AH-64 Apache

Y'all seen DCS postings on FB? Apache coming out soon!! Wish it was an F model Cobra but i can dig it. Might make DCS my number 1 sim again.

You mean 5 years or 10 ? My bet for 10 years from now for finished they never even showed the gunner cockpit.

No, release date is may of 2021, as you probably know if you read the article which it seems you have

Oh, the drama

'Release' as in the pre-pre-pre-alpha' version.....but yes, we all know what a DCS 'Release' looks like. It doesn't equate to anything that any other developer on Planet Earth aligns with. But I've no doubt the same people will go crazy for this and ensure that ED can continue to 'release' a new platform that will never get finished as they bounce from obstacle to obstacle safe in the knowledge that proceeds from the pre-pre-pre-alpha will pay for the next bit of dev work they have never planned for.

when f18 f16 released, and are still most of the mfd placeholder? Are still in a dramatically early release?
Well, minion will praise anyway.

Pre-order starts in May, release is further down the road (probably Q3/4 of 2021).

And yeah, ED releases are constant work-in-progress but developing such highly detailed modules surely takes a lot of time and resources, so the business model they choose is probably the only suitable one to not go out of business like it or not.

It's the only way we get the Longbow in such detail for now so I'll take it, and with improvements to the base engine (weather) and dynamic campaign coming, even if it takes years it's the best thing we got. Unless resurrected Microprose chooses to announce new Gunship, which would probably take another few years to make...

Honestly, I don't mind features for the aircraft being added in bit by bit.

For me, if I get the plane early I learn what features are available and then learn more as they get added. I'd be happy with a weaponless Apache at first - just fly around and navigate.

I'll be buying it.

I'm sure we all realize that if Eagle Dynamics wasn't around, there would be NO developer making new modern combat jet sims.

I'll be getting it because, well of course I am.

I'm more looking forward to the Hind though.

The thing I'm most looking forward to is the new weather though.

Probably plays World of Warcraft and bashes DCS for fun.

I couldn't disagree more!
IMO, if Eagle Dynamics wasn't around then someone else would certainly develop new modern combat jet sims. And then this 'someone else' would learn from ED/DCS mistakes and probably wouldn't follow this same stupid 'market strategy', this only if ED/DCS would go out of business.

I could also argue that there's no point for someone else to come up into the modern combat jet sims market since it appears that many simmer are 'apparently happy' with ED/DCS with all its unfinished after unfinished module release. So why would someone else have the will of doing better than ED/DCS if apparently a considerably number of simmers are happy with the 'all the bad' which is currently available with ED/DCS??

P.S - After 13 year or more if we count Flaming Cliffs or Lock On I'm still waiting for ED to fix those ridiculous AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles!

cough[bullshite]cough lol

I'll buy it, just not in pre alpha state, so most likely 2023/24.

Meanwhile I'll enjoy F-18, that is almost done, on deck of the almost done super carrier, flying 3rd party dynamic campaigns while ED's is being worked on.

Many thanks to early buyers who support dev and allow me to patiently wait for an acceptable release.

It's ok just saying ''someone else would certainly develop new modern combat jet sims'' and they will obviously get it right because '' they would learn from ED/DCS mistakes''... but who?

There is no flight sim anywhere that doesn't have it's share of problems. I've got loads of them and I honestly can't say one is better than the other... do I get enjoyment from them, regardless of faults or things I would like put right, or various dev teams marketing strategies I don't agree with? Yes of course I do, or I wouldn't play the bloody things, or for that matter, continue to buy their products.

It's the fate of all flight simmers... we are hoarders.

While it's absolutely true that there's no flight sim without its share of problems, the fact that with many/most other sims and games (present and past) their developers have been fixing or trying to fix their sim's problems. But with ED/DCS this is different - fixing problems (a.k.a bugs) is definitely NOT their priority as it should have been! For example we're in 2021 and the AMRAAM problems still need to be fixed! This is again one of a HUGE LIST of bugs/problems which again is inconceivable that in 2021 it's not addressed!
And instead of fixing problems ED keeps releasing addons/modules in Alpha shape/stage which add even more bugs to the sim.

So if you want to be 'suckers' and continue to fall for and support this 'almost criminal' ED behavior, please fell free to do it so. But then don't complain that the 'problem' with combat flight sims nowadays (or the lack of them) is because people don't support the 'only' modern combat flight sim basically in existence today! By the contrary it's your 'fanatism' regarding ED which is spelling doom to the genre (you're of course entitled to disagree with me).

Some new shots showing the cockpit are up




Could be fun, I always enjoyed Longow 2 back in the day. Might be fun to fly around in an Apache again.

AH ha! Thanks Ricnunes, now we know who to blame. Trooper!!

And Ricnunes, thanks for giving us permission to disagree with you. Very generous of you

Yes. Looking forward to this and the Hind as well

I'm needing to pick up a set of rudder pedals. What type do you guys use, I"m looking at logitech and thrustmaster

I went with the Thrustmaster

Bring on the helicopters!

Not really a nice way to reply to any post from any man from any nation...

Funny because you pulled me in the F4 forum and got whingy about me posting in the wrong place???

If your a true moderater then dont piss about...



That was a very immature and underhanded way to reply to any1.

Shame on you...

BTW the thrustmaster rocks and you made the right choice.

cheers Phoenix

Ya some of my smart a$$ posts can be annoying

Sorry but I don't recall pulling anyone, anywhere. Not quite sure what that means

I'm enjoying the rudder pedals................................

Ya i know what u mean,

i Can get a little #%&*$# myself sometimes...

Enjoy the pedals.

A well worth investment.

Be well.

I don't play DCS, just happened to click on this thread to see what's going on.

I use Crosswinds for pedals. They are not cheap, but I've never rested my dogs on a finer set of pedals. Excellent quality, adjustable resistance, configurable, moddable, easy to set up and with toe brakes. Lots of options out there, but if the price doesn't scare you off, Crosswinds are hard to beat. And if you're going to fly air-beaters then a great set of pedals is worth the extra coin. Same with prop planes. For jets, maybe not so much. But helos and props, well worth the investment in my view. In all with shipping and the like they set me back about US$400.

Not out of line with what I have spent on the rest of my gear, and the control precision is far beyond any other pedal I've tried, which admittedly is not all of them.

https://mfg-sim.com/en/3-rudder-pedals

+1 for MFG.

Super happy with mine, and I bought these years ago.

another +1 for MFG

The v3's are also designed to fit the hydraulic damping mod and/or heel-on-floor plates too

Yeah, I also use V3, in graphite. The only thing I'd list as a drawback is I think the base is too narrow, so that if you have one foot on, one off they tilt with no additional bracing or support. Of course you usually have both feet on, so it's not much of an issue.

They are easy to put together, and very precise. You can add tension or reduce it very easily. Turn around time from Croatia was about two weeks. Of course this is down to stock at the time. Putting them together was straight forward, took about fifteen minutes. I know these are printed in Croatia in his garage probably, and the packaging reflects it. They arrived in perfect condition from the other side of the planet, no complaints there, but they had more packing tape than they showed in the video, that's for sure. It (or I) produced quite a mess. Hope I don't need to send them back in the original packaging lol. After getting it all unstuck I put them together, just a few allen bolts, and ready to go. They are exquisite really, and look fantastic. Really smooth, easily adjustable. They are wider than any I have used before, and so much better in terms of control and quality that there is no point in making comparisons. I expect it really for this sort of price point, but products don't always deliver. The Crosswinds do.

I've gone through a number of pedal sets through the years, like TM Elites, CH and others, and hated all of them. MFG Crosswinds are the first I've ever been really happy with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_QtO0Rhp0w


one for u bish and im sorry for barging into a thread that was not my business in the the first place...

Bet u love neil peart cause the dude was 1 of the best drummers of all time...

Niice to see derek still around as well.
D showed many of us how to use the cbu back in the days of AF...

You guys rock...

Hey mate, yeah still kickin', and literally so since we are discussing pedals lol.

I barged in here too, so no worries

So when is this AH-64 C and D coming out? The Black Shark was a fun chopper to fly, but it would be really nice to fly a heavy chopper and not have to constantly worry about my own blades colliding with one another.

Preorrders are open: https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/q3zhap/dcs_newsletter_dcs_ah64d_preorder/

Final trailer:

Given experience with DCS open betas, how long does anyone estimate we'll have to wait for the FCR and AGM-114L?

If a year, then I'm probably more interested in Black Shark 3 in the meantime which would make it almost equivalent to the AH-64A/B.

Let's say 2 years minimum.


I'm on the edge myself, I know I will end buying it, but it could be any time between 2 and 5 years from now till' I consider it good enough to be played, so...

From the recent releases such as the hind, it will be playable on release. Basically, the way I see it, we get an earlier version of the Apache to begin with, and then the more complex systems such as radar come later as upgrades.

Having been away from this forum for a few years - it is a shame to see the same entrenched positions on DCS playing out.

SimHQ forums used to be the place to go to for Sim discussion. Sure, there was some negativity about the completeness of every plane/sim when first released. But over time the negativity waned & discussion became lively & entertaining.

In DCS forums specifically, cynicism, negativity & rudeness is consistently pushed out by the same names. Often monopolising & distracting the threads.

I get that the SimHQ editorial approach is is to allow all views to be expressed - where publisher forums do not allow that. That should make this forum a great place for open discussion. But in practice, that is not what is happening - the DCS forum specifically is a tiresome place

While flight simulators are better than they ever have been, SimHQ is a shadow of its former self. Maybe SimHQ Mods need to reflect on the consequences of their editorial policy & repetitive arguments. It is certainly what has pushed me away from this forum.

Nothing is stopping people with a positive view of the DCS products / development / marketing from posting, except their own reluctance or lack of motivation. Sure, lots of people don't like having their views / positions / claims challenged by others who disagree... So, are we supposed to shut the disagreements down to protect O.P.'s feelings? No thanks, as that doesn't shed as much light upon matters as robust discussion can.

If things in the DCS forum strike you as overwhelmingly negative, perhaps it is because of E.D's products, development and/or marketing. After all, if they are getting it all right, it should be easy to say so, and back that position up if challenged upon it.

The Il2:BoS (now Great Battles) sub forum used to be heavily negative, too. Then Jason got put in charge of the product line and they started making the customers happier, and wonder of wonders, the negativity in the IL2:Great Battles sub forum dropped off! It's been positive opinions showing up in more recent times. It's also notable that it is a lot less message traffic since the product line got better. Why, it's as if people aren't as interested in discussing it when things are good! ( Maybe they are choosing to spend more of their time playing... )

SimHQ isn't the same as it used to be. Neither is the simulator / game industry.

If someone needs moderator enforced sweetness and light, they can find that elsewhere. May their blinders rest lightly upon their heads.

Speaking for myself, I don't have any such problems with ED, and I also don't feel any desire to argue the point. Some people just like to drop a dookie, forums have always been like that. As this is not the PWEC forum, I'm happy to ignore them & let them disappear naturally & just join in the general good will that mostly happens here

Soooo you're suggesting SimHQ limit free speech?

Thank you Cyberkut for the comprehensive & clear response.

I am not suggesting Moderated sweetness & light. And I am not suggesting limit free speech - to the extent that free speech also comes with some responsibilities.

I would be suggesting taking the edge off some off the most repetitive comments about ED business model, quality of releases and fanboy name calling - but that ship has probably already sailed.

I do recognise & appreciate SimHQs light touch moderation

I’m guessing I was hoping that over time the DCS forum would have settled down they way the IL2 -BOS forum did. Just disappointed that it hasn’t - and I accept the positive effect Jason had on IL2-BOx

I have no problem with DCS... I only buy the product that I am interested in and that's all.
I'm not a must have everything buyer as regards DCS. I have some of the aircraft and three maps... it's enough for me and I enjoy the stuff I have.

I commend DCS for how far they have come. I am more and more impressed as I mess around with the latest version.

I'm hoping for a built in dynamic campaign, however.

They have vastly improved the core with these new clouds/lighting, and most 5 years old early accesses are almost complete by now indeed.

However, before putting up an immersive built-in dynamic campaign, they need to work the way AI and player interact, especially awacs and wingmen, but also ennemy fighters and bombers.

If/when they rework this interaction, having GCI objects and associated interaction va radio menu for the blue side, in addition to awacs, will be welcome.

Perhaps ED haven't learned from their previous mistakes and continue to release alphas/betas that take far too long to represent what most people define as a finished or complete product?

If you're seeing repetitive comments, maybe just maybe, ED aren't improving their releases but continue to sell new products and the same issues are being raised. Maybe you think there should be a double-jeapardy rule where if an issue is raised....it can't be raised again on a new product?

I'll choose double-jeopardy for the win, please

Ya how long has ED being producing these mistakes? 10, 15 years? This could make things seem repetitive

Yes, yes I know. We simmers are to blame for the poor quality of product over the past decade ourselves. I'll choose double-jeopardy again, please

To me the primary failing DCS has not addressed yet is the lack of Dynamic Campaign. Users have made their own, though, with Liberation and there are several online servers that have "dynamic environments" with shifting FLOT and base control, which to me, goes a long way towards capturing that missing element.


I have thousands of hours in Falcon 4.0/BMS. I know the Viper like a car. I can be away for months or years but when I open the door and sit down in front of the controls, my instincts take over and there's nothing to learn.

When I tried the DCS version of the Viper a few months ago, just after ground radar was introduced, the experience was the same. I have no idea what the state of the Viper was on early access release, but I waited as long as I did because I didn't want a halfway capable plane.

I'm glad we have the choice to not pay for something that's incomplete, but I won't fault those who do, because they're the ones who help ED pay their bills to keep producing new content.

Part of the reason for "repetitive comments" is because of:



Many folks have not embraced the snails pace that ED slows down to once they receive pre-release money and then take years to finish. The obvious answer is not to purchase pre-release products from ED knowing you will not receive a finished product for years.

It requires an unprecedented amount of patience not neccesary in other forms of gaming to be a good ED customer...it can be upsetting to some.

And this is the crux of the matter and the main reason why they can get away with all that. The Customers !, but hey it is a free country and one can burn their monies anyway they want.

I think the flight simmers (customers) have bent over backwards for ED because quite simply there's just NO ONE else making new modern jet combat sims. Without ED all we would have is BMS which is great but nonetheless still a mod for a flight sim originally released in 1998 and we have previously released sims from developers who no longer exist.

100% correct Panzer.

For myself and many others...we have been bent over to our breaking point and probably won't be buying any more ED products. Certainly not during an early release period anyway. My last purchase was the Huey. I'm lucky that I enjoy many other areas of gaming and can focus my attention there. I also don't really need cutting edge graphics in a flight sim to have fun...immersion and feeling like a combat pilot in a war is done much better in older titles. (and BMS doesn't look too shabby graphics wise)

To each his own...everyone is capable of prioritizing what they need in a flight sim and how long they're willing to wait after purchase for it to be fully functional.

DCS winter sale...

Looking good.

Looks great but I wish the OH-58D would come out already. I am more interested in it, I guess all the years of Apache sims burnt me out on gunships.I always have more fun scouting or flying armed transports on cargo/ferry missions.

Gone gold baby!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://stormbirds.blog/2022/03/09/dcs-ah-64d-apache-longbow-goes-gold/

And its' out. At least if you're running the beta version,
There's several general fixes to the game in general, other aircraft and addons to the Syria map.

Full notes here:
https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/news/changelog/openbeta/2.7.11.21408.1/

Yep,

Just downloaded and its AWESOME so far.
What a nice pressie on patricks day

Woot...

I can't install.

Major hard drive crashes every attempt. Full system reboots and black screens!

I have no issues copying/installing files with anything else. DCS crashes my drive.

NVM

Please someone help.

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/295226-cannot-install-update-today-dead-in-the-water/

Sorry Blastman, I only just saw this. Sounds like you had a rough time of it.
It's working now though, right?

Yep, works now. Took all evening to figure out, but the apache is badass.

That's good.

I'm trying to get the controls and tuning setup right. Seems really sensitive and I have the feeling I'm going to crash so many of these digital helos in the next few days.

Sweet...

A Beast of a gunship.

The past few days I've been feeling the need to fly combat helicopters again.

I haven't purchased an ED product since LOMAC. But this is all we've got for modern helo sims isn't it? A year ago I bought a set of Crosswinds. I've owned pedals for years, crap like CH Pro and Thrustmaster Elite, just junk which I hated, but was all I had. The Crosswinds though are sweet, and I want to get back in to helicopters and give them a proper workout. You'll scoff or shun, but I have a fantastic time flying helicopters in GTA Online. Yeah, the flight model and controls suck, but the map is so amazing, and the effect so satisfying that I do it all the time. It's just fun. But I'm looking to do this with my full setup, with Track IR and a combat environment.

My first-ever flight sim was a helo sim, Apache by Digital Integration, which was in 1995 I think. I've played many since. Longbow/2 obviously. I revisited this sim at some point years later and had fun with it, running a glide wrapper. But while Longbow's campaign was great in the 90's, it is less impressive today. EECH was much better for campaigns, but rather long in the tooth now, right? Maybe I should check out what's going on with the mod scene there.

So that leaves me with Black Shark and the AH-64. Seems from the comments above it is well received? What's the environment like that you fly in? Does it feel like a real combat space? Or is the objective the only thing alive out there, ya know? Somewhere in the middle? I'm a long time Falconite, and while I'm not expecting that, or even anything approaching EECH, I still want to feel like I'm not the center of the world if you know what I mean.

Yup. In fact that genre is so niche that there are still plenty of people who mod and fly EECH (Enemy Engaged: Commanche Hokum) which was originally released in 2000!

edit: Oh and I also played "Apache" by DI in 1995 and enjoyed it a lot but it was far from being my first PC flight sim.

You must have been flying PC sims when you were twelve Aren't you like 40?

It was my first, and that quickly led to US Navy Fighters and the rest, as they say, is history. But yeah, DI's Apache was a watershed moment for me.

49 and the very first PC flight sim I bought was "Jetfighter" at some Radio Shack in 1989!

Oh, you're nearly over the hill. Still, that puts you at 16 in 1989. Good start. I'm a touch more advanced in years, and in 1995 I would have been 27. Late start, but I've made up for it

What?? Haven't you heard? 50 is the new 40.

My first PC flight sim was Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer in 1986 and a few months later my first combat flight sim was... the original Gunship in early 1987. I have played tons since.

I love DCS AH-64. But I also fly the KA-50, Mi-24 and Mi-8 in DCS, along with many other jets.

Does the world feel alive? If you fly the apache using the Liberation campaign engine, then yes, it will feel pretty alive with lots going on. There's a bit of a learning curve--Mudspike has a great intro article on getting into Liberation. It isn't BMS level dynamic campaign... yet. But it is the closest we can get in DCS short of the many PvP dynamic campaign multiplayer servers which are truly dynamic in fluid real time. The missions I have flown in Liberation were amazing, no, at times incredible. I experienced the sweaty feelings I got in many early Microprose sims or even once in the jet in BMS. Lots of fun.

You need a very beefy computer to run Liberation, though. Mine isn't powerful enough so my framerate suffered considerably, hence why I fly DCS mainly online for now. I let the servers do all the processing so my machine can focus on the graphics. If you have a second PC you can have that one run Liberation and then connect to it from your main rig and fly missions off of it.

Apache will eventually get its own campaign, but in early access there is not one yet. There are some quick missions and there's always the DCS quick mission generator. Liberation will give you what you want, though, I suspect, and is a free community built addon with a discord server that can answer all of your questions as they come up. It was not hard to set up and get running and flying in.

The AH-64 is a thing to behold in DCS. Awesome, powerful, deadly machine.

LOL you on the ball.

56 here and i gotta admit F16 combat pilot by di on amiga 500 was my first...

Graphics were bloody terrible but the strategy was amazing

Next came Tornado by DI and then it was PC time.

Jesus back then i had to work my dam butt of to get the dollars for that measly rig LOL..

Falcon 3.0 was the animal sim that came later and then Falcon 4.0.

A co processer was needed for the high fidelity radar and that was huge money back then but it was worth every cent.

For the fist time i coukd really see what these dudes work at and the modding teams that came along after its downfall werereally amziing,

Hey Derek its impossible to find anything that comes near F4 but Dcs does have some really amazing 3rd party programs that will put u into a stragic and dangerous world.

Liberation is really good as in yuo gotta use your assets carefully and take out the other guys logistics.

Similar to F4 in some ways but turn based,still great fun though and a really good challenge.

Some links and i hope they work so u can have a gander and see what u think?


https://www.mudspike.com/dcs-liberation/


https://dcs-helicopters.com/


These programs do give dcs a meaning and show the way it could be an amazing world when or if they can get round to a realtime dynamic campaigign...

Thanks gentlemen, and great post Blastman. My rig is no longer cutting edge, if ever. So that's something to take in to consideration.

I'm not expecting Falcon for rotors, but for example if my mission is a strike, will I come across enemy and friendly assets going about their own missions, unrelated to what I'm tasked with? Of course this is part of what makes flying the Falcon campaign so compelling, that there is so much going on collaterally.

Same here and I am 10 years older than you.

It depends on who makes the mission. Often times it's yes.The default missions for the Apache look like a mostly no in that category. I haven't played them all, but looking at the briefings many of them aren't.
You can create a fast mission and set how busy the area is with other aircraft and ground targets. Slide everything up and it's WW3 in there.

Oh there's no campaign yet, right?

Maybe I should leave this in the oven for a while.

I know me. I would love learning the aircraft and systems. But when that ends I want a convincing environment and compelling game play to put those new skills to the test. Maybe I'm selling it short. My knock on the series has always been that it should be called DTS (Digital Training Simulator) as the combat part seems weak. But then again, my options are limited, and I know I'd love flying it with Track IR and my gear. Thanks for the opinions and posts.

No official ones yet. There's already some user made ones. You can also fly some of the Huey campaigns, you just have to edit the mission to change the player AC to an Apache. And on the transport missions, modify it a bit to provide escort.
There's always the Liberation campaign, works with any aircraft and map. Closest we have to the old Falcon style dynamic campaigns.

Liberation is very good,

Bms is also very good

Keep both installed and jump in and have fun when it suits.

The longbow in dcs is #%&*$# amazing.

But the the viper in bms is also amazing .

Keep both on the ssd and enjoy.


Nothing will ever beat Flight sims.
and the simmers that put the time in to learning it all...

Amazing genre.

Yep. The DCS apache is incredible.

Just stay away from SA-19s... for now.

Why is that?

I gotta say, despite basically ignoring DCS all these years, the Apache has it's hooks in.

Which systems and what features of the aircraft are as-yet not implemented?

How hard is it to fly in DCS?

Track IR and IHADSS in a Longbow are a match made in heaven and I keep thinking about it.

So if I were to pull the trigger, I need DCS World, which is free, and the $65 Apache module? The Liberation campaign is a separate download? Is anything aside from the first two needed for the third?

I see posts saying I need open beta to get the AH-64 to run?

I find the Apache quite easy to fly (but I have flown DCS helos quite a lot).
The big systems that are not in are:
- Datalink capability
- the radar

There are some other bugs of course, mostly involving desync with the pilot and CPG in multiplayer.

To fly DCS with the liberation campaign you just need DCS, one module supported by liberation, and liberation.
If you get the Apache you can fly single player in the Apache, and on any MP server with the Apache.

You do need open Beta, but there is really no downside to using open beta instead of stable.

Apache isn't that hard to fly, just requires somewhat of an adjustment period like all helos. It doesn't fall out of the sky like a Hind brick, though, whenever trying to land.

Like FlyingToaster said, there's no datalink or radar yet, nor a radar jammer, but those come later.

Liberation is free and easy to set up. You can also play on some of the online dynamic campaign servers, too--some are PvE.


SA-19...

Their missiles fire about 2.5x as fast as a hellfire, so even a max range shot at 8km won't make it to the launcher before they shoot you, and you can't get close because they have twin 30mm cannons. Basically, the 2S6 is the ultimate helo destroyer. They are designed to kill them, and they do this well. Until radar guided hellfires come out... muhahahahaha.

I have made it to about 5 km from a SA-19 and when I see smoke from them launching that's too late. A second or two later... boom. LOAL HI should be the way to fight them but that requires last moment pop up to lase and that's extremely hard to pull off without a human gunner, and given that whole 1 - 2 seconds to live once they launch, very sketchy. Avoid with laser hellfires. Let the planes mop them up instead.

I suppose you could bait them into firing missiles into trees until they run out, but that's quite unrealistic. Their support units would hunt you down before that ever happened in real life.

Oh, and the laser warning system isn't in yet.
Missile launch warning, auto-flares, auto-chaff, and RWR are in though.

The RWR/Missile warning system is the coolest thing yet in DCS. I love hearing the AI call out new contacts and the o'clock bearing to them. Amazing SA enhancement.

Thank you gentlemen. Good replies. I know how capable that missile system is, and I was thinking maybe some sort of defensive suite was still missing, due to Blastman saying 'for now'. It's optically guided anyway right?

What's the time frame on the FCR? That's a pretty major piece of the equation.

I love the thought of flying this. My gear is well-suited, the stealth nature of Apache operations suits me too. I've watched a few videos and it's simply beautiful. The detail and clarity of the sensor video image in the MFD is stunning, and way beyond anything I've played before.

The Eagle, Hornet and of course the Viper all caught my attention but never my wallet. This Apache though.

Not sure when FCR comes out, but I don't mind waiting. The bird is quite capable as is.

I think the SA-19 only uses optical tracking to launch missiles in DCS for now.

I was pointing out the optical tracking because any missing defensive avionics would have no effect. Well, maybe smoke pods

Is there supposed to be a spoiler in that post Blastman?

The FCR is integral obviously. I understand it's fine to get by for now, but the aircraft is missing significant capability without that. It's not a Longbow without it, and I think it limits engagement range, situational awareness and tactical options. It lowers survivability and who didn't love creating priority fire zones in the Jane's title, lobbing missiles over a ridge while the FCR sorts it all out?

That's a big capability gap. Like flying a Viper with only a sniper pod and no ground or air radar.

Dunno how the spoiler tags got in there. As is now the missile warning system gives more SA than you get in the hind, calling out all tracking sources verbally. But it ain't a longbow, you're right. After the heartbreaking disappointment with Combat Helo being dissolved, I think a lot of us just can't bear to wait any longer for a modern Apache sim. I could only fly EECH for so long--and while amazing, they still refuse to mod in reflective water like we have even in BMS. Hard to play something so cartoony nowadays, despite how amazing the campaign engine is.

Dynamic campaign for the Apache and Hind!

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/295350-open-season-apache-ah-64d-dynamic-persistent-campaign/

That's great. Thanks for the info Blastman.