DCS: Cold War Germany - update 2025

[Northstar98]

On 11/21/2025 at 3:00 PM, MAESTR0 said:

Notice the more uniform grass at the airfields, as you requested.

Indeed and yes - this looks a lot better and better represents what's seen in both modern day and historical satellite imagery - much appreciated! It's very nice to see feedback being taken onboard and actioned 

Though I would still say in some screenshots the mud/sand-like texture bordering paved surfaces is still a bit too pervasive, there are areas that absolutely make sense for it (like the inner German border as well as more minor tracks etc) but a lot of the time it makes airbases and roads etc look as though they were recently constructed or had major engineering work done - in the overwhelming majority of images, grass goes all the way up to paved surfaces, nearly exactly as it does to the hardened aircraft shelters and taxiways seen in the 3rd screenshot of Brandis (9th screenshot of the post).

On 11/22/2025 at 11:57 AM, CommandT said:

Maybe I'm wrong, but it also appears from the screenshots that airbases have a lot less random equipment scattered around them? This is probably for the best as there was a lot of overlap between the ground equipment on the East and West sides that was somehwat immersion-breaking. It's best to have no equipment than the wrong equipment for sure.

Completely agree with this - having no equipment IMO is the better path to take as that means it's up to me what I use to populate that particular area (which may include functional units that I can use to influence gameplay and not just for eye-candy) - having them baked into the map limits my potential options, which IMO, is at odds with DCS' sandbox philosophy.

I'd extend that to parked aircraft - it would be better IMO if these weren't scenery objects but were instead static objects that I can place as I wish. Having them as scenery objects essentially baked into the map means I lose out on areas I could've otherwise used as something actually influencing gameplay, especially at larger aerodromes.

DCS already has the functions to make and reuse map templates, so I only really have to do the work once.

EDIT: Forgot to bring this up - I am aware of the scenery object removal trigger in the mission editor - the problem with objects like these is that it often results in collateral damage - deleting items I didn't intend to delete and more often than not, I simply can't delete one thing without also deleting a load of other items.

Edited Monday at 11:41 AM by Northstar98

[Apache 64]

Am 21.11.2025 um 16:00 schrieb MAESTR0:

Notice the more uniform grass at the airfields, as you requested.

@MAESTR0 ... absolutely great news. Hopefully this also applies to the bases already included.

[cpt. Filip]

On 11/21/2025 at 4:00 PM, MAESTR0 said:

"Base 90" (Swedish: Bas 90) was a Swedish Air Force basing system used during the Cold War. This system was developed in the 1970s and 1980s, building on its predecessor, Base 60, in response to changes in combat missions and the nature of the threat that had occurred since the development of the old system in the 1950s. The new system remained based on the principle of defensive dispersal—both of aircraft across a large number of wartime air bases and of airfield services across these bases themselves.

Thank you very much for the Revinge and Tånga road base! Fantastic!

[Bananabrai]

On 11/23/2025 at 12:20 PM, Bremspropeller said:

which I'd strongly support

I took another look at all the bigger airbases yesterday and have to say that I strongly suggest to at least include the „big“/„obvious“ missing German fast jet airbases in the south:

Neuburg (JG 74)
Lechfeld (JaBoG 32)
Memmingen (JaBoG 34)

Then I know, there are more in that same area to add:

Fürstenfeldbruck (JaBoG 49)
Penzing/Landsberg (LTG 62)
Laupheim
Probably forgot more obvious ones, sorry.

One reason: the most southern airbases that have the classic Germany shelter and airfield layout instead of the US style shelter and layouts are Büchel and Pferdsfeld. If you want to fly GAF style, everything else suitable is to the north. And the map is called CW Germany for a reason, isn’t it? I wouldn’t care if they would actually be right at the edge of the low res area or even outside and just have hi res corridors. Also don’t care about the big cities in that area to be honest. 

Plus our lovely reference Nado comes from Memmingen, so I have to say another: pretty please  

[Bremspropeller]

You forgot Manching 

And Leipheim (not too important) as well as Erding (similar'ish).

 

Plus (for reasons), we should not forget about the following french airbases:

- Strasbourg (clearly within the map-scope)
- Colmar (just on the boundary, a MUST if you ask me)
- Toul (might be just outside the boundary, but also a MUST)
- Grostenquin (inside the boundary, part or the Polygone)

Colmar and Toul were major F-100D airbases (after Lahr and Bremgarten were given over to RCAF and LW). Strasbourg and Colmar both housed Mirage F1 (CR and CT) ops.

Edited Monday at 02:21 PM by Bremspropeller

[Bananabrai]

20 hours ago, Bremspropeller said:

You forgot Manching

Left it out on purpose, WTD is not too important I would say, no nice shelter loops or anything. 

Forgot the other ones. Thought about  Erding briefly. I’m honest, as a tornado guy for me it’s mostly about ETSM and ETSL, ETSN would be cool for the Phantom as well. Laupheim is a nice base as well. 

[Bremspropeller]

4 hours ago, Bananabrai said:

Left it out on purpose, WTD is not too important I would say, no nice shelter loops or anything. 

True, but Manching served as the home of AG 51 until they went to Bremgarten ('69), after the AdlA went back across the river in 67 or 68:
https://916-starfighter.de/Large/ea257.htm

and

https://916-starfighter.de/GAF_UnitHistory.htm

Edited Tuesday at 04:21 PM by Bremspropeller

[MAESTR0]

Hi fighters
Time to take a look at some new places on the map. These airfields played an important role in Cold War scenarios; perhaps not as large or famous, but with their own history and missions.

Falkenberg Air Base
Airfield emerged in the 1930s as Alt-Lönnewitz Air Base. After the war, the airfield was used and continually expanded by the USSR.
Falkenberg Air Base was the home base of the Soviet 31st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, equipped with MiG-29 Fulcrum-A/B/C and MiG-23UM Flogger-C trainer aircraft. The unit was part of the Southern Corps / 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division "Donetsk-Szeged" headquartered in Merseburg.

Marxwalde (Neuhardenberg)
Construction of Neuhardenberg Airfield began in 1934 as a secret military airfield. During the era of nationalism, the first rocket-powered aircraft from the Heinkel factories were tested here in 1937.
After World War II, the village, which had been called Marxwalde since 1949, became a garrison base for the NVA (Nationale Volksarmee) from 1957 to 1959, and the airfield was expanded. In 1959, an East German government squadron (Transportfliegergeschwader 44) was added, and from 1960, the fighter squadron Jagdfliegergeschwader 8 (JG-8) was based at Marxwalde Airfield. MiG-21s, Tu-134s, helicopters, and transport aircraft were based at the airfield. In 1978, Sigmund Jähn, who worked in what was then Marxwald for 18 years and lived there with his family, became the first German astronaut to fly into space.

Kiel
is a small regional airport in Kiel, northern Germany. The first terminal was built in 1965 and was used for Pan Am's scheduled flights to West Berlin. Kiel is Germany's key military port on the Baltic Sea. It is also a base for anti-submarine and attack aircraft. Excellent landing approaches and numerous maritime missions await you.

Landstuhl US Army Heliport
Located near the major Ramstein Air Base. This was one of the first requests after we announced the release and showed screenshots. You now have a base for helicopter missions.

Obermehler-Schlotheim
airfield is located in Thuringia, very close to the geographic center of Germany, in the country's so-called "green heart." In 1957, the USSR began construction of barracks and a military runway with a grass surface and taxiways approximately 2,500 meters long. Since 1960, paratroopers and MiG-15 and MiG-19 fighters of this type have been based here, and since 1966, attack helicopters have been based here. In 1957, construction began on barracks and a military runway with a grass surface and taxiways approximately 2,500 meters long. Since 1960, paratroopers and MiG-15 and MiG-19 fighters have been based here, and since 1966, attack helicopters have been based here.

Large and small, military and civilian air/heliports - all are waiting for you.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 07:14 AM by MAESTR0

[Beirut]

Cool!

 

You can never have too many airfields. 

[BlackFalco]

1 ora fa, MAESTR0 ha scritto:

Hi fighters
Time to take a look at some new places on the map. These airfields played an important role in Cold War scenarios; perhaps not as large or famous, but with their own history and missions.

Falkenberg Air Base
Airfield emerged in the 1930s as Alt-Lönnewitz Air Base. After the war, the airfield was used and continually expanded by the USSR.
Falkenberg Air Base was the home base of the Soviet 31st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, equipped with MiG-29 Fulcrum-A/B/C and MiG-23UM Flogger-C trainer aircraft. The unit was part of the Southern Corps / 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division "Donetsk-Szeged" headquartered in Merseburg.

Marxwalde (Neuhardenberg)
Construction of Neuhardenberg Airfield began in 1934 as a secret military airfield. During the era of nationalism, the first rocket-powered aircraft from the Heinkel factories were tested here in 1937.
After World War II, the village, which had been called Marxwalde since 1949, became a garrison base for the North German Army (NVA) from 1957 to 1959, and the airfield was expanded. In 1959, an East German government squadron (Transportfliegergeschwader 44) was added, and from 1960, the fighter squadron Jagdfliegergeschwader 8 (JG-8) was based at Marxwalde Airfield. MiG-21s, Tu-134s, helicopters, and transport aircraft were based at the airfield. In 1978, Sigmund Jähn, who worked in what was then Marxwald for 18 years and lived there with his family, became the first German astronaut to fly into space.

Kiel
is a small regional airport in Kiel, northern Germany. The first terminal was built in 1965 and was used for Pan Am's scheduled flights to West Berlin. Kiel is Germany's key military port on the Baltic Sea. It is also a base for anti-submarine and attack aircraft. Excellent landing approaches and numerous maritime missions await you.

Landstuhl US Army Heliport
Located near the major Ramstein Air Base. This was one of the first requests after we announced the release and showed screenshots. You now have a base for helicopter missions.

Obermehler-Schlotheim
airfield is located in Thuringia, very close to the geographic center of Germany, in the country's so-called "green heart." In 1957, the USSR began construction of barracks and a military runway with a grass surface and taxiways approximately 2,500 meters long. Since 1960, paratroopers and MiG-15 and MiG-19 fighters of this type have been based here, and since 1966, attack helicopters have been based here. In 1957, construction began on barracks and a military runway with a grass surface and taxiways approximately 2,500 meters long. Since 1960, paratroopers and MiG-15 and MiG-19 fighters have been based here, and since 1966, attack helicopters have been based here.

Large and small, military and civilian air/heliports - all are waiting for you.

 

 

is the update out already? 

[Rick Mave]

@MAESTR0 can you clarify what this line from the changelog means: "The heading system at the Pferdsfeld airfield has been removed."

[Rocket_Knut]

2 hours ago, MAESTR0 said:

North German Army (NVA)

You sure this is, what NVA in this context stands for?  

[corbu1]

Thanks for this new update. Beautiful

[YoYo]

Thanks for the new update and the addition of two Polish airports! Plus, we have the island of Bornholm. Great update!

[buur]

and also thanks for fixing the color of the fields on the GUI map. Now you can work with ME and F10 map.

[Schmidtfire]

Very nice update!

On an important feedback note. Sweden and Denmark looks fairly generic.

Swapping out some of the massive amount of Mercedes for Volvo 240 and Saab 900 would help to differentiate a bit.

Nothing against cherry red brick buildings but that is also a bit overdone and could do with more faint yellow and brown/orange in the cities  
The stereotypical red houses with white trims would also be a nice addition to the countryside.




As for Denmark... It's usually a bit more chaotic and bohemian with a mix and match between houses and color choices.
You should also add a bunch of pølsevogne and crates with beer for the right touch.

[mazex]

On 11/21/2025 at 4:37 PM, Tango-17 said:

Very nice work!!!
Now, you just need to add Skrydstrup. It is quite literally just a 40km border extension. You've done the same for Soesterberg. This would make every single Dane happy. It was the main military air base in Denmark during the cold war, housing F-100D Super Sabres (*cough cough* Grinnelli *cough cough*), and F-16's. Today it is the only fighter base in the country, housing every single F-16 (well, what's left of them) and every F-35. It has also now been a host base for multiple NATO training exercises. There is literally zero reason to not add this. 
Please Ugra.
.

Agree on Skrydsrup - and that top corner over Sweden just need a small nudge to include F10 Ängelholm that was an actual base for the AJS-37 Viggen, and many Draken. Hangars built for Gripen but they ended up in Kallinge - not that far out in Blekinge. Also on the map but not within the green box. The only Viggen that landed on Sturup (that has been done very nicely in the map for some reason) is now in a nearby museum. No Viggen ever took off from Sturup... But many landed and took off from the Revinge road base that you have done. Kudos for that, and Sjöbo / Tågra as well! I cycle at the Revinge strip often and in the video it looks very forested. Can not say exactly what it looked like in the 1980:ies, probably very similar to today - but this is an image from this summer of it. So more fields and less trees please. But great that you have included it!

Edited Thursday at 10:26 PM by mazex

[CommandT]

I appreciate the update but have to say - very very disspointed with the lack of attention to detail with almost all of the road bases. Almost all of them have obstacles on the 3 degree approach glide path to the tocuhdown zones - one has giant power lines, another has bridges and another has trees or light poles sticking out of the bridge which would never pass in real life for acceptable clearance. Some bases have trees very close to the edges of the strip too which would have been cut down in real life without any hesitation. Could you please amend all these obtacles? It's quite immersion-breaking  

There's also radars spinning somehere in the bushes, the East German road bases, just as is the case with airbases, have NATO ground equipment on them - GPU carts, loaders ect. I don't understand why there was a need to include these objects when they are so clearly out of place. 

One of the Polish bases has a NATO flag too, I think someone else pointed this out before. 

Also, for some reason I have missing ground textures around all of the new northern part of the map around Denmark and Sweden. Don't know if it's just me but I shouldn't have any conflicting mods so not sure if anyone else has the same issue?

[Maddog-1969]

@MAESTR0, Just out of interest. Is this Phase 2 of the map or still considered development of Phase 1?

[Volator]

Phase 2 airbases announced in the original FAQ thread:
 

Quote

Bornholm Airport
Brand Air Base
Brandis Air Base
Cologne Bonn Airport
Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup)
Falkenberg Air Base
Malmo Airport
Nordholz Air Base
Nörvenich Air Base
Obermehler-Schlotheim Airfield

Airbases released yesterday:

Quote

Kiel, Malmo Airport, Cologne Bonn Airport, Kastrup Airport, Falkenberg Air Base, Brandis Air Base, Neuhardenberg Air Base, Brand Air Base, Nörvenich Air Base, Nordholz Air Base, Gutersloh, Bornholm, Oranienburg, Chojna, Dusseldorf, Heidelberg, Landstuhl Army Heliport, Mainz Finthen, Szczecins Goleniow.

 

All of the airbases that have originally been announced for phase 2 have been published yesterday, plus some more.

 

What would you guys expect for a phase 2 to come after the release yesterday?


 

[Northstar98]

9 hours ago, CommandT said:

I appreciate the update but have to say - very very disspointed with the lack of attention to detail with almost all of the road bases. Almost all of them have obstacles on the 3 degree approach glide path to the tocuhdown zones - one has giant power lines, another has bridges and another has trees or light poles sticking out of the bridge which would never pass in real life for acceptable clearance. Some bases have trees very close to the edges of the strip too which would have been cut down in real life without any hesitation. Could you please amend all these obtacles? It's quite immersion-breaking  

There's also radars spinning somehere in the bushes, the East German road bases, just as is the case with airbases, have NATO ground equipment on them - GPU carts, loaders ect. I don't understand why there was a need to include these objects when they are so clearly out of place. 

Yeah - to echo my thoughts above - it would be better if these were left more-or-less empty and let me place objects and then make static templates - it's less work for Ugra and it's more in-line with DCS' sandbox philosophy.

[Tomcatter87]

Thanks a lot to Ugramedia for this awesome and big update. I really enjoy the new bases and populating them in my personal template

[Rick Mave]

14 hours ago, CommandT said:

I appreciate the update but have to say - very very disspointed with the lack of attention to detail with almost all of the road bases. Almost all of them have obstacles on the 3 degree approach glide path to the tocuhdown zones - one has giant power lines, another has bridges and another has trees or light poles sticking out of the bridge which would never pass in real life for acceptable clearance. Some bases have trees very close to the edges of the strip too which would have been cut down in real life without any hesitation. Could you please amend all these obtacles? It's quite immersion-breaking  

There's also radars spinning somehere in the bushes, the East German road bases, just as is the case with airbases, have NATO ground equipment on them - GPU carts, loaders ect. I don't understand why there was a need to include these objects when they are so clearly out of place. 

One of the Polish bases has a NATO flag too, I think someone else pointed this out before. 

Also, for some reason I have missing ground textures around all of the new northern part of the map around Denmark and Sweden. Don't know if it's just me but I shouldn't have any conflicting mods so not sure if anyone else has the same issue?

I would like to echo these thoughts and once again point to the incorrect dimensions of the runways of the highway strips in the FRG.

[buur]

vor 8 Minuten schrieb Rick Mave:

I would like to echo these thoughts and once again point to the incorrect dimensions of the runways of the highway strips in the FRG.

it is not only the incorrect dimensions of the highway strips, the highway it self are to small! They are and were much bigger and easy to identify during flight and a perfect navigation guideline. 

[buur]

Here DCS and a aereal picture from ~1980.null

nullI think you can identify the motorway in the historical picture. 

In Germany not only the single lanes are much bigger, also you have an emergency lane on each side of the motorway.