Best HOTAS stick for DCS F-14?

[hobbes57]

Hi,

for years I've been flying a (center, desk mounted) Thrustmaster Warthog an I'm generally pretty happy with it. However, I notice the 'hard' center of the stick more and more these days, especially during F-14 refuelings and landings.

Do you have any recommendations for a better and smoother experience? If possible, I'd like to keep my Warthog Throttle and Joystick base with my existing desk mount. But maybe a stick that has a "lighter" touch?

Thanks!

[Elphaba]

Virpil CM2 or 3, or WinWing Orion 2 but I'd go with Virpil as you can use your Warthog stick top. The finesse you gain from losing that hard centre stop and constant pressure spring is incredible. 

[Dannyvandelft]

Best stick for the Tomcat is a Tomcat stick. I use the VKB gunfighter III with 100mm extension and their Tomcat stick. Worth every penny.

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[Wingmate]

I'll say the VKB Gunfighter Mk III with the Tomcat grip is excellent with the 200mm extension as well.

[MAXsenna]

Hi,
for years I've been flying a (center, desk mounted) Thrustmaster Warthog an I'm generally pretty happy with it. However, I notice the 'hard' center of the stick more and more these days, especially during F-14 refuelings and landings.
Do you have any recommendations for a better and smoother experience? If possible, I'd like to keep my Warthog Throttle and Joystick base with my existing desk mount. But maybe a stick that has a "lighter" touch?
Thanks!

The default spring in the Warthog is too stiff, but can easily be replaced.

https://warthog-extensions-by-sahaj.com/product-category/springs/

Though I agree with others, get a better base with the Tomcat grip and an extension.

The absolutely best would be the Walmis Rhino FFB base, IMHO.

Cheers!

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[Lt_Jaeger]

I came from a VKB GF3 with F-14 Grip. 

Now I use the Rhino FFB with that grip. Out of this world. 

[MAXsenna]

I came from a VKB GF3 with F-14 Grip. 
Now I use the Rhino FFB with that grip. Out of this world. 

Gotta get me one!

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[Scotia]

I'm hoping mine will come up this summer!  Been in the que for one since October!

My WinWing Super Libra with extension and Super Taurus throttle have been fantastic.  I will be moving to a Virpil F-14 Grip and FFB Rhino when both eventually get off backorder!

Edited March 1, 2023 by Scotia

[Sideburns]

I really like my VPC Warbrd base, setup with heavy springs and centreless cams. I use it with the Warthog stick, causes it to lean forward a little but can be calibrated out. Enough buttons to map to all the key functions and then a few more if you don't mind losing some realism.

[9thHunt]

I've been using the Virpil VFX stick with WarBRD base.  It's nice because the grip can be swapped with the Warthog's for flying more modern jets, without having to modify the warthog (if you have a twist axis, you have to remove 2 screws, but if you don't have twist it just screws right on).  Any other company's base requires you to physically replace the connector to use the Warthog grip.  If you don't have the budget for the base, the VFX grip also works with the Warthog base (if you don't get the twist stick version).

Supposedly the VKB F-14 stick is a more accurate sculpt then the Virpil, but it is missing some minor functionality (if you care about being able to push the weapons selector button in the SW position to step between sidewinders).  Although to me the real killer was not being able to use my TM grip without modification, as I couldn't afford more then one new grip.

Edited March 2, 2023 by 9thHunt

[RustBelt]

Get a rhino FFB cry once live in joy the rest of your life. Takes Thrustmaster Virpil and VKB grips.

[Elphaba]

23 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

The default spring in the Warthog is too stiff, but can easily be replaced.

https://warthog-extensions-by-sahaj.com/product-category/springs/

Though I agree with others, get a better base with the Tomcat grip and an extension.

The absolutely best would be the Walmis Rhino FFB base, IMHO.

Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 

I just bought the green spring, it's lighter but no where near good enough and the virpil base allows infinitesimally smaller inputs than you can ever make with a warthog.

[MAXsenna]

I just bought the green spring, it's lighter but no where near good enough and the virpil base allows infinitesimally smaller inputs than you can ever make with a warthog.

Probably, haven't tested mine as I use the blue one with 2x20cm extensions, which lead to other issues with that base.
The whole design of that base is quite strange, and I won't really recommend it to anyone if you can afford/wait to get something better!
BuddyFox has rumored to have some aftermarket upgrades for it. But will it be worth it?
I'm probably better off modding my MS FFB2s.

Cheers!

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[Turd Ferguson]

17 hours ago, 9thHunt said:

 the VFX grip also works with the Warthog base (if you don't get the twist stick version).

 

The twist axis version does work with the Warthog base but you don't have the functionality on the twist axis. I bought the twist axis version of the VFX and locked it out while using the WH base. It's still locked out on my Virpil base but I wanted the option if I decided I could use it for something.

[hobbes57]

Lots of great replies here, thank you all! Lots of costly options too  

Ideally, I'd like to reuse my TM Warthog grip - the grip itself is fine and has lots of buttons which I like. I'm thinking about exchanging the base only to make it smoother and easier to control. Currently thinking about a VPC WarBRD base - this seems to work with the Warthog grip and may also fit a VPC V.F.X Grip at some point.

Can a VKB Gunfighter III base support a TM Warthog grip? I believe so. So both bases seem to be an option, with WarBRD the noticeable cheaper one. Is the higher cost of the Gunfighter III base worth it, compared to the WarBRD?

The Rhino FFB base is out of my budget I believe.

[Lt_Jaeger]

VKB "can" support TM grips but you have to get a adaptor and mount it inside the grip. 

I will always buy a VKB again, but you limit the choices of grips, or have to work around the proprietary design. It is doable, but mostly not plug and play. 

[9thHunt]

2 hours ago, hobbes57 said:

Lots of great replies here, thank you all! Lots of costly options too  

Ideally, I'd like to reuse my TM Warthog grip - the grip itself is fine and has lots of buttons which I like. I'm thinking about exchanging the base only to make it smoother and easier to control. Currently thinking about a VPC WarBRD base - this seems to work with the Warthog grip and may also fit a VPC V.F.X Grip at some point.

Can a VKB Gunfighter III base support a TM Warthog grip? I believe so. So both bases seem to be an option, with WarBRD the noticeable cheaper one. Is the higher cost of the Gunfighter III base worth it, compared to the WarBRD?

The Rhino FFB base is out of my budget I believe.

As I mentioned above, the VKB base uses a different connector, so you have to do surgery on the Warthog grip to use it on that.

The Rhino FFB would be awesome, but it's also out of my budget.

Edited March 2, 2023 by 9thHunt

[grant977]

What’s this rhino FFB stick I search google for it but nothing. Anyone have a link.

[MAXsenna]

What’s this rhino FFB stick I search google for it but nothing. Anyone have a link.

Apologies, but I don't remember the Discord channel.

Search for the user Walmis on this forum.

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[LASooner]

The twist axis version does work with the Warthog base but you don't have the functionality on the twist axis. I bought the twist axis version of the VFX and locked it out while using the WH base. It's still locked out on my Virpil base but I wanted the option if I decided I could use it for something.

Not entirely true, you don't get the axis functionaility, but it sends a different digital button press when you twist it one way or the other. Same with the DLC wheel and the paddle. On a Virpil base they all show as an axis on the TM base they all show up as button presses.

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[Turd Ferguson]

On 3/5/2023 at 9:38 AM, LASooner said:

Not entirely true, you don't get the axis functionaility, but it sends a different digital button press when you twist it one way or the other. Same with the DLC wheel and the paddle. On a Virpil base they all show as an axis on the TM base they all show up as button presses.

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That's interesting, all the time I used it with the WH base I never knew the twist axis could be used as a button press. I knew the DLC wheel could and used it as the DLC... as I expect the vast majority of VFX owners with the WH base. Makes sense that the twist axis can also be used as button presses now you've said it but never realised it for the 3 months I used the WH base lol

[Voyager]

Depending on how your base is mounted, you can check to see if Virpril has an adapter or if the base mount already supports both bases. 

I did switch from a Warthog base to a Virpril base, and I believe I used their VPC Universial Compact Base Plate to mount it to the same stand I was using for my Warthog, and still kept the grip part. 

I personally like the F16 style grip, even with the F-14. It is not hard to map the key buttons to the right locations on the stick and it still has a 4-way switch available for game commands like pausing and bringing up the in game map.