EricJ

Well don't feel bad, I haven't flown in a month or so, so my skills are not up to par right now....

Don't feel bad, I was burning a lot of fuel too on burner though I had gotten kilt before I could worry about running out , But the second video was pretty much what I was going through though given you got actual shots off (I was going for a stict missile kill) and at 2:46 if you had good AAMs you would have hada perfect shot holding him ilke that. And you're definitely a better stick with the Fishbed than I am, at least you got kills though.... Nice work on both though you had a couple goots shots if you had better AAMs though.

Okay yeah.... I never really tried (but maybe I should) as I've flown it, but not in a DACT and that was a Lancer one... I think I still have it and well... I can do this: 2 bouts Me: Mig-21 LanceR C with 4 x AIM-9M, gun, tank (First bout) Opposition: F-5E with 4 x IRIS-T (defaulted to that missile), guns. Startef off as normal and let him play around and well.... the F-5E done by Centurion-1 doesn't have a UFO like flight altitude but man that thing has some serious turning abillity as well as better energy than the LanceR. It was nice that the LanceR can carry more capable AAMs and while I had the ability to fire Russkie versions, I went Western. I desperately tried not to Lawn Dart or plow myself into the ground in some cases (even though I still had some good control authority) but in most cases I was simply trying to get myself into a launch position so I can get a shot off, and maybe work myself into a better one if that one had missed. But the pilot would overmatch my moves and essentially had the better energy to counter me and keep me from getting a good solution while he worked himself into a better one so he could spike me. So most of the bouts I was simply trying to get him off of me and wear him out but he still had plenty of energy going for him while I was floundering around trying to stay aloft and again, not Lawn Dart into the ground. I managed on the second bout to try and work him into the ground (more or less a Phyrric victory_) but he wouldn't play and kept going. Any energy circle I would try and break out he would simply reverse on me and again fly around while he simply pulled and flew around to get me in his sights. Pretty much both bouts I ended up taking an IRIS-T to the tail which by game logic "killed" me. The second bout only ended up like the first, only took a bit longer. Most that happened was I managed to evade one IRIS-T as he tried to spike me, but in the end the Tiger II maneuvered on me and managed to gret me in the end. Enough of the LanceR. Takeaways: I may have pulled stick too hard and that's what did me in, I think but the LanceR simply didn't have the push I felt compared to the TIger II, which as said while doesn't have a UFO-like flight model, moves. Maybe it's just inexperience or the fact that the LanceR isn't as capable as the Mig-21 is supposed to be. To be fair it has BVR capability but against the Tiger II in the WVR fight.... it may not be the good choice but if you can catch the TIger II in a good position and carry good AAMs this point may be moot. The good thing as mentioned was that the LanceR can carry better missiles than the installed Russkie ones i currently have and quite frankly don't have much confidence in that the Tiger II can outmach my Aphids with early to late model Sidewinders, or in this case IRIS-Ts. However it was a simple energy issue and while the LanceR is a good upgrade of the basic Fishbed it still doesn't have the push (in my mind) to be able to counter the energy and abilty of the Tiger II to feel comfortable in going up against it again. Me: Super Hornet F/A-18F Block II EPE w/4 x AIM-9X, 6 x AIM-120, tank, gun. Opposition: F-5E Tiger II with 4 x IRIS-T and guns I was a little chagrined that I got my ass handed to me twice so I decided to shake off the rust and get back at the Tiger II. Comparatively speaking the F/A-18F is about twice as heavy (or three times) as the TIger II but the extra "push" from the EPE engines made a big difference as after nearly mid-air colliding with him we started to play. He rolled to the right relative to my position and turned and I simply followed him and worked myself into the kill slot and essentially rolled and pulled and quite honestly was ablet to match ihs moves easily, keeping him in front of me and the Tiger II managed to try and maneuver out of the kill slot but again ingrained reflexes simply took over and quite honestly able to read him pretty good and keep him from working out of it. And it was quite fun to be able to roll and counter him constantly as he tried to work himself out and force and overshoot, but old reflexes die hard with a jet you've flown for a good while. Once I got a little tired (though I should have kept playing with him because I'll be honest that's one of the most fun engagements I've done in a long while, man it was great.. I mean that's just a good touch to a real weird day. Anyway he ended up on my left and while the cross shot doesn't work and isn't recommended, I fired off-boresight (he was essentially pointing near 45 degrees towards my nose, roughly I think) with a 9X and splashed him. Takeaways: Again the Super Hornet is of course heavier than the TIger II by somewhat of a long shot but unlike the Mig-21 does have that push and feel of energy that compared to the LanceR and has and made it a very satisfying engagement and kill. So by all rights of the imagination the Tiger should be able to simply outmanever the Super by sheer weight. But as mentioned on another topic you're looking at a generation gap between the two fighters and therefore with the push from the engines it was a matter of simply rolling and managing your own energy against a highly mobile aircraft that can stilll shoot you down if you're not paying attention. But in all honesty using the Super Hornet and knowing you'll win shows that newer technology and a trained pilot can take on a variety of aircraft and still come out ahead. However it should be said that the IRIS-T wasn't a joke and therefore I had that in mind for all of the bouts. While there can be discussion on comparative capability vs. the AIM-9X overall keeping the Tiger II from maneuvering around to spike me is a preferred solution.

My old laptop that was two years old handled DCS quite well and other than the terrain stutters I had real good framerates and didn't even overclock man. So if it could handlie it then more than likely yours will too. But if it's old it may be a good time to upgrade

Lol that post I made above made me look very biased in my post above didn't it? The Mig-21 isn't a slouch no doubt but I guess I'm polarized by flying the Super Bug too much I guess

Nice, this is actually my first time (I think) in using the F-5E instead as a target though I have flown it bakk maybe years ago but overall it's a nice plane in it's own way

Well ten minutes later... All Bouts: Me: F-5E Sharknose Tiger II with 2 x AIM-9X (and for the last two) 2 x IRIS-T, and guns Opposition: Mig-21bis "Fishbed-N" with at least gun, and maybe missles First bout: Maneuvered and found out the Tiger II's poor wing loading, almost fell into the ground but luckily the FIsbhed Lawn Darted into the ground. Second Bout: I Lawn Darted into the ground Thirt bout: THey say that "third time's a charm" and this itme it was. Managed to not be soo aggressive on the pitch (which caused the problems earlier) and managed to not pancake into the ground. After that needless to say the FIshbed even on padlock is a real pain to keep track of, but given I had better missiles all I had to do was keep him from maneuvering. As much as I chastised (:Famous Last words") the thing is with the TIger II you have to be firm with it but not too hard. Too hard and you end up losing a lot of lift fast and given my first time flying it, pancaked into the ground the second time. Aganist the MIg-21 which has a better wing and tail area, managed to outmaneuver me and quite literally win the energy fight. But once you fiugre out what your issue is (or mine in this case) another joiust wil help you keep yourself flying and focus on killing the enemy. So that being said I managed to keep the Mig from maneuvering and played with him a bit before spiking him with an IRIS-T. Takeaways: Not much to add other than be firm with the stick on the Tiger II and not cause yourself to lose lift so easily.

Lol maybe if I wanted to commit suicide. Fact offhand is that the Mig-21 is NOT the plane I'd think capable of handling the F-5 but vice versa should be easy, I guess I'll do it sometime.

Okay yeah I've never read that book so okay.

This is a specific SA-10 tutorial I made years ago, and still works of course... As for the Guidelines I may have gotten that wrong... but yeah they launch when they do and its not so much turning on a dime it's just player skill :) Don't worry sometimes I get spiked (back then anyway) by SA-2s sometimes. Overall I run ECM before entering the envelope. I think it's game logic that if you're jamming BEFORE they detect you then it works. Once you get detected and run the jammer it doesn't work.... SA-10 Grumble.pdf

Lol wow... The Gimlets/Grouses/Grails are easy, just stay away from close to the objective. Gadflys (SA-6) is a real pain in the ass while the Guidelines (SA-2) is what I descrbed as let theme fire and jink, and jink again. I'm a bit rusty on SAM evasion (haven't done any since at least DCS anyway) so I'll have to reinstall SF2 again, but I'd look into carying a few HARMs if possible though, and pick off the 6's and 8's, and maybe 2's. You won't be able to see he rest until it's too late anyway. But like DACT sometimes it;s don;t think, react, and so on and it;s not ike Behind Enemy Lines where they magically follow your every move as while they do maneuver once you evade that's it. ECM and chaff as well.

I take it you're up against SA-2s? Seriously you shouldn't be pelted by them too much, they're high altitude but not anything called maneuverable. Best thing is to get a launch and jink hard slightly and jink again. It's not going to correct in any sense of fast. Hell sometimes you can just let it fly off the rail (depends how close you are as well to the launcher). Also saisran maybe it'd help if you take a look at what is shooting you down so we can better help you as I'm not sure what is shooting you down so its kinda hard to help.

Well I don't know as usually I have crap performance with the ALQ-131 (or maybe it's me) so you get some mileage out of the Viper, but remember that the USAF likes podded jammers as opposed to internal (US Navy) so your centerline will be taken up. But given the distances on the Desert map, it's not an issue.

Well I'd stick to the VIper or Phantom as while the Tomcat was one of the best air-to-air fighter, it's not a good mud mover. Yes, OEF allowed it to carry bombs but overall while I don't like the Viper that much (radar performance sucks IMHO) you can still carry a good bomb load and still have some decent air-to-air capability (especially if you can carry early model AMRAAMs) and the Phantom itself is a good bomb truck. I can see the Tomcat for low threat areas (mainly AAA) but again the Viper should be good. Besdes you should be able to carry HARMs to help wiht the SAMs

What are your typical threats as far as SAMs? Usually stuff like JDAMs are better sometimes as you can get a quasi-standoff distance but if you're going for LGB delivery then I'd recommend practicing technique and then go "to combat". But usually if I can standoff the better, etc. Given that I use the Super Hornet sometimes I simply JSOW or even a Maverick, but overall I rarely iron bomb unless the threat is either low or I'm bored. Then again I don't low level fly on the Desert map hardly either... Pretty much what you did is what you get on that terrain anyway. Other terains that have mountains, valleys, and pop up, bomb and get the hell out of there.

Lol you don't need much of an FM for the Death Star. Up/Down, Left/Right

Meh I've dropped enough as it is right now so no thanks.

I hope so, that's a nifty little jet...

Okay just the Legacy or Supers? In either case you may want to look at your video card settings or patch level. I'm assuming its current as I'm sure you just bought it. I mean I need to reinstall it myself but even back a month or three months ago they worked fine.

Cool, these should the correct values to get it working: [CockpitSeat001] LightInnerConeAngle=360 LightOuterConeAngle=360 LightAngles=0.0,0.0,0.0 DiffuseLightFactor=0.5 NightLightOn=0.25 NightLightColor=0.0,1.0,0.0,0.7 Just paste that in the Cockpit.ini and go fly.

Yeah all I did was reconfigure the cockpit "lights" to be more around the cockpit (360 degrees if my tired mind serves me right) and activated automatically when it switched to the night cockpit. Wasn't anything special but it helped as much as it could.

Including one WAAY out in Pearl?

Sweet man much appreciated!

Okay.... since I've gotten somewhat back into skinning again... the Rafale M, can anybody confirm that its for SF2, or in a two week flux due to Ravenclaw's health? Or am I just cornfused? And if its out, there a template available?

DCS Skinning Guide - Doing Professional Work