is the MIG23 ML still worth it?

[[RO] FGN]

i need opinions

[BlackWolf9988]

its the only real grinder for the soviet air tree right now. i played it a good amount post nerf and its still ok but its not great.

there is a pretty big power creep happening for USA right now with the f16a, f18a and f20a going down to 12.3, while also adding a blantantly OP premium f18 at 12.7 BR which basically gets 6 slightly worse R-27ER (meanwhile Mig 29 gets only 2 radar missiles + garbage r60 at the same BR).

uptiers are going to be painful (which is gonna be most matches) but hey at least you dont see f14 fakour spam anymore.

i hate to say it but the russians really need a new high tier premium grinder and the air tree isnt really that worth it. IMO if you really wanna grind the russian tree go for it but otherwise i would just skip it until they add a better premium or actually decompress the BRs.

[gurt: yo]

Yes, watch Astros review on it

[Thumper509]

The Mig-23ML in my opinion is one of the best if not THEE best premium in the game for me. Its versatile in how you can play it as well. I tend to go up high, just under the cons. If anyone goes up there on the other team and I spot them they are dead. ESPECIALLY some variants of F-4 Phantoms as their RWR doesn't even pick up the fact you're locking them up.

I'll know its a phantom if I lock him up from long range and he doesn't react at all. At that point its an easy free kill and most likely you'll get First strike. At above !5,000 feet the Mig -23 becomes a Mach 1.6 (Don't go over that or you'll tear your wings clean off) BVR machine. If you time your approach to your enemy right, at about 10 miles away you'll be at Mach 1.6 with a solid lock (two solid rings) around your opponent with your R-24R. Up there the air is thin so the missile will be extra effective. Fire the missile. Its already at half its max speed when the missile comes off the rail.

The enemy has little to zero time to react and even if they do react it won't really matter. They can chaff and dive, turn hard and chaff. It won't matter. With those optimal conditions my kill rate is at roughly 98%. If you don't have anymore enemies up there its time to turn around because by then the furball has developed behind you. This is good. As you come back find a target suitable for another R-24R strike. Usually bellow you and headed toward you. Again, inside 10 miles going 1.4 to mach 1.6 and its another free kill. By then just switch to ir mode for your R-60M's which are short range all aspect high pulling missiles. If the enemy doesn't know you're there you lock him up using IRCCM. No warning will be given and if he doesn't know you're there its a wrap for him.

I average 2 to 3 kills a game with the Mig-23ML and have grinded most of the Russian tech tree with it. It gets a load of countermeasures which I take mostly chaff for my playstyle. If I end up in a dogfight usually my plan went bad but usually you can do great in a dogfight. Your engine is powerful and the wing sweep will help you turn better. Having the R-60's also helps in that regard because of their high pull.

Long winded I know, but its a great plane. I am passionate about it. If I want to have a fun time in War Thunder and wrack up some research and silver lions, I fly the Mig-23ML

[Thumper509]

Also, and I'll get flamed for this and people will call BS but you can hunt F-14's in it. In an airspawn you start fast Just keep your speed momentum going up while rising in altitude. At the very moment your rwr pings from the other side of the map start to pre chaff. Most of your large countermeasures should be chaff. By doing this you're suppressing the radar of not just the F-14's but most other radars looking your way. At first I didn't know this but I looked in replay tac view a few times and figured it out. You can almost act like a EA-6B Prowler and jam enemy radar. Do this every so often. By the time you've covered 1/4th the maps distance (remember you're fast) if an F-14 has entered the cons you'll see him. Lock him up.

This is going to bother him. If he's smart hes going to react by chaffing and notching. You want this. Disrupt his ability to target your allies. Keep that pre chaffing going but remember to save at least some for later in case you need it. You shouldn't get any solid lock warnings and if by some chance that F-14 did launch a phoenix at you the chaffing is gonna help and your speed is going to help BIG time. The Phoenix does a high altitude arch. Your speed alone can get you under this arch and the Phoenix wont have the ability to course correct in time to get you.

By this time you should have closed to about 12 miles and that F-14 is probably panicking. You may need to re lock him up a few times due to his chaffing but keep the pressure up. He's having to use a lot of resources to break your persistence but it won't matter. Inside of 10 miles you should be able to lock him. Keep your speed up, launch your R-24R and wait for the kill marker and "Skill matters" to pop up because you just whopped someone outside your rank and the bonus is nice.

I love suppressing F-14's its almost become sport for me. I get excited when I see F-14's in the match because then I get to hunt one. Yes. they will get you from time to time but in my experience in the game I have come out the winner more than the loser. Buy the Mig-23ML you won't be dissappointed.

[Venom]

Originally posted by RO FGN:

i need opinions

No, not because of the plane, but because of matchmaking. I'm a total of 8 out of 10 games with Mig 23 BR 11.7 in 12.7-12.3 where there are incomparably better planes against which your chances with Mig 23 are sharply reduced. I'll see my own BR maybe 1-2 times out of 10 games, which is crazy. I've never even seen a down tier.

[jaxjace]

never was worth it

[French Cat]

ever since they nerfed the flight model, yea its a no go.

[Golden Knight]

You have 3 optiones
Su25k great grinder if you can master it
Mig23ml ok for newbies
Su39 bad for every way only good in arb

[[RO] FGN]

thank you guys a lot

[[RO] FGN]

i wanna grind the soviet air tree and trust me i don t have enough time for that considering i am on rank 2 soviet aircraft.
I have already completed the US air tree without spending a single cent

[I AM THE LAW!]

Originally posted by jaxjace:

never was worth it

Actual skill issue. mig-23 until lately has been the best 11.7 fighter. It now is better at it's intended role, interception. but if you manage your sweep wings, you can still be a scary dog fighter.
Let's not forget you can use IRST to get better locks for your r24Ts and r60s, combine that with you going mach 1.4 above enemies, and you can get 3-4 kills a game.

[ArrowViper]

Originally posted by RO FGN:

i need opinions

No. You will lose your sanity. Post nerf Mig-23s are pure trash. Useless radar, useless flight model, useless R-60Ms and the only good offensive missile being the R-24T...which gets flared all the time and needs to be used on distracted targets.

[BenWrehdi]

Dont listen to these skill issue replies. Mig-23ML is a confirmed 2 kills a game with the two R-24R radar missiles also + 4 R-60Ms that will absolutely get you kills if you launch from 2km and closer. Only premium you should buy for Russian air if wanting to get to top tier.

[BlackWolf9988]

Originally posted by BenWrehdi:

Dont listen to these skill issue replies. Mig-23ML is a confirmed 2 kills a game with the two R-24R radar missiles also + 4 R-60Ms that will absolutely get you kills if you launch from 2km and closer. Only premium you should buy for Russian air if wanting to get to top tier.

i agree the R-24R are good but overall the plane suffers. there is far more OP premiums in the game than that one.

[Zodd]

I would wait. Since USA got this F18 premium I think USSR will get a Su 27 or Su 30 premium next update. I sold the event F14 to buy the F18 premium.