Another good prang today Ted!

[CFC_Conky]

From now on I'll log onto the CFC ts server when I go online Ted, but I might also go on the newwings ts server from time to time when on Wargrounds.

Btw, the Hanriot is a fine kite but has very poor forward visibility, making it hard to line up a shot  .

Pip, pip,
Conky

[=CfC=Father Ted]

Roger that Conkers.  I joined up with a guy on NW TS the other week and had a very good prang.  He was much better than me, but I was at least able to act as bait/distract people attacking him.

A few things occurred to me after our efforts the other night:

trying to fly together with two different types is tricky

some experimentation is needed to find the best way to fly together and maintain visual contact

if we want to survive we have to be more disciplined about when and where to pick a fight

we need to learn how to make the 2v1 situation count: time the wingman's attack to coincide with target low on E after dodging the leader's bounce

All pretty obvious I know, but the third point is one that I struggle with on my own - I get bored flying around, so am tempted into any sort of scrap, with predictably disastrous results.

[CFC_Conky]

Hi Ted,

A bit embarrassing today, we had altitude on these two Albies and they still handed our asses to us, pretty as you please  .

We did get a few though  .

Pip, pip,
Conky

[=CfC=Father Ted]

Hi Ted,

A bit embarrassing today, we had altitude on these two Albies and they still handed our asses to us, pretty as you please  .

We did get a few though  .

Pip, pip,
Conky

Well I think we have to accept that in SE5, Spad VII or Spad XIII, we have to have enough altitude differential to equate to a "safe" speed differential before contemplating an attack.  Even when you have that, you have to have the discipline to truck on through and only change course minutely to try to get a shot.  With two of us the trick should be (to my mind) that the leader forces the evasive manoeuvre, but does not deviate his own course to try to get a shot, and then the  trail-plane tries to take advantage of a near-stationary target, but without compromising his own E-advantage.

The motto has to be "live to fight another day".  It's just pointless to tangle with the Central scouts in the Entente in-line crates.

[CFC_Conky]

Quite so Ted, quite so.

Pip, pip,
Conky

[CFC_Conky]

By the way Ted, how does one 'Boom and Zoom' in ROF without tearing the wings off? Even when the wings stay on, the 'Zoom' part is pretty feeble, with only a few hundred feet gained no matter what my speed at pull up. The opponents usually have little trouble catching me up and then it's 'hors de combat' for Conky! 

[=CfC=Father Ted]

Well, the way I do it is to not  zoom at all - just blow on through and keep diving.  Seems to be the only way to achieve a safe separation.  Remember to throttle back and close the rad though. Only when I'm pretty sure the other guy has given up or lost sight of me do I start climbing.  For obvious reasons it's best to do this in friendly territory.

Having said that I followed that routine the other day and the guy just kept following at a distance and maintaining his altitude - short of flying off the map, or landing before he could catch me, I was stuffed.

I have seen the vids of Requiem showing how it's done and it looks like you have have to fly incredibly smoothly and efficiently in order to retain any energy advantage you might have started with.  Obviously helps if you can hit the target hard in the first pass as well.

[=CfC=Fitz]

Well if you are flying in pairs, try having one of you stay high and if he tries to follow you up the number two gets a pass. Classic rope a dope.

[John Cartwright]

I say chaps; seems I can 'fly' RoF online without my ping going up and down like Matron's drawers. But was on the 'Aces Falling' server; 'tis a Silly Place'

[CFC_Conky]

Well if you are flyeing in pairs, try having one of you stay high and if he tries to follow you up the number two gets a pass. Classic rope a dope.

Hi Fitz,

True enough, and a little harder than in IL2 because of the poorer visibility from the kites even if you can stick your head over to one side. Also, the Boche are a crafty bunch, usually flying in groups or at a minimum, pairs.

And let's not forget, I'm still a ROF noob! 

Pip, pip,
Conky

[CFC_Conky]

Been having a few decent prangs lately in two-seaters; it's kind of fun to complete the recon missions and the odd bombing sortie. So far the Entente aircraft have better performance but the German gunners are much more alert and competent. Unfortunately some wanker took the gunner's position yesterday and shot the tail of our kite just for fun (his, not mine  ) but otherwise I quite enjoy the bigger birds.

Will be Roffing today at the usual time...

Pip, pip,
Conky

[=CFC=Glue]

about the techniques. i prefer firing with minimum waste of ammo.. if i can get the enemy plane in mid range , i shot a short strafe in him with hope i'l shot at least one reservoir of fuel.. in that case if he will end up in my tail . will not venture too far..or run out of gass

[John Cartwright]

The 'no icons'  Wargrounds server doesn't seem to be running?

[CFC_Conky]

Well, we did much better today Ted  .

Right up until we kicked over that hornet's nest at Popperinghe...

Pip, pip,
Conky

[John Cartwright]

Ah well; had a few interesting scraps but didn't see much action. In fact i nodded off during a long uneventful pootle (well it was nearly midnight!) and got rudely awakened by a DVII's chattering Spandaus