Roundels and Crosses - Becoming and efficient WWI pilot in Flying Circus

[J2_Drookasi]

Some people have offered and are still offering to the WW1 community in various ways. Below is my attempt to provide a guide that could prove useful to a new and even to a not so new player. It is all I would try to teach a new pilot before I take him to combat.

Please tolerate with any mistakes you might find. I am not a writer nor a professional pilot. And please remember that in certain parts of the book I express my own opinions which might not be universally accepted.

 

I still hope that by reading it a pilot will have an easier time in the WW1 virtual skies. Enjoy it!

 

Roundels and Crosses - Becoming and efficient WWI pilot in Flying Circus

 

At this point, I need to offer the appropriate credits to Johan Kylander’s book ‘In Pursuit: A Pilot’s Guide to Online Air Combat’, published in 2006. I had read this wonderful work back in 2011 and it had heavily influenced the way I treat the online air combat simulation gaming. This book had been my inspiration and primary reference material for ‘Roundels and Crosses’. Sections talking about the fear of the online death and of the online pilot’s psychology are mirroring Johan Kylander’s writings and in various pages one will find ideas very similar to the ones found ‘In Pursuit’. I do not claim the originality of those ideas and I have the sincere hope that I have treated ‘In Pursuit’ with the due respect. This paragraph has also been inserted in the introduction of the Roundels and Crosses. Thank you No56_Badger85 for pointing out my omission and for urging me to correct it.

Edited November 17, 2020 by J2_Drookasi

[No.23_Triggers]

This is a goldmine of experience for newer players. Well done! 

[SYN_Ricky]

Thanks for sharing this!

[US103_Baer]

Wow.  This is amazing!

Essential.

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by US103_Baer

[NiiranenVR]

Thank you , a good read for the now soon cold winter evening here in the cold north of Europa , and Ill then come back and Salute you ( or kill you ) Mr Drookasi ??

[Canvas25]

Beautifully done! Thanks very much for putting this all together in such a great format.

[JGr2/J5_Hotlead]

This is magnificent! A definitive work that each new player should have in their hands. Thank you so much for creating this! ?

[Chief_Mouser]

No matter how long you've been around RoF or FC, you are going to find something useful here. An excellent piece of work. Bravo! ?

[J99_Sizzlorr]

Way more than a Dicta Drookasi ? Your squadron father would be proud!

Edited November 17, 2020 by J99_Sizzlorr

[Jiggs]

Thank you, I need all the help I can get!

[J2_Drookasi]

Thank you all for the kind words.

 

Please see the updated version of the pdf where I am including the appropriate credits as described in the first post of this topic.

[Oorpii]

Really amazing what you have put together here!

Thanks!

Edited November 17, 2020 by Oorpii

[=IRFC=Gascan]

I'm working my way through it now. Even if it describes things that I already put into practice, the simple act of giving words to the various thoughts and ideas can make it easier to understand what I am doing as I fly. Big thanks!

[No56_Badger85]

J2_Drookasi, what a fantastic resource! Thanks for applying these principles and your extensive experience to the WWI virtual flight sim arena. I look forward to reading Roundels and Crosses in full. It is an invaluable guide for pilots looking to improve their combat performance (like me ?).

[JGr2/J5_Klugermann]

Reminds me of reading the rules for Squad Leader.  Great stuff Drook !!!

[No.23_Starling]

You’re an absolute legend. I wish I’d had this four years ago.

 

It could form the basis for some new Waggaz Wings content if you’re interested. Your voice is far more commanding than my own!

[Rail]

This is perfect for those with a real interest in combat maneauvres. I have read 'In Pursuit' and this does it more than justice.

 

Congrats on a great piece of work.

Cheers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[J2_Drookasi]

On 11/22/2020 at 12:54 PM, US93_Rummell said:

Waggaz Wings

What is this Rummel?

[No.23_Starling]

My old YouTube channel. Haven’t been very active for ages

[SteveMauk]

very useful and well written... food for thought as a relative noob on FC MP servers...

 

[Panzer_Schultz]

I would also like to thank you for this helpful guidance!

 

Reading it at the moment and learned many usefull things till now which I want to try to regard in my flights.

 

Best regards!

Edited January 9, 2021 by Panzer_Schultz
Typos

[J2_Drookasi]

Just now, Panzer_Schultz said:

I would also like to thank you for this helpful guidance!

 

Reading it at the moment and learned many usefull things till now whicht I want to try to regarad in my flights.

 

Best regards!

 

Thank you for your kind comments.

[J2_Seya]

Thanks. I'm just working my way through it again.

[JGr2/J5_Cremer]

How am I just now seeing this!?!  I've read Kylander's book so many times, so I respect where this is coming from.  Ready to dive in and learn!

[=LD=Bulldog*]

Many thanks and appreciated. 

 

Bulldog

[venger]

This is great. New virtual pilot here. Maybe a dozen hours in this sim. Thousands in others, including RoF.

Just looking down the table of contents I see plenty I need to know.

Thanks!

[ZachariasX]

What a remarkable writeup! Even for the casual happy victim like me, this is very insightful.

 

Well written, kudos!

[J2_Drookasi]

11 hours ago, ZachariasX said:

What a remarkable writeup! Even for the casual happy victim like me, this is very insightful.

 

Well written, kudos!

 Thank you very much! Kind words is a great reward! Happy you liked it.

[ST_ami7b5]

Excellent work, thank you!

[jg123410]

Just downloaded and read a good portion on this. THANK YOU!!

 

Extremely helpful. As a person who writes documentation I know that this takes time and care. Much appreciated!!

[J2_Drookasi]

1 hour ago, jg123410 said:

Just downloaded and read a good portion on this. THANK YOU!!

 

Extremely helpful. As a person who writes documentation I know that this takes time and care. Much appreciated!!

I am very happy that people appreciate this work. Hope to see you in the virtual skies.

[JG1_HignRig]

Hello Drookasi, I was tipped on the existence of your work by a friend, I've downloaded it to have a good look at it.

I had the intention to invest my time this afternoon in something Real Life-ish, but instead I've started reading at page 1 and still reading it.

It got me hooked, and I'm not even at the fun part of it. 
Deep respect that you've spend the time and effort in creating this guide. Maybe aimed at rookies, but going back to Class never hurts. 

 

Namaste

[J2_Drookasi]

On 10/11/2021 at 4:01 PM, JG1_Heinrich said:

Hello Drookasi, I was tipped on the existence of your work by a friend, I've downloaded it to have a good look at it.

I had the intention to invest my time this afternoon in something Real Life-ish, but instead I've started reading at page 1 and still reading it.

It got me hooked, and I'm not even at the fun part of it. 
Deep respect that you've spend the time and effort in creating this guide. Maybe aimed at rookies, but going back to Class never hurts. 

 

Namaste

Kind words from aces is the best reward I could hope for. Thank you and enjoy the reading. Maybe you will find in it something that you have not though of, or something that puts in words some of your gut-feelings.

Edited October 12, 2021 by J2_Drookasi

[Russkly]

Chapeau!

 

This is indeed an opus magnum.

 

Thank you for taking the time to put it together and for sharing.

 

S!

[klb1113]

Absolutely fantastic resource that (frankly) should have been included with the game itself or those of us who REALLY NEED SOMETHING IN PRINT! I'm no newbie with computer games, but I was totally lost when trying to start a mission with this game.  There is really little guidance at all and the listing of keyboard commands to assign was intimidating, to say the least, for those of us trying to use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro.  I confirmed the top "hat" was working after I somehow got into the air, but that was about it.  I had to make a quick exit out of the game when I realized I was hopelessly lost.  I'm sure this manual will help. Thanks!

[Majpalmer]

Well done! I wish I had discovered it two months ago. 

[JG1_Flyboy]

This is so excellent - thank you!!

[pilotpierre]

Wow well done. Methinks you be deserving some sort of “ta you velly velly much reward” from the team for this effort. What say ye Jason and devs?

I have just come across this for the first time.

[branjo390]

This is very excellent!  Thank you J2_Drookasi for your efforts in putting this together.  I am just now finding it so I am excited to read it.

[MarioMas]

Great guide thanks