AcroGimp

Still struggling with the practice missions, the AI flies pretty well, but I completed the NTTR Fam flight complete with a severe aircraft malfunction (loss of throttle control around Student Gap). Really enjoying this module and looking forward to flying the for-credit missions once I can somewhat reliably kill the other guys as opposed to just keeping them from killing me. Great job Maple Flag! 'Gimp

I just had a somewhat similar experience. Flying the BFM NTTR FAM Mission from the Maple Flag campaign, we had just come out of the training area at Student Gap, cruising along at 300 KIAS and Angels 24, suddenly the throttle sticks in IDLE, I move it forward it moves forward, but as soon as I stop moving it goes back to IDLE - I struggle with this for a minute or so and then have an idea. I pause TrackIR (Numpad + in my setup, going to change), I press Numpad + and they move to Max A/B, and now they move to Max A/B instead of IDLE, great, won't crash for lack of thrust now, but how the hell will I land? I fly around trying burn fuel down, keeping a lot of G on with boards out to keep speed reasonable while descending into Vegas area, and find that if I constantly exercise the throttle it will stay around idle. I get the kiss off from the IP that mission is completed, now I can try to bring this pig back home. Finally make it in close, well below BINGO fuel, touch down, take my hand of the throttle to deploy the chute, collapse a gear and spin off the runway but stay upright, with both engines still in Max A/B - I go skidding around the grounds of Nellis like a chicken with its' head cutoff until first the left engine, then right engine die from fuel starvation - I just managed to NOT hit any planes in the ramp, and I ended up near the Aggressor ramp. Not sure if it is a campaign issue, a DCS issue, an F-5 issue, a Thrustmaster T16000 HOTAS issue, or a Voice Attack issue - although VA failed to respond to any commands (and keyboard commands were gone) after the initial throttle control failure. I was sweating like I was really there - actually a lot of fun trying to figure out what I could do to secure one engine or something but the keyboard controls were nonresponsive. Ideas? 'Gimp

Trust me, I know the feeling, I've tried going high, going low, smooth turns, bat turns and it has not come together for fighting AI in the practice missions yet, but I know it eventually will. The airplane is so well modeled and executed I want to learn how to fight it - I've been watching tons of the Youtbue videos and part of my problem clearly is I am trying to fly it like a real fighter in a real environment - much of what you see on Youtube is completely unrealistic, running around at 20 feet and max A/B taking Fox 2 shots out of huge graceful turns at 500 KIAS, where it looks easy to maneuver into the WEZ. I think that is part of the frustration of fighting AI vs a mixed AI/PVP environment on the multiplayer servers where there is a real fog of war, imperfect SA, and bad decisions. I just added Voice Attack to help with some of the switchology so that I don't have to take my hands of my HOTAS (I'm dominant right handed and using mouse in left hand is tough so I want to only do it for clickable things like radio tuning, pipper adjustments, etc.), I'll see if it helps any in combat, it is completely awesome on the ground for start up, more immersive and keeps me from having to memorize a billion keystrokes. Keep at it, it will come. And try some MP, I was setting up TeamSpeak and Discord yesterday so I can venture out - if I can finger out how to use SimpleRadio I'll add it too. I know in Star Citizen the most fun I have is when multiplayer. 'Gimp

Try this. Lift vector is essentially a line straight up from your wings, perpendicular to the wings and to your line of travel/flight path. If someone is driving into the weapons effective zone (WEZ) behind you, they will typically be trying to match your bank angle, since the most efficient lead lag or pure pursuit is to align their lift vector with yours. This will vary if they are also driving in with a heading crossing angle (offset from your flight path) but in general you want to keep your lift vector on the guy you want to shoot, so the guy who wants to shoot you wants to do it too (with mods for lead, lag or pure pursuit). If you see someone working to get a gun or missile shot, take advantage of the F-5's superior roll performance to roll well right or left quickly, and then pull hard - if they are already not matched to your bank angle, say they are off to the left, roll away (to the right) to create more roll and/or heading change they have to go through to get their lift vector back on you. This gives the separation you want to force an overshoot where they simply cannot make the same corner. Do be sure you are not improving their firing solution if they are offset in lead/lag vs pure pursuit, in this case you turn into them usually to create a bigger HCA issue - it is like formation flying, basically 'visual geometry'. 'Gimp

I'll take a stab at this but look forward to other replies. I have found having your lift vector displaced from the opponent, e.g., off to left or right using roll, and then a very hard bat-turn pull, to be effective for forcing an overshoot (if you can pull below the bandits' wings level line, e.g., below their line of sight/flight path, is best since they now have a large roll and pitch angle to address). The instantaneous pitch rate of the F-5 is pretty good with energy on (~400 KIAS for corner velocity mid-teens). You are giving up energy to do so, so if altitude allows turn that momentary separation into an opportunity to unload and accelerate keeping an eye on the bandit to rebuild the smash. 'Gimp

I just saw this thread and was about to comment on needing to hold the button for a 2-count or so - glad you figured it out. I tried to pickle one off the other day and just hit the weapons release switch, nothing happened, then press and hold for 2-count, boom off she goes. 'Gimp

This is factually incorrect, RTFM (page 277 if interested). The aileron limiter function (a resistance spring in the the real plane) is simulated in the F-5E and in order to get full throw you must deactivate the limiter (press and hold L or map to a joystick/HOTAS button unless you have a FFB stick) - it is a momentary function so press and hold. In the real plane, the limiter is OFF with gear down, and ON with gear UP, at full deflection and at speed the plane will do 700 degrees per second. I don't have a lot of time in DCS yet but I have actually flown real BFM, in my real Yak, with a real USN F-5N adversary pilot and he used every axis to get snap shots off. We discussed his time at VFC-13 and he explained the F-5N had to use every trick in the book when fighting superior opponents (F/A-18, F-14). To suggest rudder, rolls, or slow speed maneuvering have no place in combat is simply untrue and unhelpful. The lag roll, barrel roll, low and high speed yo-yo are staple BFM maneuvers - additionally, high roll rates can be used to jink/fake an opponent out if driving into the WEZ. Even when flown cleanly the F-5E is at a disadvantage against most other modern fighters and will end up slow in a prolonged fight, you simply must be able to fly it in all regimes. 'Gimp

Stall is AOA, not airspeed, you are pulling too much - I noticed same myself (e.g., stalled with mushy, non-responsive ailerons at 250 KIAS) and am changing the stick curve to help prevent it. Remember, stall is where the AOA exceeds the critical angle of attack for the wing and can occur at essentially any airspeed, until you get to the point you break the wing based on instantaneous G (which I am not sure is possible in the Tiger). You can carve a turn with the rudder, and you can effectively point the nose when at low speed, but best to do with pedals and best to do smoothly, the Tiger rudder is surprisingly powerful. Try small movements to aid bringing the nose around, once you get a sense for how much pedal translates into motion at different speeds you'll dig it. You can tell aileron limiter is off based on deflection of the aileron, it moves a lot more but you have to hold the bound switch/button since it is a momentary function (unless you have a force-feedback stick I think in which case it is modeled into the FFB loop). 'Gimp

Respectfully disagree. We both made mistakes and we both missed opportunities but had the F-14 outplayed me the result would have been my death, in 2-5 turns, as it admittedly usually is, a lot, in that particular engagement. In fairness, I have figured out that my instinct results in more two-circle engagements which is even worse against a better turning/more powerful opponent - thanks TacView! It's all about learning how to employ the weapon system you have available. We all know the Tomcat was an extremely capable fighter, we all know it has better sustained turn, high-alpha, and specific excess power than the Tiger. And we all know that that engagement puts the Tiger at an EXTREME disadvantage from the very beginning. Please post up your evidence of you just getting behind and staying behind the fastest turning western fighter, from that instant action engagement - just to show us all how it is done, I am always looking for examples I can learn from. 'Gimp

When you can't get any roll you are basically stalled (can still get some pitch responsiveness but the wing is effectively stalled), unload the back stick and try using your feet (rudder) - also, don't forget to use the aileron limiter function, it almost doubles your stick throw which can help in those stall/near stall conditions - it should be bound to a stick button. 'Gimp

I have only managed one kill against the Tomcat in countless tries but it is possible. I made several mistakes in this engagement that the AI did not capitalize on, and it made a couple errors too that I was not in position to capitalize on either until they made a badly timed decision to extend at the very end. Keep your energy up, that means smooth turns, only use bat turns to force an overshoot. Use the vertical to reduce turn radius and/or maintain/regain energy. If you are always in the buffet you are pulling too hard - the F-5E seems to be a finesse fighter You start that evolution at a severe energy disadvantage against a superior opponent (as appears to be the case for most of the instant action air starts) - you will most likely be jousting, not getting and staying in position for a tracking shot, so be ready for snap shots close in as you cross paths. One circle vs two circle will help keep you in close and reduce their opportunity to get into the WEZ. It is frustrating but recognize it is an AI that gets to use all the energy, all the time, in a superior platform, starting from a better position/energy state - it is a tough place to start. Also, check out JambockSydy's youtube videos for the Maple Flag BFM campaign, there's some good examples in there of well timed maneuvering. 'Gimp

Just want to say as a noob to DCS but long time sim pilot as well as a real world pilot with formation, BFM, TacForm and ACM experience (as a civilian), I truly love this mod, and I have had several really great mods in FSX. 'Gimp

Had to copy the missions from saved games (on my C drive) into the root DCS folder (on my SSD F drive) but did get the practice missions to show up, now to get past the merge without losing sight and ALL my energy and altitude - I do like how it all comes together though - great job guys! Gonna go back and watch Sydy's vid's for help. 'Gimp

That explains it, I'll give it another go later today maybe. Thanks 'Gimp

Sabre, quick question. New to DCS but real world pilot, instrument rated. Running the BFM campaign in latest 2.5 OB. I love how the TACAN nav works in the F-5 in general but flying the Range Fam Flight (1st sortie) I have an issue once over Rachel. 2-1 says to go to Student Gap, but I was unable to pick up LVS, FL160 to FL290, and as such could not progress the mission. Is there some special sauce I missed? I took up the suggested heading, went heads-down to dial LVS and the course back in, and the TACAN was not getting LVS, fail mission if I can';t progress past the waypoint. Ideas/suggestions? Thanks, the module is pretty well put together from what I have seen so far, can't wait to get into some BFM but first I have to complete the Fam hop. 'Gimp

Wow!! Well done. 'Gimp

Hey Limey! Yeah, I'll drop you a line, finally getting back after ACL reconstruction surgery. 'Gimp

Figured out part of my issue was a joystick curve for pitch I changed, went back to no curve and now I am not stuck in a stall condition, and still tweaking the TIR setup to be predictable and and stable. Thanks for the info on the AI, helps me feel a little better. I still have less than 10-12 hours into the sim so I am still deep in the learning curve with respect to employing the plane and it has the same limitations/challenges other sims do with respect to depth perception/perception of closure rate and so on, but it is getting better. I am really impressed with what DCS does and suspect I would do better with people already than the AI. Once I feel stronger with overall aircraft systems and weapons system employment I'll try some of the MP servers. In the meantime I may start playing with the mission planner to create specific types of engagements since the training and instant action missions all seem to start with me at an extreme energy disadvantage which, coupled with the AI flight model and behavior is just not fun. 'Gimp

I just keep watching WAGS' tutorials on the Hornet over and over, is that wrong? I am stoked, looks like a fantastic module - coming from FSX where study level sims are few and far between this appears to be just an incredible experience. I love the Belsimtek F-5E and am really looking forward to see what they can do with the Hornet. Hope we get some Adversary skins, love the VFC-13 splinter skin for the F-5E, hint, hint, hint. 'Gimp

That was amazing! Most powerful launch since the last Saturn V in 1973. 'Gimp

Duplicated here as well, tough to taxi at Nellis in the dark. 'Gimp

OMG that's brilliant! 'Gimp

There is a word Yak drivers have for CJ drivers, it sounds a lot like a certain North American mid-market retailer with a red and white logo that is made up of 3 concentric circles.... Only kidding a little, CJ's are nice, especially the big engine ones with the M-14PF, but in terms of actual maneuverability/aerobatics or airframe strength there is no comparison. CJ's are fine for Gentlemen style positive aerobatics but inverted is poor (dihedral outboard section) and no inverted fuel or oil. They are comfy and faster but I didn't buy the Yak to travel. Lomcevak's, any manner of spin, rolling circles, true competition aerobatics, or airshow acro, the Yak does it all and IMO does it way better - in BFM/ACM there is no contest if it gets to a knife fight although the speed for the CJ is good for extend and escape or slashing attacks. Several of my formation buddies have nice CJ's but Yak's outnumber them in our neck of the woods 3 to 1. Really, they both have a place for the guy who knows what he wants but they really aren't for the same kind of mission at the end of the day. 'Gimp

Thanks! Yeah, I made several mistakes and seem to favor two-circle (instinct), will force myself to try some one circle and see if it gets me into firing position or forces offensive maneuvering mistakes more often. When I tried in the middle to hose the Tomcat if my SA/experience with gunnery were better I'd have killed him right there, I figure I went trigger down about 1.5-2 seconds too late. The lag roll was where my real world aerobatic and formation experience/instinct kicked in, I've noticed that with all AI the closure rates are very hard to discern for me so far (maybe 5-10 hrs in). I'm still tweaking curves in TrackIR as well to get better head movement vs eye displacement to serve for preserving SA - the curves I use in FSX are no bueno for dogfighting. I was bummed because I had forgotten to save the track in DCS from that fight, it would have made for some epic edits. Next time I'll keep the tracks, at least when I win. 'Gimp

Hah! I know Jay - starting to get it a little. As others have said, it seems like the AI have distinct advantages which are tough to defeat but I have managed a couple kills now against maneuvering targets but the kill ratio is not at all in my favor right now. Going to add the BFM module for F-5E/NTTR next and am hoping it will develop some faster reactions. In reviewing the TacView for my Tomcat kill I can now see several missed opportunities as well as a couple mistakes that could have been worse. Also working on studying actual tactics, my dogfighting is instinct driven right now and not all my instincts are good in DCS although they are OK in the real world. Definitely dig this, lots of fun. 'Gimp