07-25-2013, 10:47 AM
We have a grand total of 2 of us with a lot of flight time in a scythe.
And by a lot of flight time, I mean consistently long times without blowing your scythe up or crashing it.
I personally would like to see more talent in our piloting (and uniformity, that definitely helps).
I've made some friends with an outfit that is pilot exclusive. Every time I play with them they are in the sky in either a squadron of scythes, or a bunch of scythes, and a few libs.
Here's the deal for longevity in a scythe:
1. Never overextend (don't go beyond your boundaries and end up surrounded).
2. Know your escape route.
3. ALWAYS fly in a squad (if you can). Or know where a squad is so you can drag tails to them 3 or more to a squad is best.
Now, part of three is very important, you can have significantly longer longevity in a scythe if you fly in a squad of 3 or more. Make sure you communicate enemy positions whenever possible, but if you need to take the escape route, everyone should know what that escape route is. (Point it out on your way into the attack positions). If even ONE of you says they need to go back for resupply or repair, EVERYONE goes back with them (even if it means breaking off a dog fight). (The "Everyone" can be omitted if there is a large force of scythes, I would recommend at least 2 people go with them, so a squadron of 3 minimum going).
Why break off a dog fight you ask? Well there's 3 of you, the dog fighter against you may end up rolling around a big more and you end up with them at a distance behind. This being the case, if you are the dog fighter, you are usually the last in line, this means 2 can loop around and take care of that tail, while you replace 2 (take less damage) and 1 continues on to their reload/resupply/repair.
At least 2 of you should have lock ons (this actually makes a difference, most pilots fly like maniacs when they get locked on attempting to break lock, this means if one lock breaks another one will be quick on them.
Use your main guns. Lock ons are nice, but if they take too long switch to the cannon and start firing machine gun rounds.
Know your team mates most likely roll/leave/escape out of a dogfight, try to figure out their motions and their most likely direction to turn (so you don't run into them). Example: If I'm lead, I bank head left it means I'm probably going that way, you need to bank head right, and if there is a third you can go up or down. Just pay attention to who is in front of you and what they do.
Make sure your map is fully zoomed out (even use H if you have to for the quarter screen map for maximum view of the map).
While you don't have to fly in a formation, make sure you all are approaching a point on the same vector. This allows you, or your lead to call out enemy locations using clock face directions on your approach, in flight this is insanely useful.
When not in combat, your scythe squadron should get back in formation (or vector line). This way you can continue to use clock face direction for quicker attack patterns.
If your squadron is outnumbered, but you know you can take one or two out and then leave, do so. You pick enough leaves off a plant it eventually dies.
Don't forget you can hover UNDER landing pads and get resupplies (useful when there's drop pods and liberators about).
Lastly, remember the scythe is the shortest (height) of all the ESF's, this ACTUALLY provides you an escape advantage. We can fit through the ends of both sides of a tech plant. And turn sideways for narrow escape routes. Make use of this as even if you don't get the points for the kill, it's insanely satisfying running through things and hearing that explosion behind you. I've had some softies on the ground commend me on my escape routes in the past when they've seen me (zig zagging bio lab legs, looping around archways, cutting through narrow passages, it's all worth it).
Scythe 65 Killstreak Uncut (Planetside 2 Gameplay/Commentary) Not a bad basics video from LevelCap
Your frame and load out:
It's entirely up to you. Remember Air Load Outs do not save your "last one" like vehicles and infantry.
My load outs are as follows:
Air-to-Air
Weapons: Hailstorm + A2A Lock Ons
Armor: Composite 4
Frame: Dog Fighting
Air-to-Ground
Weapons: PPA + Rocket Pods
Armor: Composite 4
Frame: Hover
Mix
Weapons: Hailstorm (with recent update this will probably change to Saron) + Rocket Pods
Armor: Composite 4
Frame: Dog Fighting
The very last tip, is one many of you should already know, if you have thumb buttons on your mouse, you should bind them to pitch up and pitch down. If you're like me and have an MMO mouse (8-12 buttons on the thumb), you can lay out for pitch up, pitch down, roll left, and roll right. Even if you don't like it at first, get use to it, as Rummy pointed out one night it's because it's an "On/Off" situation with that. Basically when you pitch and/or roll with your mouse motion it only moves as fast as your sensitivity allows. If you pitch or roll using your thumb button you get maximum possible pitch or roll speed when the button is pressed. This is great for dog fighting and quick maneuvering through things. Try hitting the breaks, pitching up, then hitting your afterburner while still pitching up (see how fast that turn is? It's really great for your turns through biolab legs.)
tl; dr version: Tough shit, too much important information to summarize, go back, read it.
And by a lot of flight time, I mean consistently long times without blowing your scythe up or crashing it.
I personally would like to see more talent in our piloting (and uniformity, that definitely helps).
I've made some friends with an outfit that is pilot exclusive. Every time I play with them they are in the sky in either a squadron of scythes, or a bunch of scythes, and a few libs.
Here's the deal for longevity in a scythe:
1. Never overextend (don't go beyond your boundaries and end up surrounded).
2. Know your escape route.
3. ALWAYS fly in a squad (if you can). Or know where a squad is so you can drag tails to them 3 or more to a squad is best.
Now, part of three is very important, you can have significantly longer longevity in a scythe if you fly in a squad of 3 or more. Make sure you communicate enemy positions whenever possible, but if you need to take the escape route, everyone should know what that escape route is. (Point it out on your way into the attack positions). If even ONE of you says they need to go back for resupply or repair, EVERYONE goes back with them (even if it means breaking off a dog fight). (The "Everyone" can be omitted if there is a large force of scythes, I would recommend at least 2 people go with them, so a squadron of 3 minimum going).
Why break off a dog fight you ask? Well there's 3 of you, the dog fighter against you may end up rolling around a big more and you end up with them at a distance behind. This being the case, if you are the dog fighter, you are usually the last in line, this means 2 can loop around and take care of that tail, while you replace 2 (take less damage) and 1 continues on to their reload/resupply/repair.
At least 2 of you should have lock ons (this actually makes a difference, most pilots fly like maniacs when they get locked on attempting to break lock, this means if one lock breaks another one will be quick on them.
Use your main guns. Lock ons are nice, but if they take too long switch to the cannon and start firing machine gun rounds.
Know your team mates most likely roll/leave/escape out of a dogfight, try to figure out their motions and their most likely direction to turn (so you don't run into them). Example: If I'm lead, I bank head left it means I'm probably going that way, you need to bank head right, and if there is a third you can go up or down. Just pay attention to who is in front of you and what they do.
Make sure your map is fully zoomed out (even use H if you have to for the quarter screen map for maximum view of the map).
While you don't have to fly in a formation, make sure you all are approaching a point on the same vector. This allows you, or your lead to call out enemy locations using clock face directions on your approach, in flight this is insanely useful.
When not in combat, your scythe squadron should get back in formation (or vector line). This way you can continue to use clock face direction for quicker attack patterns.
If your squadron is outnumbered, but you know you can take one or two out and then leave, do so. You pick enough leaves off a plant it eventually dies.
Don't forget you can hover UNDER landing pads and get resupplies (useful when there's drop pods and liberators about).
Lastly, remember the scythe is the shortest (height) of all the ESF's, this ACTUALLY provides you an escape advantage. We can fit through the ends of both sides of a tech plant. And turn sideways for narrow escape routes. Make use of this as even if you don't get the points for the kill, it's insanely satisfying running through things and hearing that explosion behind you. I've had some softies on the ground commend me on my escape routes in the past when they've seen me (zig zagging bio lab legs, looping around archways, cutting through narrow passages, it's all worth it).
Scythe 65 Killstreak Uncut (Planetside 2 Gameplay/Commentary) Not a bad basics video from LevelCap
Your frame and load out:
It's entirely up to you. Remember Air Load Outs do not save your "last one" like vehicles and infantry.
My load outs are as follows:
Air-to-Air
Weapons: Hailstorm + A2A Lock Ons
Armor: Composite 4
Frame: Dog Fighting
Air-to-Ground
Weapons: PPA + Rocket Pods
Armor: Composite 4
Frame: Hover
Mix
Weapons: Hailstorm (with recent update this will probably change to Saron) + Rocket Pods
Armor: Composite 4
Frame: Dog Fighting
The very last tip, is one many of you should already know, if you have thumb buttons on your mouse, you should bind them to pitch up and pitch down. If you're like me and have an MMO mouse (8-12 buttons on the thumb), you can lay out for pitch up, pitch down, roll left, and roll right. Even if you don't like it at first, get use to it, as Rummy pointed out one night it's because it's an "On/Off" situation with that. Basically when you pitch and/or roll with your mouse motion it only moves as fast as your sensitivity allows. If you pitch or roll using your thumb button you get maximum possible pitch or roll speed when the button is pressed. This is great for dog fighting and quick maneuvering through things. Try hitting the breaks, pitching up, then hitting your afterburner while still pitching up (see how fast that turn is? It's really great for your turns through biolab legs.)
tl; dr version: Tough shit, too much important information to summarize, go back, read it.