I played this fun sim a bit back in the day and recently rebought a full boxed set. It seems like there is a 1.6+ version hosted here. I have a few questions:
1. Is the 1.6 download all that is needed to play?
2. How does it play with a separate HOTAS, Rudder setup? I'm assuming I'll have to vJoy them as one controller and mess with axis settings ingame?
3. Back in the day I played with a Force Feedback Joystick that is still in my closet. Does it still work?
4. How hard is trackIR to setup? I do not think EAW ever had support.

1 - Yeah
2 - It might work without VJoy (the code for controls where 'updated' a bit)
3 - Yes
4 - Easily, see my help web site, Joystick Help Doc.

You might need vJoy with EAW. I presume you are aware of the tool, Joystick Gremlin which works with vJoy. Some joysticks have an inverted throttle in EAW and the Gremlin can reverse it. If you have thirty buttons on your HOTAS, just name each button "JoystickBtnxx" correspondingly in the EAWini.

I have a fairly recent trial-and-error thread on TrackIR here, which might be helpful. Suffice it to say that it works quite well in mouselook, but you'll need a button to recentre-I find the forward POV hat-switch the best. Also, a linear-type profile and a low in-game camera speed can be beneficial.

SkyHigh, you said Some Joysticks have an inverted throttle?
What is considered inverted?

(I think the proper throttle positions are forward for more power, right?)

or

Are you talking about something else?

Recently bought a Titanwolf Vulture joystick as a future replacement for my MSFFB2. The former is an excellent piece of kit, but the throttle worked in reverse (max to min, rather than min to max in order to increase power), with no option to change this either in the joystick or EAW. Still workable, but I was able to correct it using Joystick Gremlin combined with vJoy.

I also have other TK-associated games, namely FE2 and SF2, which also show an inverted throttle, but one can correct it in the controls ini file.

I get the throttle is reversed, min to max and vice versa. But Some games max is back and forward is max. In EAW max is forward for most joysticks., even my MSFFB2.

I just don't know how your understanding it....

BTW that Titanwolf stick looks awesome, hows that perform? Probably no FF in it?

The Titanwolf just happens to be opposite in EAW. Funnily enough, the opposite is the case in IL-2 1946.

I have heard some people say that the Titanwolf is comparable with sticks costing €300. I would agree, but with the proviso that a significant minority report problems with delays in response. Mine doesn't have that problem.

No force feedback, but there is a feeling of resistance from the joystick movement itself. Just ordered a throttle from the same company for €45 and this gives me a HOTAS.

I hope this thread has not deviated too much from Racingfan's original series of questions. Certainly, he was asking about the use of a HOTAS set-up. He specified the use of a rudder. Jel himself uses a rudder successfully as a device second to his joystick and there is facility in the code-group series of EAW since, I believe, 1.28c to use up to three separate devices.

For my own part, I attempted to use my new Titanwolf Griffin throttle as a separate device with my Microsoft FFB2 joystick, but no way was EAW having it, with or without vJoy, although they work fine with IL-2 1946, the TK games and BoBII. Fortunately, the Titanwolf Vulture joystick and the Griffin throttle can be combined as a single unit and this works brilliantly with EAW. I can even programme the buttons on the throttle. The only problem is that the throttle is inverted-however, the solution is a simple one of turning the throttle around 180 degrees. No FFB, but one can't have everything.

In summary, my advice to Racingfan is to keep on experimenting and also to have a look at Mark's excellent documentation on controls within EAW.