The new FM changes this morning were big. The F-104s can now reach Mach 1.18 on the deck while cleanwing, or around 1440 kph. Supersonic acceleration was buffed to allow the F-104 to reach these top speeds.
What this means:
It’s no longer possible to run down an F-104 with planes like the J35 or MiG-21 unless they got a head start on speed. Once the starfighter goes supersonic it can’t be caught with guns and it can easily outrun most missiles.
This was great for the late F-104s (which suffered from getting run down by the J35XS) but it is awful for 9.3 since there is nothing that even comes close to the F-104’s speed even in a full uptier.
If the BRs aren’t decompressed, the F-104A and C should at least go back up to BR 9.7 since they can still run down every plane they face even in a full uptier. Or, decompress the BRs so that the 104s don’t fight subsonics or too many high-powered missiles.