There is a wealth of tactics available for your use when playing online. This course will outline a few of them. The understanding of these tactics, and how to counter them, will give you advantage in a melee.

Situational Awareness

This is usually what makes or breaks the match for you. Always knowing where your opponent is in relation to you, the score, time remaining, your laser charge level and current status, as well as the positions of possible wingmates and additional opponents create a very hectic situation that you MUST control in order to win. Knowing where your opponent is will determine your next course of action. Has he just spawned and is far enough away for you to fiddle with your charge and weapon configurations? Or is he right behind you, in which case you'd better evade or start praying. Are you losing with only thirty seconds left? What does that make you do? Maybe go into a kamikaze-style frenzy, recklessly abandoning any of your formal training? Or do you stay cool and use your skill to patiently wait for your opponent to make a mistake? Perhaps your fighter was damaged in the last dogfight, how will that affect your tactics and your opponents'? Things like this must be thought of on the fly during the match. In some cases you can afford to make a small mistake somewhere during the match, but sometimes that mistake will cost you the game. So keep your eyes open, your actions calculated, and your tactics ready to adapt and change to new events.

1v1 Tactics

The Approach
This can be a tough phase of the match for many pilots. Some freeze up and do not move, only firing at their opponent. This usually guarantees your destruction. Several methods have been devised to approach your opponent without presenting him with an easy target. Erratically dodging (in various forms) and firing is the most common tactic. One such form of weaving involves approaching your opponent at varrying angles and attacking when the moment seems right. Seasoned pilots will often catch a newbie pilot not maneuvering at all, trying to hit the ellusive target. (COL Nightmare got me with this three times just the other day) ( from Zósite: And "Nighty" usually flies a Y-Wing, go figure... xD ) Avoid this at all costs. On the other hand, if an opponent goes out of the way to avoid you on the approach, it's probably because he is not very good at long range, so try to kill him before the next phases of combat begin, the transition and dogfight.

The Transition
Usually this is a straight foward aspect of the match. If neither you or your opponent were able to destroy each other during the approach, most pilots cut to 33% throttle and attempt to turn in on their opponent's six. However, there are alternative strategies to doing this. One such strategy is to continue past your opponent about .3-.5 clicks. Most likely, your opponent will have cut to 1/3 throttle and turned toward you. By the time he has done this you will be at a fair distance from him, and he will be very slow and not manueverable. Use this to your advantage by turning towards him carefully and vaporizing him. Be careful to turn towards him cautiously to ensure he doesn't get an easy kill as you begin to face him. If you do not use this tactic, the transition can more often than not result in a turn war that may last a long time and shave off valuable seconds from the match.

The Dogfight
If you survive this long, you don't have too many options left. Usually this phase of the match is called the "turn-war" due to both players flying into each other at slow speeds. This is counter-productive so, if you are confident you are the better pilot in the approach and transition, do something risky and if it works you get a kill and if it doesn't you get a chance to kill your opponent after you spawn. The risk you make can be going to full throttle and trying to gain some distance against your opponent. Then cut to 33% throttle and try to kill him. Not too advanced, but its better than a turn-war in many cases. And don't forget to turn your lasers recharge rate to 0 because you will turn faster if you do so. Anyway you'll only need one or two shots at that distance to vape your opponent and you can try to recharge a little later when you're free from him. If you lose all your laser charge when he's still alive at dogfight distance... well, I was going to say you're dead but... crash your starfighter upon him! Better than let him killing you for free.

Other Considerations

Lag
Consider lag and how it will affect the match. Play aggressively on his host and defensively on your host. If the match is ghosting (his image is a couple seconds behind his actual position), anticipate this and fire where he will be. Also know the constraints of a fair match. If it's too laggy, unplayable by any fair sense on the world, quit before two minutes have passed and explain it to your opponent.

Adaptation
Adaptation to your opponent's tactics is important, but it should be noted that it is better to make him react to you. This allows you to dictate the flow of the battle as well as the tactics you can use. If your opponent is frequently staying stationary and firing very accurate streams of single laser fire at you, change you tactics from weaving in and out of his firing arc to a more erratic pattern. Remember from part I, "One shot, one kill."

Shield Issues
It is important to use your shield correctly during a match, whether it be 1v1 or 2v2 or greater. In a 1v1, a good tactic is to "micromanage" your shields, keeping them charged or charging when not in range with your opponent then dumping them into your engines when combat begins. I have found this saves you shield strength later, as most pilots begin any match with a shielded craft by dumping them into their engines. In a 2v2 it is advised to divert your shield charge to engines, unless you think you are competent enough to manage your shield settings quickly as well as keep track of and engage two enemies. One nice thing about shields (other than their obvious protective qualities) is the ability to redirect them to your lasers. If your fighter loses its most powerful laser charge you do not want to recharge it, losing quite a bit of speed and maneuverability. Rather, absorb some energy from your shields to restore the more powerful charge. 10-20% shield strength is worth the price for faster kills.

Kamikaze attacks?
So, when you should use a kamikaze attack against your opponent? Well, it's very easy: NEVER... unless...

1. You have no shields left. You have no lasers charge left. Your opponent is alive. Bad combination! Show him how deadly your cockpit can be!!
2. Your laser cannons are fried. Are you thinking about waiting for them to be repaired? Forget it. You'll be dead when that happens.
3. You're flying very fast ships as the A-Wing or the TIE Advanced. Well, you won't want to collide... but you'll do on the transition sooner or later unless you're very good at maneuvering.

Disabled!
Oh noes! You have been disabled. What are you going to do now? Well, first I'll tell you what your opponents will probably do. In a 1v1 if he's winning he'll leave you that way to see if you're stupid enough to wait for him to finish you and you'll lose your precious time to change the situation. If he's losing he'll kill you immediately after. In a 2v2 your 2 opponents will leave you that way and will go after your wingmate thus having a nice 2v1 match for them. So now, tell me... what will you do? Eject immediately of course and provide him/them vengeance!!!

2v2 Tactics

Sense the Basic IWATS MP course covers the basics of 2v2 fighting very well, they will not be covered in this course. However, some very important points will be reemphasized and enhanced in addition to the explanations of specific 2v2 tactics found throughout the gaming community.

Teamwork
A very broad topic to explain, but by far the most important in a 2v2 match. Get to know your wing, hopefully he or she is someone that you can trust to cover your ass. Ideally, fly with the same wing once you find one you work well with and hone your skills together. Soon you will be able to communicate with each other in game without words. Through my own personal experiences, nothing can stop two pilots that are focused and "connected" with each other during a game. To be more specific, cover your wingmate's back. Instead of going after a newly spawned opponent out of range, turn and help out your wing. This increases your team's chances of an easy kill and if successful will most likely create another 2v1 situation on the other opponent. In the situation you find yourself outgunned, try luring your pursuer(s) towards your wingman. This can sometimes surprise pilots and give your team easy points. It is also vital to work together in slower craft, because your lack of mobility means that firepower becomes the most important factor in winning. Concentrated fire on one opponent will destroy him faster. In conclusion, don't act like you're alone, use your other half and protect him from harm, hopefully he will do the same.

"Rope a Dope"
This tactic is very useful in two situations. 1) Your wingmate is not very good and you are or you are not very good and your wing is; and 2) Your opponents aren't very coordinated. This tactic involves having one pilot flying defensively, usually erratic and unpredictable patterns around opponents. This distracts them allowing for you or, in the case that you are the crazy pilot flying all over the place, your wing to easily kill your opponents from behind. I have used this tactic and been the target of it many times. Countering this tactic is relatively simple: Don't attack the crazy pilot. You can try to lure the 2nd man into completing the tactic, only to attack him instead. Many times I have gone into a 2v2 and noticed that I am experiencing bad lag. It was an excellent time to try the tactic, because I could not effectively fight on even ground.

"Provoke him, to know his patterns of movement. Determine his position, to know the ground of death and life. Probe him, to know where his is strong and where he is weak. The ultimate skill is to take up a position where you are _formless_." -Sun Tzu

Now we will transition into an examination of a handful of tactical situations.