User:Eagles of Garuda/Joint Maneuvers
Attention Rookies!
I know you may be sick of that moniker already, but, in due time, you'll be a fearsome pilots, or even some of our most decorated Aces! So, just lend an ear... or an eye, and pay attention. Welcome to "Joint Maneuvers," an initiative to help all rookie pilots ge the best out of their aircraft and become top earners within the Arrows Air Force. Before you make any more progress though, please ensure you've booked a session in the Infinity Ace Seminar before you go any further. ...
Now, to start, Super-Hornet-Fan, and I, Demons of Hræsvelgr, would like to give you a personal welcome for joining. We hope to ensure you that all information in this class is for practical use, so we won't be in the classroom the entire time. This isn't just for rookies, but rather for anyone looking for analysis on maps, what aircraft types should be used in correlation and Special Weapons that create an unbeatable formation. Aircraft restrictions will be in place for the practical training sessions that will come after the information section.
The information section includes Playstyles and Tactics, which runs through what variables contribute to what playstyles and tactics should be used in certain situations, Map Engagements and Analysis, which shows how the maps are structured, where enemy positions are and the correct formations and special weapon usage to create an effective formation to destroy the enemy and beat your rival formation. Further hints and tips will be explained in the sorties that follow. The sortie times will be displayed at the bottom of the page.
Playstyles and Tactics
Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground, Centre Agression, Flanking Support. There are various ways you can fly on the battlefield in order to gain the advantage over the enemy. All you've gotta know is when and where. Cordination between all flight members counts here, and the right formation will give you the upper hand against your rivals. So lets break it down.
- The Aircraft you and your fellow pilots choose creates the balance of the formation
- Different tacics, weapons and playstyles affect this balance, so choose wisely
- Engaging the wrong target sets with the wrong aircraft/weapon balance could be costly to the formation's success, so keep to your battle role
Rembering your key aircraft categories (Fighter, Multirole, Attacker and Bomber) will help with this. Knowing Special Weapon ordinance for each is vital too, as certain aircraft types are restricted in this manner, which are as follows:
- Fighter: Restricted to only Air-to-Air Special Weapons. Used specifically for air dominance, unparalleled in their ability to dispatch enemy fighters.
- Multirole: Access to all Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Special Weapons (Excluding Bomber Special Weapons). Share near balanced capabilities in both Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground dominance.
- Attacker: Restricted to Air-to-Ground Special Weapons (Excluding Bomber Special Weapons). Exceed in their ability to destroy ground/surface targets.
- Bomber: Restricted to Bomber specific Air-to-Ground Special Weapons. Able to annihilate enemy front lines with heavy bomb weapons and heavy armor. Cannot attack air targets.
Some Aircraft of the same category may have vastly different Special Weapons selections, meaning that a change in aircraft may be needed for different battlefields. This in turn changes the tactics the pilot must use. The amount of times you can fire the Special Weapon until a reload is required, the damage it creates and the effective area of the weapon all come into factor. For example:
- The Fuel Air Explosive Bomb (FAEB) is excellent in destroying clustered groups of low yield (Yellow) ground targets over a wide area, while Unguided Bomb (UGB)Is great at destroying higher yield (Orange & Red) targets with ease, but lacks in overall area of effect.
- 4AAM and 6AAM missile types, with their multi-targeting capabilities, are great at eliminating groups of low yield (Yellow) air targets, but become less effective against large groups of higher yield (Orange & Red) targets, whereas using the High Power Air-to-Air HPAA missiles, although lacking the multi-targeting function, can more efficiently destroy the higher yield targets compared to 4AAM and 6AAM missiles.
Map analysis and engagements
Knowing a map to the utter perfection is almost as important as the plane you will choose for the mission (Sometimes it has a big impact in the selection of the latter). In the next paragraphs we will be explaining the geography and spawn points (of both teams and the enemy) of every map, along with the recommended aircraft compositions (formations) and Special Weapons:
Alps Air Corridor:
Recommended Players: 8
A map comprised of a mountain range set in Europe. It shows several mountains with the highest crest in the middle of the map. The 2 squadrons starting points are in grids 7-B and 7-G (south-west and south-east respectively) and they face a large enemy formation in form of an inverted U along the map. The enemy units are spread across the map so its recomended the use of LAGM/LASM instead of bombs. In the other hand, the air units may appear in a giant cluster near the south center of the map or along the "inverted U." Several enemy units will spawn in all the northern secction of the map after the mission update. Some TU-160 may appear at high altitude at the west of the map.
| Fighter | Multirole | Attacker | Bomber | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Recommended Formation #1 |
1 | 1 | 2 | N/A |
| Recommended Formation #2 | 1 | 2 | N/A |
1 |
As this map is heavy in Air-to-Ground targets in both before and after the emergency mission update, more of a focus on ground offensive aircraft are needed. The Multiroles job in this mission is to switch between both Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground duties depending on the density of the enemy presence, making sure that neither Attackers/Bombers nor Fighters get bogged down in their role, as this can mean the difference in an S rank or an A rank.
| Anti-Ground | LAGM/LASM | 4AGM | FAEB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Air | 4AAM/6AAM | HVAA/SAAM | N/A |
Alps Air Corridor covers a large area, and so many of the enemies are spread over large distances. This makes is crucial that long range weapons are used by the squadron. As stated above, the LAGM/LASM is recommended more than the UGB due to is long range capabilities, making it possible to engage multiple locations without continuously flying from one place to another. The alternative, is to use either 4AGMs or FAEBs in order to quickly dispatch of any enemy units and quickly move on to the next cluster, which is a more common tactic in the latter half of the mission. For Air-to-Air, the use of 4AAMs and 6AAMs is recommended due to their long range nature, making for quicker engagements when standard missile range is acquired, as the aircraft that are hit will either be substantially damaged or destroyed. The alternative, HVAA and SAAM missiles, although only single lock-on, can be just as effective. This is because of their range and general velocity towards their target, being able to destroy all yield targets efficiently.