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True, true. But I'd be happy to attack ground positions with a couple 25lb Coopers, or the German Equivalent strapped onto a Fokker or ALBITRI. It would definately "get that mud moving a bit more", to use a previously crafted phrase. ZZ. PS. Of course if this is historically innaccurate, forget it all.

Hehe, Siggi, your "mud moving" speech is a work of art. Well put!! I'm still chuckling myself. Which to me, begs the question, when do you get bombs attached to the fighter AC? I have seen rockets, but never droppable ordnance. It would be nice to see that for some of the German AND allied fighter craft......I mean I'm with you Sig, if they want me to go hit a ground target, lets carry something appropriate that can do some real damage, not pepper it with pea shooters. ZZ. Perhaps in a future "phase". Dont gets me wrong tho' I is juss fine with things like dey is! I aaaaaaiiiiint complainin.

Yeah, I've had my own squad not only run into me, but shoot "through" me (And INTO me) to get at an enemy. As far as the first item is concerned, it is WWI and you must be as aware of whats around you as far as your own squad, as that of the enemy. In the second case, as soonas I had to break off pursuit because my squad mate was hammering my plane AND the enemy in front of us. In my rage...(I regret to say this) I swung around on his little behind and let him have a good taste of my guns as a return of favour. He limped away smoking. Oddly enough after that, it never really occured again. Maybe he learned the error of his over ambitious ways!!?? :yes: ZZ. PS, they didnt write me up for it either.

Yeah, that radiator cap, or whatever it is in your line of gunsight, really is the main bugger for that AC. Ummmm, I'm kinda waiting for the Alb-DII upgrade to come along there myself with my current Halb pilot. Of course its different for different Jastas, but I'll have to check the dates on my campaign and see. I guess one thing you could do is go in and set up a pilot for that Jasta you are in, then scroll through the enlistment dates and it will tell you when certain machines become available. Then once you know just delete the pilot. ZZ.

Ahhhhhh. Excellent,eeeeeeeexxcelllent.....wringing my hands and doing my best Mad Scientist impression. Siggi's come over to the Dark Side. Welcome...on a lighter note, the Dark Side is having Tea n Biscuits at noon, enjoy! Seriously though, The Halberstadts a pretty nice little ride, you will enjoy! Just remember, its a bit like the Sop. Tripe.....handles nice, but is a bit undergunned. It will make you much better at targeting and ammunition conservation...cause you gotta be, there isn't much!! :yes: But I found the AC much nicer to fly than expected. Would like to hear your impression as well once you've flown her a bit. Good Luck! ZZ.

Siggi might be able to enlighten me here. So is DID still valid with or without the new HARD CORE damage model? Is it affected at all? Or are there new sub-categories involving this? I have not yet ugraded to the latest version (will likely do so tonight) but was just curious what the "Official Perspectives" on the subject were...or are. ZZ.

This is particularly fascinating, as I just got done reading last night Ernst UDET's account of his first succesful combat patrol. He shot down a Farman out of a pack of about 20 to 30 other aircraft, the others were Caudron's, and he had to dive away to avoid the fire from these after picking of the Farman from thier midst. He describes looking over as he swept downward and away from this attack, seeing the Farman tumbling in flame and falling beside him on his left, and then all-of-a sudden, between himself and this spectacle, and much closer, an object plummets past that looks like, (and this is really his description: "A frog with its arms outstretched")...this was the observer who had jumped free. Amazing your description was almost verbatim the same as his! Another nod to the Dev's. ZZ.

I,m sorry but you seem to be speaking in riddles. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you are saying the claims system is different, and thats what you dont particularly care for n 1.28a. True? Again this has nothing to do with the DM ZZ. Excuse my expertise, I graduated with a degree in "Thickology" from the "University of Notsoquick"

So you are saying uncleal, that even 1.28a has items you don't care for? What for instance...because 1.28a doesn't affect the DM. The Hard-core mod does. ZZ.

Its true, what they have created here is truly amazing. I too was distracted in a dogfight by the reflection of the world swirling around outside the AC in the glass of the gauges. Its those little things that pull you in and suprise you, and I'm playing on the crappiest settings possible, due to my POS computer, so I'm sure you guys that can jack those settings up are getting a real show! In addition, (at least with my settings...I always fly 120% realism) you can't just approach this thing like a game anymore. If you do....take it lightly and not think like a real period pilot..ie immerse yourself in the proper mind frame before you take off...it'll bite you. You find yourself wondering as enemy tracers whizz by your head and you plummet out of control.. "How the heck did this happen"!!?? Oh yeah, I forgot to look around as much as I should've in that scrap...or...I entered with a disadvantage,.... or chose a badly stacked situation to continue to fly flippantly into. GOOD STUFF!!!!!!! And from wll I've read....THE WAY THINGS WUZ!! Again fabulous job Devs!! ZZ.

Thats a very interesting outside perspective Bullethead. I'm not as fond of the DII and DIII's as the DV series, but your perspective is quite intruiging. I've always felt there was more zoom-n-boom capability inherent in the Albitri than we...(or "I" because I can only speak for myself) really use it for. I guess that inherent fear of wing damage from too "high-speed" of a dive tends to make us too conservative, and I think in that regard I will likely push the envelope in that area a bit more. Sort of blend the Spad flying mentality into the mix a little more. But not so much my bottom wing starts to shred. ZZ. PS, This is all in Campaign, not QC, as Ttiger said, the AI isn't as good in QC.

Wanna pay for me to get Internet above 10bps at my house? If so I'd love to join. ZZ. By the way, I live so far out "in the sticks"...that the sticks even forgot where they are.

A couple of your questions I didn't understand, but I'll answer a few. First, one on one, I'd take the Albatros DV-DVA-DVa200, against ANY machine in the theatre. Now that being said, with a few of them, like the Sopwith Camel or the Sopwith Tripe, I'd like a little altitude to start the fight with. :yes: The earlier types, the DII and DIII had thier moment of superiority, and then with AC technological improvement were outmoded so much they were retired in favor of others. The D series however, even though somewhat surpassed by technological developments, still remained viable. The technology had advanced past it with products such as the Fokker DVII, the Camel...and others, but unlike its predecessors, it still remianed "Close Enough" that in the hands of a good pilot it was still a dangerous adversary to be reckoned with. Two to one, my favorite foe would be Spads, or Re8's, Nieuports are a bit tougher, and Camels even tougher than that, but I have beaten camels 1 vs. 2...its when you get into the 1 vs. 3...or 4....or 5 that it gets ugly. But that would remain true with any adversary, the sheer numbers start to sink you. One aircraft that I Haaaaaate dealing with are the Bristols. Geeeesh...those guys are agile and can shoot you up practically from any angle. They will fire from front and rear, and get you coming and going. Diving zoom-n-boom is the only way to handle them, and if you are near the ground...it'll be tough cause there is no where to dive to safety!! Combat entry tactics aside-once you are in a fight with EA, a thumbnail is: Nieuports- Albatros can usually turn inside them...no prob.(this is undamaged of course) Spads- Evade by tight turning their initial high speed onslaught, then you can turn inside them as well. Camels-Much tougher to get behind..try to get some shots in on the first pass depending on entry tactics, then when turning, (you need altitude) roll into the turn to shorten it and give occaisional "pop up" bursts at them. You will only get a few, so be sure your marksmanship is good, if you scored hits, his turn rate will suffer and you can get a bead and take him down. The occasional change of turn direction where you can in the fight cna also throw them off and get you some more kill shots. One of my favorites when up high is the reversal, where you start off in a turning fight with him close behind you, but you over-turn...invert and simply pull the stick full back, sort of an inverted loop. If he follows you through this, he's a better than average pilot. :yes: I'm still working on tactics with this plane, so if I happen upon anything new I will let you know. Throttle control in turns has met me with some success. For instance many times we just execute combat, especially turning fights with the throttle to the wall, especially when pursued. I've had a few combats however, as in real life, that my throttle adjustment in turning battles, has assisted me in fooling my opponent. An example; AC behind you is at full throttle in a turn close to your tail, you are banking he is banking, you quickly chop throttle but maintain your turn and bank angle, but are slowing rapidly. I had one camel almost ram me when I did this, I hit full stick forward nosed down, he passed above me, I pulled up, now on his tail, no more Camel. :yes: These take finesse and practice to perfect though, and ability to "read" the situation well. Great thread Olham..I look forward to seeing what tactics others have learned and use. Or maybe we are the only two wierdo's dedicated to flying Albitri! ZZ.

"This thread became a very good one through you all, and many of you I'd like to have there with me in a fight as my wingmen. " Ditto my friend, ditto. One day if I can ever get a better machine, AND higher speed internet, I'd love to take you up on it. ZZ.

Yeah, I think it keeps track of thier kills, but as far as the pilots in your wing being downed and showing up anyway....not sure why that happens...but it does. I heard someone explain it by the fact that even though they crash they aren't necessarily dead, so they are recycled. Not really sure though. ZZ.

Hehe...I thought I was the only person who had those "moments" U.K.W. ZZ.

Mine is Sebastian Bach, with 3 kills. Gee, hope he survives the war so he can finish that symphony!! ZZ.

I apologize Siggi. I feel partly responsible for this as I was discussing hoping the Devs' would one day create a N-28. Don't take it as dissatisfaction though, its simply a case of when something is so great as this sim has become, people can't help but dream. :yes: You are spot on with the imagination quotient being deficient in todays youth though, and it seems that as a kid you really did have more fun with the simple toys, and even the ones that weren't toys to start with, like your match-box. Funny story that relates, had a friend that bought his kid some latest greatest action figure (I think the adult wanted it more than the kid really), but once he gave it to him, the toy lay on the couch, and the kid was running around the house "Flying" the box!!! : ) Just goes to show you that despite our best efforts, kids know whats really fun! ZZ.

That would-nae be referring to Bonnie Prince Charlie? Would it? And of course I try to return the favour W.U.K. I start returning it first by trying not to get them (my squad/Jasta)into a fight we cant win!!!! :yes: ZZ. One of the worst feelings is seeing one of your mates being pursued, tracers smacking his crate, and you being too far away to do anything, and flying full tilt to get there to shake the bugger loose, and hoping you are not too late. Sometimes you make it....sometimes you dont. This is another testimony to OFF's accuracy though,as I was reading a passage from "Winged Warfare" last night and he describes the exact same scenario,...and sometimes getting to his mates in time to help...and sometimes watching helplessly as they spin flaming down. This game is spot on!

Its also nice, when you are in a really tight spot, to see one of your free squad mates come to your rescue and shoot the pursuer off of your tail. That suprised me in a fight not too long ago, and I hadn't even hit the "H" rescue me key! All of a sudden, rat-a-tat-a-tat, and off the nasty bugger spins!! You gotta love it....totally unexpected! ZZ.

True true CaptRoyce. Also, however, as I mentioned in another post on the topic, they were much loved by many of the American pilots due to thier agility, and despite the engine and fabric ripping issues. So much so that many initially revolted at the idea of being forced to switch to the SPAD types, regarding them as simply fast, overpowered and overweight lead-sleds, and not an agile dogfighter in the "traditional sense". ZZ.

Ummmmmm.....that doesn't look like a N-28. ZZ.

I think you are right Olham. This sim has become so finely tweaked now that it really does give you the same difficult decisions faced by the real aviators....of course without your neck really being on the line. When you are flying now though, and you see a squad, or squads approaching from different directions, you really do get that same sense of decision making trepidation and hesitation that I'm sure they felt,(only thiers was surely maginified 100 fold) and you realize, my pilots life will depend on the decisions I make right now, and how I approach and "read" this situation. And also the lives of my Squad or Jasta mates as well. Truly Epic. ZZ.

N-28!!! N-28!! N-28!! :yes: Don't be distracted by the rest of these comments DEV's. Its gotta be the N-28 next!!!!! Looooook at the biiiiggggg type Man!! Ignore the Hijackers!!!! The original poster has it riiiiiiiggggghhhhht. Is my hypnotic suggestion working yet??? ZZ.

Geesh!! What HAVE you been doing to that poor machine!? ZZ.