WinterH

From either Cobra or IronMike flatout saying it after the trailer somewhere afair, and it never looked like ingame to most of us in the first place.

Which isn't what we were discussing with QuiGon, but "thanks" I guess

Yours for it being in game? I too remember it not being in-engine, and even model used not being Heatblur's actual DCS intented one.

Not really, heart button is for the POST, not the thread or user, so it can be seen as kind of applicable. I wonder if there is a discord for those of us who do Lua for DCS enhancements? Might be an idea if not... we could help each other, but also come up with a wishlist for desired features in scripting engine and keep it updated as we go.

They neither should remove public access, nor are they beholden to any responsibility to update it. It would be damn nice if they could update it, but that's it. I'm pretty sure they're neck deep in 100 other things to do, DCS dev related and not, in addition to requiring some moments for themselves to just wind down. Public access to even a vastly outdated roadmap is great for folks who want to keep tabs on what is/was planned, as well as folks who are just getting into DCS and are curious about future developments. Features listed in there still not delivered? We get to nag them about it/remind them Features already delivered but doesn't say so there? Who cares? We have them in sim now anyway! Features/modules still not delivered that may or may not missed a "hopefully" date? Again, who cares? Most of us have been in DCS forever, and by now learned things release when they will, and that time is not necessarily easy, or even possible to estimate. F-4E is by far my most anticipated thing in DCS, but did we pay for it yet? NO. Is "whatever state it is, give us already" a good approach? HELL NO, we've got ample time and events to find that out too. So, let's try to be patient and enjoy news when they are around.

Not entirely sure, but afaik we shouldn't, as that's an air force weapon that may have seen use of A-7Ds probably. Honestly though, we should be getting AGM-62, which is basically the same thing, arguably better even. Walleye can be used either as a fire and forget weapon, or a man in the loop weapon if you have the datalink pod onboard. Also, unlike the Phantom we shouldn't get Mavericks, also a A-7D only thing, but on the flipside, if our A-7E will be late enough, also unlike F-4E, we should get AGM-88 HARMs. Zunis shouldn't be available on F-4E either. According to some info you can find online, not even the 2.75 inch rockets despite being listed in manuals weren't used on F-4 in practice as apparently they caused engine surge problems from ingestion of smoke and debris, but I think we'll most likely get them in F-4. As far as I know, bombing in A-7 will be slightly more akin to AJS 37 Viggen we have in that it will have pre-planned modes to deliver ordnance on coordinates, but it will also have CCIP modes that are more familiar than Viggen's bombing symbology.

None, there is a FLIR pod but afaik it is a navigation tool for night flying. As for the weapons, it will depend what year our bird will be to some degree I'd think. But, air to air: up to AIM-9Ms, air to ground guided stuff: AGM-45, AGM-88, AGM-62, bombs: lots of all sorts of iron bombs, and many cool modes of delivery for them, LGBs can be carried but no self lasing, rockets of both 2.75 inch and Zuni varieties.

This is the kind of update I love seeing&reading. Looks like this will be an excellent module when it comes, it is among my top DCS anticipations.

Some destroyers wouldn't be amiss, at the very least a Fletcher class, and maybe a Type 1936 of some description. A British DD would be welcome too as our WW2 maps are both around the channel so far. Capital ships would be very cool for ship nerds like me, but I can understand that they're quite an effort to do, and at least for the Channel gameplay, DDs are probably more relevant. I hope Magnitude 3 can eventually give us a Japanese destroyer too, to go along with their upcoming Corsair and eventual WW2 Marianas map. A Fletcher would go well with this setting too, of course.

I-16 is super fun to fly, Lavochkin should be an amazing addition to our warbirds stable fron you guys, looking forward to it!

No, afaik DSCG will be the first, and DMAS will be later on.

AFAIR, going by the manuals, DSCG also has some automated bombing modes via an oldie analog bombing computer, but from what I remember it looked like it's almost more trouble than its worth. I recall one CCRP-esque mode that resembled A-4Es bombing computer but more involved, as we had to enter bomb ballistic information too, and a sort of "radar bombing mode" that seemed kind of like a waypoint based thing if I recall correctly. We'll first get a DSCG ('72-74ish birds), and later at some point DMAS too (early to maybe mid 80s).

Yeah, saw the thumbnail and was immediately like "oh... ok then, no need to watch". His videos are entertaining, and just that. They are clearly products of serial production where they are hastily researched, and served without any prior interest/knowledge in the plethora of subjects he covers through various multitude of channels he's got, and thus aren't really good for getting factual info from.

It maynot be exactly an offset coordinate option, but I seem to recall at least one blind bombing mode with radar from when I was looking at the manuals a yearish ago when the module was revealed. As for the HUD, like others said, F-4E doesn't really have what we'd call a HUD, it's more a reflector sight like in the F-5. As far as I recall, you need to look at other displays/gauges for your navigation.

Late Cold War Cobras first and foremost. After that, I'd enjoy any helo addition anyway, but I wouldn't mind some things not in this list like: - Mi-2 or other similar red lighter helos, for curiosity - Super Frelon, big, weird, 3 engines, French, hard to be more unique than that besides, it can kinda roleplay its Chinese variant in Marianas - Some sort of Sea King variant, either of Sikorsky of Westland lineages - Some other big transport, be it a Chinook, Super Stallion, Mi-6, Mi-26, just for a relatively unique experience. Well, or CH-46, it's not as huge, but still interesting. So, AH-1W/AH-1F, and after that the four above would be my top preferences. I did vote other things in the list like Mi-28, Ka-52, Rooivalk, MD 500s etc, but some of those I don't see happening realistically, others I'd prefer my list above first. Finally, maybe some piston powered helo would be an interesting novelty, but perhaps that's something to explore for high fidelity community mod makers!

Because the original post was about poster considering to get together a team and build a helo module from among the options he consider to be interesting/feasible etc, rather than a pure wishlist. But as with all threads like these, it quickly turned into a wishlist anyway

I think HB said DMAS one would have TISEO and the first one would not, and that'd be my preference too. It'll be close enough to be "backdated" to Vietnam with only using 7E-2 and appropriate Sidewinders etc as far as I know.

Pretty sure AGM-65D isn't DMAS only, do you have a source specifically say so? I seem to recall it listed for pre-DMAS airframes too in the manuals I saw. AGM-88 frankly shouldn't be in DMAS either pretty sure. It is as far as I know a F-4G only thing. Pave Tack I've already listed, AIM-7F also almost sure isn't DMAS only, P-4 and P-5 don't require any updates on the airframe I'd think, so again I'd like to see conclusive evidence of them being DMAS only if possible. As for the L/M Sidewinders and M Sparrows, it still seems contentious whether they are going to be a thing on Phantom E or not, including the DMAS. Even in DMAS manuals I didn't see any mention of a Sparrow after F. Also Walleyes? You sure? Don't think we'll get them myself to be honest. Even the earlier bird we'll get isn't quite a properly Vietnam era bird after all. Really, not convinced that DMAS is going to have more in common with later birds, at least enough to make it an easier development.

I seem to recall HB saying somewhere, at some point, that we'll first get the earlier variant, and DMAS bird will follow later. Personally I am very interested in both, but just a little more in the earlier variant, and I do think it is the somewhat better choice as the first bird to release. Also, you guys really need to come to terms with it not being a 2022 release, just a suggestion Honestly, not sure about that. I'd say relatively few of the systems are common with later aircraft, and unless a system is shared with a product of the same dev, it is probably not as much of a shortcut just because it may exist in another aircraft in DCS. As for the weapons, there is little that is going to be uniquely in DMAS but not in the earlier bird. Only ones I can think of are GBU-15, it's datalink pod, and Pave Tack TGP, and HB back during the reveal last year said that they want to do Pave Tack for DMAS bird but it wasn't fully certain yet. If anything, these weapons are the things we don't have in any DCS module yet, while the rest of the arsenal is pretty much there in DCS already. Now, there are also a few things like AIM-7Ms and AIM-9L and/or Ms that may or may not have been a thing for F-4E, but these don't seem to be a certainty for the module yet anyway.

I do think in an ideal world we should get at least one of flat glass Army Cobras too, they are iconic in their own right and they also have a larger share of Cobra's international service history. For W, I tend to prefer it being an 80s or up to mid 90s one, especially if we also get a Z for more modern tastes as in your suggestion, but I'll also admit that if we also get a T, that would scratch earlier twin engine Cobra itch too at least to some degree. Still though, 80s-early-mid90s W would be a great combined of old and new in other ways, so that it can really fit into a lot of scenarios. It's as far as I know the only one to be Hellfire capable while still being at least semi old-school enough to also fit into earlier scenarios somewhat. While TOW is really iconic with Cobra, it is also a really short ranged and very, very slow missile. In DCS, TOW flat out wouldn't even work in most of the relatively pedestrian scenarios. At less than 4kms range and being even slower than Gazelle's HOT, even some of the spicier AAA would be a threat to TOW Cobra at maximum range. Since T already had a RWR that's pretty nice too. I've read in some places that some Ts got Hellfire capability added in too, but I really doubt that myself, does manual say anything to that effect? Though 83 would presumably be too early even if it did happen. Anyway... how cool would it be if we see a Cobra outline in 2023 and beyond video now?

thx for sharing your experience with us!! I was just listing what I remember from reading manuals, which still listed rockets as far as I recall. I wonder what will Heatblur decide to do with them, leave them in, leave them out, or leave them in but model a risk of engine surge from using them etc. I personally love using unguided rockets but I also love authenticity, so would be happy either way I guess, it's not like we would be lacking for other air to ground weapon options without rockets, as Phantom has an ample choice of them anyway!

If I recall correctly, the first one with a RWR is P, or thereabouts at least. On Marine Cobra side, not exactly sure if T had one, but W very much should. Technically, our UH-1H is somewhat post-Vietnam as far as I know, so it'd be more contemporary with at least Q/S, perhaps even P and on. To be fair, I think even F is early 80s, and it'd be more contemporary with our particular Huey than the G. G is a step too much backwards for me personally. I'd say its only draw is authenticity for Vietnam enthusiasts, and I'm not one. It lacks a couple things that is iconically typified with Cobra: 20mm chin turret, and TOWs. It would also very much miss the mark on being a great counterpart to the Hind. In my opinion, it would really be just Huey but thin... and laso lacking troop transporting capacity I guess I agree that the W seems probably to be the best first variant to do. Hell, perhaps even a couple different Ws could be a thing to do like we'll have with two F-4Es. One from 1986 when it entered service, and one from a later period. I can see such an arrangement making many people happy. W at some point gained nigh capable FLIR optics, a missile approach warning system, and a laser warning receiver in addition to existing RWR. But it's weirdly difficult to find info on Cobras, so far couldn't quite find when did these upgrades happen, seem like mid to late 90s, but some sources write about it in a way that almost sounds like it already had them in 80s, while others recounting Gulf War experiences very much seem like they didn't yet in early 90s when that happened.

AH-1W AH-1F AH-1T AH-1E Are my choices, but I find it hard to decide what is the best option. (Vietnam era ones and 2000s+ ones are boring, I don't want them :P) Imo, ideally at least one flat glass Army and one Marine Cobra would be nice, and I'd prefer them to be between late 70s to early, maybe at most mid 90s. After that, as much as I don't personally care for them, seeing AH-1G or Q/S, as well as if possible an 2000s+ one wouldn't be bad either for folks interested in those. To be fair, Cobra I believe is really another one of those aircraft, like the Phantom, which almost needs to exist in multiple modules/variants in DCS. Here's hoping, we at least get one of these sooner than later

Hence, late one being the MUCH better choice, as it does in fact create value in being a unique and cool Fishbed derivative that's also been fairly popular in less fortunate airforces. For similarity to F-13, really, I'd rather like us get F-13 itself. For me aircraft being interesting for whatever reason will always heavily trump historical relevance, though the definition of interesting is always going to be subjective, perhaps even tenuous at times, I'll admit. I like Fishbeds a lot, and having a super high fidelity rendition of one that got quasi improved pilot ergonomics, a canopy that you can actually see out of, double delta wings with leading edge slats, while still being of the lighter airframe variety of fishbeds, will always be incomparably more desirable to experience than being an exact fit. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying "best/most modern version means more interesting", qutie the opposite in fact, I really prefer older stuff, but there are some oddballs like a late J-7 that's just way too interesting to pass on. I'd rather prefer that opportunity not be sacrificed for representing things like Vietnam and Six Day War etc. For that, I'd really rather have us the proper MiG-21F-13 too, perhaps from another studio, or perhaps from the same studio, at another time. Perhaps it doesn't need to be the very latest J-7s, I'd be just happy with earlier "Phython-3 but Chinesium" equipped, double-delta + high lift devices variant with or without single piece canopy. But honestly, why leave the nice canopy out either :P. Yes, it would be an 2000s aircraft, that is in fact a warmed-over 80s-90ish aircraft at best, and I'm just happy with coming up with scenarious where I can get it to somewhat work, plausibility be damned in this particular case I'd have more fun in a warmed over 80s-90s aircraft, than most proper 2000s aircraft anyway

Nah, I'd much, much rather see a late one with single piece windscreen, double delta wings, and the works, as a really different "other end" of the Fishbed legacy, an early "MiG-21 but painted white" would be highly uninteresting and a missed opportunity quite honestly. I'd rather get the actual MiG variants for the earlier birds. If it isn't at least a double delta, might as well not be made as far as I'm concerned.