EtherealN Coffee boy



Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: An Chéim, Baile Átha Cliath, Éire Posts: 14,176



Putting the enemy missile "abeam", as in the nautical term. Effectively, he's on your 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock.



Notch:

This is a maneuver where multiple things are achieved - you place the hostile emitter abeam (note: EMITTER. If semiactive missile, the enemy aircraft, if active missile, the incoming missile), and you also ensure that the enemy emitter is in "look-down"; that is, you are on lower altitude. When done correctly, you will have the same doppler return as the terrain that is behind you in the enemy radar picture, and your aircraft will be rejected as ground clutter. Effectively - you are now invisible to that specific radar.



Reading energy states:

Energy is the money you spend to "do stuff". If the enemy you're about to fight is higher up and faster than you, he has way more "money" than you; and as per FC3, both of these "moneys" are transferred to the weapons on launch. So basically, he has a lot of energy to do stuff with (like pressing you, or defensive maneuvers etcetera), but you have less. This means that if the fight develops and both go defensive against each other's missiles, he'll still have an advantage on you afterwards.



There is more to this as well - it's not something you learn "easily". It takes practice, and mostd specifically, it takes GOOD practice. The problem for most people that "just fly" is that they don't train on specific things, and thus they have huge trouble with growing their skills beyond the basics. It's hard to do unless you have an IP through a virtual squadron or something like that.



Extending:

This is basically just making sure there is more distance between you and the enemy. For example you might decide to extend after a failed shot instead of getting yourself drawin into WVR or even a fully developed BFM brawl. If it's F-15C vs Su-27 for example, the F-15C does not want to go in there. There's things the Eagle can do there certainly, and an unskilled Flanker pilot will be eaten alive in BFM by a skilled F-15C pilot, but BFM is basically "Flanker Territory" and Eagles only go there if they really have to, because they'll be at a disadvantage there.



Point E on radar extremes:

After launching your weapon, turn to a side such that the target is only narrowly inside your radar scope. This means that range between you two close a lot slower (without forcing you to slow down, which would be suicide). If I do this, and you don't, you are dead. No if's, no but's, you are dead - you have successfully intercepted my missile with your aircraft. This is extra important if you have only semis, while I have actives: once my AIM-120 has gone pitbull, I can go ahead and notch you to ditch your missile. However, if I didn't make sure to keep the distance but rather flew right into you (while you kept distance), your ER would have blown me up already... Another neat thing here is that if you find that you do need to notch - you are ALMOST there already! 30 degree turn - you're now in the notch! (As long as you've made sure you're lower.)



Missile distance:

Inner circle on your radar warning equipment in the Flanker, Mig and Frog indicates hostile emitter strength. This does not mean an absolute distance (there's no such thing as "3 lights = 4 kilometers), but you see when the emitter grows stronger and depending on type you can learn general guidelines through practice (or through joining a squadron and getting trained on it, which I would recommend, for example the 51st, 159th etcetera).



Going defensive:

Depends a lot on exactly how you mean but consider this:



1) Launch weapon.

2) Put target on radar extremes (60 degree left or right turn)

3) Dive as necessary to ensure you are slightly lower than the enemy.

4) If incoming enemy missile, dip a further 30 degrees in the same direction as previous. Missile is now defeated. (Works excellently against the Slammer, just note that in this case the angle might be slightly different since you need to notch the missile, not the enemy aircraft, and they might have become differentiated in azimuth by now.)

5) With missile defeated, go 30 degrees back - your target is now on scope again and you can keep firing.



Done perfectly, you are defensive only for a few seconds. However, takes a LOT of practice.



On aggressing Eagles, generally speaking - do not fight them 1v1. Bring a friend and attack from two directions (pincer him). Then, if he notches your missile, he is visible for your friend's missile... He cannot notch both of you. If numbers are even, you need to make sure you stay aggressive and keep him defensive. But really, this is something someone else should help you out with since I suck at the Flanker. (I never managed to wrap my head around it's radar display, used to fly Su-25 only in LOMAC and FC1, then F-15 in FC2. Still haven't decided on what'll be my FC3 bird.) Beaming:Putting the enemy missile "abeam", as in the nautical term. Effectively, he's on your 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock.Notch:This is a maneuver where multiple things are achieved - you place the hostile emitter abeam (note: EMITTER. If semiactive missile, the enemy aircraft, if active missile, the incoming missile), and you also ensure that the enemy emitter is in "look-down"; that is, you are on lower altitude. When done correctly, you will have the same doppler return as the terrain that is behind you in the enemy radar picture, and your aircraft will be rejected as ground clutter. Effectively - you are now invisible to that specific radar.Reading energy states:Energy is the money you spend to "do stuff". If the enemy you're about to fight is higher up and faster than you, he has way more "money" than you; and as per FC3, both of these "moneys" are transferred to the weapons on launch. So basically, he has a lot of energy to do stuff with (like pressing you, or defensive maneuvers etcetera), but you have less. This means that if the fight develops and both go defensive against each other's missiles, he'll still have an advantage on you afterwards.There is more to this as well - it's not something you learn "easily". It takes practice, and mostd specifically, it takes GOOD practice. The problem for most people that "just fly" is that they don't train on specific things, and thus they have huge trouble with growing their skills beyond the basics. It's hard to do unless you have an IP through a virtual squadron or something like that.Extending:This is basically just making sure there is more distance between you and the enemy. For example you might decide to extend after a failed shot instead of getting yourself drawin into WVR or even a fully developed BFM brawl. If it's F-15C vs Su-27 for example, the F-15C does not want to go in there. There's things the Eagle can do there certainly, and an unskilled Flanker pilot will be eaten alive in BFM by a skilled F-15C pilot, but BFM is basically "Flanker Territory" and Eagles only go there if they really have to, because they'll be at a disadvantage there.Point E on radar extremes:After launching your weapon, turn to a side such that the target is only narrowly inside your radar scope. This means that range between you two close a lot slower (without forcing you to slow down, which would be suicide). If I do this, and you don't, you are dead. No if's, no but's, you are dead - you have successfully intercepted my missile with your aircraft.This is extra important if you have only semis, while I have actives: once my AIM-120 has gone pitbull, I can go ahead and notch you to ditch your missile. However, if I didn't make sure to keep the distance but rather flew right into you (while you kept distance), your ER would have blown me up already... Another neat thing here is that if you find that you do need to notch - you are ALMOST there already! 30 degree turn - you're now in the notch! (As long as you've made sure you're lower.)Missile distance:Inner circle on your radar warning equipment in the Flanker, Mig and Frog indicates hostile emitter strength. This does not mean an absolute distance (there's no such thing as "3 lights = 4 kilometers), but you see when the emitter grows stronger and depending on type you can learn general guidelines through practice (or through joining a squadron and getting trained on it, which I would recommend, for example the 51st, 159th etcetera).Going defensive:Depends a lot on exactly how you mean but consider this:1) Launch weapon.2) Put target on radar extremes (60 degree left or right turn)3) Dive as necessary to ensure you are slightly lower than the enemy.4) If incoming enemy missile, dip a further 30 degrees in the same direction as previous. Missile is now defeated. (Works excellently against the Slammer, just note that in this case the angle might be slightly different since you need to notch the missile, not the enemy aircraft, and they might have become differentiated in azimuth by now.)5) With missile defeated, go 30 degrees back - your target is now on scope again and you can keep firing.Done perfectly, you are defensive only for a few seconds. However, takes a LOT of practice.On aggressing Eagles, generally speaking - do not fight them 1v1. Bring a friend and attack from two directions (pincer him). Then, if he notches your missile, he is visible for your friend's missile... He cannot notch both of you. If numbers are even, you need to make sure you stay aggressive and keep him defensive. But really, this is something someone else should help you out with since I suck at the Flanker. (I never managed to wrap my head around it's radar display, used to fly Su-25 only in LOMAC and FC1, then F-15 in FC2. Still haven't decided on what'll be my FC3 bird.)



Daniel "EtherealN" Agorander | Даниэль "эфирныйн" Агорандер

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