Which is the best machine and time to start with in campaign as a newbie

[OHO]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to OFF (not to flight-sim though) and would like to make a smooth start in the campaign. Are there airplanes and timeperiods and squadrons which were historically correct supirior to the enemy planes (faster for example like the me109 in 1941 in Russia), so that I stand a chance in the campaigns with full real setting? What do you recommend?

[Hauksbee]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to OFF (not to flight-sim though) and would like to make a smooth start in the campaign. Are there airplanes and timeperiods and squadrons which were historically correct supirior to the enemy planes (faster for example like the me109 in 1941 in Russia), so that I stand a chance in the campaigns with full real setting? What do you recommend?

The first aircraft that I could control with any degree of confidence in OFF was the SE-5; a very forgiving, stall-resistant plane. Also reccomend the Fokker D.VII. On the whole, choose something late in the war. Engines were more powerful, and designers finally realized that the thin airfoils they had been spec-ing (in imitation of bird flight) were not the way to go. Better engines, better lift, better control. Of course, if you fly late in the war, your airplane will not be so liable to kill you, but there's a lot more enemy planes in the air to take up the slack.

[Creaghorn]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to OFF (not to flight-sim though) and would like to make a smooth start in the campaign. Are there airplanes and timeperiods and squadrons which were historically correct supirior to the enemy planes (faster for example like the me109 in 1941 in Russia), so that I stand a chance in the campaigns with full real setting? What do you recommend?

 

 

hi OHO,

welcome to the forum.

 

i would suggest to start mid 1916 for the allies. they have nieuports and germany has only the outclassed eindeckers.

[Bullethead]

I'm a newbie to OFF (not to flight-sim though) and would like to make a smooth start in the campaign. Are there airplanes and timeperiods and squadrons which were historically correct supirior to the enemy planes (faster for example like the me109 in 1941 in Russia), so that I stand a chance in the campaigns with full real setting? What do you recommend?

 

Welcome aboard! New guy buys the drinks

 

Now, as to your question..... There's really no point in worrying about such things because they don't matter. You're still going to die, and probably long before you reach 17 hours . It's a dangerous world out there and no matter how good you are, you're still very vulnerable, and all it takes is 1 bullet in the wrong place and you'll never get home. So, forget any notions you might have of 1 pilot lasting long enough to see that new airplane arrive in the squadron in a few months, let alone surviving the war from start to finish. Your pilots are cannonfodder--don't get too attached to them .

 

That might sound a little grim, but then there's your previous flightsim experience and level of ACM skill. The OFF AI is very, very good, about the best I've ever seen, and it WILL get you eventually, but it's still an AI so has its limits. A human who knows what he's doing is still going to beat it most of time, meaning you'll probably get a fair number of kills before your number is up. And the better your plane is compared to the AI's, the more kills you'll get, and the more often you have multi-kill sorties. So, instead of going for the superior planes to start with, you might want to consider starting with inferior planes.

 

Of course, relative numbers also have a big effect on outcomes. If you've got the better plane but the AI has many more planes that aren't much worse, you're still in for a hard time. The Fokker D.VII is an incredible ride, but when you're facing immense swarms of SE5s and SPAD XIIIs, you won't think it's good enough .

 

Anyway, instead of going for a great plane to start with, I'd recommend starting in something that's just easy to fly. Whether it's better or worse than the opposition doesn't matter that much. What you want to do is get a feel for the flow of the dogfights--the closing speeds, the gun ranges, the amount of lead you need to pull in various situations, how long a plane's energy lasts, etc. IMHO it's easiest to learn these things when you don't have to devote much of your attention merely to keeping your plane in the air or worry about breaking it. So fly something like a Pup, SE5, or Albatros. Once you get the feel of things, try something that's harder to fly. The hardest things are Eindeckers and Pfalzes, so avoid them to start with.

[Fliegenhund]

I would recommend you fly some free flights in various planes and see what feels right. I think an Albatros for the Germans and a Pup/Se5 for the Allies. Either way I would be careful not to plant yourself in a squadron right in the front lines on your first campaign. You can get swarmed easily in the hot zones and it can be quite frustrating as you are trying to learn the game. Just like a cold pool, dip in slow and easy at first.

 

Welcome aboard and remember, height and speed keep you alive out there! Good luck.

[themightysrc]

Hi OHO, and welcome to Death Row!!

 

There are two ways of approaching this.

 

One way is to pick the best aircraft comparative to what you'll be facing, at a time when you're not going to be overwhelmed by numbers - which is, I think, a good reason to avoind the late war. Hence, I'd recommend the Albatros DII. It's a pretty good aircraft, and certainly as good as anything that you'll be facing to begin with - I'm talking Sep/Oct/Nov 1916. Also, there are few blasted Tommies around to spoil your enjoyment as you wreak havoc on the BE2c's and FE2b's that you'll inevitably encounter (in reasonable volumes).

 

The other way is to pick a neck of the woods where you can clock up hours and learn your skills to help your survival: if you fancy that, try enlisting in the RFC at a field where you're (mostly) out of harm's way - in other words, good old Blighty.

 

Oh yes, Bullethead's right, BTW - the beer's are on you!

 

Cheers,

Si

[carrick58]

I recon men the FE2B or BE2C, They teach you to dive and run. also hiding in the clouds at maximum height. another asset they teach is finding a quick spot to land so u dont get shot down in a fight. Nothing can teach survival like these two old crates Fly them and be very afraid. The HUN is looking for fresh fodder.

[Bullethead]

I recon men the FE2B ... {It} teach{es} you to dive and run. also hiding in the clouds at maximum height.... The HUN is looking for fresh fodder.

 

Don't disrespect the Mighty Fee! The Mighty Fee NEVER runs! It always stands and FIGHTS! Of course, it has to, because it's too slow to escape. And you'll only get much above 7000 feet if you warp.....

 

Seriously, I enjoy flying the Mighty Fee more than anything else. It's easy to fly, turns pretty well, comes with a pack of smokes, and all Fee pilots get a racy photo of Mata Hari . However, combat is rather challenging because it's like heavy infantry vs. horse archers. You have to learn how to make your wingmen approximate a Lufbery Circle to avoid getting cut to pieces by the initial rush of the Albatri. And you have to keep this up until the Albatri either get bored and go away or get greedy and blow their energy. If they do the latter, then it's game on, because they're fighting on your terms and you can beat them that way. It's hard to wait for the right moment to break ranks, and sometimes the ranks don't form correctly so you're screwed from the get-go, but if you do it right you'll live in the Fee as long as in anything else and get a bunch of kills. And the kills are sweeter because you had to work harder for them.

 

This is why I didn't recommend the Fee as a starter plane, even though it's what I started with. It's not the sort of ride that appeals to many folks.

[+Olham]

French: earliest Nieuport 17

 

German: earliest Albatros DII (September 1916) or DIII (December 1916, I believe); Fokker Dr.1 (extremely good turn fighter), or DVII (very good overall fighter)

 

British: earliest Sopwith Pup (very agile) or Sopwith Triplane (very superiour)

 

American: Sopwith Camel or SPAD XIII

 

 

I'd like to welcome you on the German side, that some call the "dark side" here.

But don't be afraid - it's not any darker than the other side.

Edited September 2, 2009 by Olham

[+RAF_Louvert]

OHO, welcome to the virtual skies of OFF. You have a lot of good suggestions here already, but I am still going to offer one of my own. Fly the two-place Strutter as early as you can. You will not only have your own gun, but a rear AI gunner as well, and you will be going up against the EIII's which the Strutter can very well hold its own against. Add to that the fact that the Strutter is about the most forgiving plane you will climb into in this sim. Have fun Sir, and no matter what you fly you will.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[+Polovski]

Don't forget there are two Strutters in there - one is a single seater version.

[Duce Lewis]

Well 1st I'll tell you what not to fly ...Sopwith Camel!

In the hands of an experienced Camel driver it's deadly

In the hands of a rookie it's deadly ...to the rookie!

Most unstable crate out there

Experienced flyers use that instability to their advantage

Try some other rotaries, Pup, Tripehound and work your way up to her

 

That said, safest bet is the F2b Bristol Fighter

Easy enough to fly and that Tailgunner will clear the skies for you

If you want a single seater, Se5a Viper (74 Squad)

Easy to fly, good visibility, ammo load, nice sight, and a steady gun platform

 

HTH,

[OHO]

Thanks a lot for the warm welcome and the replies.

I just took off yesterday and after some problems with rudder pedal reversing and getting used to the different behaviour than for example a Me109 I even shot down a (rookie) Albatros in a Camel (I think) which was very rewarding . The stall is what I can deal with (I have TrackIr and Force-Feedback).

I have some questions regarding the AI-behaviour:

1. Can I sneak behind an AI-plane and shoot him (not like IL2 where a fighter will always have eyes in the rear of his head)

2. Can I flee into a cloud and the AI will loose my track (that would be very cool)

3. Do AI planes use the same flight modell as the player plane? I saw some strange behaviour: I was flying very moderately up and straight (in a Pup I think) to get some height and the Albatros behind me was doing something very foolish - he always went up to the sky and then dropped again over one wing (that's what I could see when looking backwards) Anyway he stays behind me - He should have lost speed with the strange manouver..

[Guest British_eh]

Well, there isn't too much to add. Certainly Bullethead has set the tone, and the rest waded in with some great ideas. Yes, stay away from the Camel, and the Dr.1 is a bit of a handful too. A two seter can be a bit of fun, especially the Brisfit and the 1 1/2 Strutter. Lots of practise in QC Free Flights before going head to head with AI. When you do chose the AI, chose the Rookie, and go one on one. An Ace will make short work of you :) Work up to adding a few wingmen, and of course adding a few AI in numbers. Finally, once yo feel comfortable, say 5 hours in each of two planes, then try Campaign. Please then refer back to Bulletheads prose. Oh, and see Uncleal's tip and cheats.

 

Cheers and good luck,

 

British_eh

[JimAttrill]

If you want an easy time, sign on in No 56 Sqn when they first get the SE5a. Then you can fly around England for a few weeks until the squadron gets posted to France. You can also fly through Tower Bridge and strafe the politicians in the Houses of Parliament.