VpR81

I realy doubt he will have a blast, as he is totally new to MP. To get the best experience when starting with MP is to start with a PvE server, as he won´t get killed all the time and will have less frustrating moments and therefore more confidence to learn the MP related stuff (comms, teamwork, tactics). Better would even be private sessions with experienced players, but this is realatively difficult to achieve without knowing some people or joining a virtual wing. Private sessions are definately the most fun of all MP experiences, but as i don´t want to join a wing i´m restricted to RL friends. So public PvE servers are mostly the best way to get into DCS MP. After beeing familiar with the MP specific procedures, i would suggest to start with PvP...

I purchased FC3 and CA in 2014 and have only played the F-15 for a couple of years, but just for fun. Never spent much time with it as i was hardcore simming a popular Falcon, uhm, F-16 sim until DCS came up with the Hornet in 2018. 99% of my DCS time is in the Hornet, while the F-16 was primarily purchased to satisfy my flightsim nostalgia as i fell in love with this beauty when i hit my first F-16 sim in 1998. Now fell in love with the Hornet and the F-16 will propably catch dust in the hangar for a long time...

Steam udates come without delay i think, but i´m not every day online and therefore can´t be 100% sure. But there have been delays in the past. Last time with 2.5.6 wich caused issues on steam installs and therefore had a 4 or 5 day delay. Not sure if you are aware of what´s the reason for beeing on OB for MP. The reason is, that most (but not all) public servers running OB and this is mostly a different DCS version than stable. After stable has been updated you are also able to join OB servers while you are running a stable install, until OB gets the next update. So if you want to play on public servers, an OB install is highly recommended. If you´re focusing on private sessions with just a buddy or a few ppl, OB is not neccessarily needed as long as the other users running a stable install (or OB of the same version as stable) as well. Just wanted to clear out, that MP is not restricted to OB.

I suggest you look for "Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering" by Robert L. Shaw. It´s relative expensive, but said to be the bible on the topic and definately worth the 50 bucks. https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/0870210599/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&language=en_GB&psc=1

If you´re in open beta, DCS is named "DCS: World Steam edition [openbeta]" in your Steam libary. In order to switch to OB, you need to right ckick on DCS, klick on properties, then on "Betas" and choose "openbeta Public beta versions" for v2.5.6 or "openbeta the last 2.5.5" for the last version prior to 2.5.6.

Will this void integrity check?

Harlikwin pointed this well out. There is no need to install all 3 VoIP systems, especially if your only looking into DCS. I´d even say, that the prefered software should be game related. It highly depends on the game you´re playing, wich VoIP system is more common. I use SRS (mostly, sometimes i´m doing my own buisness similar to SP) only for DCS public servers and TS3 for private DCS coop sessions (and the other games i play). I don´t have a discord account and will propably never get one. If you are only interested in DCS online, then SRS is enough to have and discord may be a useful addition, but in no way necessary.

That works for me as well. But only for Cat 1 & 2. Cat 3 & 4 throws me away as soon as i press "U" and my plane crashes into the water. Didn´t test it in SP though, but experienced that on every MP server i joined today...

Absolutely fantastic!

Love how the OP is thinking about the F-14 or the F-16 and almost everyone is suggesting the Hornet. Well, i walk the line. Hornet, definately Hornet. Most versatile jet in DCS imo, excellent dogfighter when flown to it´s strength (AoA authority), lots of different ordonance (literally everything the Navy has to offer) and a hell of a ground pounder also at stand-off. Not finished but very much mission capable and significantly more polished than it´s Air Force cousin.

As someone playing online games since Counterstrike 1.6, i´d say the most important thing is comms. Typing while playing in order to communicate simply sucks, in MMORPG´s as well as in FPS or a flight sim. A solid headset with a decent microphone is mandatory and IMO the only additional hardware you realy need (if you´re not owning one already). As for the software, a common VoIP software is also nice to have if you don´t want to rely on the ingame voice chat. Besides Discord, SRS is very popular among DCS pilots, but you could also use skype if you´re only playing in a 1 on 1 or 2 player coop session. I personally prefer good ol´ Teamspeak 3, but i´m also a dinosaur when it comes to VoIP. All these software is for free, so you can try a few out and then decide wich one you like most. As for Discord, SRS and TS3, you must join a specific server (IP is mostly displayed in server briefing or similar) while with discord and TS3 you can then join different (voice)chat rooms/channels. SRS uses frequencies to set up comms between players. If you have i.e. Overwolf installed (plugin for TS3) you can also cross-comm to other channels/rooms (useful for platoon leadership and comms between squad leaders). Skype is more of a online phone software, setting up a peer to peer connection between 2 (or more) users. Cheers

I´ve read that a couple of times and it makes very much sense, but still there are pc-pilots out there (and i´m one of them) that love to use A/G Radar in various missions and pretty much rely on it. Also i would assume, that A/G(SEA) Radar is used in RL to find targets for the AGM-84 Harpoon in some situations...

Very impressing. This will propably be one of the best DIY pits i´ve ever seen so far.

That´s a good idea. Simple and effective, i realy like it. Thanks for sharing:thumbup:

Wich extension do you use? The VPC 5cm one? I own all of the VPC extensions and only the 7,5cm and the 10cm came with a connector cable. The 20cm had a "built in" cable wich cannot be removed and the 5cm came with a solid connector stick instead of a cable. That´s somehow unlogical. Tighten something by removing screws? Pretty much impossible. The point of removing the screws is, that the twist won´t damage your connectors, not to stop the twist. I have my Hornet grip attached to the VPC 20cm s-type extension and there is a little twist left and right when i try to twist it, like 1mm in each direction. I´m pretty sure this is related to the collar not perfectly fitting the collar nut and therefore the grip has some tiny small space to move. I wouldn´t assume this to be critical, as long as the 2 srews are removed to let the connector move with the grip.

No problem. I´m glad this helped ppl out.

That´s a great pit and a nice setup. Are the TPRs mounted on a slider?

Yes, absolutely. I also have no concerns about mounting additional stuff to it, i.e. a stand for the MFDs.

Grab it if you can, you won´t regret! I´m using the WarBRD base with the Warthog grip on top, soft center aviasim cams and heavy springs installed. With the soft springs this combo is usable, but pretty much flippy floppy. The heavy springs are still much softer than the WH spring, but IMO fit much better to the heavy Warthog grip than the soft ones. cheers

I put the dcs.exe on the whitelist of my AV with the last update before 2.5.6 and now DCS doesen´t even launch with the dcs.exe on the whitelist, getting the message "tried access to a infected file". I hate to say it, but the last update made more things worse than better. FPS drops down to 4-5 FPS while having constantly 50-60fps before (with the same settings), uncounted functions bugged, but this is the absolute top.

Nice drawings btw....

Gratulations. Keep training and you will increase your AAR skills pretty fast. Refueling the Hornet completely for the first time was the hardest task while learning AAR. But as soon as this was achieved, it felt like AAR skills increased faster than before. And yes, wake turb. has been turned on from the beginning. IMO there is no point in learning AAR without wake turb. and then later turn it on and start learning AAR again from a point you already passed. Training AAR is also a good way to train formation flight btw.

Yes, that is normal and they should be at 0% when the throttle is on full burner. The Axis are just displayed in reverse in the Windows game controller settings. My bet is on a displaced magnet, but i´m not an expert...

The aluminium frames used by Monstertech or Foxx Mounts are easy to get and relatively cheap, in each length you want them. Average price is (depending on thickness) 15-35€ per Meter. You could then order just a few single parts from Monstertech (clamp spacer, mounting plates) and DIY, wich will keep costs relatively low while providing the same quality. Just make sure to order the same type of frame as there are different standards (B-type and I-type) and each beeing availabe with a different notch width (6, 8 and 10mm)

So true. Downloading DCS updates with 40mb/sec makes the "you could always switch to standalone" statement ridiculous.