DCS: Afghanistan Announcement

[NineLine]

Afghanistan 

Development Report

The development of the DCS: Afghanistan Map is progressing on schedule with significant milestones achieved. We are committed to delivering a highly immersive and authentic representation of Afghanistan for virtual pilots to explore and engage in combat operations. Continued collaboration, testing, and refinement will ensure the map’s successful completion and release to our DCS community.

Development Progress

We have made substantial progress in recreating the diverse landscape of Afghanistan. This includes the rugged mountain ranges of the Hindu Kush, the vast deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, and the fertile valleys and river basins. Efforts have been dedicated to accurately portraying the unique cultural and urban features of Afghanistan. This involves recreating cities like Kandahar and Herat, with special attention to landmarks, infrastructure, and architectural styles like the blue mosque of Herat. Aerial imagery has been utilised to enhance the realism and accuracy of the map. High-resolution satellite imagery is being integrated to provide authentic terrain textures and details.

The diverse terrain and complex topography of Afghanistan has presented technical challenges due to the large mountainous ranges. Optimization efforts are ongoing to maintain performance without compromising on visual fidelity, particularly in densely populated urban areas and detailed terrain features. The map is designed to look equally as good from low to high altitude.

Future Plans

In the above screenshot, you can see the area of DCS: Afghanistan that will be available in Early Access. The airfields that will be available at launch include Kandahar, Herat, Bost, Camp Bastion, Chaghcharan, Dwyer, Farah, Maymana Zahiraddin Faryabi, Qala i Naw, Shindand, Tirinkot, and Zaranj. The focus will be on completing the detailing of terrain features, including rivers, roads, vegetation, rocks, small stones, ground clutter and geological formations to enhance immersion and realism. Extensive testing and optimization will be conducted to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with a wide range of hardware configurations. Please stay tuned for the pre-order coming soon!

**Please note the whole of Afghanistan will be completed in phases.

[Minsky]

The title should be "DCS: Afgha" since half of the country is missing.

Jokes aside, from the newsletter it's unclear whether the eastern part will be added at some point after the Early Access, or the western half is all we get.

[Chain_1]

I assume that it would be expanded, but I'd like to know for certain, as well.  The mountains in the northeast provided some great scenery, plus Bagram, J-Bad, Kabul, and the Mez are there.  And I want to provide cover to FOB Shank because it got mortared all the time.

Edited March 22 by Chain_1

[BIGNEWY]

10 minutes ago, Minsky said:

The title should be "DCS: Afgha" since half of the country is missing.

Jokes aside, from the newsletter it's unclear whether the eastern part will be added at some point after the Early Access, or the western half is all we get.

The whole of Afghanistan will come, we have just focused on the plans for early access in this newsletter.

[NineLine]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:56 AM, NineLine said:

**Please note that The whole of Afghanistan will be completed in phases!

Added this clarification. Thanks all. 

[NineLine]

12 minutes ago, Northstar98 said:

Can't think of anything IRL

Well the joy of DCS is much of the content isn't 100% based on real life. We have Cold War server with many more bullets fired than the Cold War I remember. Modern Engagements that I don't remember happening, DCS is a sandbox, we are giving you the stuff to play in different parts of the world. And maybe the real-world activities between 2008-2010 are not your thing, I bet there are just as many that it is their thing, or can expand on it. I expect some cool campaigns and missions to be done as have been done with all our terrains. I do appreciate the feedback, but if it isn't your map and not something you are going to get no need to post here, not sure I understand the reasoning. If you have a wish for this map, post over in our wishlist thread, but don't fill this up with "I don't know what to do with this map" posts, please. 

[rfxcasey]

36 minutes ago, NineLine said:

DCS is a sandbox

Well I guess that explains why so many desert maps.

[NineLine]

5 minutes ago, rfxcasey said:

Well I guess that explains why so many desert maps.

Thats about to change soon... but let's stick to Afghanistan here.

[Gunfreak]

1 hour ago, exhausted said:

I am trying to figure out what type of scenario ED envisions for the Afghanistan map, but I can't. Is this supposed to be a map where we take off and drop one 500lb bomb every 30 missions? Are we supposed to use Hinds to attack insurgents? Is there a conventional fighting scenario between two comparable powers I am not thinking of, possibly with Chinese involvement? If ED has a post-9/11 scenario in mind, then will there be coastline available for those 2001-2002 AV-8B, F-14B and F/A-18 support missions from the sea?

 

Well with the Afghanistan map we'll also get new infantry models and animations. (And I hope new ground units accuracy modeling) especially for the type of combat we'll see in Afghanistan.

You got close air support for F18, F16, A10 etc. Very close air support from Apache, Gazelle and Kiowa (when it comes)

I recommend reading Apache Dawn and Socuts out for scenario ideas.

5 minutes ago, NineLine said:

Thats about to change soon... but let's stick to Afghanistan here.

Soon(TM)?

[NineLine]

3 minutes ago, Gunfreak said:

Well with the Afghanistan map we'll also get new infantry models and animations. (And I hope new ground units accuracy modeling) especially for the type of combat we'll see in Afghanistan.

You got close air support for F18, F16, A10 etc. Very close air support from Apache, Gazelle and Kiowa (when it comes)

I recommend reading Apache Dawn and Socuts out for scenario ideas.

Soon(TM)?

Would be two different development teams BUT I saw some cool stuff I am hoping we can show off soon. 

[giullep]

I was in afghanistan… to serve my country.. and i can say that it dont have desertsand flat terrain!

[exhausted]

1 hour ago, NineLine said:

Well the joy of DCS is much of the content isn't 100% based on real life. We have Cold War server with many more bullets fired than the Cold War I remember. Modern Engagements that I don't remember happening, DCS is a sandbox, we are giving you the stuff to play in different parts of the world. And maybe the real-world activities between 2008-2010 are not your thing, I bet there are just as many that it is their thing, or can expand on it. I expect some cool campaigns and missions to be done as have been done with all our terrains. I do appreciate the feedback, but if it isn't your map and not something you are going to get no need to post here, not sure I understand the reasoning. If you have a wish for this map, post over in our wishlist thread, but don't fill this up with "I don't know what to do with this map" posts, please. 

I was actually inviting you to tell us your vision of how we are to use the Afghanistan map -- we can decide whether doing circuits and flying campaigns where we drop 1-2 bombs sounds like fun, but I wanted to know what Afghanistan is supposed to bring to the series, other than terrain alone. There are potential scenarios that bring in multiple powers, should the terrain be expanded into Iran or the Arabian Sea. I really hope my posts don't continue to be deleted just for asking a challenging question. I wish to participate in the discussion and these are all pertinent points.

25 minutes ago, Gunfreak said:

Well with the Afghanistan map we'll also get new infantry models and animations. (And I hope new ground units accuracy modeling) especially for the type of combat we'll see in Afghanistan.

You got close air support for F18, F16, A10 etc. Very close air support from Apache, Gazelle and Kiowa (when it comes)

I recommend reading Apache Dawn and Socuts out for scenario ideas.

Soon(TM)?

In Afghanistan, CAS was often focused on tiny groups of 1-15 insurgents holding up a larger group. One of the early tactics was to fly over the suspected area and not drop any ordinance. Anaconda involved large groups of Al Qaeda and maybe Taliban infantry and vehicles, but it would make sense to include part of Pakistan for such a scenario related to the earlier parts of OEF. Funny story is VMA-513 out of Yuma obliterated a Pakistani border checkpoint when a USSF group was fired upon while chasing AQ out of a village.

Edited March 22 by exhausted

[Mr_sukebe]

So the yellow box is EA, does the full picture reflect the "final" version?  If not, is it possible to confirm?

I'll be buying the map either way, just curious.

[Steve Gee]

Over the 20-year period of US presence in the region, naval carrier flight operations were a part of the US air campaign in Afghanistan over the years. We've all seen many videos of just such operations on Youtube or TV.

Are there any plans on expanding south at any time to include enough water for carrier operations?

[exhausted]

12 minutes ago, Steve Gee said:

Over the 20-year period of US presence in the region, naval carrier flight operations were a part of the US air campaign in Afghanistan over the years. We've all seen many videos of just such operations on Youtube or TV.

Are there any plans on expanding south at any time to include enough water for carrier operations?

As well as the naval ops that occurred during OEF, another interesting point is that Afghanistan actually claims that coastline, which makes for an interesting scenario! Even though it was sort of acknowledged by an Afghan leader during the Soviet involvement, recognition has since been recanted and led to skirmishes and threats from Afghanistan to Iran and Pakistan over the coastline. I could see this scenario getting very interesting!

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

 

Edited March 22 by exhausted

[Gunfreak]

31 minutes ago, exhausted said:

I was actually inviting you to tell us your vision of how we are to use the Afghanistan map -- we can decide whether doing circuits and flying campaigns where we drop 1-2 bombs sounds like fun, but I wanted to know what Afghanistan is supposed to bring to the series, other than terrain alone. There are potential scenarios that bring in multiple powers, should the terrain be expanded into Iran or the Arabian Sea. I really hope my posts don't continue to be deleted just for asking a challenging question. I wish to participate in the discussion and these are all pertinent points.

In Afghanistan, CAS was often focused on tiny groups of 1-15 insurgents holding up a larger group. One of the early tactics was to fly over the suspected area and not drop any ordinance. Anaconda involved large groups of Al Qaeda and maybe Taliban infantry and vehicles, but it would make sense to include part of Pakistan for such a scenario related to the earlier parts of OEF. Funny story is VMA-513 out of Yuma obliterated a Pakistani border checkpoint when a USSF group was fired upon while chasing AQ out of a village.

 

Scouts out go over many very small very close air support missions. Were even a 20mm cannon would be overkill and probably not safe. 

In one case it was just one baddie with an MG they took out with an M4 from the Kiowa.

Is it DCS wipe out a square mile of earth's surface type missions nope.

But for those that want realistic and immersive campaigns this would be awesome.

[Dragon1-1]

Well, we'll be able to shoot the M4, so we could definitely have that once Kiowa comes out.  I hope they'll make it work well in VR, too.

Also note, there was the Soviet war in Afghanistan, too. There were bigger actions there, as well. While this map will be modern, the rural parts changed little since then (actually, in many places they changed little since the Brits were there, mentality of the locals included). We'll easily be able to accommodate the Hind, maybe in the future also the Su-25 and other Russian modules. Hill 3234 isn't on the EA map, so no replicating scenes from The 9th Company yet (terrible movie, I know, but there's not much else set in that war), but I assume it'll make it in eventually.

[NineLine]

8 hours ago, Mr_sukebe said:

So the yellow box is EA, does the full picture reflect the "final" version?  If not, is it possible to confirm?

I'll be buying the map either way, just curious.

We will do the entire country, I have asked for more info about further details.

[Hotdognz]

11 hours ago, NineLine said:

Would be two different development teams BUT I saw some cool stuff I am hoping we can show off soon. 

This is indeed good news, looking forward to seeing what you can show us.

[corbu1]

Looking forward to the Afghanistan map. And that we will get the whole country in DCS makes me even more excited.

[shagrat]

vor 14 Stunden schrieb rfxcasey:

Well I guess that explains why so many desert maps.

Afghanistan isn't a desert, it has two smaller Desert Parts. It is a high mountain range bracketed by steppe, with dense forests in the eastern mountains, snow capped peaks, lush river valleys, agricultural plains and urban areas.

The key for DCS is, Afghanistan saw one of the longest conflicts in the world that is incredibly well documented.

On top it hosted fighting for the majority of aircraft we have in DCS. Eastern and Western.

Waiting for this map since the A-10C beta!

 

[Galm99]

As someone who served in Helmand, very happy with this EA announcement, but great to see ED will be expanding it after EA!

 

Great work guys!

[YoYo]

5 hours ago, NineLine said:

We will do the entire country, I have asked for more info about further details.

Thx. I hope and fingers crossed!

West part of Afganistan its a - near flat (more than half ot this EA map), less interesting part, sand & deserts mostly. Perhaps the easiest part of this map for developers (maybe near Kandahar its a more interesting and demanding place).

Also notice that this part was a calm compared to the east side during the last conficts. It's a little pity that this part was chosen to begin with.

Vegetation:

A request for EA not to stay here long, so that we can get the entire map within a year or so (especially since we know that in the military version you have the entire map, I think ). Thank You.

Edited March 23 by YoYo

[YoYo]

Different pictures:

[Steve Gee]

7 hours ago, NineLine said:

We will do the entire country, I have asked for more info about further details.

Can you ask if there are any plans to add water for naval flight operations to it as well when you're asking?