Hi guys, I got the F-5 some weeks back, and I took some time to learn how to fly it and now I'm testing the combat with it. I'm kinda new to DCS overall but not new to flight sims. I set up a mission with just intercepting a Mig-21 head on that is armed with just guns at 15,000 feet. I am able to kill it either with a sidewinder or guns shot on the head one pass no problem, but I struggle a lot after the merge if I choose not to kill it on the first pass.
If he goes up for an Immelmann I just go down get some distance, pull back and hit it with a sidewinder, I found that if I get 2+ miles of separation between the planes I can turn around fast enough to hit him with a missile. At closer ranges I can never seem to get behind the Mig or even get a good lag pursuit going, it feels like I can never catch up to it in a turn. I also can never get behind him if we get into a scissors, it always seems like the AI adjusts its speed too well and is always able to have the best position in a horizontal or vertical scissors. I don't know if its just cause the AI is broken or if I need to be doing other stuff with the F-5.
Any suggestions? I'm going to give multiplayer a shot soon too, kinda scared of stumbling into some F-15s, 18s, mirages, 27s etc. in the servers with my little F-5 haha.