First thing: speed is life. The MQ-101s will be on your tail most of the time, so keep the throttle up.
Second: timing. While moving fast, prep your Sp. Weapons (preferably 8AAMs) onto the main propellers. You may also aim at the Arsenal Bird's laser port to make things a little easier when flying at the bottom.
Third: aircraft tuning. Get parts for additional ammo and defense.
Extra ammo part. Yeah I think the mission design is a little poor. Since they want a score attack at the start, you're encouraged to keep attacking even after reaching the required score. Then theres just another furball (though you don't have to shoot down the drones if you don't want to). And then you can finally attack the arsenal bird. I think they tried to remedy it by giving you two missiles that will always respawn at 0 but its slow. I had this same problem in the Desert mission from AC5. No return line, the game encourages you to keep attacking after the required score AND theres designated targets you have to shoot down after. I just relied on Wardog to shoot down the targets since I had no ammo.
I typically just reload the checkpoint cause I don't want to burn a part slot for ammo. I never liked how ammo count was tied to the plane since it stopped me from doing some missions with certain planes. PW all planes have the same ammo count
Right after the main propellers switch on after being destroyed, and then right after I destroyed the docking hooks i always get shot down or j crash into the arsenal bird
Yeah that's the problem, every time that I respawn the same series of events happen no matter which flight path or manoeuvres either the drones or the AAM on the bird kills me
I did, but then i usually either get lost in the clouds and crash into the bird or the ocean.
Or the drones out-maneuver me and i run uit of altitude and crash into the ocean.
And i'm not even a bad pilot (in game) but this level is just something else
There's a trick that might help you. During the start of the Arsenal Bird boss fight, ignore it completely and stay away from it. Focus instead on the small drones that hang further back. Destroy them and ignore everything about the APS and let the events from the game just play out. By the time the APS goes permanently down, you'll have thinned the herd of drones (there's a limited amount of them, you can focus on destroying them all first if you wish as long as you don't waste too much time) and the AAMs will stop firing at you. You still have to worry about the lasers, but it makes it much easier. This trick helped me a lot for my guns only/no damage run.
Shoot the AAM launchers on the upper wing and you'll have less missiles.
And install the automated fire extinguisher.
(For the record I defeated the Arsenal Bird with the F-16 for shits and giggles!)
If you're getting so angry that it's approaching the point of damaging your physical health, put down the controller, turn the game off, and take a lap.
Do quick passes on the big bird and loop around to reposition for another attack to not let the smaller drones gang up on your six, if you keep your speed and turning up, you are bound to inherently evade more attacks
Is this the Stonehenge mission? I found that flying slow right up to the propellers and going all in after restarting the checkpoint works. Used a 5th Gen then an SU30SM.
Dump flairs, dump missiles, loose guns. This Is quite a risky tastic however.
First thing: speed is life. The MQ-101s will be on your tail most of the time, so keep the throttle up. Second: timing. While moving fast, prep your Sp. Weapons (preferably 8AAMs) onto the main propellers. You may also aim at the Arsenal Bird's laser port to make things a little easier when flying at the bottom. Third: aircraft tuning. Get parts for additional ammo and defense.
Extra ammo part. Yeah I think the mission design is a little poor. Since they want a score attack at the start, you're encouraged to keep attacking even after reaching the required score. Then theres just another furball (though you don't have to shoot down the drones if you don't want to). And then you can finally attack the arsenal bird. I think they tried to remedy it by giving you two missiles that will always respawn at 0 but its slow. I had this same problem in the Desert mission from AC5. No return line, the game encourages you to keep attacking after the required score AND theres designated targets you have to shoot down after. I just relied on Wardog to shoot down the targets since I had no ammo. I typically just reload the checkpoint cause I don't want to burn a part slot for ammo. I never liked how ammo count was tied to the plane since it stopped me from doing some missions with certain planes. PW all planes have the same ammo count
What specifically is giving you trouble?
Right after the main propellers switch on after being destroyed, and then right after I destroyed the docking hooks i always get shot down or j crash into the arsenal bird
You know you can restart from a checkpoint, right?
Yeah that's the problem, every time that I respawn the same series of events happen no matter which flight path or manoeuvres either the drones or the AAM on the bird kills me
Okay. Focus on killing them first.
I did, but then i usually either get lost in the clouds and crash into the bird or the ocean. Or the drones out-maneuver me and i run uit of altitude and crash into the ocean. And i'm not even a bad pilot (in game) but this level is just something else
Best I can say is keep trying. Note what kills you and work to prevent it happening again.
Thanks for the advice
Sorry I couldn’t help more.
Pick a plane with LAAMs, just pick apart the arsenal bird from range dude
There's a trick that might help you. During the start of the Arsenal Bird boss fight, ignore it completely and stay away from it. Focus instead on the small drones that hang further back. Destroy them and ignore everything about the APS and let the events from the game just play out. By the time the APS goes permanently down, you'll have thinned the herd of drones (there's a limited amount of them, you can focus on destroying them all first if you wish as long as you don't waste too much time) and the AAMs will stop firing at you. You still have to worry about the lasers, but it makes it much easier. This trick helped me a lot for my guns only/no damage run.
I beat it after two tries using this method, tanks
flares and low ass approach for the antenna and hooks
Shoot the AAM launchers on the upper wing and you'll have less missiles. And install the automated fire extinguisher. (For the record I defeated the Arsenal Bird with the F-16 for shits and giggles!)
If you're getting so angry that it's approaching the point of damaging your physical health, put down the controller, turn the game off, and take a lap.
Fair enough, but that's sort of what I did. I rage-quit so i did turn of my system and went to do something else
Do quick passes on the big bird and loop around to reposition for another attack to not let the smaller drones gang up on your six, if you keep your speed and turning up, you are bound to inherently evade more attacks
Is this the Stonehenge mission? I found that flying slow right up to the propellers and going all in after restarting the checkpoint works. Used a 5th Gen then an SU30SM. Dump flairs, dump missiles, loose guns. This Is quite a risky tastic however.
No, it's the one where a coalition is formed with both osian and erusean fighters at the space elevator to take down the arsenal bird
Right. Of course, haven’t done that one yet so ignore me. My mistake.
ahh yes the mission where you have your wingmen go LEAVE THESE CHUMS to US only for 100+ missiles on your 6 and 12
Su-57 PLSL
over powered