DCS MiG-21bis vs AI B-52

[+streakeagle 867]

I am in the process of developing a MiG-21bis combat range similar to the online multiplayer mission I enjoyed so much for the F-86F. For several weeks, I have been trying to get the waypoints and commands correct for B-52s to take off, form up, and carpet bomb an air base. I now have 6 B-52s take off from the same base, climb to 30,000 feet and cruising at 450 knots with one 3-plane "vee" trailing another 3-plane "vee". When the AI doesn't act up, they drop all their bombs at almost the same time and blow the hell out of the runway, taxiway, and ramp from one end of the base to the other. So, now my MiG-21bis targets are ready...

 

I go up as fast as I can from a cold ramp start. I intercept the lead formation just as they are hitting their peak altitude and formed into a "vee". I take the formation leader out with 2xSARH AA-2C Atoll. I take his right wingman with 2xIRM AA-2D Atoll. I run down his left wingman and take him down with the 23mm cannon. Despite having little ammo left, I catch the second "vee" before they have reached their target. I close to point blank and the AI has two B-52s crossing in front of me. I score hits on both and kill one of them. I am now out of ammo. With a little more patience/practice, I would not have spent as much ammo on the first gun kill and might have been able to kill the remaining two B-52s.

 

Lessons learned:

1. Late model Atolls are quite effective in DCS World.

2. It usually takes at least two Atolls to down a B-52 between the small warhead and decoys.

2. B-52s are extremely vulnerable to gunfire, especially when the wings and belly are loaded with Mk82 bombs.

3. Without tail guns, the B-52s cannot repel gun attacks -- they are sitting ducks for cannon armed supersonic fighters.

4. The DCS MiG-21bis eats B-52s for breakfast as the original MiG-21 design was intended.

 

I want to add a lot more things to this mission besides B-52s on a short range carpet bombing run.

When I am done, there should be as many things to do as the F-86 Combat Range:

1. Fighter intercepts of escorted bombers.

2. Fighter sweeps leading to pure dogfights.

3. Ground attacks against armor.

4. Helo attack and rescue/transport missions.

 

I intend to provide assets for players to play on both sides.

Blue flyable fighters will include a pair of F-15Cs, but mostly F-86s.

Red flyable fighters will include a pair of Su-27s, but mostly MiG-21bis.

 

But given the time it took me to figure out how to get the AI to behave half decently with B-52 formations, it might be awhile before I try hosting anything publicly.

 

[Sokol 444]

encouraging !

keep on your work

 

btw, this seems to be verified by experiences in vietnam: B-52-strikes at Hanoi were heavily escorted by fighters, wild weasels, ecm-aircraft. nevertheless at least 2 vietnamese Migs managed to get close to the bombers, and there is little doubt that Phamtuan actually shot own one fortress. his attack was a masterpiece, and his escape was hairy.

 

cheers

sokol

[Snailman 517]

Nice! I wish if I could try Mig-21 DCS (((   Maybe for Xmas....

 

 

In SF2 this is very hard to reproduce...

 

- Atolls... AA-2 series (stock included, but also other Rear60 IRM's) are pretty much useless, literally.  Less than 1% hit rate which is nonsense. Regarding Vietnam AA-2 (R-3S)  they had about 35% hit rate. In our new weapon pack we tried to make some workaround, but not yet perfect(

- B-52s are almost invulnerable to anything but cannon fire. Especially some modded ones which have 1000+ jamming strength ))))

[MigBuster 2,883]

 

3. Without tail guns, the B-52s cannot repel gun attacks -- they are sitting ducks for cannon armed supersonic fighters.

 

 

So they have no tail guns? What about jamming gear and expendables?

[B52STRATO 215]

Well since the number 3 lesson point only on its ability to defend itself in case of gun attack, I would say its ECM systems would not serve him much against the 23mm shells (unless these B-52 are in the matrix) and they would be transformed into flying colanders.

[+streakeagle 867]

In the current revision of SF2NA, I use AA-2Ds and AA-8s with ease. They seem to work as well as the equivalent AIM-9D series.

 

The version of the B-52H in DCS World has no tail guns, only electronics in the tail.

Both the AA-2C SARH and AA-2D IRM appear to ignore the chaff/flares of the B-52H more than 50% of the time, but it is hard to say as sometimes the decoyed missiles explode close enough to do proximity damage.

The wings on the B-52 (as with other DCS aircraft) appear to be easy to destroy.

One direct hit plus one proximity hit seems to make the wing fold every time.

Never having seen real numbers for decoy effectiveness, I can't say how realistic those numbers are, but for gameplay as a MiG-21bis pilot, works for me ;)