AH64D

The first campaign is pretty awesome yet difficult. I tried to do my due dillegnece and understand my systems. But facing 5 Migs is a challenge. I saw some youtube videos. But I still get wasted. I was successful once but then, crashed into the aircraft carrier..hahah. But my wing men sorrt of won the mission, or destroyed the enemy. I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to approach this battle. I saw some youtubes and one guy didn't even assign a waypoint kept a low alltitude, and just locked on with his missiles. Using that EW radar. Didn't even mess around with the FCS A/A computer, meaning range and azimuth. He did use UFC to make that line (I forget what its called) in the HSI at 74 degress I think. I need to watch that again. But he struggled in the battle as well. It wasn't like TOP GUN or anything. Dude barely made it. Should I just stay in RWS mode? Or can I use TWS. Should I just stick with the AIm 9X and try and lock on automatically? Or see if I can do BVR with an AMMRAM 120. When I try BVR, I and go right for my target, they get the missile off first and I die. I don't even get a missile warning. Am I missing something in regard to a missile warning coming at me, it happens so fast. No time for EWS, or chaffs and flares. I guess my basic questions is, on first approach to the East where the enemy is, should I try and use BVR at a high altitude, like 20,000 feet, or a low altitude, at adround 5000. Obviously when I get close use Short Range, AIM 9X. But thats when things get harry. Or is the mission heavily based on commanding your wing men to do most of the work for you? So you can get a kill or two but don't take them all on. And why do I get no missile lock warning. Oh thats important point I remember, The dude on youtube never used his TDC, to slew and lock a target. So I am wondering, is doing that not really the way to do this, or is just preference? He never used it and I thought that was a key compnent in dog fighting. It seemed like he just realied on ACM modes. It is stessfult to keep locking these targets. With the 9X AIM caging I can lock these target fire the missile disengage the re-engage..its has not worked out so far. One of the MIGS eventually get me at such close ranges. Another interesting this is, when I set up a little scenerio in the mission editor for an A/A mission it is really easy. But the campaign is hard. I tried different Migs and Mirage 2000's they either disapear off the map, or I kill them esily with no offense really. So I thought I was ready for a dog fight. But the capaign made me realize I have no idea what I am doing. Basically what are just a few tips to keep in mind on this battle? Thanks!

Been doing bombing runs all night in CCIP mode...I got one! Blew that fool away with an Mk-84...man this is hard. I keep missing the tanks by a ffew feet. But I did it..Man I suck..I keep missing the tanks by like a few feet... I am looking at DCS now..with the sun set and the clouds above...god can you imagine being a figher pilot and see that view in the most powerful weapon on Earth....Being a Fighter pilot is god.

VR reduces the graphics. Plus I hear it is hard to keep that thing on your head for a while. TRACKIR 5 is fine, yeah its expensive, but all jet fighter accessories are. Its an expensive hobby. I was suprised the high fidelity cockpits are $80 bucks, but worth every penny. Hopefully that high prices motivates Eagle Dynamics to make more. At least the A-10C is only $60, probably due to the upgrade. But the cocpits are so awesome, the level of detail is amazing. I wish I could work for ED, I want to know how to make this stuff. I wonder if Eagle Dynamics has some contract with the military. To know how to model all these systems. I mean, they can't just be Googling this stuff. I would love to see how its done. Whats funny, is we have all these schools right, how to program, how to 3D model. But there is no school in the world that teaches you the basics of making a fighter sim. I know C++ and Maya, 3D studio MAX, UNREAL ENGINE and all that jazz. But there is notihng out there, that shows you how this stuff is made. I would like to model a HUD..I have no idea where to start. Eagle Dynamics is very special. I thank them very much for their amazing work. I was Told C++/QT is a possible way to model a HUD. But I still have not gotten into that lately. Just doing Maya, C++ and Python. But apparently, the cool HUD on a Mercdes Benz is made with QT and stuff like that. I think the UNREAL ENGINE has a HUD framework. But I am doing so much stuff, I haven't looked into yet. If I was to model a HUD in Maya, how do I make that green text and symbols animate on the glass? I have no idea. I wish I new this dark secret. Its serious magic...and the real world oh man! How did the aerospace engineers do that? So amazing. Or even a TWS/RWS radar MFD, where you can slew around and lock a target...how...how is this done. So insanely awesome. Or when go into A/G mode and the Radar comes up. And the B-Scope is scanning. So they modeled a 3D world, and somehow, the MFD they modeled and programmed can scan that 3D world...I dunno maybe I am dumb, I have no idea how you do this. How do you make a radar? That can scan the 3D world under you? Its just magic basically. Heh... But then again, I am trying to get my math skills up. Like go into mathematician mode. I study a lot of math, but have a long way to go before I get into the advanced stuff. Maybe a solid understanding of mathematics would make this challenge easier to understand and program. Who knows my little brain can't handle it. I tried to Google how a HUD works, nothing really. That little nub in front of the HUD is a projector I guess. And it splashes the HUD with all that information. I mean think about that for a seocnd, how the hell does that work? I wonder how many wires are in that thing, for an I/O perspective. You switch a mode and it displays and animates all of it on there. If the information was classified, meaning I cannot Google this stuff, then how does companies like Eagle Dynamics know how to simulate it? I dunno, I think about this a lot. I am sure most people don't even care. But it blows my mind. I so wish I could get an insight on how this is done. Reall or simulated. Google all you want, the information is simply not on the internet. Interestingly, I wonder if there is an algorithm that does this. Probably developed by Boeing, or some aerospace corporation. Probably written in ADA or C++. So like: #include <HUD> speed = HUD.Speed(); haha...something like this. Its basically the Dark arts. Like C++ Template meta programming...very dark. Heh. I also have wondered what CPU's and chips are in a modern jet fighter...I doubt Intel. Who makes that mystery hardware? Are the circuit boards green? Or do they look like an ASUS gaming motherboard? Who makes that stuff? What do those computer chips do? Jet Fighters are so Mysteries. I basically think about jet fighters all day long so you have to forgive me. I want to know everything about them. It is the greatest thing man has ever made. In my opinion. When I fly my F/A-18C its the only happiness I get. When I see a jet fighter I feel happy. Everything else aint so great. My dream in life was to be a USAF Fighter pilot. And that didn't happen obviously...it hurts. Best youtube on the internet Second BEst TOP GUN FOX 3...WHOOOSH Splash my bandit!! And common guys, I wanted to know about the Ah-64D Longbow Attack helicopter update from ED. You see that I am a junior member with the name AH64D, so I am obviously not ED. As fighter pilots I would think your attention to detail would be a little more perseptive. I keep my posts in the F/A-18C sector, as this is an expensive cockpit, and I figure all of us know what is going on. I don't want to make ED mad, by posting randomly. I figure this is this is my home. Until I get the A-10C and the F-16 Viper. But probably just stick around here. We are F/A-18C fighter pilots so let us chill at home. Fighter pilots are the most ELITE men in the world. That is the truth. They are the most smart men who ever lived. And yes the aerospace engineers who made the modern jet fighter possible are heroes as well. Best Mathematicians in the world. The whole team, from fighter pilot to engineer, is absolutely amazing. True power. Straight up bad assess. The Attack Helicopter pilot...is amazing as well. And the very rare B2 Stealth Bomber pilots. These are the best of the best in the world. The TOP ELITE. Fighter pilots command $100 million dollar weapons platforms, munitions are in the range of millions of dollars (missiles/bombs). So Fighter pilots have no money concerns. What ever they want they get. Fighter Pilot = GOD.

Well is there an AH64D Longbow thread? So we can get updates. I want to know the progress, and when it might come out. I was told its in production, but when can we expect it? I only post here because the F/A-18C is my home. Its all I got. Being in the cockpit is the only thing that makes me happy. I wish I had losts of money so I could buy the TRACKIR5 and the A-10C, F-16 Viper.

I have said this before, but I hope Eagle Dynamics considers making the F-4 Phantom II. Its a crude fighter jet, but a veitnam era setting would be pretty awesome. The F4 was bad ass. I love that Fighter plane. I have a Squadrons/Signal orignal book on it. For classic plastic modeling. Its so awsesome, I got one on the F/A-18 as well.

You have 64GB of G.Skill damn..I got 32GB of G.Skill..i7 CPU and a GXT 1080 Ti. I want the RTX3090 24GB of RAM. The i9 Intel CPU must be nice. Its expesive. My 32 GB of ram kit costed my $700 dollars back in the day. Its cheaper now. I need a new gaming rig. The one I have now is good for my 3D modeling. And plays games on full settings. Well, not DCS I just go with the degfault graphics seetings on high. I don't want to blow up my GPU. DCS is intense.

I just keep my posts, in the F/A-18C. As that is my current cockpit. But yeah we are all so excited, we want the AH-64D Lonbow! Man its gonna be so awesome! There is no threads for the AH-64D so I figured just to keep it here. We spent $80 bucks on this awesome cockpit, so I figured, memebers here are in the loop. Go Eagle Dynamics!!!!

When can we expect this to come out? I know its in production, but does anyone know when it will launch? Sometime in 2021? I really want this. I can hardly wait. My only two dreams in life was to be either a fighter pilot or an AH64D Longbow Apache Attack Helciopter pilot. I want this cockpit so bad. I hope it comes out soon. I am mastering the F/A-18C, though I go into a CCIP bombing run with Mk82's and Mk84. I keep missing the damn tanks buy a few feet. Man its hard. Auto or CCRP is easier, but I want to be good at CCIP. The Mavericks are awesome, just lock the target and KABOOM. Greatest feeling in the world. But a CCIP kill is pretty amazing. I am holding off on getting the A-10C until I master the F/A-18C. But if the AH-64D Longbow comes out, I buy that instantly. God I love that attack helicopter. The AH-1 Cobra would be awesome as well. Happy flying! Love DCS.

Interstingly, the B2 Stealth bombers whole design is basically to "End the world." Two B2 stealth bombers could create nuclear winter. They were never used in this respect. The USAF has all the ICBM's like other countries. But, the USAF would seem to be the sleeping giant. A B2 Stealth bomber cost about $2 billion dollars to make. That bad boy was never used really. They even have armed soldiers to guard them at all times. the B2 Bomber Stealth is a doomsday device. Though submarines are highly deadly as well. And you know, you could just fire ICBM's as well and just end the human race.

Well, I think the MFD radar page for a nuclear weapon is TOP SECRET information. Like when you use a Mavrick, it has a specific SOI on the MFD. Or in otherwords, the terminology on the MFD would be, nothing we have ever seen. I don't think it would be as simple as dropping a bomb, like the MK84, in CCIP mode. It would probably have codes...and other weirdness. But all and all I think the comminuty would like to see tactical nuclear weapons in the DCS world. But the reason why its not possible, it is TOP secret unaccesible information, so it cannot be modeled correctly. So whats the point? My point is, missiles have specific terminology in the HUD/MFD/DDI etc. I am pretty sure a nuclear weapon has very specific information on it and how the targeting computer represents that type of munition, on your MFD or targeting radar. Plus, if the DoD found out DCS has accurate information on this, that would probably be a serious problem. Or any nuclear capable country in that respect. It is just not possible. The things a real F-18 Fighter pilot sees regarding tactical nuclear weapons, is not for the public to know. Or any military aricraft capable of this. They should have never modeled that stupid switch..it drives us nuts. Because you know you want to drop a Nuke in DCS. America is the only country who ever did it in war. Russia drops nukes all the time, it is their pass time. Like American baseball. HAHA. But, can you imagine how bizzare it would be to see a DDI page for a nuclear weapon? I am sure it is weird. Not like regualr AA or AG weapon. I am sure it is very intense. Especially for the pilot.

I wonder if this is the reason the B2 Stealth bomber will never be available. Or even the F-117 Nighthawk. I am just assuming we won't see high fidelity cockpits for these arcraft. As if I understand correctly the B2 role is highly nuclear. I could be wrong, but the B2 Stealth wasn't used very much. Its just to dangerous. Apprently the F-117 was a nightmare to maintain. I read it litterally just fell apart. But I have not done much research on these planes.

Welp that pretty much concludes why; regardless if its for ethical resons or technical. But as Bunny Clark mentioned, this stuff is highly classified. So there is no way to model the targeting systems in the MFD/HUD and all that jazz correctly. And then yeah, modifying the game engine, to account for a mushroom cloud explosion. Not sure if the B57 and B61 nuclear weapons would produce an ICBM kind of effect though. That makes the most sense as to why this simply cannot be impemented. If it is not realistic then that kinda defeats the point of DCS. This isn't Lock On 7..haha.

Seems this subject is not popular, won't mention it again. I just saw a youtube describing it, so I got curious.

I learned in the back left of the cockpit there is a little silver switch, it arms nuclear tactical weapons. Right now the Hornet cannot equip these, but the switch is functional. In the future will we ever get the ability to use Tactical Nuclear Weapons? Which raises another question; can any plane in DCS drop nukes?

Thanks for that tip Buzz. I don't mind spending a few extra bucks to get it right. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Alex O'Kean option is always available in the Scripts\Aircrafts\_Common\Cockpit\clickable_common.lua just set use_click_and_pan_mode = true What does this do exactly? Make the HAt more like mouse control?

Yeah from what I am reading, seems like I just need to buy the TrackIR5. I want it anyway, just don't really have the money. But all get it. I am still in training, I have a ways to go before I become a fighter pilot in DCS. But I am not intersted in make shift DIY weirdenss. I guess all just use my controls the best I can. But I am glad to hear the TRACKIR5 is awesome. I look forward to buying it eventually. Thanks for all the replies! Love DCS Cheers.

VR reduces the gaphics signficalantly corect? VR sounded cool, but I read the graphics are not very good. Like even if you have a very powerful graphics card, its all pointless as it gets reduced to a cheap graphics card. I am not down with with that. I know a little off topic. But still curious.

That is very cool. I am sure Eagle Dynamics is working hard to make a very special Ah-64D product. Very cool, I can't wait.

Awesome! That is great news. I just hope its the $80 dollar high fidelity cokpit. The $15 dollar cockpits are cool if your not serious about DCS. But I bought the A-10A, I won't do that again. I only want the good stuff. The F-18C is so awesome, it was worth every penny. It makes me so happy.

Will this cockpit ever be made? I love the AH64D Longbow Attack Helicopter (hence my handle) Well if it is developed all buy it. That would be awesome. Be so cool, if the campain was in the Middle East. And fly in the Longbow over the hell scape deserts. The A-10A is kinda like that, but I got the F-18C now. Probably wont fly that old junk again. But I plan on getting the A-10C and the F-16 Viper. I am actually surprised the AH-64D Longbow was not developed by now. I think a lot of people would appreciate that product. I know I do. I want it really bad. Hopefully Eagle Dynamics makes it happen. If not, maybe I can do it, in like a few years. But it has to happen.

Oh thats cool you have the TrackIR, how is it? I mean is it worth the $160 bucks? I figure its the best solution to this problem. Interesting you prefer the trim control, or your just using a hat switch to look around. I don't quite follow your solution. Thanks for the reply, all advice helps.

Looking around the cockpit is pretty important. If you don't have TrackIR 5, then what is a common technique to make the best of looking around? With the F-18C you need to hit L-ALT C to look around, then go back to cockpit interactivity. I know I can use my HOTAS to look around with a HAT button, but that isn't that great. Unless the simple solution is to just practice at it. But it still feels weird, or unatural. And also, if you do have mouse control, it is prety hard to fly and use the mouse to look around at the same time, so there is that catch-22. Is there any tips or techniques people use to look around the cockpit with ease to simulate a TrackIR 5 kind of thing? The mouse is the best solution, but switching between interactivy mode and look mode on the mouse seems not the best way. Unless it is the only way, I don't know. I could have a button on my HOTAS that switches between the two modes and use the nipple on the X-52 (my training HOTAS, eventually all use my TM Warthog). If there is slick and clever way to do this? Or simply what is the best setup, without a fancy TrackIR 5 device? Thanks!

I am sure this is fine, but I wanted to reach out to make sure this is actually normal. I read on the internet from multiple sources, that a graphics card like mine running at 99% is normal and is functioning properly. It is just "doing its job" and running the game correcty. But when I play a game like Destiny 2, my GPU is only running between 65 and 70%. But just for piece of mind is this really normal for DCS? I am aware DCS is probably more intense than games like D2 or something like that. But just incase if this is not normal, please let me know. I run on high default settings and DCS runs like a dream, its perfect. So I imagine everything is ok. I just go into task manager and I got a red symbol blinking "high power usage" Or in otherwords when you run DCS, with a fairly good graphics card like mine, is it the same thing? At high default settings? I keep my posts in the F-18C sector as that is my current cockpit for now. Thank you.

Thanks for the reply. Yes I was refering to the DDI colors. I was curious about the modders intentions. Meaning if the colors were just made up, or if it was realisitc in some sense.