DCS F-18 all 12 campaigns ranked from easiest to hardest(or the right progression to fly these campaigns)

[gachatar]

I've been through training, flied some sandbox missions practicing against both air and ground targets and want to start playing the campaigns. I'm not anywhere as comfortable with the F-18 yet as with the good old A-10, so I'd rather start with something easy so I don't have to replay missions over and over.

Which campaigns are relatively easy/simple and which ones are more challenging?

 

Here's the list, let me know if I missed anything:

Task Force Challenger
Serpent's Head
Raven One
Rising Squall
Operation Pontus

 

Also feel free to recommend some of the free campaigns available to download, there's a few of them but I have no idea if they are any good. So far I've seen this one recommended: Operation Cage The Bear (and of course Liberation, but that's another kind of beast).

Edited February 13, 2021 by gachatar

[L4key]

I did the first two no problem, both Task Force Challenger and Serpents Head 1& 2 were easy enough for me (I’m not a particularly serious player).

 

Now on Cage the Bear and that’s a bit tougher but still within my comfort zone.

 

All three of these have easy radio AND either no need to tank or an easy tanking option, which for me is great as I’ve not mastered either.

 

Pontus I bought but requires user mission planning which I’ve not done yet but am really looking forward to learning.

[dburne]

I am pretty much about the same stage of learning the Hornet as the OP, and I chose Rising Squall as my first campaign. I am 5 missions into it now and am thoroughly enjoying it. I find it good to continue my learning of the Hornet, and it feels so good to finally after all this time of trying to learn the Hornet being able to fly a campaign and successfully complete missions.

 

Also of benefit for me - I like using Chuck's guide for the Hornet in my learning process, and he has a page for Rising Squall which references page numbers for each mission along with weapons that will be employed for that mission. I use this to brush up before the next mission I will be flying.

https://www.rising-squall.com/chuck-s-guide-pages

 

[Qiou87]

On 2/13/2021 at 8:52 AM, gachatar said:

Here's the list, let me know if I missed anything:

Task Force Challenger
Serpent's Head
Raven One
Rising Squall
Operation Pontus

 

Task Force Challenger was a big disappointment for me. Not very challenging, but not interesting either. It was made at a time where the Hornet couldn't do much, and as such you don't actually learn so much.

 

To start I'd think Rising Squall is the better bet, it seems to be especially geared towards people not overly confident in the jet.

 

Serpent's Head 1 & 2 are fun and not too challenging. I'd have no issue recommending you to play them afterwards.

 

Raven One is "realistic", but I didn't find it particularly hard to complete successfully. You need to know how to use guided bombs, mavericks and such. But AAR is optional (you will need to manage your fuel carefully if you don't AAR though). If you know how to use the jet, you can complete almost all missions the first time, no need to be a brilliant aviator... Missions in Raven One can be longer, more similar perhaps to real-life. I believe that it can be tackled without issue once you have completed the previous three.

 

Haven't played Operation Pontus yet, but the fact you need to use the mission editor to plan your missions can be a bit overwhelming at first I guess. Aside from that it doesn't seem more complicated than the others regarding what you will have to do inside the cockpit.

[guitargamery]

guys please rank in your opinion all the campaigns from easiest to hardest. After 4500h of DCS i can say i almost mastered the F-16 F14, harrier and  the A10cII I have the F-18 since the beginning but i never felt much attracted to fly it, but now, after much practice in MP and SP i can handle my own in the hornet at a certain degree, still learning and getting the muscle memory for those fast reflexes and decision making during sorties. I have all the campaigns and i would like for someone, even from the ED team to advice me the right sequence to fly these sorties, from easier to hardest would make sense,  here there are some opinions but they end up being  to vague with just few campaigns , i would like all of the 11th campaigns ranked from easiest to hardest, i fly with no assists including radios, even with turbulence on, cheers guys it would be a big help because i can't find anywhere in the internet this topic. Sorry my English , Portuguese - Azores lajes field( Air Force base)  here

[guitargamery]

guys please rank in your opinion all the campaigns from easiest to hardest. After 4500h of DCS i can say i almost mastered the F-16 F14, harrier and  the A10cII I have the F-18 since the beginning but i never felt much attracted to fly it, but now, after much practice in MP and SP i can handle my own in the hornet at a certain degree, still learning and getting the muscle memory for those fast reflexes and decision making during sorties. I have all the campaigns and i would like for someone, even from the ED team to advice me the right sequence to fly these sorties, from easier to hardest would make sense,  here there are some opinions but they end up being  to vague with just few campaigns , i would like all of the 12 campaigns ranked from easiest to hardest, i fly with no assists including radios, even with turbulence on, cheers guys it would be a big help because i can't find anywhere in the internet this topic. Sorry my English , Portuguese - Azores lajes field( Air Force base)  

the campaigns are 

F/A-18C: Aggressors BFM Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Arctic Thunder Campaign by Baltic Dragon

DCS: F/A-18C Flaming Sunrise Campaign by Sandman Simulations

DCS: F/A-18C Hornet The Serpent's Head 2 Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Operation Cerberus North

DCS: F/A-18C Operation Pontus Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Rise of the Persian Lion Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Rise of the Persian Lion II Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Hornet Raven One Сampaign

DCS: F/A-18C Raven One: Dominant Fury Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Rising Squall Campaign

DCS: F/A-18C Operation Mountain Breeze by Sandman Simulations

 

 

Edited December 23, 2024 by guitargamery
added the 12 campaigns names.

[BuzzU]

Listing all the campaigns would help.

[guitargamery]

ok i added the Campaigns names to facilitate, tx guys for your opinions will mean a lot, i understand there are some sequels in these campaigns and those obviously should be played in the right order i guess. 

[theIRIEone]

I'm owning only a fraction of the campaign listed, but instead of listing them easy to hard, i list them for fun factor - least fun to most.
You have 4500hrs in the sim and i guess you'll be able to handle yourself just fine in these anyways:

4th: OP Pontus - just doesn't work as expected. It's cumbersome and frustrating, really.. That's not so much the flying part but messing with all the planning and the "progression codes".. I gave up at one point

3rd: Aggressors BFM - it's fine, but gets repetitive and boring real quick. Basically it's simple 1v1 guns only vs AI, with a controlled route to the playground / controlled egress.. After completing the first 2 missions, you basically have done them all.

2nd: R1 - now we're talking.. If it's not riddled with bugs (depending on the state of DCS a little bit as well of course) , it's a fun campaign. Appears to be very realistic in terms of tasking, briefing etc - i also like the voice acting and the overall package is pretty damn great imho

1st: R1 DF - just like R1, but it's the sequel so it gets 1st place for me. I like that one as well, for sure.