OK guys, now a owner of a TM Warthog HOTAS and TrackIR5 Pro: ETA 5 days

What have I let myself in for

Training starts Next Week with Tutorials at my own pace

Just going through all posts here, any advice willing to give would be appreciated

Well done you won't be disappointed with either of those. I couldn't even think of being without TIR now.

I found the tutorials very good although sometimes it feels like you are being bombarded with information so coming on here and asking why X does this and why Y has just fallen off is important too. No question is a dumb question.

I'm still learning myself and really enjoying doing so as it is without doubt the best sim I've flown. I've moved onto where things are firing back and trying to remember what I've learnt lol.

Steve, congrats on your purchase of a TM WH and TIR. You might want to look at getting some TM Cougar MFDs and a rudder pedal set... I have a Saitek Pro Flight set (£99) and they work fine. The MFDs are optional (less reaching for the mouse) but the rudders are essential

Above the DCS A10 forums are two sub-forums on Training and FAQs, I suggest starting there. I have a newbie guide that will orient you to the essential bits of the cockpit and Sim has a picture-guide on how to make things explode. The sim itself has very good tutorial missions so do them but don't worry if you don't absorb everything on the first go, just take notes. Wags' YouTube section has some really good stuff as well.

Make sure you have the latest version of the game installed, which is 1.1.1.1. If you bought your game elsewhere (Steam, boxed version, etc.), your keys will work with the DCS download so get the latest version here and input your CD key when asked.

When you get your TM WH, you will want to un-map the view control from the joystick's Trim hat (the gray-colored hat) since you will have TIR for your view control. Now re-map that Trim hat to the trim functions.

That should be enough to get you started. I would suggest starting with learning how to start up the aircraft, if nothing but to know where most of the switches are. Then move on to take off, navigation, and landing. Then on to the fun stuff -- making things explode, burn, or run away.

Good luck!

Thanks, going through your Newbie guides, great stuff!!

Just looking at the stick now out of curiosity is anything mapped by default to the paddle switch on front of the stick in the sim?

I would in time like a rudder pedal set but I assume its not that necessary in a modern jet sim like this, I take it the nose steering toggle switch on the stick allows me to taxi?

Question of TrackIR 5. The last TrackIR was version 2 and remember having to set a up a shortcut to reset the default look straight forward view.
I think what I'm trying to say, I would align up my cockpit front view with looking straight forward but after a certain time the cockpit view would be off centered when looking straight forward

I also remember setting up a little 'dead zone' say in looking straight forward so any minute head movements when looking forward would not be played upon. Not to sure if this is done now

I would say my system is Wi-Fri compliant (at the moment)

There isn't a paddle switch in the real A-10C so it isn't mapped. Well not so I know anyway.

NWS uses the rudder pedals to steer so you may need to use the keyboard for that until you get some pedals. You will move a fair bit left and right when rolling for take-off though. You may need to use rudders to land as well for fine adjustments and for turns, they aren't as redundant as in the F-16 sort of modern aircraft.

TIR5 still has reset to forward key, default F12, and there are loads of profiles out there. I use one called DCS but can't remember hwere I got it from. I've never messed with the curves myself and pretty much use the same profile for all sims.

Thanks Mate,

Your not gonna to believe this but just discovered I have CH Pro pedals (USB) just hope they are no compatibility issues

There shouldn't be as many use CH pedals.

cool thanks nice to know, just looking now to see if it needs drivers etc

When you get your Warthog and have the pedals plugged in, even theough DCS A-10 detects and assigns all the correct functions to the throttle and stick you will need to go into the controls menu in DCS and make sure the correct axis are assigned where they should be ie. pitch and yaw to stick and not the rudders or throttle, throttle to throttle and not to stick or rudders etc. as it will do this. Just takes a few minutes to rectify.

And as Ice mentioned the grey coolie hat on the stick will be mapped by default to view, but as you have a TIR you need to map that to trim the aircraft.

yeah getting a bit confuse with the pedals, I'll give it another go

I have the pedals calibrated in the Windows control panel.
In DCS A10 in the options I do have a new CH Pro Pedal column and there seems to be a lot of Joy_X Joy_Y assignments to varies actions set by default???

I also don't see any Tokens representing the Pedals to assign, must be missing something, I will keep researching