Upcoming Afghanistan map discussion

[shagrat]

Since the Afghanistan map was confirmed to be in the works I was wondering which area will make it into the map.

 

The whole of Afghanistan is fairly large compared to the existing maps and with the 500km square as a guess it can cover some very interesting grounds.

 

So what are your favorite areas and why?

 

Though I am sure they already have a plan I'd like to see what others think and maybe give ED some ideas, just in case there is still room to expand in the one or other direction. ;)

 

What I can see as interesting focal areas is:

 

Nuristan, Kunar, Nangarhar provinces and northwest Pakistani border?

 

Or Helmand, Uruzgan, Kandarhar with the Green Zone and Dasht-e-margo?

 

The area around Kabul, Wardak, Paktia, down to the Paktika and western Pakistan border?

 

And of course the Kunduz, Baglan, Samangan provinces of the North?

 

Herat, Farah and Nimrus at the Iranian border I haven't heard much about, but maybe someone has interesting input on them as well?

 

Cheers,

Shagrat

 

EDIT: to give us an idea of the size compared to the Persian Gulf map, I created this...

 

Edited July 29, 2018 by shagrat

[Baco]

Well I guess most would want the area of operations of current US troops. and the core anti Taliban territories, BUT since TPG would center on a shooting war with Iran, maybe having the border of that country would give more flexibility on mission making, using allied bases on Afghanistan to attack Iran targets...

 

Now if a campaign would focus on the control of Afghanistan then I guess you need kabul there...

[tintifaxl]

I think the area of the map is already decided upon by the devs.

[shagrat]

I think the area of the map is already decided upon by the devs.

Well, that was the case for the Nevada Map,as well, until the constant requests for more airports resulted in additional areas getting some love/detail.

 

I am sure the "area" of the map is already fixed, but I am not so sure the area of detailed terrain vs. low detailed areas.

 

As I said in the first post: we may give the devs some thoughts were to put the area of interest and more details...

[erniedaoage]

I am not really familiar with Afghanistan but my vote would be the most mountainous region with a border and not too modern buildings. Would be nice to have an alternative believable theater for the warbirds, normandy is not mountainous enough for me :)

Edited July 29, 2018 by erniedaoage

[shagrat]

I am not really familiar with Afghanistan but my vote would be the most mountainous region with a border.

That would be east Afghanistan with the Pakistani border, Nuristan, Kunar, Khowst etc. in the northeast with the Hindukush, I guess.

[Coxy_99]

Why not the west side next to Iran, Which a map we nearly have?

[QuiGon]

I vote for East Afghanistan with the high mountains of the Hindukusch and the famous Tora Borah area and Bagram air base of course. But I would also love to get the Kunduz area in northern Afghanistan including Mazar e Sharif or southern Afghanistan with its infamous Helmand and Kandahar provinces and the big Kandahar air base. I'm not really interested in western Afghanistan though.

Edited January 18, 2019 by QuiGon

[71st_AH Rob]

DCS Maps are approx 1800 NM x 800 NM with detailed area around 400 x 400 NM.

 

Afghanistan is slightly smaller than the state of Texas, with a total area of 647,500 sq km (250,001 sq mi), extending 1,240 km (770 mi) NE–SW and 560 km (350 mi) SE–NW. Most of the country can be in the detailed area.

[Jester986]

Having served in Helmand Province I would love to see that area in the detailed portion of the map. It would be interesting to recreate some of the battles I was a part of from the aviation side.

[Stratos]

East Afghanistan, so I can replicate Soviet combats there with my Hind.

[Mr_sukebe]

Be ambitious, all of it.

Always better to start negotiations high

[shagrat]

DCS Maps are approx 1800 NM x 800 NM with detailed area around 400 x 400 NM.

 

Afghanistan is slightly smaller than the state of Texas, with a total area of 647,500 sq km (250,001 sq mi), extending 1,240 km (770 mi) NE–SW and 560 km (350 mi) SE–NW. Most of the country can be in the detailed area.

 

I've added a comparison with the Persian Gulf Map to get an idea about the "detailed" focus area.

 

We need to keep in mind that performance and amount of work seems related to object count and details. The Persian Gulf, as well as the Caucasus has a lot of water surface... :(

[71st_AH Rob]

We need to keep in mind that performance and amount of work seems related to object count and details. The Persian Gulf, as well as the Caucasus has a lot of water surface... :(

 

There may not be any ocean, but most of the country is empty, except for two cities of less than a million with no skyscrapers. Most people in small compounds not complex houses so object count should be comparable with Nevada.

[King Cobra]

I would love to see RC East since I served in the providences there and a lot of fighting takes place in that command AO. The Soviets had a number of major battle in the area with Kherwar in Logar where the Soviets lost a Division I believe and the are was named the Bowl of Death then the US made a COP out there about a Km away from the Soviet post where they were ambushed and overran. You also got FOB Shank and Altimor that are about a km away from each other, Tangi Valley, Korengal Valley both areas would make flying and support missions more complex and give Rotor guys OP and COP that may need medvac or supplies with steep ledges on the sides of ridglines that would add a hard job to land close enough to unload and load cargo maybe even having to hover with just one skid down... Either way I am glad it is being added and hope it is in the eastern part where majority of the fighting took place. :thumbup:

[shagrat]

There may not be any ocean, but most of the country is empty, except for two cities of less than a million with no skyscrapers. Most people in small compounds not complex houses so object count should be comparable with Nevada.

Much more trees in the Mountains, vegetation in the Green Zone, plus the "deserted regions" aren't exactly empty...

If they can get a good performance over all of Afghanistan and the Pakistani border regions down to Quetta and southern Helmand/Pakistan border, fine with me.

 

Just in case it isn't that simple, I would love them to focus the details on south and southeast Afghanistan (Helmand, Kandahar and the regions at the eastern border to Pakistan). If they need to make a decision I personally could live without a detailed north and west...

 

But that's just my preference and the reason I started this thread. To give ED some ideas...

[Stratos]

I hope they include at least one Pakistani Air force airbase so we can use the JF-17 from there.

[shagrat]

I hope they include at least one Pakistani Air force airbase so we can use the JF-17 from there.

Very good point. Opens up a lot of options.

[twistking]

i'm not familiar with the details of afghani topography, but i would prefer a part with great diversity in landscape:

this would mean a map covering mountain ranges, greenzones, arid areas and a major city... idk if all that would fit into a dcs sized map though;)

[shagrat]

i'm not familiar with the details of afghani topography, but i would prefer a part with great diversity in landscape:

this would mean a map covering mountain ranges, greenzones, arid areas and a major city... idk if all that would fit into a dcs sized map though;)

"Major" city is difficult, as the most major cities are likely Kabul and Kandahar. South and East Afghanistan would have a considerable variety, from Desert (Dasht-e-margo), the Helmand valley (green zone along the riverbed) over Kabul, Kandahar and arid harsh lands to the mountains of the Hindukush and the Pakistani border in the east.

[Rogue Trooper]

This is a difficult poll.

 

For the first time in DCS, maps merge.

Is it even possible to set up a mission the starts on the Afghanistan map and allows penetration into the Persian gulf map (Iran)?

A multimap mission!

A true invasion!

From this point of view the Iran and Afghan border must be included!

 

From a chopper simmer point of view the punishing mountains north/North east of Kabul look spectacular.

These mountains will school us chopper boys hot, high and hard when it comes to flying our choppers.

 

We need it all really!

[shagrat]

This is a difficult poll.

 

For the first time in DCS, maps merge.

Is it even possible to set up a mission the starts on the Afghanistan map and allows penetration into the Persian gulf map (Iran)?

A multimap mission!

A true invasion!

From this point of view the Iran and Afghan border must be included!

 

From a chopper simmer point of view the punishing mountains north/North east of Kabul look spectacular.

These mountains will school us chopper boys hot, high and hard when it comes to flying our choppers.

 

We need it all really!

Two comments.

 

One the current implementation of maps is one map per mission a merge or transit between maps is not supported, yet.

 

Two hot and high in Afghanistan's higher mountains, basically teaches you to ground the Huey, don't load weapons and too much fuel on the other Choppers currently... So careful, what you wish for. Even the south is challenging...

[Holton181]

One the current implementation of maps is one map per mission a merge or transit between maps is not supported, yet.

But if we could have several maps for single campaigns, it would be quite nice. Good results in one mission/map would transit you to the next taking place on another map. With the campaigns being just collections of individual missions, wouldn't this be possible already? Like some preparing missions on the NTTR with later deployment taking place on PG, all within the same campaign?

[shagrat]

But if we could have several maps for single campaigns, it would be quite nice. Good results in one mission/map would transit you to the next taking place on another map. With the campaigns being just collections of individual missions, wouldn't this be possible already? Like some preparing missions on the NTTR with later deployment taking place on PG, all within the same campaign?

That should already be possible, campaigns is a sequence of missions. The MIZ file hold the info about required maps/Mods/addons.

[Lt.Seahawk]

Since Ive been there multiple times Id love to see the northeast as well as the southeast.