Gambit21

You can get up and running in the Viper, and dropping dumb bombs in an evening. That means cold start, take-off, drop a few bombs, straf. Nav can be another evening. That said, consider the F-14 as well...it's a fantastic module. Fly the Hornet for an hour, and spend 30-45 minutes tinkering with something else.

Let me put it this way. I wish the current F-15 was already full-fidelity - but it's not. So then given the development cycle, going forward there are other things I'd rather see over the next handful of years...like an AH-1, or an F-4, or Skyraider, or an Akagi carrier, a Zero, a Wildcat....or a UH-60...and on and on.

The F-14 is about the perfect airplane, it's a wonderful module - just beautiful. You have a greater connection to the aircraft, it rumbles, it shakes, it gives you feedback, it straddles nicely the period between the F-4 and the 4th gen fly-by-wire fighters. If you're used to flying WWII fighters (like I was) you'll wear it like a glove. If you're used to yanking on FBW aircraft then you'll have to adjust a bit. It IS "visceral" though like Spurts said above...good description. Just like early-war WWII aircraft are more visceral than late war WWII aircraft, (I've often used this term to describe them) so the Tomcat is more visceral than later fighters...HB did a great job with capturing that. Plus it's the only aircraft with Top Gun music playing in your head when you fly it...so there's that. By the way I'm finding the Viper fairly intuitive, easy to pick up...there's no reason to not fly both the Viper and the Tomcat. Whatever you do though...fly the Tomcat.

If any real life Apache guy is interested in being a SME for me, please end me a PM. I have Jay Stout for the Hornet, and T-Day and an older A-model guy/friend of mine for the Viper, I don't have an Apache guy yet. This campaign is A. a ways out.... just doing ground-work right now on nights that I need a break from the Viper build and testing. B. will feature a lot of armed recon, border patrol, some maritime patrol, CAS, supply interdiction/hitting convoys and other things I'm sure that haven't been thought of yet. This isn't an "all out" land battle/war scenario, but we'll work on some armored convoys etc. Early days still. I'll need help with proper comms etc. If interested I can tell you more about what I've done previously via PM or email - this isn't my first rodeo.

I see. well if it’s not part of the Viper/Hornet/F-15E early 90’s timeframe (forgot the Mud Hen earlier) and I’m moving it forward, then at that point I might as well call it 2002 - 2007 somewhere in there.

I appreciate that. Doing this (simulating an earlier variant) is relatively easy to accomplish with the Viper and Hornet. (early 90’s) It seems that pulling the Apache into this scheme is more like using a Viper, and telling the player to pretend it’s an F-5. To stick with my vision I think the Apache version of this campaign will just have to move into the early 2000’s.

I will it seems - thank you. I’m trying to ‘Homogonize” 3 different platforms into a theater of operations, and I was trying to set it in the early 90’s. I’ll either move the whole thing up, or just move the Apache campaign forward.

I think it's a limitation of your wrist/yanking our stick to full deflection suddenly and immediately with no resistance, thus resulting in much more deflection that would be possible in real life. I've never once ripped the wings off an F-14 nor felt like I was close to it, and I've flown her to the limit... but I'm used to flying WWII aircraft so it comes naturally. Be a bit more conscious, listen to the aircraft, and stop yanking the stick...it's not a FBW aircraft.

Aside from the FCR/dome and data link... What are the primary differences between a Gulf War Apache and what we're about to get. I'm trying to get a handle on if I can create a campaign simulating and earlier model with the DCS version by simply omitting certain things, (emissions by other aircraft thereby no data-link) leaving off the FCR, only allowing certain loadouts etc. Of if the differences are such that I can't plausibly pull this off. Any opinions/help appreciated.

I think he means more 'down in the weeds', 'old fashioned', drop the bomb down the enemies throat', jink like hell, get out of Dodge kind of flying. This is more of the flavor I want, rather than 15 thousand feet 'dial a shack' which is great in real life and your LIFE is actually on the line, and it's a real job etc etc. For my purposes/vision though - creatively I find this less appealing both to build for and fly. I need to find plausible reasons to get the player low and in those valleys etc...going back in time a bit makes this a more plausible. A narrative about a Russian-assisted IADS and gnarly super-MEZ will do the rest.

Thank you for the replies and response so far. The idea is to only provide content that increases accessibility without giving up anything in the realism department, but also provide an exciting experience that emphasizes 'flying' and less 'airborne systems operation', to the extent possible with the platform. Low altitude ingress, more 'put the thing on the thing' flying. Also comms are a bit more engaging/less structured if you go back a bit, so this appeals to me as well from a creative standpoint. I did get some feedback from one of my Viper SME's, and LGB's were in use during this time frame, but there's plenty of room for creative license in any case, even if I did go later. I can turn off emissions in the editor which takes care of the Data Link, so you have AIC (scripted) and your radar. That's the vision at this point...build is underway but I need to make time-frame decision soon...placing ground assets soon/SAMs etc.

At this juncture with the currently available modules, and ones on the way, the sim is in need of a Vietnam map...I think this is money on the table just waiting... Grab it before someone else does. MiG 19 MiG 17 A-6 A-7 Huey A-4 mod F-14A in the "what if the war lasted a few more months" scenario. Perhaps an actual F-4 down the road by a third party...yes a Vietnam appropriate variant would be the smartest move if I do say so. Plenty in DCS for a Vietnam/Southeast Asia map. My second choice, Solomon Islands or a generic 'islands' map that can stand-in for a variety of Pacific settings. Korea can make use of several modules, MiG 15 and and Sabre obviously, as well as the Mustang and upcoming Corsiar. Southeast Asia is probably the best bet though all things considered. Although who knows when, I'm betting on a Cobra at some point too.

Aerobatics task...requires test, adjust, test...but then everything does. Unless I find out differently later, I'm staying away from scripting (not because I can't do it) as I want bulletproof (read update proof) as much as possible mission logic.

Coming up with a narrative where the smart weapons are just in short supply is an option.

I currently have a few campaigns under early development. I'm thinking of setting the conflict in the early 90's, and exploring from a few different platforms, including the Viper and Hornet, and later the F-15E Syria map. This means mostly dumb munitions, rockets, a maverick here and there or perhaps an LGB...no JDAM/JSOW, no data link etc. My vision is a set of fully 'real' yet highly accessible campaigns. Basically with knowledge of cold start, radio, navigation and dumb bombing/gun and the maverick you can complete most of the missions. Think Desert Storm era. I have the option to pivot and move forward in time, (and frankly to fit the Apache in I may do this) but I'd like to get a few opinions. While I know a poll like this gets a very small data set, if I get 6 responses and they all say..."Um...no" then I have some idea that I should alter this plan a bit and move forward to 06-07. The Apache seems a tough animal to pull this off with, so this may make the decision for me...TBD. Devs if you would kindly leave this here a few days before moving, this data although limited is important to my production/decision making. Thank you.

Huey is my only chopper - it’s a blast. It’s the only helicopter that has Jumping Jack Flash, Gimme Shelter or Fortunate Son playing in the background when I fly it. I’ll be all over a Cobra, but until then it’s the Huey when a chopper bug bites. Whoppa Whoppa.

Didn’t realize “follow” had the offset setting etc - thank you.

Then I guess my query is about the bdu-50. Thread title changed. F-16C loading ...and thank you!

I would like to be able to assign say an aerobatic maneuver to an aircraft set as an Escort, or assign an Escort action to an aircraft set for CAS. I have a situation where I need a CAS aircraft to join up and escort some enemy AC, but I don't have this option in 'triggered actions' This requires some slight-of-hand on my part to change this aircraft to "escort" in the middle of the mission (by deactivation/activation of another) then I need this 'new' escort version of the aircraft to pull a combat turn later, but now of course I lack the aerobatics actions. In place I'm having him 'push' to a waypoint simulating the turn, but I really need that aerobatic command. In essence I'd like to see all actions available with all appropriate aircraft types.

With regard to the HOTAS remark, I tend to agree with caveats. A poor quality or older controller that is jumpy or has poor resolution is not going to serve you well. My older Saitek twist stick would not have served me well in DCS, especially with the Huey. I purchased a mid-range stick from an upper-end brand, and it's a night and day difference. You get what you pay for, even if you're paying a bit too much right now.

I find zoom extremely useful for in-cockpit viewing of various things...little use for it outside the cockpit. I'm certainly grateful for the feature.

It's a fantastic module...just stunning.

Ahh...so the 45/45b is Navy only. Got it.

I thought at one point that I'd seen these on the Viper road map - can anyone confirm? I might be mixing this up with another module. I could really use them for a project that's in the works.

Here's the near me...although they don't fly it anymore (I hope the museum reopens) Flying heritage museum At one of their shows maybe 4-5 years ago now, they had 2 Oscars and 2 Wildcats all up at the same time. I have no idea who owned the other 2 Oscars, but the FHC's own Oscar wasn't one of them.