User blog:H2seasprite/Battlefield 3 Jet Tutorial and Tips

Incomplete for the moment, will allow commenting when finished  Ever since the release of Battlefield 3, hundreds have climbed upward in the cockpit of an F-18 or an Su-35, hoping to experience the perfect dogfight. In reality,I have seen many pilots-to-be make common or easily avoidable errors. In this guide, I hope to share my knowledge of jet combat in order to make you the better pilot and gives me moar victims.

Overview
Due to the vast usage of vehicles in Battlefield games, achieving air superiority is key to securing a win for your team. While it is easy to rid the skies of enemy vehicles with ground-based SAM's, having friendlies in the air is important. There are two varieties of jets: basic and ground-attack. Basic jets are nimble and fast, but will easily come apart under fire. They are only found in conquest. The grounnd-attack jets are unique to rush, and are stronger with a sturdier fuselage and stronger 30mm cannon that will tear apart all caught in its sights.

Priorities
While it is fun to attack everything that moves while in a jet, some targets have priority over others as threats to your team.

For regular jets: Note: AA vehicles are best avoided and dealt with by other team members
 * 1) Enemy jets have priority, as you are the only vehicle that can keep up with it.
 * 2) Enemy helicopters should be attacked next
 * 3) Attack helicopters are more of a threat to both you and ground vehicles, so they should be targeted first
 * 4) Scout helicopter for the same reason
 * 5) Transport really shouldn't be engaged unless there are no other vehicles around
 * 6) Ground vehicles should be attacked, should there be no air targets
 * 7) Lone infantry should be ignored, even if they wield SAM's. They are merely a distraction to you and there are likely other, higher priority targets around

For ground-attack jets: Note: As with regular jets, AA vehicles are best avoided and dealt with by other team members
 * 1) Enemy jets, for the same reason as jets
 * 2) Enemy ground vehicles, as they more easily dealt with using a ground-attack jet and pose a bigger threat to the MCOM Station than helicopters
 * 3) Heliopters, in the same order as above
 * 4) Infantry

Controls
Note: I am a PS3-native player, so my conversions may not be entirely accurate. Also, I use default buttons and sticks, so keep this in mind as you read this section.

When you hop into a jet, accelerate by pressing the R2/RB/W button and pull back on the right analog stick/pull back with the mouse. As soon as the landing gear is pulled up, you will no longer have to hold accelerate in order to maintain speed. It is possible to slow down to reduce your turning circle or increase the time on target for your weapons by pressing L2/LB/S, but be careful not to hold this button too long, as it is possible to stall from lack of airspeed. Gadgets are bound to the R1/RT/RMB(?) and weapons are fired using L1/LT/LMB. Weapons can be toggled between the gun and weapon upgrades by using triangle/Y/mouse wheel. 3rd person mode is toggled by pressing R3 or F10(?) and afterburners (sprint) is toggled by L3 or shift.

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Upgrades are passive unlocks that will be activated as long as you are in a jet

Beam Scanning
The penultimate unlock for jets

Gadgets
Gadgets are unlocks that are activated upon pressing the associated button

IR Flares
The first unlock for jet is a blessing ot all newbie pilots. These countermeasures will distract enemy missiles that are launched at you. Beware, as there is a short cooldown to using the flares, and an ill-timed flare can lead to your death.

Weapons
Weapons can be toggled between the gun and the equipped weapon by pressing the associated button

Heat Seekers
The air-to-air missile: a blessing to some who may have trouble wielding the cumbersome gun, but a terror to all. This lets the jet lock onto enemy air vehicles and take them down with ease. These can be deterred by flares, so it is suggested to fire only one to start with and wait to see if the target pops flares.

Rocket Pods
My favorite weapon, rocket pods give you 14 unguided rockets for use against ground targets. These are effective against tanks and IFV's due to their size.

Guided Missile
Compared to rocket pods, guided missiles are situational at best. They require a lock-on to fire and this leaves you vulnerable to pursuing jets. Also, the nose-mounted camera makes it awkward to steer the jet, but this can be remedied by switching to third person or switching to the gun.

Permanent Unlock
The sole permanent unlock for jets, as well as helicopters, is Below Radar. It works by making you immune to lock-ons by air vehciles by flying at low altitude for three seconds. Since is is permanently equipped, there really is no drawbacks to having it and it makes it easy to escape missile-savvy opponents. Be wary, as ground-based SAM's can still acquire lock.

Setups
Here are some setups that I have thought up. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses that will be discussed. However, some of these classes may not be what you are looking for or may not feel right to you, so I urge you to experiment to find out what suits you best.

Air Superiority
This is a generic air-to-air setup. It allows the player to engage air targets easily and effectively, with tracking due to the radar, anti-missile countermeasures from the flares, and death spears heat seekers for the weapons. The biggest drawback from this setup is the lack of ground-attack weaponry. However, flying a ground-attack jet remedies this by providing the pilot a 30mm cannon. Another drawback is as soon as the plane becomes disabled, the plane WILL explode eventually.
 * Upgrade - Air Radar for finding air vehicles
 * Gadget - IR Flares for deterring missiles
 * Weapon - Heat Seekers for attacking air vehicles

Ground attack
By increasing the basic jet's anti-ground abilities, the pilot can engage a greater range of targets. However, the ability to combat air vehicles suffers. I would suggest rocket pods for the wapon, as they do not require lock-on to be fired, plus with a magazine of 14, can easily destroy tanks should you be able to land nearly all of the rounds on target. If someone on your team is laser designating targets, then guided missiles become a good alternative.
 * Upgrade - Maintenance for recovering from damage faster
 * Gadget - IR Flares for deterring missiles
 * Weapon - Rocket Pods or Guided Missile(rarely) for ground attack

Survivalist
My personal favorite class, the survivalist class allows for continuous support for your team. The key to this classes success is being able to avoid missiles and having a knowledge of tactics. Unfortunately, missiles will hit you often compared to setups with flares or ECM jamming, but as long as you are undamaged, two missiles will not be the end of your flying.
 * Upgrade - Maintenance for quicker damage recovery
 * Gadget - Extinguisher for recovering from becoming disabled
 * Weapon - Choice

Electronic Warfare
An unconventional setup, this setup is useful for quick fly-bys against enemy helicopters or strafing runs against enemy jet spawns. Popping chaff and kicking on afterburners after an attack run can render counterattack by missiles difficult. Just remember that the ECM Jammer is not the same thing as flares...
 * Upgrade - Beam Scanning for faster weapon lock-on
 * Gadget - ECM Jammer for disrupting lock-ons
 * Weapon - Heat Seekers (preferably) for use with Beam Scanning, but any other weapon can work

Tips

 * Be sure to watch your altitude, as flying too high will cause you to lose control for a while.
 * Avoid dogfighting over the enemy base, as their AA turret will tear you to shreads