the fact it has all-aspect IRs vs the rear-aspect on most F-4s,
the IRST
higher speed
Large Calibre CMs
Whether they are 1 for 1 equal is certainly open for debate, but I dont think the Mig-23ML/MLA/MLD wouldn’t specifically suffer from being a higher BR either. Especially also given their lower BR in SB, the argument for many of the F-4s still being 12.0 gets even worse.
Main handicap I acknowledge for the Mig-23s is the radar auto-swapping (need a setting to disable that) and limited available control imputs needed for manual wing control
My general experience is that if you wait to fire until the last possible moment and hte target isnt pre-flaring, its nearly a 100% guranteed kill with them. At least that is why I Always pre-flare in a head on vs a Mig-23MLD in SB in both the FGR2 and F3
I don’t get your meaning. But for example, the su-27 both sealclubs HARD in 12.0 to 13.3 matchmaking and suffers immensely when fully uptiered. Now the F-14B for example, is meh even in downtiers and completely garbage in uptiers.
yes, the f4s could carry the same pods the av8a gets, i can carry 4 of them giving the f4S 960 CMs + the 60 in the airframe, you wouldnt even loose anything important by carrying the flare pods, you would only loose the bombs, i see that as a win-win scenario