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Falcon 3.0 cheats / Falcon 3.0 hints / Falcon 3.0 faqs / Falcon 3.0 solutions Falcon 3.0 faqs and solutions The reader has received this document without payment. All the author asks is: 1) Freely share this document with others. It may be uploaded anywhere. 2) Acknowledge the source of these ideas. 3) Provide feedback to the author. 4) Do not alter STK2. (Material may be borrowed.) DEDICATION: This text is dedicated to my wife, Kam Wun Leung. She bought me my first flight simulation and game card a few years back. With that a childhood dream of flying and dogfighting has been realized. Further, she supported me in joining Compuserve and competing on the CIS Falcon Ladder. CONTRIBUTORS: The author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following individuals: Blake "Vertigo" Jordan (graduated MarkShot Falcon Weapons School 03/27/93) Compuserve 73251,1636 Rafael "Drizzit" Cruz (attended MarkShot Falcon Weapons School) Compuserve 74244,1760 THANKS: I would like to acknowledge Tom "Roustabout" D'Angelo as one of my first and best sparing partners. His vision and perseverence brought the 718th TFW into existence and gave an affordable home to many hobbyists in the New York Metropolitan Area. Thanks to the members of the 718th TFW who never tire of flying with me (nor me with them). Thank you to the many dedicated Falcon enthusiasts who have flown with me and against me, and to the students who honored me by letting me teach them. Thanks to Victor "Duke" Zaveduk, Administrator of Compuserve's Falcon Ladder, for providing an arena for the last couple of years where the best of the best from around the world can compete at Falcon H2H. Thanks to Ken "Stinger" Richardson for producing software utilities which have greatly enhanced H2H play. HISTORY: I played my first match on Compuserve's Falcon Ladder on 10/25/94 and reached the top slot on the evening of 03/31/93. Subsequently, I retired, and began to fly competively as a member of the 718th TFW. I still instruct students from Puerto Rico to Vancouver. New students and old are always welcome. During my climb of CompuServe's Ladder, I began assisting others with their technique and strategy. Initially, it was via messages. I quickly accumulated a number of messages to forward to new students. This became cumbersome and thus, STK was born. New messages and direct entries were made to it. It remained a privately circulated document until I reached the top of Compuserve's Ladder. At which point, it was made public and has been ever since. New material is continuously being added as more is learned. (The latest version will always be available on Compuserve.) NOTE: Names have been X'ed out. ############################################### ##### LADDER COMMAND CENTER ADVERTISEMENT ##### ############################################### LCC stands for Ladder Command Center. It is a state-of-the-art Windows application for maintaining challenge ladders. Among the features it supports are: The maintenance of a complete challenge ladder database. The maintenance of a complete historical database of matches played. Custom configuration of ladder parameters with regards to rungs which can be challenged, handling of defaults, inactivity penalties, etc ... General editors for the ladder and historical database. Open interfaces to other ODBC compliant software and spreadsheets, etc... Full reports on membership, current challenges, history for all players and individual players. Ladder administration includes support for: Renaming players. Entering match results and recomputing positions and records. Membership information such as names and phone numbers. Entry and automatic management of inactive players. Entry and validation of challenges. A spreadsheet style ladder display is maintained via the use of free floating tools. Each processing step is fully supported by an UNDO capability. LCC will appear on BBS's as LCF100.ZIP (full {runtime/application} release version 1) and LCP100.ZIP (patch {application only} release version 1). Estimated release date is 05/01/95. ############################################### ##### LADDER COMMAND CENTER ADVERTISEMENT ##### ############################################### -------------------------------- This is the recipe for acheiving quick kills in the old Ladder ROE. (Turn and shoot.) For the new ROE, there is still much value here, since a fight can often evolve into a turn in shoot situation. Pay attention to the padlock guns technique here. -------------------------------- >> I sure wish I could learn your immelman. You must certainly can. Here is the recipe: 1) Be at AB-5. 2) Toggle the brake to stay within 385-395 knots. 3) Watch the inbound bandit to see if he is approaching fast. If he is, then suspect an extension. Very, very slow, then suspect a slice. 4) On the merge make sure that your brake is off .5 seconds before the merge. Otherwise you could forget and leave it on. 5) Pull up when you HUD goes off your padlock view. 6) Keep pulling, you should white out briefly here. Watch for the extension. 7) After white out, begin tracking to the bandit. 8) You MUST get your lift vector in line with his. This means that in the upper right window the red line is perpendicular to the green line. The guarantees you hit in step 10. 9) Do NOT watch your opponent in the bottom window. You will know soon enough whether he was quicker. You got to have faith. Watching him will only distract you. 10) With your lift vector lined up, in the top middle window, get the little green HUD box under the red target box. Right before they touch fire a one second burst and sweep the green box through the red box. 11) The quicker you sweep, the better your chances of scoring a hit, but the less likely that it will be fatal. The slower the sweep, the greater the chance of a complete miss, but if you do connect the bandit is finished. 12) Other things to try are. First, cut the sweep at little bit short and push the stick forward to keep fire on the bandit. Second, with bandit line up after the initial hit, roll the nose while firing. >> Hey, Mark what do you think is the best counter for the Immelman? That is simple. A faster/tighter Immelman with a more accurate shot! 1) Seriously, XXX has a pretty deadly slice. I have not mastered this move. It is however dangerous, since it is definitely energy low. 2) An extension is risky against someone who is very alert. Against an unskilled opponent or a skilled opponent who has Immelman vs Immelman stamped into his brain. It will work. The extension should be just enough to gain missile parameters and no more. Sometimes, it can be even less and you can surprize them with guns. 3) Doing an oblique Immelman by rolling 10-30 degrees laterally is a good move. It will catch the opponent who can Immelman well, but has trouble lining up the shot. If you can't take an accurate shot, then position is worthless. 4) One of the things that makes the Immelman so deadly is that usually your opponent does half the work for you by trying to nose on. So, many times when the opponent does not go for nose on to me. I do not get the shot, but I usually manage to pull in quickly behind the opponent that left me separation turning room. -------------------------------- The following pertains to speed management in the new ROE at point of the pass after the initial merge. -------------------------------- >> One of these days I'm going to get my speed under control after the >> pass and I'll suprise the heck out of somebody...probably myself! The optimum speed pass on the pass after the initial merge is 400 kts. Faster than that you cannot turn tight enough to avoid being gun downed. (Remember the former ROE.) Slower than that and someone will work in on your six since then can work the energy on you by going vertical. Another rule on this pass is to minimize separation. If you fail to, then you opponent will have room to work the angles on you which may cause you to start at the disadvantage. At 400 kts with minimum separation, it will basically revert back to the former ROE. A quick Immelman with guns from padlock will be devastating. (400 kts at 10,000' yields about a 7 second Immelman. You ask what is the best entry speed for the merge? 550 kts. You ask why? If you do a high speed Immelman, you will level out doing 400 kts. Do you get the picture? You ask why Immelman at the merge? Because it either matches you opponents energy perfectly. Or you opponent is too fast and you will turn in on his tail. Or you opponent goes low and then from your perch you can brake off some speed to minize separation and follow while still maintaining an energy advantage which will yield a shot. Well, XXXXX, I hope that this will be of some help to you. These tactics have been proven in actual combat. Good luck! -------------------------------- Here are some practice items to work in Red Flag. -------------------------------- So, as not to waste your money. Here are some things to practice in Red Flag before we set up this Battle of the Titans. (no bandits) 1) Practice doing a double Immelman. Enter 550 kts do one, roll level at 400 kts and do another comming out at about 280-300 kts. When trying to minimize separation on the first pass after the merge, you should once again be level (not inverted) before the pass. This is not the old ROE, there is nothing prevents you from doing this. You should not waste time after pass rolling the plane. This whole maneuver should be done in one fluid motion. 2) Practice going into the first Immelman and braking to about 400-420 kts and simulate countering someone going low with a Split-S. 3) Drop the speed in step #1 and practice canting the second Immelman on the side 10-40 degrees in order to maintain maximum energy without stalling (HIFI -> COMPLEX shift) out at the top or going too flat and blacking out. 4) Practice doing Split-S close to the ground at 400 kts from 3500'. If an opponent with energy is at your six, then a number of things will happen. First, you opponent might pursue through the maneuver, and to avoid hitting the ground your opponent with have to give up his/her energy advantage. Second, your opponent could crash. Third, your opponent could flinch as separate. 5) Practice simulated overshoots. Close at 400 kts. Brake to 300 kts. Pull the nose up 30 degrees. Your opponent cannot track, otherwise there would be no overshoot. Climb two seconds. Roll inverted and pull back down on your opponent who is probably diving to gain speed. 6) Practice fast draw padlock kills. For this use an AN-12 as a target an practice quickly sweeping it with gun bursts -------------------------------- The following has some information about energy management techniques. -------------------------------- I just wanted to drop you this debrief about our flying the other night. Well, you are finally comming back at me with more energy than before. That is good. However, you are not managing it well. Don't forget to minimize separation and try to stay close to 400 kts. Some observations: 1) Sometimes, you kept too much energy and you were allowing me to turn inside of you. 2) Sometimes, you had a slight but very useful energy advantage. So, what did you do? You kept bringing the fight back to me at a lower altitude while your nose accelerated and mine pivoted on to you. You did this by climbing and comming back at me. A see-saw of death. If you have that slight energy advantage, then initiate a flat turning fight to pull onto my six. Keep yourself higher than me at about 250-270 kts. Do not worry about head on shots. I won't be able to get my nose up. Keep it turning. (If you fail to keep it turning. I could pick up speed in a dive in order to put nose on you.) Sooner or later you are going to work the angles for my six or be able to line up to take a forward quarters shot as I pass helplessly below and unable to lift by nose. 3) Learn when at low speeds (250-340 kts) and clawing for your opponent to shoot from padlock. The HIFI->COMPLEX mode switch hits padlock somewhat later and much smoother than the forward view. I hope to fly with you soon. Thanks for the practice. -------------------------------- This message discusses a relatively new a deadly head on guns technique. I call it the "cone of death". It involves rolling your plane/guns as a bandit flies right in to you. Remember when two planes are about to get nose on at 0.4 - 1.0 miles there are two things that count: (1) Hitting your opponent first. (2) Finishing you opponent before the planes pass. If you only accomplish the first, the superior opponent may still take you out on this pass. -------------------------------- >> You and your cone of death, you crack me up. Here is how I have been using it. Normally, if I and my opponent are both pulling for a forward quarters shot as in Immelman versus Immelman, then I will first sweep my opponent with a stream of cannon shells. I have already explained this technique to you. Unfortunately, this almost guarantees a hit, but may fail to devastate my opponent (high percentage for a hit, but low percentage for a good concentration). Next, as the planes rapidly close, I roll my nose (as oppose to thumb my nose) in general direction of my onrushing opponent. If all goes well, from a distance I first knock a few pieces off of him/her and as we close it totally flame him/her. What does all this give me? Mainly a firing solution simplification; I only need to get nose on first. After that, I do not have to worry much about aim, since my motions do the rest. -------------------------------- Black out off in 3.03.0 matches has some very important implications. The most important of which is that the Immelman is no longer the best move in a turn and shoot situation. One of the things that made it the best move in version 3.01.1 was that it minized the effects that blackout had on lining up the shot. At the right speed, you would only white out and you would be clear by the time you had to take the shot. Other moves required timing the black out (which was tricky) and release pressure to get a visual reference (which slowed the turn). In 3.03.0, the flat turn or the yo-yo may prove to be the best technique for lining up the quick shot. -------------------------------- NEWS FLASH: The Immelman fails. Yes, I lost 3:1, although it was close. I think with BO turned off the Immelman needs to be revisited. The tightest Immelman is at risk to hang up at the top of the loop due to the mode shift. Too fast and you don't turn well. With BO off, turning flatter is safer and you do not have to worry about losing sight. That is what I have learned from this. Yes, I feel really rotten losing. About the only thing left me to do is challenge again. -------------------------------- The following entry describes a technique to be used in the new ROE which I believe may be the only effective counter which I have seen yet to the 550 kts opening Immelman. -------------------------------- I am not positive what XXXXXXX was doing, since he did not fully confide in me, but I believe this was his approach or something similar. Enter the merge at 750-800 kts (maximum speed possible). Fly level for 2 -3 seconds. This high speed and level flight is mainly to gain separation for missiles. Yank the throttle to idle and slam on the brakes and execute a tight reversal in any plane with AIM-9Ms selected. Get the lock take one, wait, and take the other. (I have not had a chance to test this on the executing side with someone flying my 550 kts opening Immelman style.) Why does this work? Due to my high speed, I fail to come around quickly. Thus, there is separation and I am second to get a missile lock. Even my opponents much lower energy situation (assuming that I can dodge the missiles) at the end of his reversal is not such a negative. Given the amount of separation and the comming second pass, my opponent accelerate over the gap and regain the energy needed for turning fight. I have yet to come up with an effective counter. -------------------------------- This section addresses how to handle long range extensions in the new ROE. It is assumed that you will be merging at high speed. -------------------------------- An extension with the old ROE could prove to be deadly, since if your opponent did not respond quickly, then he did not have a enough energy to hold nose to launch missiles. In the new ROE, this should not be the case. Launching missiles should be easy. What is the best strategy for launching missiles on a long range extension? First, have your radar off. Heat seeker heads get slaved to your radar and any decent opponent should have their ECM on. Bring your nose around and launch your first AIM-9M. Your opponent now has something to do. You will now launch two AIM-9Ps. They should be launched in a spaced out fashion. This means that when one has almost reached its target, another one should come off the rails. Spacing missiles has a better percentage. A group of missiles is more easily beaten with one move. Spaced missiles keep your opponent busy longer, thus breaking up his move and allowing you to close the distance in safety. Depending on the Falcon version and the separation, you could flip on radar on go for a lock (your opponents ECM may be out) and launch some AIM-120s. If your opponent has survived up to this point, he is comming back at you with guns most likely, since guns are now free. This is what the last AIM-9M was saved for. Lock it up and put it right in his teeth. If he is heading in for the guns kill, then he is going to straight into it. Switch to guns immediately and go for the shot. If after all this, your opponent still survives, then you are now in a turning fight and his remaining missiles will serve him no value. -------------------------------- The following describes a Falcon 3.03.0 revelation in regards to the new ROE which is so significant that it is beyond words. My foolishness for overlooking cannot be excused. -------------------------------- ECM is not all powerful in Falcon 3.03.0 as it was in 3.01.1. Despite ECM, you will get intermitent radar locks. These locks aren't worth squat for shooting missiles, but they give you a critical piece of information on the merge. What is it you ask? The speed of your opponent! YES, THE SPEED OF YOUR OPPONENT. Consider this for a moment. To extend (going ballistic or going for horizontal separation) you opponent should be doing 750 kts. To pivot and turn with a fast missiles shot or go low and launch missiles, your opponent will need to be doing 320-420 kts. (This by the way is the most vunerable aspect of the 550 kts opening Immelman. Even if you decelerate after merge, you are 1.5 seconds late in responding and still need time to slow.) I just discovered this approach. So, I am not totally sure how to use it. Here is what I see at the moment. Keep your radar on when you hop in to the cockpit. Watch in padlock. When you get the red box, then watch your radar screen. You should get two to three locks. You are looking only to catch the speed. Once you got that, turn the radar off, look up, go to padlock, and break at the right time. Enter as usual at 550 kts. If you see your opponent doing 750 kts, you can lay off the brake and let your speed build to 600 kts. Do not go so fast that you cannot turn to point missiles at your opponent. There is nothing your opponent can do to disguise an extension, since your opponent must grab and hold all the speed he can get. Enter as usual at 550 kts. If you see your opponent doing 500-600 kts, then just go with the regular strategy addressed in other places. Enter as usual at 550 kts. If you see your opponent doing 350-400 kts, then decelerate (throttle and brake) immediately to about 50 kts above your opponent. You will have about 1.5-2 miles to kill at most 150 kts. This will give a slight but workable energy advantage and at same time keep you so close that a missile shot is not practical. On this your opponent could try to fake by dropping speed while in padlock over the last 1.5 miles. But first your opponent must realize what you are doing. Lastly, if your TWI is buzzing on the merge, then consider that your opponent may well be checking your speed. Consider the extension to be extremely dangerous in this circumstance and slow moves to be moderately risky. NOTE: Some Red Flag research questions are here: How fast can a plane decelarate at different speeds? This means time and distance required. This information determines how effective you can use your opponents speed for planning the fight and how likely is it that you could be faked to mistake a pivot and lauch missile encounter. -------------------------------- The following is a new submission from the Falcon Air-to-Air Research Department. -------------------------------- An area that has yet to be properly investigated for air-to-air combat is the use of flaps. The following properties are believed/suspected to be attributes of flaps. 1) Permits the aircraft to fly at slower speeds without stalling. 2) Cannot be used about 400 kts without getting damaged and stuck. 3) The COMPLEX flight model takes over control. 4) The HIFI -> COMPLEX mode transistion wallowing is eliminated. 5) Permit faster acceleration over time/distance/throttle movement than without. If the above are true, then the following possibilities exist: A climbing overshoot could be improved in a defensive position. Going slow and climbing and turning, you hit the brake. Then, before the mode shift, drop flaps. Your opponent's counter if he does not shoot you should be climb above and then roll back into the fight. Your opponent expects to be able to do this, since you should be too energy low to maintain nose position. With flaps down you might continue pursuit and build energy quick, thus reversing your position. 385-395 kts is the best speed for a tight Immelman under 8,000 feet. Anything slower results in a mode shift at the top side of the loop. Can the use of flaps at the top side of the loop result in a better Immelman? Could a 330 kts Immelman be performed? If the above works, then could you sucker an energy low opponent into looping with you when you are both too slow, but you intend to avoid the mode shift and build energy by dropping flaps? This could put a half of a turn on your opponent. It is clear that there are all types of possibilities for adding an energy boost at a critical moment provided that you negate your opponents turn advantage during the process. The best way to do that is to drain him of energy by taking him higher with you. Research results to be reported later. Some research results: Entering a 9G continuous turn below 8,000 feet at 350 kts will bleed speed until the mode shift is hit. Then you will oscillate back and forth at the mode shift. Dropping flaps will build speed back towards 400kts, but you will only be able to pull 5Gs (turning slower). However, I speculate that the acceleration/energy gain will exceed the loss of position. (When you simply pull 5Gs in HIFI, you do get the same rate of acceleration you see in COMPLEX.) Thus, taking off flaps and pulling 9Gs again will have yielded an energy bonus. Another possibility might be when you and your opponent have just passed and are both going slow. Your opponent opts for a flat turn being energy low. You opt to foolishly go pure vertical. However, you drop flaps and thus, continue to climb smoothly. Your opponent comes around and attempts to get nose on, but cannot do it in HIFI. Thus, no shot. In meantime, you climb a few more thousand feet. Retract flaps and turn back into the fight with an energy and position advantage. Actual combat results: Against XXXX, he extended vertically once with an opening 150 kts advantage. He dodged all my missiles, but I used toggling my flaps to maintain my speed between 350-400 kts in order to close the altitude. Then I gunned him down! -------------------------------- These are the final results are the technique which is now known as the "Flap Trap". -------------------------------- This technique can best be employed in a vertical looping fight during the first third of loop while flying pursuit, particulary when you are somewhat below the energy requirements for the loop. The amount of Gs you could pull in any case is somewhat limited. This allows you to build an extra 30-60 kts over your opponent by going through the loop. Although you might have had the advantage prior to this, you are not guaranteed the kill. This can also be employed in more neutral situations. However, you must be careful not allow you opponent too much of an angular advantage when doing this. -------------------------------- Over the last few weeks, two great schools of Falcon have met to test their strategy. The are the High School (Immelman) by MarkShot and the Low School (Spit-S) by XXXXXXX. The High School teaches energy advantage and patiently working it into a kill and the Low School teaches angle advantage and seeking or one or two turn quick victory. -------------------------------- It is my belief that the High School has more merit for the following two reasons. First, when the two approaches face each other. The High School is guaranteed the ability in the vertical dive to peg its speed on the second pass merge to the optimum corner velocity. (Because he is on the brake/throttling back with gravity behind him.) The low school is much less in control of his merge speed. Second, the high school by taking an energy advantage into the fight is guaranteed a victory after a sufficient number of turns have passed. Of course, the fight may spiral downwards to delay the victory for a while. However, the ground is usually no more than 10,000 feet below. So that, it is victory in about eight turns or so. Following this thinking, the High School only looses when a mistake is made in pursuit as opposed to the weakness of the technique. The one risk faced by the High School is the danger of missiles comming up by the faster turner opponent at the bottom of the Spit-S. The opponent has basically two choices here. If he really goes for a missile shot, he is guaranteed to be too slow to win a guns turning fight. Otherwise, he takes more speed into the fight, but foregoes any realistic possibility of employing missiles. The High School's defense for the above is to perform the Immelman tightly to minimize separation by staying close. This is safest. A more risky approach would be to maximize separation for your own missile shot or to force opponent into a higher and more energy low second pass from his perspective. The High School has assisted the Low School in making some improvements in his technique. These four items are believed to be key: Mix the move with something else. Don't allow your opponent to play for it before the merge even takes place. Don't telegraph it. Keep your speed up into the merge at 480-550 kts and only decelerate at the merge. Send missiles up your flight path. Even if the missiles miss, if they take your opponents mind off of his speed for one second, then you will have suceeded greatly. Try for a one circle. (The two planes have belly in the same direction.) A two circle fight seems to end up in the High Fighter turning outside (but in the vertical) over and around the Low Fighter and gaining a six advantage in a few turns. Well here it is, the Golden Rule for the High Fighter: MAKE THE VERTICAL MERGE AT NOT LESS AND NOT MORE THAN 350 KTS. THIS IS THE PERFECT SPEED. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ At 400 kts, you will be out turned and gunned down in your tracks, since you are still accelerating in the pullout of your dive. At 300 kts, you will mode shift at the top of your loop and loose time and the angles. With 350 kts, you will generally perform a loop and initiate a turning fight with your opponent with a definite 30-60 kts energy advantage. -------------------------------- The following is a good idea in the new ROE if you can do it. -------------------------------- Right before the second pass, have you opponent in front of you and flip back to forward view. Get oriented. Your speed, your pitch, your roll, then make your break after the opponent optimal to manage energy and come around fast. It is much harder to do this from padlock. -------------------------------- Some more information on the Split-S facing the Immelman. -------------------------------- >> What is the "vertical merge"? In the Immelman vs Split-S the second pass happens completely in the vertical and not the horizontal. This is why it works for the good Split-Ser, because if he is not careful the High Flyer's speed runs away with him like an out of control freight train. The High Flyer's hits 450 kts or more at the bottom of his pull out and the Low Flyer is all over him. Thus, shooting missiles is a very good strategy for the Low Flyer even if he will not hit. A second or two of generated distraction force the High Flyer beyond 350 kts. IMPORTANT NOTE: The High Flyer can guarantee his speed at the vertical merge, since he can get speed from gravity at will. The Low Flyer is at the mercy or gravity and events in regards to speed. Thus, it is much easier for the High Flyer than the Low Flyer to peg the perfect speed on the merge. >> I am getting curious about the members of the "Low School". The Low School depends on getting a quick one or two turn victory due to angles. The High School can switch to angles by braking and going for a similar quick kill. Or the High School can work with its energy through many turns wearing down the opponent to get a shot. It is all about options. That is why I think the High School is superior, it gives you more of them. -------------------------------- A small point to remember about getting heat seeker locks. -------------------------------- You must have your radar set to ACM mode in order to get a heat seeker lock even though the radar unit itself is actually off. See if that helps. -------------------------------- I have a training mission called, "The MIGs from Hell Workout". The set up is a merge from a mile out with four fully armed MIG-29s taking place at 500 feet off the deck. The goal is to kill them all and survive. Guns kills are prefered and, of course, the mission can always be varied to change the way it plays. Although not directly applicable to head-to-head, it teaches you how to be on your toes. It serves as good match warm up when no one is around to spar. -------------------------------- >> The only way I can survive longer than 60 seconds is to go completely >> defensive. First, try to keep the fight low to the ground. You turn better there and this tends to flatten out the fight. The MIGs always get suckered into the horizontal. If it was me, I would maintain my altitude and take a missiles shoot from 20,000 feet above the F-16. From time to time, I defensive and dive to get back to the ground. Spiraling dives to the ground tend to deny them a shot. Second, watch your speed, whenever you fall below 350 kts you are missile bait. Third, keep looking behind you especially before every shot you take. You shots should usually be at high-Gs. If the target reverses or just levels out, then strongly suspect that you have a bandit riding up behind you. Fourth, don't watch the results of missile launches. Shoot and break. If you want to watch, then do it from padlock while breaking. Fifth, after a kill. Don't check your six, just immediately break. Sixth, use more flat turns in order to come around MIGs when you go through a merge. They counter Immelmans better and flat turns keep the fight lower. Seventh, use your flaps, but do not get suckered high if you still have fur ball going on. Eighth, on the opening merge. Try to go after the crowd. The lone MIG is often a set up. If you take the loner, then you must do him quick. Also, if you take the crowd, then you know what most of the opposition is doing. Ninth, on the opening merge. You can attempt to go forward quarters with one of the returning MIGs. Then attempt to blow him away with a deflection shot slightly from below. That evens the odds pretty quick. The fourth MIG is key to their fight. Two MIGs can easily be beaten. Three just involves caution and quick responses. With the fourth MIG, the fight opens in their advantage. Well, I hope this all makes a difference. -------------------------------- Some points on what a tight two circle flat turning fight is about. -------------------------------- Just wanted to tell you once again about #2. You looked really good there. You were turning exactly at the optimum speed (280 kts) for that type of two circle fight. It was one of our closest. When you are in the padlock there, you must watch your speed very carefully. You use the attitude of your plane (roll) to control your speed. Forget about the right most window, it is not sensitive enough to tell you what you want to know. Only your speed is. You control it by slightly rolling your plane. Up a little if you are breaking 290 kts, down a little if you are at 260 kts. If your opponent floats too high, he will hit the mode shift and you will gain a few degrees and have a forward quarter shot when he points his nose down. If your opponent sinks too low, you can turn your nose faster and get a shot. Much too low, you can pivot above him and work for the six. This is what a match between good players looks like. You keep spiraling towards the ground until someone makes the smallest of mistakes. Then, the other capitalizes on it. -------------------------------- What looked like a promising flap technique until flaps were banned. -------------------------------- Well, since flaps are banned, you will not see it. Here is what I had in mind. For a high speed merge. Turn flat at 310 kts and shoot missiles before your opponent knows what happened. If he survives, then use the flaps to regain corner speed into the merge, and then dog fight. The quick missiles should keep you from having to worry about missiles coming your way. You do not have to worry about not being able to turn into the second merge, because your opponent will most likely be pulling into you anyway. -------------------------------- The extension is back in fashion this season now that flaps have been banned in HIFI fights. So, it is time take a look at high to manage one and how to defend against one. -------------------------------- First, the extension is best applied against an opponent who is obviously slow as detected via radar into the merge. If you see your opponent doing 350 kts and getting ready to do a Split-S, then you have it made. The S'er will have to transcribe an arc of 270 degrees and be at about 4,000 feet by the time he can shoot. And he will have precious little time to shoot with his plane pointed straight up doing 320 kts. In the meantime, you should be passing through maybe 16,000-20,000 feet and still doing 500-600 kts. How to do an extension: 1) Stay in AB-5 and build your speed to 750 kts. 2) Watch you opponent in radar sweeps out to 3 miles. If your opponent is at 450 kts or below, then you will probably be shooting missiles at him later. 3) At 3 miles, turn off the radar (punch off ECM if you want) and go heads up. Then, goto to padlock or stay heads up. 4) At the merge, pull full back on the stick and be heads up. 5) Keep the nose turning until it is perfectly vertical. 6) Go to padlock to check on your opponent. (We will assume here that your opponent did not extend. This will be addressed later.) 7) Watch your opponent and try to decide if you will turn with guns or missiles. This is a crucial decision. The wrong one will get you killed. If your opponent shows less than a mile away, then you are turning with guns. If your opponent is at two miles or more, then you are turning with missiles. 8) When your opponent launches his first missile, do NOT flinch. Keep climbing. Padlock it. Wait until the missile is within a mile. Come out of afterburner. Pull back into your opponent (at high speed 500 kts is okay here). Drop out of after drop out afterburner. Pop a few flares nicely spaced. (Remember you are only allowed a few of these in the air in head-to-head. So, space them and do not go crazy.) 9) Jump in out of padlock to check on the missiles status. If something else is comming at you dodge it and then turn hard at your opponent for guns fight. If you are clear, then turn hard into your opponent and select the appropriate weapon. 10) A common mistake is to select missiles when you are too close. Unless you have good separation, then go with guns. A missile often serves to alert your opponent that you are starting your death run. You probably appear to be a dot and he cannot tell what you are doing, but if you shoot a missile, then you are on your way back. Don't shoot a missile if you cannot hit or cause your opponent extreme discomfort. 11) If you shoot missiles, then put everything into the air that you have. First, then the 9Ms and then the 9Ps. Do not worry about position here. If you cannot put everything into the air, then you should have probably been on your guns. Remember that you can be on the brake to slow your descent. 12) If you choose guns, then remember not to exceed 350-380 kts. Otherwise, you are going to have trouble moving your nose. Line up your opponent (bore sight heads up), fire a long continuous burst. This is an excellent time for the "Cone of Death". 13) Whatever happens here do not let your speed run away at this pass. Immediately pull into a loop to pursue your opponent. Most likely you will still hold the energy advantage for a dogfight at this point. What if you opponent extends? As soon as you detect this situation, pull hard over at your opponent and start firing missiles. You will be much close then he expected and the missile percentages will be much higher. If he survives, then start a turning fight. How to defend against the extension? (At some point later, I will address how to detect the extension.) 1) If you head into a 550 kts Immelman (the MarkShot first step to good health and family planning), then you are in very good shape. Your opponent only has a 200 kts advantage on you. 2) Do not brake, just keep comming around at high speed. You are going to half let your opponents own vertical motion carry him into your HUD. 3) As soon as you can, fire a 9M. Wait. Two well space 9Ps. Hold the last 9M for when you think he has started his death run or you are out of energy. Let it go. 4) Do NOT fight gravity with your nose up. Go heads up and get you nose level and get your speed to 350 kts fast!!! 5) Your opponent is very likely moving fast and expects you to be stuck at the mode shift and dead in the water. Watch him in padlock. 6) If he heads in forward quarter, then when he is a one mile and starting his gun run, sweep if with your cannon from padlock. Turn flat and pursue as he extends downward. Nail him fast or he could get away from you. 7) If he approaches from behind, wait until he reaches gun range and perform a quick split-S. If he is moving fast, he will be unable to hit you. Quickly turn flat or high yo-yo and take him out before it becomes a looping fight. -------------------------------- Another S defense technique. Note, although not an Immelman, this is still an energy strategy. -------------------------------- 1) Pull into a 550 kts Immelman. Your opponent roles and cuts downward without warning from padlock. 2) Go heads up. Hit the brake and chop the throttle. 3) You should be at about 350 kts 30-45 degrees nose up. Pull into your own split-S. 4) Keep the nose comming around fast. Do NOT break 400 kts. 350 kts is more or less optimal. 5) There should be a lot of lateral separation with you about 2000-4000 feet above with you opponent 20 degrees below you. 6) Let go with all your missiles. 7) Dodge missiles if you have to by going into a loop or high yo-yo while popping flares. Although you break first, you opponent will not have energy for a looping fight. 8) If you have second pass, then follow the golden rules of minize separation and hit 400 kts and then dogfight. You should have the energy advantage since your first move had been to go high. -------------------------------- "Burst of Four" technique is the automated firing sequence (9M,9M,9P,9P) via a one key sequence on a WCS II. The goal was to overwhelm the opponents ability to dodge for a few seconds. The technique failed and what follows is some post-testing discussion. -------------------------------- >> Also, I wonder if the "Burst of Four" works better for the second >> pass, head-on missile shot (i.e., Immelman v. Immelman)? I do not believe so. It wastes too much time trying to get the proper attitude for a stable missile lock through a continuous firing sequence of four missiles. -------------------------------- Some explanation of the Spit-S and when one might user it. -------------------------------- >> WHAT IS A SPLIT - S? It is the positional/energy inverse of the Immelman. 1) Roll inverted. 2) Pull back on the stick. 3) Come out of the bottom half of the loop. Proper entry speed is in the 300-350 kts region below 10,000 feet. That is the S. I would never, never open a match with it; as well you know. So what good is it in my opinion? A) In a close fight near the ground with an opponent who has more energy. You can force him to break off, auger in, or cut his energy advantage to follow. B) In a low energy forward quarter flat turning fight to sucker an opponent with more energy to be above corner and go head-to-head with you. C) To dodge an extender who is now swooping in from the rear for a kill. D) In a high altitude fight where denser air will yield a turning advantage. -------------------------------- What follows reveals the strategy behind the extension move. -------------------------------- >> An extension will NEVER work against the opponent who recognizes it, >> does a quick turn at the merge, and fires all his missiles If guns were free yes, but missiles are too low percentage and would be energy dead if they miss. The best defense is to recognize it and keep almost as much energy as the extender for your pursuit. The extender needs vertical separation to win. >> Is an Immelman a vertical extension? No, for two reasons and you can remove the word "vertical" here. First, extensions generally involve some amount of straight flight usually with your opponent at your rear. Second, the goal of the extension is separation. Vertical extensions provide both separation and an energy advantage. Horizontal separations only yield the former. My Immelman's goal is to maximize the energy advantage while minimizing separation; both accomplished by the acceleration of gravity. -------------------------------- Defending yourself against an extender. What to do? -------------------------------- >> My (naive) reaction is to slow to 350 or thereabouts, and wheel around >> fast and shoot the extender with missiles. This is wrong? 1) Your quick launched missiles will get beat, since you won't have the energy to space them. 2) You will not have the energy to pursue for a gun battle. 3) For sure, you are going to have to dodge four of my missiles on his return. Better if for you if you can be close enough that it will be a gun fight. My advice (goes for me too), keep your speed up and learn how to detect the extension at the earliest possible moment. The fast detection is not so that you can react quickly to it, but instead so that you don't brake and yank plane around putting yourself at a severe disadvantage. You cannot beat the talented extender 1-2-3, you must stalk him. XXX proposes withholding one or all of your missiles and just pursuing. His reasoning is that you want to begin shooting your missiles when the extender finally begins his death run. At this point, he is committed and with the least energy to dodge. Perhaps, only the Ps should be fired during the extension portion of the move. I'll let you know. -------------------------------- In looking for a manner to deal with the extension and a way of determining the opponents move via padlock, the following interesting observations where made in Red Flag. The initial premise was that the opponents move could be spotted by comparing relative altitudes shortly after the intial merge in padlock. -------------------------------- At 7,800 feet three planes break upwards (Immelman or vertical extension here is irrelevant). The three enter at 430, 550, and 750 kts. At four seconds, they have ALL RISEN to 9,400 feet. NO RELATIVE ALTITUDE DIFFERENCES. The inclination above the horizon respectively is: 90, 65, and 45 degrees. Thus, the only thing which could be perceived out of padlock is nose attitude. However, at the range and video resolution, it is doubtful that there is anything of value there. The ultimate meaning of all this is that 750 kts Immelmans will have to be worked into the High School's game plan. -------------------------------- The question here is how to win a very high speed opening guns fight? -------------------------------- Playing with the four MIG-29s from Hell has demonstrate that missiles launch from the rear rarely strike a target pulling max G's at more than 450 kts. This is probably also true of distant forward quarter shots. So, the main thing is how to work the gun battle from a high speed and high perch. This of course goes against the original tenent of the 550 kts Immelman open which says that someone who does a 750 kts Immelman will allow you to turn inside of him on the second pass. Avoiding this happening leaves, the 750 kts plane pointed sharply downwards. What to do here? -------------------------------- The following describes how to set yourself up on the second pass for optimal break. -------------------------------- >> I realize that there is probably not a menouver or trick for this, but >> it seems to be a big factor. There are some aids. For example, on the second pass. Pull your HUD on your opponent. Come out of padlock, since he is now in front. Get your attitude (pitch, speed, bank, ...). Determine the optimal break and reposition exactly. Hit padlock right at the second pass and then just pull straight back. You have now set up and are executing the optimal break. ------------------------------- The following describes the importance of multi-plane Red Flag practice challenge missions. It is not the similarity to H2H matches that is the point of the practice. Instead it is the importance of some very basic lessons. ------------------------------- >> I spend most of my non-H2H practice on single planes - MiG 19's and >> UMF's have nice turning capabilities, although the latter is stupid. Too easy. You don't get to be a master, by repeating the same easy motion. It is all conditioning. The four MIGs emphasized some key H2H factors: 1) Timing is the difference between life and death. 2) It only takes one mistake to get you killed. 3) Know what the entire global situation is around you. Don't lose the world for the view from your HUD. ------------------------------- The following describes the type of mentality it takes to excel at Falcon. ------------------------------- Here is the most key lesson which I can give you for the future of your Falcon and sim career. Get analytical. On each engagement ask: What did I do right and what did I do wrong? What did my opponent do right and what did my opponent do wrong? How could I detect the development of the situation which got me killed and how should I have responded? Think about the game at night looking up at the ceiling and imagine positions, speeds, nose attitude, and the moves that can be made. See what new things you can come up with that look good on paper. Then, try them. Do not adopt them too quickly or discard them too slowly. Work with them and fully understand the actual implications. When you reflect on the game, remember that it is a game and also think of how it behaves from that angle. This is where the Padlock Sweep, Cone of Death, and Flap Trap came from. ------------------------------- The following presents some basic questions to ask someone who is beginning the game and would like some help. They represent a point of departure. ------------------------------- In the meantime, let me ask you a few of questions. Your replies will be held in confidence. (1) Is your radar on or off into the merge? (2) Is your ECM on or off into the merge? (3) At what speed do you hit the merge? (4) What is your speed about one second after the merge? (5) What do you think is the most effective move after the merge and what do you most commonly do? (6) When a second pass is evolving, how do you attempt to manage that situation? ------------------------------- More comments on the S as an opening move. ------------------------------- >> The S is death, Very good. I am going to attach some stuff from "Shoot to Kill" at the end of this message in regards to the S. It is not totally without merit. However, you should strive for strategies that keep your options open. When you run out of options, you die. The S has very limited options. ------------------------------- The following describes why an extender does not stand a chance against an opponent he goes into the merge with lots of speed 650-750 kts and slows a little to start shooting missiles. ------------------------------- His dodging will leave you with both and energy advantage and position advantage despite you having bled a little energy to get the shot. Furthermore, he has already given you his six and at high altitudes there just isn't the tight turning radius for him to get you off his tail. So if you kept your speed up, he has for sure committed suicide. ------------------------------- The following describes what can be done to survive in the face missiles and prepare for the turning fight. ------------------------------- >> I'd start pumping flares like there's no tomorrow, There is a limitation in modem play that I think only allows three flares/chaff ejections to be active at once. >> If you're in that close, you should be too close for the missile to >> track (it shouldn;t arm until at least 1nm from the launching platform), >> but I can't remember if F3 models this or not. I have seen lots of in the teeth missile hits (9Ms) in H2H modem play. Note: That current CIS Ladder ROE forbids guns at this point. So, that is why missiles are being launched. Otherwise, I would certainly opt for guns. The best I have on a more less level merge is: 1) Be at 400 KTS or more. 2) Break hard up and drop flares. Cut the AB if you want, but I don't think it makes a difference. 3) Continue through a loop pulling your nose onto your human opponent. This has worked for me on a number of occassions. It accomplish two things at once. First, you evade the missile in your face. Second, you maneuver for position and hold energy for the comming gun fight. The beauty of the two things at once is that it saves time, since usually matches can be decided by a half second or more. ------------------------------- Another effective application of the "Cone of Death". ------------------------------- First, I had portrayed the "Cone of Death" as a close proximity tactic. This is primarily how I use it and how I originally arrived at it. However, it also works quite well a long distances on a straight nose to nose situation. This happened twice last night. I lined you up from a mile out and began to shoot and roll. Otherwise getting an accurate bead on a rapidly growing dot hard to do. ------------------------------- A debrief on extensions viewed from both sides. ------------------------------- Second, you mismanaged your extensions on the ones where I did an Immelman. You must count my missiles and go offensive as soon as you dodge the last. It is at that point that your opponent is most vulnerable. You should space fire missiles at me and approach at moderate speed. Instead you allowed me recover a little speed. Once I had that, I dodged both you and your high speed guns run. The lesson to be learned in defense here is: Don't wait too long with the last missile or your nose will get stuck pointing up. Get it off and then pull your nose down. Then, watch carefully your opponents approach. Right when you think, he is going to open up, you break and a split-S is a very good move here. ------------------------------- Another debrief on extensions viewed from both sides. And yes, the author did a split-s. Incredible! Times are changing. ------------------------------- Third, I split-S'ed on the open. These were like the first I have ever done since my very first days of flying Falcon H2H. I just had to do something different. Well, what was most amazing was that you extended and I found defense from the S to be much easier, than from the 550 kts Immelman. Here is why. I launched my missiles relatively quickly. There was already a great deal of separation and you were still in a high powered climb. As a result, upon launching my last missile, I had much more time to prepare for your counter attack. After the last launch, I pulled my nose straight down to build speed while I watched you dodge the last missiles in padlock. I pulled out of my dive at about 3000-4000 feet and continued in a shallow dive of 10 degrees nose down and extending. By the time you began to launch your missiles, there was already three miles between us and I was doing about 570 kts. Pulling in a low G climbing arc while popping flares was sufficient to beat them. You were still out of guns range and I rapidly turned in the vertical to engage you with guns. Piece of cake! So, what did you do wrong here? Well, perhaps you should have spaced your missiles better. Maybe you should have held your last one or two until you were just outside of guns range (1.2 miles). This would have made my reversing on you much more difficult. As I dodged the last one or two, you should have been able to pick up the angles advantage. What might I have done different? Same approach except, I could have just launched my Ps and saved my Ms to complicate your life as you closed the separation between us. ------------------------------- Some basic things to keep in mind when entering a tight turning fight. ------------------------------- Your lessons: 1) Don't go up when you don't have the energy to do so. You will loose 2 seconds on the mode shift and 30 degrees. 2) Don't go down for the sake of going down. I will clip with guns as you tuck under and then drop in behind you. 3) Don't do 330 kts flat turns pulling 9Gs. You are way above corner. (This means that your radius is too large.) 4) Control your speed in padlock in a flat fight by rolling a little left or right with the stick pulled all the way back. Stay at corner. 5) Manage the second pass break to achieve a balance between staying at corner speed, maintaining energy by gaining altitude, and avoiding the mode shift. ------------------------------- MEASURING FALCON PERFORMANCE: Part I, The Early Days This section on the following sections present methods for measuring Falcon performance. This is critical. The sim pilot should attempt to play test pilot with the software to the maximum extent possible. The good player will fully understand the performance of his aircraft and never be guessing. This particular section details some early work which was done during the old CIS Ladder ROE ("Turn and Shoot") days. ------------------------------- As already noted, one of the best strategies for the old ROE was the Immelman. The player who did the fastest/tightest Immelman has the opportunity to bring his guns to bear sooner. The following technique was used to determine the best Immelman in Falcon 3.01.1 at that time. The VCR was used to gather raw information. Set yourself and your plane up in the same configuration you would be going head to head. Adjust your speed and pull into a loop. Make the loop pass through the horizon as your are inverted; do not ease off on the back pressure as you come around. What you want to build is a chart of entry speed, exit speed, diameter, and elapsed time. To do this watch the video tape. You can detect the beginning of the move, by watch the stick marker on the HUD and doing a frame advance as you get close to the point. As soon as you see the stick marker twitch, the move in in progress. Record the time, speed, and altitude. Frame advance until the flight path marker crosses 0 degrees on the pitch scale. Once again, record the time, speed, and altitude. You can now work out the differences. In summation this approach yielded that at 7,700 feet, 390 kts yielded the best Immelman with a time of about 6 seconds, diameter of about 2,400, and exit speed of about 290 kts. Note that there were other 6 second Immelmans, but they resulted in much larger diameters. Therefore, you would not get guns on. With the best Immelman, you could have guns on in about 4 seconds. ------------------------------- MEASURING FALCON PERFORMANCE: Part II, Flat Turns In order to do a similar analysis as above for flat turns, it necessary to establish a frame of reference. In the last section, the VCR time and HUD altitude was used as that frame of reference. The question is what can be used for flat turns. Answer: The debug screen. ------------------------------- The debug screen (pause,shift-tab,D,pause) presents seven red numbers in three lines. We shall refer to them as: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 They represent: D1 - North/South axis increasing towards the south by .25/.33 nautical miles D2 - East/West axis increasing towards the west by .25/.33 nautical miles D3 - East/West axis increasing (ignore sign) towards the west by .5 feet. D4 - North/South axis increasing (ignore sign) towards the South by .5 feet. D5 - Vertical axis (above sea level) by .5 feet. D6 - Unknown D7 - Video display frames per second. D1 and D2 were arrived at by: Take off from Nellis and just fly straight along the two major compass bearings. You will see how they increment and decrement. The challenge is how to calibrate these numbers. This was accomplished by using the VCR, waypoint distance from the airbase on the HUD, and a 9P seeker head to leave a marker on the tape. Take off and fly level and slow. Everytime D2 increments, flash the seeker head. Watch the tape and count how many seeker flashes between the waypoint nautical mile increments from base. Although the above yields a coordinate system, it is insufficiently precise to do any serious measurements with. It is the author's conjecture that this represents some form of macro coordinate system used for the placement of stationary objects and waypoints. The macro system is perhaps used to simplify various calculations to improve play performance characteristics. D5 was arrived at by: It is pretty easy to observe the D5 always appears to be double the altitude above sea level displayed on the HUD. As such, it would be calibrate in 1/2 feet. This is very useful piece of information as we will see. D3 and D4 Obviously represent a coordinate system as they conform to the behavour described above with regards to flying on major compass bearings. However, when you play around, you will see that they are in reverse order of D1 and D2. Additionaly, they change at a much greater rate, and therefore are calibrated on a much finer scale. A reasonable conjecture would assume that they are calibrated on the same scale as D3. This is in fact the case and can be verified by doing the following. Taxi out from Nellis across the the desert at 50 kts. Check the value of D1 when a waypoint mile clicks off. Check it again when the next waypoint mile clicks off. Subtract the two and you will see that the difference divided by two comes out to be a nautical mile of approximately 6,080 feet. D6 unknown. D7 is FPS and was known previously by the author. ------------------------------- MEASURING FALCON PERFORMANCE: Part III, Using D3 and D4 This section describes how D3 and D4 can be used to measure turn performance. Unforetunately, these number do not appear on the VCR. So, this must be done in real time flight with the pause key. It is most convenient to program one of the FCS keys (such as the trigger) to do a pause and another to turn the recorder on and off. ------------------------------- Fly on a major compass heading. Set up all parameters. Hit the pause button. Make note of the appropriate debug number. Unpause, roll, and turn. When the HUD indicates a full reversal, then hit the pause again. Note the appropriate debug number, subtract the two and divide by two. This yields the turn diameter in feet. ------------------------------- MEASURING FALCON PERFORMANCE: Part IV, A Falcon Performance Chart This section provides detail data on Falcon flight performance. There are no real suprises here. It pretty much confirms what the author and others have intuitively known. Discussion of the results will be provided later on. ------------------------------- Falcon 3.03 F-16 HIFI Turning Performance Chart Mark Kratzer - 03/26/94 (revised 03/27/94) NOTE: (1) Tests were performed an 80486DX/50 processor. (2) No weapons were loaded. (3) No flares or chaff were fired. (4) Fuel load effects were not determined. (5) Flight model was set to HIFI. Method: (1) Debug coordinates were used. (2) Speed and altitude were set along one axis. (3) 180 degree reversal was performed and the change was measured on the axis Other Falcon 3.0 cheats hints faqs solutions: 1. Falcon 3.0 cheat codes 1. Falcon 3.0 hints |