War of Alien Aggression 3 Lancer Read Online Free PDF

won't store any of your speed away when you climb and you won't pick up any when you turn and dive back in. The only thing that can manage speed is thrust. The yo-yo is still a useful maneuver, but to accomplish it, be prepared to feel some heavy gees when firing the primary thrusters against your path of travel.
    "Even without atmosphere and gravity, some things are so fundamental to aerial combat that they remain unchanged no matter where the battle takes place. 1. Speed is life. 2. Teamwork is essential. Remember: The ultimate maneuverability of any manned fighter craft is determined not only by what the craft is capable of achieving, but also by what the pilot is capable of surviving."
    *****
    Shafter and Burn lectured on tactics and formations, showing them how they should fly a combat spread and use the advantages of the Loose Deuce and how to use the separate flight elements of the Fluid 4 to put an adversary in a bad spot. It was all worthwhile, but whenever his instructors were lecturing, he just wanted to get back out there.
    The sticks and pedal were a fully bi-directional feedback system that moved with the Bitzer's thrusters and jets as much as they commanded them, so he learned to fly by holding the sticks and pedals loosely as the 151s followed Burn through turns and loops and rolls. He felt how the sticks and pedals moved for each kind of maneuver and he learned to make them move like that again. In just days, he was the one holding the reins.
    *****
    A week after they got in their cockpits, the nuggets had their first 2 on 2 skirmishes over Europa – a chance to practice engagements using what they'd learned. Burn watched from Arbitrage where she could see everything and everyone projected in the air in front of her on the tactical display and observe with painful clarity how the C-Block nuggets performed.  
    Sparking practice rounds disintegrated on the hull and lit the Bitzers up with flashes. Michelob cursed over squadron comms. "Shut the hell up," Burn said in their ears, "You're dead. You spun on your jets to get that shot and left yourself drifting sideways like a target drone. All four of you were pathetic. Both flights will clean the redsuits' head tonight. Next match-up... Gusher, you're flight leader. Holdout, you're his wingman. Form up in Loose Deuce. Take a spin around Europa and get ready for J. Colt and Marchett to intercept you. Colt, you're in the lead. Vector 035 by 114 to intercept." 
    He and Marchett felt constant gees pressing them back into the flight couches as they accelerated in a wide, counter-clockwise orbit high over Europa's cracked ice. Jupiter loomed behind them like something hungry and predatory. Arbitrage hung silhouetted against bright and lurid bands of color. 
    Gusher and Holdout would come around Europa's limb in less than a minute. He and Marchett had orders to fly 'round the night side and engage, but he realized that after they came out of shadow, the sun would 'come up' in line with Gusher's probable attack vector. The vector Burn had put him on would give Gusher and his wingman the advantage. If Gusher was awake, then he'd see the opportunity he had to adjust his own attack vector just a little and put the sun right behind him like fighter pilots had been taught to do for centuries. He'd be nearly invisible on LiDAR.
    "Marchett, this is a setup. Gush and Holdout are gonna come at us out of the sun and we're not going to see a damn thing until we've lost initiative."
    "Sun's pretty small this far out," Marchett said. "They're gonna have to fly real tight to hide in it. If they're jammed up too tight..."
    "Do it," he said. "I'll fly in and be the bait."
    After Marchett peeled off, he went in alone. The lightning flashes in Europa's night-side clouds rushed past under him, between his feet. He looked up to his two o'clock high, right into the raw sunlight. Gusher and Holdout should be up there now, he thought. C'mon, Gusher, I'm an easy kill. Come get your cake.
    He