carrick58 23 Posted August 22, 2009 While flying my French Pilot Pepe lay Pew in a N-17 (Vickers machine gun) with Esc 48. My flight of 3 ran into a flight of 5 Albatross D-2s amid tall thick clouds on their side of the lines. The Huns were 3000ft higher then us. I started a wide circle and my wingmates attacked ( this way we were to do a formation attack Othwise they seem to show up very late) The D-2s split formation in the melee mostly turned to the right with noses pointed down except for one who split left. That hun was my bird. as I line up he turned the n circled He did chandels corkscrews Every time I put the nose on him he skided away from my N-17. After a lot of turning He dove for the weeds. Ah ha I have him. Pointing the nose at him I dove gaining on him I fired at long range 2 bursts 12 rds and 24 rds no hits. Out of no where Tacka Tacka His wingmate was curveing in behind and firing his twin spandau s 8 hits in my little N-17 Kicking into a skid and droping lower I was headed for the weeds The other aircraft ( he must have chandeled) added his fire ( The D-2 I was after) 6 more hits. I Droped the nose and made a forced landing. Spend the next 12 days as a pow befor going over the fence and back to the Esc. Viva la France I was suckered into chaseing him down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TSmoke 2 Posted August 22, 2009 Yes this has happened just 2 days ago. Only difference was I was in a D2 and the pups bit my butt. Crash landed POW for the duration. My best guy so far 15.5 hrs. I was pissed!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra427so 0 Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) Absolutely... gotta watch those sneaky Huns, they'll use teamwork to sucker you in and then do you in. Sometimes your fight will attract the attention of a distant fight. Just when you think you have the upper hand.... surprise! There's a whole new addition of enemy crates in the mix. The upside is that a passing allied flight may just as likely join in as well - which can be a REAL lifesaver. It's hard not to, but don't get target fixated. Regards, Cobra427so Edited August 22, 2009 by Cobra427so Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted August 22, 2009 hard not to, but don't get target fixated. Yes, 3 simple rules 1. Watch your tail 2. Don't get target fixated 3. Stay high in the fight ...if he dives, let him go Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Broadside uda Barn 0 Posted August 22, 2009 The kills will come...always keep your advantage. Fixating on a target that is "almost" destroyed is a real killer...of you! Always gotta be thinking "where'd that other guy go"? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted August 22, 2009 Don't let your emotions control you - control your emotions. Easier said than done, I know. I've bitten the dust so often, cause I wanted to down exactly THIS craft. Not a good idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fliegenhund 0 Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) Numerous times. The AI in this game is so human like it is almost scary sometimes. I started flying flight sims when European Air War came out and have flown them all. This is honestly the only game where I have seen the AI attempt to flee when it is damaged and knows it cant win. All other games it fights to the death in a fruitless attempt. The other thing that gets me is when they land when they are severely damaged to live and fight another day. Watch out for them too if they have a big height advantage but you outnumber them. I have seen numerous times where they stalk you like a shark, once one of your craft gets some separation they will pounce on him. Truly awesome AI. Edited August 22, 2009 by Fliegenhund Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted August 22, 2009 I recently lost my best pilot (almost 50 hours) to a sneaky AI N.17 that struck my Albatros from behind. The AI in this sim will fight back - with the highest realism settings, you won't be shooting down hundreds of helpless AI planes like in so many other flight sims. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted August 22, 2009 Hasse, don't be too sad anymore - that Nupe really did a clever approach, that was hard to detect. I had a similar experience with my Jasta 9 pilot in Sissone, July - August 1918: We had just finished circling the field and I wanted to go on our route. TAC and Labels where off. I look back and see my wings all coming closer. Now I look into the map to get the course right. But I have an irritating feeling, and look behind again. I see a totally different picture. One of my DVa is pulling up, with a trail of black smoke. A second is getting plastered by a SPAD XIII. Now I see them - they are 4 - 6 craft with green/brown/ockre camouflage. They had sneaked up from the wide forrest at the front, which is very near there, and I had not seen them. That was some patches earlier, and me and my remaining two wings clobbered those SPADs. Don't know, if I still could now - they are much improved! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrick58 23 Posted August 23, 2009 Thanks all, will try but its hard to let go after doing all the moves to get in a good firing position making hits then seeing the aircraft fly away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted August 23, 2009 Thanks all, will try but its hard to let go after doing all the moves to get in a good firing position making hits then seeing the aircraft fly away. Albatri are tough and Nupes and Pups only have 1 gun, so they take a lot of killing from the traditional 6 o'clock position. Also, while you can turn inside them with ease, you can't zoom with them. You'll cut in on an Albatros and just as you're about to fire, he goes up while still turning toward you. So you pull up, too, while still turning hard to maintain proper lead, and next thing you know you've stalled out and the Albatros can still go up a bit more and is perfectly safe. It's a classic rope-a-dope, and you get the feeling the AI's taunting you. Meanwhile, as you're stalled out and hanging, or perhaps spinning a bit while holding more or less in the same place in the air, one of his buddies, whom you were easily evading beforehand, will light you up. There's usually a free Hun or 2 following you, just waiting for such an eventuality, due to them sending whole Jastas when the Entente was sending single flights. So..... All things considered, when flying Nupes and Pups I avoid saddling up on Albatri like the plague. I just take snapshots and try hard to get them at 90^ deflection into the top view of the Albatros, because that's where they're most vulnerable. My accuracy rating sucks but my kills/sortie ratio is close to 2.0. And I'm never a hanging target for the free Huns. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted August 23, 2009 Good description of our fighting style, Bullet. Yes, we often have another wingman lurking behind the scene. But those RNAS-9 Pups do that too. Maybe they learnt from us? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted August 23, 2009 Last night I was flying in my D.VII (Jasta 5, summer of 1918) on a patrol mission when I spotted flak bursts to the left of us. I turned to approach them and found a major dogfight between our D.VII's and French S.XIII's. (The new AA rocks!) I gave my wingmen the order to attack and myself gained some altitude in order to dive down upon some unsuspecting SPAD and to get a better overall view of the situation. Well, quickly noticed a couple of SPADs seemed to have the same idea - they were flying above the furball and then one of them dived at one of our Fokkers. I didn't follow him, but attacked the remaining SPAD that was still flying higher and managed to shoot him down (the SPAD is now much improved, but fortunately it isn't as nimble as the D.VII). It was furious battle but I survived. It felt really good to safely land down at homebase! It's great to see the AI acting so intelligently in such situations. Does wonders for the immersion... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duce Lewis 3 Posted August 23, 2009 It's great to see the AI acting so intelligently in such situations. Does wonders for the immersion... I'm not sure we have AI any more ...that's Rex Hannover flying those crates! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted August 23, 2009 I'm not sure we have AI any more We've never had artificial intelligence. Humanity hasn't yet developed genuine intelligence, so how could we possibly have made a copy of the real thing? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted August 23, 2009 Good one, Bullet! Hasse Wind: the SPAD is now much improved, but fortunately it isn't as nimble as the D.VII Careful, old boy! In the hands of an ace, it will be able to kill you! I have just had a fight against DVIIs in my American SPAD (pics will follow later in screenshots). I could kill two of them. Of couse I don't turn tightest with them, but can follow into their evasive turns good enough to hit them hard. Last flight I got shot up and had to crash-land. I thought I was fighting the red-white DVIIs from Jasta 18 - but half of them where Dr.1 ! I had never before been fighting the Dreidecker, and now I know, it is an extremely lethal weapon. What those aces did in them only made you dizzy - and then they got you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
