From: paulsen@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Brian C. Paulsen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.netrek
Subject: Re: Lance's dogfighting manual
Date: 15 Sep 92 22:17:43 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

By the way, I must say this before the I comment on the manual.  If one
regards dogfighting as killing the first ship that appears on your screen,
then dogfighting is a COMPLETE waste of time.  However, if you regard
dogfighting as being able to stop the RIGHT people at the RIGHT time, then
I think dogfighting is a lot more valuable than most people give credit for.

) Greetings from Lance.

Greetings from FreeKill :)

) I only use a CA, so if you play another ship take any advice
) with a grain of salt (actually, take it all with a grain of salt.).

Actually, I wouldn't be as self-degrading here, but then again, I'm
rarely self degrading, because I don't have to be :-)  Anyways, a lot
of this stuff is perfectly applicable to any other ship.  Yes, that
means you can det in a scout.  I do it when I bomb and take planets
in a scout.

) There are, as I see it, 3 major things about successfully dogfighting.
) The most important, by far, is intensive use of tractors.  The second
) is to change speed constantly.  The third is to det incoming torps.

I'd put changing speeds constantly as highest importance.  Learning
to tractor/pressor will keep you alive with taking little damage
during most dogfights.  Learning to det will save you when you have
a lapse of attention.

) Remapping the keyboard in the .xtrekrc file is important.  The y key
) for pressor (?), etc. is impossible to properly utilize.
) For those interested, here's mine: dTeyadllrrqe D

Very true.  Remapping the keypad is ultra important, but my keymap
goes on for a couple lines, so I won't list it.  However, I would
change my keymap if I wasn't so damned used to it.  Logically, a good
keymap would put mutually exclusive keys all under one finger.  For
example speed changes could all be done by the middle finger.  Beam
up and beam down could be under the pinky, etc.

) I.    Tractoring/pressoring
) II.   Changing speeds
) III.  Detting
) IV.   Shields
) V.    Torps
) VI.   Phasers
) VII.  Cloaking
) VIII. Plasma
) IX.   Knowledge is half the battle :)
) X.    Interesting Tidbits

) I.  Tractoring/pressoring
[deleted useful material about T/P - read original article]
  Let me add another tidbit about T/P
    I try to use T/P sparingly.  I find that usually if I use tractors
    too much, I end up mutualling with the enemy.  Also, if you use
    tractors, you should use them for about 2 seconds at a time.
    This tends to affect the enemies course enough that he is either
    steered into the torps, or else he's dodged well enough that your
    tractors are a waste of fuel if you leave them on.

    Also, pressors are very useful.  If you hit the enemy with 3 torps,
    he usually decides to mutual with you.  Use the pressors to keep
    him away.

    Finally, if you do fly very close to a ship, using pressors will
    usually help you just dodge his torps.

) II.  Changing speeds
)      A.  It is important to change speeds constantly.  Many opponents
)          tend to dodge torps I send at them.  However, when involved
)          in a dogfight, and torps are flying in a perfect line at
)          your ship, slam your hand down around the 7-8-9 area, and
)          watch as your CA accelerates past the torps (I dogfight at
)          4).  A while back, I fought with West 11 or 12 times on
)          an abandoned server.  Against that kind of skill, I change
)          speeds maybe, once very 3 or 4 seconds, just to throw him
)          off as to where I am going. That match ended in a tie or
)          close to it.  Those 'lil matches took over a minute usually.
)          Learn to be patient.  The next entry, B, illustrates that.

       Main rules from above -
        A) learn to be patient.  Being overly aggressive is asking for
           a quick death
        B) I change speeds more than Lance - I change about every
           second in a dogfight.  My fingers are constantly pressing
           speed keys.  Main dogfight speed for a CA is 4, but you
           should also have 3,5, and maxwarp keymapped (IMHO)
	C) He doesn't mention it, so I will.  Learn to dodge torps at
	   warp 3 and warp 4.  Max warping is really nice, but it eats
	   up fuel and gets you farther away from the enemy.  If you
	   can swerve between torps, you save fuel and stay near the
	   enemy.

) III.  Detting.
)      Here is the Netrek concept that will get me in trouble with other
) good dogfighters.  Most never det in battle.  I, however, live on
) detting.  I will cover detting on the "accepted scale" from A to C.
	I go with the attitude that I rarely get hit.  So, I don't
	det as much as most people.  If I find that I'm swerving into
	torps, then I slam down the det key.

	Also, if you are detting, remember to det as you are flying
	away from the torps.  This really reduces damage.  Detting
	while flying into the torps is almost worthless.

) V.   Torps
)      A.  Though I covered most of this in tractor, PRACTICE, PRACTICE,
)          PRACTICE.

	'nuff said

)      B.  Don't det your own torps when you are first learning.

	Better yet.  It only takes 4 torps shots and a phaser to kill
	someone.  Just fire 4-5 torps at a time.  Firing 8 torps is
	a SERIOUS waste of fuel.

) VI.  Phasers
)      A.  I use phasers when I make a pass at an enemy.  Usually
)          it is the difference that kills him.  It is difficult
)          to remember to tractor, torp 8 times, shields up, det,
)          phaser, and move...but the extra 40 pt phaser sometimes
)          is all you can get on the guy.
)      B.  I don't suggest attempting to whittle down an enemy with
)          phasers.  The only person I've ever known to do this
)          effectively against me was Val, and he's gone...

	Always use phasers.  Against a DD or a SC, don't even bother
	with torps.  I consider myself very good with torps and still
	have a hard time hitting SC's or DD's.  However, I can beat
	them every time by just phasering them to death.

	Most important - learn to do other stuff in between phaser
	shots.  Pressing phaser endlessly and doing nothing else is
	a quick way to die.

) IX.  "Knowledge is half the battle." :)
)      A.  KNOW YOUR ENEMY.
)          Know what kinds of ships the bitmaps are.  Learn what kind of
)          shields and hull and torps and phasers each ship has.  Learn
)          to add up quickly in your head, "Well, 3 torps and a decent
)          phaser.  120 for the torps, 40 for the phaser.  That CA is
)          hurtin' and won't be able to flee from me for a bit..."

	How true - I hate Fed bitmaps, because I have a hard time
	telling a BB from a CA.  I hate putting 4 torps and a phaser
	into a ship and THEN find out that it's a BB, not a CA.

) X.  Interesting Tidbits
)      A.  I don't really ogg...I usually uncloak about an inch from
)          the player and depend on my aim to kill the guy...ogging
)          would better be explained by MUCUS, _ensign, Val, and
)          FreeKill.

	Ogging - hmm.
	A) Cloak and go towards the enemy.  If enemy starts to run
	   before you get on screen with him, uncloak.
	B) If enemy doesn't run - kill him
	C) If enemy cloaks, immediately uncloak.
	D) chase runners at max warp.  when nearing enemy, slow to
	   warp 5.  Usually the guy thinks you are doing max warp, and
	   fires 8 torps.  Dodge the torps.  Repeat until he is out
	   of fuel.  Then close and kill him.
	E) If he cloaks and tries to go by you.  Use the galactic map
	   to get phaser lock.  Also use the galactic map to steer.
	   Very few planet takers should every get by you.

Brian
Send comments to r.g.n or paulsb@crpd0.gs.com


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