Pronin

Can I know what the rational is behind not at least restricting aircraft to a side? I played today, and it was the East vs West mission. This made the server twice as fun right off the bat. Russian planes vs NATO is much more fun than every air frame vs every air frame. Is there any reason that this isn't done for most missions?

@Maverick I read your post and the one you have linked and I can't say I agree. Do you not think at this point that the 104th is popular and well known enough to not have to rely on the assumption that only A2G pilots join first and will leave unless they are in their own special zone? That formula makes sense when you were competing with other servers for players, but now that you guys are the undisputed #1 server, I don't think you have to do that anymore. I would also like to bring up the fact that IL-2 BoS is much more casual than DCS as a sim, yet still has realistic and believable missions every time the server rotates. How can this be? Why dont they find it unfun? BoS has more players in its top server than all of DCS combined. They must be doing something right. If I'm wrong and the majority of the community disagrees with me, then that is fine. But I have the feeling that people would be in favor of this sort of modernization. The only other server that comes close in #'s is Blue Flag. They take it a couple leaps farther than what I am proposing

Have you guys ever considered having more variety in the missions? It seems every mission is nearly identical. Every plane available on both sides and they go at the bullseye, and strikers go to their safe space. The few times the server does run unique scenarios (such as 80's and AWACS) makes the server so much better. Have you guys played IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad? Their multiplayer is set up about as good you can do. Map shows very clearly marked objectives. You click on a field, pick your plane, and go. Fighters have a reason to 'airquake' because they are actively protecting ground pounders. Ground pounders have to actually deal with a high threat environment instead of attacking a random assortment of ground vehicles in their safe space. Winning the game is based on destroying the enemies ground targets, and their limited number of aircraft. Since the 104th has been down, many other servers got a boost in popularity and people were impressed with the variety of scenarios that were available. Some people are upset that now that the 104th is back up everyone is back and all the other servers are dead again. But as you've said, you're THE most popular server, and if the scenarios that you run is what the people demand, then I guess it's just not for me.

Hey guys, wanna just say I really do appreciate your server. Not enough servers let you fly 3rd gen aircraft against each other. Thank you. I do have a couple of things I would LOVE to see added or changed about the server to make it even better. 1: Add Su-25A and A-10A. They both fit the time line much better than the Su-25T and A-10C do in my opinion. They would make sense to be on the server when people want to do some old school ground pounding. MiG-21's and Su-25A's vs F-5's and A-10A's just feels right. 2: I'd like to see some variation in terms of where the mission takes place? I know lots of effort goes into creating these missions, and I'm appreciative of it, but I'd be nice if the server would rotate once in a while and basically move the engagement area to other parts of the map. 3: Better briefing image and more clearly marked objectives. As much as I love the classic Khrushchev arm wrestling JFK, I'd be nice if there was real briefing images. Finding ground targets when all you know is that they are somewhere in the vicinity of a city is pretty hard, and having a little bit better of an idea as to where to look would help for sure. (I personally know someone who has volunteered to make some briefing images for the server if you are interested. His stuff is pretty quality) Like I said, love the server and I think you guys have done a great job. I think these changes would be appreciated by just about everyone.

3rd gen is the best gen. 3rd generation jets are mostly unclassified. They are iconic veterans. To me, the most fun in DCS right now is MiG-21 vs F-5 servers. Its such a fun match. Great mix of new and old. Hopefully the amazing response to the Viggen has shown developers that 3rd gen aircraft is something the community wants more of.

I'd rather the actual AI be updated, before they change how they look.

So I just killed a FARP in the KA-50 and was sitting there watching it, waiting for an Mi-8 shows up. After about 5 minutes it INSTANTLY became repaired 100%, with no incremental messages. Went from destroyed to 100% without warning. Everything came back at once and I was killed before I could even rifle. Is this intentional? Isn't it supposed to repair in 30 minutes? plus give messages saying the % its repaired?

Sweeper basically summed it up. Worth mentioning, the MiG-29A and MiG-29G have updated external models. They look amazing. The MiG-29S is still stuck with the old school model and looks pretty bad when next to other aircraft. MiG-29S external model, as well as the PFM (Professional Flight Model) is all in the works.

104th being down has exposed to me to some of the other servers that the community has made. Thank you for your sacrifice.

I disagree. For those that don't want to use team speak or simple radio, it is a good way to be told information and give it out. IRL you would be getting non-stop updates and reports from everyone and everything.

Yes, and we've done that before because we love it so much, but its a really far flight. But I'll be honest, now that Flanker is fixed, I'll be flying that a lot more.

I'm so glad. Basically we flew hard mode for the last half year. It feels so stable and safe now. I'm in love.

THE FLANKER IS FIXED!!! I AM SO HAPPY!!! I feel safe when I pull G's! No more wobbling all over the place after rolling. The plane feels extremely stable. Flanker pilots are about to be so happy with this update. We have all been flying with no G-limiter for the last 6 months like ABSOLUTE MAD MEN. Literally hard mode.

MiG-29A was updated with 1.5.5 and is now more complete and accurate than the S. Its flight model was changed. It flies much better now, but is still SFM. Just updated SFM. They added 3 new liveries, wingflex, etc. Most importantly, the A has a good damage model now. I tested by spawning an F-15 behind me, and each time a missile hit was critical damage (wings, tail, taken completely off by one hit every time) Testing the same thing with the S did not show good results. S was able to take 2 or 3 missiles and still fly. Its damage model is so out dated that the wings would be gone but the missiles remain. Hopefully more MiG-29A's will be added to next round, seeing as they are more complete, beautiful, and one of everyone's biggest complains was that they were impossible to kill is fixed.

Has anyone tested the Flanker in 1.5.5? Anybody have any reports as to what is different?

I think it's a good thing. IRL you are being fed information and constantly giving it to others. I look at this as something that would be passed if communication was realistic. Calls such as "SA-6 detected in grid blah blah" would be common. Allows some sort of communication and teamwork in multiplayer without requiring everyone to be on same teamspeak.

We tried. Every field spawns two F-16's. These are taken care of easily, but they take multiple missiles each due to AI knowing everything, etc. Every field has multiple forms of every air defense in the game. Basically the only way to capture these fields is a massive coordinated attack in which: -Fighters sweep entire area clear of all enemy CAP -At least 6+ SU-25T's perform a giant SEAD strike -Ka-50's and Su-25T's to mop up remaining ground units. -Mi-8's roll in This would take almost an entire team of players, probably around 30, all working together at the same time. Its like a raid in an MMO. You need numbers, you need good players, and you need good timing and coordination. I like that it is hard though. Both sides have an incredibly tough time capturing the last few fields. Its pretty neat how the map naturally allows for that. Our best hope is to keep blue team contained, and we win the round when the days run out.

29A can carry fuel tanks on wings. It is also lighter overall. Does anyone here do research before posting? We ferry flight them from Krymsk because I refuse to fly the abomination that is the S. A model that disgusting should not exist side by side Su-27's and MiG-29A's Also UAE doesn't recognize Israel as a state, but they fly side by side on blue flag lol. I know liveries are the last of the problems, but not being able to fly the updated MiG-29 model is upsetting, and so is still flying Finnish MiG-21's 9 rounds into blue flag.

I find it funny that Red (Russia) gets France mirage, while Blue (USA/Nato) gets UAE mirage. UAE Mirages flying side by side with Israel F-15 lol MiG-21 skins still finland for some reason? MiG-29's still all S's with only two bases having A.

How long until blue team gets this? :lol::lol:

The MiG-29 is also capable of the famous mach 1.5 9G spiral towards the enemy that avoids 99% of missiles.

MiG-29A flyable? If no R-77, I'd rather fly MiG-29A. It is much prettier :)

Our Migs were beating Eagles with 2 R-27R's I'm not worried.

Anything is better than nothing. As long as i can fly mig i will be happy :)

F-15 vs MiG-29 is no contest? I wouldn't be so sure.