We’re clearly talking past each other at this point, so let me address everything in one place.
1. “BRs are not based on RB stats”
Gaijin has stated multiple times that BRs are calculated from RB performance data. SIM does not have its own statistical BR calculation. SIM BRs are derived from RB BRs, with small manual adjustments on top.
Tracking KD/W‑R/SL separately per mode does not mean each mode has its own BR algorithm. It just means the UI shows separate stats.
This is the core misunderstanding.
2. “Stop whining about radar, I fly F‑5s without radar”
Personal preference is not balance logic.
You enjoying “rat play” in an F‑5 has nothing to do with how SB mechanics work or how BRs are constructed.
SB is not balanced around:
- what one player likes
- or what one plane can do in a niche scenario
It’s balanced (or supposed to be) around systemic performance, which SB BRs do not reflect because they are not based on SB data.
3. “F‑5s don’t have radar” / “F‑5E has a radar”
You’re correcting something I never said.
I responded to someone claiming the F‑5 has no radar at all. The point is:
The F‑5E’s radar has:
- no IFF
- no TWS
- no SARH
- no BVR
- no long‑range SA
- no proactive picture building
So yes, it technically has a radar, but in SB it functions much closer to “no radar” than to an actual SA‑building sensor.
That’s the distinction.
4. “RWRs exist, so radarless planes aren’t blind”
RWR ≠ radar.
RWR gives:
- lock warning
- ping warning
- missile guidance warning
RWR does not give:
- range
- altitude
- closure rate
- aspect
- IFF
- whether the target is cold or hot
- whether it’s 5 km or 25 km away
A radarless aircraft has zero proactive SA in SB. You only know something exists once it is already interacting with you.
That is the definition of being blind in SB.
5. “J‑7E/F‑5E beat anything WVR”
Correct — and irrelevant.
SB is not a WVR‑only mode. If you force WVR, you win. If someone forces mid‑range radar play or BVR timelines, you lose.
That’s exactly why avionics matter more in SB than in RB.
6. “If you don’t like the J‑7E, don’t fly it”
This is not an argument.
I’m talking about systemic BR logic and how SB mechanics interact with it. You’re talking about personal preference.
Two completely different discussions.
7. The actual point
SB has:
- different spotting
- different visibility
- different radar usage
- different missile support
- different workload
- different engagement ranges
- different SA requirements
But SB BRs are still based on RB performance data, not SB performance.
That’s why SB matchups often don’t make sense.
This is the entire point I’ve been making.
