In an alternate universe where WT was Russian biased we would be discussing how F-14 deserves AIM-7M/AIM-54. But here in Gaijin land we have no such luck.
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I think what really ought to happen is Gaijin should make the whole 12.0-13.0 a “1980s BR” with R-27R/R-73 wielding Russian jets, both an SU-27 and a MIG-29. Then, the US could have the AIM-9M removed from the F-15A, allowing the AIM-9L and AIM-7M combo to be America’s (and Japan’s) go-to to counter the Soviet R-27R/R-73 combo.
Other countries would have the equivalent capabilities. IE, China would have their J-11 with R-27R/R-73, and other western-aligned nations would have things equivalent to, for example, the Tonka (F.3 for UK and ADV for IT) with the Skyflash SuperTEMP and AIM-9L, or the S530D/Magic 2 combo for the French.
America/NATO would have the edge in the BVR fight, with the AIM-7M being kinematically superior to the R-27R, though the lack of Datalink on the Sparrow would still allow for some counterplay from the Russians in the FOX1 department. Then, if a Russian player was skilled enough to survive the FOX1 gambit and make it to the merge, they would be rewarded with the clear edge once they get up close.
Much like how a real scenario would have played out. It forces players to play smart, trying to maximize their aircraft’s strengths while minimizing the enemy’s. Historical teams making a return would take this one step further but that might be too optimistic.
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I am a big history buff. I also have immediate family who operated in support of the USAF mission in Germany in the 1980s. I myself lived over there for a couple of years, also in the military sphere. Many museum visits later and now this stuff fascinates me. I make these suggestions because I want to play under historical conditions. Both when I play as the US and when I play as Russia.
The “Red Storm Rising” scenario is one of the most interesting ones in my opinion and I would like the option to play that out realistically in the 12.0-13.0 BR category.
I tell you all of this because I want you to know I am suggesting this from a non-malicious standpoint. I am not asking for a Russian seal-club machine. I am simply asking for historical conditions to play in. Additionally, if I believed the R-73 would absolutely ruin this BR, then I would not be here asking for it. But, I believe that as long as the R-27ER is removed from the MIG29A (which it should be), it would be perfectly balanced, and also more historical! :)
What’s wrong with recreating a little bit of real history in a video game?
It’s never balanced, everybody only plays whichever side is the strongest and you end up not being able to create a match at all because the ratio of players in the lobby is 100:1.
There are custom matches that allow for people to do whatever they want.
There are no weapon restriction options like DCS, but in a community of reenactors it’d be safe to say that you’d be fine among trust.
I use random battles above 12.3 for spading to use in custom matches.
So yeah, use custom matches for your other goals.
That’s why I said this.
I understand and don’t entirely disagree with your sentiment but it’s just not really realistic. All customs are nowadays is just hangout servers. It takes an enormous amount of effort to assemble custom historical “re-enactment style” matches. I as a working person just do not have the time to put forth such effort.
I believe the suggested above changes would positively affect the gameplay/balance at large, while also allowing it to be more historical.
History is not realism. It’s best you separate those things.
And there are reenactment discords out there, and they’re always looking for leadership.
I think you are sorely mistaken in this statement. History is realism in the past tense. It is simply what used to be reality.
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No, history is historical authenticity, not realism.
Realism has to do primarily with physics and other objective things, not history.
They are one and the same. When making a game that aims to be historical, as Gaijin states they are, your definition of historical authenticity rolls in to the definition of realism, which is defined as “representing familiar things in a way that is accurate or true to life.”
Gaijin has never stated they aim to make historical battles, never.
Historical accuracy of vehicles is not historical battles.
Historical battles? Maybe not. But making the aircraft historically accurate is a goal that is stated multiple times on the “about the game” section on the War Thunder website. That’s what is being asked for here.
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And all aircraft in WT have historically accurate loadouts as proven by their flight manuals.
Mig-29’s flight manual cites R-60M.
I’m sorry, but R-27ERs and R-60s being used together is not historical accuracy. It is at best historical “possibility”. Accuracy would be making them as true to life as possible.
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Mig-29’s flight manual says they can be, thus it is historically accurate.
You can claim history is wrong, but you can’t when you demanded it earlier.
I’m not sure you understand the point I’m making here. Accuracy is not the same as possibility. The F-15 could theoretically use the AIM-7E-2 Sparrow and the AIM-9X at the same time. But does that mean it was ever done? No. Would it be ridiculous to implement that as a loadout in the game? Yes.
Same concept applies to the MIG. While it is theoretically “historically possible” to have 1960s era R-60s and 1990s era R-27ERs on the same jet, It would not have been done ever in the real world. Thus, to put those two weapons systems on a jet together is not historically accurate. It is historically possible, but not accurate.
Historical Accuracy means making something true to life. A faithful and accurate representation of history.
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The F-15 could only use E-2s if 1 the manual says so and 2 it has a CW emitter.
Mig-29s are already true to life in-game. Manuals prove this.
You have no citation to prove those manuals wrong.
I’ll bet the manuals say they can use the R-73… and they don’t have that in game. Must not be true to life then ;)
Which doesn’t matter because they use historical weaponry as-is.
If you want R-73s, use the Mig-29s with R-73s and stop trying to nerf the originals.
If anything, the originals should be buffed by having R-27ERs removed and moved to 12.3.