Flight Academy: Offense

Pilots!

This is your instructor speaking. Welcome back to the second part of our Flight Academy course. Having covered the basics, it’s time to turn our attention towards one of the most principle aspects of the game: how to play proper offense. Everybody thinks they're an ace shooter, but only few truly know what they're doing when they target their enemies. It may seem easy to take aim and hit the "Fire" button, there's a lot more to offense than that. Let's begin!

Offense

Watch where you're going! - Don't immediately head into a collision! Most of your team mates will go straight and even, always maintaining the same altitude until they hit something or something hits them. Don't be as short-sighted! Scan the map (press the M button by default) for lone planes and identify your targets (default ALT button) before choosing the best one.
This may mean that you have to go high up or on your own for a while, even if you see that most of your team mates have already engaged an enemy. Attacking just any enemy is usually more dangerous than not attacking at all. Pick your target based on the plane you are flying and the nature of your team mates, and partner up with a "wingman" to cover your back if possible. Don’t go "guns blazing" into the nearest dogfight, especially if you are a beginner. Concentrate on the quieter areas of the map where there is less action and you can go 2 on 2 maximum. Remember, don't just follow the flock! Pick your own path.

Don't go head on! - When you've spotted an incoming enemy, it always seems easiest to go head-on, trying to take the opponent out from the front. However, while it’s tempting to get a few easy shots in, your chances of surviving such an encounter are fairly low and you'll end up damaged, shot down, or colliding with another plane. If you're not yet completely familiar with the controls and capabilities of your aircraft, you should avoid these head-on attacks at all cost!

Come in at an angle to have the better attacking position. If you see a lone plane heading towards you, and you're unsure how you will perform in a head-on, initiate an evasive maneuver immediately! Bank to either side, perform a dive to gain speed, and try to get on your opponent's sides or even their six (that means getting behind him). If you start to circle or bank away, your opponent will likely have to correct their course as well. Either way, your chances of defeating your enemy will increase drastically if you use the entire air space at your disposal, rather than just  heading straight at your adversaries.

Don't overshoot! – You are following your enemy. Provided there isn’t a tail gunner giving you hell, you'll want to try and stay behind your target for as long as possible to get a proper shot at it.  Remember to reduce your engine power (default button S) to stay behind them. After all, if you rush past your target, you will have to to turn around and try to get the enemy back in your sights, by which time, a clever enemy pilot will have already changed course, flown into a pack of protecting team mates, or disappeared in the clouds. Don’t let that happen! Idle your engine a bit or perform a wider barrel roll when you feel you're about to overshoot. This will give you the crucial extra seconds needed to take out your adversary in style.

Change your targets! - In 15 vs. 15 battles you'll find yourself in a pack of planes quicker than you think. What begins as a 1 on 1 duel can end up being a mass dogfight in seconds, so you'll need to react quickly and adapt your strategy to the new circumstances. When in a chase, it may be better to let your existing target go, and switch to an unsuspecting enemy (use command ‘Switch to next target) to strike unexpectedly. Taking down this the new target will be worth as much as your initial prey and you’ll have weakened the overall force of the opposing team before switching back to your original adversary. In other words: Don't chase that one elusive plane if it means you miss out on multiple other takedowns along the way!

Don't waste ammo! - If you're pursuing a target, only shoot when in range! You'll know when you're in range when the lead compensation indicator (the red target ring) pops up on your enemy. This shows you where to aim to actually hit your target. If you start shooting too soon, your guns may overheat when you could be dealing your opponent the finishing blow. A well-targeted and well-timed salvo will do much more damage than ‘spraying and praying’.

Remember, the closer you are when you fire, the much more damage you will do. A close target is easier to hit, whilst long distance attacks do little damage. Get close to your adversary (200m to 80m is optimal below Tier IX), and rip them to shreds with a coordinated, precise volley!

Aim high and thou shalt succeed! - When attacking ground targets form distance with your guns, don’t aim for the target circle. Instead aim a little above the target to account for ‘bullet drop’ (bullets falling down over a long distance). Idle your engine to go slow, and switch into sniper view (F by default) for ground attacks with your guns. This means you'll be able to aim better, and at the same time maximise the timespan when your target is in sight. Don't forget to switch back to regular view to avoid crashing into the ground at the end of your trajectory. The closer you get to your target, the more you can just aim for the target indicator as there will be less ‘bullet drop’.

Go low or go home! - When bombing, fly sufficiently low to have a good view of your targets and the impact area of your bombs (especially when they are close enough together for AOE). This tactic will also offer protection from incoming fighters from above, by putting your tail gunner in an excellent position to take out any enemies on your tail.

Don't weave too much when approaching your target! Keep straight for the best drop line and to avoid the need to change your course after the drop. Keep it steady, especially in enemy territory when the AA guns are shooting at you. If the change of perspective in bombsight mode (H by default) feels uncomfortable or makes you lose track of your surroundings, use right-click and aim below with the mouse (hat button on joystick by default) to get the necessary view. Your drop indicator will be there either way.

Keep track of your target! – It is vital to know where your locked opponent is at all times so that you can dive, turn, bank or make other manoeuvres to get behind your target. As well as rotating the view with the mouse, there is also a button you can press to have your camera tilt towards your targeted unit. This function is called "Snap to target" and can be triggered by pressing the Left Shift button on the default keyboard layout. Use this feature to gain an immediate view on your opponent, whether they are above, below or right next to you.

Use the radar! - Many newcomers are often unaware of or underuse the radar. It is switched off by default and needs to be activated in the ‘Instrumentation’ part of the ‘Battle’ tab in the settings. The radar will add a schematic view of your immediate surroundings to your interface to show the orientation and position of near-by enemies. This gives you to have an immediate overview of enemy positions at any given time, invaluable in dense dogfights to see if somebody is on your tail. The situation can change very quickly, so a simple rear view look (Q by default) may not suffice. Don't simply rely on one view! Use all you can to gain an advantage on your opponent!

This marks the end of our second flight academy lesson. For our third lesson, we'll look at the opposite, and tell you how to best play defense. Learn how to evade aggressive attackers, how to escape or even reverse seemingly hopeless situations.

That's it for now, recruits. You're dismissed.

Now go Get Airborne!