1159 replies to this topic

[CorvusCorvax]

FINALLY specialized the Tornado.  There toward the end, I was getting a Lambert every battle.  I guess I finally figured out how to shoot, where to shoot, what controls to use to out-turn a Bf-109F *snicker*.  The improved mixture control + boost consumable is GREAT on this thing - you can easily outpace fighters, and give HFs a boost run for their money.  Another useful trick is using the boost sauce to get high into the yellow to shoot down bombers.

 

Flew a couple of Me-262 HGII battles after the grind, just to relax.  I sometimes forget that the first flight is a throwaway while I relearn the gun aim point.  The second and third battles were fantastic.  That reminds me - I need to work on my F2H.

 

Last few battles of the night - flighted up with a clan mate.  Bf-109B, XP-36, LBSh.  The LBSh one was hilarious, because people don't expect air-to-air with it.  I go drop my bombs, then I look around for something to shoot down.  I know a couple of those red pilots were saying "what just happened there?"

[CorvusCorvax]

 A mix.

 

Me-209, for specialization.  Wow, a better plane than I remember.

 

Me-P.1101, to try and catch some T10 clan mates.  I got an all-bot match instead.  The only think notable was that it was also about the shortest battle I have ever played.  We had the two plants in the first minute, and kept them through the entire five minutes of the battle. o.O

 

Ju-288C.  I am getting better with this thing.  Flying in outer space, Giant bombs - the only downside is that I do not regularly shoot down anyone with defensive guns.  This will make specialization hard.  But I will try harder.

 

Ta-152.  Ahhh, yes, the Huckabein grind.  Starting out with a 5-point pilot, at 90%, even with this specialist, is SUPER painful.  Also, thanks to the WeeGee nerf of the plane, instead of being a super-awesome T8 plane killer, it's a ho-hum T8 plane killer.  I have to be within 800m to make those shells hit.  I was getting better as the battles wore on, but HOLY CRUD - I was sucking so hard I almost just gave up.  No way this is like the Ta-152 of old, where I would REGULARLY have 15k point battles.  Well, I did have the two marksman skills then, but still...

The grind to the Ta-183 is going to be long, and painful.  In the end, I will have gotten back at least some of my Ta-152 mojo, but for now, I am considering switching my better German pilot in and retraining so that I can have ALL the perks - Just to shorten up the grind, and spare my team mates the crap games I've been having.

[CorvusCorvax]

Ta-152.  The 3x30mm has been about as painful as it could get.  I mashthe button at the right time, and the plane before me evaporates.  Don't press it at the right time?  No action.  This plane is GREAT at BnZ because of energy retention, and it has excellent low-speed characteristics.  But those guns make me REALLY mad, especially since the nerf.

 

I am going to be experimenting.  I need to grind the Huckabein out, and one way or another, I am making this plane do my bidding, not the other way around.

Edited by CorvusCorvax, 16 August 2019 - 03:20 PM.

[Captain_Rownd]

CorvusCorvax, on 15 August 2019 - 06:05 PM, said:

Ta-152.  The 3x30mm has been about as painful as it could get. 

 

Ahhh, I see you're trying to give me a pep talk for the next grueling level of pain in the Fw 190 tech tree saga

[CorvusCorvax]

Captain_Rownd, on 16 August 2019 - 06:01 AM, said:

 

Ahhh, I see you're trying to give me a pep talk for the next grueling level of pain in the Fw 190 tech tree saga

Trust me on this:  Before the nerf, the Ta-152 was a God in the Skies.  You could just, plain DELETE other planes.  It wasn't very turny, but it didn't need to be.  Bombers were cold meat.  I could stand away from most T8 bombers and peck them to death, and they couldn't touch me.  Long gun barrels, Marksman I + Marksman II, Ultimate sight = DEATH.  I was regularly flying around getting 15-18k PP.

 

Then, WG giveth and taketh away.  They took away the thing that made the Ta-152 so unique - the ability to wipe out a plane at 1300m.  Now, you have to close within 900m to make those guns do much of anything.  But, WG gave it more roll and a better base turn circle, so now at least you can dice it up with the Germans and the Americans.  The altitude is still fantastic, and the energy retention great, so you can dive without boost, flash in at 700kph, zap a Spit or Mustang and fly away laughing.  The Ki-84 II is a bag of XP for this plane.  A7M?  LOL, GT-F-OH.  Heavies are toast, and most MRFs (the Tempest can turn on you - do NOT get in a turnfight with a Tempest - it is even better than a Mustang in turning.)  Again, stay high, fly up top, drop down, HULK SMASH, then fly away...

 

But, the thing about closing to 900m got me to thinking about this plane and how you outfit the guns.  If the thing can't do anything at 1350m like it used to do, why run those three 30s?  Example:  I stood off from a Ju288C a couple of nights ago, at 1100m  Well outside of it's defensive gun range.  It's not going anywhere, and I have clear skies to shoot this guy down.  With sniper view activated, I "missed" 8 of 10 shots.  From dead astern, no deflection, speed matching.  With ultimate sight and Marksman I.  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over?  Knocking down ADA was a hit or miss affair, literally.  Yes, every so often, I'd judge the angles right and get an exploderation of joy.  But not often enough to have effect on actual battles.  The nerf REALLY nerfed this plane, a plane I specialized about the fastest of any plane I have in my barn.  IIRC, it's the first plane in 2.x that I got a Marsailles in. 

 

Fast forward.  These days, if I crack 7k PP, I feel like I've done good work.  A win is a bonus!.  The plane handles like a dream, but that DAMN GUN TRIO really ticks me off.  So, drop out of specialized, and try a new gun combo.  (Specialized requires you to run the 3x30mm).  Monkey around with my equipment, and maybe my pilot skills, and see where we're at.  I may even move my Batplane pilot back into the Ta-152 for the grind.  My new gun combo showed some promise in initial testing, but we'll have to see how that shakes out over the long term.

 

The altitude, speed and energy retention are still there.  It is still a great airplane to fly.  But figuring out the gun combo is important.  After the Dora, you will be glad to play this plane.  I still love the Dora for what it can do, but always getting downtiered makes its utility less.  Top tier, you can carry in the Dora.  Bottom tier, hello support role.  So, after the Dora, the Ta-152 might surprise you with how well it can do, among T8 LFs.

 

Or, you can start the Batwing line, which is so fun, it's hilarious.  I liked the T8 plane, but the T9 Batwing is LOL-fun to play.  "Oh, so you think a head-on is a good idea?  EAT SOME ROCKETS!!!!"  ;)

[CorvusCorvax]

Update on the Ta-152.

 

I am over halfway to the Ta-183, but the grind has been painful.  More losses than wins, and mostly because of guns.  once I get the range dialed in, I forget to treat the guns like I do the guns on the P.1092 and the P.1101.  And the Pancake, too - all of them need short bursts.  They work great, but short bursts, because cooldown is a LONG wait.

 

In the end, I decided to go with the the lowest guns grouping - the 2x20mm and the MK108.  This configuration has the highest DPS, even though the range is only about 800m.  Which means the effective range is about 700m.  In essence, this plane is a twin to the Me-209, also at T8.  Same guns, same sort of flying style (more or less).  All I am doing is flying this plane to get the XP for the Ta-183, then I think I'll let it sit for a while.  Might use the pilot in other planes to train him up, but this plane that used to be so great now really has nothing to recommend it.  Specialized, it can be SUPER great.  If not for the guns.  Maybe if WG would dial back the nerf just a little...

[Captain_Rownd]

 

Flew 2 battles in the VB 10 to try to get the emblem.  I ranked "#1" on the team both times despite feeling fairly useless, but the first battle was a loss and the other I didn't have the most "personal points".  :/  Taking a break. 

 

edit: 2 more "#1" ranked battles in the VB 10 - a loss, and then finally coming out on top in personal points by just 110 points to get the emblem.  Whew! 

 

There aren't as many players in the game this afternoon as I expected.

 

Edited by Captain_Rownd, 18 August 2019 - 01:39 AM.

[Captain_Rownd]

CorvusCorvax, on 16 August 2019 - 05:48 AM, said:

After the Dora, you will be glad to play this plane.  I still love the Dora for what it can do, but always getting downtiered makes its utility less.  Top tier, you can carry in the Dora.  Bottom tier, hello support role.  So, after the Dora, the Ta-152 might surprise you with how well it can do, among T8 LFs.

 

The problem with the Fw 190 D is the high dispersion mixed guns combined with poor manouverability, making it hard to hit anything. I was thinking the Ta-152 would be easier in that regard, having the option of uniform guns and a tighter grouping.

[CorvusCorvax]

Captain_Rownd, on 17 August 2019 - 10:56 PM, said:

 

The problem with the Fw 190 D is the high dispersion mixed guns combined with poor manouverability, making it hard to hit anything. I was thinking the Ta-152 would be easier in that regard, having the option of uniform guns and a tighter grouping.

I never had trouble with Dora's guns.  I always had trouble forgetting that it bleeds speed arterially when turning.  Don't turn. 

 

[Captain_Rownd]

CorvusCorvax, on 17 August 2019 - 05:18 PM, said:

I never had trouble with Dora's guns.

 

 

How do you ever hit anything?  (grumble grumble exaggerate slightly grumble grumble)  The only plane I have with worse aim is the Stuka

 

Evening flying:
Fw 190 D -

P-47N -

MiG-9 -

Yak-15 -

 

Still not sure which I'll get first: the credits for the Yak-30 before the XP for the Ta-152? 

 

Edited by Captain_Rownd, 18 August 2019 - 07:14 AM.

[CorvusCorvax]

More (and even MORE) Ta-152.

 

One gun combo was not working for me, so I switched.  I am now running twin 20s in the wings, and the MK-103 in the hub.  The MK-108 is way too slow, and short-ranged. 

 

Much better.  Too bad, really, now that I only have 25k more XP to get the Ta-183.

[trikke]

CorvusCorvax, on 18 August 2019 - 02:15 AM, said:

More (and even MORE) Ta-152.

 

One gun combo was not working for me, so I switched.  I am now running twin 20s in the wings, and the MK-103 in the hub.  The MK-108 is way too slow, and short-ranged. 

 

Much better.  Too bad, really, now that I only have 25k more XP to get the Ta-183.

 

Exactly my setup, which suddenly made it so much more fun to fly

it's as beautiful as a pinup girl in the air, and now she's giving me something back for all the freaking ball-breaking to get there
 

 

[CorvusCorvax]

trikke, on 18 August 2019 - 03:02 PM, said:

 giving me something back for all the freaking ball-breaking to get there

 

 

That's the stone-cold truth.

 

Capt. - the Dora, for me, was only a pain downtiered.  It is not quite good enough to carry a T8/T7 battle.  It is very much good enough to completely rule a T7 battle.  IF you remember not to turn.  Just, well, don't.  I seriously have never had an issue landing the cannon shells.  But remember - my first line was the German HF line.  Starting at T6 (well, T4 if you count the Bf-110C-6), those planes get 30mm cannon.  30mm cannon with a slow RoF, and shells with low velocity.  You get used to how to run them.  One of my most-flown planes is the Me-262.  (sidebar - it's a total shame that the Do-335 is SO MUCH BETTER than the 262 at just about everything) The Me-262, with it's 4x30mm MK-108 gun configuration can make you wish you were dead - they are short-ranged, and the shells are painfully slow.  Oh, brother, but when they hit - *if* they hit - your target just evaporates.

The Dora, for me, was just a lighter-weight version of the Me-262.  I fly it much the same.  Straight, fast, hit the target hard, fly away, fast.

[Captain_Rownd]

CorvusCorvax, on 18 August 2019 - 05:25 AM, said:

 

The Dora, for me, was just a lighter-weight version of the Me-262.  I fly it much the same.  Straight, fast, hit the target hard, fly away, fast.

 

Except it's difficult to hit "hard" when you've only got a moment with that scattergun on target to try to hit at all.  (vs fighters)  It's generally the reason I don't fly heavies.  (I do enjoy "derp" fighters, as long as they're manouverable enough to track a target.)  I'm hoping the Ta-152 has a tighter grouping, which it looks like it should.

 

[CorvusCorvax]

Captain_Rownd, on 18 August 2019 - 04:05 PM, said:

 

Except it's difficult to hit "hard" when you've only got a moment with that scattergun on target to try to hit at all.  (vs fighters)  It's generally the reason I don't fly heavies.  (I do enjoy "derp" fighters, as long as they're manouverable enough to track a target.)  I'm hoping the Ta-152 has a tighter grouping, which it looks like it should.

 

I have never considered my aiming skills anything more than acceptable.  But I have had a lot of luck with the German heavies.  Watching SpiritFoxMy and his FW-190 flying gave me the confidence that I could fly the things acceptably, and the Dora turned out to be the jewel of the bunch, IMHO.  The A-5 is pretty great, too.  If my flight partner is flying a GAA, I would have a VERY difficult time deciding between the Tornado and the A-5.  At T7, the Typhoon would stay in the barn.  It's a good plane, but the Dora is just BETTER.  Or, more likely, it suits my style.

(This leaves aside the Batwing planes.  Those guys are just LOL fun, but not because they can do the MRF thing.  They are much better used as LFs, IMO.)

 

If you style bends toward turnfighting and sustained gun fire, German anything isn't going to mesh.  They are about speed, altitude (mostly) and high alpha.

[Captain_Rownd]

 

Daytime flying:

 

Fw 190 D - As Mr Gunn says, "...make it work!"

MiG-9 - Like the excellent I-250, this one always puts a smile on my face.

P-47N - Flying Freight Train.  Fortunately I got mining plant maps.

 

Edited by Captain_Rownd, 19 August 2019 - 01:23 AM.

[CorvusCorvax]

Ta-152 until FINALLY, the Ta-183.

 

The Ta-183 has not impressed me a ton so far, but it is STUPID fast, and the 4x30mm MK-108s are LOL @ T9.  I'm glad I already know how to use them.  I think the plane would benefit from specialization, and advanced or ultimate gear.

 

This plane is going to take some work to make me love it.  But I do like fast, high-altitude, and high alpha.  It is like a turny heavy fighter. 

[Captain_Rownd]

 

Daytime flying:

 

Fw 190 D - Failing my way up to the Ta-152.  I could get the Ta-152 now, or wait a few more days for enough credits to get the Yak-30.  Hmmmm.....

 

After a few of those I lost motivation...or maybe the will to live.. - gonna play This Land Is My Land for a bit. 

 

[WhoaBlackBetty]

All hail the 209A. 

 

WBB

[GonerNL]

Captain_Rownd, on 20 August 2019 - 02:15 AM, said:

 to get the Yak-30.  Hmmmm.....

 

The Yak-30 is great.

It out-turns everything at that tier, as long as you stay low !! Speed and guns are OK.