DCS News & Modern Air Combat

[MigBuster 2,884]

Modern Air Combat by Eagle Dynamics Coming this Autumn! Developed by the same studio that brought you the wildly successful Lock On, Modern Air Combat (MAC) brings you one game with 14 unique combat aircraft to own the sky! MAC aircraft include: F-15C Eagle. US air superiority fighter with 104 kills to 0 losses record. Su-27 Flanker B. Russia's dominate heavy air superiority fighter. Su-33 Flanker D. The Russian navy's carrier capable version of the Flanker B. J-11 Flanker B+. The Chinese version of the Flanker B, with R77 active homing missiles. MiG-29 Fulcrum A. Russia's widely exported light air superiority fighter. MiG-29S Fulcrum C. The modernised version of the Fulcrum with latest weapons and defences. A-10A Warthog. The USAF's massively successful 'flying tank', designed to kill ground targets. Su-25A Frogfoot. Russia's primary ground attack and close air support jet. Su-25T Frogfoot. A modernised version of the Frogfoot with enhanced sensors and weapons. F-86F Sabre. America's iconic top fighter during the Korean War. MiG-15bis Fagot. Russia's 1st generation jet fighter that opposed the Sabre over Korea. F-5E Tiger II. The US light-weight fighter that has been operational since the Vietnam War and operated by over 30 countries. MiG-21bis Fishbed. Russia's most successful fighter of the Vietnam war. A supersonic fighter that closely matches the Tiger II. L-39ZA. A Czech designed, two seat trainer that was then adapted to a light attack aircraft.   Each aircraft's flight model, sounds, external model and cockpit is recreated to an exceptional level of detail and accuracy. Great care has been given to offer scalable gameplay that suits your personal levels and wishes. This includes intuitive and consistent keyboard controls between aircraft, selectable difficulty settings, option for more forgiving flight dynamics, and even the ability to fly these aircraft with just your keyboard. As with Lock On and the Flaming Cliffs series, MAC is focused on east and west counterpart aircraft, and this includes such legendary match-ups such as the Eagle and Flanker, Warthog and Frogfoot, Sabre and MiG-15bis, and the F-5E and MiG-21bis. MAC is a blend of both east and west, and this allows you to re-fight historical conflicts from the Korean War to today, and to create your own "what-if" missions. You can generate an unlimited number of missions using the Fast Mission Creator and Mission Editor. MAC also includes numerous instant action and single missions, as well as campaigns for most of the aircraft and is fully compatible with DCS World online! There are no limits to content. In addition to the full Caucasus map, MAC also includes a limited part of our Nevada and Persian Gulf maps. Key Features of MAC: 14 exceptional combat aircraft from the United States, Russia, China and Czech Republic. Shallow learning curve with consistent key controls between aircraft, and easy to fly with just a keyboard. Professional level flight models, but with option for forgiving flight dynamics. Play instant action, single missions and campaigns for most aircraft in single player or fly online. Supports Virtual Reality like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality. Includes the Caucasus map and portions of Nevada and the Persian Gulf. Purchase MAC aircraft individually or as a pack at a reduced price. Flaming Cliffs 3 owners can purchase the MAC pack at a great discount. DCS World 2.5 Update This week we merged the current DCS World 2.5 Open Beta to the DCS World 2.5 Release version. Next week, 18 July, we plan the next DCS World update to include many fixes and improvements to the Hornet, DCS World 2.5, the Persian Gulf Map, and other modules. DCS World Dedicated Server Update With the launch of 2.5 earlier this year, we have been working diligently on an item we've been wanting to bring to DCS World for quite a long time: a dedicated server. It however was not until the launch of DCS World 2.5 was this possible, and hence the length of time this has taken. As a dedicated server, the software will not require any graphics rendering, so no dedicated graphics card will be required and there is no audio requirement. This all greatly reduced server load overhead. There will be a new web GUI to control the server. Operation of the dedicated server through the web GUI will operate much as the existing online server does now, but allow you to make changes remotely. We plan to release the dedicated server in Autumn 2018. Afterward, we will investigate adding additional features to expand its capability. Sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

[MigBuster 2,884]

Disclaimer: The MiG-21bis was not used in any part of the Vietnam war.

[ironroad 218]

20 hours ago, MigBuster said:

Disclaimer: The MiG-21bis was not used in any part of the Vietnam war.

Nor was the F-5E,

Another thing that gets me is when people put rocket pods and flex-guns on a UH-1H (both in game and in movies) or paint an UH-1H or D in United States Marine Corps livery.

First, the UH-1H (the stretched and most powerful single-engine "slick") could carry adapters for rockets and mini-guns, but normally did not. It was used primarily for transport, medivac (Dust Off), or as a command ship (moving VIPs or giving the brass a orbiting aircraft to command movements/action from). It was used primarily by the U.S. Army and ARVN during the Vietnam War.

"Short Hueys"

The shorter versions of the Huey UH-1B,C,E,F,M and P where used as transports, dedicated gunships (and "Hogs"), aerial rocket artillery (ARA, a gunship that is nothing but rockets and/or grenades), and for special-ops (particularly the M and P). Some Huey gunships were still used after the whirlybird got surgery, took it's hormones, and "transitioned" into the Cobra (though the cobra was faster and could carry more due to streamlining).

The Army turned the C into the dedicated gunship/ARA with the M model (beefier engine and components). The Navy used the B (i.e. Seawolf Squadron) and the USMC the E (gunship, spotter, and light duty), and the USAF the F and P (special ops, gunship, and light-duty) *One USAF huey spec-ops pilot received the Medal of Honor.

*The Marines only flew the UH-1E during the Vietnam war but most of their troop transport was done by the CH-34, CH-46, and later the CH-53.

"Long Hueys"

The first long bird was the UH-1D for the United States Army (the Aussies and ARVN used them as well). However, after the United States Army got the "D" (snickering) the acquired the H, and upgraded alot of their "D's" to the H standard. What "short" Hueys that were left in U.S. Army service were primarily used for special duty (i.e. gunship, ARA, or spotter), given to other services (i.e. South Vietnam), or taken out of theater. 

Later the Corps and the USAF adapted the UH-1N (twin engine long version) and finally the Y  (the super-duper Huey) for the USMC.

Edited July 15, 2018 by ironroad

[MigBuster 2,884]

Yes I thought the F-5E-3 module was later to what the VNAF used but have not spent the time looking. The F-86F-35 also missed out on the Korean war as well I thought. Was thinking they were intentionally avoiding any of the Cold War Proxy wars.

[ironroad 218]

4 hours ago, MigBuster said:

Yes I thought the F-5E-3 module was later to what the VNAF used but have not spent the time looking. The F-86F-35 also missed out on the Korean war as well I thought. Was thinking they were intentionally avoiding any of the Cold War Proxy wars.

The VNAF only had the F-5A and B (just a tad bit smaller than the Tiger II). Not sure what happened to the modified F-5Cs that the USAF flew in theater, but I believe they were either transferred over to South Vietnam or exported.

F-5E did not really go into product till the mid-70s or so, right around the time the U.S. Congress cut all aid to South Vietnam.

Edited July 15, 2018 by ironroad

[MigBuster 2,884]

The VNAF did operate the F-5E [Delivered] from 1972.....for example  01638 was used by a defector to bomb the South Vietnam Palace in 75.  What I am not sure on is that I think it was an earlier version without the automatic LEF/TEFs to what is in DCS.

References on this: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/F-5-Tigers-Vietnam-Anthony-Tambini/dp/0828320594

https://www.bookdepository.com/Fall-Flying-Dragon-Albert-Grandolini/9780982553978

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/f5_40.html

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Iranian-Tigers-War-Northrop-Sub-Variants/dp/1910294136

 

The VPAF kindly donated an F-5E to Russia.............there is a video and one of the test pilots who flew it in 1976 and later wrote an account on how he outflew MiG-21/23s in mock dogfights.

The F-5C definitely had the fuel probe removed - the VNAF were to be purely defensive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MigBuster 2,884]

So yes FWIW the DCS module is the later F-5E-3 from 79-1681 with an Auto flaps setting and not the early F-5Es the VNAF received.

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

MAC sounds very interesting for me... 

[jeanba 1,920]

That looks fairly interesting:

Not hardcore but a little over SF2

[nelsonq 0]

this game seems comparable to strike fighter games which I like, but I wonder if this game will have the ability to accept add-on aircraft right away or in the future... how come no f-16?

Edited July 18, 2018 by nelsonq

[jeanba 1,920]

MAC should be compatible with the other add-on aircraft (Mirage 2000 ...)

[MigBuster 2,884]

MAC is basically Flaming Cliffs 4 so you get some new jets at the same simplified level but with Advanced Flight Models.

An F-16 is in development as a high fidelity module only at the moment so potentially in the future.......but that could be 5 - 7 years on current time scales.

 

 

 

[+streakeagle 871]

It is just the current full DCS fighter set stripped down to Flaming Cliffs control model. Strike Fighters used to be superior to LOMAC/FC because of the simple flight models used by LOMAC. They have really fixed that problem. But SF still has a huge advantage in maps/objects for popular/major historical conflicts. The free Korean Air War addon for SF2 is much better than anything you can buy for DCS World. But the F-86F, MiG-15bis, and P-51D in DCS World are modeled better than any sim I have ever played. So if you want to enjoy historical missions over somewhat accurate historical terrain and ground objects, SF2 is still the only real choice for Korea, Vietnam, Israel, and hypothetical NATO vs Warsaw Pact in Germany. SF2 also lets you dabble in African, Indo-Pakistan, and countless other less popular theaters. But if you don't care what the terrain looks like beneath you or want more up to date terrain modeling even if it is the wrong historical map, DCS World is hard to beat.

The main thing the Flaming Cliffs level offers isn't standardization of controls as that can be largely achieved by careful mapping of the real-world controls to your HOTAS setup. It is the price. If you are starting out and have little or no use for clickable cockpits, it is hard to beat the Flaming Cliffs 3 package. The new MAC package is an even better value with the included maps. You get the full blown professional flight models and generations of great fighters for one low price. Aside from the lack of historical maps/missions/campaigns, it is comparable if not superior to any of the SF2 games. Then, if you really like one of the planes, you can catch it on sale and get the fully detailed module. Not particularly useful to someone like me that already has everything available, but fantastic for people who have a basic joystick and would like to get into PC jet air combat with an up-to-date game engine in terms of graphics and hardware support.

Edited July 20, 2018 by streakeagle

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

Are there any News regarding a release?