From: opus@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (robin.g.kim)
Subject: Re: **PLEA to FALCON 3 aces**
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 13:57:13 GMT

In article <21121@optima.cs.arizona.edu> hogue@cs.arizona.edu (Justin C. Hogue) writes:
>In article <1992Aug11.131527.14093@cbnewsc.cb.att.com>, opus@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (robin.g.kim) writes:
>> 
>>>Does any one out there have tips on air to air combat. I find that I can never
>>>hit the enemies fighters with a gun and most of the time my missles miss. Any
>>>hints, advice or pointers would be appreciated.
>
>  I'm not the god of Falcon dogfighting, but I do think I have a grip on it.
>some specific ideas
>
>  1.  Many of the high tech enemy jets (mig 27, -29) can track you before
>       you can see them, and you threat indicator will show a "1", even 
>       though you can't see them.  Unless its an f-14, it's an enemy.  I've
>       found the best way to beat them then is to go straight for them at 
>       the highest speed possible, AAMRAM's ready.  Keep tracking them, they 
>       hate it.  If you do this, you can get to them before they pound you
>       with those long range Apex's.  If they do fire DO NOT dodge wildly,
>       but give the missle time to get near you and pull hard.  At 600 mph
>       plus the missles 2700+, it can't turn enough to catch you head on.

If you use HFR, then it is rare that enemy planes will show up on your TWR
when you're too far away to detect them, since your radar's range is 80 miles.
Even then, the bandits will be too far away to threaten you.

You should never be hit by an Apex.  They are very unmaneuverable.  You should
dodge them with the same ease that the enemy planes dodge your AMRAAMs.

>  2.   Oddly, even though the book says mig-21's suck on manueverability,
>       I don't think I've ever hit one with an AAMRAM.  Since they don't
>       have any long range missles and poorer manueverability, get close
>       and dogfight.

The MiG-21 appears to be one of the most maneuverable fighters in the game.

>  3.   If you are fighting a smaller group of fighters, don't send off 
>       your wingman, as if someone gets behind you you can command him 
>       to break off and engage (shift-d, give him a sec, and shift-e).
>       If you are in one of those slaughters, do it the Wing commander II
>       way (send them off and pray) so you can get more guys before the 
>       inevitable.

This sounds interesting but I don't understand what you mean.  What is
"send off"?  Also, did you mean to say "shift-d," which means "break right"
or "shift-q," which tells your wingman to disengage?

>  4.   If an enemy fighter locks on to you, fire.  Who cares.  They'll get
>       off you very fast, and you can pick a position while they sweat it
>       out with your missle.

I've used this tactic before.  If the enemy plane is approaching head-on,
waste an AMRAAM on him when he gets within Sidewinder range.  It will miss,
but allow you to get good angles on the bandit for a Sidewinder shot.  He'll
be coming out of his break maneuver fairly low on energy.  This has worked
well for me, but I'd somehow forgotten all about it until I read your posting.
Thanks!  :^)

>  5.   I also saw a question about guns.  I've found the best is to get
>       within .7-.5 miles and, starting about the middle of the funnel, pull
>       up shile shooting.  If they are dodging wildly, don't waste your guns.
>       Stay on thier back until they do something stupid or fire a missle.
>       One thing I've found, if you try to use guns, they will turn tails
>       and dodge, so they are easy missle bait (but then you switch to missles
>       and they try to force a pass, see what works for you)

I'll have to try this.  I'm very bad with guns as it is, so concrete advice
like this is much appreciated.

>now for my question--how to hit runways.  I plastered a runway only to find
> I didn't hit it.  I'm on my 3rd campaign, and I've only hit a runway once.
>is there a trick, or should I land and commit suicide by dropping the bombs
>DIRECTLY on the pavement?

I've got THE trick for this!  What you need to do is carry along either
Mavericks or LGMs in addition to your runway-cratering ordnance.  When you
get within visual range of the runway, switch to the aforementioned guided
weapon, and keep switching targets until it locks on the runway.  It should
be at the point nearest the hangar.  Point your plane directly at that point,
since that's EXACTLY where you must drop your Durandals (or whatever).
If you hit, you will see that a diagonal patch of gray appear over that
part of the black runway (I use to satellite view for quick bomb damage
assessment).

Rob
ihlpy!opus@att.att.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games