Mjolnir wrote:


I think an overlooked point in this recurring topic (help for beginners) is: ask.

I mean that, when I play, I often do clever things without even thinking about it. Also, I don't know if my opponent/teammate wants any advice.

So a few questions during gameplay don't hurt at all. Something like "why do you approach this way?" or "why did you do this move instead of that?" or "how did you know I would have done that?" .

Also, just to say "where to start from":

1. Play enough balanced 1 vs 1 games to learn planes. Someone:
a. SE5a or SPAD XIII or Nieuport 28 vs Albatros DV or Fokker DVII or Pfalz DXII.
b. Camel or Triplane vs Albatros DIII or Fokker Dr1 or Pfalz DIII
c. Of course, Camel vs Camel or Nieuport 17 vs SS DI
d. (Almost) any "runner vs dancer" game.

Leave alone, at start, "Superplanes" (Snipe, SS's), two-seaters and erly allieds (Nieuport 17 and SPAD VII). Take them later when you've mastered the other models.

2. Now switch to 2 vs 2 games. Learn to coordinate with a single teammate. State it at start of game: "I go, you cover" or "You go, I cover".
The key factor, here, is trying to play "2 vs 1".

3. Join also "many vs many" games (NOT "few vs a lot" ones). But here look and learn, rather than fight. Your aim shuld be first to stay alive, second to avoid the two opposite wrongs of putting yourself in trouble (try not to need your mates to risk their bitt to save your) or of hanging on the sides uslessly leaving teammates in numerical inferiority.
Watch what happens and learn. Take time to examine things, ask yourself why poeple did what they did, before moving.

One final point: when in more-than-one vs more-than-one games, if you have to ask "briefing" questions ("wich formation", "who leads", tactics etc.) do it during turn 1, talking about what to do is poor sport from turn 2 on (while talking about what just happened is perfectly fair). Of course, in 1 vs 1 you can chat as much as you want!

Have fun.