War Thunder Guide Book (Tactics)

Aerial fighting is a three-dimensional art form with several complexities that take years to perfect. Reading up on, practicing, and applying these concepts to your advantage will dramatically enhance your effectiveness in a dogfight if you take these techniques seriously.

The Regulations of Air Fighting should always be kept in mind when flying, but like any set of rules, they can be modified to fit the occasion. It is preferable to invite buddies to this game, as it is to any other game or battle. A separate article is dedicated to wing tactics.

Cobra
The cobra is a stall tactic that causes your opponent to overreach, allowing you to lose a tail. To accomplish this method, you must expend as little energy as possible. Start rising, then lower your throttle to zero, remove your gear, flaps, and air brakes (if applicable) before turning off your engine. Turn your engine back on once your opponent overshoots, then throttle up to recover flying.

Torpedo Bombing

Torpedo bombing is difficult, sluggish, and exhausting (when employed in historical or full-scale conflicts), yet it may be extremely rewarding when utilized under the proper conditions and at the appropriate time.

Boom and Zoom

The objective of this strategy is to maintain a consistent energy advantage over your opponents while making it as difficult as possible to engage you. This is accomplished by engaging a bogie from a high height, descending on your opponent (booming), and then rising away to a safe altitude after shooting (zooming).

It's crucial to remember that height alone isn't enough; the bogey must have a clear energy advantage or the bogey may just follow into the zoom climb and counter-attack, as an energy fighter would try to do against a boom and zoomer by concealing his energy status.

By altering the assaults in such a manner as to prevent the adversary from accumulating energy, energy combat concepts may also be included into the boom and zoom. The loose deuce is a boom and zoom strategy based on energy fighting concepts.

The best planes for this technique usually have the following features:

To begin with, good climb rates are necessary to get an altitude advantage.
To be able to cause damage during the brief time period of the bounce, you'll need a lot of firepower.
Because larger planes waste less energy in a climb, they have a higher mass.
Excellent high-speed handling, especially with a high vne.

ROKD

This method is called after Muhammad Ali's approach of lying back on the ropes of a boxing ring and letting his opponent pound him for almost an hour, letting the ropes absorb much of the force of the punches and wearing out his opponent. Ali was able to take down a vulnerable opponent after his opponent was weary and had his guard down.

Energy Fighting

Energy fighting is a style of combat in which you strive to maintain or obtain an energy edge over your opponent, then utilize that advantage (and hence mobility) to dominate your opponent.

When confronted by a more energetic opponent, the latter will generally begin performing boom and zoom strikes. The energy fighter must strive to build up their energy by climbing in between strikes to chip away at the bogey's energy advantage by raising his own, or by moving in such a manner that the opponent wastes their energy while he conserves his own.

Stall Fighting

The aim is to mislead an opponent into a zoom climb by having a faster stall speed, lower climb rate, or just less energy. When both planes slow down, your opponent should run out of energy and stall before you do. This forces your opponents to retreat, giving you the opportunity to fire at a sluggish and weak foe. To postpone your stall as much as possible, utilize WEP/throttle boost and flaps. You risk becoming a susceptible target if the opponent does not stall before you, or if this is done with insufficient distance. To avoid being shot down, try swaying from side to side.

The objective of this aerial technique is to mislead your opponent into climbing towards you while concealing your energy advantage, causing him to believe he has the upper hand and ascend after you with zeal. This technique must be performed close enough to the opponent to fool him into thinking he's near a gun solution, but far enough away that he never has a shot on you. Again, if done wrong, you expose yourself to a lot of danger.