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MarkShot's STK/EAW Guide
by Mark "MarkShot" Kratzer
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Straight Down Braked Descent
I use this when my opponent is pretty much directly below me by 4,000'-8'000' and is not running away horizontally. Often when your opponent is directly below, he will tend to circle while flying level or climbing. Occasionally, he may dive to build speed so that he can loop up to engage when you dive down. This approach cannot be used if he is distant or extending away. Here is what you do:
- Chop the throttle.
- Slow down to about 200mph or less.
- Drop flaps.
- Drop gear.
- Note that the combination of throttle/flaps/gear will allow you to come almost straight down without accelerating much past 230mph. Thus, it is almost like riding the plane down with a speed brake. You can come down very steep like this.
- Keep your eye on your opponent using the zoom view. You want to verify that he is circling and be careful if he intends to point his nose at you. You also need to watch his speed. You generally will be spiraling a bit on descent while watching him carefully.
Now, there are a number of possibilities.
- If he is very fast (250mph or better), you maneuver to get positioned on his tail making sure that you will have a normalized energy advantage of 50-100mph. The timing of when to retract gear/flaps and go to full throttle is very critical. If you do this too late, you will have position without an energy advantage, and then, the tables could be turned on you.
- If he is at a good turning speed 200 mph, then work you way behind him. At about 2000'-3000' separation, 200mph, and with 1,000' altitude advantage, pull up the gear and kick in full throttle. This should give you the energy advantage you will need to either maintain position and shoot if your opponent goes up or to reposition by turning at altitude if your opponent goes down. If the fight goes down, then remember not to damage your flaps and do not get suckered moving too fast. Remember, you have the energy advantage, go up and use it.
- Your opponent may have committed himself to taking a shot at you. You will know this by two things. First, you can see him in padlock and zoom with his nose coming around and up at you. Second, you can watch his speed rapidly dropping off on the HUD. Although it may look like you are the target, in reality, you have set him up very nicely.
Quickly retract your gear and go to full throttle. Initiate a flat (level) hard turn or hard turn with a little climb. This will be enough to deny him the shot and further force him to commit to maneuvering in a futile attempt. At this point, his speed should be bleeding off rapidly. He can be anywhere from 80-130mph and nose high. If he spins, then carefully circle around behind him and blast him or saddle up if he is coming out of the spin. If he is simply wallowing nose high, you should be able to turn rapidly around and line him up with a really good shot as he hangs suspended in front of you.
© This STK/EAW Guide is Copyright 2000 Mark Kratzer. All Rights Reserved.
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