Weapons, Damage Modelling and Flight

Weapons systems haven't moved far beyond EF2000, which was disappointing for me. I was hoping to see both the JDAM and the JSOW, and maybe the WCMD and LOCAAS.

Not long ago I also learned about the Novator anti-AWACS missile system, which will likely be mounted by the Su-35 as well as the Berkut S-37. (Interesting that the Russians have named this aircraft "Golden Eagle" which seems kind of a tilt at the American Bald Eagle...) The S-37, with its rear facing radar and thrust vectoring and stealth characteristics would be an awesome addition to TAW. Lets hope we see it there.

You will see the JDAM in ADF, and the AIM9x. Unfortunately, this latter revision of the Sidewinder often does more damage than it should. A Sidewinder carries a relatively small charge and will almost never down a modern fighter. (Damage modelling in ADF is beyond EF2000, but I can't say its a whole generation better except for the graphics and effects).

Ditto with the AMRAAM. The A2A lacks the "A" and "T" symbol that represent the count down sequence that is begun with the launch of an AMRAAM. "A" represents the time until the missile goes active and then "T" counts down the time until the missile reaches its target. The AMRAAM is also a touchy weapon in that if the target is not there as expected when it goes active it will lock onto anything else within range and within its targetting zone. This is useful when launching on multiple bandits since you may hit SOMETHING even if not the original target, but also dangerous since in a closer fight the missile could even kill the launcher!

What many don't know is that a skin-to-skin, missile-to-target anti-air kill is fairly uncommon. Anti-air missiles (SAMs and ATA) are proximity-fuzed and explode near their targets. Wrapped around the detonating charge is some form of shrapnel...everything from ball bearings to expanding rods (looks like a chain link fence). It's the damage done by the shrapnel, augmented by secondary damage caused by the aircraft's slipstream expanding the holes, that actually kills the plane. Only under unusual circumstances will there be an explosion...usually the shrapnel trashes the turbine blades of an engine and/or ruins the control mechanisms and/or rips holes in the skin that the slipstream expands until airworthiness is lost. That's why there's usually time for the pilot to bail out, and why it's common to RTB in a damaged bird.

Its interesting that recent intelligence reports on the durability of the Su27 mention that this aircraft will frequently require TWO AMRAAM hits before it can be counted out of action. No doubt the Berkut S-37 will show the same strength, though it may be harder to hit.

On the positive side a while back I took out a few MiG 21s with cannon and half of the time I was getting caught too close on their tails when pieces were flying off their airframes. As a result, I took some damage. The first time I took damage to radar systems and had a cockpit pressure warning. The second time I lost the use of my landing gear and engine ability dropped to 80%. In ADF engines can fail individually and torque is modelled for each engine.

Watching a bandit after you have taken a piece of him can be quite an experience. Early on I've gone into AP just to watch the fireworks! Ongoing multiple explosions are not unusual, and bursts of smoke can continue for quite a while. Instead of the nice white of the contrails you'll see thick black smoke.

Sometimes the damage can appear quite local, with flames pouring from one engine. You can watch a bandit fight for control, then finally punch out just before a huge explosion. Sometimes they don't get out in time. You can watch the pieces tumble to the ground individually, as well as watch the pilots floating earthward on their chutes.

Using the cannon in ADF is easier than in EF2000. The hit bubble seems more realistic to me and a bit smaller, but the radar based cannon is easier to aim. Then again, maybe I'm just getting better over time! But I was disappointed to see 1750 rounds at medium difficulty. I think this should have been relegated to ancient history or only available at the easy setting. Better yet, an invulnerable toggle with weapons modelling the same throughout might contribute to a better learning experience for those who just want to shoot things up but still want to learn the ropes at the same time.

Unfortunately, radar and IRST have been linked somehow in the modelling and losing radar means you will also lose IRST ability. Worse perhaps, blast effects have not been modelled and this means that you will have to score a direct hit even with blast effect munitions in order to get a kill.

Coming simulations such as Falcon 4 will take weapons and damage modelling to new levels. In order to be truly competitive TAW will have to improve a great deal. Here is a quote from the recent CGW article:

When a weapon hits don't expect the target to be simply replaced by a smoking crater. Each weapon is evaluated against about ten different target types, from soft (troops) to hardened fixed sites. Different weaons have different effects on each type of taret. Cluster bombs are great against troops in the open but don't do anything against a tank or someone in a shelter.

Large objects such as bridges are modelled in pieces, so you don't take out the whole thing with a hit. You'll see parts of damaged and destroyed objects lying on the ground after a successful hit. After some time has passed in the sim you'll see destroyed objects replaced by objects under repair and eventually by fully repaired objects...

Flight Modelling

Thrust vectoring is an interesting experience. You can pull brief gs far beyond any other platform out there, but overuse of this feature can bring you to stall before you know it. And if you pull too many g's for too long, you black out of course! G modelling in ADF is also up from EF2000, and black outs can easily last long enough to kill you... However, for that last minute dodge of the incoming missile, thrust vectoring can save your skin. And to foil the shot of that hard to shake bandit, its hard to beat.

I don't feel qualified to comment decisively on the flight model for ADF, and there aren't many out there who are! However, roll rate doesn't seem to vary much while carrying external tanks, a bad sign. Drag effects are modelled and fuel consumption seems about right overall. But the F22 is quite a powerhouse, and has better than a 1/1 power to weight ratio meaning that it can accelerate in the vertical. It could be that this isn't true with a full fuel load, but I have found that in ADF this doesn't really apply.

I burned half my fuel and jettisoned all stores, dumping cannon rounds down to 500. Going to vertical at 4000 feet and 225 knots I can get to about 250 at 14,000 feet and then my speed starts to drop. I would have thought I would be closer to 400 knots by that altitude.

Stranger still, there seems to be a discrepancy in high altitude performance. I burned half my fuel and dumped all stores including cannon rounds and then from mach .6 hit my burners. Hitting afterburners at 32,000 feet should produce spectacular acceleration, but this isn't the case. I know that there is a problem with the HUD readout of speed, and maybe I got a dud ship... My g meter barely moves when I hit the burners up high.

Sense of speed in ADF is slightly better than EF2000. Down low its much better thanks to more terrain detail, and when you are passing over a city or airfield its better yet. Points of reference seem to be the key, and when there are more of them the sense of speed improves.

Go to F22: ADF Review Part 8