Strike aircraft recommendation

[bell_rj]

Hi all,

 

I'm very new to DCS and have been enjoying learning the FC3 F-15C over the last week. So much so in fact that I purchased for the NTTR map and F-15C Red Flag campaign (just hours before the weekend bundle deal was announced :cry:). I was a bit gutted to miss the deals, as I fancied Black Shark 2 too, but I'm sure I'll find the spare cash in time for the next sale. Anyway, the NTTR map turned out to be a work of art so well worth buying, sale or no sale!

 

What I'd love to fly soon is a Western strike aircraft. I used to love Falcon 4, dropping cluster bombs and firing Mavericks. I was ok with the time taken to learn the F-15C (in simulator mode), which wasn't all that much, but get the impression that some aircraft might require quite a LOT of time to learn. How true is that for the likes of the M-2000C, or Viggen? Your advice and recommendations would be very welcome. :)

[mwd2]

F-15C is one of the aircraft from the Flaming Cliff 3 Bundle (not clickable Cockpit and SSM).

 

Standard Systems Modeling (SSM). A DCS module using SSM is characterized as including just the most essential cockpit systems and using keyboard and joystick commands only to interact with the cockpit. Examples of SSM in DCS include all of the Flaming Cliffs 3 aircraft.

 

M2000C and Viggen have or will have ASM and clickable Cockpits.

 

Advanced Systems Modeling (ASM). An ASM enabled aircraft goes into great depth to model the intricacies of the various cockpit systems, to include functionality for almost all the buttons, switches, dials, etc. A key element of an ASM cockpit is the ability to interact with it using your mouse. ASM DCS examples include the A-10C, Ka-50, P-51D, UH-1H and Mi-8MTV2.

 

DCS Product Terms

 

So if you take a look into the manual for the F-15C (around 150 pages) and A-10C (around 700 pages), you can see the difference.

[QuiGon]

The difference is huge, it's almost like two different games. The different in pages in the manual is a good reference :D

 

As for western strike aircraft. There is no real Striker in DCS so far, but the Viggen will change that soon. So, if you want a western strike aircraft the viggen is pretty much your only choice so far. Apart from that the M2000 comes closest to beeing a striker.

The A-10 is not really a striker by definition (fast in, hit hard, fast out), even if it is often called like that. But if you just meant to kill stuff on the ground, then the A-10C is a pretty good choice though :)

[PiedDroit]

It's not too long to get into a module like the M-2000C or the Viggen, learning where the switches are is quick, you just need to make sure to write down some the procedures and practice them.

This will depend how familiar you are with basics of aircraft handling and systems.

 

Usually I the traning missions one to several times each depending on my succcess, I study the manual and I build practice missions to test certain aspect of the aircraft that are more complicated (for the M-2000C, it was mostily the INS and the use of the radar), then I'm good to go.

During that time I also build my controller profile in a incremental way.

Since those new aircraft have clickable cockpits, it's usually fast, a couple of axis to tune, HOTAS buttons plus maybe one or two switches hard to reach in the cockpit, and it's done. FC3 aircraft take much longer to configure, controller-wise as they don't have clickable cockpits.

In terms of timeframe, this usually takes a week (maybe two if I don't spend much time on it) or even just a week-end if I dedicate my time to it. Of course mastering the aircraft will take longer ;)

 

If you're new to aircraft systems and (radio-)navigation, it might take a while longer for you grasp everything, but learning the basics will be helpful in the long run - in my case this even helped me to land a job .

 

As the recommendation for a strike aircraft, well the Viggen seems the ideal candidate hehe (but beware, no moving map nor fancy avionics).

Otherwise the A-10C is slow and cosy (modern avionics, moving map, targetting pod), great for target plinking.

M-2000C is not really a strike aircraft, sure it can drop bombs and rockets but if you're planning to use it for this sole purpose it will be frustrating.

Edited January 14, 2017 by PiedDroit

[Yurgon]

Of course there's an F/A-18C in development, which many of us can't wait to get our hands on. Don't ask for a release date, but I believe it's well within the realm of possibility that we might see an early access version later this year.

 

If you don't want to wait for that, the A-10C has an amazing depth in its systems modelling, and it's as feature complete as a DCS module is likely to get. It's a great platform to get acquainted with the CAS role, but as far as multi-role goes, well, that's not what it was built for. ;)

 

The M-2000C is a great module with limited A2G capabilites. Many here fancy the Viggen; personally I'm not too interested in it and can't say much about it. I'll just rather wait for the Hornet, but that's just me.

 

Anyway, I've flown the A-10C since Beta and wouldn't say I've mastered it. There's just soooo much to learn with this aircraft and module, it's just fantastic. And even though it's now a generation or two behind the Hogs in active service, it's still closer to current aircraft than most other modules.

 

This commercial has been brought to you by... a long time enthusiast. :D

[shab249]

Of course there's an F/A-18C in development, which many of us can't wait to get our hands on. Don't ask for a release date, but I believe it's well within the realm of possibility that we might see an early access version later this year.

 

If you don't want to wait for that, the A-10C has an amazing depth in its systems modelling, and it's as feature complete as a DCS module is likely to get. It's a great platform to get acquainted with the CAS role, but as far as multi-role goes, well, that's not what it was built for. ;)

 

The M-2000C is a great module with limited A2G capabilites. Many here fancy the Viggen; personally I'm not too interested in it and can't say much about it. I'll just rather wait for the Hornet, but that's just me.

 

Anyway, I've flown the A-10C since Beta and wouldn't say I've mastered it. There's just soooo much to learn with this aircraft and module, it's just fantastic. And even though it's now a generation or two behind the Hogs in active service, it's still closer to current aircraft than most other modules.

 

This commercial has been brought to you by... a long time enthusiast. :D

 

Let me correct you

The legend say's that the F-18 in development lol

After i flew the mig 21 i dont want to do everything else than fly with him so im not good at telling you mirage or viggen. For me the viggen wins mirage looks fun there isn't any real enemies for the mirage, f15/su27 kick his ass in BVR if we had the f16 or f18 (its not about the size its about the radar) so yea, but sadly we dont.

Even that the franch air force is more interesting than Sweden air force, viggen sounds more fun and i see the amazimg job leatherneck did with the mig 21 so i cant imagine how good the viggen is im a fanboy of them now

 

 

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[Los]

If you want an all around capable aircraft that can dogfight in Air to air (Radar and IR missiles/guns) as well as drop iron and Laser guided bombs, the Mirage 2000 would have to do for now. The Viggen has strike capabilities, but is a little more limited air to air, so I feel the Mirage might more fit your needs and is closer to what you were doing in Falcon 4.

 

Los

[bell_rj]

Thank you all for your replies and apologies for my very, very delayed reply. I've read of your replies carefully, and have spent a lot of time reading the forums and facebook DCS groups. Boy, have I learnt a lot! It's become obvious that modules don't come along too frequently, and I should take my time to learn DCS properly rather than try to rush in.

 

The M2000 and Viggen aren't quite what I'm after so I'm going to wait 'two weeks' (see, I've been paying attention... ;) ) for the F/A-18C. In the meantime I'm going to learn Black Shark 2, have pre-purchased Normandy plus asset pack and bought the Spitfire to go with it, and might go for the F-5 some time soon to act out my Top Gun Aggressor fantasies on the NTTR map.

 

Long term, the F-14 looks like it will be awesome too. So I think all this will keep me very busy!

[QuiGon]

Thank you all for your replies and apologies for my very, very delayed reply. I've read of your replies carefully, and have spent a lot of time reading the forums and facebook DCS groups. Boy, have I learnt a lot! It's become obvious that modules don't come along too frequently, and I should take my time to learn DCS properly rather than try to rush in.

 

The M2000 and Viggen aren't quite what I'm after so I'm going to wait 'two weeks' (see, I've been paying attention... ;) ) for the F/A-18C. In the meantime I'm going to learn Black Shark 2, have pre-purchased Normandy plus asset pack and bought the Spitfire to go with it, and might go for the F-5 some time soon to act out my Top Gun Aggressor fantasies on the NTTR map.

 

Long term, the F-14 looks like it will be awesome too. So I think all this will keep me very busy!

 

Thanks for comming back and letting us know what came out of this for you. It seems pretty different to your initial idea. :)

 

And yeah, it seems like you really did pay attention :D

[bell_rj]

It seems pretty different to your initial idea. :)

Well yes that is true to an extent. I'm happy to wait though because I've found out that there is a lot to learn in DCS World and many challenges to try while I wait for the Hornet.

 

I was always going to get the Spitfire because it's been a favourite aircraft of mine since a boy, and I've been extremely lucky to fly in the back of a real Spitfire LF MK IXc twice and take control for a few minutes. So when I found out that there was a Spitfire module, and not only that it was the exact same model as the one I flew in I was very happy indeed. I am resisting the temptation to fly it until Normandy is released though, and keeping myself busy with the F-15C Red Flag campaign and learning navigation.

[BitMaster]

Enjoy :)

 

and yeah..there is no cutting corners in DCS. Those guys get stuck on the tarmac not knowing what to do and not even have TS on...sigh....a hard way for some.

 

The props are pretty easy to learn cockpit-wise, just a few buttons and levers, but learning to fly them properly is a totaly different skill :P

 

 

Meet you up there !

[joey45]

Can always learn in the free TF-51 for tail dragers. :joystick::pilotfly: