User Guide

Cannon and Rocket Pods

Use the Strafing mode gun sight. Fly low (below 500 feet) and level. The most dangerous aspect of

cannon fire is the close range at which you can effectively hit your target. At 6000 rounds per

minute, you can deplete your ammunition quickly, so experienced pilots will shoot in short bursts,

saving the continuous “walking” fire for when you’re directly over your target and about to pull up.

Do not get fixated on your target. If you didn’t hit your target, it’ll just have to wait until your next

pass.

Rocket pods work the same way, but they have more than twice the range of the gun, so you can

open fire sooner. As always, try to avoid flying over the target. This will be nearly impossible with a

gun attack, but you might have time to break off after a rocket attack.

Bombs

You can use the CCRP or the CCIP. The CCRP is

best in hilly country because it takes target

altitude into account. Many pilots prefer the

simplicity of the CCIP, and it’s a fine sight if the

ground is relatively level. After all, if you wanted

to put it through a window, you’d have used a

GBU-15, right? With a stick of 500-pound

bombs, you just have to get close.

Approach the target from as high an altitude as you can, given the air defense situation. It’s easier

to line up for a bombing run if you don’t have to worry about contracting hill disease. Usually,

around 500 feet is the bare minimum. If you have to come in lower, you may have trouble acquiring

the target in time to attack effectively. Get roughly lined up by banking and make the fine

adjustments with the rudder. Put the dot on the target and trigger the bombs. If you use the CCRP,

you’ll have to stay on target for a few more seconds until the bombs release, and you should pull up

steadily until they do, using the flight path of the plane to “toss” the bombs at the target. After

release, turn away and try to leave the target area the same way you came in. There might be SAMs

or AAA on the other side of the objective. Try not to drop your whole load on the first pass. Even the

good bombers miss every now and then. Use half and come around for another pass if you have to.

Durandals work the same way, but their natural prey is a runway or landing strip. On a Durandal

run, try to come in at a slight angle across the strip, since if you try to line up directly down it, you

will miss with everything if you are even a little off center. You have to fly over the target with

Durandals, because of the way they fall.

GROUNDFIRE EVASION

You will face two kinds of AA in Strike Commander: missiles and guns.

Missiles. Countering SAMs is almost like evading AMRAAMs. They are radar guided weapons, and

should be chaffed and/or turned away from. The best way to handle them is to kill the launcher

(Mavericks are good for this). The SAMs in the game tend to be a little slower than the AMRAAM,

but that means that even though they may not catch you quite as fast, they turn better. They also

carry huge warheads, so ditch them if at all possible.

Guns. High speed and altitude are the keys to evading AAA. If you have to stay low, kill them

outside their range with a Maverick. Failing that, try to keep hills between you and them. Failing

that, they will cut you apart quickly.

Toss Bombing