Mission 11: (spoilers) kicking my ass! [Hard difficulty] Any tips?

[Max]

Crimson squadron in the second half of the mission is wiping me out. I feel like I can't spam flares fast enough as I pull ALL the Gs. I can dodge 40 of their missiles but #41 and #42 finish me off. I tried using the MG-29 loaded with MLAAs and the F/C-15 with a similar build. I have enough money to buy any of the planes I have unlocked to this point. How did you guys do it?

[Inquinimaris]

Switch targets, don't go after some single one Crimson. They either just more maneuverable than you or hit AOA button and fly in opposite direction (when missile approaches). Keep your distance also. And a gun. Save it for them.
As an option you can leave almost dead guys to your allies. They're capable enough to shoot 'em down. Done this in MG-29.

[Max]

Do you think AOA is better than flares for this mission?

[aG| Wardog]

Originally posted by Max:

Do you think AOA is better than flares for this mission?

I do fine with flares personally, but like he said, don't go after a single target the whole time, switch it up and do damage where you can.

Guns are also immensely powerful against them. Easily the best source of burst damage as long as you track them properly.

[Sinister1030]

so for this mission i was using the sk. 37 and did really well its switch targets flair and try to do rolls and g roll at the same time it sounds weird that thats how i dodge most missles but what they said is the best thing to do

[Max]

Thanks guys, managed to beat it with your advice.

[boris.glevrk]

Originally posted by Imanodesu:

Switch targets, don't go after some single one Crimson.

Strangely I do the exact opposite. Focus on one target and kill it quick, make sure their numbers are actually reducing. You want 4 full HP Crimsons, not 8 half-HP Crimsons, because the latter has twice the firepower, obviously.

if you can't keep up in the dogfight, run, use flares (I'd take flares over AoA for almost any occasion except Kings) , and then come back and dump your STDM on the same target head-on. They are poorly equipped on evading head-on missiles.

Or you can keep a slot of SAAs and dump both of them from afar, reduce their numbers before getting into the furball.

[Cpt. Gummy♿]

So for me. I ended up using SAA's. I would fly straight out for a while while using flares when needed then flip around and shoot two SAA's then continue on the same target. This worked for me and after a few where down it became pretty easy.

4 SAA's Would take down a single Pilot. So find something that you can pack on at least 2 SAA's loadouts on

[Snadzies]

I did that mission the other day on normal so how I did it may not help for people on hard but my strategy was to take my F-14, load it up with MLAA and do top speed passes launching off a barrage of MLAA into the cluster of planes and if I saw a plane that looked to be in a good position to take out I'd launch a couple normal missiles and fire my guns at them as I passed.

That worked well enough to take out almost all their green support planes (trash mobs) and 2 of the aces.
After that I'd come in, do a little dog fighting if I saw a plane in a good position or on the edge of the fight and when the missiles started coming at me I'd disengage, fly out and come back for another go.

[Max]

On hard I did not find MLAAs very reliable against anything other than fodder, especially later on.

[3 Crab Fish Sauce]

I just do the ol' MiG-31 trick of running away then spamming SAAs

Crimson bastards can eat my mach 3 ass