Requesting tactical help for LaGG-3

[Jumoschwanz]

One fact about the AI is that it seems to easily I.D. the type of aircraft you are in and it will adjust it's tactics to suit. If your type of aircraft is quick enough so that the AI will not be able to easily use energy fighting against you, then it will resort to turning and burning, if you are however flying a slower aircraft against a much faster AI, then it will do the energy fighting thing and then indeed you can do what Caspar suggested.

As long as you fly towards a faster AI aircraft, it will fly away from you until it has gained enough altitude to turn back and make a fast firing pass on you. So if you make sure you are not going in the same direction as the AI after it makes it's pass, then instead of flying away it will quickly turn back after you.

You can exploit this to keep equal Energy with the AI. The best way is to be going head-on at it on its firing pass, make it miss with a small maneuver, then continue flying straight ahead and loop back at the AI, it will be doing the same thing at the same time. At a point suitable to you, you can either take a head on shot at it, or you can make it miss again and see if you can follow it closely enough to take a shot at it's tail.

IF you fly the 1941 Lagg vs. the 109F2 it will go into energy fighting mode, but if you fly the Mig3ud against it, it will be in turn and burn mode. I flew the 41' lagg vs. an ace 109f2 and got it down with a head-on shot, and then in the mig3 I got it as it crossed my path trying to turn and burn with me.

Online all bets are off because you will be up against such a wide variety of varying abilities. Online all you can do is assume that every enemy aircraft you come into contact with is going to be piloted by the very best. After a bit of sparring you can get an idea of your opponents abilities and tactics and adjust to suit!

[Flanker1985]

Wow!!! That's a lot of helpful suggestions!! Thanks!! I love you guys!!!!!!!!!

[JimmyBlonde]

Do like Jumoschwanz and co said.

Don't follow them, don't chase them, use every opportunity you get to increase the distance between you and them and climb when it's safe to keep energy states roughly even. Set up potshots at them and don't fixate, the cannon on the LaGG is your friend here.

The LaGG-3 runs out of tricks very quickly vs any maneuvering 109 so you have to keep your speed up, stay at arms length and try not to let them box you in. If you're not leaving a merge with more E than he has then you're in trouble.

In a 1vs1 you can beat a 109 in a Co E knife fight (Energy fight, you won't beat him in a sustained turning contest), even a human piloted one, the LaGG is a handy aircraft but it is much more difficult to manage than a 109 so refuse to engage where you can if things look bad and always be looking for an exit. Don't force a bad situation to become a tragic one.