From: masten@beta.lanl.gov (David A. Masten)
Subject: Re: Yeager's Combat Sim.
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:53:18 GMT

In article <ahng.722195045@ee.ualberta.ca> ahng@ee.ualberta.ca (Allan Hong-Kay Ng) writes:
>Hi,
>   As a student of air combat, a pilot, and an engineer, I would have to
>   say that Chuck Yeager's Air Combat is the overall best ACM simulator
>   that I have ever used.  Although its nearest rival Falcon3 is very    
>   more accurate in its rendering of the F-16,  Yeager's AC does each of
>   its A/C justice.  Furthermore I have found the enemy's tactics to be
>   excellent in AC as compared to F3.  There have been many situations that
>   I have found myself caught in a drag tactic between two MiG's or in 
>   Bracket.  I have also used both authenic energy and angles tactics 
>   against opponents to good effect.  There is a real matter of factness
>   to the game.  For instance in a fight between a MiG-17 and an F-4 the
>   computer will try to get you into a slow turning fight and bleed you
>   of energy.  Fall into that trap and you are sure to become MiG meat. 
>   However if you take the fight into the vertical (Standard Top Gun tactic)
>   and you can beat him.  The only draw back is its unrealistic damage
>   tolerances for player A/C.  But this I realize makes it more playable.
>   I can't say enough about this ACM simulation tool.

First, let me again say I really like CYAC.  I'm glad it's so popular.
Seemed at first it didn't get much attention.  By all means check it
out.

As to ACM (air combat maneuvers), I've usually found it decent, but I
can always beat planes in 1v1 without resorting to tricky moves.  For
fun, don't target the enemy plane, so you don't have the advantage of
the "x" locator.  Makes it tougher.  The example above (your F4 vs a
Mig17) is probably the toughest in the game, IF you don't use missiles.
Even though the manual mentions how poor Vietnam era missiles were, I
usually hit with about 2 out of 3.  Another tough match is you in a F86
vs a Mig15 (I like flying the Mig).

Anyway, my impression is that the enemies fly decently but usually screw
up at some point by reversing giving you a nice shot.

As for comparisons to other games, Falcon3 opponents will also drag and
bracket.  Just set up missions were enemies don't have all-aspect
missiles and you'll get a fine dogfight.  One problem is that the enemy
flight models are more lenient than yours if you use the hifi flight
model (coprocessor req'd), giving them the advantage.  Enemy fighters
are also MUCH better with guns than myself.  I think F3 dogfights are
the toughest.

Aces of the Pacific will also give you one seriously tough time (with
the B patch).  When you are lining up one bandit, another will almost
assuredly be coming on your tail.  They are also crack shots (too much
so probably).

Planes in both of these games will also use the vertical (moreso than
CYAC I think).  Energy tactics are important in both even with the high
powered F16.

As I've said before I like them all.  
I'd say get F3 for the most overall incredible simulation (but takes a
lot fo work).  Get CYAC for quick and dirty fun.  Get aces for the best
WWII simulation.  It falls between the other two in the amount of effort
you'll have to expend to get profficient.

Dave Masten