What is up with stinger?

Machinery of War Discussion Ground Vehicle
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Lately driving my IDF 9.3 lineup in GFAB to get to the rest of the line.
Which includes the Machbet, my experience with this vehicles, is as follows:

  • vehicles is not spaded;

  • have unlocked the K variant of the Stinger;

  • It takes too long for the vehicle to achieve “Lock-on”;

  • Tracker still goes after all flares dropped;

  • Significant difference in performance between Planes and Choppers;

  • both variants E & K are easily avoided;

  • no distinction between the variants, while the K has a prox fuse;

from the battles i’ve had: planes can be locked at 4-5 km, which is in line with what the stat card says. Helicopters however, sometimes appear at 4-5 km, but can only be locked and fired below 3 km, sometimes even closer then this.

From the opensource wiki, i found that at least two previous variants have had their resistance to flares hardened, with either IR/UV seeker or software update in the launcher. this is also shown on the stat card.

How is it then when there is even one Strela or any other SAM present they can fire much sooner then the Stinger. I also had these results with the Ozelot ( no K variant unlocked). The biggest offender is the Strela, which sits at the same BR, but in my opinion is vastly superior, it has:

  • almost no “Lock-on” time;
  • has a bigger explosive charge;
  • has a bigger overload in terms of G forces, 20 G to the newly 13 G of Stinger;
  • carries 8 Missiles to the Machbet’s 4 missiles;

Further more in GFAB, all CAS is Spaded, so at this BR most have Flares. So if the player has things configured he can deploy flares and be completely safe from the Stinger. Where i have seen the Strela still being able to aquire > launch > destroy, al the while my stinger was chasing flares.

The performance against Helicopters is especially infuriating since in GFAB, there is a very high chance that they spawn behind the cap, at less then 3 km. It then still takes a few seconds to lock and launch, at which time the ATGM’s are already incoming and fatal for the Machbet, even with a near miss.

The only saving grace is the 20mm AC, some thing the Ozelot doesn’t have, not even a light MG. I have not played the LAV-AD yet, i have it unlocked, but i fear it has the same Stinger “problem”, while having an even bigger gun.

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Helicopters which are hard to lock always have an IRCM. As for Aircraft, they rarely have such. If they’re dodging a stinger, it’s likely because they were expecting it.

I’d suggest firing the Stinger when they pass over you and are flying away. Don’t fire your gun at them.

I’ve gotten many kills by taking them by surprise.

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The Strela has 20 fucking G’s? JFC no wonder people are mad at Gaijin. But yeah the Machbet and many other SPAA’s have issues with locking onto targets and said lock on switches to flares despite the fact that it is impossible to do so. Both variants should have a better overload and the K should have a datalink and better acquisition range.

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The problem is i play GFAB, they know where i’m and most of the time spawn at the rear of the spawn.
unless i have hard cover, which is rare to say the least. when they pass, i’m dead or at the least incapacitated.