Page 23
MarkShot's STK/EAW Guide
By Mark "MarkShot" Kratzer
Table Of Contents Download/Print PDF Version
Special Topics
This portion of STK/EAW will be expanded with essay style contributions when the urge grabs me. Unfortunately, I do not have time to integrate these items back into the main body of work properly.
Domains (high/low fights) on 05/31/00
The majority of my EAW fights begin with one player having a great altitude advantage over the other. Often the player who attacks me from above wants to know what they are doing wrong, or when they are being attacked from above, they want to know how to approach the situation.
What I would like to introduce in this section is a concept which I call "Domains". Before discussing domains, let us begin with the fact that you should understand two important prerequisite concepts.
- The value of energy in a dogfight and how to use it.
- Corner speed and its application in a dogfight.
The Domain Concept
To put it simply, a domain is someplace where you may exercise control/domination over your adversary.
Visualization Exercise
I will not be getting into maneuvering specifics in this section. Instead I would like to aid you, the reader, in visualizing a key concept that should assist you in generally appreciating what goes on in such high/low fights at the time they begin in earnest.
The Setup
As the low altitude plane, I often orient my Spit9 as follows.
- I put my opponent behind me.
- I pick an appropriate altitude based on what I want to do and the heat situation of my engine.
- I settle into a level or gradually climbing cruise around 190-220mph.
The Horizontal Plane
You will note that my aircraft is cruising along around corner speed. This means that I am optimally prepared to turn.
As my aircraft flies along, it defines a geometrical plane parallel to the ground. The airspace around my plane can be subdivided into two spaces, the Lower Space and the Upper Space. Let us look at my maneuverability in those two spaces. In the Upper Space, I have little opportunity to maneuver. I am already at corner speed and any climbing maneuvers will put me below corner speed. Thus, reducing my turn rate and, in the extreme case, also reducing my roll rate. In the Lower Space, I can maneuver very well. I will start any descending maneuvers at corner speed. Any speed that would potentially be lost due to high wing loading (high G) is maintained due to the acceleration provided by gravity.
Seeing the Spaces as Domains
Now that we have established how the Upper and Lower Space differ in terms of my capabilities, we may also view the geometrically horizontal plane as defining two domains. The Upper Space is the domain of my opponent. In the Upper Space, I will be ill equipped to maneuver and quickly succumb to his energy advantage. The Lower Space is my domain. In the Lower Space, I will maneuver at my theoretical best and quickly gain an angles advantage on an attacker who enters that space with an energy advantage.
Some Basic Rules
This allows us to annunciate some fairly basic and obvious rules that many players often miss in these high/low fights.
For the low altitude player:
- Engage in your domain (Lower Space) when your opponent is willing to do so.
- Never engage (or enter) into your opponent's domain (Upper Space).
For the high altitude player:
- Engage in your domain (Upper Space) when your opponent is willing to do so.
- Never engage (or enter) into your opponent's domain (Lower Space).
The Essence of the High/Low Game
When you know what you are doing, the essence of the high/low game is to draw your opponent into your domain, and then capitalize on his mistake before he can rectify it.
© This STK/EAW Guide is Copyright 2000 Mark Kratzer. All Rights Reserved.