Page 13
MarkShot's STK/EAW Guide
by Mark "MarkShot" Kratzer
Table Of Contents Download/Print PDF Version
A barrel roll
This is a corkscrew motion with the flight path of your opponent representing the center of the screw. Here is how you do it.
- Offset yourself to the left or right of your opponent using a little bit of rudder and aileron. Perhaps, you are 500' to the left or right. Otherwise, you head more or less straight for him and let him believe that it will be straight in with blazing guns.
- At about 3,000' separation, roll your wings 45 degrees towards his flight path. I am usually flying in forward view.
- Deflect the stick all the way back and to the side that he is on. Additionally, kick in full rudder into the side he is on.
- Your plane is now doing a spiral motion around his flight path.
- As you have completed ½ revolution or so, flip into padlock and watch him sail by. He will often be shooting.
- The merge will often take place around 1 revolution. At this point, watch what maneuver he is doing to come around, look at your own speed, and decide the best way to come around while conserving energy and maximizing turn performance.
Let us take a look at what this maneuver accomplishes.
- As usual, it conserves energy. There is no throttling back or flaps.
- The two planes are closing around 400-600mph. The window of being in optimal guns range is very small and the optimal line up window is much smaller. You become an extremely difficult target to hit. You are maneuvering in two dimensions.
- Depending on your opponent's skill level this maneuver can be disorienting and leave him very confused as to what you are up to.
- Usually, your opponent's best chance for a shot will tend to be as you complete one revolution and are below him. If he tries for it, then it will lead him to invert. If he follows the shot with a split-S, he will probably be moving too fast for a good turn. Thus, you should be able to establish an angles advantage by turn flat or by slicing somewhat upward.
- It says to your opponent that "I am quite confident that once this fight gets going I will shoot him up without having to expose my plane to damage". That is confidence.
Another nice thing about the barrel roll is that it can be done through numerous merges. There is little that can be done to counter a well executed barrel roll.
© This STK/EAW Guide is Copyright 2000 Mark Kratzer. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here for Printer Version
© 1997 - 2000 COMBATSIM.COM, Inc. All Rights Reserved.