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Devils Dragons Reference 10 years 7 months ago #121595

  • Whiplash
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I thought this might help. Thanks SB467

SB467 wrote: maxim [ˈmæksɪm]
n (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) a brief expression of a general truth, principle, or rule of conduct.

Fellow Dogfighters,
I would like to submit the following Dogfight maxims for your consideration. Some of you may remember a similar post from 2012, however I’ve made a few adjustments (and even softened my position concerning bombing) for 2013. I hope you enjoy these maxims and find them useful. As always, I look forward to any responses.

-SB

AIR COMBAT MANEUVERING (ACM)
I strongly believe that the quickest way to earn respect in this game is to demonstrate proficiency and skill at “dogfighting”, also known as Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM). ACM is the art and science of aggressively maneuvering your aircraft to shoot down your opponent. If you want to excel at ACM, here are a few maxims to ALWAYS keep in mind:
1. Never carry a bomb during ACM. Bombs weigh you down and decrease the maneuverability of your airplane. So, if you’re engaged (or about to be engaged) by an opponent, priority #1 must be: bomb’s away! Remember: A pilot who flies with a bomb during ACM is an easy target.

2. Never fly straight and level for more than a few seconds at a time. ALWAYS maneuver by changing your heading and altitude (up, down, left, right) even while transiting the battlefield. This may sound unnecessary, but it builds a strong habit pattern that will save you some needless deaths over the long-term. And during ACM, you should NEVER fly straight and level unless you are finishing an opponent with a short, well-aimed burst of fire. Remember: A pilot who flies straight and level is an easy target.

3. Be unpredictable during ACM. Avoid routines and maneuvers (such as always turning left or looping) again and again. Your opponent will soon catch on. Remember: A predictable pilot is an easy target.

4. Never run away from a fight during ACM. If attacked unexpectedly, turn into your opponent and engage him aggressively. Remember: An aggressive pilot is hard to kill; a timid pilot is an easy target.

5. Avoid going “head-to-head” (a.k.a. head-on) with an opponent. Flying straight and level at an opponent with guns-a-blazing may seem like a cool game of “chicken”, but it is DEFINITELY the best way for a good pilot to get killed by relatively unskilled opponents. Flying head-on makes you an easy target because you are failing to maneuver while under fire. Remember: A pilot who fails to maneuver is an easy target.

6. “Jink” your aircraft aggressively as you approach the merge (which is the point where you and your opponent are abeam one another going in opposite directions—the commencement of ACM). As you close with your opponent, ALWAYS maneuver your aircraft up, down, left, right, etc! It’s difficult to get used to at first (especially when your opponent is shooting at you), but a pilot who enters into the merge in this manner is VERY difficult to hit and often is in a better position to get behind an opponent after the merge since he/she has already initiated a turn. This tactic is a favorite of mine and has been employed literally thousands of times with very good success. Remember: A maneuvering pilot is hard to kill.

7. Always strive to get on your enemy’s tail (his “6-o’clock” position). During ACM, the optimum place to shoot your opponent down is from the rear of his aircraft. After the merge, aggressively maneuver your aircraft with the intent to kill him/her from behind. Admittedly, tail-chase engagements are more difficult to master, but far more effective (and safer) than head-to-head engagements. Remember: Always strive to shoot your opponent down from behind.

8. Avoid a prolonged turning (or looping) fight. Given enough time, when both pilots are simply turning left/right or looping for long periods, the pilot with the better (faster) aircraft will overtake his/her opponent and score an easy kill. If you get into a prolonged turning/looping fight with an opponent and it lasts more than 15-20 seconds (three or four times around the circle), it’s time to come up with a new tactic! I recommend climbing straight up for approximately 10-15 seconds while twisting, jinking, and rolling. If your opponent follows you into the climb, the lack of a static visual reference in the sky (unlike the ground or the horizon) makes it very difficult for him/her to orient and set their gun sights on your aircraft. Odds are good you will survive. If your opponent does NOT follow you into a twisting climb, you will have broken the gridlock of a turning “one-circle” fight and are now in position to aggressively attack your opponent below. Remember, a pilot who flies around and around in a circle is not maneuvering and a non-maneuvering/predictable pilot is an easy target.

9. Fight in the “vertical”. Don’t be afraid to dive and climb aggressively during ACM. Never limit maneuvers to right/left turns, only. Diving is a very effective way to quickly build speed, which increases your aircraft’s rate of turn in this game. On the other hand, climbing bleeds off airspeed, but it can be an effective defensive maneuver (see Maxim #8 above). Climbing is also a good way to prevent flying-past or “overshooting” a slower opponent-- it sets you up nicely to either roll back in from the peak of your climb (HIGH YO-YO) or to complete a loop and get back on your opponent’s “6 o’clock”. I highly recommend mastering the IMMELMAN TURN and the SPLIT-S. Both are very effective ACM vertical maneuvers. WARNING: Do not SPLIT-S or loop toward the ground when your altimeter is 50 feet above ground level (AGL) or below. You will very likely strike the ground before your maneuver bottoms out. Remember: A good pilot aggressively combines climbs and dives with turns and rolls to get a kill.







10. Avoid flying close to the terrain during ACM. I have seen some highly-skilled pilots conduct ACM at tree-top level in an attempt to cause an opponent to crash into the ground, but I would recommend this tactic only as a last resort. Terrain Flying (known as “TERFing”) close to the ground (<50’ AGL) often puts you at a disadvantage because it takes away your ability to dive and therefore limits your ability to maneuver. TERFing also requires additional concentration to avoid crashing into the terrain—it’s best to maintain focus on your opponent, not the terrain. Remember, a pilot who TERFs during ACM limits their maneuverability and is an easy target.

11. Fire in short bursts. Limit your fire to WELL-AIMED bursts lasting no more than 2-3 seconds at a time. Shoot, adjust, then shoot again. Long bursts of fire lasting 5-10 seconds (or more) wastes ammunition and telegraphs the orientation and flight path of your aircraft to the enemy and allows your opponents to quickly determine whether you are a threat. Even worse, firing in long bursts during ACM is a hazard to EVERYONE in the battle space (friend and foe alike)! One pet-peeve of mine is being shot-down by friendlies. Most of the time this happens because they are firing poorly-aimed long bursts of fire. Remember: Firing long bursts of fire during ACM puts EVERYONE at risk. Don’t do it.

12. Do not fixate on your opponent during ACM. Sometimes you end up on your opponent’s 6-o’clock, have him/her in your sights, but you just can’t seem to score a direct hit. While shooting at a poorly-maneuvering opponent during ACM, do not spend more than 5-10 seconds trying to get the kill. Shoot, adjust, shoot, adjust, and shoot. If your opponent hasn’t been hit by that time, break off the attack by aggressively maneuvering up, down, left, or right…and re-set to attack again. A pilot who spends too much time shooting and correcting at a poorly-maneuvering opponent is ALSO not maneuvering as he should. He/she has become an easy target for an opponent sneaking up from behind (see Maxim #2). This also applies if you find yourself following an opponent around-and-around in a predictable loop or circle (see Maxim #8). Remember, a pilot who fixates on an opponent is not maneuvering and a non-maneuvering/predictable pilot is an easy target.

13. Attack the “Ace” first during ACM. When fighting multiple opponents, always strive to shoot down the highest-ranking and most experienced pilots first. They pose the greatest threat to you and your teammates and therefore should be the center of your attention. Find them and aggressively attack them. Once you commence the attack, DO NOT break off the engagement or let them out of your sight until the ACM has resulted in a kill (either you or your opponent). Remember: Aggressively attack the Ace.

14. Fight as a team. Before going into a fight, take a moment to study the names and ranks of your teammates. Chances are you may know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Fly and fight by working together, it’s your best chance to achieve success. Referencing Maxim #13, a simple chat such as “Get SB467” (OK, that’s a bad example ) would get the point across, mass fires against an Ace, and increase the likelihood of overall team success. A better example would be to fly and fight as a section (two aircraft in lose formation with each other). Then, if one teammate gets attacked by an opponent, the other teammate assists in the ensuing fight. Remember: Teamwork!

15. Leaders take charge. This is perhaps the greatest weakness I see among the players of Dogfight, myself included. Senior players should not hesitate to take charge and tell junior players what do to, where to go, or whom to attack. Junior players would do well to follow guidance given by more senior players. Remember: A leaders’ job is to lead.

16. Maintain situational awareness (S.A.) of your most dangerous opponents. Before going into a fight, study the names and ranks of your adversaries. Know when dangerous opponents enter/leave the game and your battle space. Don’t let them sneak up on you (Maxim #12 applies). Instead, find them first (Maxim #13 applies). Ranks, in particular, are important during ACM. In a swirling dogfight, you won’t have time to read names…but the rank symbols are easy to quickly identify. For me, when the rank insignia of my targeted opponent flashes across my canopy, I know immediately who it is! I then maneuver to try and shoot him down. Remember: Keep an eye out for the most dangerous opponents at ALL TIMES.

17. Don’t chat during ACM. Chat is useful to set up attacks and to communicate game strategy. However, save the chat for only those times when the enemy is out of range. Chat is a distraction during ACM and limits your ability to maneuver. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been shot down while typing something that could have waited for later… Remember: When you dogfight—shut up and dogfight!

18. Improve your odds by fighting smart. Don’t needlessly put yourself in a bad situation; ALWAYS fight to your strengths. To use a personal example, everyone knows that I enjoy ACM-- I like my chances against any SINGLE opponent (1v1) in a scrap. However, I OFTEN make the mistake of rushing into a hornet’s nest against MULTIPLE opponents in an attempt to get a kill. This often ends badly for me as I am eventually overwhelmed by numbers. A better tactic for me would be to separate myself from multiple opponents (using distance and/or altitude) and wait for them to come to me. I would then be in a position to pick them off one-by-one utilizing my ACM strengths. Players who like to bomb apply this maxim by masking themselves behind terrain (TERFing) on their way to the target or by flying at VERY high altitudes to avoid detection. Remember: Fight Smart and fly to your strengths.

19. Do Not Spawn Kill. Avoid the temptation to “spawn kill” (camping out over a spawning opponent for no other reason than to kill him/her repeatedly while they’re on the ground). While this may be satisfying initially, over time it will earn you a bad reputation among your opponents. Rather than shooting them on the ground, it’s always better to let your opponent get airborne, then attack aggressively. Note: Spawn killing must not be confused with suppression. Suppression is repeatedly killing an opponent for the purpose of keeping them from attacking your teammates. There is a difference: Suppression wins games; spawn killing loses friends.
20. Fight with honor and integrity.

a. Every once in awhile… let a Rookie pilot get away. We all remember what it was like to be stuck flying the Sopwith Camel or the brown Fokker DrI. So give the “noobs” a break every now and then. Shooting them down repeatedly only discourages them and drives them away from Dogfight.

b. Keep your language clean. Dogfight should be a game for the entire family to enjoy. Profanity-filled chat messages or call signs are offensive and juvenile. Resist the temptation to name-call or verbally abuse an opponent or send a profanity-laden chat. A pilot who can’t control his emotions lacks discipline and honor. Instead, show your opponent respect when you defeat him...either by complimenting him/her or simply saying nothing. And when you are defeated, give him/her credit for the kill. This will foster respect and good-will among the players-- the game will benefit as a result.

c. Don’t whine. That’s a good way to lose respect.

BOMBS AWAY!
I don’t bomb. But I respect other’s who do. All I ask is that you don’t complain if I shoot you down. You don’t like getting shot down by fighters? No bomber pilot throughout history ever did. You’re going to have to rely on creative tactics and teamwork (see Maxims #14 and #18) to get through to your target. Tactics? Teamwork? Hey…there’s an idea!

DOGFIGHT TRICKS n’ TIPS
Here are a few gems I’ve picked up along the way that may help you improve your game:

• Chase the Red Pipper. You’ve probably noticed the red triangle “pippers” that dance around your screen as you dogfight. When they are at the top of the screen, it means that your opponent is (generally) to your front. When the pipper is on the left or right of your screen, it means that your opponent is to your left or right. A pipper on the bottom of the screen means that your opponent is behind you. When chasing an opponent during ACM, always strive to maneuver so that the pipper of your opponent is at the top of your screen.

• If you ever find yourself in a prolonged turning/looping dogfight against an equal opponent, here’s a favorite trick of mine that may help tip the scales in your favor: Fire your guns even if you don’t have the enemy plane in sight. A loop/turn takes about 8 seconds to complete one time around—so fire short bursts once every 8 seconds and watch what happens: Often times your opponent will incorrectly believe you’re about to shoot him down and he will attempt another maneuver to get away-- Be ready for it! Given time, this trick will enable you to slowly gain an advantage and put you in a better position to shoot him/her down.

• Another trick to break a prolonged tail-chase stalemate is to deliberately maneuver so that your opponent sees MULTIPLE Red Pippers at the top of his/her screen at the same time. This can be done by orienting your evasive maneuvers generally “in line” with other blue friendly aircraft in the battle space (as seen by your opponent). If you time your turns correctly, your opponent can be temporarily lured into orienting on the WRONG Red Pipper, and in the 1-2 seconds it takes for him/her to realize their mistake, you gain an advantage and are in a better position to shoot him/her down. This trick is difficult to master and requires you to pay close attention to where your teammates are around you.

• Chop your throttle. This trick should only be used as a “last ditch” effort to get away from an opponent locked-in on your 6-o’clock. I find it most useful when combined with a twisting, jinking, rolling climb. The absence of a static visual reference (like the ground or the horizon) ALREADY makes it very difficult for your opponent to set their gun sights on your aircraft (see Maxim #8); a throttle chop at this time makes it even MORE DIFFICULT as the rate of closure will dramatically increase. If done correctly, your opponent will fly past you; you will be in position to resume max throttle and begin pursuit. On the flip side, the best counter to the throttle chop is to simply execute a loop and re-attack.

• Max Performance Takeoffs. To avoid a slow and lengthy run down the runway (or carrier deck), here’s a trick to rapidly takeoff and gain airspeed: Before takeoff, simply set your brake while and max your throttle. After a few seconds, your nose will begin to drop—at that moment, release the brake and pull up; your aircraft will leap into the air! Then, release your bomb and quickly lower your nose to gain airspeed. This trick is an effective way to frustrate any “spawn killers” lurking overhead.

• Deliberately Crash. Personally, I don’t do this, but it IS a pretty effective way to get back to base and re-arm. It’s a good way to generate high “tempo” in a game such as bomb the carrier/airfield…too bad you have to sacrifice your pride along the way. This trick is also a good way to avoid getting shot down by a better dogfighter. Again…pride is the limiting factor.

• Avoid distractions during play. Dogfight is a game that requires focus and concentration in order to be successful. Accordingly, it is not a good idea to play if you’re surrounded by anything (or anyone) that vies for your attention.

• Good lighting. Glare on a iPad/iPod screen can be distracting during play. Recommend equipping your device screen with a non-glare transparent cover, or if that’s not possible try to find a spot in your home with good lighting, but not so bright that it distracts you while you play…stay away from rooms with bright ceiling lights or open windows. My favorite place to play has table lamps and windows with the blinds drawn.

• Maximize the performance of your gaming system. Over the years, the computer graphics for Dogfight have improved dramatically! Unfortunately, some of the older gaming systems (like mine) have been unable to keep up. The end result is choppy play and “lagging”. So, in order to get the most from my system, I deliberately choose the lower-resolution graphics settings. Smoother system performance (and increased kill ratios) have been the result. For me, good game play ALWAYS takes precedence over good graphics.

• Take a break & get your rest. Believe it or not, the competitiveness and realistic game play in Dogfight actually cause stress to your body. Don’t believe me? Let me ask you: Does your heart rate pick up during a challenging dogfight with a skilled opponent? Do you celebrate when you FINALLY shoot him/her down? Do you get frustrated or moody if you have a bad game? Have you EVER kicked a chair or yelled at the dog/cat after being shot down AGAIN and AGAIN?! This is the result of adrenaline being released into your bloodstream by your (stimulated) brain. A little bit of adrenaline isn’t bad, but if you play day-after-day for hours on end, it can really STRESS YOU OUT and WEAR YOU DOWN. The solution: Take a break from Dogfight every now and then. Walk away from the game for a day or two. Relax. Believe me, you’ll come back refreshed and better than ever.

• Spend more time with your family. Lemme ask you: DOES YOUR WIFE/GIRLFRIEND HATE DOGFIGHT? If the answer is “YES!!”, I think you better put the game away for awhile, my friend. 

IF I WERE IN CHARGE FOR A DAY

• I’d put a FUEL GAGE in the cockpit. That would add realism to the game by forcing players to manage their fuel and plan their flights and egress accordingly. (Nothing says “I screwed up” more than running out of fuel and having to crash land in a field.) Besides, adding fuel management to the game might cut down on problems like “spawn killing” as players are forced to depart the enemy’s airfield/carrier to get more gas.

• I’d re-arrange the aircraft line-up to more accurately align with actual aircraft performance characteristics. In my opinion, the worst-to-best aircraft performance lineup in Dogfight should be:

ALLIES: NIEUPORT 11  NIEUPORT 17SOPWITH CAMELSPADSE-5A
AXIS: EINDECKERALBATROSS DIIIALBATROSS DVBROWN FOKKER DR1RED FOKKER DRI

• I’d give players the option to customize the paint scheme on their aircraft. If not all players, maybe just the top 100?

SB467’s ACM HALL OF FAME
OK, you’ve made it this far so here’s one more topic before I go. For what it’s worth, I’d like to recognize the following players who have demonstrated OUTSTANDING ACM skills against me. In my humble opinion, they are truly “extreme dogfighters”. They have my utmost respect. In alphabetical order, they are:
• bigboss
• Big Tex
• Blue Max
• bomer1
• Bunny Bunny
• CORONEL PATA
• DESERT ROSE
• Dr Dave
• ~eas~
• Godza
• Kero Zen
• Kevy
• Lowenhardt
• McCudden
• Rickenfaker
• Stormbringerfast

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Devils Dragons Reference 10 years 7 months ago #122120

  • Whiplash
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Recruitment
+++++++++++
Our recruitment team is Raptor, Sky Raptor, and Brandon. Since Raptor has a good amount of experience recruiting I would say if Sky or Brandon have any questions please ask him. Please correct me if I am wrong Rap when I make this but the process is as follows:

For New Pilots or Unknown Pilots
-Someone asks to join or we ask them to join and they accept.
-They come to the forum and post that they would like to join and post their in game name and info
-The Blacklist is checked to make sure there are no issues
-They add small [dd] to their name and join the recruit squad
-They post in the factory what they would like for their banner
-We post on our thread any positive or negative experiences with them
-If 3 Dragons vouch for that person they become a full member

They then get the full large [DD] and join the full squad and are pmed the website

For known pilots or ones who belong to a known large squad
-They ask to join or we ask them to join and they accept.* If already part of another squad they must leave that squad first and clear up any issues
-It is put to a vote and majority rules unless someone has an issue with that pilot in which case that must be resolved before joining
-They post in the factory what they would like for their banner
-They become a full member.

They then get the full large [DD] and join the full squad and are pmed the website

Communication
+++++++++++++
We have 3 methods of communication right now: DF Forum, DF Private Messages, Our Website, and KIK messenger. Each has it's uses and what should be posted there.

KIK - We have a lot of members on KIK and it's great! We can all chat real time and say when we are flying and share all sorts of things. This is good when you want to chat to everyone like we are at a Pub!

DF Forum - Good for sharing fun, game stories, life stories whatever with everyone since this is where everyone looks most often I would imagine. Should be treated like a billboard out side our headquarters, what you post here will be on display for everyone in all of DF.

Our Website - Good for all internal matters. Examples are tactics, disputes, provocative photos of Double D dancers, new ideas for the squad, voting, contact info, grandma's secret cookie recipes...the works!

DF Private Messages - Good for talking about very private matters or personal ones where no one else is involved.
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Devils Dragons Reference 10 years 7 months ago #125758

  • Whiplash
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From left to right
Top Row Valor, Top 50, Top 100, 1000 Wins, 2000 Wins, 3000 Wins, 10000 Kills, 20000 Kills, 30000 Kills

Bottom Row Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air Commodore, Brig General, Maj General, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief, MoRaf[/quote]
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