Newcomer / Intro Yaw importance in fighting

[Dragool]

Background:
I'm flying with X-52, and altho I like the HOTAS I don't like the hat switch in the throttle. I have my vertical and lateral thrusters there, since I want to keep them in the throttle so I can adjust my position at the same time I fire both primary and secondary. Now, I don't know there is something wrong with my throttle hat switch, or is it that when throttle is all the way up or down, my finger position in the hat switch is not where I think it is (I fly VR so can't see it), but sometimes I don't push the hat switch in the direction I was supposed to. If that makes sense. Hat switch in X-52 throttle is in bit weird place, I'd rated have it under my thumb.

Now I have look different HOTAS where the hat switch placement would be better for me, I tried X-56 in the store, but my thumb hits all those small buttons on the throttle at the same time. The more I read about CH-products throttle and stick, the more I like it. Except the missing twist in the stick!!!

So FINALLY, my question is how important yaw is when fighting? Can I have it in one of the hat switches or use yaw to roll when needed? At the moment I don't plan to have pedals, maybe later, but not now. So should I wait until I can get pedals too, or can I still keep up in fights even I don't have twist/pedals for yaw?

I could have CH products throttle for 50% discount from closing up sale, if I move fast....

 

[ethelred]

I'd say Yaw is the least important axis as it is usually the axis with the least amount of movement in Elite ships (with the exception of the T7 perhaps).

However, it would be really weird for me not to have access to it, however small it is as sometimes just a smidge of extra turning power can be enough to gain an advantage.

I have an X52 too, and the HAT on the throttle is always under my forefinger, except when i press "E" for free look. My left hand thumb is on the little joystick that acts as a mouse, or on the slider that i use for boost.

You could switch the lateral thrusters with the joystick on your setup?

I guess ultimately if you're going to use your proposed set up for other flight sims then pedals is a good investment, and tbh if you have the cash, space and will get use out of it pedals is probably the way to go anyway.

Good Hunting.

 

[Krieger]

Yaw is important to quickly make (smallish) left/right adjustments of your aimpoint when firing. (This is how fighter pilots use yaw in combat too.) Corrections using roll and pitch are slow especially for small adjustments to the left or right because you'd have to roll over 90 to 180 deg first then pitch up/down.

The placement of the hat switch is very personal of course. I use a Thrusmaster T.Flight X that has the hat switch on the stick (mapped to lateral/vertical thrust) and I use stick twist for yaw. So indeed I can not use lateral/vertical thrust when using the secondary fire button. I'm used to it. With railguns (firing delay) I set up a separate fire group that has them on the primary fire button so I can keep strafing during the firing delay. I switch fire groups as needed.

 

[Para Handy]

I use CHPro Fighterstick and Throttle - no need for a twist axis. (I don't use my pedals in Elite as it messes with my muscle-memory in flight sims.)

I use the pinky-switch as a press-to-hold for "Yaw to Roll" - so X axis is yaw when I hold in the button. I also have a fore and aft position on the stick's mitre button to give stepped (digital) right and left yaw (larger inputs).

BTW - no need for yaw in combat - roll and pitch is much the faster way of keeping / bringing your target in your sights. (Elite flight response is deliberately made like this to stop a fast yaw producing "turret" ships.)



You can do the same with the Warthog (same buttons).

 

[d8veh]

Yaw is very important when fighting. However you choose to get it, it needs to work well.

Did you try rebinding the controls to swap either the pips or the panels onto the throttle hat and have the thrusters on one of the hats on the main stick. You could try pips on the upper hat, thrusters on the lower one and panels on the throttle.

I understand the problem you have because I have short stiff thumbs, and I struggle to work any of the thumb-operated hats accurately, but I can manage fine with the thrusters on the throttle hat in combat. The only problem I have is when landing, as it always goes to the side when trying to descend straight down. I can overcome that with the addition of a Razer Tartarus keypad, which is a useful addition for the X52, and it works well in VR, much better than a normal keyboard because it's easier to know where the keys are by feel. When you put your hand on the adjustable handrest and thumb on the thumb-button, you caan feel where all the keys are with your fingers. Every key and button is programmable. You can even program them for multiple key-strokes. This helps overcome some of the defeciencies of the X52, especially if you get the problem where buttons start disappearing.

I have things like the galaxy map, sytem map FSD toggle, supercruise, 0%, 75%,100% throttle, next hostile, next target on the Tartarus keys and thrusters for landing on the hat

In case you don't know, you can bind two different keys or buttons to most of the controls in ED, so you can have joystick buttons and key-strokes.

 

[Dragool]

Thanks for everyone. Today I also paid attention to my yaw in RES, and I think I'll give a go to CH Products HOTAS. I think I prefer to have yaw in hat switch in order to get better control of the lateral/vertical thrusters. Let's see how it goes

I'll try voice attack first, and see if I need Razer Tartarus keypad with that later. Pedals have to wait, since I really don't have space for them in my setup now, and I want to see first if I can manage with hat switch yaw.

 

[the100thmonkey]

Why not just buy the CH throttle and leave the Saitek one plugged in (it acts as the controller for the X52 stick).

That way you can have the CH throttle and the X52 stick.