Author Topic: 190 A-8 (Read 527 times)

IHham · « **on:** September 07, 2003, 03:28:44 PM »

Which is the best loadout for the 190 A-8, is it the 4 20 mm, and the 2 13mm guns, or the 1 30mm, 2 20mm, and the 2 13mm? I usually use the 4 20mm, but what loadout is really the best?

Tarmac · « **Reply #1 on:** September 07, 2003, 04:46:41 PM »

That's a big compromise. For every advantage you get, you also get a disadvantage.

The big advantage of the A8 is its firepower. Maneuverability, climb, and speed are found in other 190 models (although the a8 has decent speed).

If you're flying the a8 with just 2x 20mm, IMO you're giving up its biggest advantage (firepower), and taking all of its disadvantages (average climb, poor maneuverabilty, average top speed).

Between the 30mm and 20mm option, you have to examine the guns characteristics. I don't know which weighs more, but I'd assume its the 30mm. It's important to understand that you're losing climb rate, speed, and maneuverability when you take an of the extra guns - I don't think a lot of people realize this.

Obviously the 30mm option has more hitting power than the 4x 20mm. If you hit, that is. The mk108 has a low rate of fire, horrid muzzle velocity, large bullet drop, etc. It's not called the tatergun for nothing. This makes it useful only in dead 6 shots, from relatively close range. The mk108 also has a low ammo load (55 rounds per gun, I believe). This means you don't have a lot of firing time from it, and after its ammo is gone the gun itself is just dead weight.

In a long range shot or a high-deflection shot, due to the difference in ballistics between the mk108 and the mg151/20 you're only going to be hitting with two guns since they cannot be fired separately. That means two guns are being wasted, yet still consuming ammo. Not worth it IMO.

I take the 4x 20mms every time for a number of reasons. All four guns have the same muzzle velocity and bullet trajectory, so if you're on target he's getting a hell of a beating. If one gun is hitting, they all on target (convergence aside). 4x 20mm is plenty of firepower to bring anything in the game down. If I have a dead six shot in an a8, I generally just tap the fire button. Less than a quarter second - plenty to take down any fighter. Sure, you may have to hold on target a bit longer for buffs and other extremely tough targets, but with the a8's ammo load, you don't have to conserve ammo.

I do well in the 190a8, and never take anything but the 4x 20mm. If I want a different firepower option, I'll take a different plane.

MANDOBLE · « **Reply #2 on:** September 07, 2003, 07:52:58 PM »

If you use A8 as jabo (much better than F8), 30mm is your best choice, you can cause havoc at towns with them.

gofaster · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2003, 11:44:27 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Tarmac

I take the 4x 20mms every time for a number of reasons. All four guns have the same muzzle velocity and bullet trajectory, so if you're on target he's getting a hell of a beating. If one gun is hitting, they all on target (convergence aside). 4x 20mm is plenty of firepower to bring anything in the game down. If I have a dead six shot in an a8, I generally just tap the fire button. Less than a quarter second - plenty to take down any fighter. Sure, you may have to hold on target a bit longer for buffs and other extremely tough targets, but with the a8's ammo load, you don't have to conserve ammo.

I do well in the 190a8, and never take anything but the 4x 20mm. If I want a different firepower option, I'll take a different plane.

Same here, for the same reasons. I should add that I use the 190A8 if:

(a) I want to destroy a large number of airplanes in a short amount of time - i.e. lots of snapshots in a furball with small firing windows with no real turning involved;
(b) I want to take the time to climb to 20k so that everything is below me and have some patience and time;
(c) the enemy is sending over the big bomber formations, and I have the time to get above them;
(d) the enemy is sending over large forces of jabo fighters, in which case I want to HO every single one of them because they sure aren't going to try to engage me after the merge.

My alternate plane is the 109G10 with the 30mm nose cannon and 20mm gun pods, which can also be used against bombers and jabo fighters with some effect. The difference is that it seems to do better with engaging targets above me than the 190A8 does. So, one of the decisions is "how much time do I want to spend to climb?". If I have patience, I take the 190a8.

The A8's four 20mms tend to be easier to aim and hit with than the G10s single 30mm and twin 20mm and 13mm, probably because of ROF and ballistics differences between the guns installed in the G10. Having four of the same gun means you don't have to adjust for different guns firing at the same time.

And of course, there's also fuel capacity and how much is available at the airfield and how far I have to go to engage an enemy plane.

Soda · « **Reply #4 on:** September 08, 2003, 05:12:04 PM »

I tend to agree with everything stated so far, I take 4X20mm for anything anti-fighter and use the 2x30mm+2X20mm for strafing structures or if I manage to get some vulch time in. The 190A8 is a much better plane when light on fuel and ammo though, it feels very heavy when fully loaded.

I think the 190F8 is a reasonable alternative to the A8 also as it feels lighter and better handling. I suspect that the HTC help pages, even though they list the weights as nearly the same, doesn't take into account that the A8 drivers almost always add the extra two cannons (be it 20mm or 30mm). That extra weight really does appear to hurt the handling. I've flown some F8 in the last few months and it actually is fairly useful at times. Those little bombs can be used quite well against M16's.

hogenbor · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2003, 02:24:58 PM »

Soda, I highly respect you opinion, what would be a good tactic to attack Ostwinds and M16's AND SURVIVE)?

I tried near 90 degree diving attacks but never got a bomb close enough to destroy an Ostwind, IF I kill them it is sheer luck and with (big) guns mostly.

I'm not the best dive bomber but I manage to hit a hangar most of the time with bombs.

Soda · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2003, 04:11:07 PM »

Thanks!

Attacking Osties/M16is is inevitably dangerous but there are some things you can do to help yourself. Consider:

- Come in steep and weave on the way down. If you do it correctly you can actually move your aircraft from one side of the GV to the other with only a gentle weave. The enemy must move his turret 180 degrees each time though to counter.
- Shoot VERY early. GV's aren't like aircraft that move around, you can actually make those shots at D1.4 so why get any closer than you need to? Too many people continue strafing right up to D400... face it, by D600 the Ostie has already shot you to pieces, your computer just hasn't received the death packet over the net yet.
- Try and just wound an AAA vehicle to start. Don't intend to kill it in one pass, knock out the gun first. Once the gun is out then you can come in close and wail on it.
- Bring the right plane. You want A) lots of guns with decent ballistics AND B) a calibre of .50cal or more. Attacking with .303/7.7mm is hopeless, hispanos are awesome and planes like the P-47 with lots of .50's are also great.
- Don't use rockets. There are fine for the kill shot once you have disabled the enemy but not in the initial attack. Bombs are fine, but set .salvo 1 and ripple them in short succession to spread them out a bit to increase your hit chance.
- if you have a pack of GV's to face, drop WAY early and just try to land some bombs in the pack.

Hope that helps. I tend to try and stay pretty fast when Osties are around as they can hit you out to about D1.5 if you slow down too much (the lead they need to use gets crazy over 200mph). Never loiter around Osties, they can simply hurt you too quickly (like poof you're dead).