RIP Mig-23ML. You had a good run while it lasted

Up until this morning the Mig-23ML was a pleasure to fly in Air-rb. Sure, things got sweaty when you hit an uptier but things were still somewhat manageable. F-14A is a nightmare but anyone who’s spent enough time dodging missiles knows notching by now. You could still go up high in the Mig-23ML and get the first kill. Alll that is now out the window. Every tactic I used previously with this plane was rendered useless. The F/A-18’s you face are even more dangerous than the already tough Mig-29’s and F-16’s.

Today I’ve found myself in matches constantly with these F/A-18 monters and it never goes well. No matter what tactic or play style I go with I am smashed and its getting increasingly harder to even manage 1 kill. I think someone should revisit the BR bracket between 11.3 and 12.3 and rebalance a lot of things. Because the Mig-23ML in my hands is now farm food. In before “Skill Issue” and “Kill Yourself”

11 Likes

I doubt its just the Mig23ML struggling against the f18s to be honest, people just got a new toy and want to use it, avoiding that BR for a couple weeks is probably the best idea, I find this normally happens with most event vehicles as well, the f14 iriaf was especially bad

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The MiG-23ML is not as cooked as you act like it is. It’s still a highly capable airframe with some of the best Fox-1s for its BR range, arguable for having some of the best Fox-2s as well

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its R60Ms are really bad. I wished they didnt make the ACM box so massive, it literally locked up everything BUT the enemy. and of course no MTI mode.

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R-60Ms act about the same as 9Ls, with just less range. They aren’t really all that bad imho.
Also forgive me if I’m wrong, as I haven’t used the plane much lately, but doesn’t MTI activate automatically?
Also massive ACM is a Russian staple

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MTI deactivates automatically too though which is a huge problem

This is an issue with the f-18 being undertiered, not the Mig-23 being bad.

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Maybe you should try any other 11.7 and see if its any better

9Ls actually have some decent flare resistance at like <0.8km. R60Ms will get distracted by another planes flares if in the seeker. MTI only activates when you are looking below the horizon but it is incredibly inconsistent especially if you both are multipathing.

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I agree, but only if you can get your radar on the enemy. Perhaps at the moment your results are so bad because the MIG-23 radar is broken once again. It convulses if you orient it close to the horizon.

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/lvOomGTNNjQ

Im gonna be honest, radars have always annoyed me heavily so I just use R-24Ts

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Not really. Maybe if they keep their afterburners on. Cut afterburner and drop a flare- works 99% of the time.

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That is obvious for any missile without IRCCM, 99% of the time you barely need to cut burner. just pop 1 or 2 flares. Been like that for a while.

Actually I prefer facing the F-18s. No phenoix, no IRCCM.

You can play F-104S.ASA and face both 👍

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I’m genuinely convinced Gaijin forgot it existed, hell even I forgot it existed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one since it was removed from sale

You still don’t remember, you mixed it up with TAF lol

Oh sorry, I see F-104S and my mind goes to the TAF, I don’t think a starfighter should be able to see AMRAAMs either way (the TAF cant but yk), but thank you for correcting me

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It’s been a while since I used them, but when I was playing the F-16AL it’s AIM9-Ls where far more reliable and flare resistant than the R-60Ms on my Mig-29.
R60s will go after a flare 4Kms away over an afterburner 500m away

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Oh yeah. I think that’s the worst 104 variant, considering what they’re used for.

99% of players use the F-104 to base bomb (not counting A and C and J variants).

That thing can face Phenoixes and their variants (the most dangerous enemy for base rushing imo), and does not come with an useful RWR at all.