Falcon 3.0d Tactics (Part 1) The 3.0D version of Falcon can almost be considered a new game. It will demand a greater understanding of everything involved in being an F-16 pilot. To be successful, you must plan your missions -- adding support flights and carefully selecting your armament. At the higher difficulty levels, it is no longer effective to just take off and see what happens. You need to formulate group tactics, specify ingress and egress routes, and consider things like the appropriate altitude for the mission required. Remember that the game will set you up with a generic set of waypoints for a given mission profile; it is your responsibility to customize your route, taking into consideration terrain and threats. We Spectrum HoloByte play Falcon everyday; we enjoy the game. We are constantly working at improving our simulations -- some of the tactics I will explain below will become a standard part of our next Campaign disk, Operation: Fighting Tiger. I must admit that having the programmers around gives me a significant advantage. I have learned a lot about how the game "thinks," and I use this knowledge to hammer the enemy. So, I want to share some of the things I have learned. I am sure that there is more and this won't be the last discussion of tactics you will see. Check six! Daron Stinnett Product Manager, Simulations Group Spectrum HoloByte 1. Missiles & AAA 1.1. Overview Evading incoming missiles is a tricky business -- it requires situational awareness, split second timing, a good understanding of missile performance, knowledge of how the SAM operator thinks, and (most of all) some luck. Most people don't think about missiles until they get a launch warning on their threat indicator. The experienced pilot will consider any missile out there a threat whether it has been launched or not. By understanding what goes through the mind of a SAM operator or enemy pilot before the missile is launched, you can formulate tactics that will keep missiles from ever acquiring you. 1.2. Surface-To-Air When you select the SAM SKILL LEVEL, you are setting the skill of the crews launching the SAMs. The skill level doesn't affect the effectiveness of the missile or launcher! When creating any of the artificial intelligence in the game, we tried to model the way a human thinks. Therefore, a SAM crew consisting of recruits will do stupid things. As you will see in the outline below, having recruits in the SAM launchers will not necessarily mean you will get shot down less often. The first thing you will notice about the recruits is the time it takes for them to launch. There is a very good chance that they will be tying their shoes when you first show up on their radar screen or come into visual range. When they notice you, they still have to decide whether you are a threat or not. Once they have decided you are a threat, they will lock you up and fire. This takes a little longer because the recruits are not as familiar with the controls. The recruits will tend to get a strong case of target fixation as well. They will lock up and fire on the plane that poses the most immediate threat -- sometimes with multiple missiles. What that means is that the flight leader will tend to get the most missiles fired upon him while the rest of the wing has an easy time. The elites, on the other hand, will divide their attention between multiple targets. They will check in all directions for possible targets and not get so easily confused by planes coming in from multiple directions. Once the missile is launched, try to turn into the missile, obtaining about a 135 degree aspect angle on the missile. What you are trying to do is to create a situation where the missile cannot turn hard enough to hit you. Since all missiles do what is called pure pursuit (i.e., they don't lead you), if you pull hard into the missile when it is close, you should be able to spoof the missile. Don't forget to fire chaff and/or flares! 1.2.1. Infrared Homing (SA-7 Grail) You have probably noticed how quick and agile the SA-7s are. These are very tricky to evade -- but fortunately, they don't do much damage. Remember that the guys launching these need to acquire a lock before doing so. So, do your best to keep your tail out of view, and don't go to afterburner -- unless you want to give an SA-7 a really good heat source to lock onto. 1.2.2. Radar Homing (SA-6 / SA-8) These SAMs are not too bad once you get the hang of them. Turning on your ECM pod will often break their lock, but remember, the elites are not as likely to panic when their screen goes white and will be a little quicker to switch frequencies and reacquire. The SA-6 and SA-8 SAMs are initially guided by the SAM crews. This allows the SAM operator to depend on his more powerful radar to guide the missile into range, whereupon the missile will switch on its active radar seeker head and guide itself. While the missile is being guided by the crew, you can jam the launcher's radar. In this case, you may see the missile just fly by. But, if the crew is able to reacquire you, the missile will turn around and continue the chase. Remember to utilize additional flights and waypoints to set up multi-directional attacks. The rookie SAM crews will tend to get confused by this. Use the HARM and Shrike missiles as well. It can be very effective to set up a flight of F-16's for a SEAD (Suppress Enemy Air Defenses) mission. But remember, the crews will tend to lock and fire at the first plane they see, so it is best to send in some CAP guys first to distract the launchers before the SEAD guys pop out from behind the hills. 1.3. Air-To-Air The enemy aircraft in Falcon 3.0 do not carry a missile that is equivalent to your AIM-120. Their radar missiles perform more like our Sparrow missile. The AA-7 Apex contains a passive radar homing device -- it requires the firing aircraft to illuminate the target with its radar while the missile is in flight. Using ECM is less effective against t this type of missile, because the ECM pod must jam the more powerful and distant radar carried by enemy aircraft, rather than a smaller radar in the nose of the missile. A more effective technique is to beam your opponent or force him to take his nose off you. One effective way to do this is to quickly launch a missile at your opponent. That should keep him busy evading your missile and cause his missile to lose lock and fly right past you. Remember, enemy aces have nerves of steel: if you don't get your missile off soon enough, they will keep guiding that missile towards you -- waiting until the last minute to evade your missile. 1.4. Suppress Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) Setting up a SEAD mission can be tricky. But on bombing and CAS missions, it can be rewarding. I have found that three flights works best: one BOMB/CAS, a CAP and a SEAD flight. Timing is everything on this one. You want to get the CAP guys in first -- they will distract any enemy fighters and SAM launchers, allowing the SEAD flight to come in right behind and launch their Shrikes and HARMs. Following close behind should be the BOMB/CAS flight. Set the SEAD flight for a CAS action code; this will keep them from being distracted by air targets and if you give them only Shrikes and HARMs this will keep them focused only on the SAM and AAA sites. If you set the altitude anywhere from 100-200 feet they will keep out of visual and radar range but remember to change the formation to some-thing flat like a vic. Have the flight pop up about 10 miles from the target, this will give them time to find targets and fire. 2. Enemy Pilots 2.1. Overview The engineer who wrote the enemy pilot logic was once asked: "How did you make the enemy plane logic so realistic?" His response was simple: "I modeled the pilot's thinking -- not the enemy plane's movement." The computer-controlled pilots in Falcon 3.0 have no inherent advantage or disadvantage over a human pilot. Like you, they must acquire a target visually or by radar. They have the same field of view, and their radar operates within the parameters of the real plane. Therefore, if you sneak up below and behind an enemy (with your radar off), he will not see you. You will notice that once in a while your wingmen will rock their plane from side to side while looking for bogies; this is because computer pilots cannot see below their plane. 2.2 Skill Levels To help you better deal with enemy pilots, here is a run-down of the differences between Trainees, Cadets, Veterans and Aces. Trainees - Trainees have learned BCM (Basic Combat Maneuvers) in class but have little real world experience. If they don't get freaked out by your presence and you give them an easy shot (like flying straight and level), they will use what they have learned to shoot you down. But if you even look at them funny, they will run away, forgetting everything they have learned. If you get on their tail, they will probably just start pulling a tight circle. This is where you have the advantage. Practice one-on-one in Red Flag. Learn to think in three dimensions, the enemy will most likely make a mistake sooner or later, and waiting until that happens is fine... if there is only one enemy out there. But when you have three enemies to every one of your guys, one of them will see you going in circles and grab that golden opportunity. Keep your plane at its optimum turning rate (450kts) and use energy management to gain the upper hand. Cadets - These guys are short on skill but long on enthusiasm. They will not run (especially when in numbers) and won't panic as often. They will use a few more advanced maneuvers and are more likely to spot you visually. Veterans - These guys know their stuff. In addition to nerves of steel, they will use every trick in the book to get on your tail. You must pay particular attention to energy management when fighting a Veteran because he will spot the opportunity to make you overshoot and take it without hesitating. Aces - Besides having 20/10 vision, these guys have the ability to predict your position even when they cannot see you. If an ace temporarily loses sight of your plane, he will predict your flight path and react accordingly. These guys are Veterans that have refined their skills in working together. If you give them the chance, they will use cooperative techniques to send you to an early grave. 2.3. Tactics Fighting in groups is very different than one-on-one. When flying against one opponent, it is just a contest of dogfighting skills. But when you are involved in a furball, it is usually the side who succeeds in confusing and disorienting their opponents that will be victorious. Start thinking about an approaching group of MiGs when they are at least 30 miles out. You might consider firing an AMRAAM or two when they get into range. The enemy pilot will have plenty of time to evade the missile, but in doing so he will break up the group and possibly spoil any cooperative tactics they might have tried. Your goal is to split them up and shoot them down one at a time. Practice cooperative techniques with your squadron. Cadets and Trainees can be especially susceptible to something like the Drag-And-Bag maneuver. They will tend to get target fixation and not realize that it was a trick until they are floating to the ground. Don't forget to watch for your buddies when you have a MiG on your tail. It does no good if you are going in circles and your buddy is trying to help you but is turning just as hard trying to shoot the MiG. Try to get that MiG into perfect position for your wingman to shoot him down.