Tactics
Here's where I broadcast all the bits and pieces of knowledge that I've gained in 2 years in the simulated war torn skies over Flanders and France. The following tactics might help new pilots survive longer, while veterans may want to skip down to the Notes to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of the Red Baron 3D program.
Beery's Dicta
1: Stick With Your Flight
If at all possible, always stick with your flight. However incompetent they are, it's always
nice if you're jumped by a superior force to give the enemy distractions so that some of them leave you alone.
2: Don't Cross the Lines Alone
Never, ever, EVER, go over the lines alone after 1916. If you find yourself over the lines
alone after a dogfight, and with no realistic possibility of finding your flight, scrub the mission, head for the nearest bit of
friendly territory and go home.
3: Don't Dogfight Too Low
Never go too low after a victim if you know or suspect that enemy fighters may be above
you. The resultant dogfight against two or more enemies at low level may lead to a stall which you can't recover from. If you
find yourself surrounded at low level, do a Wilfrid May and hedgehop home.
4: Know Where You Are
Always keep in mind your location, and how to get back to friendly territory should it
become necessary. Look for a good escape route before engaging (i.e. look at your map and figure out a good compass
heading so that if you're having a bad time of it, you can steer the fight towards friendly territory).
5: Calculate the Odds
In a fight, keep an eye on the odds against you, if your buddies are getting killed quickly
(making the odds greater against you), pick a good time to withdraw, and head home.
6: If Cornered, Perform a Fighting Retreat
If you're alone and get jumped by multiple enemies, head for the nearest friendly territory.
Keep an eye on the pursuing enemies. If they get to firing distance, turn and engage to disperse them, but only for a
moment, then quickly continue your route home - it will take them a while to get positioned to fire on you again. Keep doing
this, and use the precious seconds gained by their confusion to get closer to your territory. Once over your territory you can
engage them fully (preferably over an aerodrome - where you can get down safely and where the ground gunners can help
you.
If your pilot ever gets killed, if you think about it afterwards, it may be because one of the above rules was transgressed (ignoring rules 1, 2, and 3 is a true recipe for disaster). Of course, there's always gonna be the odd lucky headshot or fuel tank hit that might get you, but other than this, it should be possible to keep your guys alive.
Effective Firing Range
Long Range
|
|
|
| At long range (100m or more), a good marksman will be able to hit the target, perhaps even with a deflection shot. However, this is too far away for effective fire - most shots will miss the target. The experienced pilot will not open fire at this range unless it is to frighten the enemy into making a mistake. |
Medium Range
|
|
| A good marksman will wait until the enemy is at medium range (50 yards - see picture above) before opening fire. At this range the pilot can be sure of doing serious damage to the target aircraft. |
Close Range
|
|
| Here we see the enemy approaching close range (20-25 yards). Always aim for the fuselage, which is where all of the aircraft's critical areas (pilot, engine, control wires) are housed. Well-aimed shots fired at this range will cause severe damage to an enemy aircraft. |
Extra Close Range
|
|
| Here, we're 10 yards from the target. This was von Richthofen's preferred range. A single, well aimed burst at this distance can be devastating, and can quite easily turn a previously undamaged opponent into a blazing ball of tumbling wreckage in a matter of seconds. |
Notes
How Damage Works
During flight, any damage to the wing centre section will be shown by the damaged wing
graphic - even a single bullet will trigger the upper wing torn graphic. In the debrief, the game determines how badly a plane
is damaged based on the number of hits the aircraft sustained. if only a few hits were received, it will show as no damage,
since the squadron Ack-Emmas will be able to easily fix it. If it's 'damaged', it means it took a number of hits, and will need
more time to repair - it'll remain on squadron strength, but will be unavailable to fly for the next mission. If it's destroyed, it
means it took critical damage to one or more essential parts, and it will be struck off strength and replaced.
Why an Aircraft That You Brought Back in One Piece is Considered
Destroyed
This type of thing simulates a 'write-off' - a plane that's so badly damaged, it's considered
unflyable and shipped to the depot to be used for parts. Although these aircraft often made it home in one piece, the main
spar might have a bullet in it, and various other structural members may have been damaged. No C.O. in his right mind
would allow such an aircraft to fly, even if the pilot had proven that it could be flown. It might take off, and 5 minutes into
the flight, the wings might fold up.
How AI Pilot Wounds Work
If a pilot is wounded, he misses a mission and comes back after recovery. If a pilot is
killed, the next mission proceeds without him, and his replacement arrives the mission after. In the campaign game, this can
make a big difference if you're a flight leader, since if you had multiple casualties last mission, you'll be flying with less
wingmen for your next mission.