BDArmory AI tips and tricks?

[Galane]

I'm attempting to build a fighter jet to be superior to another person's very good jet. What I have looks to be at least its equal in maneuverability. Both have the centers of lift and mass spheres intersecting, with the lift center just behind the mass center.

The problem is with how the two planes begin their attacks. Both AIs are set with a 500 minimum altitude. The enemy plane is set to 3000 max altitude, mine to 3025 because the slider won't stop at 3000. (I assume the craft file was directly edited.)

Starting competition at the default 8000 distance, my planes always immediately dive to get down to around 600 before they even think about firing missiles. The enemy planes will fire right away at around 2600 altitude. Thus at that starting distance they almost always lose in a 2v2 fight because they're immediately on defense. Once in a while it'll go to one plane left, mine or the enemy.

Both planes are using the same radome, same engines, one ECM pod. Mine has six AMRAAMs, two sidewinders, three Vulcans. Enemy has four AMRAAMs, two sidewinders, two Vulcans. Both set to use up to three missiles per target.

If I shorten the start distance to 5000, my planes still dive but are forced to respond sooner and shoot back, instead of turning tail and blowing chaff to try and survive. IF they manage to survive the first volley they may get off their own missile volley, if the enemy hasn't closed to Vulcan range.

I want my guys to Han Solo it. "Han Shot. Greedo died without pulling his trigger. There was no 'shot first'." Be like the Kzinti in war, Scream and leap! Then worry about strategy, if the targets aren't dead.