After the Tomcat?

Not sure what you mean by "tandem" but I have always known it to mean 'front and back' in terms of an aircraft cockpit like the L-39, the Hawk or the C-101. I do understand though, that none of those a/c have any AI helping out, which is maybe what you are referring to.

Both F-111 and Su-24 cabin feature side-by-side crew seating. We do not have a single combat jet in DCS World with such feature, and this is why I would find this as selling point in next module.

Both F-111 and Su-24 cabin feature side-by-side crew seating. We do not have a single combat jet in DCS World with such feature, and this is why I would find this as selling point in next module.

There was once a list of future modules for DCS, I think it's still there, which featured the Su-34 among other planes. I believe this list was way before even the F-86 and Mig-15 came out for DCS

If you mean anti-ship role there are Tornado variants that have anti-shipping role

Just trying to figure out if the F-14 in the fleet defense role has any realistic opponent between 85-2000. Maybe only the Russians had a credible opponent. Not sure if 200-250kg warheads on Sea Eagle, Kormoran, RBS-15, are powerful enough.

Just trying to figure out if the F-14 in the fleet defense role has any realistic opponent between 85-2000. Maybe only the Russians had a credible opponent. Not sure if 200-250kg warheads on Sea Eagle, Kormoran, RBS-15, are powerful enough.

Well, they were developed to be used against the russian navy in the coastal waters around europe, not to destroy a american carrier battle group in the open sea, which requires much different tactics and weapons.

Just trying to figure out if the F-14 in the fleet defense role has any realistic opponent between 85-2000. Maybe only the Russians had a credible opponent. Not sure if 200-250kg warheads on Sea Eagle, Kormoran, RBS-15, are powerful enough.

For point defense from land that would be the mig 25/31. The Russians didn’t compete for fleet defense in that manner - they went for faster and longer range anti ship missiles, longer range ARMs, and bombers like the backfire.

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For point defense from land that would be the mig 25/31. The Russians didn’t compete for fleet defense in that manner - they went for faster and longer range anti ship missiles, longer range ARMs, and bombers like the backfire.

 

 

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And the backfire was only a means for delivery, the missiles they carried were supposed to do most of the heavy lifting.

Russia seemingly wanted their warfare automated, whether it was electronically automated, or doctrinal automation.

Was thinking of the Tomcat. It is a fleet defense fighter. To really make it shine on a online server it needs to serve in its primary role. To make fun and involving gameplay it needs an opponent that makes a credible treath to a carrier.

We are getting a northern map, carriers, what now is needed is a credible adversary to complete the dynamics.

The weakness of DCS at the moment is that it is a bit all over the place. Heatblur should focus on completing the dynamics of late Cold War carrier warfare. There is only one piece missing, the adversary.

would be great to get a map that allowed us to use the tomcat in its intended mission - and yeah, if we had at the very least AI opfor that could simulate a mass raid, that would definitely be cool - the map would need to be big enough to accommodate the distances required to play out force-on-force scenarios --- fortunately, most of the area would be ocean so that should limit the map size..

would be great to get a map that allowed us to use the tomcat in its intended mission - and yeah, if we had at the very least AI opfor that could simulate a mass raid, that would definitely be cool - the map would need to be big enough to accommodate the distances required to play out force-on-force scenarios --- fortunately, most of the area would be ocean so that should limit the map size..

We basically would be asking for something like Midway with water each way. Another good place to be is Bering Sea or Barents Sea.

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Heatblur is going to develop a map specifically for the Tomcat. So that shouldn't be an issue.

Terrain & Theatre Development

We've recently began ramping up the amount of time we spend on developing our new theatres and terrains for DCS World. Currently we have three separate theaters in development, one of which we have previously announced and will be released together with the F-14. The other two are slated for release either with, or directly after the release of our other two aircraft. All three are very unique and don't really have a lot in common. This is both a blessing and a curse, as it makes it easier to create more theaters in these particular environments later on, but also dramatically increases current workload.

 

Our goal with theaters is to not only build a great environment to immerse the player in the game world, but to also try and provide an appropriate framework for the aircraft we create.

To achieve this framework, we have to spend a lot of time creating AI Aircraft, Ground and Naval units, all of which represent a huge investment of time and effort.

Thus, we hope to avoid aircraft that are 'misplaced' in the wrong theater and environment. Naturally, the main campaign for each module will take place in their respective theater.

 

Current Art team focus on the front of Theatre development is the creation of everything from terrain textures (many based on Photogrammetry), environmental models, props & buildings, airfield objects, and 'unique' terrain features (Some terrain features require extra detail, an unrelated example would be Mt. Rushmore).

We're also creating custom models and artwork for e.g. trenchlines, defensive installations and unique coastlines.

 

The construction of the overall terrain components such as the coastline, roads, towns, airfields, fields, forests and more takes an incredible amount of time.

I'm sure you can imagine how time consuming it can be to mark out each and every field in an e.g. 250x250 km area.

Then add in all the forests and towns, and you certainly have your work cut out for you.

Thankfully, resources exist to more easily automate some terrain features, such as roads.

 

One of the most time intensive tasks is the creation of airports and airbases.

These can be very complex, with many unique buildings and large amounts of interconnected taxiways and runways.

Proper integration of AI pathing and other components such as beacons and radio frequencies, together with the documentation for these (charts and other reference) significantly add to the workload.

 

Theatre development has been a learning process for us. We've already grown proficient with working with terrain in DCS world and we look forward to applying our new knowledge to continuously expand the world of DCS, whether it is to complement our own aircraft modules or those in development by other DCS developers.

I hope it will be Iceland. :)

Heatblur is going to develop a map specifically for the Tomcat. So that shouldn't be an issue.

 

 

 

I hope it will be Iceland. :)

Why Iceland of all places?

Why Iceland of all places?

Because that and the sourrounding northern atlantic would have been the primary area of operation for the Tomcat as that would be the place where the carrier groups would have operated in WW3 (Cold War gone hot) to protect the transatlantic convoys. Iceland itself palys a key role here, as it serves as an unsinkable aircraft carrier and who ever controls it controls the north atlantic. Loosing Iceland would also mean loosing control of SOSUS, which makes Iceland even more important. All that is the reason why Iceland is a NATO member, although it doesn't even have armed forces.

Three separate theaters，maybe GIUK(iceland), Baltic and what else?

Three separate theaters，maybe GIUK(iceland), Baltic and what else?

The third one was Iwo Jima IIRC, but that was for the F-4U which is now with Magnitude 3. So I think it is only 2 maps now.

Because that and the sourrounding northern atlantic would have been the primary area of operation for the Tomcat as that would be the place where the carrier groups would have operated in WW3 (Cold War gone hot) to protect the transatlantic convoys. Iceland itself palys a key role here, as it serves as an unsinkable aircraft carrier and who ever controls it controls the north atlantic. Loosing Iceland would also mean loosing control of SOSUS, which makes Iceland even more important. All that is the reason why Iceland is a NATO member, although it doesn't even have armed forces.

As much as I like Iceland, it has a major problem. Where do the Soviets take off from? If the answer is the Kola peninsula, then we are talking about a gigantic map that also includes North Norway and the Norwegian Sea. Then why not just cut Iceland and stick with the Murmansk area, North Norway and the Norwegian Sea? After all that is where the battle for the northern flank would have been fought in the first place.

Iceland was important for the SOSUS barrier and a prime target for Speznaz. But it was not the scene for the carrier battles (that was beyond Iceland in the Norwegian Sea) and it was no initial target for a Soviet invasion. At least not before the Soviets had defeated the bulk of the US Navy and captured Norway.

As much as I like Iceland, it has a major problem. Where do the Soviets take off from?

That's a good point actually! One which I have no answer to, to be honest.

cold war...

So, what we need is the TU-22M2. If that is impossible, a F-111 to fill the same role.

So, what we need is the TU-22M2. If that is impossible, a F-111 to fill the same role.

The Tu-22 is already being worked on by an unofficial 3rd party dev atm

So, what we need is the TU-22M2. If that is impossible, a F-111 to fill the same role.

A F-111 to fill the same role as a TU-22M2?! These are entirely different aircraft. The Tu-22 is more like a B-1.

Not saying that they are the same. They are similar in that they can fly high, fast and carry a nuclear anti-ship missile.

To fully fill out this scenario, we would need 3 additional aircraft: a US carrier based strike aircraft, a Soviet/Warsaw Pact anti-shipping bomber, and a Soviet/Warsaw Pact point defense interceptor.

If we were to get these aircraft along with the theater, then we would truly have something awesome on our hands.

But the biggest problem would come with getting documentation for the OPFOR anti-shipping bomber. Getting it for their interceptor wouldn't be easy either, but as long as you are not looking at the MiG-31 (since it is still the most advanced thing in service with their air defense force) it should be doable. A MiG-25 should be possible, because you could get the info from defected air-frames or export models. However the bomber would be the same as the MiG-31. With maybe the acceptation that in the bombers case it wouldn't be the thing classified, the missiles it carries would.

The Tu-22 is already ingame and I think the MiG-31 too?

if you're talking about playable modules than this is of course something different. Getting information about the airplane is one thing, but you also need the license from the manufacturer. In case of the MiG-25 or any other russian aircraft, this is especially important as ED is a russian based company.

With the above considerations taken in mind, the F-111 might be the best realistic option. It should prove itself popular as the first fast striker in game.

Oh, and the Mig-25 would be sweet !

With the above considerations taken in mind, the F-111 might be the best realistic option. It should prove itself popular as the first fast striker in game.

 

Oh, and the Mig-25 would be sweet !

The F-111 is a medium range interdiction strike aircraft, not a naval bomber. The Tornado would be much better in this case as it can fill both roles quite well as it has seen dedicated naval service in the german navy and the RAF.