I was undecided whether I would start this thread here on DCS World main room or in the "more dedicated" DCS:A-10C room but I posted here since this is mainly about the campaign itself (and campaigns are a common feature among the entire DCS:World simulation).

My feedback about the DCS:A-10C campaign is that I actually enjoyed it (just like the title says)!
I was a bit weary about this campaign because I read so many criticism about this campaign (some of it from friends of mine that purchased the DCS:A-10C module before me). The main criticism that I read over the web and listened mainly from a friend mine was due to some missions being from a Interdiction type/nature (namely missions where the objective was to destroy a bridge) and thus were missions that should be flow by F-16s (for example or other multi-role/strike fighter aircraft) and not by A-10s.
However I found that even in these Interdiction type of missions that the objective/target (again a bridge for example) was located quite near to the frontline (usually no more than 5 miles from the frontline) and thus can be viewed (in my opinion) as being somehow a sort of a close air support mission (for example to prevent the enemy from directly reinforcing the frontline). So and due to these missions always being very near to the frontline, I enjoyed them and found them quite plausible/realistic.
Perhaps something changed in the DCS:A-10C campaign missions since this module was released?

I also like the fact that the A-10C campaign was somehow of a Semi-Dynamic one. Yes, the campaign isn't unfortunately a dynamic campaign such as Falcon 4/BMS/etc... or Jane's LB2 ones and the missions were after some time of the same and expected type (Support the advance of friendly units, Destroy a Tank company, Destroy an IFV company, Destroy an Artillery site, Destroy a Command Post and Destroy a Bridge) BUT nevertheless I found this campaign more enjoyable than the majority of DCS's Static Campaigns (which perhaps the exception of the Huey campaign). The fact that these missions are picked randomly and if you win a mission the frontline advances or if you fail a mission the frontline retreats makes the experience potentially different every (or most) of the times you play this same campaign.
Actually I also enjoyed the Su-25T campaign which is from the same type/nature as the DCS:A-10C campaign.

I finished the DCS:A-10C campaign yesterday, just in time when Falcon BMS 4.33 was released. So with USAF CAS experience (A-10C) finished I will now move to an USAF Multi-role experience (F-16 in Falcon BMS 4.33) a probably later on I'll move to an USAF "Air superiority" experience (F-15C in DCS:FC3 which I already own - who knows maybe the AMRAAMs in DCS will finally be improved by then??).

I've got to say I've never even attempted to start the A10C campaign, is it a gentle introduction or do you have to be completely proficient with the complete aircraft before making a start?

There's no gradual introduction. However win condition are pretty mild from what i remember... IMO makes for good training. I'm not a fan but flew at least 10 mission and i couldn't say i was ever bored. Good practice for weapon employment, 9 liners and such.

cheers, thanks for the heads-up. I've always leaned towards the helos so don't consider myself any way proficient with the A10. Looks like some more practice needed.

Like D13th_Korn said, there's no gradual introduction (like happens in DCS:BS2 or DCS:Huey for example) in DCS:A10C campaign.

This is IMO in part because the DCS:A10C campaign is not static (or "story driven"). This campaign unfolds the following way:
- When you start the campaign's "first mission" you actually play what is called the first phase or phase 1.
Each phase no matter if it's the first or the last or in between has a pool of the following type of missions:

-> Support the advance of friendly ground units
-> Destroy a Tank company
-> Destroy an IFV company
-> Destroy an Artillery site
-> Destroy a Command Post
-> Destroy a Bridge

So basically when you start a campaign your first mission/first phase will be one of those mission mentioned above chosen randomly. If you win the first mission/first phase you'll go to the second mission/second phase where again one of the mission types (mentioned above) is chosen randomly but the frontline is located at a more advanced position/location.
If you win the second mission/second phase the campaign will advance to phase 3 and the frontline will be located at a more advanced location (when compared to the frontline of phase 2) and so on...
If for example you loose the third mission/third phase than the campaign will recede to phase 2 and so on...

So basically the complexity of the missions in phase 1 (the beginning) of the campaign will be the same or similar as the missions in later phases. The only difference in terms of difficulty is that the enemy (Russians) are usually better equipped in later phases (usually with Su-27s, Su-34s, T-80s, BMP-3s, SA-15s, etc...) than in earlier phases (usually with Mig-29s, Su-25s, T-72s, BMP-2s, SA-13s, etc...) and therefore later phases should be a bit more challenging then earlier ones.

Resuming, these DCS Semi-Dynamic campaigns reminds or closely resembles the Digital Integration sims of the 1990's like for example Hind, Apache Longbow and F-16 (for those who played these sims). The campaign "phase mechanics" of these Digital Integration sims were very similar to the "mechanics" of DCS semi-dynamic campaigns, however the campaign missions in the Digital Integration sims where quite better populated with many objects that weren't related with the player's mission/objective while in DCS the vast majority (if not all) the mission objects are somehow related to the player's mission/objective.

My advise for those who want to play the DCS:A-10C campaign is to train and learn to operate the aircraft first, namely train well the interaction between you and the AI JTAC (it's really handy and very useful for this campaign)!


By the way, I'm also and usually more leaned towards the helos than fixed-wing aircraft as well.

I haven't flown a A-10C campaign in ages, might well try it out again some time.

IMO that is the least evil part, the worst is that each mission has the same common units and some different according to the mission. Once you get it, they get so repetitive.