Hello everyone! Absolute first-time poster here but I've already been using some of the great advice and information on the board to help me get ahead in DCS A-10C.

This is actually my first PC flight sim - I got my first real taste of button-pressing/flight stick yanking addiction with Steel Battalion on the Xbox, and picked up the Hori Flight Stick 3 for the PS3 version of HAWX 2 a few months back, but it wasn't enough. (The Hori FS3 is nice enough, but we also use the PS3 to watch Blu-Rays so my wife was less than impressed when I was playing around with the throttle, pulled it back and the tense emotional movie scene started rewinding )

So I now have a PC capable of running the sim nicely, and I even got permission to pick up the TM Warthog HOTAS... but I can't order it until payday on the 20th! So here I am, stuck using a keyboard to practise until the 20th rolls around. Excruciating? Why yes. I'll also be getting the TM Cougar MFDs, Saitek pedals and TrackIR 4... since TIR5 would push me over budget.

I'll try not to ask too many noob questions until I'm better acquainted with the flight manual, but I also hope I'll come up with a few head-scratchers to keep everyone on their toes! It would also be nice to get online with people at some point once I'm able to fly a little better, BUT... I live in Tokyo, so I guess the lag would make it out of the question? (Very new to PC gaming) Not to mention the time difference.

Flight stick or no, I've already been totally floored by this sim. Just the startup sequence is a blast, taking off is thrilling and landing really gets my heart pumping! (Ahem... especially when I lost my tail on my first try... didn't know where the flaps and speedbrakes were ) I don't want to touch weapons systems until I actually have DMS/TMS switches/China hat etc. to push and pull on, so for now it's the basics, but that's plenty. It'll take me long enough to get a grip on the Georgian geography (Georgiography?).

I think my favourite moment so far has been performing a successful landing at Mineralye Vody despite totally forgetting how to set up ILS/TACAN navigation... probably the only good habit I got from HAWX 2 was giving myself plenty of room to line up a landing, and giving up if it looks like it'll go wrong. That's among my many, many bad habits such as utterly ignoring physics - if you want to climb, you point the nose ninety degrees up and push the throttles forward, right???

Looking forward to making a nuisance of myself with questions. As they say in Japan, "Tonkatsu!"

Welcome to SimHQ, XRay_Specs!



You've chosen the most detailed, complex combat flight simulation to start with this hobby, I salute you for that. Great to hear that you've already made quite some progress and enjoy the sim.

You'll find out that we're a very helpful bunch here, so never hesitate to ask a question.

As for the hardware: I'm using the TM Warthog, Saitel pedals and TIR 4 myself and can only praise them.

You took off and landed with only the keyboard? Wow

Welcome to the A-10 anyway and you will get a totally different experience with the WH, MFDs, pedals and TIR, TIR especially.

Welcome XRay_Specs
I am a new comer to A10 myself and wading through the manual and training missions. I can't imagine trying to land without a HOTAS. You certainly got spunk. You might find the online multiplayer experience is the best part. I fly other flight sims with virtual pilots from Europe and Australia with no problem due to lag. Once you have the basic equipment and your budget will allow an "extra" item, I would highly recommend the ButtKicker. http://www.thebuttkicker.com/gaming/ It is seldom mentioned on the forums and IMHO vastly overlooked for pure immersion. Think of it as force feedback for your chair. You FEEL every bump and thump. Especially the GAU-8 30mm on the A10C. I have used mine for about 4 years and it never gets turned off.
I hope to see you in the virtual skies soon.
Shadow

Hello there! Welcome to DCS A10! Nice to see you are setting yourself up properly to enjoy this sim.

Like others have said, we are a very patient community with regards to newbie questions so don't hesitate to ask. The same can be said for flying online, we take anyone with any level of experience. If you see anyone in the TS3 channel, you can probably fly with them and they'll be happy to take you up. If not, PM me and we'll work something out.

Regarding pings, well, I'm in the UK and I've played with guys from the USA, I guess the ping to Tokyo would be slightly higher? But still playable I would hope.

Do check out the sub-forums for training and FAQs for the A10, that will let you enjoy the game better when you understand what's going on. I would advise to wait for your warthog/MFD/pedals/trackIR before tackling the "bomb dropping" bits of the sim, simply to save you a bit of frustration.

That's easy!

Welcome aboard XRay_Specs!

WC

Welcome onboard Xray! Looking forward to seeing you up in the virutal skies!

XRay_Specs -
Sooo, the wife didn't like the new remote?

I've helped a few folks who don't have Thrustmaster Warthogs get their jets off the ground, and in so doing I got to know the keyboard commands really well. Your efforts to fly now with the keyboard will pay off in the long run. I'll hit a keyboard key to accomplish the same thing that a Coolie Hat Up or a China Hat Aft Long will do when my fingers are closer to the keys.

Having both the Track IR 4 & 5 (I have two computers set up for DCS A-10C) I'd say do this - hold off on the MFCDs and get the Track IR 5 for now, with the Track Clip Pro for headphones (helps to keep the noise down when the wife is watching a movie) - the TIR 5 comes with a hat clip to wear with a ball cap. My 2 cents... The TIR 5 is a better unit, bit the TIR 4 works well, too.

Move your slew keys from , . / ; to the dedicated Left Right Up Down arrows. Much easier IMO.

Welcome to the club here at SimHQ!

WC

TrackIR works great and TIR5 is just a slight step up. I'd buy the older version as well. MFCDs IMO make a great addition to a flight sim set up. I suspect you'll be building something resembling a pit at some point given the money you just invested.