BF2S Forums A Note for Aviators: Post 1.2

Great post, and new intel following the 1.2 patch. I would say yes it is easier to get in a jet now a days... 1.2 Separates the men from the boys.

Arhg, this patch has changed jet-helo warfare too much. Gone are the day's where you gun them a little, enticing them to return to the helipad... Gone are the days you bomb the attack helicopter while it's repairing...

To be honest, I haven't really piloted much since the patch. From what you have said, I might try the the high-low-high strategy.


I have wanted to practice a little, but when I try and load a map in single player (or my own multiplayer map), I can only see SF maps. Can anyone help me on this?

I have a tip for taking out the main defensive gun of the Essex.
Line yourself up for a strafe with the gun from just 2-3 feet off the sea, The Essex gunner might be busy looking up and you will surprise him. I have not tested this so much, maybe some of you better pilots can try this one out and comment on it.

Problem solved!
I double clicked the normal BF2 Icon, not the BF2SF Icon.

I went and played single cleansweep to practice some bombing. I gotta say those air to air missiles are a little too accurate. But hey, i wasnt being shot down, the enemy was.

Anybody here took the trouble to measure all the different ranges for missile lock?

I've found out that when you are locked on by an IGLA or Stinger going straight up is the best thing to do,the lock disappears at an altitude of about 380-400 meters(or is it feet?).

Anyways,I'd like to have some verified data on those lock-range...

I'm sure your not useless Skratch but when flying US aircraft against MiGs or J-10's it is extremely difficult to out manoeuvre them. Not sure I have anything to offer on shaking an enemy aircraft off your tail - its just an instinctive thing that you pick up. Saying that, since 1.2 if you get an enemy aircraft on your tail you pretty much dead

Wow!! 8.30 - 8.41. We are in the company of an excellent pilot people. That really is impressive. I've been able to increase my K/D ratio, also, from 5 to 5.26 (I think). As I've said before, whilst K/D ratios are not always the mark of a good pilot, it is possible to work around this patch and protect your stats.

As Swerve has noted, AA sites are manned more frequently since 1.2 and as another poster has observed a manned AA site equals a free score

Now attacking airbases and uncaps is a touchy subject for many players. 1.2 has made this more difficult as the Essex's defences are quite formidable. Moreover, defences around the MEC base on Oman, for instance, have a significant bite to them. I must say that I frequently attack the Essex and other un-cappable airbases although not aircraft on the ground but the AA defences that protect these sites - it really is free points so long as you follow the advice found in this thread.

Also, I don’t really think there is anything wrong with attacking parked aircraft and helos. They are, very often, surrounded by a great deal of idiotic spawn campers (is that the right term?) who refuse to do anything on a map apart from fly aircraft and Helicopters. 1.2 has cut down on the numbers of players who hang around aircraft and helo spawns although you can still catch a good few players on the ground.

However, as Swerve has commented, this really is rather un-sporting behaviour and many aviators (including myself) think that you should only take an enemy pilot down in Air-to-Air combat. If you can’t then maybe they deserve to live.

Then again as the BSF clan (or whatever they are called now) server notes, ‘War is Hell’ and perhaps attacking spawn points and vehicle spawns is a valid way of winning the round. I’m unsure on this because as annoying as it is to be constantly raped at your bases who would you complain to if the conflict was real (please don’t post saying ‘its only a game’  - I am well aware )? 

Anyway, thanks for the new posts everyone - please keep posting your 1.2 aviator thoughts and tactics.

Has anyone heard if 1.21 will address the erratic performance of the Air-to-Air missiles? I’m not going to whine about it - if you fly high enough and well enough they’re not a problem - but maybe a change is needed there.

Last edited by Viper38 (2006-03-02 20:39:05)

I might have a couple things that some might find interesting. I've been using the deemed "hi-low-hi" so all my tips will probably be best used while practicing that.

-When you're flying at a high altitude and get missle lock from a jet on your 6, turn upside down and afterburn a half loop. The missles still seem uncappable of hitting you if you bank hard on a turn with gravity helping you.

-Corkscrews will almost always dodge the first missle if an enemy is directly behind you. Maybe combine that with a sharp down loop and you can dodge some more I haven't figured out what else to combine off this. Try it out and add to the suggestion if you can.

-F-35. The game seems to have the heat source on the jet's flames. When your getting shot at throw it in complete reverse and pull back. Your flames go under your jet's frame and the missles tend to fly strait under you and on through. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This won't work on jets that still use their m-guns.

-If you have another jet on you find cover immediately. Keep objects such as bridges, trees, even hills inbetween yourself and your enemy. Try to get his missles to eat the dirt.

That's all I can think of at the moment. If I think of other stuff I'll probably post it. Good stuff guys awesome ideas.

Just a brief post today but another useful tactic (well maybe - see what you think). If you have an enemy pilot on your tail, try and do an inverted (Negative-G) loop - i.e. flying straight and level and then pushing forwards extremely hard on the joystick (or rolling the mouse forwards). You do need a good deal of altitude to pull this off successfully and at times it can get very hairy - some very close calls today

Yet it seems to work …  over my past few rounds I’ve been shocked  to discover that this can totally fox even the most talented enemy pilots who either break off looking for an easier kill or go splat against the ground when they try to mimic your manoeuvre.  Are inverted manoeuvres another viable tool to overcome 1.2? Try them out … and let me know.

Oh and thanks for the Sticky request ... perhaps aviators should have a place in which to discuss tactical and doctrinal developments?

Last edited by Viper38 (2006-03-03 17:22:47)

Ah-ha!, thats a good one with the F-35 ChibiKrillin, like many people I've been having problems with that plane lately but until now I've generally kept to maintaining speed in air combat rather than losing it.  I'll certainly give that a try next time I have a pesky J-10 on my tail.

btw Viper I'm not that great, just very very careful and try not to fly into a situation I dont think I have a good chance of flying out of ;-)

That is absolutely a valid tactic (high altitude).  Some maneuvers taught to pilots are intended to push their jet to its operating envelope...many times because the opponent has a more maneuverable aircraft.  Pushing the envelope until the other pilot makes a mistake...in this case, not knowing to reduce throttle to idle...is totally valid (IMHO).  BF2 doesn't seem to model lift so much as speed vs climb abiltiy.  So when you are high up, or anywhere for that matter, and cut the throttle, gravity takes over and you fall.  BF2 IS smart enough however to point your nose toward the ground when you do this, which helps you orient yourself and regain control.  This is the same reason you can be in level flight, reduce throttle to idle, and not completely lose control, which is what would happen in real life due to no air flow over the control surfaces.  In BF2, it just zaps your ability to climb, but you stay in control.  Then you can throttle up, and BF2 gives you back your climb ability.  Not realistic, but...meh.

Eagle

A slightly obvious point to be made tonight regarding flares. Just had two very long rounds on Clean Sweep. First thing I noticed was that as my opponent dropped his flares he pulled up above them giving my targeting system the chance to distinguish  between his counter measures and his aircraft. It may seem palpable but staying close to your flares makes it harder for the opposing pilot to lock onto you. Now for the second point, never waste missiles until the enemy has dropped his flares  - as soon as this takes place tap the F key and switch to ground attack mode - In the first instance this may fool the enemy into thinking his counter measures have worked. More importantly, it seems to clear the lock on system and with another quick tap of F you will find that your targeting system will lock onto your opponents aircraft much faster. Does anyone else practice this quick double tap of the F key after an opponent has dropped his flares? Give it a try and let me know what you think.

On another topic, 1.21 is supposedly released on Friday  - will it improve the situation for aviators or make our lives even harder? We shall have to see. Please do keep posting - we’ve got to keep these ground pounders on their toes.

Viper 38