If you ask any real life combat pilot, a dogfight basically boils down to turning inside your opponents turn radius, to lead him with guns/missiles. This is why light and agile fighters like F-16s, A-4s, and F-5s play as the "aggressors" in wargames at Topgun, it teaches the F-14 pilots to drive their plane to its limits and think three-dimensionally.

Two people trying to get on each others tail will ONLY fly circles in this game, since that's the most efficient method of getting on the six. Doing an Immelman or Split-S means you're dogmeat.

---

Two people trying to get on each others tail will ONLY fly circles in this game, since that's the most efficient method of getting on the six. Doing an Immelman or Split-S means you're dogmeat.

---

So exactly how is that ANY different with a joystick? Are there other ways of tailing someone with a joystick that are more efficient?

IOW...you can play EXACTLY THE SAME way with a mouse...only you dont have to fight the joystick to aim.

I really wish they would add joystick support to the game for mere entertainment value...so I could watch all the mousers wipe the floor with the joystick snobs in combat.

Sorry if I was unclear SS, basically, I was trying to illustrate the fact that the actual maneuvering done in the game consists largely of circling, and whether you use a super-dooper joystick/thorttle combo, or simple mouse and keyboard, the ACTUAL efficient and effective maneuvers don't change.

I've only played with the mouse so far, but I use a Saitek X-45 when playing Falcon 4.0, and the stick/throttle combo might prove a more immersive and entetaining combo to try, for realism/rolelay value anyway. But the mouse itself is simple and effective.

The eagle is the best ship for playerkilling, i have yet to lose a fight in an eagle, though i came close once when a titan hit me face on coming to rescue his friend, though i bugged out at that point ;_) 2 level 10 ships are pretty tough since one can stand off and bugger you while the other dodges.

if they can get through your shields, they are going to rip your armour open like a tin can, that extra 3 k or so armour that a titan has is nothing when most of my weapons are made to destroy armour.

the eagle is a sleek sexy machine, ready to put it to anyoen that comes up against it. Though i have seen some VERY effective ways of running away, like getting through a gate or such and or behind an obstruction and then cruise engining away in an off direction.

@Apoc

hmm yes this sounds logical IMHO, got to get it through my head this is not diablo2 and not all about armor=/

I'll give it a go thanks dude.

---

I've only played with the mouse so far, but I use a Saitek X-45 when playing Falcon 4.0, and the stick/throttle combo might prove a more immersive and entetaining combo to try, for realism/rolelay value anyway. But the mouse itself is simple and effective.

---

I've tried both, and I dont get the appeal of the joystick besides immersion value...aiming with a joystick is difficult at best, and definitly not intuitive. I am glad they are at least giving us the option of mouse support.

And no, it's not just about circling. Dogfights in Nebulae and asteroid/debris fields can be very entertaining. I myself loop in every direction in a fight, not just left and right.

Manuverability definitly gives you an advantage, but it's not the be-all end-all in a dogfight. The sloppy player is still going to get his ass handed to him.

Oh, when i say circling, i don't mean it in the sense that you only fly in circles.

What I mean is that, when comparing maneuverability of the various ships, each one has a minimum turn rating, with the lighter ships obviously having smaller "circles" in which to make a full turn at max speed.

(i.e. compare an Anubis and any light fighter in a simple 360 degree turn, and you'll see what I mean).

So when discussing dogfighting, I meant that ships will circle or jockey for the six position. The kicker though is that since space has no drag or gravity, you have no potential or kinetic value for speed, and thus don't bleed off energy in a climb or gain it in a dive. So to attain the best position, you simply have to find the optimum maneuver to get on your enemy's six, and more often than not, a simple right or left turn in OPEN space will acheive that goal.

That's the offensive maneuver. Defensive maneuvers cover the whole range of maneuvers, from barrel rolls to the Split-S turns, anything in which you evade your pursuer's cone of fire. I think the mouse lends itself well to offensive maneuvering, since you go where you point, but the joystick is much better for defensive flying, since a lot of the maneuvers like barrel rolls are much more intuitive on a stick than a mouse, at least to me.

Besides, a joystick/throttle is so much sexier than a two button/wheel mouse!

heiheihei

torpeto is really nice.......of couse in very short range before the oppoisite pass though your ship.

Intersting sidenot, skyblast-b do 120% dmg against level 10 shilds ...

Sabre is definitely a match for the Eagle. If your whooping Sabre fliers, its because so many noobs race for sabres. Since when does it have to be a circle fest????

Ya if you have the tightest turning ship you do that. But as a Sabre flier, you force your opponent to fly and fight your style. You both have equal shields but you have one more gun firing at him than the eagle player does due to forward facing turret. Run at them firing and go into engine kill as they approach and rotate towards them as the pass so that you are facing backward as they shoot past and you are shooting their but up. Then hit you afterburner to follow.

or

when they shoot past hit your turbo for a few seconds, engine kill turn around and then come at them straight on. That is your advantage in the sabre is more guns firing. I have taken out plenty of Eagles doing either method.