Air Warrior is the premiere multi-player flight simulator,
hands down. Okay, it's the only one I know of, but I'd still rank
it with the very best of flight simulators. The AW front end
models such sophisticated flight parameters as accelerated
stalls, spins, differences in plane performance at high altitude,
etc.  The program models each plane individually so that (given
equal pilot skills) a Spitfire will always out-turn a P-51 and a
Zero will always out-turn a Spitfire.The only flight simulator in
the same league with AW is Jaeger's excellent Fighter Duel
product. 

	The premise of Air Warrior is that there are 3 countries
constantly at war with each other: countries A, B, and C. Each
country has an unlimited supply of World War II airplanes.
Players always have a choice of all planes, so you will often see
two Spitfires of opposing countries fighting it out, for example.
The program models planes as they were in the month of May, 1944.
There are also Korean-era jets available, but they are only
allowed on the special "jet nights" that Kesmai (the country that
produces the game) infrequently puts on. There are often upwards
of forty planes in the air at the same time, creating complex and
interesting situations. 

	New players in AW will frequently be heard moaning "Why am I
getting shot down? I play Falcon at the COLONEL level!" Hehe.
Well bunky, a couple of reasons. One is that the modern jet
simulators that you are used to model planes with huge amounts of
power. It's nothing in one of those games to point the nose
straight up, hit the afterburners and go for awhile. In Air
Warrior you must manage the plane's energy. Another reason is
that AW accurately models airborne gunnery and you must learn to
-shoot-. None of that launching Sparrows at 14 miles stuff... But
most significantly is the fact that you are flying against real
human beings. Humans are well known predators, sneaky and mean.
The smartest computer opponents are not much good compared to
your average sneaky human. Most gamers quickly learn the computer
opponent's patterns and learn counters to them. Real humans are
not so predictable! 

	I don't mean to discourage the new player, but the game is
challenging, and it is this depth that has kept my interest for
almost four years. The other good thing about the game is the
constant interaction with other players, in conference rooms and
over the "radio". The radio is an area of the screen devoted to
text in which messages are exchanged. There are many players I
consider friends that I have never met, and others I wouldn't
socialize with on a bet!

	Here are a few things you can do to improve your life
expectancy online:

	First and foremost, read the docs that come with the
program! You'd be amazed how many people don't! You will save
yourself some $$$$ by reading the docs and learning the the
basics of flight offline. Just pick a plane from the main screen
and you will be on the runway. Learn to fly and land, lower and
raise flaps etc. 

	A couple of things to do before you fly: set your fuel load
to 25%. You can fly for a LONG time on that. Then turn OFF all
the reality options. No one flies with this stuff on in the main
arena on page 870. The game is hard enough without these on, and
if you want to learn to use them there is plenty of time later.

	When you are flying offline, try this as an exercise: Attack
the Mountain. The lucky IBM svga users have actual offline drones
to shoot at, but we must make do with mountaintops. Get some
altitude above a mountain peak and swoop in to attack it. At gun
range (800 yards) begin to shoot. You have no ammo, but just
pretend... Now loop up and around and do it again.... and here is
the thing to do - learn to do this while watching the peak the
whole time with your view keys! This will teach you the essential
basic skill of flying while looking around simultaneously.

	When you DO get online, pick a plane with good turning
ability. Lots of new players go right for the P-51, which is a
good plane, but it takes a particular discipline to fly
successfully. You are much better off with a Spitfire or Ki-84.
The Zero is the best-turning plane in the game but has very
little ammo and armor, so I recommend the Ki-84 in the Pacific.
The P-38 is also a good choice.

	When talking on the radio, remember that if you use the /
key your remarks will be heard by everyone. If you use the ' key
only your own countrymen will hear you. 

	One last thing: do not kill your own countrymen!!! Make sure
that you know how to distinguish one country from another, and do
not shoot at folks from your own country. Not only does this
irritate other players (a lot!) but if you kill your own
countrymen twice in the same day you will go PNG. Persona non
grata that is, and the system will not issue ammunition to you
for 24 hours!

	There are resources available for new players to improve
their lot in life. Every Tuesday night and Sunday afternoon there
are informal training sessions held in the training area, page
868;1. There you will find experienced pilots who are there to
help you, and other rookies to shoot at. Also there is the Air
Warrior Training Academy, which offers a regular class with a
formal curriculum, reading assignments, and exercises. There is a
charge for this latter, but it is a bargain both in terms of the
"free" online time you get, and the wisdom of your instructor.
One of my students went on to Top Ace status, and all my students
had a good time in class. Heck, so did I. 

	Well, that's about all I can think of. Hope to see you in
the Unfriendly Skies!

                           -Bug (2472)