Lock On Evolving Air Combat Tactics Guide

[EvilBivol-1]

Hi all, :icon_jook

 

One thing LOMAC documentation always lacked is a description of the tactical implications of the particular ways a weapon system is modeled. This is very understandable, given the constantly changing logic and numerical variables of the systems as the sim evolves. For example, every patch would introduce changes to the logic and capabilities of missiles and radars. I've always found myself having to spend hours of flight time with a buddy to simply figure out all the new settings and how they impact the tactical options. ED provides us with a list of changes (which is often incomplete) - maybe we should provide an explanation of how they impact gameplay?

 

With the release of 1.11, we've once again recieved a new model of various weapon and electronic systems. While many of these are documented in the readme file, some are probably not. Moreover, even for those documented, no tactical implication is given. Hence, I thought it might be useful to open a sort of tactical guide, where users are free to 'chime in' on what they see as important differences in the sim and how that might affect the tactical situation.

 

I'll begin by mentioning something I just came across on the Russian forum. I may be wrong, but I don't remember seeing this in the documention for 1.11.

 

Stricter guidence limits for SARH Missiles:

If a semi-active radar homing seeker loses a target, it will now be able to reaquire it only if the target remains within the seeker's immediate field of view, which is currently 5 degrees. Previously, SARH missiles would be able to reaquire anything within the seeker's gimbal limits, which was roughly 55 degrees.

 

This may be of "some" importance, because many of us have come to be see SARH missiles as weapons of choice as opposed to Active homers. But under the updated model, a target which has succesfully broken lock has a much greater chance of trashing your SARH missile as well, even if you are able to re-designate the target on radar.

 

Note that I have not tested this yet in-game, but only reposted it here as a starter for the thread.

 

So let's hear it. What is it that you find to work and not work in the virtual skies of 1.11?

 

P.S. Let's try to keep this thread on-topic. Also, I personally preffer tactics which mimic the real world as opposed to something that just happens to work in Lock On. You're free to post whatever you find useful of course, but it may be more interesting if we try to "keep it real."

[Gazehound]

It is much harder to maintain a lock on a target lower than you, beaming pretty much always works, unless you get below the bandit.

 

(doh, misread post, nvm still on topic)

[Pilotasso]

I found that russian birds have a more realistic (read: reduced ) radar viewcones. As a result alot of russian bird pilots are having a hard time online lately.

They were accustumed to tilt only a notch up or down to catch any bandits on scope, and that habit apears to have undured on in 1.11 with fatal results.

Russian birds are not undermodelled, Im sure they will catch up quickly.

[EvilBivol-1]

Hmm, neither of the above points is mentioned in the documentation. Anybody else find these to have changed in 1.11?

[GGTharos]

The problem is that people leave the 'expected target distance' at 10km.

 

This, combined with the reduced bar-scan (At least it looks reduced to me, can't be sure - I'm almost certain it's reduced in TWS) causes people to miss targets that they could have otherwise seen.

 

Same with a long 'expected target distance' being set while looking for a close-in bandit.

 

Learn how the radar operates, that's all there is to it.

[EvilBivol-1]

Yeah, its going to be a little hard keeping this on topic if we're not sure exactly what changes have been made. Nevertheless, I'm with GG on this one. I think it may be 'the human factor' that is causing the differences. I could be wrong...

 

To continute the missile discussion though, Active homers, as well as IR missiles have had their gimbal limits reduced. This, combined with their conical search pattern, will probably have an impact on your evasion techniques. I haven't tested the 'spiral' in 1.11, but it seems that it would no longer be effective as the primary method of evasion, which might once again be the last-minute break, in an attempt to maneuver out of the seeker's gimbal limits.

[Guest ThomasDWeiss]

I started using ECM more - and loading the pods again on the Flanker.

[EvilBivol-1]

But why? Is there anything you see different than in 1.1?

[Teo]

Well, since I most do A-G work, in both the Hog and Frog and the SAMs now is able to sometimes shoot down my AGM65s (SAM on Excellent and missile slider at 50%) and I dont like wasting missiles when "double tapping", I came up with a new tactic. I wait until the SAM fires at me, then I launch my Mav and do some counter missile manouvers. Since the SAM is launched from max range it isnt hard to evade the shot, and my Mav seems to always score a kill, because the SAM is busy guiding his missile at me.

 

I did a lot of testing after reading trough the Mav-Tunguska thread and this tactic never failed. It's i bit harder when using TV-Mavs, because you are not in range when a Tunguska fires, but its certinly doable if you know how to evade a SAM ;)

AGM65D-Tunguska.zip

[Alfa]

Well, since I most do A-G work, in both the Hog and Frog and the SAMs now is able to sometimes shoot down my AGM65s (SAM on Excellent and missile slider at 50%) and I dont like wasting missiles when "double tapping", I came up with a new tactic. I wait until the SAM fires at me, then I launch my Mav and do some counter missile manouvers. Since the SAM is launched from max range it isnt hard to evade the shot, and my Mav seems to always score a kill, because the SAM is busy guiding his missile at me.

 

Yes this is a good observation. Generally speaking SAMs will concentrate on the carrying aircraft whenever possible. So although your tactic it is a little risky, it can be used as an alternative to saturating the target with missiles. Moving in closer before launching your weapons and thereby using yourself as sort of a "decoy", will provide the SAM site with a more "juicy" target to concentrate and often allow your missiles to "sneak" past its defences :)

 

But it does require quick reactions and nerves of steel :D

 

Cheers,

- JJ.

[Gazehound]

But why? Is there anything you see different than in 1.1?

ECM does not go thru terrain

 

[edit] On the russian radar thing; I have not noticed a diference - but then I use the azimuth(?) properly anyway.