Mad Dog 762

I'm thinking its only a matter of time until China decides to try to seize one of the Mariana islands......

I am about 100% positive we will see it sometime in December, for a couple of reasons. First, the pre-order start date was early October. For legal reasons, they need to deliver on that pre-order with 90 days or they start running into problems with credit card processors and such. Second, they take a long holiday for New Years / Russian Christmas and I am sure they want to get it out before that. But, they are not going to want to release it and then go on Holiday the next day, in case there ARE problems that need urgently addressed. So I think its logical that they are working to get it out by early to mid December. But we'll see. They might surprise it and pop it out anytime......

I am wondering where we carry the Weapons Professor? Is there another seat in the back or is he strapped to one of the pylons?

There is some info in the -10. Pretty light overview, but I found out a few interesting things. The missile does have its own active seeker, and can be locked on before firing. It does receive updates from the Apache radar as well. Radar missiles are loaded on the outer rails as much as possible, and staggered side to side to prevent their radars from interfering with each other. I also found some interesting restrictions on the rockets subsystem, according to manual I have, they cannot be fired from the inner stations, or fired more than 2 at a time (1 per side) due to engine ingestion problems. Looking through some Apache pics, I note that with a mixed loadout it is more common to have the rockets on the outer pylon, but there certainly are a lot cases where they are on the inner. Plus, if they are restricted from the inner pylons, it would not be possible to have 76 rocket loadout. Interesting. We will see how DCS does it.

Your HOTAS commands between Pilot and CPG can be pretty much the same, there is almost no difference in the cyclic and collective between the two stations. The TEDAC is what is different, and you could choose to use a switched command to use the TEDAC. I would use a physical two position switch though, not a temporary switch like the pinky, or you will have to hold it down the whole time you want to be in the "switched" mode. I actually think the X-Box controller would work great for the TEDAC though. Thats how I plan to start out at least.

That was a BIG cement plant! It will be a great addition to the map!

I know we won't get the AGM-114L (Radar) for a while, but I am curious how this missile works. Obviously it works with the fire control radar, which gives it rough directions, then does it have an onboard seeker that kicks on? Or does it get continuous guidance from the aircraft radar? I am under the impression you can do a radar sweep, then go back under cover and ripple off the Hellfires, right? On a related note, I was very surprised to see that the Hellfire is apparently in its last year of manufacture, to be replaced by the JAGM (Joint Air Ground Missile), which will apparently incorporate all the functions of all the Hellfire versions into one missile?

I have one I use for other games, it is wireless but I actually just plug it in and leave it, it seems to work better that way. I get some glitches on wireless. I have never used it in DCS, but I am seriously going to consider using it for the TEDAC on the Longbow.

If you don't lase its just an unguided rocket. Soft target area weapon. In real life, more expensive, but I don't think it matters in DCS.

The old "warhead on the forehead" solution!

Clearly you have never seen video of the incident in Iraq where a US crew shoots two US vehicles sitting right in the open. And ED is working with AI, not an intelligent human who can reason and think. And even if you let the AI "cheat", its still not realistic, you have eliminated the "fog of war" aspect.

In one of Ed Macys books he says that these little darts are going so fast they do not even have to hit you. If one zips by your arm for instance the vacuum it creates passing by will suck the flesh right off. At least thats what the Brit Apache pilots were taught.

Wags says in his into video flechette and MPSM rockets will come after early access. So they are for sure planned.

Wait, what if I'm pulling a trailer? Is left still left or is it right? Do I move the bottom of the cyclic in the direction I want the trailer to go?

There are what look to be pull up shades clearly visible in the video's. No idea if they are functional, but you just MAY get your wish!

From the guy in "Jaws"......."I think we're gonna need a bigger SSD!"

As I said, this seems to be a pretty high priority project for ED right now. I don't think they are going to pull people off for other modules. I think they realize this could easily become their fastest selling module. There is a ton of pent up demand for an Apache.

The newer in service Apaches in the US Army do not have them. They are ineffective against modern missiles from what I understand.

The Apache seems to me to be progressing very quickly. I am pretty sure we are going to see it sometime between Turkey Day and Christmas. This seems to be an "all hands on deck" project.

I think its just a image auto tracking gate similar to what the Ka50 has, with the ability to track several targets instead of just one. But I don't know for sure. Hopefully Cosmo or one of the other guys in the know will fill us in.

Ordered!

This causes myriad other problems and is not reccomended. If I have it checked, I often have an uncontrollable pitch up after take off, and other control synchronization problems.

Is his call sign "Maverick" by chance? ROFL

there is. Look in the files section, I found it there.