Hi guys im a avid flyer of "simpler" sims,WOFF,IL1946 CUP etc....BMS 4.33 looks awesome,can anyone give me some really good tips to start with?.I have trackir and a H.OTAS stick,I can take off,land but im way behind in any combat AA and AG..looked at Krause,s 4.32 vids and downloaded his data cartridge,is this a good way to start off? Any help would be most appreciated..Cheers

Start with the BMS manuals in the docs folder in your install directory. I'd stay away from YT tutorial videos in general but they might be useful when first starting out. Just keep in mind the information might be wrong/incomplete. IMO the best way is to read the manuals, study a specific chapter or system each time then get in the sim and practice/play around with it.

It is a steep learning curve (but keep in mind, that will also let you discover new stuff after flying this for 2 years) but what Kosmo said plus focus on one thing at a time - do not try to learn it all at once.

For instance, create yourself a small TE where you target a bridge and only do single Mk82 bombruns in all kinds of weird ways such as CCRP from alt or from low with a popup toss bombdrop. repeat but release using CCIP like a madman and round it up with using DTOS in useful and not so useful profiles.

Next up, set the bombprofile to ripple 3 Mk82's and repeat all above to see the effect on target.

Final experiment, load 12 Mk82's and ripple pairs over that bridge to see it get blown to smitherins once and for all.

After that you should be 10-20 missions into dumb bombs delivery and well comfortable what mode and what profile to use when.

Feel free to try 2 Mk84 once just to feel the extreme power they possess, stay clear of target or you'll be walking home.

After this, repeat with 2 AGM-65G Mavericks to start learn new weapons - repeat combos of Mavericks until it feels natural and you have a good idea when they are best used.

After Mav's go GBU and Lantirn and explore useable and useless delivery profiles - in all honesty, the most important knowledge of each system/weapon is when NOT to use them.


Then you have the Air-to-Air thingy but we cool dudes are mud movers

Did I say do not try to learn it all at once?

Play through the training missions included in 4.33 and read the corresponding training manual.

Take it slow, one step after another.

Training missions!
Training missions!
Again, training missions!

You will have to dedicate hours and hours to training missions and manuals/tutorials to learn and enjoy the game.
But if you are attracted by the whole sim thing, this will be some of the most fun you do

Learning a new sim is way more fun then actually playing it later

The good news is that the new manuals are greater than ever, the bad news is that BMS is still one hell of a complex study sim.

I haven't checked the training missions in 4.33, but they should be good except for air-to-air combat. I find it hard to learn when I have a MiG-29 heading towards me fangs out. You better set a simple training TE, or go with the Instant Action option, air-to-ground mission. There will be no enemy planes, just a friendly and vulnerable tanker.

Krause's videos are good, unfortunately some became outdated for 4.33 (AG specially), but I'm willing to bet there will be new ones uploaded soon. I already watched some.

Other than that, baby steps and patience, lots of it.

I would be the odd one and say that Kraus' videos is the wrong way to get into the sim. Even at 4.32, there were a lot of errors in his tutorials. However, since there is nothing else out there....

I would say the best way to get into it is find somebody who flies and is willing to teach you. Sure, the manuals are there but they're mostly geared towards people who are already well versed in Falcon. People with AF, FF, OF, or BMS 4.32 experience. If you are new-new-brand-spanking-new to Falcon, it can be a bit much.

Don't take this as me trying to scare you away from Falcon. This is just me being brutally honest.... Falcon is such a deep sim that the aircraft itself is a study sim, the campaign engine is a study sim....

If you are still interested, then welcome! Like I said, find someone who flies or join a virtual squadron. Unfortunately, SimHQ doesn't have one.

It is an extremely steep learning curve. The bottom line is that you're going to need to devote a significant amount of time to get proficient at it.

Having said that, you don't have to know how to do EVERYTHING in order to start having fun. For example, I still can't drop a laser guided bomb. But I just pick missions that don't require them and it's all good.

Wow..Thank you all for your fast responses,yep im really determined to get the most out of this sim,it seems that i need to read a bit,then practice then learn.I think im gonna do the training missions over and over,then move onto the campaign a lot later on Thanks guys much welcomed advice from you all.

That's also very true, I can't dogfight worth a crap and I still can enjoy the campaign... except when those Sus and Migs come close, then I run like a little girl towards the FLOT.

While I agree that Krause videos may contain errors, they give you a good starting point, a general view of the task at hand if you will. Watching somebody doing a bomb run, even if the wrong instructions are given or the techniques are applied, at least it gives you a starting point that might be valuable for the newbie.

Are there better ones than Krause that you're aware of?

I find them unwatchable. He meanders all over the place, compare Requiems vids, which are absolutely to the point.

I'm on the same boat with tagTaken2. It's okay to have that presentation for "fun" videos, but not for videos peddled as "tutorials."

Also, I don't believe in starting a person's Falcon career full of errors. The new student will make enough errors of his own, he doesn't need a teacher teaching him the wrong stuff from the start.

I would like to make tutorials and did make a start a few years ago but unfortunately, my time and skills (with video editing) just won't allow me to do so.


As for knowing everything, that is true! You don't have to know everything, you just need to know what you need to do. I learned AF that way and I concentrated on ground-attack roles because I could not and would not dogfight without a TrackIR. Once I got a TrackIR and BMS came out, I expanded my skills to include dogfighting as well.

Thanks guys so are you saying not to watch the vids? just take my time and learn by trial and error? I cant find any vids by Requiem btw..Cheers guys

Watch it to get an idea, but do not take it as a solid learning aid. In fact, I would say better to post here about what you want to do and the community would be able to give you better help.

Requiem is this guy youtube

He does tutes for il-2BoS and RoF. Obviously the subject matter is less complex than Falcon, but IMO his style is exemplary.

As they say, one subject at a time and start simple.

I'd say don't watch them. I agree with Ice, shaky foundations can lead to big confusion later on. Just read the manual, fly the training missions and practice, and anything you can't make sense of ask here or the official forums. Lots of knowledgeable people around to help.

Nice one Gents..Thanks again for all your advice

Krause made some really good YT videos, but they are no shortcut for RTFM. But i have really enjoyed them.

IMHO, anyone who does not know or use the proper term for FPM or VVI should not be making tutorials.

I cringe a lot when trying to watch his videos.

I'm grateful for anyone investing his time to make tutorial and/or guides for newbies.