Shooting down A/C

B

Baywing

Guest
I've just started flying OFF2 and am finding that I have to empty my entire allotment of ammo into one a/c to shoot it down. (Reload for CFS3 doesn't appear to work, which is fine for realism). My hit rate is high as I close in to under 100' before shooting. I find it hard to believe that 100 hits aren't fatal, especially when most of them go into the engine/cockpit area. If I were shooting down a FW in WW2, ok, (well, I guess even CFS2 isn't great in this department, Zeros flamed very easily in real life, but the CFS2 ones take a lot of punishment) but these are WW1 a/c. Is this just normal or am I missing something?
Looking forward to OFF3, though it looks like I'll have to be thinking up new names for each attempted mission!!:isadizzy:
 
Yes, I have always said that the Damage should happen earlier if the hits are made.
Some will say that most of your bullets are passing thru canvas etc and are not making vital hits- But I think there should be more evidence of the hits made.

maybe phase 3 will show it.
 
I figure it's just the way it is and from what I read about OFF3, it sounds much more realistic. I guess the enemy is a better marksman than I, his hits usually find something vital in short order!:censored:
 
Wing tip shots

I remember reading somewhere on the forums (or was it Pol's FAQ?) that the suggested and most historically accurate method, was to aim for the cockpit and engine, but like you, Baywing, I found it took a lot of direct hits real close in. I would be lucky if I had enough rounds to defend myself on the way home after downing one enemy craft. I now aim for the wing tips of my enemy, still as close as possible, and he soon loses control of his machine. This way I have claimed three even four in a sortie before running out of ammo and having to beat a hasty retreat. I have gotten to where I can tell when his loss of control is complete and true as opposed to his faking a spiral dive to get away.
 
Firing blanks..

Yeah, I gotta agree....I can't belive my aim is that bad, but nothing ever seems to go down. Maybe the mission part of game is different (ie cameljockys post).

And as far as damage goes, onna the best parts of cfs2 was after you shot off some rounds, if you zoomed in alot on the target, you would see some very realistic bullet holes in the aircraft.
 
Baywing said:
I figure it's just the way it is and from what I read about OFF3, it sounds much more realistic. I guess the enemy is a better marksman than I, his hits usually find something vital in short order!:censored:
Click to expand...

Please to check out the STICKY OFF Tips & Cheats #3 as it will offer a explination of what you're experiencing

Suggest you read all of'em = Lots of good Intel :ernae:
 
When you fly Allied planes, I don't wonder - they either have only one gun, or the view or the aiming is bad. During the last days, I flew all the Allied planes, and always only downed one German. The Albatros is very rugged and takes a lot of hits. But usualy, I fly the German planes, and when we encounter enemies, I don't come home with less than two kills; but often more. I think, the Nieuport, Pup and Camel are just much more fragile. Even the S.E. 5a is easy to down; only SPAD XIII seems to last a bit longer.
So, perhaps you try German planes, to find out, if there's that difference?
Cheers; Olham
 
Getting directly on the tail and shooting right down the long axis doesn't seem to do much damage. One tactic that seems to work better than others (for me, at least) is to maneuver behind the enemy and when he goes into a severe climb (which then almost turns into a hammerhead stall) give a fairly long burst into the cockpit/engine area at nearly point blank range when he reaches the apex of the climb. Also, I've heard that shooting at the wing roots can cause some of them to shed wings. I've only seen that happen on the Camel and the SE5a, but it may work on others as well.
 
yep.......unlike CFS or any of its marvellous offshoots where you can deflection shoot the pants off the bad guys from a distance......in OFF you gotta get right on their tail...make it feel like you're gonna crash..fire a load into the pilot/engine area......and then veer off fast.........you'll hear all the stuff you've thought you should hear.....pilot scream, engine faltering, and they'll almost always go down.....the peppering from a safe distance doesn't cut it.........get in close and put the Vickers/Spandau right in their neck and you can get much more milage out of your ammo.....stay a safe distance and you'll fire all day for a little smoke...
 
shooting up the enemy

For what its worth here's the few cents worth from a strictly quick combat guy (only cos I'm not good enough for campaigns yet!)

I have found that if you fly real close in on either flank (almost chewing off his tail with your prop in the process) is very effective.

This way every bullet counts and I only fire when I'm sure my mark is in the cross hairs and in short bursts to save ammo.

Plus it teaches you good flying skills using throttle and all the flappy bits all together to stay on your mark as he tries to dodge you.

Set your AI to Ace so's you work up a sweat - good for the heart rate too!

TrackIr4 is a absolute must for realism in this respect plus its great fun and absolutely absorbing!

All that said - I've wrecked a few planes in collisions but my Ma always says 'you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs!':banghead:

GVB
 
With the exception of the SE5, the DH2, and the EIII which actually have sights, most shooting is via instinct, I should think that most WWI pilots must have been good Skeet Shooters, even though they never had the chance.

I've seen a good many pictures of the Pup, with a 6" dia. ring site. But I'm told it wasn't original, merely a field modification. Be that as it may, it sure would be welcomed.

Theoretically: If you have pedals, you should be able to fly a paralell course a little ahead at about 200 ft distance on his left, easier said then done. Hard right rudder, should put your gun pointed directly at the pilot at about 50 feet. You'd only have time for a very short burst, but IF it hits, it needn't be much of a burst
 
gimpyguy said:
If you have pedals, you should be able to fly a paralell course a little ahead at about 200 ft distance on his left, easier said then done. Hard right rudder, should put your gun pointed directly at the pilot at about 50 feet.
Click to expand...

Good tactic if you're feeling suicidal. You won't find me deliberately flying ahead of an EA at an oblique angle unless I've overshot him and I'm running for my life.

I may have to give it a try, as after he accepts the obvious invitation to shoot my arse off, I can always create another pilot. Don't think I'd try it in RL though.....lol.
 
Parky said:
Good tactic if you're feeling suicidal. You won't find me deliberately flying ahead of an EA at an oblique angle unless I've overshot him and I'm running for my life.

I may have to give it a try, as after he accepts the obvious invitation to shoot my arse off, I can always create another pilot. Don't think I'd try it in RL though.....lol.
Click to expand...

I don't have pedals, so I'll never try it, would be interesting, not in R/L of course, but then this isnt R/L :ernae:
 
The Best or perhaps the one with most Victories

put 800 rounds into an Allied plane, and didn't bring it down, so food for thought. In WW1 you should be 50' away and in WWII, you needed to be 100 yards away. Try those distances out, and see how you do:d

Cheers,

british_eh

PS Ask Catch 22 or Speedski, ( he with the 10 victories in a DVII)
 
I have set my guns in Workshops to 'tight' spread ,that seems to help me a lot. I shot down a Fokker yesterday with a very short burst, I think I must got the pilot because there was no visible smoke or flames.
 
Dear All,
Regarding chance of hitting and doing damage it is important to remember that you have 1 or 2 machine guns firing about 4 or 8 rds a second at a target that is dancing in front of you at about say 50yds distant. They are not 20mm cannons! So the spread is considerable and you have to be pretty good at deflection shooting and getting real close in. Most of your bullets are going to pass through canvasse with some flattening themselves on or richochetting off metal parts. So it is not suprising (to me at any rate) that it is difficult to shoot an aircraft down. Try for the pilot/engine area.
I only expect to get 1 E/A per sortie rarely 2.
Regards,
SLP
 
Gousgounis said:
I aim for the rudder.
Click to expand...
Good pint. Concentrated fire on elevators and ailerons also bring them down quickly. Too many bullets in the engine may cause a flamer that will never go down, and this is a known P2 bug. But such conversation will be outdated after P3 I guess.
 
Thanks for all the tips, very helpful and make a lot of sense. I spent many years around WW1 replica a/c but none of them had real ammo! I'll be sure to read the sticky for the tips as well as work on my piloting skills. WW1 must have been a real thrill for new pilots, I think I have more sim time than most newbies that hit the front.
 
Thanks for the hints and tips sticky, it helps explain alot, especially the problems I've had trying to fly missions!
 
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