thru the aircraft (like the lift vector), and the pitch axis runs thru the wings.

Andy



[This message has been edited by Andy Bush (edited 09-18-2000).]