Created by: DreAdFaq
The FS2 Demo has introduced an entirely new type of multiplayer games: the deathmatch-style dogfight. Although it resembles the old team vs. team games, it has quite a few differences. Differences that can mean defeat if you overlook them.
INTRODUCTION
First things first, what excactly is a dogfight? Basically, a dogfight is a giant free-for-all, with sometimes as much as 12 players. This is one of the most important differences compared to the good ol' team vs. team play. While dogfighting, you are seriously outnumbered. Up to 12 opponents, and no backup whatsoever. You need to think fast and act faster. And the fact that the only current dogfight has a big-ass drydock in the middle doesn't always help.
GENERAL STRATEGY
The goal of a dogfight is to kill your opponents more often than they can kill you. You'll have to find the right balance between killing and preventing you get killed yourself. Which is darn hard to explain properly. But there are a few Golden Rules.
First of all, taking small risks is usually a good idea. And because a lot of hosts impose a time limit (usually 10 minutes), it could very well be absolutely necessary. Keeping yourself alive is worthless if it doesn't get you any kills.
But never forget that running is a perfectly valid strategy. If you are flying a crippled ship, you can try to get killed to respawn in a new one. Or you can try to stay away from the unscratched ships and focus on weakened targets. Both strategies are OK, it just depends on personal preference. If you keep this in mind, you're one step closer to victory.
LOADOUT TIPS
Being able to choose a loadout can mean the difference between bitter defeat or glorious victory. While the perfect loadout largely depends on your playing style, there are a few things that might help. Lets take a look at the ships and weapons in the FS2 demo:
Subach HL-7
This is, in my opinion, THE best gun in the game. It fires pretty fast, and does the most damage. It's also the best looker. The only downer is that it consumes energy faster than the Prometheus. I think that pretty much covers it, take it!
Prometheus R
While the Prometheus Retrofit is a decent gun, it only has one advantage over the HL-7. It's energy consumption is lower. But if you don't waste shots, there really is no reason to take the Prometheus instead of the HL-7.
Maxim
Never, EVER take the Maxim. I have no idea why Volition allowed fighters to use it, but what completely baffles me is why some people actually load them onto their fighter. It sucks. OK, it's a pretty good gun for bombers, but in a dogfight, packing a Maxim is like saying: Kill me!
Subsystem damage is, in dogfights, pretty ignorable, and this gun is impossible to aim. Yes, it does massive damage to subsystems, and even more to hulls, but what good is that if you can't hit your target. Only at point blank range can this gun be kind of effective against fighters. But with it's low shield damage and huge energy consumption, even that is questionable. Bottom line, forget about it.
Rockeye-D
The Rockeye-D is the dogfight version of the Rockeye missile. The Rockeye is a heat-seeker, which means that it's tracking is pretty bad, but you don't have to aquire a lock first. This is both a great strength and a weakness. The Rockeye is useless at anything farther away than 100-150 meters. It will almost never hit a target that is actively evading the missile. Even without countermeasure, Rockeyes are easily ditches. But at close range, against a slow opponent, they can shred somebody before they even notice the warning lights.
It is the ideal weapon for people relying on brute strength to win the battle.
Tornado-D
Like the Rockeye-D, the Tornado-D is a variant of the regular Tornado missile. But because it is an aspect-seeking missile, it's uses are very different. Because aspect-seekers require you to lock on to your target before they are able to track it, they are most usefull at medium range (400-500 meters).
Beware however, of launching them too early, because the farther away they are fired, the smaller their chance of hitting their target gets. But in close quarters, the use of a Tornado is also limited, because a nimble opponents can make it impossible for you to aquire a lock.
It is best suited for those who use missiles only to 'warm up' their targets, and prefer to finish them off with guns.
THE SHIPS
Next to your guns, the choice of fighting craft is next important. Let's take a look:
Hercules MkII-D
The MkII-D is the dogfight version of the 'real' Hercules MkII. The Hercules is what they call a heavy assault fighter. This means that it is slow, sloggish and very powerful. Against a slower pilot, it can rip the enemy to pieces without getting a scratch. But an able pilot flying a Perseus will be able to outrun the Hercules, leaving you spinning around trying to catch up with him. So always keep your distance, and try to provoke them into head-on fighting, because you will almost always win.
Perseus-D
The Perseus-D is almost the opposite of the Hercules. Fast, agile and fragile. An experienced pilot can dance from ship to ship, coming, killing and moving on to another target in the blink of an eye. But, by flying the Perseus, you are taking a certain risk. It is very fragile, and you have very little chance of surviving head-on contact with a Hercules. it's strength lies in it's engines, so use them. Don't allow your opponents to hit you, but circle them, look for an opening and fire a few shots. Turn away when the enemy faces you however.
A simple, but effective strategy is to come in at full speed, pass your target and stop. Stopping is essential, because it allows you to turn just that little bit faster. Fire a few shots, and when he faces you, hit the afterburners and pass him again.
MISCELLANEOUS
Evading Missiles
Missiles suck. At least if you're on the receiving end. So evading them is one of the most important things in a dogfight. If you can evade more missiles than your opponent, you're task will be that much easier. While countermeasures are a good way to deal with them, they're usually in short supply. At least compared to the amount of missiles 10 opponents can carry. Therefore, you need to be able to go without countermeasures.
With enough practice, this is easier than it sounds. Usually, making alot of sharp turns and the occasional burst of afterburners is enough to make it impossible for the missile to hit. The downside, however, is that you will have to wait untill the missile runs out of fuel and explodes. If you know where the other missile is coming from, there is a better way. Just do the following:
- Turn to face the missile (yes, it sounds crazy, but it works).
- Wait untill the missile is very close. Experiment with this a bit to find the best distance.
- make a 45 degree turn, preferably up or down, and hit the afterburners. Do this FAST!
If your timing was right, the missile will miss you by a bit, and won't be able to turn fast enough to make an effective pursuit.It has the added advantage of leaving you at a great attack angle.
But timing is essential on this one. If you turn and hit afterburners to early, the missile will adjust course and hit you. If you do this too late, well, you'll get hit too.
CONCLUSION
Hopefully, this will aid you in all the future dogfights you might face. But don't take anything in this guide for granted. The best way to learn, is through experience. So go out there, find some friends and get together for a big 12-player fight!
Questions? Comments? Something else? E-mail DreAdFaq.
