My Rant on Air-to-Air Combat

[Thelron]

Well, the J-10 is just a mean, mean aircraft, and as best I can tell (from flying aginst the same people on different sides) it *is* "better" than the F-18, easily. The F-35 can possibly put some of its Harrier predecessors' maneuverability to use to counter the J-10 somewhat but I'd say you'd have to severely outclass the J-10 pilot to get better than even-odds in a head-on fight (if you get the drop on him while he's busy trying to fly slow enough to kill a blackhawk, then yeah you'll have a bit of an easier time).

The F-15 seems to be a deathtrap for some reason, though I've never noticed it feeling all that different from the Su. Though, usually when I get blown out of an F-15 I'd have been blown out of anything so I can't really say, and I personally have never had too much trouble going up against Su's with one but I've never been too sure of the pilot skill difference in those cases (one time I was up against a guy who seemed about the same skill as I was and we pretty much just managed to chase each other away, with him tending to get luckier than I with finding the other busy with a chopper. Neither of us were all that good though. Another time I was up against a J-10 and an Su with a teammate in an F-18. Usually ended with the J-10 blowing me away while my teammate blew the Su away, or I and the Su would go off looking for stuff to bomb).

EDIT: Oh yeah, forgot the MiG. It seems to be 'about the same' as the other fighters if everyone is similarly skilled, it probably has a bit of an advantage over most people in the F-35 because in 'normal' flight there's just a bit of a speed/maneuverability advantage that tips the scales but it seems to handle about the same as the F-18 for me. Again though, I'm only what I would consider an 'average' pilot and often end up flying against a couple "quite good" pilots so I haven't had too much time to really get comfortable in the F-18.

[Grey Fox]

I use a Wingman Logitech Force Feedback stick m8. The old big one... I'm not very good at explaining how I do things. I just go by feel. However, I always slow down when chasing people in a fight. Bombers fly slower anyway, so you let them get ahead, then increase throttle and use burners as necessary to pull in *very* close in behind. I usually leave the missile hud off, wreck them with guns, then finish off with a missile if the guns haven't done the job already. If you're too close for a missile lock, ease off the throttle again and let them get ahead an extra few metres.
Fighters usually fly around on full throttle or use burners immediately when engaged, thus losing their spare thrust. Again easing off the throttle and turning under and into them until you're behind then throttle up and use the burners you've saved to accelerate quickly. (Low Yo-Yo) If you're going faster than your prey, and turning with them, slow a bit, aim up and around them and then use burners to get on their tail. (High Yo-Yo).

The page below has examples and diagrams of air combat manouvres. The high and low yo yos are the ones I use most in BF2. The high G barrel roll has worked for me also. Pulled off a perfect HGB last night. Being persued by an Su34 in an FA/18. Ended up right on his tail, close enough to spit at him, unfortunately we were both low, I wasn't paying attention and hit the ground along with him...


http://library.thinkquest.org/3142/manuv.htm

In this game the faster you fly the better maneuverability you have, so if you try to use those tactics, you will fail, cause he may overshoot you, but you won't be able to turn as fast as he does.

[Red/Wolf/]

Excuse me? I acknowledged that the J10 is very fast and can turn tight at speed, whilst also mentioning the F15 is a flying brick..

Stop being a big poofter and learn how to fly properly. " I've been flying since BF:1942 and I know what I'm doing". Obviously not. Practice and learn. Not everything in this life is fair or balanced 100%. What do you want? All the planes to be the same with different skins? You want realism maybe? Russian jets are a match for their US counterparts and in some cases, they're far more manouverable. Their avionics are less sophisticated, but planes like the Su27/34 would in the close BF2 dogfights, own the F15, totally blow away the F35 and match the FA18 modelled in the game. With the map sizes being so small, manouverability counts for more, which is why, in the right hands, the "axis" planes own. Now if you want the map size increased to 40nm with BVR AMRAAM engagements and AWACS in the skies to help the US out, then you will have the "realistic" balance. However that isn't going to happen.

Grow up and stop whining.

I hope this is your last post in this thread otherwise I will ask for moderator intervention.

[Red/Wolf/]

Ok let me ask you somthing..

""NOTE, you as*hats who think they know it all, that I said pilots of equal skill. This means they would not be able to juke another. Right.""

If they cant juke each other then it's more about who locks on to who first, since they're "equal skill" right??

Let's assume Mr. F-15E is flying along, and Mr. SU-34 takes off right under him. Su-34 will cling to him like glue and take him down.

Same situation, reversed, the SU-34 would evade simply because of a tighter turning radius.

[Flares]

In this game the faster you fly the better maneuverability you have, so if you try to use those tactics, you will fail, cause he may overshoot you, but you won't be able to turn as fast as he does.

I don't think I explained myself very well, sorry I'm not very good at explaining what I do, it's very much seat of the pants and flying by feel. High and Low Yo Yos work well, because the vast majority of pilots flat turn, or try to loop. If a pilot loops, no matter what the plane, I guess where he is going to be, and rather than loop with him, turn under him along the estimated flightpath. That's also a bastardised version of a Low Yo Yo. You don't slow down to a stop, just drop a little speed for a second. Subtle changes in throttle use, short burns and rudder win the day.

I hope this is your last post in this thread otherwise I will ask for moderator intervention.

Wah Wah! What do you want? Everyone to come here and cry imbalance?
If you post on a public forum, expect criticism or don't post kid.

[deathBOB]

Anyone else notice that the J-10 wobbles when flying level at high speeds?

Also: Given equal skill, two very good pilots have a hard time shooting each other down. Its easy to lose poeple and dodge missiles, much easier than chasing or shooting someone else down.

Its been my experience that good pilots (I like to include myself here) only shoot each other down if 1) the other pilot isn't paying attention 2) a missile gets lucky and sneaks in.

[imported_fvbyfv]

The J10 in this game is the better plane period. If you have two guys/gals with equal skill the j10 will win 9/10.


A poor to avg guy with a joystick could shoot down a good pilot if he is in a j10 or at very least give a very good fight. (a fight that he would never be able to do if say you were both in a F15)

[Haymaker88]

IT'S NOT A ****ING FLIGHT SIMULATOR


IF YOUR THAT WORRIED ABOUT IMBALANCE.. WAIT FOR THE A-10 TO COME OUT IN THE PATCH, THEN SEE WHO HAS THE BEST AIRCRAFT..

[={SOC}= Sniper]

IT SHOULD BE

[colony]

Ive gotten real good now in the jets. im real hard to take down, and boy i'll swoop down on you with a bomber jet and bomb your team to bits.

I love it. Im hoping they put in a plane that will let loose 10 bombs hehe

[Destroyer]

ok then dice says thell fix it
your welcome

[Red/Wolf/]

ok then dice says thell fix it
your welcome

Speculation is not an argument. However, thank you for your insight. Can you provide proof? Hmm? No. 'kay.