Page 18
MarkShot's STK/EAW Guide
by Mark "MarkShot" Kratzer
Table Of Contents Download/Print PDF Version
Your Opponent Applies Boom and Zoom with a Small Energy Advantage
Your opponent is going to be going moderately fast (250-300mph). This is either because you are running away and climbing has drained him of his energy advantage or he is trying to close slowly and avoid an overshoot. You will be at optimum maneuvering speed (180-220mph).
In this situation, you cannot dodge. He does not have enough speed for you to use it against him. Instead wait until he is about 3,000'-4000' behind you. Then, do the following.
- Turn hard and level back into him.
- As he enters your forward quarter, begin to drop your nose and slice downwards at about 20-30 degrees. Do not break into a Split-S, as this will put your opponent on your six. Do not stay level, as he will probably have a shot at you. Cutting somewhat below him will present a pretty difficult shot.
- Your opponent most likely will continue tracking you. Thus, he becomes committed to a turn. As soon as the two of you pass, roll 180 degrees and turn hard in the opposite direction. Given that he will probably be in excess of corner and heading downwards and that you will be close to corner, you should be able to cut inside your opponent's turning circle. This will allow you to establish a rear quarter position. Attempt to hold and improve that position unless he goes up to shake you off.
Further variations of such fights have been addressed in an earlier section of this guide.
Miscellaneous Air Combat Maneuvering Topics
There are a number of unrelated topics that I feel are worth covering to fill out a pilots repertoire of training.
Managing Overshoots
Having more energy than your opponent often puts you at risk of overshooting in him. An overshoot is when you fly past your opponent putting him behind you and effectively becoming a target for his guns. The appropriate techniques for handling an overshoot almost always involve going vertical and conserving energy. Rarely do you want to simply chop throttle and decelerate. Remember having an energy advantage can always be capitalized on. If you chop the throttle, you risk yielding your energy advantage and leaving yourself on your opponent's six stuck in lag pursuit.
There are cases when you are well planted on his six and might consider decelerating somewhat. These are cases where you will get a long tracking shot as opposed to a quick snapshot. You should be careful to decelerate while still maintaining a 20-60mph energy advantage. This will give you the ability to pull lead pursuit and aim your guns.
Now, I will analyze a few different types of overshoot situations.
Horizontal Scissors
If you are faster, then you cannot win a horizontal scissors against a good opponent. Do not even bother to try. Instead you also scissor with him while climbing above him. This will accomplish three things.
- You will conserve energy.
- You will slow down so that you can match his turns.
- You will be safe from his guns, since he will not have the energy to lift his nose.
After 20-40 seconds of this, there are three things which can happen.
- He may begin to straighten out having partially shook you. You can then simply roll in on his six for a shot.
- He may continue scissoring and attempt to lift his nose for a shot at you. This could put him into a spin.
- He may continue scissoring below you. At some point, a well timed barrel roll should allow you to reduce your immediate forward velocity and settle in behind him with an energy advantage to pull lead and take a shot.
© This STK/EAW Guide is Copyright 2000 Mark Kratzer. All Rights Reserved.
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