How to Make MiG-31s Act Realistically - Launch at Long Range and Avoid Descending Low to Chase a Target

[CommandT]

Hi folks,

I'm really struggling to make the AI MiG-31s act anything like they would in real life. Can someone please help me figure out how I can set them up so that they a) shoot their R-33s at long range, and b) do not start chasing their target all the way up to a merge, and c) preferably stay at relatively high level, and within a certain zone.

I've tried setting "AA Missiles Attack Ranges = MAX RANGE LAUNCH" but they still launch at 10-11nm from the target which seems very close, and worst still they then dive down onto the target and merge, obviously not a tactic a MiG-31 would ever employ in real life. 

Is there any way of having them launch far away, stay high, and at a certain point retreat back to another waypoint to reset? 

Thanks a million!

[Lt.Turbo]

For the missile launch, trying giving them an AWACS and setting their radar use to always as well as the max range setting. I have no idea if that will work, but it might. You can then set up a trigger with a moving zone on the 31's. Set it so an enemy within a certain range makes them turn and go towards a waypoint in the direction of friendly areas. You'll likely have to set them to hold fire to get them to actual disengage. You can set it as a switched condition so once they get distance they can turn and engage again. It'll take some work but it's doable. Maybe someone with scripting knowledge has a better idea.

[FoxxyTrotty]

It ain't you command T... I just found your post in search of the same issue myself.

I have been frustrated by the Mig31 even with AWACS - on veteran or Ace skill, makes no difference. 

It used to engage a long range, but now, even when forcing it to fly Angels 35+ at supersonic speed, it won't engage or lock or anything until you're within visual range (it's a big plane, so relatively easy to see about 10nm).

I see its radar scanning normally (nails) and there's zero response to my being there, hard locking him, until I get really close.  He doesn't even try to dodge a Fox3 until the last couple seconds, and even then just rolls side to side, flying straight and level.

I've tried giving the Mig31 the various predefined missile combinations, and it no longer works right.  At some point in the last couple years, like many things in DCS unfortunately, it was broken.

The Mig29 is far more deadly, engaging BVR at 2-3x the range, despite the Mig31 having super dooper Mach 5+ missiles.

We'll have to wait for ED to fix it, but there's so much they are behind with, I'm not sure if this will go anywhere.  Just know it isn't you.