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MarkShot's STK/EAW Guide
by Mark "MarkShot" Kratzer
Table Of Contents Download/Print PDF Version
Nose under and shoot
This approach is very similar to straight in with guns blazing. The idea is that you set yourself up with your flight path maybe 500' or more below your opponent. If your opponent allows this to happen, then 1000' before the merge you point your nose into his flight path and let loose with your guns.
For your opponent, responding to this approach is somewhat difficult. It is harder to push the nose down to take a shot. Rolling and inverting is very time consuming and it is hard to achieve a good line up at such high closure.
I generally do not attempt this opening move. If find it too simplistic; it is pretty clear what you are up to. If someone tries this against my seize the angles advantage opening move, then I am in lead turning heaven and will be on his six almost immediately. Also, a barrel roll effectively neutralizes this technique.
Blow Through and Climb
I have seen this move done by one or two others. Although, I have not attempted this myself. Mainly because it does not seem very aggressive. However, in that regard, it is a very insidious strategy.
Basically, as soon as you go through the merge you initiate a moderate climb which gradually begins to decrease your speed. In the meantime, your opponent is likely to do some form of hard reversal (either an Immelman or flat turn). The theory is that your opponent who makes the much more radical maneuver will force himselfself to loose some energy. This is even more true if your opponent dropped flaps.
Your opponent is now in trail, but outside of guns range. You are gradually climbing, and perhaps gradually turning too. Given that you now have a slight to moderate energy advantage you force your opponent into a stall/spin situation.
You Start High
Getting to start the fight with a significant altitude advantage is usually the result of one of two possibilities.
- You just lost a low level fight (200'- 4,000') and are reborn around (8'000'-9'000').
- You won a high level fight (6,000' - 10,000') and have taken advantage of the time it takes for your opponent to get reborn in order for you to climb.
There are two main techniques I employ in this situation.
- Straight Down Braked Descent
- Boom and Zoom
© This STK/EAW Guide is Copyright 2000 Mark Kratzer. All Rights Reserved.
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