Blood Red Skies: How to - Opening shot

 

The aircrafts with the great firepower especially those with the guns concentrated in the nose could be very deadly for the opponent as most of the lead land exactly in the target. The Heavy Hitters are most efficient at point blank but can also try their luck at long distances.

The Opening shot is interesting doctrine which is combined with Heavy Hitter trait. It helps to grab your opponent farer (from 12") that he can, so it works well during head on fighting. As the doctrine is coupled with Heavy Hitter it could work well with British: Tempest, Typhoon, Meteor, Mosquito, Whirlwind, Hurricane IIc, Beaufighter, Firefly, US: Lighting, Aircobra, Black Widow, German Bf109K, Bf110, Me410, Me 163, Me 262, Ju88c, Japaneese: Raiden, Shiden Kai, Toryu, Soviet, Łagg3, JAk7b.

How to play with Opening Shot?

Opening shot gives great opportunity for the ... opening the game. That's why it will works well if you will have an initiative (speed and altitude advantage) to decide where and when the battle begins. So you can consider:

• Choose high speed fighter to aproach fast to your opponent
• Let your aircraft will be best armed one with FP at least 2, optimal 3 (i.e. Rocket equipment card double your firepower during 1st attack, Gun packs increase your FP by +1 permanently)
  
• Raise your chances of being Advantaged (i.e. Radar Support theatre card)
• Grab your opponent with outmaneuvering from a far (i.e. Eagle Eyes ace skill)
• Be able to run after the hit (Great diving aircraft will give you advantage)
• You need Clear Skies :)

 

In my opinion one of the best candidates for Opening Shot executors would be Hawker Tempest as it combines all features: high speed (9), good firepower (2) that could be risen, Heavy Hitter (bonus trait) and Grat Dive (for escaping) trait.

 

How to deal against Opening Shot? 

• The clouds are your best friend try to hide behind them 
• Try to keep initiative (with faster aircrafts)
• Keep Advantage! 
  
• Do not let you down. Support your pilots with Mother Hen or choose Vertical Separation doctrine to avoid being outmaneuvred, the Poor visibility will protect you from Eagle Eyed ace
  
• Try to engage your opponent into turning fight
• If he using Rockets try to use Interdicted Theatre card
  

Blood Red Skies: How to - Sustained dive

 

As the Aggresive tactics seams to be native doctrine for turning fighters, as Sustained Dive would be one for the energy fighters.

 

If you like to play offensively and finish the battle quick, the Sustained Dive would be great option for you. This doctrine provide you to keep maximum energy even after diving and catch your prey during the first turn. As the doctrine is coupled with the Great Dive and is designed for extremely fast approach to the enemy it is worth to consider the choose it for high speed great diving aircraft as a British ground support Typhoon, Tempest, German: Bf109, Bf110, Fw190D, Me410, Japaneese: Ki44, Ki61, American (to be honest: most of them), Soviet: Mig3. Romanian IAR80C. The best option for such mission would be great diving, the fastest plane as Fw190D, Tempest, Mustang B/C/D (total 18" range) or Mig3 (the fastest fighter of the early war (with total range of 16").

How to play using Sustained Dive?

As the Sustained Dive enable you to reach and attack enemy during the first turn it is worth to consider:

• be sure you have initative according to speed and advantage level (Radar Support Theatre card raise your chances)
• block the clouds as a starting point for the opponent (in fact clear them by Clear Skies Weatrer card)
• make sure that you will gain shooting position after Sustained Dive (you can use ace with Aggresive skill, repositioning Theatre card: Control Room or keeping element in the High Cover). if possible establish battlefield as far as possible from the clouds especially if you are faster (the opponent may react by popping out from the cloud)
  
• as the Sustained Dive is a kind of Hit and Run operation do not get stacked into turning fight.

 

 How to deal against Sustained Dive? 

As the opponent probably will have an initiative in this battle: will be faster and gain Advantaged status your first goal is to face and survive the his first strike:

• Lower oponent's chances of being Advantaged (i.e. using Jamming Theatre card)
• Raise your chances to survive the first strike by hiding in the clouds or using Defensive Tactics doctrine. Deep Pockets trait card will help.
  
• Protect from Aggresive ace by hiring Mother Hen own ace
  
• Make your opponent's life harder, by - for example - setting your elements in the corner (he will need to turn somehow or using doctrine (Compression Issues)
  
• Try to engage the opponent into the turning fight
  
• It is worth to consider to set a trap with one element as a bait and another (hidden in the clouds) as hunter

Blood Red Skies, How to - Vertical Separation

 

Strong climbing aircraft abilities give an additional advantage to avoid Outmaneuvre attempt. Vertical separation is an interesting option for the fighters with Great Climb trait.  

Vertical Separation is a defensive doctrine preventing Outmaneuvre attempts due to raise Pilot Skill by 2. As the doctrine is coupled with Great Climb trait the player can use the trait card to utilize text from doctrine card. 

This doctrine is a great option for the squadrons consist of less advantaged pilots to prevent them from being outmaneouvered too easily. Dedicated for this doctrine are fighters with a Great Climb trait as German Bf109, British late war Spitfires, Mosquitos, American P38E, Japaneese J2M, Ki44, Ki84, Ki100, Italian Re.2005, G.55, Soviet Ła7.

 

As the doctrine remain available after successful Maneouvre test it can be also used by the squadron consist of more expensive planes as P51D, Tempest, Whirlwind, Thinderbolt, Fw190D, or even Me262.

How to play with Vertical Separation?

As the card preventing from outmaneuvering attempts by enemy, the player can focus on his main objective: inflicting the boom chits to the opponent. Even if the doctrine is chosen for the aircraft without Great Climb trait the player can try to remain the card by making maneouvre tests. To raise his chances it is useful to have at hand a Mother Hen as an ace skill (+2 modifier for the Maneouvre tests).

I would say that Vertical Separation is a deadly option for the squadrons of Agile multiengine fighters (Mosquito, Bf110, P38J, Ki45) especially while optional Heavy Fighter rule is chosen. As the shooting at these very expensive fighters are possible only from above, the preventing from Outmaneuvering is a great advantage.

How to deal against Vertical Separation squadrons?

• as the outmaneuvering is become difficult you need to focus on pulling down the enemies by tailing them so ...
• try to find the way to the enemy's rear by using High cover or repositioning (i.e. Control Room).
  
• choose the least skilled enemy plane and focus your fire on it 
• choose opposite working doctrine (High Altiture Performance) is also a good option

Blood Red Skies: How to - High Altitude Performance

 

As the bonus doctrines for turning fighters are rather straightforward and easy to deal with, doctrines for energy fighters seem to be more complicated. Let's start with High Altitude Performance (HAP) doctrine which is coupled with Great Climb Trait.

HAP is a kind of offensive card that helps to Outmaneouvre opponent with a special bonus for this action. Using High Altitude Performance bonus, the player can Outmaneuvre automatically by the pilot with the skill 1PS lower than the opponent, i.e. Own regular pilot (PS3) using HAP gain (3+2=5) value and could automatically Outmaneouvre even Veteran opponent. 

It means that using HAP, player can expand his force by choosing more less skilled pilots and as a result Outnumber the opponent.

The doctrine sounds very reasonable but ... you need to remember that:

1. the bonus works ONLY in the offensive way (you are not immune for enemy outmaneuvering attempts)
2. you have to be Advantaged, so there is no way for the surprising attack (being Advantaged during Pilot Action segment means that you cannot use dive action during the movement) 
   

Which planes fit best to High Altitude Performance?

 As the HAP is a bonus card for the Great Climb it is considerable option for the German Bf109 (all versions), Me163 Komet, British: late war Spitfire Mk IX, Mk XIV, Mosquito, Soviet: Ła7, Japaneese: Ki44 Shoki, Ki61 Hien, Ki84 Hayate, Ki100 Goshikisen, J2M Raiden, US: P38E, Lighting, P47N Thunderbolt, Italian: Re.2005 Sagitario, G.55 Centauro.

How to play with High Altitude Performance?

• Speed is your friend. Being faster you could have an initiative (in terms of activation) and can approach fast to the enemy
• HAP don't like clouds, try to establish battlegrount as far as possible from the clouds.
• try to keep at least one of your element in the High Cover.  It would help to utilize the card
• spare Great Climb cards use during opponent activation while he is trying to Climb
  
• try to avoid being outmaneouvered using equipment (Malcolm Hood) or ace ability (Mother Hen)
  

In my opinion Great Climb fits best to Me163. As a rocket fighter it has a great opportunity to finish its move as an Advantaged, and as one of the fastest fighters it can approach quickly to the enemy and ulilize the HAP text.

How to deal against High Altitude Performance?

• Calculate interval from the enemy to achieve Outmaneuvering distance during YOUR activation (to pull opponent down).
  
• Pull opponent down to at least Neutral position it will prevent from HAP action
  
• Keep in mind that you CAN dive to gain Outmaneouvre attempt while your opponent CANNOT (if he is planning to use HAP)
  
• Clouds are your best friends. Use them to hide from the enemy or to gain the tailing position
  
• If you are aware the opponent will play HAP, use Vertical Separation doctrine which works the same as HAP but in the defending way.
• Use weather cards: Poor Visibility and BA Weather help you to deal against HAP.