Best Module to invest time in learning

[Lynchsl62]

Hi, I know this will be asked a lot but here goes….

 

I have just about mastered the Warbirds, take off, land and manoeuvre and then engage in combat without dying too often. The modules are like the planes relatively straightforward as there are not too many systems on board, but are rewarding due to energy management and propeller induced effects. Each module takes at least 10 hours to learn and more to master

 

Looking for the next challenge to learn. My favourite plane is without doubt the F-86 an evolution from the warbirds but with more systems, however the scenarios are limited and I understand that the AI Mig 15 is almost impossible to defeat - does not sound rewarding

 

DCS requires an investment in time to learn the module, assign commands etc and I was looking for a module to learn in say 20 - 50 hours before attempting to master. I have the AV-8 and was thinking of that but the reporting of bugs is off putting. Same with the F-16

 

Any recommendations/feedback/comments are welcome. Based on a similar recent thread I was thinking A-10CII, Mirage-2000, F/A-18 and possibly F-14 but not sure how to live with Jester

Thanks 

[Hiob]

The A-10 II is fun and you get loads of contents (same for F/A-18) - but you won't be able to "master" it in the proposed amount of time. At least not, if "to master" means all of its systems.

What about a rotorcraft like the Huey? Less systems more flying to master...

 

Regarding the AV-8 and F-16 - personally I think, there is enough to master before you get in touch with bugs to much...

[Zaremba]

Look at Mig-21, very nice plane. Not much complicated systems but hard to learn fly properly.

For me the best module in DCS is Tomcat. Don-t worry about Jester, he is a nice guy But to know al the F-14 system the 50 hrs to master the module is not enough.

The F-86 is nice, if you like it, take it. Migs are hard opponents but can be defeted. But more fun is at multiplayer. Also Mig-15 is realy nice plane at the same cathegory as Sabre.

[Furiz]

Well the F-16C is pretty much work in progress, far from complete, the FA-18C is very close to being released, both multi role fighters, I bought those two planes and I'm more than happy with them, there is lots to learn, systems, weapon employment etc, they are easy to fly due to fly by wire, they have great Situational Awareness which makes AA as well as AG combat easier than in those planes that have no datalink or any kind of situational awareness than its own radar.

 

A-10C II and AV-8 are both great planes, much more AG oriented that those previous two multi role fighters, with A-10C II you'll have tons of stuff to learn, I believe its the most complex aircraft in DCS. AV-8 is great ground pounder with carrier capability, you can even land in a FARP and rearm refuel with it.

 

F-14 is very detailed and very well made, I don't own it but what I see its being flown a lot on MP servers, so I guess it is great.

 

If you want a fun, complex and complete, Ground Pounding = A10C II, multi role = FA-18C + it is carrier capable so you can basically do everything with this bird.

[Canada_Moose]

Hornet or A10C II

[Frag]

If you are coming from the propellers aircraft, a good next evolution would be the F-5 Tiger II. This jet is a blast to fly and the electronic, even though existent, is quite limited in a good way. Simple radar and no MFDs at all.

 

I have many DCS aircraft, the F-5 Tiger is still the one I fly the most. Is it relatively simple and quite effective when mastered. For sure it does not have all the abilities of the F-16 or the F-18 since it is an older generation jet, but the advantage is that you concentrate on the flying instead of the MFD management.

 

To all it's own, but I do not like the sensor/computer fest that became the current jet fighters like the F-18. Do not get me wrong, F-18 is awesome ...but the feel is extremely different.

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by Frag

[evilnate]

If the F-86 is your favorite, I would say go for that. You will LOVE the cold war servers.

[Lynchsl62]

Thanks for all the feedback, I was not expecting to master a module in 50 hours - definitely not based on my latest experience in the Bf-109K-4 the module I have the most time in .

 

Some great advice - to summarise no bad modules just lots of learning. I have tried the F/A-18 in Air to Air and it is gratification but complex systems. 
 

So far the modules that sound like the next level seem to be the F-86/MiG-15, F-5 (will wait for the next sale) and the MiG-21, evolutionary systems in each generation. 
 
I have never thought about helicopters - though who does not want to fly a Hind the original Beast of Afghanistan, just wonder how the controls are with a joystick and a throttle rather than a cyclic and collective 

[Mars Exulte]

8 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

Looking for the next challenge to learn. My favourite plane is without doubt the F-86 an evolution from the warbirds but with more systems, however the scenarios are limited and I understand that the AI Mig 15 is almost impossible to defeat - does not sound rewarding

  There's a dedicated Korean War server where you can fly against people. F-86 and MiG-15 both are fantastic aircraft.

 

8 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

DCS requires an investment in time to learn the module, assign commands etc and I was looking for a module to learn in say 20 - 50 hours before attempting to master. I have the AV-8 and was thinking of that but the reporting of bugs is off putting. Same with the F-16

  I haven't messed with the F-16 much, it's not near finished, obviously, but it's fun to mess around with and still has quite a bit of capability. The Av-8 is in very good shape these days overall, despite the tendency for a handful of people to dogpile on it. I primaried it extensively and it's capable of a LOT of interesting stuff.

 

8 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

I was thinking A-10CII

  Very good choice if you like being in the weeds, and like flexible weapon loadouts. Very capable aircraft.

 

8 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

Mirage-2000

  Don't know much about it, but it has some limited multirole capability and is a potent dogfighter.

 

8 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

F/A-18

  Very flexible jack of all trades

 

8 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

F-14 but not sure how to live with Jester

   This is probably one of the more complex аnd challenging aircraft.

 

 

 

 

   It really depends on what you want. Sabre аnd Mig are old school dogfighters. Harrier and A-10 are dedicated ground pounders. 16 & 18 are fly by wire, hyper modern super fighters/flying computers. F-14 ''it's the 70s again!'' Mirage is inbetween.

 

  What do you want to do? Pick the plane that looks most appealing to you. Don't worry too much about bugs and doomsaying. As you say, they all require an investment, so pick the one you're most interested in.

 

[Aviators]

A-10C II

[Hiob]

57 minutes ago, Lynchsl62 said:

 

I have never thought about helicopters - though who does not want to fly a Hind the original Beast of Afghanistan, just wonder how the controls are with a joystick and a throttle rather than a cyclic and collective 

If you have a decent (for very fine adjustments) throttle, you can use it for a collective without problems.

Rudder pedals are a must in my opinion.

Any Joystick will do, but adjustable or at least light on the centering springs is an advantage.

[Nodak]

There are bad modules, and they will have you ripping your hair out when you can't even do simple things like getting working and functional key bindings that are critical systems to your HOTAS.  So do choose wisely.

[SharpeXB]

I think the best module right now in DCS is easily the F/A-18C

its nearly out of Early Access an complete

You can do everything in it from Air to Air, every type of Air to Ground mission. And Carrier ops. 
And it’s not really such a difficult module to learn. 

[Hiob]

btw, you can try out the community A-4E Skyhawk. It‘s free and it‘s really good and fun!

Make sure you get the latest beta (2.0x) for the efm (external flight model)...

[Frag]

17 hours ago, Hiob said:

btw, you can try out the community A-4E Skyhawk. It‘s free and it‘s really good and fun!

Make sure you get the latest beta (2.0x) for the efm (external flight model)...

 

I do agree. The quality of this module is SUPERB for a free module. So is the Anubis C-130.

18 hours ago, Lynchsl62 said:

I have never thought about helicopters - though who does not want to fly a Hind the original Beast of Afghanistan, just wonder how the controls are with a joystick and a throttle rather than a cyclic and collective 

 

I do fly choppers a lot. I do have Thrustmaster Warthog and the Huey is the second module I flew the most (after the F-5 Tiger). So yes it is quite awesome with a joystick/throttle ... but yeah, if you intend to do so, you will need rudder pedals. I personally have the CH Pro, but there are many models out there. You really need an axis for the rudder to flew helicopters and have fun. Linking the rudder on a button wont cut it.

[Lynchsl62]

I have the MFG Crosswind with the hegykc damper and pedal modification - superb for fixed wing and I am sure will be good for rotary wing. I have a Realsimulator FSSB for digital joystick and the Virpil CM3 Throttle - hopefully these precise digital controls will allow precise rotary wing control - it is a question of time and learning and rewards for the accomplishments

 

Hegykc link

https://forums.eagle.ru/topic/257933-mfg-crosswind-combat-pedals-and-hydraulic-damper-mod/

 

After the rotary wing recommendations have pre ordered the Hind - not sure what to expect, but am hoping something between warbirds and 3rd generation jets.

[CBStu]

For me it has been the FA-18 all the way. I love the challenge of carrier operations. 

[IkarusC42B Pilot]

If you like f86 get f86. Or even better,wait for a sale and get it for half the price

[Lucidus]

I recommend Huey. It is basic helicopters which is done very well.

[wowbagger]

To me the Hornet and the A-10 feel very similar; both are extremely good in-depth modelling of systems, one is a bit faster, one has more fuel, one can do carrier ops, one can stay on station forever. But you spend most of your time head down staring at DDIs, and the actual flying is not particularly engaging. 

 

For actual fixed wing flying, the Tomcat is the best, the Harrier is fun, the Mig-21 is great. For cockpit ergonomics and view, the F-16 is without equal. The Viper also has the potential for a lot of systems integration in the future. Jester is fine and the Tomcat is a challenge to fly well and makes you think about approaching combat tactically instead of relying on technology to give you an edge (AIM-54 excepted), and is my favourite fixed wing module. (It also has very good developer interaction and support, which I value highly in a module).

 

The Sabre is great, but really not much more in depth system-wise than the warbirds, and very limited in terms of the maps/era we have available in DCS.

 

For single player content, F-18, A-10C and Mi-8/Huey are the ranking champs - but I'm hoping the F-14 and F-16 will start catching up over the next year or two now that we have PG and Syria.

 

Decide if you value systems vs flight mechanics, and then get whichever plane you wish had a poster of hanging on your wall, and have fun with it.

 

 

[Tshark]

I am only about 5 month into DCS and come from a similar perspective as the OP.  I have always preferred WWII aircraft since my Genie AirWarrior days and still play Aces High and IL2.  Since I was not a "jet guy", I was reluctant to get into DCS.  The first modules I bought were the P-51, Spitfire, and F5 Tiger II.  I bought the F5 because I always liked the aircraft and thought it would be a good transition to jets.  A couple months later I bought the F/A-18. 

 

If I had to do it over again I would skip the F5 till later.  While I do enjoy the F5 there is too much of a technical gap between it and the "current" fighters for it to be a viable stepping stone.

 

The F/A-18 would be my suggestion for first jet module.  It allows you to learn everything.  Air to air, air to ground, airfield ops, carrier ops, and aerial refueling.  The A-10 misses out on the aerial refueling and carrier ops.  The F-14 has some antiquated munitions and several key sensor systems are handled by A/I rather than you learning them.  The F/A-18 has a wealth of tutorials (both in game and on the internet).  There are also many single player quick missions available within DCS for the F/A-18 that cover all of the above mentioned tasks.

 

When you are ready to try multiplayer there is no shortage of F/A-18 missions/servers out there.

 

I found I liked jet flying much more than I thought I would.  The F/A-18 module will give you everything you need to learn the different aspects of modern jet warfare.  Lots to sink you teeth into!

[horstweihrauch]

Is this Hornet World, or DCS World

[Fairey Gannet]

That is good question, but honestly I would say this - choose an airplane, that you like, and you know you will use. In whatever manner, but to get your money back in your enjoyment and knowledge. There are series of plane overviews on YouTube, so you can get some info about specific modules. Now, to be more precise I will tell you about my modules that fits your warbird-to-jet progression.

 

I invested in trainers (L-39, C-101), and I am having blast with them. They can do some fighting, but I have much fun learning systems and general aviation. They are also forgiving planes. That floats my boat here.

 

When it comes to simple jet, MiG-19P is something I really like. However! Bear in mind, that it is work in progress, and Razbam has many things planned still for that module. I would say though, that if you want Sabre or MiG-15, I am not sure, if you want that one in your stable. It is basically those planes, but supersonic. It has some missles, very limited ground strike capability, and simple radar. I love the plane, but I am not sure, if it is worth to buy 1st gen and 2nd gen, unless you really like the plane itself. There is simply not much extra capability, for the money you are paying.

 

If you are looking for something more modern, F-5E Tiger II is nice step into supersonic world. It basically has all most of avionics you will get in later planes, but in more simple iteration. It is fun to fly, capable dogfighter and nice ground attack options are also there for you. The latter ones needs some practice, though. It is easy to fly, as it was designed to be first supersonic jet for many air forces in the world. I think you will like it.

 

Staying in 3rd generation, Viggen is actually pretty easy to learn. Yes, it is different than everything else, but it is designed to be easy to operate. If you like capable strike plane, with some air-to-air capability, that is nice choice. I discovered that a lot of people are having troubles switching to that plane from F-16's or Hornets, because of different logic behind systems and the way of use. You will not have that problem. I started fresh, and it was smooth for me.

 

In 4th generation Mirage 2000C is actually pretty simple. Don't get me wrong, it is well-done module, and it has many options to use. But it is not too complicated. I would say, it is F-5 +, and on the Viggen level. It is more air-to-air oriented, but you have also competent payload to choose, when you want to do some ground pounding. Radar is modern, IR missles are very good. You will be lacking BVR capability, but in guns/heat-seeker knife fight you can go toe to toe with other planes and still come on top.

 

Those are airframes I am familiar with. I would say, that you can master them in 30-50 hours, with Mirage and Viggen being most complex (but in a different way). I won't speak of other planes, as I am not competent enough to give any sensible advice in that manner. Hope it helps!

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Fairey Gannet
Typos.

[IkarusC42B Pilot]

20 hours ago, horstweihrauch said:

Is this Hornet World, or DCS World

Hmmm...nice pfp bro

[Roosterfeet]

I own the F-18, F-14, and both A-10 modules. I would not hesitate to recommend all three. 

 

The best value is the F-18.

• Multirole
• most weapon systems
• most content, both premium and user made
• The user made Liberation dynamic campaign can be played with any aircraft but the multirole F-18 is ideal
• IMHO easier air to air refueling than the F-14 and it's worth learning for longer missions
• Easy to fly, moderately complex systems and avionics

I love the F-14, it's what brought me back to DCS years after I lost interest in LOMAC/Flaming Cliffs

• Mainly air to air
• Fast
• pretty simple systems and avionics if you tell your AI RIO Jester what to do with the handy radial menu
• Jester has a volume knob on the left panel
• most challenging to fly of the three
• Very difficult air to air refueling but has very good range so most missions won't need it if you don't go crazy with burners
• Has some very good campaigns packed with it and some very good premium and user created content as well, but not as much as the F-18
• Surprisingly effective unguided bomb dropping capability that, to my knowledge, never got combat use in real life
• Laser guided bomb capability that was used extensively at the end of the Tomcat's service life. LANTIRN pod can be used from the RIO seat or can be handled by Jester with a very slick menu control system.

The A-10 is just a lot of fun to blow stuff up with, especially with the helmet mounted cueing system in the A-10C II module

• Air to ground obviously
• decent variety of weapons
• BRRRRRRRT!
• Most complex avionics of the 3
• Easy to fly
• I actually haven't tried refueling because it carries enough gas for some very long missions
• Pretty good premium content, Baltic Dragon's Enemy Within Campaign is fantastic
• Decent choice for the Liberation dynamic campaign
• BRRRRRRRT!

Edited November 8, 2021 by Roosterfeet
Someone necroed the thread so I updated it for November 2021