Oh great... well I guess that settles it. Hello overtime!

Noooooooooo! Now I feel guilty!

Go for the TM Warthog. Seeing as you'll be spending the next few months/years flying this sim, it'll be a good investment.

And +1 to Einstein's statement about proficiency. So long as you know which way is up, you're welcome to join and we'll be happy to teach you what little we know. If we could only siphon the knowledge off the minds of the likes of Eddie and paulrkii...

Sounds good... I have a little extra coming in this month so I think I'll just pull the trigger on the WH HOTAS. Then again, this late at night I get a bit impulsive with things!

Anyone else up tonight? In on a saturday just browsing the forums or at work surfing? Anyone just wrap up a game?

I am on about the 200th page of the manual trying to get my head around exactly how much of that stuff I need to know how to use... I just started reading on the MFDs... Stumbled onto the section where it says you can't modify weapon profiles through the manual mode- except for the active profile. Sounds like it's temporary and as soon as you move away from that profile it changes back to the original.

I was glad that I picked that out because I read that thread about the weapon profile problem and realized... hey! I learned something!

So maybe it's been beaten to death- maybe not... if so then please just drop a link.

But in order of priority- between radio, navigation, weapons, profiles, actual flying, decoys, ECM, is there a certain order a person should learn this stuff. For example- something where "skimming" the manual simply isn't practical versus some of the things that are more automated?

Any suggestions on what I should be focussing on?

(EDIT: OOOPS.... found the newbies guide to A10C essentials!)

Glad to see you've learned something straight away! Good job! Nice to know that my stickied post has helped too.

The TM Warthog should not be an impulsive buy. It is a good piece of kit but an expensive kit if you aren't using it. If you are going to play with DCS A10C however, there simply isn't anything better.

Regarding you question of what to learn, I believe you should learn about your aircraft first, then the weapons. Personally, I learn about 20% by reading, maybe 60% by doing, and the rest by experimenting. I am more of a do-er, I learn things by doing. In fact, I prefer to fiddle with stuff first, THEN read about it Anyway, start off with my A10C newbie guide, make sure you are more-or-less familiar with the cockpit. Even if it takes you a minute or so just to locate a particular switch or button, the important thing is you know which side of the cockpit it is located, and the general place where it should be.

Then take a clean aircraft (no weapons, 25-50% fuel) up for a spin. Take off, follow waypoints (even if it's just one or two), have fun in the air, try a few maneuvers and observe the aircraft why doing so. Then come back in and land. After that, take a fully-loaded aircraft, doesn't matter what you have on your wings as long as the MAX % on the Payload screen is at or close to 100%, adjust the fuel to add the weight. Do the same thing you did the first time, and note how the aircraft handles differently, more sluggish. Take it in for a landing too, and note the change in your landing parameters. The idea of this exercise is to gain appreciation of the aircraft's limitations.

Once you can take off and land confidently well, it's time for the fun bits --- the weapons! Sim has made an excellent guide here and again, I would suggest you make a "weapons exercise" mission that starts you in the air, facing the targets, about 15-20nm out. I would suggest the targets be at the range north of Bantumi, makes it easier to spot them. Pick a weapon of your choice and practice using it. As I get most of my "fun" by blowing things up, I feel it is important to get to the "bad-ass" bits early. This is also a chance to play with the weapon profiles and get to know the DSMS and how to change stuff via the Profile scree or the Inventory screen.

By this time, you know how to fly the aircraft, navigate, and blow stuff up. Good. Now the icing on the cake. Radios are mostly useful if you want to interact with Tower/ATC but since they're usually more trouble than immersive, I don't bother. Most use for radios is JTAC and Tanker calls, and the radio intercom for refuel/rearm from the ground crew.

If you want a bit more of a challenge, change the targets in your weapons exercise mission and put in some SAMs or AAAs. Time to practice ECM and defensive maneuvers!


But always remember, at any time you are confused or lost, the forums is here for help and amusement, and drop by the TS server and you might catch one of the regulars online. Any of them/us will be happy to show you what little they/we know

Welcome to Warthog crack!

Proper mans way of learning



As the kids say 'true dat!'

Eh boys... I'm back in action again! Been away for awhile and unable to get much stick time but when I arrived back home I had a large box waiting for me. The tools of the trade arrived.

I'm busy going through some of the threads here that talk about new control profiles for the trackir... trying to sort out the way it is straight out of the box so that I can appreciate some of the changes guys are making. Was having a little trouble with it originally because something behind me was causing reflections that the monitor was picking up and causing a bunch of issues. Anyway, I caught it doing the same thing while I was looking at the actual program and could see the image the camera was tracking. When the door behind me was opened, I could see a ghostly red blotch over my shoulder that would turn green every now and then- making the monitor think that was part of the reflector on my head and of course causing major issues. Tried it again while the door was closed and it works perfectly. VERY smooth.

So I do promise I'll search as much as I can for the noob questions and answers but if I get backed into a corner I may come and ask for a little guidance.

AWESOME!

Looking forward to seeing you in the virtual skies!

Here are some late night A-10s

Nice!

Just coming back from some training missions... Trying to get used to some things but I have to say that setting up profiles etc is still confusing the heck out of me. It's getting better- but geesh.

I need to get a decent headset next to get on TS3... then you can bet I'll be in hanging out!