One vs One

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Introduction

One vs. one combat is the most intense form of combat when flying a fighter. Experience is paramount and your ability to engage in psychological games with your enemy will determine your level of success. To be spontaneous is necessary; fluidity and unpredictability will keep you alive. If the enemy sees consistent patterns of behavior in a one vs. one you will not survive that battle. "The way of war is a way of deception"(1) and in a one vs. one battle deception is the most important skill a pilot can have and the only skill that we cannot completely teach. Creativity and experience are key to developing your own set of psychological tactics. In this article a series of possible ones are suggested as a starting point for you to experiment with and develop on your own, but we will stick mostly the modern understanding of air combat and how to pursue the enemy for a kill. How you can change that up and become creative with the tactics you already know and understand, not to mention whatever mind games you may begin, are all up to you but are all meant to produce one outcome- a kill.

The most important thing every fighter pilot needs to know and understand is their own ability. Since you most likely will never have fought against the enemy pilot, you do not know them, nor do not know how they fight, how they react, and how they engage in psychological games. Given this lack of knowledge, knowing your abilities and the capabilities of your own fighter are all-important as this will always give you a reference in battle and you will never be left questioning whether or not something is possible. Knowing your fighter means understanding its technical components, the tightness of its turning arc, and how it reacts to sudden changes in speed. For the sake of time, this will include both Atmospheric and Space references, mostly space; atmospheric aspects will be noted.

Understanding your own abilities means knowing your own skill level and what you are capable of in battle. If you are the best in a turning battle then keep the enemy in front of you. If you over-react with evasive maneuvers in a head on battle then keep your enemy's nose from being in front of you. Knowing your own comfort level is important as you can then use this knowledge to ensure you fight the enemy on your terms rather than his terms.

One final point to make. The one vs. one situation is one of the most thrilling mentally and physically as an individual because it is the one time where nothing else matters but chasing off or destroying the enemy. Flight leaders, squadron commanders, and any pilot in a situation larger than one vs. one does not have the liberty to experience the thrills of a one vs. one because the larger picture matters. You might be responsible for a wingmate, a flight, or an entire squadron in which case staying alive, keeping your wingmate alive, and focusing on the overall target factor into your decisions. In a one vs. one, however, you can let your instinct factor in. Set tactics are important as a reference but if you know or feel your enemy is going to do something then throw tactics to the wind, follow your gut, and react in the best way you know how. Be instinctive without being reckless, gutsy without seeking glory, and confident without being arrogant and you will succeed.


Offensive BFM
 Angle-off is the difference, measured in degrees, between your heading and the bandit's. 
 This angle tells you relative fuselage alignment. 
 For example, if the angle-off were 0 deg, you would be on a parallel heading with the bandit and your fuselages would be aligned; 
 if the angle-off were 90 deg, your fuselage would be perpendicular to the bandit's.
 Aspect angle is the number of degrees measured from the tail of the target to your aircraft. 
 Aspect angle is important because it tells you how far away you are in degrees from the target's stern, which is the desired position.
 Range is the distance between your jet and the bandit.
 O'Clock System would be how pilots direct one another in the middle of battle.
 This 'clock' can be seen by pretending you are in the center of said clock.
 To the front of you would be the 12 o'clock position, thus,
 in front of your fighter would be the 12 o'clock position; likewise,
 behind you would be your 'Six.'  Everything in between is just an easier way to say south-
 east or north west or whichever you choose.  Now you're talking like a pilot.

In an air-to-air fight, you are forced to execute specific maneuvers in response to the bandit. In offensive maneuvering, BFM must be performed when the bandit turns into you and creates aspect, angle-off, and range problems. Basically, this means that, say you're flying on their left (port) side and heading up to catch them, they'll turn to the left to cut across you're path and create targeting problems for you.

The BFM that you can actually execute in a TIE Fighter are constrained due to limits on what you can see beyond certain points. The bandits in the area are difficult to see until they are at very close range. Outside 3,000 feet it is very difficult to tell what the bandit is doing and to judge the geometry of the fight. Because of this, most fights with the bandit result in a confusing "fur ball" of high speed passes and missile engagements at ranges greater than one mile. You know you did well when the bandit blows up, but you're not sure what happened or why. In this section, we discuss methods for going through the basic BFM steps: observe, predict, maneuver and react. We will also highlight some "work arounds" that will help you execute the offensive BFM needed to win.

Before we get too heavy into the matter of one-on-one warfare, one should know that many discussions of BFM describe maneuvers as if they were cards or chess pieces played sequentially in a game of move and countermove. Modern aerial warfare, however, is more accurately compared to a wrestling match. It is a fluid contest of quick reactions with both opponents executing their moves in a blur. Aerial combat requires immediate reaction. Fighter pilots, as a rule, are not too bright on the ground; in the air, however, we are brilliant for very short periods of time. Within seconds, a pilot must constantly go through the following basic steps:

 1. Observe the bandit.
 2. Predict a future position in space for the bandit based on your observation.
 3. Maneuver your fighter in response to this prediction.
 4. React to changes in the situation as you execute your maneuvers.

BFM is flown in the future and not in the present. You must constantly predict the bandit's future position, where he will be a few seconds from the time you observe him, and fly your fighter based on this prediction.

Now- We start looking from this position because it is simplest- you need not cut into confusing patterns to acquire a target or throw the enemy off your tail- all that is concerned here is destroying the enemy and living through the process. So, for the sake of understanding, lets go over a couple of simple ideas.

What is a turning battle? A turning battle is, in its most basic sense, a dog fight where two or more fighters constantly break into each other’s turns so that they might have the advantage and be allowed to fire on that enemy. The turning battle is going on from both sides though- the aggressor trying to get a good shot while the defender does everything in their power to shake them. This is what you'll probably go through before you're allowed to get a good shot off, but eventually you hit the 'elbow'- that choice point behind the enemy fighter where it is impossible for them to shake you. Right before that moment is where we start talking Offensive BFM. We know its offensive because all of your targets are out in front of you, and for now its only going to be one target. When we get into multiple targets, keeping all of the enemies in front of you becomes the difficult part, but for now- we're just worrying about a one vs. one situation.

Offensive BFM is necessary because a bandit in fear of dying will turn his fighter at high Gs. To solve the BFM problems created by this turn, you must execute a turn of your own with the objective of flying your fighter to the elbow. The key to TIE offensive BFM is knowing when and how to execute this turn. If you are behind a bandit, remember the objective is to kill him and not put on an air show at his 6 o' clock. The first action to take when you have a bad guy in or near your HUD (Heads Up Display- used to target for missiles and cannons) is to shoot something at him. If you can't shoot because the bandit starts a hard turn into you, then you need to begin turning the same direction. The rule of thumb for either Defensive or Offensive BFM is that you always turn into the enemy. Say someone is coming up behind you- depending on which direction they're coming from, that's the direction you turn. If you're in the offensive position, you follow into that turn.

Now- when you see the bandit turning out in front of you, ask yourself this question: "If the bandit keeps turning at his present rate, will his nose come around to point at me before I can close with him?" If the answer is yes, you are outside the bandit's 'turn circle,' or the area that they can stay in without you cutting in front of them, and you are not flying offensive BFM - you are flying head-on BFM. You cannot solve aspect, angle-off and range problems when you are outside the bandit's turn circle. The reason is simple: no matter what you do, if you are outside his turn circle, he can always point at you and force a head-on pass. For now, assume you are inside the bandit's turn circle (the bandit's present turn rate will not bring his nose around to point at your fighter). From here you're going to attempt to get into the 'elbow'- that sweet spot. In order to do that, you're going to have to go into 'lead pursuit' where you point your nose ahead of there's while still in the turn. It's like taking a short cut to their destination while still falling in behind them. If you're going to fast you'll over shoot them though or maybe even collide, so speed needs to be checked as well.

Should you be unable get into that elbow, you continue this 'turning fight' until you do. As you constantly pass each other, you might switch to guns to get a strafing shot off or even get a second or twos opportunity to let off a missile, but most of the time you'll continue this for a couple of passes until you hit a pretty nice area. Of course, because the chances of getting into perfect position are sometimes too unlikely, there have been creations such as all-aspect missiles, which are missiles that can be shot by simply targeting the bandit and shooting despite weapon's envelope. Usually these are just upgraded versions of either proton torpedoes or concussion missiles. In order to get it correct for a shot like that though, the pilot will probably launch themselves into maneuvers like the high and low yoyo to close distance but lose the angle off tail a bit, or vice versa so that you can back up a bit but have a more accurate shot. This is all going on while that enemy pilot is attempting to evade, so it all happens as you continue this 'turning battle.' There are a few things that can help you achieve this though, and that's through energy distribution.

Within most craft, there is a way to convert energy to another part of the ship. In the case of fighters, the central computer or terminal is what usually shows you're sensors and radar information. However, it also has a mode to display power distribution. In the case of offensive BFM, most of this power will probably go to the engines or guns to get a good shot. This means that you physically take power away from somewhere else, perhaps you're shields or some of the peripheral systems like the lights in your cabin or maybe even an emergency function like repulsor lifts, so that you'll be able to give more power to your cannons or engines. This will make your engines stronger and thus- you move faster. If you put all of it into cannons, the canon burst may become faster, though they could overheat, or maybe just more powerful so that a single burst could take out shields. These are only helpful aspects though-

Eventually, if you put the circumstances in your favor and think with a mind looking to the future so that you can predict and head off that bandit at every opportunity- you will succeed.

Defensive BFM

Your not sure what went wrong, but there he is - a blood-hungry New Republic Fighter at your 6 o'clock. Before you reach for the ejection handle, let's discuss your options. Defensive BFM is a very easy concept to grasp in a TIE class fighter. A will to survive is the most essential ingredient needed. The geometry of the defensive fight is very simple, and the maneuvers are equally straightforward. You must be able to execute them, however, while you are under pressure and enduring the physical duress of violent, high-G maneuvering. Defensive maneuvering requires patience, stamina and optimism. Keep asking yourself, "Am I still alive?" If the answer is "yes" - keep fighting.

Maneuver and ECM

The first thing you need to do defensively is to create BFM problems for the bandit. You know how difficult it is to stay behind a hard-turning bandit; to give the enemy the same trouble you had, execute the following procedures for these defensive situations:

Before a missile lock can be achieved, or hopefully before a missile launch, you need to find a way to throw your pursuer off. This can be done in a series of maneuvers, whether they be quick, decisive break turns into your man that they just can't keep up with, or maybe a spiral dive that they can't predict fast enough and overshoot you. Either way, you're just trying to move and keep that man from getting a good shot at you.

Should they be in close enough range for guns, they'll probably try to strafe you as you cross back and forth in front of them, so its important to be changing altitude or your 'vertical' in space terms when you cross them, otherwise they need only to hold down the trigger and you're shields are out. This brings up a good point though- YOU HAVE SHIELDS! Though your ship doesn't have SLAM (Sub-Light Acceleration Motor), you (the pilot) have total control of where you deposit energy output from your fighter. Shields in the case of a defensive battle like this are usually put toward the aft end to a pretty high degree- but this isn't the smartest move. Yes, you're being strafed from behind, though you're trying not to get hit at all, but accidents happen... Never the less- that doesn't mean you'll be safe from the front if there is more than one bandit in the field. For now, if there is only one, most energy should be put into the back sixty percent of your hull, that meaning from about three or four o'clock to eight or nine o'clock depending on which side is getting hammered. Most shields can take a missile hit for you, but don't be surprised if you take hull damage- remember, shields are only a safety net. They shouldn't be relied on as a main tool: fly well and you won't need them.

Moving off from that idea of converting power to different areas, energy can also be sent to your engines or weapons. In this case, you may want to add extra energy to your engines to keep a good distance between you and your bandit. Chances are they're fulfilling similar task, but every little thing helps so don't overlook the power of your craft.

Missile Launch: Pay close attention to the sensors array, the portion of your radar modes that tells you where everything is around you, who is good and who is bad; if you see or hear a missile launch indication at any time, stop what you are doing and execute the following procedures:

1. If you're flying a craft with some kind of chaff (deployed substances to disrupt the flight of an incoming missile), use them. TIE-class fighters are not normally equipped with these, so skip that. However, for those equipped with minor jamming devices- use them! This may scramble the missile and cause it to become confused, accidentally choosing another signature to engage. This isn't too likely, but it happens from time to time, so flip it on.

Don't try to figure out which type of missile the enemy is firing either. You will have plenty of time to ponder that in POW camp if your defensive reactions don't work. That or with your maker, if you believe such things.

2. While you are using your countermeasures, you must also put maximum Gs on your fighter as quickly as possible to give the enemy missile a difficult target. Again, don't sweat which way to turn; just do it.

If you get a lock-on indication before you get a launch, dispense chaff only and turn the pod on. In this case, you have more time to maneuver the fighter against the bandit.

Bandit on your six: When the bandit is at your 6 o'clock and you get a lock-on indication or no indication, look to your rear sensors (a display with a wire frame depiction in the upper-left hand corner of your cabin) to figure out the direction of your defensive turn. Then execute the following steps:

 1. If the bandit is on the right side of the sensor, turn right; if he is on the left, turn left. 
 In the rare instance when you actually can see the bandit, turn towards him.
 2. Roll to set your wings at approximately 80-90deg of bank and start a hard turn into the bandit at maximum G. 
 Turn with as much G as the fighter will give you.
 3. Next, look at the rear sensors and note the direction of movement from the bandit.

-If the bandit is approaching your 12 o'clock position, your turn is working. You are giving him a problem he can't solve, and he is moving out in front of you. Keep turning until he gets to your nose and your radar locks on. Then you are no longer on the defensive but are probably flying offensive or head-on BFM. -If you turn hard into the bandit and he does not move to the 12 o'clock position on the sensors array, you are in for a real tussle. First check your airspeed. If you are flying faster than sixty-five percent, slow down to give your fighter a tighter turn circle. If you are slower than fifty percent, you may lose the battle through turn rate- speed up slightly if possible.

Hopefully, one of the above steps will solve your problem and put the bandit moving near the 12 o'clock position on the sensors array. If not, there is nothing more you can do except keep turning and hope he runs out of gas or makes a mistake. I wish I could give you a "magic move" that would put the bandit out in front of you, but unfortunately that move doesn't exit. Just remember that an X-wing at 6 o'clock is better than no X at all to a confident and aggressive fighter pilot.

Head on Head

The First Pass

Flying straight at your opponent with your opponent flying straight back at you is perhaps one of the most amazing moments you can experience as a pilot. At this point your adrenaline will be running high and you will be thinking about how to destroy your opponent faster than they can destroy you. The most important thing is to control your adrenaline and focus on the objective. First of all, recall what your strengths are. If you are a strong pilot in a head on head situation then let your instincts and experience guide you, but perhaps you prefer to get into a Defensive BFM situation so that you can turn it into an Offensive BFM. There are several things to keep in mind in the start of this kind of fray, though.

First, there's a bit of an argument over whether or not to use a warhead. Below we mention it as a definite possibility if your opponent lacks certain systems and capabilities, but most times... Never use a warhead. Right now I'll present both arguments for you and you can decide which situation best fits.

In a head on head situation you have to be lined directly in front of the other fighter in order to get a lock unless you have all-aspect missiles. This can create a situation where you are within range of the enemy's guns while you try to lock on. Second, the systems onboard your enemy's fighter will indicate you are locking on and he will seize the advantage and increase the speed in order to open fire before you get the lock and fire. Third, given that you are directly in his line of fire, your enemy is in the easiest position possible in order to destroy a warhead without using a countermeasure. A warhead used in this situation is a wasted warhead and given that all fighters have limited payloads, the most intelligent decision is to completely avoid any thought of pushing the weapons switch.

However- an amendment to that rule, as was mentioned, is if they either lack certain systems or your missiles have a larger aspect. Say you're fifty degree's to the right of them, you still have a clean shot and they have to physically turn to engage your missile that's coming at an angle- that's a difficult shot. Also, since its at an angle, your concussion missile can get closer, thus, even if its shot out of the sky, the concussion waves can do significant damage to the shields if not take them out. And! If they don't hit the missile they're in for a surprise...

While flying head on head, if you intend to close within cannon range before maneuvering then a proper approach to firing is required. As your adrenaline is racing, it is tempting and indeed seemingly exciting to let loose in strafe mode in a gun-ho manner in order to rip your opponent's fighter to shreds in a long series of blazing glory. Put this thought completely out of your mind. The successful pilot goes not into battle seeking glory but rather goes into battle seeking to do what is necessary for victory, and, of course: to stay alive. What's important is to recognize that you can use more than your skill as a pilot in a head-on BFM situation.

Since we're trying to get into guns range without a whole lot of maneuvering, its important that both your shields and weapons have plenty of power. Thus, one might take power from their engines or peripheral systems to boost these two areas. Or perhaps vice versa, maybe you'll boost your engines so that you can reach your target faster and maybe put those shields up but only give you maybe one or two chances at a good shot. It's all about how you, as the pilot, are most comfortable. Again- use your strengths. The most commonly known, or at least accepted way of going about a head on confrontation and trying to get a good shot off is to drift in all four directions in order to avoid your enemy's fire. When appropriate, fire one linked burst at your opponent when you have a reasonably good chance of hitting him while the engines and shields are reasonably boosted, deflectors to the front half of the ship of course. Most pilots will engage in a similar series of drifts so what is important is to quickly observe your enemy and look for patterns that you can exploit for direct hits. Given that a head on head will last seconds, pattern recognition is a vital skill you must perfect. Pattern exploitation, or if need be, forcible pattern exploitation (done by forcing your enemy into a pattern of moves through a combinations of strafe shots to move your enemy into a pre-determined position and linked bursts to exploit the mistake) is the most efficient way of scoring hits in a head on head.

The fight for Offensive BFM

Now, after you've gotten those initial shots off, the following BFM is flown after you've passed the bandit head-on. At this point, you could keep going away from the bandit or you could turn and "duke it out" with him. Head-on BFM is very easy to execute but difficult to understand. The following steps will help you take a head-on situation and convert it into an offensive one.

 1. Use the Sensors display, and the HUD (Heads Up Display) to point at the bandit. 
 The goal is to place him at your 12 o'clock position.
 2. When you get an in range /IN RNG/ indication in the HUD, 
 shoot a missile if you know that fighter lacks the system that identifies missile launches, particularly smaller ships. 
 If the Concussion Missile doesn't work, switch to guns and shoot when you get inside two miles.
 3. Stay heads up for a missile launch indication on your own Threat Indicator as the bandit approaches. 
 If you get a launch indication, respond as described in the defensive BFM section. 
 There should be no doubt in your mind that when somebody shoots at you, you're defensive.
 4. When you see the bandit fly past you or the Threat Indicator shows the bandit moving toward your 6 o'clock, 
 start a hard turn at 5-7 Gs in the direction of the bandit. 
 5. After starting a hard turn into the bandit, keep the turn coming until you get the bandit in your HUD again. 
 At this time, analyze the aspect angle. If it is high /above 120 deg/, you are still in a head-on fight. 
 Go back to step one. If the aspect angle is medium or low, you are winning the manly contest of head-on BFM. 
 Just keep pulling hard in the direction of the bandit and you will soon be behind it.
 6. Anytime you get confused, remember this: always turn in the direction of the bandit. 
 If you can't think of anything else to do, just keep turning into him, 
 using the Threat Indicator and the rest of your sensors as a reference. 


One last point about head-on BFM: you can execute a hard turn into the bandit in the vertical plane as well as the horizontal. If you go into the vertical, just remember to keep on pulling all the way through until you are pointing at him again. In a TIE-class Fighter you should always drive the fight into a tight, high G circle because you can get around that circle faster than any other fighter in the sky.

The goal of maneuvering in offensive, defensive and head-on situations is the same: to survive the attack of the bandit and shoot him down. So- the best to you pilots- go get 'em.