Post by magnifiscent on Oct 15, 2013 12:44:35 GMT -8
A series on Boelcke's Dicta
Boelcke's Dicta will not make you a movie-star fighter pilot. They were not developed as flashy moves to wow audiences. They are not for helping the underdogs win it in the bottom of the 9th with a clutch home run. These Dicta were created for people who wanted to go home alive at the end of the day, where a single bullet was the difference between life and death. They are designed to gain an advantage and mercilessly press that advantage to win by as absolutely wide a margin as possible. Masters of these rules are efficient, implacable, and deadly.
Rule #1
Try to secure the upper hand before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.
This is the oldest trick in the book - literally. Every great military thinker of every civilization has come to the understanding that most fights are won before the first blow is struck. This idea is the genesis of the concepts of strategy, tactics, discipline, and military organization.
The idea is to place yourself in the very best possible position before a fight starts so that you have all the advantages and your opponent has none. This sounds incredibly simple and yet I cannot tell you how many times I have seen enemies try to fight from a disadvantage - or how many times I've foolishly done the same.
The Dicta focuses on four points:
Speed: Speed is life. The faster plane has all the options. They can decide when to fight and when to flee. A slower plane cannot run and cannot initiate a fight. The faster plane can exchange their speed for elaborate maneuvering - they can turn, they can climb. A slower plane flying at the edge of their stall speed cannot climb and they cannot turn quickly. Another way to say this is to say "Energy" is life. You don't necessarily need to be going faster than your target as long as you have more energy to exchange for speed or maneuvering. Being faster or higher than your target gives you options. Being slower and lower takes options away.
Altitude: Again, another component in the energy equation. Altitude can be sacrificed for speed. Altitude equates to stored energy. Altitude is a currency to be spent judiciously. Climbing requires a lot of time and energy to gain that altitude back.
Surprise: Another self-explanatory idea that is often ignored. Why should your opponent ever see you coming? If your target doesn't know you're there, he can't try to evade you. He can't turn onto your tail to shoot you. He can't ram you in a fit of desperation. Attacking from surprise is another advantage you should always seek. Don't just dive on an opponent. Dive on an opponent from behind, while he's distracted. Surprise gives you the chance to close the distance quickly and line up your first burst carefully.
Performance: Know the strengths and weakness of your aircraft and the enemy's. Think before you act. If you dive on a superior enemy, you'd better make sure you kill it in the first pass or you have more friends. Don't pick a solo fight against a better plane unless you're ready to respawn.
Boelcke's Dicta will not make you a movie-star fighter pilot. They were not developed as flashy moves to wow audiences. They are not for helping the underdogs win it in the bottom of the 9th with a clutch home run. These Dicta were created for people who wanted to go home alive at the end of the day, where a single bullet was the difference between life and death. They are designed to gain an advantage and mercilessly press that advantage to win by as absolutely wide a margin as possible. Masters of these rules are efficient, implacable, and deadly.
Rule #1
Try to secure the upper hand before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.
This is the oldest trick in the book - literally. Every great military thinker of every civilization has come to the understanding that most fights are won before the first blow is struck. This idea is the genesis of the concepts of strategy, tactics, discipline, and military organization.
The idea is to place yourself in the very best possible position before a fight starts so that you have all the advantages and your opponent has none. This sounds incredibly simple and yet I cannot tell you how many times I have seen enemies try to fight from a disadvantage - or how many times I've foolishly done the same.
The Dicta focuses on four points:
Speed: Speed is life. The faster plane has all the options. They can decide when to fight and when to flee. A slower plane cannot run and cannot initiate a fight. The faster plane can exchange their speed for elaborate maneuvering - they can turn, they can climb. A slower plane flying at the edge of their stall speed cannot climb and they cannot turn quickly. Another way to say this is to say "Energy" is life. You don't necessarily need to be going faster than your target as long as you have more energy to exchange for speed or maneuvering. Being faster or higher than your target gives you options. Being slower and lower takes options away.
Altitude: Again, another component in the energy equation. Altitude can be sacrificed for speed. Altitude equates to stored energy. Altitude is a currency to be spent judiciously. Climbing requires a lot of time and energy to gain that altitude back.
Surprise: Another self-explanatory idea that is often ignored. Why should your opponent ever see you coming? If your target doesn't know you're there, he can't try to evade you. He can't turn onto your tail to shoot you. He can't ram you in a fit of desperation. Attacking from surprise is another advantage you should always seek. Don't just dive on an opponent. Dive on an opponent from behind, while he's distracted. Surprise gives you the chance to close the distance quickly and line up your first burst carefully.
Performance: Know the strengths and weakness of your aircraft and the enemy's. Think before you act. If you dive on a superior enemy, you'd better make sure you kill it in the first pass or you have more friends. Don't pick a solo fight against a better plane unless you're ready to respawn.
