DCS

[CanadaOne]

3 hours ago, Bremspropeller said:

The best part about the Tomcat is it makes flying the Hornet easier ?

 

I had the F-14 loaded up during the trial period and barely touched it at all.

 

I guess the good part is it leaves more Tomcat for the rest of you. 

[AndyJWest]

Just tried the Hornet again, for the first time in months. As I found with the Harrier, not flying the thing seems to have improved my technique. My carrier landing wasn't exactly elegant - a bolter followed by a landing with the LSO yelling 'waveoff', but I at least managed to avoid the sheer panic that I seemed to suffer from earlier. Or have they done something to the flight model? I definitely felt more in control. A bit of a head-scratcher...

[DD_fruitbat]

2021 looks like its going to be a good year in DCS, lots of things for me anyway.

 

New clouds, the Mosquito and the Apache all highlights for me, as well as markpoints for the F 16.

 

Quote

Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends,   

 

2020 was a tough year for most and a challenging one for Eagle Dynamics too. Despite COVID-19, we managed to release several products and core improvements which we hope were up to your expectations. We also changed our Open Beta release cycle and focused more on quality and less on feature delivery. For this we have you to thank, our faithful community. We really count and value your feedback, without your trust and patience, we would never be able to achieve the level of quality and enjoyment that you deserve. Thank you and do keep it up please!

 

The beginning of the year seems to be posing many of the same challenges, but the team is well organised and we believe that we have a solid roadmap for 2021 that will see the addition of new modules and improvements to the core-DCS program. Please do take a look at our plan below but kindly understand that the dates are our best estimates as of writing this letter and may move around a bit as time goes by. 

 

In the first quarter of 2021, we will migrate to DCS World version 2.7. While it was planned to release 2.6 in the very beginning of the year, so many additional changes are in the works that we have decided to move directly to 2.7. But prior to this move, we will have one remaining update to version 2.5 that will include many improvements to DCS: F/A-18C Hornet.

 

As the world moves into more apparent uncertainty, we would like to thank you again for staying by our side in 2020 and for helping us to more ‘sunlit uplands’ as Churchill so beautifully said. May 2021 be a good year for you and your families, a year full of love, success and health.

 

Onwards and Upwards!

 

Yours sincerely, 

 

Eagle Dynamics Team

 

 

 

DCS World

2021 Roadmap 

 

Before we discuss the new projects, let’s first touch on the support of existing products in 2021:

 

DCS: F/A-18C Hornet

Finalising this fantastic module is one of our top-priorities and our goal is to have the project out of Early Access by the end of the 1st quarter. In January, we will be adding new functions for expendable countermeasures, Electronic Attack (EA), radar jamming effects, SEA and Ground Moving Target (GMT) radar modes, designated target sharing (TXDSG), the FUEL page BIT, BDU-45 and BDU-45B practice bombs. Following these items, principal items remaining include: the ATFLIR targeting pod and the AGM-88C HARM Pre-Briefed (PB) mode, AGM-84K SLAM-ER, coupled (CPL) autopilot modes. Once out of early access, Hornet support will continue with the addition of the AIM-7P, ACLS mode, WIDE ACM mode, and the Data Transfer Cartridge functions. Thereafter, we will be maintaining and polishing this module on an ongoing basis.

 

DCS: F-16C Viper

Once the Hornet is out of early access, some of the developers will be allocated to the Viper team in order to enhance their capabilities. Based on customer feedback, their highest priorities  includes completing air-to-air radar modes and functions, additional AGM-88C HARM modes, GPS/INS-guided weapons, expanded defensive systems, air-to-surface radar modes, mark points, additional ICP and MFD options, new weapon delivery modes, and more.

 

DCS: A-10C II Tank Killer

The Hawg is already nearly complete, but we do plan to deliver some additional features in 2021 that include the ARC-210 radio, updates to the Tactical Awareness Display (TAD), changes to optically guided Maverick slewing, and the long version of the AN/ALQ-184 ECM pod. 

 

DCS: Supercarrier

Most of our effort on the Supercarrier has been focused on creating the 3D environments for the Ready Room, Air Boss Station (PriFly), and the hangar deck. Other tasks for 2021 include plane directors to marshal aircraft to the catapults and off the landing area, the “burble”, deck crew light wands for night operations, unique radio channels for different controllers, and manual LSO control.

 

 

 

New Aircraft

DCS World

 

DCS: Mosquito FB MK.VI

Our first new product of 2021 will be the impressive Mosquito. This will be our first multi-engine, multi-crew World War II aircraft for DCS World, and it will mark an important capability for future projects. The Mosquito is planned to be released into early access by the end of the 1st quarter of 2021.

 

 

 

DCS: Mi-24P

Named the Hind by NATO, this Russian attack helicopter is a deadly player on the battlefield with an array of Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, twin-barrel 30mm cannons, unguided rockets, and more. Featuring cooperative multiplayer in the front and back seat, the product will offer an even higher level of detail and accuracy than our Mi-8MTV2. With the ability to also act as a troop and cargo transport, the Mi-24P will add an all-new dimension to attack helicopter operations in DCS World. The Mi-24P is planned for release in the 2nd quarter of 2021.

 

 

DCS: AH-64D

Perhaps our biggest new aircraft project for 2021, the AH-64D will be the most accurate and detailed simulation of this iconic American attack helicopter. Like the Mi-24P, it will feature front- and back-seat operations in single player and multiplayer. Based on a 2002 Block II version, the AH-64D will be armed with Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles, unguided rockets, and a head-tracking 30mm cannon. The early access AH-64D is planned for release in the 3rd quarter of 2021 and will be available for pre-sales as of February 2021 with a 30% discount.

 

Note: Due to new Russian Federation laws pertaining to the gathering of information of Russian military equipment, we have had to reconsider our plans to add new systems to the Ka-50. We continue to update the cockpit, as well as a highly detailed updated external model. 

 

 

 

M.A.C

Modern Air Combat (MAC)

Despite the lack of updates on this project, it is still very much alive and we are making continued progress. Much of the work remains on the new gameplay modes, updating the 3D models and cockpits for the MAC aircraft, creating a new input manager “wizard”, and continued work on a new Graphical User Interface. We are shooting for 3rd quarter 2021 release, but latest Q4 2021.

 

 

 

Maps

For our maps, we will continue to address bugs and map improvements to the Persian Gulf, Caucasus, and Nevada maps. Most of our map work though is focused on The Channel map and the upcoming, free Mariana Islands map.

 

 

DCS: The Channel

We continue to expand this map with additional airfields, including the famous Biggin Hill RAF and Eastchurch airfields in England, two new advanced landing group airstrips, and numerous new landmarks. We plan to release the final version of the Channel map in the 1st quarter of 2021.

 

 

DCS: Mariana Islands

Slated to release in the 2nd quarter 2021, this map will first be a modern-day depiction, and it will include Andersen AFB and several other airfields along the island chain. Combined with the Chinese Assets Pack, we see interesting single player and multiplayer possibilities. This is still planned as a free map, and it will later serve as the foundation for our first World War II Pacific Theater map.

 

 

 

New Clouds

Volumetric 

 

The wait is almost over, and the new clouds for DCS World will be introduced in the 1st quarter of 2021. In addition to being visually stunning, the new clouds will block visual and optical sensor line of sight and be synchronized online. We will initially release the new cloud system with an array of weather presets that will cater to most mission building scenarios. Later in the year, we will update the Weather Tool in the Mission Editor that will allow finer control of the clouds with a dynamic weather system based on a more advanced meteorological engine.

 

 

Some of the new / improved visual effects in development for 2021 includes:

• Improved helicopter rotor wash over water and ground.
• Missile flame and smoke.
• Ground unit dust clouds.
• Trans-sonic shock cones.
• Fuel explosions.
• Weapon water splash.
• Further explosion improvements.
• Smoke grenades.

 

 We hope to have many of these available in stages throughout the year.

 

 

 

Dynamic Campaign

This massive task has been underway for over two years, and the progress has been exciting. The campaign is built around a Real-Time Strategy (RTS) foundation that factors resources, zones of control, logistics, available forces, and a strategic decision-making system. While we believe internal testing will continue in the 1st quarter of 2021, it is too early to estimate a release date. However, external Beta testing is planned hopefully in Q2/Q3 2021.

 

 

 

Vulkan API and Multi-threading

With the integration of these libraries, DCS will benefit from improved performance throughout, including in virtual reality. This has been a substantial task to develop and integrate into our codebase, but we are nearing the end of this journey, and expect it to be available in the 3rd quarter of this year. 

 

 

 

Damage Modelling

Progress

 

In the end of 2020, the new damage model system for our World War II aircraft was released. Although some tuning remains, most of our work on this front in 2021 will focus on bringing the technology to our modern aircraft like F/A-18C Hornet, F-16C Viper, and A-10C II Tank Killer. This is an ongoing process which we hope to deliver in stages during the latter half of 2021.

 

 

 

Air Traffic Control (ATC)

Over the past year, our primary ATC focus has been on the Supercarrier. Now that the Supercarrier ATC system is nearing completion, we will next move on to airfield ATC radio communications. Given the scope of DCS World, this is not a simple task, and it will require three separate ATC systems: Western Modern Day, Eastern Modern Day, and World War II. 

Because this effort will require a large amount of new radio voice overs, we will also take this opportunity to update the radio communications for other entities like flight members, other flights, AWACS, tankers, etc.

 

This will continue to be developed in 2021, but we do not have an estimated release date.

 

 

 

FLIR

New and Improved Forward Looking Infrared

In the modern battlefield, a realistic rendering of FLIR sensors is mandatory, not just for aircraft but also for ground units, unmanned systems, and weapon sensor video. Given the need to create the underlying technology and then create thermal maps for all the world objects, terrain surfaces, and units, this has been quite a large task. We will continue to develop this well into 2021 and we hope to deploy this new FLIR enhancement in Q3 2021.

 

 

 

AI Units

New and Updated assets

Because DCS World is built on a project spanning almost two decades, some units now show their age and will be updated throughout the year. It is also important that we add new units to better fill the battlefields. Here are some of the items that we intend to create or update in 2021:

Large Aircraft: B-52H, Tu-95MS, Tu-142, B-1B, IL-38, and Tu-160

Carrier Aircraft: S-3B and SH-60B

Ground Units: M1A2, AMX-56 Leclerc, Wespe Sd.Kfz.124, KS-19 100mm ADA, Son-4 “Flap Wheel” radar, C1 Ariete, Pantsir SA-22 “Greyhound”, and S-300/SA-10 “Grumble”.

 

 

 

Enhanced AI

Behaviour

 

Currently, much of our AI engineering effort is focused on the AI aircraft behaviour, in harmony with the new damage modelling and in line with logical and understandable rules and practices. Additionally, the new ATC and radio communications will demand a significant amount of AI engineering. This work is ongoing and will probably never really be finished but we do hope to deliver substantial enhancements during the latter half of 2021.

 

We have taken the liberty of limiting this overview to issues which have ‘officially’ been announced. Rest assured, many secret and exciting developments to the DCS core are ongoing and will be revealed in the fullness of time. In addition to our internal development, rest assured our brilliant third parties are hard at work to bring you some wonderful modules in 2021 and look forward to hearing from them very soon.

 

Once again, thank you for all your passion and support in 2020. We hope that 2021 will prove to be a good year, one with many upward trends, not only for DCS but for you, our faithful community and for the world at large.

 

2021 Onwards and Upwards!

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by DD_fruitbat

[dburne]

OMG  the AH 64D.

Bring it on baby!

 

Vulkan API and Multithreading - Hoping that helps VR especially.

Edited January 10, 2021 by dburne

[Trooper117]

Mosquito, final version of the Channel map, new clouds, all coming in the first quarter 2021... these get my vote!

[DD_fruitbat]

I'm also actually really looking forward to trans-sonic shockwave cones, while it doesn't really offer much from a gameplay point of view, as from the cockpit largely will not be noticed, they just look so damn cool.....

 

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by DD_fruitbat

[cardboard_killer]

Which helo would be best for a new helo driver to start out in? I mean a brand new wet behind the ears newbie helo pilot.

[dburne]

6 minutes ago, cardboard_killer said:

Which helo would be best for a new helo driver to start out in? I mean a brand new wet behind the ears newbie helo pilot.

 

I cut my DCS teeth on the KA-50.

Great chopper with lethal armament. That is the only one though I have done so far in DCS.

[Tektolnes]

18 minutes ago, cardboard_killer said:

Which helo would be best for a new helo driver to start out in? I mean a brand new wet behind the ears newbie helo pilot.

 

I like the Huey. It's got a good flight model and it's perfect for getting up to speed on heli flying in general. All the instruments are analogue, there's no fancy MFDs, so it's pretty old school.

 

I'd say there's maybe more longevity in the KA-50 as there's a whole rake of combat & systems management you can get into once you get the flying down. The Huey has some basic armaments so you can handle some light trouble maybe but it's not made to fight and survive in an environment that the KA-50 can operate in.

[AndyJWest]

Agree with Tektolnes here - if you want to learn how to fly a helicopter in DCS, go with the Huey. You'll get to understand the basics of what keeps it in the air and what you need to do to get it to do what you want a lot quicker than the more complex ones. It's seat-of-your pants flying mostly, and being simple means that you can concentrate on that. You'll have to, since it doesn't have fancy stability aids or an autopilot.

[9./JG27golani79]

59 minutes ago, cardboard_killer said:

Which helo would be best for a new helo driver to start out in? I mean a brand new wet behind the ears newbie helo pilot.

 

Huey was my first and I think it is a very good helo to begin with (had lots of accidents though in the beginning ? )

Also the Mi-8 is a great helo but heavier and flies more like a "bus" and in general I think it is a bit more difficult to handle in specific situations than the Huey.

You have more weapon variety though with the Mi-8.

 

From a flying perspective the easiest I think would be the Ka-50 - also you have the most weapons and systems.

From the learning perspective in regards of helo flying you can´t got wrong though with the Huey in the beginning.

 

So, .. depends a bit on what you want.

 

Wouldn´t recommend the Gazelle at the moment - there is a an overhaul due of the FM.

Edited January 10, 2021 by 9./JG27golani79

[unlikely_spider]

I also learned helos in the Huey, and feel that those skills will apply to any rotary craft since you have to have constant hands-on with all the fundamental principles of helo flying at all times. No augmentations like you would have with the shark. But then again, old-school stick and rudder flying is more interesting to me anyway. Plus the Huey is so damn... iconic ?

[CanadaOne]

6 hours ago, cardboard_killer said:

Which helo would be best for a new helo driver to start out in? I mean a brand new wet behind the ears newbie helo pilot.

 

It might be just me, but I managed more with the KA-50 in two-hours than I did in the Huey in two-months. But you have to watch a few tutorials about how the trimmer works with the "always on 20%" autopilot. If you don't understand it, the Blackshark will drive you bonkers to the point of it being useless. It's not difficult to figure out, but you have to catch the idea of it. Once you get it, and you understand the trimmer and auto-pilot properly - which in truth amounts to using one trimmer button on your HOTAS a lot - you have an amazing amount of control. It also has an auto-hover capability which really helps, along with a slow rise and slow descent capability which lets you park behind a hill or a building, rise up really gently in a hover, fire off a missile, and then duck back down.

 

250kph+, and it carries a ton of hardware. Bombs, laser guided missiles, rockets, and 23mm gun pods. It has lotsa love to share with others. 

 

I'm sure the helo purists would go for the Huey, and they might be right, but I'm in love with the Blackshark.

[Lusekofte]

56 minutes ago, CanadaOne said:

It might be just me, but I managed more with the KA-50

The KA 50 is the most stable. And it should be considering the design. I managed fly MI 8 with a yoke. But it need a very planned way of flying. 

Any chopper require a great deal of training but once one get it it stick. 

It all depends on hardware. I have controls made for chopper simming. But general idea is to start with flying with only thumb and two fingers. Do not overcompensate and take of gentle. Adjust rudder and stick just when the chopper is starting to get neutralnothing is more satisfying like your first slingload

 

This is my first attempt filming a slingload hook up and it is my best and smoothest so far ever. It is normal to go back and forth a bit

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by 216th_LuseKofte

[AndyJWest]

If you learn to fly on the KA-50, you'll become a competent KA-50 pilot. If you learn on the Huey, you'll learn skills that are relevant to more or less any normal single-rotor helicopter. The KA-50 is too much of an oddball to be much use for that.

[BOO]

40 minutes ago, 216th_LuseKofte said:

The KA 50 is the most stable. And it should be considering the design. I managed fly MI 8 with a yoke. But it need a very planned way of flying. 

Any chopper require a great deal of training but once one get it it stick. 

It all depends on hardware. I have controls made for chopper simming. But general idea is to start with flying with only thumb and two fingers. Do not overcompensate and take of gentle. Adjust rudder and stick just when the chopper is starting to get neutralnothing is more satisfying like your first slingload

 

This is my first attempt filming a slingload hook up and it is my best and smoothest so far ever. It is normal to go back and forth a bit

 

Sling it like you stole it @216th_LuseKofte!  My flying is somewhat more cautious. I need to speed things up - my drop offs are tediously slow - thanks for the inspiration!

 

In respectof which helo to try - I wish i had bought the Mi8 a long time ago but I got put off by lots of forum comments about its difficulty in the hover. I dont know if its something that got addressed but I dont find it difficult, in fact i find it much easier to do things with than the Huey. And you can do more in general whether thats loading or shooting.  Its not as pure as the Huey in that it does have some aids to assist stability but this just means I can try trickier stuff with a bigger, heavier hoverbox. Its faster too and pretty agile for its bulk.

 

The only things i dont like (and this is the case for ALL the ED helos) are that even after all this time there are still some small but (mostly) not game breaking bugz that have never been sorted , the very limited head movement in comparison with later modules (eg the fact you cant stick your bonce into the bulged half door perspex and see out - and the limited 6DOF in general), the silly load camera view that dangles you 8 foot out of the cockpit and....the troops embarking/disembarking

 

In fact the embarking/disembarking and the lack of any of any graphic representation is worse than crap. If you get it work at all, the dudes just vanish near the chopper after running about like headless chickens in slow mo for a while then re- appear when you kick em out..........If you get it to work. At least in the Mi8 you cant see that they are not actually in the back. 

 

....Oh and the english version of voice of the load master (think yoda with a stick up his arse).

 

An interactive start up check list a la the F14 would also be nice given you have dumb and dumber sat next to you staring dead ahead like a driver trying not to look at the dude he's just run over but then so would a general graphical update. The biggest plus over the huey is that its external anti collision lighting dont illuminate the interior 

 

The KA50 isnt as others have said a typical helo. But its huge fun. Much is made of the lack of micro switch disengagement when setting the trim but, jees, just let go of the damn stick!

 

The Huey - meh....Mi8 is better and theres only so much CSN you can listen to. 

 

Gazelle- dont own - there really does seem to be too many complaints about this module and, unlike the Harrier, few defenders.

 

The big downside for helos in DCS (for me at least) are the games shadows. Not as noticeable in a fast jet but low down and slow that can be as ugly as hell flicker fests at times no matter how you tweak their lua files. 

 

 

[DD_Arthur]

That was a pretty cool video Luse?

[CanadaOne]

1 hour ago, AndyJWest said:

If you learn to fly on the KA-50, you'll become a competent KA-50 pilot. If you learn on the Huey, you'll learn skills that are relevant to more or less any normal single-rotor helicopter. The KA-50 is too much of an oddball to be much use for that.

 

Yeah, you're probably right on that. From a helo purist point of view - and I don't mean that in a bad way - I'm sure the Huey is the way to go.

 

But the Blackshark is still a lot of fun. It's like a... Harrier had a baby with an SU-25 and it was born with rotors.

[Lusekofte]

17 hours ago, dburne said:

OMG  the AH 64D.

Bring it on baby!

 

Vulkan API and Multithreading - Hoping that helps VR especially.

I will buy it.  But I am no fan of those high tech glass pits. I want Hind

7 hours ago, BOO said:

respectof which helo to try - I wish i had bought the Mi8 a long time ago but I got put off by lots of forum comments about its difficulty in the hover. I dont

It is not difficult to hoover. But it is easy to get stalled. People have problems with it when slowing down and get into hoover. 

You explained why you had no problems. Nice and easy does it

7 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

That was a pretty cool video Luse?

I never really manage to replicate that cool smooth catch-up again. So I guess it was pure luck

[CanadaOne]

2 hours ago, 216th_LuseKofte said:

I will buy it.  But I am no fan of those high tech glass pits. I want Hind

 

 

 

 

We might get it by June if I read correctly. It definitely has character. And looking forward to the eye candy improvements on the Blackshark.

 

I'll (probably) buy the Apache, it might be too cool to avoid. 

[Lusekofte]

1 hour ago, CanadaOne said:

(probably) buy the Apache, it might be too cool to avoid. 

I will buy it ,despite it's relative young age, it's already a icon, but too me , like 109's got little to no charm. They simply are effective killing machines 

Edited January 11, 2021 by 216th_LuseKofte

[CanadaOne]

3 minutes ago, 216th_LuseKofte said:

I will buy it ,despite it's relative young age, it's already a icon, but too me , like 109's got little to no charm. They simply are effective killing machines 

 

I'll shoot it down it my Blackshark, then I'll consider buying it just out of sympathy. 

[BOO]

57 minutes ago, CanadaOne said:

 

I'll shoot it down it my Blackshark, then I'll consider buying it just out of sympathy. 

good luck with that given the current state of the Shkval against air targets ?

7 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

When I was seven, I had fun with cardboard boxes. Now I'm sixty-four I can play on a computer instead. 

 

I got out of the cardboard box game when the scalping and supply problems started and every new patch of grass on the hill broke something else on it.

 

Then i got into Airfix Flightdeck with the hope that, one day, I would be able to berate a 64 year old  and regal all with tales of 3 wiring a yellow plastic phantom every time (a lie anyone who had Flightdeck will spot as the bugger always came back down the wire sideways or backwards). 

 

Edited January 11, 2021 by BOO

[Hoots]

1 hour ago, BOO said:

Then i got into Airfix Flightdeck with the hope that, one day, I would be able to berate a 64 year old  and regal all with tales of 3 wiring a yellow plastic phantom every time (a lie anyone who had Flightdeck will spot as the bugger always came back down the wire sideways or backwards). 

 

 

Top of my wishlist as a kid but never got it  my cousins did and I've secretly hated them ever since.

[BOO]

17 minutes ago, Enceladus said:

a cold hearted individual with a heart that's as cold as the OAT at 20,000 feet, and perhaps much, much colder.

 

 

yeah.....no offence.....

 

Mind you thats one heck of a post signature...

Edited January 11, 2021 by BOO

[Bremspropeller]

So, when is Cyprus gonna be released?

[Monksilver]

2 hours ago, BOO said:

 

 

Then i got into Airfix Flightdeck with the hope that, one day, I would be able to berate a 64 year old  and regal all with tales of 3 wiring a yellow plastic phantom every time (a lie anyone who had Flightdeck will spot as the bugger always came back down the wire sideways or backwards). 

 

 

I remember wanting Airfix Flightdeck  so badly as it looked so good on TV and I was so excited when it got for Christmas, and I was so bored of it by lunch on boxing day. Every now and then I would get it out again in the hope it really would be exciting this time but still it came down as you say sideways or backwards, but even worse I would now have to first spend ages trying to unwind the wire as I hadn't bothered to put it away properly the last time.

 

But I can boast that when I was about 9 my brother and I would take our old Airfix model planes out in the garden and shoot them with an air rifle and on the logic of Enceladus that should make me the deadliest of all gunners when the new anti aircraft guns come out, sadly I doubt it will turn out that way.

[AndyJWest]

@ Bremspropeller: Cyrus? I didn't know they'd locked her up.

 

Oh, Cyprus. As in the Mediterranean Island. I need new glasses. Don't know when its getting added to the map, but it'll be useful to add a bit of variety to middle-eastern pretend-warfare. The DCS WW2 crowd will no doubt use it as a pretend-Malta too.

 

4 minutes ago, Monksilver said:

...when I was about 9 my brother and I would take our old Airfix model planes out in the garden and shoot them with an air rifle ...

 

Back when I was that age (off he goes again...) it was still considered appropriate to sell explosives to pre-teens, so our preferred method of destruction generally involved fireworks. That I managed to avoid having to have the upper turret from a 1/72 scale Short Stirling surgically removed from my eyeball is entirely down to luck.

 

Fun times...

Edited January 11, 2021 by AndyJWest

[Monksilver]

17 minutes ago, AndyJWest said:

...it was still considered appropriate to sell explosives to pre-teens...

 

Back in the early 80s a couple of my class mates when about 13-14used to make their own explosives from items bought from the chemist. They got more adventurous and started wrapping metal sheets round their concoctions. One of them was keenly reading the book on explosives and how to plant them his father had left over from his time in the Royal Engineers. Unfortunately all this innocent fun had to stop after one of them left a 2 foot crater in his parents garden and destroyed their greenhouse. All he got was a telling off, I suppose today he'd have been sent to Belmarsh.

Edited January 11, 2021 by Monksilver

[Bremspropeller]

It certainly will.

 

Cyprus is a clusterduck of international politics and relations and hence comes with a variety of factions on the island.

There's a post-1974 turkish invasion zone,  the Republic of Cyprus (which formally consists of the whole island), there's a UN-mandated DMZ and there's some leftover UK land, too.

 

Akrotiri is an important RAF airbase and there's the abandonned airfield of Nikosia right inside the DMZ.

Paphos and Larnaca are the resort-airports, feeding Cyprus' tourism industry.

 

It's in German, but those unfamiliar with the island will get the idea anyway:

[AndyJWest]

Yeah, you could fight an entirely plausible war on Cyprus alone, sadly. ☹️

[Bremspropeller]

As a famous austrian philosopher once said..

 

 

Spoiler

TOMCATS!

Spoiler

 

No, that's not what he said.

I think he said....

 

Spoiler

GET TO DA CHOPPAAAAAA!

 

[DD_Arthur]

Isn't Cyprus an update to the Syria map?  I should imagine they've added it as it's a major fixed wing staging place for NATO operations over Syria and Iraq.  Not because of a possible but very unlikely modern day conflict on the island itself.  At least I hope not.

 

My wife was born in the hospital at RAF Akrotiri and what a pain in the backside that's proved to be;

 

"And where's your place of birth Mrs. Arthur?"

 

"RAF Akrotiri"

 

"And where is that Mrs. Arthur?"

 

"British sovereign territory, Cyprus"

 

"So you were born in Cyprus Mrs. Arthur.  Are you a British citizen?"

 

"No I was not born in Cyprus and yes I am a British citizen.  Do you know what British sovereign territory means?"

 

"......computer says no Mrs. Arthur......"

 

 

Mind you, give her a few cardboard boxes and some poster paints and overnight she'll knock-up a Chinese new year dragon for a dozen pre-schoolers that'll have 'em squealing with delight.

 

 

 

    

[Bremspropeller]

33 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

Isn't Cyprus an update to the Syria map?  I should imagine they've added it as it's a major fixed wing staging place for NATO operations over Syria and Iraq.  Not because of a possible but very unlikely modern day conflict on the island itself.  At least I hope not.

 

You're right.

 

It just came to my mind how the entire map is several pieces of sheetduckery sewn together.

Most of the conflicts are fairly recent and much of what's currently not actively going on in a hot state isn't too far from the boiling point either.

[unlikely_spider]

Can someone who has Syria and the Harrier let me know if there are any Instant Action missions or other content for the Harrier? I am getting into the Harrier now but don't have that map.

[marcost]

3 minutes ago, unlikely_spider said:

Can someone who has Syria and the Harrier let me know if there are any Instant Action missions or other content for the Harrier? I am getting into the Harrier now but don't have that map.

Nothing for Harrier instant action on Syria, Normandy, Channel or Gulf maps in my install (current beta)

[unlikely_spider]

1 minute ago, marcost said:

Nothing for Harrier instant action on Syria, Normandy, Channel or Gulf maps in my install (current beta)

Ok, thanks for looking. I haven't really gotten into the mission builder.

[DD_fruitbat]

41 minutes ago, unlikely_spider said:

Ok, thanks for looking. I haven't really gotten into the mission builder.

 

Its very easy to open up instant action missions for other aircraft and change them over to the Harrier if you want, takes minutes. 

 

I've done it for other aircraft in the past, where I wanted to fly the mission in something else.

[unlikely_spider]

4 minutes ago, DD_fruitbat said:

 

Its very easy to open up instant action missions for other aircraft and change them over to the Harrier if you want, takes minutes. 

 

I've done it for other aircraft in the past, where I wanted to fly the mission in something else.

Oh, interesting ?

Do you do that in the mission editor, or externally by editing text files?

[DD_fruitbat]

Just open the mission in the editor, pick the player flight, change it to the harrier, and save into your missions folder with whatever you want it called. You'll need to make sure the loadout is what you want, but other than that, thats it.

 

Then go to missions and fly whenever you want.

 

I f you want any help, PM me.

Edited January 11, 2021 by DD_fruitbat