Eindekker strategy ...or...

[Mr. Lucky 0]

I'm seeking advice and opinions. Like many here, I've always enjoyed trying to start at the beginning of the war and work my way through or as far as I can. I've done this with the original Red Baron, IL2, etc. So, I'd like to do the same with the EIII. I could start in 1915, but I wouldn't encounter much, which may be a blessing. But, I would still have to pass through the latter part of 1916 which is usually where I start, hoping to enjoy the feeling of being handed my brand new ALB DII or Halb. DII.

 

The problem is, with all the reading and learning I've done about WWI aviation and the end of the Fokker Scourge, what strategy do I adopt to survive long enough to get to the newer aircraft? All that comes to mind at this point is to try and fulfill my mission and hope for no enemy encounters. If there are any, then the only option available seems to be to get as low as possible and try to escape or at least low enough that I can bring my bullet riddled crate to a safe landing. The aircraft I'm likely to encounter; DH2, N11, Sop 1 1/2 can all chew me up nicely and outclass me in every dimension.

 

Since the early aircraft aren't available yet, I can't go on the offensive much at all which is anathema to a fighter pilot. So, if anyone has an alternative strategy to what I've come up with, please let me know.

 

Thanks

[Fliegenhund 0]

I personally would say the keys are height advantage and very cautious commitment to a fight. I have flown EIII campaigns and they do get very difficult once the Allies start sending their early gems after you. I would think diving for the deck would be the worst thing you could do. Once you get to the lowest you can go alot of the planes will be able to catch up to you. The EIII isnt going to climb like and Alb. either so if you find yourself outnumbered and low and slow, you are in some serious trouble.

 

Height and caution.

[Pips 5]

"Height and Caution" - couldn't agree more with that sentiment! Sound advice.

 

The E.III wasn't a particulary good aeroplane. It's major advantage (in fact it's only real saving grace) was that it had a forward firing MG which gave it a decided advantage over aeroplanes of the same era. However once the British and French responded with aircraft the likes of the Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter, DH.2 and Bebe the Fokker lost it's mystique and was seen for what it was ..... an aeroplane of mediocre performance.

 

Nevertheless, if handled properly, it is possible to survive through to gaining the Albatross. Although to be honest I've only managed it twice from five attempts! The skilled Fokker pilots like Immelmann, Boelcke, Wintgens, Frankl et al were patient men. They stalked their quarry, held the height advantage, attacked from the sun (if possible), and moved on if the conditions were not in their favour.

 

And they avoided fights with single-seater fighters if at all possible. Of the 11 men who made 'ace' flying the Fokker Eindecker only five scored victories over single-seat fighters. Boelcke claimed 3 Nieuport 11, Parschau one DH2, and Hohndorf, Berthold and von Althaus each claimed one Nieuport 11.

 

Take a leaf from their book.

Edited August 21, 2009 by Pips

[outfctrl 0]

I am no expert in strategy, but I found this little jewel doing some research. Check it out. The training helped me in another game.

 

Dicte Boelcke video

 

Excellent training

[SirMike1983 3]

The E.III, in my experience, is inferior in every way compared to the N.11, DH2, and Bristol Scout with the single exception of fire power and ammunition count. You can't turn with these guys, you can't outrun them and you probably can't dive to safety very well.

 

Only attack when you have far greater numbers or are above the enemy by a considerable amount. A ratio of probably 3-1 or 4-1 is needed to attack on the same level. It's going to be sloppy if you do-- expect to lose a number of your friends and possibly yourself. I suggest something similar to what successful pilots used to do when the Spad XIII had a poor flight model: stay back from the fight until the enemy and your AI wingmen have engaged. Then seek an opportunity as the "odd man out" to render an attack on a vulnerable enemy plane. When he dodges, don't follow unless he's badly hit. Instead fly away and become the "odd man out" again. The basic idea is actually to stay out of the fray itself while using the AI as a diversion for the enemy. The enemy AI in the game have a "lock on" sort of feature where they latch onto a target and pursue like mad. If you coax the enemy to "locking on" to AI planes, you can attack and escape more easily.

 

The other method is simply to attack only if you have a considerable energy advantage. I would only do this still though if I have greater numbers or at least equal ones. The E.III is not efficient from an energy standpoint, so after a couple of dive attacks you should be on your way out of there.

[JimAttrill 24]

I was shot down yesterday by an EIII. Luckily I managed to crash-land on my side of the lines so my DiD BE2c pilot lived to fight (or run) another day. This one is now up to 3 hours. I did make it to over 30 with my first pilot, but maybe this was a fluke.

 

This time I was outnumbered about 6 to 3, and the EIIIs had a height advantage after I came out of warp lower than I expected. Maybe I will not use warp in the future - seems the best way to stay alive.

[Olham 164]

You could interrupt warp more often, Jim. Ctrl. + X

That way, you have more control over the situation and height.

When I come out some miles before the actual hotspot, I climb like mad to get up to

flight 1. That has often saved my skin.

[JimAttrill 24]

Oh dear, that pilot has now kicked the bucket as well. I went into Quick Combat and was enjoying myself shooting up some Renault trucks (yes, I know they are supposed to be on the same side) when I crashed into one and died. I had mistakenly thought that a 1.32 mod was that you couldn't die in QC. Ho hum, back to the drawing board.

 

I have now enrolled my sixth Fred Bloggs and have put this one right back to March 1915 to start at the beginning, so to speak. I have just done an hours flight using warp with not a Fokker in sight. Must be the time of the war, I suppose. Sometimes I think my flying skills (!) are getting worse as I over-aileroned into a right turn and found myself nearly upside down in a left turn. I find the best thing to do is to let go of everything and pray. It worked this time.

 

I must be a pretty crummy pilot if I can't even fly a BE2b ....

 

I am also having trouble trimming this thing to fly anything like straight and level. Am I right that the commands are:

Aileron Left trim <ctl> num 4

Aileron Right trim (ctl> num 6

Elevator up trim num 1

Elevator down trim num 7

Rudder Left <ctl> num 0

Rudder Right <ctl> num 3

 

The important ones are the elevator trims so that I can trim the thing to climb slightly

Edited August 23, 2009 by JimAttrill

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Yes Jim, those are the correct inputs to trim out your kite. BTW, the BE2 wallows like a pig at low speed so you have to watch out for that, and it doesn't handle all that much better even at higher speeds.

 

Mr. Lucky, good advice here from others on flying and surviving in your EIII. I will add that in the real war, the German pilots seldom flew more than a few miles over the lines, and when they did it was at the top of their working ceiling and generally speaking only to manage a recce or a high-alt bombing mission. They tended to let the fight come up to them and would drag their would-be attackers back over to the Hun side of the mud as much as possible. The good ones kept their alt, engaged en masse, picked out the straglers and those showing signs of damage or mechanical trouble, and never chased their opponents down to the deck. And whenever the odds appeared not in their favor they flew away and lived to fight another day. Remember too that since most of their fights did occur over their own territory they had the advantage of setting down when they took damage or had to attempt a crash landing, a luxury the Allied pilots seldom had. BTW, I am currently in an EIII campaign myself flying as Fredrick Krieg with FFA 23 out of Vaux-en-Vermanbois in Flanders, September of 1915. I have about 11 hours under my belt and 7 confirmed kills, with most of those being cold meat, (i.e. BE2's). The EIII can hold it's own against the Bristol scout of the day, and if you make use of the Einie's ability to tailstand you can usually get the Bristol to fall off first if he is chasing you, at which point you can then drop on his six for a brief few seconds before you have to pull out of the fight and let your opponent continue diving. Do NOT chase him. Also, it better be a lone Bristol you try for or his wingman will chew on you like a dog with a new bone. Good Luck.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

 

[+Polovski 435]

JimAttril - 1.32 does add pilot never dies to QC but you have to tick / enable the box before flying in the OFF QC screen.

[CaptSopwith 22]

I personally would say the keys are height advantage and very cautious commitment to a fight. I have flown EIII campaigns and they do get very difficult once the Allies start sending their early gems after you. I would think diving for the deck would be the worst thing you could do. Once you get to the lowest you can go alot of the planes will be able to catch up to you. The EIII isnt going to climb like and Alb. either so if you find yourself outnumbered and low and slow, you are in some serious trouble.

 

Height and caution.

 

I completely agree. I just started a Jasta 4 pilot (after my previous German pilot died in March 1917), in late 1915. The Fokker is a decent aircraft - but sluggish, low powered, and not terribly quick to turn. Height and Caution are indeed your best bets. Only engage when you know you can overhwelm and destory your enemy. This is all well and good until you start getting jumped by superior numbers at higher altitude - at which point it really comes down to some luck as well as skill.

 

And to be honest, my Eindecker pilot has seen more combat than my March 1917 pilot ever did! My first mission had me attack a flight of Bristol Scouts, followed by an engagement of Be2c's, and then another pack of Bristol Scouts, all in the same mission! The last engagement was particularly hair raising as they dived on us while I was attempting to land. I would have turned and attacked but I was well and truly low on ammo by this point. I never rushed to get a plane down so quickly in my life! The second and third missions were just as busy - flights of Be2c's and a ton of Bristol Scouts (I'm not sure they even made as many as I've seen in OFF so far! lol). So for a quiet campaign, an EIII pilot in what will be Jasta 4 was apparently not the way to go. That said, I'm really enjoying it! Now if I can just keep him alive long enough to get into a Halberstadt!