DCS : Strait of Taiwan

[tugais]

Hello guys,

 

I wanted for some time now to share my interest for this region located in East Asia and build a case about its relevance in our sim. First of all, let's present Taiwan.

 

GEOGRAPHY

Taiwan measures 35,808 square kilometres (13,826 sq mi) and lying some 180 kilometres (112 mi) across the Taiwan Strait from the southeastern coast of mainland China. The East China Sea lies to its north, the Philippine Sea to its east, the Luzon Strait directly to its south and the South China Sea to its southwest.

 

The main island is a tilted fault block, characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirds, consisting mostly of five rugged mountain ranges parallel to the east coast, and the flat to gently rolling plains of the western third, where the majority of Taiwan's population reside.

 

There are several peaks over 3,500 m, the highest being Yu Shan at 3,952 m (12,966 ft), making Taiwan the world's fourth-highest island. The eastern mountains are heavily forested and home to a diverse range of wildlife, while land use in the western and northern lowlands is intensive.

 

My proposition of a DCS : Strait of Taiwan map. The area covers 220.000 square kilometres, that slightly more than the actual 200.000 square kilometres of DCS : Persian Gulf. The blue dots accross the map are actual PLAAF (People Liberation Army Air Force) and ROCAF (Republic of China Air Force) Air Bases.

 

 

 

 

The island of Taiwan offers a great topography that can be seen in these photos :

 

GEOPOLITICAL BACKGROUND

The ROC was set up in Taiwan when Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek and his army fled there in 1949 after his government was defeated by the communists on the mainland. The United States eventually withdrew its recognition of the ROC government on Taiwan (as did most countries) when it recognized the People’s Republic of China in 1979.

However, Washington also signed the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act that called for the island’s future to be determined “by peaceful means” and promised to provide Taipei with defensive weapons

 

Ever since 1979, the ROC has existed in a sort of gray zone. Beijing and Taiwan eventually adopted a fuzzy formula, known as the 1992 consensus, in which each side claimed to be the legitimate government of one China.

 

That consensus eroded over time. Beijing redefined it as “one China, two systems,” meaning Taiwan could maintain its democratic system but under Beijing’s overlordship.

 

MILITARY BACKGROUND

China, as part of its continued military expansion, has deployed missiles along the Taiwan Strait and periodically conducts drills near the island. It has sent bombers, fighter jets, and its aircraft carrier over and around the strait as shows of force. According to a 2018 U.S. Department of Defense report, China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army, has “continued to develop and deploy increasingly advanced military capabilities intended to coerce Taiwan, signal Chinese resolve, and gradually improve capabilities for an invasion.”

 

In response, Taiwan continues to purchase weapons, primarily from the United States. Between 1979 and 2018, Taiwan ranked as the ninth largest recipient of arms globally. During the same period, the United States supplied more than three-quarters of Taiwan’s imported weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s arms transfers database.

 

DIGITAL COMBAT SIMULATOR RELEVANCE

Considering all the informations above, the DCS : Strait of Taiwan map would offer a very interesting and challenging environment to DCS players. Players would be able to use a wide variety of aircrafts that would easily find their place in this contested area. Taiwan's ROCAF actually has in its inventory F-5s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s and a massive amount of US hardware. China's PLAAF could use the J-11, the JF-17 and a lot of Russian hardware that has been localized by China Su-33/J-15, MiG-21/J-7, MiG-19/J-6 and the ever expending China Asset Pack.

 

This map would offer various types of operations :

• Carrier Operations
• Amphibious warfare
• High intensity engagements over the plains of the west coast
• Guerrilla warfare in the eastern mountainous jungles

 

Last but not least, this map would be perfect for tourism with gorgeous vistas.

---

I do realize this map would be a major endeavour for any developper. Aside any political concerns, I truly believe DCS : Strait of Taiwan would be a fantastic choice for any developper. It would be a welcome change of pace with the latest productions mainly based in a desert area (Nevada, Persian Gulf, Syria). Thank you to anyone who read this post and support the idea.

 

Sources used for the redaction of this topic :

• Wikipedia
• FlickR
• The Philadelphia Enquirer
• Council on Foreign Relation

 

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by tugais
Formating

[Baco]

Definately it would be a gorgeous, and very relevant map.

 

And if you take away the skycrapers, you can do plenty of what if´s from the 50´s on...

[Bephott]

I would play it as if it was Vietnam :)

[Lenux]

This scenery / map / would be AMAZING

[TLTeo]

This would be great, and it would fit the older modules as well. ROCAF Sabres fought plenty of dogfights against PLAAF Mig15/17s in the late 50s for example.

[Spudknocker]

I would 100% agree that this map would be both breath taking visually, AND completely and totally relevant to the aircraft and hardware present in DCS both past and present!

[tintifaxl]

Would love to see this and I think it could pull many Chinese players towards DCS.

[cordite]

Hello guys,

 

...

My proposition of a DCS : Strait of Taiwan map. The area covers 220.000 square kilometres, that slightly more than the actual 200.000 square kilometres of DCS : Persian Gulf. The blue dots accross the map are actual PLAAF (People Liberation Army Air Force) and ROCAF (Republic of China Air Force) Air Bases.

 

 

 

 

Links are broken. Could you please re-upload the theoretical map?

[Zius]

Great idea! Instant buy for me! :thumbup:

[Svsmokey]

Very thoughtful and compelling OP .

[Northstar98]

+1 Awesome map proposal

[Harlikwin]

I would 100% agree that this map would be both breath taking visually, AND completely and totally relevant to the aircraft and hardware present in DCS both past and present!

 

Yup. The main issue I think would be picking a "date" for the map, what the cities in Taiwan/Taipei looked like in the 50's are rather different than the 2000's. Korea has the same "problem". Same for China or what parts that one decides to model.

[Gierasimov]

Such and effort went into your post that at a first glance in thought you were a third party making this map.

C'mon, tell us that you are!

Nice one.

Instant buy for me.

[Tengu]

Wow. I love this idea and what a thorough case for it! +1

 

The proximity of the mainland also allows more feasible red / blue areas. I like the South Atlantic project, but would I actually fly from Rio Grande to Port Stanley and back if I'm going to the office the next morning?

 

In a modern (2000s) incarnation, is this possible from a performance viewpoint? An honest question on my part. There's plenty of water yes, but also tons of trees and urban areas. Even more so if you try to grab big chunks of the mainland coast.

[BaD CrC]

That's an excellent suggestion. I wish there were more 3rd parties for map development so we have a chance to see something like this soon.

This region is certainly is really hot spot for the 21st century and the Taiwan island is certainly an awesome place for Chopper ops as far as I am concerned.

Also, after watching those pictures, I want to go to Taiwan now.

[Harlikwin]

That's an excellent suggestion. I wish there were more 3rd parties for map development so we have a chance to see something like this soon.

This region is certainly is really hot spot for the 21st century and the Taiwan island is certainly an awesome place for Chopper ops as far as I am concerned.

Also, after watching those pictures, I want to go to Taiwan now.

 

 

Its funny, I've thought the same thing after flying around the PG and Caucus. Maybe DCS could get new maps sponsored by tourism bureaus.

[Holton181]

Maybe DCS could get new maps sponsored by tourism bureaus.

I believe they already have. Just look at the Las Vegas and Dubai ma... sorry, Nevada and Persian Gulf maps. Where have they seemingly put most resources during development? On what locations are the marketing of those maps fokused on? When it comes to PG, is it really the area (and timeframe) where most action in the region have taken place? not a bit more to the NW may be? Added to that, both cities are well-known for extraordinary and creative ways of promoting themselves.

 

With that (conspiracy-ish) said, Taiwan map would be very welcome indeed.

[tugais]

Links are broken. Could you please re-upload the theoretical map?

 

Sorry I didn't realize I was unsubscribed from this thread and didn't noticed the attachments went broken. I made a new map from Google Maps, this is more or less the surface I submitted in my original post. The blue dots are the respective PLAAF and ROCAF airbases.

 

 

Firt post updated with this map.

[cordite]

Merci beaucoup.

[Stratos]

Kinmen island saw combat between the two forces, is ROC territory and a MUST have on a strait map.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Guningtou

 

[Miles Vorkosigan]

I did a solo bicycle tour around Taiwan in November, it would certainly be a perfect setting for a DCS map.

 

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[carss]

Yes, would buy 100% and it may even be in development as we speak

[Blitz]

If somebody would build it, it would be my favorite map in DCS by far.

[hairbear29]

Great post well thought out and explained

[Baco]

In all honesty I would love this map, Maybe it can be done with detailed area only on the coast of the continent. Then again the amount of Objects on the Island is Huge...

 

Maybe two half maps...

 

But the tehater is very intriguin, and grate for any decade "what if"...

Edited July 25, 2020 by Baco