First Campaign Recommendations

[Gambit21]

24 minutes ago, unlikely_spider said:

Fwiw it's mostly pictures

I think a lot of it is the expected routes of ground forces and such which you can likely ignore
(I take no responsibility for friendly fire casualties)

Exactly.

 

From what I can see, your task is simple. No need to watch the hour long video dburne - that wasn't the point.

In fact I'd avoid it. Point is, from what I can see...it's a WWII fighter mission.

 

 

 

 

[Reflected]

Chronologically it would be 

1) Beware Beware

2) The Big Show

3) Epsom

Each one ends when the next one begins, so you can play through half of WW2.

But difficulty wise it's the other way around. Beware Beware is set in 1942-43 when the allied did not have air superiority over Europe. After the D-day landings, the situation was very different already and the main threat in Epsom is ground fire. (even though you'll meet a few E/A)

Epsom is not difficult, you need to fly the patrol route, and  look for targets of opportunity, or hit your primary target. I really enjoy its dynamic nature. You may spot that column of trucks, or you may not, next time you'll spot a troop concentration or tanks, it's always a bit different - I mean the units are in the same place, but there's no guarantee as to which one you'll notice. And the environment is so alive, you feel you're really there, and even landing after shooting up a single truck feels very rewarding.
 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Reflected

[DD_Fenrir]

On 1/7/2023 at 4:41 AM, mattj96 said:

The Spitfire is a really tough one to land and take off in, coming from the Mustang it took me a while to figure it out. I don't know why the brits designed that tailwheel like that. 

Because in real life, it's not as massive a deal as it is in in sim, as you get far more feedback via the butt cheeks as to what the airframe is doing directionally when on the ground, and whilst it takes getting used to, most pilots had gradually worked their way up to the Spitfire via training aircraft which had exactly the same mechanic. By the time you got to the Spit you would already have had a great deal of experience dealing with castoring tailwheel behaviour on lighter, less powerful types and the step-up would not have been so steep. 

In contrast most neophyte DCS Spit flyers have had little to no experience of accurate tailwheel behaviour and the learning curve is steep.

Furthermore, in a period context, most tailwheel aircraft were exactly the same. Bf 109, Mosquito, Hurricane all had castoring tail wheel.

Steerable tailwheels require linkages to the rudder control system = more weight = less climb rate.

What if you want to do spot turns? You then have to have a system that can disconnect that linkage system when required, then re-engage when not = more weight = less climb rate.

Spitfire is an interceptor. Guess what's important in an interceptor...

Edited February 15, 2023 by DD_Fenrir

[dburne]

2 hours ago, Reflected said:

Chronologically it would be 

1) Beware Beware

2) The Big Show

3) Epsom

Each one ends when the next one begins, so you can play through half of WW2.

But difficulty wise it's the other way around. Beware Beware is set in 1942-43 when the allied did not have air superiority over Europe. After the D-day landings, the situation was very different already and the main threat in Epsom is ground fire. (even though you'll meet a few E/A)

Epsom is not difficult, you need to fly the patrol route, and  look for targets of opportunity, or hit your primary target. I really enjoy its dynamic nature. You may spot that column of trucks, or you may not, next time you'll spot a troop concentration or tanks, it's always a bit different - I mean the units are in the same place, but there's no guarantee as to which one you'll notice. And the environment is so alive, you feel you're really there, and even landing after shooting up a single truck feels very rewarding.
 

 

 

 

Thanks much for the feedback! Will have a go with it.

[dburne]

Gave the first mission of Epsom a try - whoa going to have to make some big changes in my resolution/graphics settings before I can run this campaign, VR performance with Normandy is really poor. Channel Map was much better with Beware Beware and The Big Show.

[dburne]

Well I gave it as good a shot as I am willing to give. Epsom campaign is a total dog in the performance department. I greatly reduced graphics and resolution to try and get this to run ok for me in VR and it is just a total stutter fest of a mess. Yes I also tried removing extra units with the F10 Other menu and still performance was horrible.  And if I am not mistaken this came out a few years ago when even 4090 GPU's weren't even a thought - and I have one now. 

The Big Show and Beware Beware were much smoother with much greater detail with my gfx settings with the Channel Map. Epsom I will have to virtually shelve, not worth it. That is ok time for me to get back in the Hornet saddle to stay fresh with it as well.

Edited February 17, 2023 by dburne

[imacken]

It's interesting that people have such different experiences.  I haven't tried the Spit campaigns since I got my 4090 a few months ago, but certainly on the 3090, Epsom was fine, but The Big Show was a stutter fest for me, although I'm sure I was runiing it on Normandy.

[dburne]

On 2/17/2023 at 2:54 PM, imacken said:

It's interesting that people have such different experiences.  I haven't tried the Spit campaigns since I got my 4090 a few months ago, but certainly on the 3090, Epsom was fine, but The Big Show was a stutter fest for me, although I'm sure I was runiing it on Normandy.

 

Yeah I am thinking it is more the Normandy Map than anything, that combined with running in VR. I kept lowering resolution and have it somewhat acceptable now however there are still brief moments the fps will plummet into the single digits and an all out stutter fest. Thankfully it only lasts a few moments and then comes back up to 45 fps. Both The Big Show and Beware Beware (both running on Channel Map) ran a consistent 45 fps for the most part with some much higher graphics and resolution settings. Maybe Normandy 2 when it releases will be better.

In the meantime I have three missions under my belt now in Epsom so going to keep trying to play through it best I can. Epsom has been out a while I think and I can only imagine how bad it must have run in VR a couple of years or so ago.

[imacken]

Don, I'm pretty confused by your experience. The Channel map is so much more demanding than Normandy with all the features and high level of detail.

I just re-tried the first missions, and in The Big Show on Normandy I am getting 80-90fps (8-9ms) all the way through.  Same with Epsom on Normandy. In The Big Show on the Channel map, I was getting 10-12ms which pushed me down to 45fps solid all the way through.

That is on my Vive Pro 2 at 3042x3042 res and pretty high DCS VR settings.

[dburne]

On 2/19/2023 at 12:29 PM, imacken said:

Don, I'm pretty confused by your experience. The Channel map is so much more demanding than Normandy with all the features and high level of detail.

I just re-tried the first missions, and in The Big Show on Normandy I am getting 80-90fps (8-9ms) all the way through.  Same with Epsom on Normandy. In The Big Show on the Channel map, I was getting 10-12ms which pushed me down to 45fps solid all the way through.

That is on my Vive Pro 2 at 3042x3042 res and pretty high DCS VR settings.

 

Sounds like you and I have very different experiences on these maps in VR. I had very little trouble running 45 fps in my Aero on the Channel Map, major issues trying to do it on the Normandy map. I also had always heard the Normandy Map was brutal in VR...

Can't explain why, but that is the case on my end.

[imacken]

Interesting. The Normandy map should be a breeze. 

Are you still running the i9900K in your sign?  Maybe look at upgrading that?  It's 4 gens and 4-5 years old now.  Might help with a few things in DCS.

[dburne]

18 minutes ago, imacken said:

Interesting. The Normandy map should be a breeze. 

Are you still running the i9900K in your sign?  Maybe look at upgrading that?  It's 4 gens and 4-5 years old now.  Might help with a few things in DCS.

 

Yep still running it at 5.1 Ghz on all cores and a 4090 GPU which really helped in DCS. I have upgrade plans for around turn of the year. No desire to any sooner. I am fine as long as I limit my Normandy exposure lol. Could have sworn I have seen others with the same complaint over the last while but I could be wrong.  I put this 9900k z390 system together in Jan of 2019.

[mattj96]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:27 AM, DD_Fenrir said:

Because in real life, it's not as massive a deal as it is in in sim, as you get far more feedback via the butt cheeks as to what the airframe is doing directionally when on the ground, and whilst it takes getting used to, most pilots had gradually worked their way up to the Spitfire via training aircraft which had exactly the same mechanic. By the time you got to the Spit you would already have had a great deal of experience dealing with castoring tailwheel behaviour on lighter, less powerful types and the step-up would not have been so steep. 

In contrast most neophyte DCS Spit flyers have had little to no experience of accurate tailwheel behaviour and the learning curve is steep.

Furthermore, in a period context, most tailwheel aircraft were exactly the same. Bf 109, Mosquito, Hurricane all had castoring tail wheel.

Steerable tailwheels require linkages to the rudder control system = more weight = less climb rate.

What if you want to do spot turns? You then have to have a system that can disconnect that linkage system when required, then re-engage when not = more weight = less climb rate.

Spitfire is an interceptor. Guess what's important in an interceptor...

 

Fair enough, your point is well taken. I can imagine it would be easier in real life, especially with a well placed shove by the ground crew guys.

Edited February 23, 2023 by mattj96
spelling

[Chipwich]

On 1/10/2023 at 6:53 AM, dburne said:

Ok thanks guys. Still have not started Big Show but will for sure one day this week. Can't get Vaicom Pro working with the Spit so gonna have to assign some function keys directly in voice attack. Pretty much greasing those landings in now - for the most part anyway lol.

Yeah, as you mentioned, VAICOM doesn't work with the Spitfire.  A nice chap named Baily has made a good VoiceAttack profile for many aircraft, including the Spit.  I mostly just use it for the coms menu, preferring to manage aircraft systems with my HOTAS, but that is there if you need it.