[OOC] Ace Combat: The Global War

[Lost Cause]

Silverwind Blade said as well as visiting the museum here in Portsmouth

I think I've done Victory twice.

[The Mage]

I knew you were English once you said Portsmouth, SIlver

Wish I could go over to Europe sometime. for now I'm stuck here....... *sigh*

also, has anyone made a character then right after making it you start thinking about plausible deaths for them?

that's what I'm doing right meow.

[Rafale]

I've got vacations until the 17th of March, so I'm going to have a lot of time to work on this. First thing, two new parts have been added to the OP, some tips for combat and a bit of text regarding the polo mechanic.

Combat

Here are some essential tips on how to keep yourself alive in aerial combat, beginning with the original rules created by none other than the mentor of the Red Baron himself, Oswald Boelcke. Though these rules were intended for older generation of aircraft, these same principles can more or less apply to this RP with newer and faster aircraft. However, you should apply how to use them depending on the flow of battle. The Dicta shouldn't be read strictly, but as a rule of thumb to keep you alive.
Dicta Boelcke
1) Secure the advantage before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.
2) Always carry through an attack when you started it.
3) Fire only at close range and only when your opponent is properly in your sights.
4) Always keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses.
5) In any form of attack, it is essential to assail your opponent from behind.
6) If your opponent dives on you, do not try to evade the attack, but fly to meet it.
7) When over the enemy’s lines, never forget your own line of retreat.

For more in depth descriptions of each of the seven rules, see the Wikipedia article on the matter.

Combat Maneuvers
Before delving into combat, let us familiarize ourselves with some basic maneuvers. Although I’ll assume most of you are familiar with these basic combat maneuvers, I am sure some of you might not know them as well as others do and will find them useful. For more advanced tactics, let your skills develop in the RP and also pay attention to your fellow allies to learn advanced tricks.

1) The Classic Loop: It’s easy as it sounds, simply roll the aircraft upward onto it’s back and then pull out to continue on your original heading. Although not a true combat tactic, rolls can be useful in evading enemy missiles.

2) The Immelmann Turn: This is a classic maneuver developed by Max Immelmann (Also the source of the Pour le Mérite’s famous nickname, The Blue Max) during World War 1. Simply put, the Immelmann Turn involves pitching your aircraft up to begin the loop, but at the high point you cut the loop short and twist your inverted aircraft right side up. Normally this can be used after passing an aircraft head on to reposition yourself for an attack.

3) Split S: This is essentially a Immelmann turn inversed: You preform a half roll with your aircraft to invert yourself during level flight and begin a downward loop, but at the bottom point of the loop you continue on in level flight rather than completing it. The Split S like the Immelmann turn can be used to gain the surprise on a passing opponent to prepare for an attack or it can be used to avoid an Enemy Missile Lock-on.

4) Pugachev’s Cobra: This is an advanced but fan favorite maneuver, which is why it’ll be listed in this guide. Simply put, the aircraft must first be pulled back into a 90º–120º angle of attack so that the nose is perfectly or past vertical, then eased back down to level flight. This maneuver becomes very useful when being pursued closely by an enemy aircraft. By preforming the maneuver, the pursuer might overshoot you and will give you the chance to quickly get behind your opponent and attack them from behind if you are properly facing their 6 o’clock.

Ace Styles

“Did you know… there are three kinds of aces? Those who seek strength, those who live for pride, and those who can read the tide of battle... Those are the three…”
-Lawrence "Solo Wing Pixy" Foulke
As was true then is true now in this RP. In order to determine what kind of Ace your character is in RP to better the experience and create unique situations based on how you
fight and interact with friend and foe alike, your character will be ranked on the Ace Style system introduced in Ace Combat Zero. To better emulate the scale the game used
when judging your style, there will be 9 ranks in total:

Supreme Knight / High Knight / Knight / Noble Soldier / Supreme Soldier / Soldier / Risen Mercenary / Mercenary / Supreme Mercenary

Like in Ace Combat Zero, the primary way to affect your Ace Style will be to attack or spare "Yellow Targets" (will be specified during the mission (things such as civilian houses that may contain enemies, tents, things that aren't weapons) on the battlefield. However, smaller “karmic choices” like how you support your allies or way you view the war could potentially cause your Ace Style to shift, so be forewarned...

[Rhona W]

That's all really useful stuff, man, thanks!

Would you like me to put some stuff up about various weapon systems and their guidance, and the differences between them? I'd be happy to help with the technical side of things.

[Rafale]

Yeah, that would be great, very appreciated.

IC will hopefully be up this evening. Before I start writing, would you all be alright with starting midflight?

[TheFake]

No problem here, but perhaps rather than a mock dogfight maybe a combined arms deal?

[Rafale]

...what? What does that mean exactly?

[TheFake]

Like a full blown war game. armour, tanks, aircraft, infantry.

[Rafale]

Oh, no, I have something planned. This mock dogfight is going to be very interesting.

EDIT: Good suggestion though.

[nautilusmp]

*jumps repeatedly*
Am I accepted?

[Rafale]

Oops, sorry, didn't see it was done. Yep, you're accepted.

[Driving Park]

I'm uncomfortably excited for this to start. Also, i've never played Zero so the ace styles thing should be interesting.

[TheFake]

Driving Park said
I'm uncomfortably excited for this to start. Also, i've never played Zero so the ace styles thing should be interesting.

Same here, I've only played Shattered Skies and Assault The unmentionable

[Driving Park]

AC04, AC5 and ACX (whatever the first PSP game is called) are the ones I've played. I have no interest in playing a non-Strangereal AC, and I should probably pick up AC Zero, AC3 and whatever the second PSP title is.

[Rafale]

AC:JA (the second PSP one) is good fun, but keep in mind that the story is just atrocious. Zero is great, and AC3 is also really fun, but it was butchered compared to the Japanese release...

[The Mage]

Just finished reading a few Aircraft terms( that you might not use), and finished the Combat and Ace HIders. Kinda impressed you're going into this detail.

I'll be going on a short vacation to a Bowling alley/arcade/buffet/hotel/swimming pool/casino place in the next state from march 9th to 11th. I'll be replying a bit but since I LOVE bowling, it might be slow. I will be posting, though....

and yes, I'm fine with started mid-flight...

[Rafale]

Erika

Name: Erika Ansel
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Height: 1m63
Weight: 66 kg
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Blood Type: B- (genes are BB and --)
Date of Birth: November 16th, 2003
Nationality: Erusian
Affiliation: Neucom Emergency Unit
Assignment: Joint Air Unit "Anemi"
Allegiance: None, mercenary.
Rank: First Lieutenant
Call Sign: Anemi-Two
TAC Name: Ribbon
Starter Aircraft: F-4E Phantom II
While an outdated, un-aerodynamic design (it is affectionately called the flying brick by some), the Phantom has it redeeming features in its large and versatile payload, long range, good speed and reliability.
Weapons:
-20mm M61 Vulcan Cannon (internal) (700 rounds)
-30 missiles total
SP Weapons:
-x4 NPB (BLU-32)
-x8 UGB (Mk-82 500 lb.)
-x4 UGBM (Mk-83 1,000 lb.)
-x2 UGBL (Mk-84 2000 lb.)
-x2 SAAM (AIM-7F Sparrow)
-x2 QAAM (Vympel R-73/AA-11 Archer)
-x2 GPD (SUU-23/A 20mm cannon pod)
In Depth Physical Description: Somewhat short and of a light build. She usually wears her smooth mid length hair loosely, though sometimes wears it in a lopsided pony tail. For clothes, when not wearing her flight uniform, she prefers comfortable clothes over more fashionable ones, favoring sweatpants, hoodies, shorts and the like. Her face is of a thinner shape, though definitely not gaunt. Wears glasses due to her terrible eyesight, though she forces herself to use contacts when in flight.
Personality: Relaxed, laidback and with a good sense of humor, Alicia is well-liked among those she works with, save for a certain man who happens to be her co-pilot... Very easygoing. However, she is about as green as a football field, if you get the idea...
History: In 2003, the Federal Republic of Erusea invaded many of its neighbors, leaving many families without homes, as refugees or even prisoners to the Erusians. Erika's parents were the latter, she being born only a few days after her parents were brought into one of the internment camps built in the country, however, shortly after her birth her father was discovered to have a matching identity with an engineer of some reputation. The family was at first sent to the Stonehenge Cannons, where they stayed for two years before its destruction and their subsequent change of post to the Megalith facility. Erika was young at the time, only remembering what her parents tell her, and after the war, her parents managed to avoid persecution by ISAF by explaining the situation of them being forced to work for the Erusians.
Despite her parents disliking of the Erusians after the war, the family decided to stay in Farbanti for their daughter's sake, as she had become accustomed to living the life of an Erusian. Her father took up a job at the Erusea Aeronautics and Space Administration (which would later be bought by an up and coming company called Neucom in the mid-2010's) and her mother occupied herself with a part-time job at a local restaurant and Erika herself was sent to a school in the city. It was around this time that Erika was diagnosed with a genetic defect that resulted in a weaker immune system, causing her to be almost perpetually sick with varying degrees of illness. Most of them time, it was a simple cold, but the threat of coming down with a more serious disease always loomed overhead. Despite this, Erika always kept a cheery, optimistic outlook on things, to the joy of those around her who worried greatly for her.

Something, a memory dating from the otherwise blurry age during the Continental War of a dogfight above Stonehenge, caused her to take an interest when she was a teen in becoming a pilot, but despite excellent results in school, the FEAF rejected her due to her medical status and her eyesight, another one of her faults. Around this time, however, she was invited by her father, who now worked for Neucom, to be a test-pilot for the company's fighters, in particular the X-02 Wyvern, a powerful and highly advanced aircraft that never managed to go beyond the prototype stages. She took this opportunity with zeal and began training at the age of 16, mostly with simulators and experimental VR training programs. She aced the tests and virtual operations she was given, become a favorite among the researchers, scientists and troops of the newly formed Neucom Emergency Unit.

In 2021, she was chosen by Neucom to be one of the company's representatives in the International Peace Games, though under a certain condition...
Extra Information:
-She highly enjoys reading magazines and journals. She learned Belkan and Osean simply from reading literature and magazines in the two languages and using a dictionary to learn words she didn't know and she plans to learn Estovakian with the same method.
-Erika also enjoys cooking, being rather proficient at it.
-Video gaming is one of her favorite activities.
-She possesses a small collection of scale models, mostly models that she picked up from the various planes she has tested, though she owns a few others, in particular a 1/4 F-14 Tomcat that she keeps in her room in Erusea.

And there's my second character! IC should be up in an hour or two, depending on what I decide to put into it.

[The Mage]

OK, I'll be waiting.....hopefully. parents might get back.

[Rhona W]

I've played Ace Combat all the way through on the main console titles. The only ones I haven't played are the PSP ones as I've never owned a PSP. Now I have a PS3, I can get them on the online store though, so that'll probably be something I'd do within the near future.
My favourite ones are probably 4,5 and 0, due to the selection of aircraft, the large amount and variety in the missions and the general way they play and their storylines. Not to mention I think they have some of the best music.

Rafale said it was okay for me to post some more helpful info about aerial ordnance, so I'll do so, along with some other general information and terminology.

First off - some lingo. Pilots tend to use a lot of acronyms, whether talking amongst themselves, in briefings, and especially when in the air for the sake of clarity over often scratchy and staticy lines that can make words sound confusing, or letters sound like other letters. A fairly good list can be found here, albeit somewhat Navy and 'Western' oriented
Aviator Slang

Second, some useful info on what the day of a pilot is like. I know we won't be playing everything exactly as it is, but keeping some structure related to reality could be good, and will give a good idea of how things work in general too, and what our characters would be doing if they're not flying, too.
Day in the life of a fighter pilot

Technical Info

Weapon Systems
Weapons in Ace Combat are broadly split into three categories:
'Machine Guns', which are the Internal Cannon for the aircraft being used. An aircraft's cannon is used as a multi-purpose short-range weapon, against both air and surface targets of many varieties.
Most aircraft cannon range from 20-30mm, and are used to attacks against other aircraft and 'soft' ground targets. Some ground-attack aircraft, such as the A-10 Thunderbolt and the SU-25 Frogfoot are designed with heavier cannon for use against armoured targets.
Aircraft cannon have a high rate of fire, as they are designed to get the maximum amount of fire on a target in the shortest time possible, due to the comparative speed of aircraft vs. their target.

'Missiles', which are the general-purpose multi-use missiles of any Ace Combat aircraft. In our game, these are represented by the SDM, as mentioned in the opening post. They are IR-Guided (i.e. heat-seeking) missiles with a secondary optical guidance mode for engaging ground targets.

Special Weapons
Special Weapons incorporate a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance. The names for these weapons in the Ace Combat series are listed below, along with typical type designations and a few details below.

Air-to-Air missiles

• XLAA - Long-range Air-to-Air missiles. Long-range radar-guided missiles. These would include the US AIM-54 Phoenix, European MBDA Meteor, and Russian Vympel R-33 and R-37.


• XMAA - Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air missiles. Mid-range radar-guided missiles. Examples would include the US-Manufactured AIM-120 AMRAAM, Russian Vympel R-77, British-made BAe Skyflash, French MBDA MICA, and Japanese Mitsubishi AAM-4


• QAAM - Quick Manoeuvre Air-to-Air missiles. Short-range but agile IR-Guided missiles. Examples would include the US-Manufactured AIM-9X Sidewinder and Russian AA-11 Archer, both coupled with helmet-mounted sights and other high agility features.


• SAAM - Semi-Active Air-to-Air Missiles. Mid-range missiles that have a longer distance lock-on and radar-guidance, but require the target to be constantly illuminated (i.e., within field-of-view of the nose of the aircraft). Examples would include the US and NATO AIM-7 Sparrow, French Matra Super 530D, and Russian Vympel R-27.

Air-to-surface Missiles
Air-to-surface missiles incorporate air-to-ground and anti-ship weapons. They are used to destroy both armoured and unarmoured targets, and have a variety of guidance systems.

• SOD - Standoff Ordnance Dispenser. A cruise missile or other bomblet dispenser which is launched at a locked-on target or cluster of targets, through optical or laser-guidance. It then flies ahead of the aircraft under it's own power, and dispenses numerous bomblets over the target area to destroy a cluster of structures or vehicles. Examples include the European MBDA SCALP-EG and MBDA-Storm Shadow.


• LASM - Long-range Anti-Ship Missile. A missile launched at long-range after a lock-on through optical guidance. Flying at low altitude and high-speed after launch, an anti-ship missile will penetrate the side of the target through high-velocity and an armoured nose-cone, and then detonate its' warhead inside a ship for maximum damage. Examples include the US and NATO AGM-84 Harpoon, European Sea Eagle and Exocet and Russian Kh-29.


• LAGM - Long-range Air-to-ground Missile. A missile launched after a lock on through optical, laser or IR guidance. It has a powerful explosive warhead that can destroy many targets in a small area, while the launch aircraft can remain at a stand-off distance. Many of these weapons in the Real World are designed to lock-onto and destroy hostile radar emitters to allow aircraft to disable enemy search and targeting radars. Examples include the AGM-88 HARM, ALARM and Kh-31p.


• XAGM - Advanced Air-to-Ground Missile. A short-ranged, multiple-target missile, launched in volleys. IR, Optical or Laser-guided, the XAGM represents individually small missiles that are designed for the attack of pin-point targets, such as vehicles, small sea vessels and other similar targets. Examples would be the NATO AGM-65 Maverick, European AS.30 and Brimstone missiles and the Russian Kh-29.

Bombs
Bombs are both guided and unguided. Unpowered but capable of gliding in some guided models, they have a high area-of-effect, and a massive destructive power, but are relatively indescriminate in their destruction.

• UGB - Unguided bombs, of standard sizes. This would include bombs of around the 500lb class, which are 'general purpose' munitions for use against most targets.


• UGBL - Unguided Bombs, Large. This would be bombs of 1000-2000lb class. Highly destructive and powerful, they also take up more space. Generally against the hardest targets, or against large concentrations of equipment and structures.


• SFFS - Self-forming Fragments Submunitions. This is essentially the same effect as a cluster bomb, in that it spreads a wide number of explosive fragments over a large area, that are effective against both hard and soft targets.


• FAEB - Fuel-Air Explosive Bomb. An explosive unguided bomb that distributes a vapourised cloud of fuel, and then ignites it over a large cluster of targets. The resulting change in pressure and heat can rip targets apart through the massive changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure. Such weapons are massively destructive, and highly restricted in their deployment. The largest weapons, dropped from cargo aircraft or heavy bombers are comparable in effect to small nuclear weapons.


• GPB - Guided Penetration Bomb. A guided bomb, designed for pin-point accuracy on a single target. Guided by GPS or laser-guidance, the bomb glides to it's target after lock-on from a mid-range distance. Examples of such ordnance would be the Paveway family of laser-guided bombs and the JDAM GPS-Guided bomb family, as well as similar laser or other guided bombs.

Other Weapons
Other air-to-ground weapons or other weapons that do not fit in these families, and are not 'special' weapons such as lasers or burst-missiles do not always fit into the other families and are listed here.

• RCL - Rocket Launcher. An unguided short-range weapon designed for barrage-fire against lightly armoured targets. By using rudder or stick movements, the rocket launchers' barrage can be spread across a cluster of targets. A wide variety of rocket munitions are used by many nations, and rockets can be fitted with a variety of warheads.


• BDSP - Bomblet Dispenser. A fixed weapon, consisting of two large pods with holes honeycombed across the sides. Each tube launches a single sub-munition designed to spread over a wide area along either side of the aircrafts' path at low altitude. Especially effective against runways and large areas of buildings. The JP233 is the only widely-used type, and can be loaded with anti-runway and anti-personnel bomblets (to discourage repairs of the damaged target). JP233 dispensers can be fitted to Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier and FB-111 aircraft, with other potential carriers.


• MGP - Machine-Gun Pod. Otherwise known as 'gunpods' or 'cannon pods', these are self-contained units of a cannon and it's ammunition, as well as a power-source of some kind if also necessary. Generally used to augment an existing cannon, or if an aircraft has no internal cannon, they are not widely used other than against heavy concentrations of soft targets. Numerous types are available, from 7.62mm minigun pods, all the way up to 30mm cannon pods.

[The Mage]

Brain...overloading......too much.......information.........aghhh!