MiG-29 close combat help

[Pajeezy]

I guess this really goes for any aircraft after BVR, but I'm just currently attempting the MiG-29. I'm on the second mission of the campaign, "Over the Hump," and it seems simple enough, and with easy opposition. What seems to be a few groups of 2 F-5s at a time over the mountains armed with only AIM-9s.

 

I manage a lock against one, fire off an R-77 at BVR and manage a splash against one. Now starts the problem. By this point I'm within range for the other F-5(s) to start coming after me with their short range IR onslaught. While they seem to know where I am at all times, it's near impossible to find them (especially in the mountains). What tactics can I possibly use here to track all of these guys AND not get shot down from a missile that I get no tone from?

 

I've tried using IRST and flying in circles, while looking around the cockpit (I have TrackIR). I've tried my radar and I've tried going into burners and flying away from the fight to make another pass at another BVR R-77, but they seem to always sneak up somewhere and shove an AIM-9 up my tailpipe...So what tactics do you employ against the AI dogfighting in the mountains like this? (Also, my wingman seems to be able to get a kill or two off before he too goes down).

[Dutchy93]

Usually I tell my wingman to cover me, and I have my radar on. When I see them I go high and on burners. Basically altitude can be converted to speed, which gives my missile more range. So that means I can fire sooner.

By the time I get WVR I have already splashed one and I have a visual on the other guy. Then it is just a matter of locking him up in Vertical Scan mode and stick a R73 up his tailpipe.

 

And should I lose him, whatever the reason, I go high. Preferably without burners. Maybe throw out a few flares etc and I go hot on my radar and fly in circles not to fast. Sometimes I ask the EWR or AWACS for directions. And every now and again your wingman spots something on his radar.

 

And if you know the others only have heaters, stay away from your burners. You'll just get more attention from the missile. And if you want to cheat you can take a peek on your F10 map if you're in a decent enough position.

 

And next it is just trial and error. This mission was actually quite fun. The next can be a pain. Last time I tried it a few times. sometimes I got shot or the group I escorted got attacked. But when I finally get all the enemy fighters, the damn SEAD misses target=> Mission failed. Try again. But 4 times in a row can get pretty boring.

 

Back on topic, I hope I helped a bit. I bet others know more than me but it is a start.

[Exorcet]

This is a trick I sometimes use with AI. It relies on how the AI is programmed, but I don't think it's an exploit, more of an adjustment of tactics to fit the inaccuracies of a virtual combat situation.

 

The AI likes to focus on the closest target. If you lead your flight into combat, you can win just by evading all the missiles and letting your wingmen launch. Or you can do the reverse and tell your wingmen to engage first so that the enemy is looking at them. This makes it easier for your extend and also may let you see missile trails, etc more easily.

 

I've never played the existing missions/campaigns that come with the sim, so I won't know any specific information about the mission you're trying to do, but when it comes to a merge situation with the AI, it's a lot easier to handle if your flight is spread out well before the merge. One example is a player 2ship vs AI 4ship. If you go in as a two ship flight, you might kill 1-2 AI, your wingman might distract another, and the last one may sneak up and kill you.

 

If you spread out (I like to tell my wingmen to go open formation, and then have them pincer right while I break left) then engage, the AI flight will adapt and break up. Now you only need to worry about 2 planes while your wingman hopefully distracts the other two.