Slingshoting Explained

This article is currently under construction and the content is subject to change. Once the article has passed the peer review process please remove this template from the article body.

The Slingshot Maneuver Explained

<<< needs description >>>

Slingshot Basics

The basic goal of the slingshot maneuver in skirmishing is either get in scram range of a faster target or to get out of range of a faster target that has you tackled.

At its most basic, the slingshot uses the opponent's momentum and the keep at range/orbit game mechanic's predictability against them.

The simplest way to illustrate the maneuver is to start with the 2d version where you are traveling away from an opponent and they are keeping you at range within point range.

If you are going in a straight line trying to run away from a faster moving opponent, it would seem at first glance that short of some outside intervention (your opponent running into something, your opponent loosing their propulsion mod, etc) that you are stuck. In reality, they keep at range mechanic has a short lag when adapting to changes in speed you can use to your advantage.

To make use of this, instead of running away, power full speed with your propulsion mod overloaded towards your enemy. Keep at range will then make your enemy speed in the opposite direction to keep you away at full speed. Once he is up to speed, in rapid succession: power off your speed mod, pull a U turn and power away from your opponent, overload your speed mod and activate your speed mod again.

What will happen in this case is your opponent will be moving full speed in the original direction of travel, when you deactivate your propulsion mod you will become more maneuverable and start traveling in the opposite direction faster than your opponent can. Between this gap of maneuverability and the fact that it takes keep at range some time to adjust to a change in environment; it should give you the extra distance you need to get out. Obviously you will want to work this so that at the end you are pointed towards a celestial or other warp-out point to minimize the chance he can re-acquire range while you align and warp out.

To close instead of escape, simply reverse the above... so start by traveling away from your opponent at max speed overloaded, deactivate, U-turn towards your opponent, overload and activate. You should be able to close faster than your opponent and the keep at range mechanic can change direction, getting you in scram range.

Slingshot With Orbiting Opponent

So the above should be easy to understand after a few reads. But, how does this map to a situation where your opponent is orbiting you? There is no real clear "away from" and "towards" when you are dealing with an orbiting opponent since he is constantly moving. Luckily, it still works.

Observe the basic scenario pictured. You are the ares in the center moving in a straight line at max speed. The stiletto is orbiting you and is faster so you are unable to get away. The middle points of each side ( points A and B ) are where your opponent is accelerating in the opposite direction from you ( A ) or in the same direction as you ( B ) at an extremely high rate in the worst possible direction to react to a reversal of direction on your part.

So basically if you want to put some distance between you and your opponent, start off overloading at max speed in a direction (opposite direction of where you will eventually want to warp to) and at a point where your opponent is close to point B (it doesn't have to be perfect), deactivate your propulsion module, pull a U-turn, overload and re-activate your propulsion module. Since his ship needs to both decelerate and turn as well as deal with the lag the orbit mechanic has built in, you should be able to put enough distance between you to warp out.

The same is true with point A if you want to close with your opponent. With your opponent at point A, if you stop your module your opponent is still going the opposite direction and starting his turn around you. When you switch directions and speed up, his ship should be slower to maneuver and until his orbit corrects, his orbit should put him right in your new path of travel and closer than he would like to be.

Sea-Sawing

Ok, so what happens if your opponent is too close or too fast that the above doesn't give you enough space for what you want to do? The trick here is to reverse direction again while your opponent's orbit is still over-compensating to re-establish itself.

So let’s take the getting away example again. You have just u-turned with your opponent at point B, but your opponent was able to turn and speed up to keep you in range. However to do this, he has to go much faster to both close distance and get around you. Since he is once again going in your direction (very very quickly), at the new point B, u-turn again (with associated module trickery), that should put him further out and make him accelerate even more to catch up. Still not enough? U-turn again. Each u-turn should make it harder and harder for him to re-establish distance and eventually you should find yourself far enough away to get out.