Got a good handle on flight controls, basic nav and weapons.. What next?

I've been playing around with the F/A-18 for a few weeks (my first DCS module) and going through the training missions and practicing in quick play I feel I have a fairly good handle on most of the plane's basics, including flight control, basic navigation and weapons. I can even manage a Case 1 carrier landing (most of the time).

But what now?

I tried jumping in to some fast missions but.. I have no idea what I'm doing? Bringing up the map I see a bunch of reds but the only way I can think of to actually fly to them is by just guessing their general direction based on the map and hope to run into them

Is there a nice guide somewhere that can teach me how to actually figure out what to do in a mission? There isn't a training mission for it

use map/mission planner, get coordinates for targets, use coordinates to program waypoints for targets, fly to waypoint, blow up stuff, go home, don't get killed. Last part is the hardest part for me.

thats for AG targets, as far as i can tell we are limited to this for locating targets. Sometimes JTAC will paint them for you. We need the TPOD, ground radar and FLIR and then it's party time.:holiday:

A/A gotta scan em down with the radar and lock em up. pretty basic there.

I'm pretty green still but this is how I do it, perhaps some of our veterans can suggest another way?

I followed same training path as you - next step for me was learning how to play with the radar - playing with the 2,4, 6 bar scan , width of search wtc

When you get good at that try switching off the labels - snf repeat, A good practice one is the CASE 1 mission - force yourself to "find" the tanker using the radar with NO LABELS,

Always finish each day's play with DCS with 1 CV landing - everyday is a school day

Go work on case 1 in different weather and also night time conditions until you can nail it with a high degree of consistency. Takes real practice.

Dont go swanning about, instead go on an actual mission (there are plenty out there and many with good briefings) with a flight plan a target etc. Go there do the job and get back.

LOs

Dont go swanning about, instead go on an actual mission (there are plenty out there and many with good briefings) with a flight plan a target etc. Go there do the job and get back.

 

LOs

This. There are a growing number of missions of the week.

Hmm ok - I think my biggest problem is I have no idea how to program waypoints or coordinates for targets, I'll have to look up some tutorials on that and also need to get a lot more familiar with the radar, which I only got a little taste of from the training missions. Any recommendations?

You dont have to program waypoints or target coordinates on most missions. When you pop into the AC that work was already done my teh mission designer and is embodied by the waypoint system. You can call up your pre-loaded way-points through your MFD and HUD. You might want to go back through the tutorials again and review navigation.

You should still write down your waypoints, which ones are which, Alt, speed, wheres the Ip, where the target what it looks like, what weapons your using etc. You do a bunch of set up in the cockpit before you go such as weapon configuration. there are plenty of great youtube vids by guys on here which you can find with a cursory youtube search.

If you are completely new to flight sims, there are liekly gaps in your knowledge of basic aircraft handling, navigation, tactical vernacular, and weapons delivery. I dont know what you dont know?

Los

There's a mini-campaign for the Hornet in 'Campaigns' from the main menu which has decent briefings/flight plans already saved on the HSI. Play that next.

I don't believe anyone, RL or Virtual, has ever mastered CQ.

Find or build missions that incorporate Strike/A2A/ tanking and the CQ and it will keep you busy for years to come

As modules are added (IFF etc) your SA will be increased, but also your CRM abilities

Go work on case 1 in different weather and also night time conditions until you can nail it with a high degree of consistency. Takes real practice.

Night time would be Case 3 :thumbup:

That really depends on what you want to do. Do you want to fly mostly SP missions, or do you want to try multiplayer against other people? Do you want to do A2A or A2G mostly? Do you just want to have fun or do you want to learn the plane more thoroughly?

Anyway, Matt Wagner from ED has quite extensive series on Hornet: