Basic Rotte Tactics

In response to some of the E-mail I got after Sunday's training, I thought I'd fire off a few notes about basic tactics. Take it all with a grain of salt, feel free to elaborate and comment as you see fit.

Formations:

The basic combat unit is of course the pair (or 'rotte'). Two pair make up a 'schwarm' of 4 aircraft.

The ordinary combat formation of the rotte should be side by side, spaced d10-20 apart and coalt. Each pilot concentrates on watching the 'inside' of the formation (looking toward the other aircraft), so as to protect each other's tail. In a schwarm, all pilots should be looking 'into' the formation to protect each other.

When manuevering in combat, the wingman should try to maintain at least this same d10-d20 separation. A wingman who follows his leader at d3 is a dead man, and so is the leader. When you are that close, you cannot manuever to attack or evade, and you make an attacker's gun solution and SA much simpler. Keep enough distance to actually help in combat.

Leader should call out all heading changes during cruise to facilitate keeping the group together.

Evasives:

When one element of the rotte is attacked, both should break the same way, preferably into the attack. The idea here is to force the bogie to bleed E turning to engage his original target, while the non-attacked member of the pair gets a gun solution on the bogie. In other words, both elements break left or right into a horizontal turn. Ideally, the bogie will get 'sandwiched' between leader and wingman.

With practice, you can add a vertical component to this move, which makes it much more effective. Coordination is tricky, so practice is necessary.

'Boxing' a target

This applies to all formations of more than 1 aircraft; rotte schwarm, staffel, gruppe.

When approaching a bogie or bogies from behind, split to the bogie's left and right. Separation between elements should be d20-30. Both elements should attack the enemy at the same time. The bogie will break into one attack or the other. The aircraft he did not break into will automatically be in his rear quarter, and should be able to maintain an Energy advantage.

The element the enemy DID break into should extend and grab alt, preparing to deliver the second half of the 'Double Attack'.

The 'Double Attack'

Outnumbering the enemy is only effective when you USE your superior numbers. Too often, 1 pilot will engage the enemy while the other sits above and watches. It is more effective to double-team the bogie, never allowing him to regain any lost energy. In this way, two mediocre pilots can defeat an ace.

Once engaged with the enemy, the leader should attack and force the enemy to do some sort of energy-bleeding manuever like a break turn. The leader should not follow the bogie into this manuever, but should extend and grab, increasing his E-state. It is good to call 'Off' on the radio or RW when breaking off the attack.

The wingman (who again should be about d10 away at start) then attacks the bogie, again forcing him to bleed E, and again extending and regaining his own Energy. As soon as the wingman calls 'Off' and disengages, the leader should be in position to resume the attack.

Wash, rinse, repeat until ammo exhausted or the bogie is dead.

A very simple concept, but one which takes timing and practice to successfully employ. We'll work on it. Most common errors are:

1. - Staying on the bogie too long and losing too much E. Also disrupts the timing of the attack.

2. - Not re-gaining enough energy to effectively re-engage the target.

Vadr