Jets & ECM

[Jokerle]

Hey guys,

there is one thing that bugs me: My ECM wont deploy

Here is the story that repeats itself 7 out of 10 times:
I fly around trying to shoot at things, then I hear a locking sound and hit 'X' in my keyboard to deploy ECM.
No ECM visible cloud, HUD still says ECM ready....then I get locked+ missile ping....hitting X like a mad man...still nothing..hit by missle and disabled or dead.
So, my ECM does not deploy when I want it to.

Any jet guru that can explain this? I fly flares-only now, because of this.
Do I just miss seeing the ECM cloud? Is the HUD a bit buggy?

To clarify: No i dont mean ECM to deflect the already incoming missile (though flying in a straight line plus ECM works for me often, but only if my ECM does deploy...).

[Necromancer]

i don't see the ECM deploy either, but i assume its because the plane flies so fast the ECM gets deployed behind the camera. or its a DICE bug. probably both.
i only shoot ECM after the missile was fired at me, and although i tap like crazy on X because i don't know if the ECM was deployed or not (and no time to get into the cockpit when im fired upon) so i only stop once i see the missiles go past me and explode.
works pretty well actually, not as bad as in the chopper.

[Jokerle]

shouldnt ECM brake the locking (stinger,heatseeker, etc.) and keep you from being locked for some seconds?
I get the locking sound, hit X and it continues to lock until lock-on. Then comes stinger/heatseeker and hits me.

[Necromancer]

yes, it suppose to break lock on and keep the missiles from hitting you for 5 seconds.
but the game is badly synchronized. you probably hit it AFTER they already released the missile (even if you think otherwise), and by the time the missile reaches you the ECM is gone -> you get hit.
ECM doesn't redirect the missile, it only pauses it from hitting you, but it would still encircle you, so if the ECM wears out before the missile explodes it will hit you.
and Stingers and nasty, ECM is not reliable against those, but they have a very limited range, so its not that big of a problem for jets.

[Chemical2]

ur x button is broken!

[BlooDRaptoR1]

Flares madafaca

[Jokerle]

hmmm...bad synchro might be an explanation.

I might be wrong, but my HUD show "ECM ready" while I am hitting X. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes not.


The general tricks I know and try to apply:
- If one deploys ECM shortly before the heatseeker hits you and you fly in a straight line, it overshoots and explodes without harming you (usually)
- If you know it is a stinger, you can outfly it with the afterburner.
- if you know where the missile came from, turn into its past to it shoots past you, no need to deploy anything


edit: I wanna use ECM for dogfights

[RazY70]

[expandas]

With ECM, you need to either deploy it really early to cancel a lock or really late to deflect the missile. Stingers fly at a slower speed than regular heat seekers, so you need to wait several seconds longer if you're going to use the latter method.

[Jokerle]

With ECM, you need to either deploy it really early to cancel a lock [...]

That is what is often not working for me, ECM does not seem to deploy at all.

[ICallIDTheft]

Are you by any chance switching views while doing all this? Back when I used ECM a lot, the HUD would often bug out. I actually switched away from ECM purely because of it's unreliability, locked on projectiles often behave unpredictably. Using ECM to dodge them can just give them more time to circle around you and for some reason randomly hit you.

It is also very common for projectiles to launch through countermeasures at close range, I counter this by deploying my flares early whenever I am close to something that's locking me. Flares work for a while after they've been deployed as well. The trail, if remember right, was a bit funky on jets anyway. There are also those times where the missiles ignore countermeasures simply because frak you.

[Jokerle]

Are you by any chance switching views while doing all this? Back when I used ECM a lot, the HUD would often bug out.

Yes, I am switching views.

hmm..I thought I should learn using ECM because it is "better" (from the numbers) and all good pilot use it.
I got so frustrated because it "didnt deploy" from my perspective. So maybe it does, the HUD is bugged and I use ECM not quite correctly, ie. not at the exact right time.

Ahhh well...jets...I can go against wizekraker, but not real pilots (sry wize )
I even ram the friendly chopper sometimes

[ICallIDTheft]

ECM is better against other jets, I however find that flares give you more options when you are up against more than just the jets. Nothing like dogfighting in stinger range going dodge, flare, dodge, flare.

The one major benefit of ECM is that you can use it to hide yourself from air radar while getting on the tail of an enemy fighter, but you can also do that by flying below radar. Not to mention if the enemy pilot isn't distracted he'll be looking for you anyway.

It can also you give you slight advantage in a neutral dogfight, but it doesn't always work as the trail is quite visible and seeing someone disappear of your radar is a sure indication of him trying to pull something so you instantly become more wary.

I honestly think that on a pub or GC battles flares allow you to fly more freely. If you are planning on flying in a jet 1vs1 ladder you should definitely go with ECM though as flares give you no benefit there. You should try both though as everyone's flying style is different.

[Róka]

What CallID said, switching between 1st and 3rd POV bugs the HUD so it always says ECM Ready.
And you usually won't see the cloud unless you're in 3rd POV and going very slowly (or landed).
And I think all your other questions have been answered.