Monday 6 March 2017

Grab some popcorn and hold on


For some more veteran and proficient players in World of Warplanes, the way I fly and fight in certain aircraft must be a cringeworthy experience to watch. Take the video, at the end of this little wall of text, for example.

The North American Mustangs (and a few other aircraft) are better known as "energy fighters," and ingame, it's best suited to "Boom and Zoom" (also known as BnZ) tactics.

The concept of BnZ is simple enough to explain in layman's terms. At the very start of a sortie, climb up to a very high operational altitude, allow lower altitude friendlies to spot incoming enemy aircraft, select an opponent below, swoop or dive down to get the "bounce" on the target and race away using stored energy to regain altitude to either make a return pass or select and engage another target. This tactic was once explained to me as "eagle fishing"....


For a more detailed description that might even involved mathematical equations, check out this Google link and seek out those answers not covered above.

Despite my best efforts, I have still have difficulties mastering this technique, as simple as it has been explained to me. It's not that I don't understand the concept and execution of this, I don't particularly see the thrill in it.


For me, I prefer the maneuvering playstyle that involves high energy turns, banking and more erratic changes in direction. This too, has a name, "Turn and Burn" (also known as TnB). A simple way to describe it would be a "car chase in the skies," at all altitudes. Here is a Google link to find out more on this tactic.

However, by design and for the sake of "balancing," the Mustangs in World of Warplanes are not designed to mirror the exploits of their real life counterparts, nor live up fully to claims made by veteran pilots and their fantastic stories of man and machine becoming one in action.

Which brings me to that video I mentioned earlier. The more carful viewer might be able to see that for a while, I was trying to stay within the BnZ doctrine, but that went out the window very quickly....


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