Page 16
MarkShot's STK/EAW Guide
by Mark "MarkShot" Kratzer
Table Of Contents Download/Print PDF Version
Boom and Zoom
I refer to what I describe here as Boom and Zoom, but it is and it is not. It is in the sense that you dive and charge at your opponent. It is not in the sense that you are neither expecting or really trying to take any form of shot.
I use this approach when my opponent is not directly below me and is heading away from me attempting to gain altitude.
The execution is fairly simple. Find your opponent and while at full throttle point your nose at him. You will rapidly accelerate to the 400mph range. Be careful, not to damage your plane or go out of control.
Your opponent may respond to this technique in one of two ways as you get into range (within 7,000' or less).
- Your opponent may wait for the last second and break turn or Split-S to avoid being a target. This presents no threat to you and he is going defensive.
- Your opponent may turn back into you and attempt to go nose-to-nose guns. This can potentially be dangerous. Nose-to-nose guns is always dangerous. In this case, he is probably in much better position to go nose-to-nose guns than you are, because he is at a much more maneuverable speed for his plane.
In either case, your intention is to respond in the same manner. You remember that you are not really looking for a shot. Your goal is to zoom climb straight up. If your opponent dodges you, then you will initiate this a few seconds after his break move. If your opponent is going nose-to-nose guns, then you better have your nose pointed straight up before he gets into guns range.
The execution of the zoom climb is fairly simple.
- Level your wings with the horizon. You should be at 400mph-500mph.
- Pull straight back on the stick.
- Use the panning view to look over your wing and verify that you are pointed straight up. Your airspeed should be dropping rapidly while your altitude is increasing rapidly.
- Use your stick to push forward or backwards to maintain your nose straight up.
- Go back to padlock and the HUD and see what your opponent is up to.
With a significant energy advantage, you should be safe from being shot while doing this. A purely vertical tail chase shot is hard and it is even harder with lots of separation as your opponent's plane rapidly slows down and loses its maneuverability. Your opponent may do one of three things here.
- Your opponent does not attempt to engage and extends away. This means that he is not going to be easily suckered, but it was worth the try. At this point, you probably want to make a couple of more passes without extreme zooms and go into high vertical turns. Sooner or later, your diminished range to your opponent will force him to start turning as opposed to simply extending. At this point, you apply energy techniques which we already discussed. Basically, you will look to turn flat at altitude and roll in. Otherwise, you can initiating a looping fight while making sure that the tops of the loops are kept high to capitalize on your energy advantage.
- Your opponent does not attempt to engage, but does not extend away. You can gently come over the top and initiate the straight down braked descent technique which was just discussed.
- Your opponent takes the bait and goes for a shot. He does this, because it looks like you are going to yield a lot of separation to him to turn into. This is in fact true. However, gravity is going to turn this opportunity into a trap. You watch your opponent's speed in the HUD. Do not worry about not being able to see him in padlock. It is very important that you continue to remain completely vertical. When you see his speed falling through 150mph, pop your flaps and begin, as quickly as possible, to turn back into him. If your opponent has continued to climb, he is going to spin or be a sitting duck for a shot. If your opponent is pulling down to get his nose below the horizon and regain maneuvering speed, you have an excellent opportunity to settle on his six.
Remember when you have your nose pointed straight up, it is important to come gently over the top in order not to spin. If you are sufficiently slow, then let the nose fall through the horizon by itself.
© This STK/EAW Guide is Copyright 2000 Mark Kratzer. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here for Printer Version
© 1997 - 2000 COMBATSIM.COM, Inc. All Rights Reserved.