MiG-23/MiG-27

[Pibwl]

Originally Posted by Marcello

No. Only FC rating matters for aircrafts IIRC.

Then maybe such planes should have increased FC?

Michal

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Pibwl

Then maybe such planes should have increased FC?

Michal

Fixed wing aircraft fire rockets or cannons at 2 set ranges (4 and 8 hexes?) in a strafing run. Adding extra F/C will hardly affect matters, and will add extra points cost, for what is effectively a trivial difference. Especially since most modern planes have sufficient ammo for 1 or 2 strafing runs only.

Andy

[Pibwl]

I just wonder how to make MiG-23BN/27 more efficient ground attack plane, than pure fighter MiG-23MF.

Michal

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Pibwl

I just wonder how to make MiG-23BN/27 more efficient ground attack plane, than pure fighter MiG-23MF.

Michal

It's a game of ground combat.

Planes are a sideline, and just really a variant form of artillery, so both are just strike planes to the code/data. The important things are really what is slung under the wings, and not trivial little things like air cannons.

Since it is a 'Mig that is dropping ordnance' - then perhaps the point would be to remove the fighter versions (or replace with the FGA variants?), if those air superiority variants did not drop air-to-mud stuff all that much (if ever)?. Or - to concentrate on important to the game stuff - perhaps look at the EW ratings differences if any between the air-to-air variant and the dedicated mud-mover. EW is an extremely important survival factor for strike planes, whereas FC and RF is trivia (since cannon and rockets are fired at short ranges where a few points more/less is not going to make much noticeable difference).

Andy

[Marcello]

I don't want to overthrow all the system of assigning speed to aircraft, but now it seems, that fighter MiG-23MF with speed 25 is better, than specialized attack MiG-23BN and MiG-27 (speed 18)... It's especially visible comparing units 143 and 144 in Russsian oob. In fact MiG-27's speed over the ground was 1350 km/h (1700 on an altitude), and I don't expect MiG-23MF to attack ground targets with higher speed. But that's just a couple of thoughts...

The current system is based on the aircraft maximum speed, not the "real" one. Flawed as that is it, it is relatively easy to find a source giving you the generic maximum "clean speed". Finding one that list the combat speed for the loaded plane at low altitude less so. Consider however that in that case it would probably be high subsonic with only modest, if any (bomb release speed limitations for some types come to mind), differences between a plane and the other: I doubt that a MIG-27 could go supersonic near the ground with UB-32 rocket pods...
As there are now probably more than a thousands of plane revising that would be a mountain of work with little gain.

[Pibwl]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

The important things are really what is slung under the wings, and not trivial little things like air cannons.

That's why I'm trying to use their full potential. Although I don't know, if I should propose full load variants (in case of MiG-27, 6-7x 500 kg bombs), or keep some limits (still decent 4x 500 kg, with a drop tank). Planes are a sideline, but I feel they are a 'salt' in the game

Originally Posted by Mobhack

Since it is a 'Mig that is dropping ordnance' - then perhaps the point would be to remove the fighter versions (or replace with the FGA variants?), if those air superiority variants did not drop air-to-mud stuff all that much (if ever)?. Or - to concentrate on important to the game stuff - perhaps look at the EW ratings differences if any between the air-to-air variant and the dedicated mud-mover.

Unfortunately, info on EW differences is quite hard to find. Replacing multirole fighter variants with ground attack ones would generally make sense in most cases, but I can understand, that somebody may look for diversity in available equipment. At least in the USSR, frontline fighters would occasionally attack ground targets, but it was a primary mission of MiG-23BN/MiG-27/Su-17.

By the way: rocket armament of MiG-27/Su-17 may be changed from 32x57mm pods to more efficient 20x80mm ones.

Michal