Balkans Map Announcement | Current Hill Assets | Deephack interview with "Wags"

[Graphics]

 

07 November 2025

Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, 

The OnReTech team is pleased to announce the DCS: Balkans map that will cover the Balkans, the Adriatic Sea and coast of Italy. Read the details below and check out the development screenshots. The Balkans map will add a new temperate map to DCS that will provide exciting scenarios for aircraft such as the F-16C and MiG-29A.

In an upcoming DCS Update, we are planning two exciting new additions to Currenthill’s ever-expanding collection of high-fidelity assets: The Grisha-class Corvette and the EC-665 Tiger UHT Attack Helicopter. 

Recently, Matt “Wags” Wagner sat down with Deephack for an in-depth interview covering all things DCS. The discussion covers many common DCS questions, and it delves into his history and thoughts on the current and future state of the simulation. This is the first in a series of several upcoming interviews with popular DCS content creators.

Thank you for your passion and support.

Yours sincerely, 

Eagle Dynamics

 

Balkans Map

Announcement

In partnership with OnReTech and following the very successful launch of the DCS: Sinai map, the DCS: Balkans map will allow the recreation of NATO operations over former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 2001. You will be able to fly as either Serbian or NATO air force pilots over this varied and historically important theater. The map will feature picturesque coastlines and numerous islands of the Adriatic Sea. Additionally, dramatic mountain ranges including the Dinaric Alps, the Apennines and the Dolomites. As well as deep forest valleys, rivers, lakes, forests and fields. OnReTech is creating an impressively wide variety of landscapes across the Balkans and Italy.

The urban centers are as diverse as the natural landscape with the stunning city of Venice, the medieval town of Dubrovnik, the bustling ports of Trieste, Bari and Rijeka, and the cities of Belgrade, Zagreb and Podgorica all included. Wide highways and rail lines connect the big cities and small villages and settlements dotted across the map.

OnReTech is currently working on important military airfields located in Italy, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo. This includes Aviano Air Base, an Italian Air Force base that is home to the US Air Force's 31st Fighter Wing that flies the F-16C. Civilian airports such as the Venice Marco Polo Airport, one of the largest in Italy are also being modelled. 

The map is planned to be available in 2026. For the latest updates on its development, please visit the DCS OnReTech forum thread. We look forward to your feedback and wishes for this long-awaited map.

 

Current Hill

New Assets

We’re excited to share that the Currenthill pack will be receiving new assets that will expand mission-building possibilities.

The Grisha-class Corvette is optimized for anti-submarine warfare and coastal defense operations. It will have radar and missiles, a Close In Weapons System (CIWS) point defence gun, and a deck gun.

Meanwhile, the AI only EC-665 Tiger UHT, the German variant of the Eurocopter Tiger, can conduct reconnaissance, close air support and anti-armor operations with tactical finesse. We look forward to delivering these assets to you in a future update.

 

DCS Interview

Wags and Deephack talk DCS

Recently, Matt “Wags” Wagner sat down with Deephack for an in-depth interview covering all things DCS. The discussion spans everything from Matt’s long history with flight simulations and his start in the industry to his vision for the future of DCS.

Some key highlights include insights into the design and planned release strategies for highly anticipated features such as the Dynamic Campaign and ATC overhaul, how third-party additions have evolved over the years, and the direction Eagle Dynamics aims to take as DCS continues to progress and evolve. Watch the full interview on Deephack’s YouTube channel.

Thank you again for your passion and support,

Yours sincerely,

[ThorBrasil]

The OnReTech Sinai map was the first and last map I will ever buy from them. I expected more from the Sinai map. The helipads are all copy-pasted and paste, and have no life in them. I genuinely regret the purchase. It looks like an AI-generated map with random objects.

[CommandT]

10 minutes ago, ThorBrasil said:

The OnReTech Sinai map was the first and last map I will ever buy from them. I expected more from the Sinai map. The helipads are all copy-pasted and paste, and have no life in them. I genuinely regret the purchase. It looks like an AI-generated map with random objects.

Let's hope they up their game for the Balkans. It would be a great shame for all of us otherwise. Such a beautiful part of the World and would offer such a wide veriety for both NATO and Redfor ops. I also sincerely hope they don't do a copy and paste job like they did in a lot of locations on the Sinai map.

[ThorBrasil]

7 minutes ago, CommandT said:

Let's hope they up their game for the Balkans. It would be a great shame for all of us otherwise. Such a beautiful part of the World and would offer such a wide veriety for both NATO and Redfor ops. I also sincerely hope they don't do a copy and paste job like they did in a lot of locations on the Sinai map.

Balkans won't be any different from Sinai, and I don't expect anything more from OnReTech. The same thing happened with Polychop-Simulations and Kiowa. It was the first and last module I'll buy from them.

[hollow]

Agreed, it's a shame the Balkans terrain isn't developed by Ugra Media. That would be AWESOME... Not buying anything from OnReTech though.

Edited 10 hours ago by hollow

[-=Shin=-]

Wow! As an old F-16 Falcon 4 SimPilot , i love this news about the Balkans and Italy Map! 

Cant wait!!! I hope it will be a really good quality Map 

[dahui]

[Mootmoot]

Quote

following the very successful launch of the DCS: Sinai map 

You really wrote that !

I bought the Sinaï map when it came out , i was very disapointed due to  the lack of aftercare /updates/communication from OnReTech.... !

In french we say " tu peux te gratter " , i don't know if there is a good english translation for that...maybe something like:" You can go whistle for it."

Edited 10 hours ago by Mootmoot

[primus_TR]

This map does offer some very realistics/interesting scenarios tho. Flashpoint Kosovo for sure. 

[Av8tr]

I don't know why people have such a bad experience with the Sinai map, I find it to be very detailed. My biggest complaint is the lack of 3rd party campaigns for it.

About the Balkans map though, while it's true we have an F-16C for it... we don't have an appropriate era F-16C for the Yugoslav wars. We really need a pre-CCIP Block 42 F-16C for it, the Cold War Germany map, and the Iraq map for Desert Storm.

Edited 2 hours ago by Av8tr

[Mistermann]

4 minutes ago, primus_TR said:

This map does offer some very realistics/interesting scenarios tho. Flashpoint Kosovo for sure. 

It does.  But I am definitely not thrilled with OnReTech developing.  I purchased Siani the day it released.  Super disappointed in that decision.

OnReTech damaged their reputation with their poor support and communication post launch.  

Personally I am not purchasing and doubt I ever will.  

[SloppyDog]

1 hour ago, ThorBrasil said:

The OnReTech Sinai map was the first and last map I will ever buy from them. I expected more from the Sinai map. The helipads are all copy-pasted and paste, and have no life in them. I genuinely regret the purchase. It looks like an AI-generated map with random objects.

I agree. Although I have to say that Sinai was improved, but it took very long to do so. Improved, not great as the maps by Ugra. 
So, I'll wait and see if OneReTech will make something better this time. What it means is that I'll wait one or two years after the release in order to decide to buy or not. It would be a real shame if this map is low quality. It would be a lost opportunity.

Although I'm disappointed it is not being made by Ugra, I'm really glad that it is not being made by Orbx. Kola map is a shame, and the Orbx name was slapped on a really bad product.

 

[Mainstay]

If the Sinaï map doesn’t get way more love the wallet stays closed for the Balkan map. So it’s up to them to convince me otherwise.  

[Beirut]

I have no great interest in a Balkans map. But I hate to have to change my signature...

 

We'll see. 

[kotor633]

EC-665 Tiger UHT...unfortunately only AI. But better than nothing. Awesome!!

[westr]

2 hours ago, ThorBrasil said:

The OnReTech Sinai map was the first and last map I will ever buy from them. I expected more from the Sinai map. The helipads are all copy-pasted and paste, and have no life in them. I genuinely regret the purchase. It looks like an AI-generated map with random objects.

I was going to say something similar but seen that you had posted this. I agree Sinai was very disappointing.

[YoYo]

More screenies. Great choice, congratulations @OnReTech !

 

[YSIAD_RIP]

Screenshots do look good. I am all for moving the ball forward. I will expect improvements to Sinai and a better rollout for Balkans. 

[NoJoy]

Very true - the screenies looking good! So what about deciding if the map is worth its money when its done?

[markom]

1 hour ago, YoYo said:

More screenies. Great choice, congratulations @OnReTech 

I do hope they get terrain elevation right before the release. Belgrade isn't nearly as flat as those images show. Also, relation of some of the landmark buildings to each other is... not right at all :-). But, probably plenty of time to fix before we go to virtual war over it all (again).

Edited 7 hours ago by markom

[Beirut]

2 hours ago, SloppyDog said:

Kola map is a shame, and the Orbx name was slapped on a really bad product.

 

Defintely room for all tastes and opinions. I really enjoy the Kola map. Top 3 for me.

[Gunfreak]

I don't have a major problem with Sinai.  Except real life has made me not wanting to use quite a lot of it. 

I think it was a mistake to set it in modern time. 60/70s would have been much more interesting.

[schurem]

I agree with your thinking about the Sinai map. Well said.

As for Balkans, F yea! whooohooo! Love it! IMO Onretech rocked it with the Sinai map on a technical level, it is a fine bit of work.

[draconus]

Not a surprise but still much awaited map. Will be great to hunt down the MiGs in the F-15C or the other way around.

Great assets! Thanks @currenthill 

[Dragon1-1]

I do hope they'll be better about making breaking changes to this one post-release. It made campaign builders wary of Sinai, and it'd be a shame if they were similarly slow to pick up the Balkans. 

Also, we could use more 90s aircraft and relevant or variants. Now there won't be any excuse for ED not to make Allied Force era hardware. Too bad about the Mudhen in particular, IRL it played a large role in the Balkans. I also hope we'll get CBU-94 someday, IRL it was only dropped from Nighthawks, but AFAIK it used a standard dispenser, so anything compatible with CBU-97 should be able to carry it. Could be very useful for attacking power plants in DC.