Warthog or FCC2 Cougar?

[Cali]

Which one would you get and why, Warthog or FCC2 modded Cougar? Only $70 dollar price difference. I fly everything and don't even have DCS-A10.

 

I fly

FC2

Falcon BMS

DCS BS

Edited October 27, 2011 by Cali

[WRFirefox]

- for DCS A-10C only: the Warthog should be the best choice

- if you like other Sims also (next DCS Modul): Warthog, Cougar FCC2 and Saitek X-65F should be in "the race"

- if you like the precision and handling of force sensing: the Cougar FCC2 or alternative the Saitek X-65F are the best choices

 

For me the X-65F was the winner!

 

Why? The programming and the handling with the "4-Sensing-Modes" are for me the right stuff!

Edited October 27, 2011 by WRFirefox

[MTFDarkEagle]

I fly with all your simulators as well as DCS: A-10C with the Warthog. If you however want force sensing the FCC2 or the X-65F you would have to choose from, but I would not be able to recommend which one.. (no experience with either). All I can say is I use the Warthog for a number of sims (A-10, BS, FSX, BMS, FC2, Rise Of Flight) and with all it works brilliant!

[WynnTTr]

The WH is a great HOTAS, more precise than a NXT modded cougar with less play on the stick. The all metal stick construction and industrial buttons are awesome. The throttle isn't as well constructed but the switches and buttons are still military grade (probably). They feel like they've been ripped from the A-10.

 

My brother got the x-65F and I've had a play with it. Not a bad stick at all. The rotaries and FS would be the main selling points particularly if your main sim is BMS. It's got enough buttons however it's lightweight compared to the WH. You have to stick the throttle down with something else and probably the stick as well if you get too forceful.

After a while you forget that the stick doesn't move as the force sensing can be calibrated and switched on the fly. It responds exactly how you expect it to. Need to AAR? just down the sensitivity. My bro cheats a little bit in BMS by upping his sensitivity when flying CAT III with a full load while I'm still left feeling like an..... A-10!

SST software is junk for advanced programming and Saitek support leaves a bad after taste, when they're actually there to serve you.

 

Last note on the X-65, you'll have to reg hack to get your ministick to work as a proper slewing tool for your FCR functions. It's a mouse by default and because of the rotaries and dual throttle there is a Windows limitation on how many axis you can have. You'll have to sacrifice one axis to enable the ministick to function as one. Again, not a problem if your main sim is BMS where it's a single engine aircraft. The left throttle axis is disabled on my bro's X-65.

Also note that the X-65 is not as popular as the WH so finding a good script profile for BMS will be difficult. I've looked and have yet to find one. The best advice was to map the buttons yourself from a clean key file. Meanwhile I've tried 3 WH scripts up to date until deciding on the last one is the one I'd keep.

 

Never had experience with a FSSB cougar but I imagine that that would be ideal for BMS - you get the full F-16 replica then down to the force sensing stick. All you need to do is give the stick a little play (as in the real Viper) and you'd have it exactly as the real thing.

 

Personal preference? given that I've only had experience with the X-65 and WH, I'd still get the WH. The all metal construction, the weight, the precision, the military grade buttons/switchs, better programming and just general badassness of it. It would be nice to have rotaries for radar but that'd be mainly for BMS and i play other sims with the WH as well.

 

End of essay :)

[Cali]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I made my choice. Your right about the feel like it is straight from the A-10, the cougar feels the same. I love my CH stuff, but the feel of the stick and the feel of the buttons is weird, but I'm use to it. I also wish they would of made an F-16 type of throttle, it's been 10 years since the last modern jet controllers came out from them. I don't know how hard it is to take the guts out of what they have now and just make a new mold. That has been a complaint of mine for years on their forums. But, if this doesn't work out, I'll be using CH again!

[WRFirefox]

......SST software is junk for advanced programming and Saitek support leaves a bad after taste, when they're actually there to serve you.....

 

 

This is not entirely correct.

The SST software is very well suited for advanced programming and offers many options that are simple to operate. You simply have to take a little time, then opens up a very good program.

 

 

 

Last note on the X-65, you'll have to reg hack to get your ministick to work as a proper slewing tool for your FCR functions. It's a mouse by default and because of the rotaries and dual throttle there is a Windows limitation on how many axis you can have. You'll have to sacrifice one axis to enable the ministick to function as one. Again, not a problem if your main sim is BMS where it's a single engine aircraft. The left throttle axis is disabled on my bro's X-65.

The same here.

You dont have to reg hack to get your ministick to work as a proper slewing tool for your FCR. This feature can prove to be very easy to program in the SST-Software without sacrifice one axis. Im using this in DCS A-10C and also in Falcon BMS - and it works very fine!:smilewink:

[Cali]

Well, it might be time to try the Warthog out. Looks like I could be making my rounds through every HOTAS out there.

[cichlidfan]

Well, it might be time to try the Warthog out. Looks like I could be making my rounds through every HOTAS out there.

 

Christmas present for yourself! Good deal. ;)

 

It is a nice stick. I fly box kites (WWI), as well as the A-10 and BS (if you want to call it flying) with it and it is great in all cases. Especially since I can create a trim function even though those old planes didn't have it.

 

If you need to program it, Target is very versatile

[WynnTTr]

Well, it might be time to try the Warthog out. Looks like I could be making my rounds through every HOTAS out there.

Let us know what you think Cali

[Cali]

I got this instead...should be here by Wednesday and I can fly Friday night!

 

 

I may get a Warthog in March, but i will never sale my CH stuff again!

[galagamo]

I got this instead...should be here by Wednesday and I can fly Friday night!

 

 

I may get a Warthog in March, but i will never sale my CH stuff again!

 

^^Frankin.

Where did you get it? was it already like that when you bought it? Been thinking about getting some CH gear myself, see what all the fuss is about.

Edited December 4, 2011 by galagamo

[Cali]

I bought it off another person. It is made by combining the CH throttle and CH throttle quadrant. You can e-mail 531-Ghost here http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/forum.php

 

CH is very good, no modding it and works flawlessly out the box. Like I said, if I do get a Warthog in March, I'll be keeping my CH this time.