Sheepless in Seattle … So many dweebs, so little time … How to stop worrying and love the warps …

What follows are my recollections from 15 years of involvement and/or association with Air Warrior. At least as best as my memory can recall such things. My serious activity in the game was from 1987 through 1992, so much of this will be unfamiliar to most AW readers. And odds are I’ll get some of the chronology wrong. But screw it. “The game’s afoot,” as Holmes used to say.

The Story of the “Blood Dragon” in WarBirds

Many people today refer to the B-17 in gunship mode as an “ack-star.” Which is more or less true – grinding around in circles spewing tracers isn’t all too challenging a feat. But the noble beast has roots, as the reader will soon find …

Welcome to the Machine

“Creative” use of the B-17 (or bombers in general) began back in Air Warrior. The two favorite ships were the F/A-26 “Blood Pig” and the “A/B-17 Blood Dragon.” The ‘Pig was used as follows – swoop in, pop acks, land at enemy field, taxi and park behind take-off spot at enemy field, kill people as they appear. Ho ho.

The ‘Dragon was used more like a conventional AC-47 or AC-130 gunship – put it in a pylon turn over the enemy camp and let the gunners have at it. Occasionally break the pattern to kick a few bombs out at stubborn defenders. And, in fact, the “Dragon” sobriquet came from “Puff the Magic Dragon” as the gunships were known in Viet Nam.

I wrote these rules up back in the mid-1990′s. Inspired by the “Dicta Bolke” from the World War I fighter ace, these are meant to be very simple rules which still capture the complexity and subtlety of virtual air combat. Suprisingly, even though the technology of these games has come a long way in ten years, the rules still apply. I am reposting these rules on my blog, but for the first time with a paragraph of explanation attached to each.

1. Thinking: Don’t Leave Home Without It
2. (Graphics) Speed Is Life
3. Greed Kills
4. (Network) Warps: The Great Equalizer
5. A Three-On-One Is Twice Too Many
6. “A Pilot Has To Know His Limitations.”
7. Altitude = Options
8. “Fear Works”
9. Decisions Make An Ace
10. Instincts Save Lives