I am looking for a recommendation for a combat flight sim, preferably with modern aircraft. Something in DCS I guess? There's so many different aircraft, and campaign DLC. I'd like something reasonably realistic, with decent missions. I used to love F4, if anyone's played that, and would like to get a similar feel in VR. Suggestions welcome. Not VTOL..

 

It is without a doubt DCS.

But it really, really, takes dedication.

It's not the kind of sim were you randomly switch from aircraft to aircraft. You have put down some serious time to learn the systems of each one. 

IL2 is also great, but only 1st and 2nd WW

IL2 for WWII and WWI 

DCS for modern jets

In my option. DCS.  I find VR in DCS to be very smooth. As stated above, the newer jets like the F18C or the F16, F14 etc, require a fair amount of time to understand all the systems and weapons systems if you want to be affective in combat. There are a lot of good YouTube videos out there to teach you the systems if you don't like reading a 500 page manual. 

A HOTAS system in my option is essential, especially if you going to use VR. 

One that is still in early access ( and has been for quite a while ) is Combat Air Patrol 2 available on Steam. Systems are mostly operational for the AV8B Harrier but are reduced in complexity (load desired weapons after choice of mission, takeoff from carrier or airbase, acquire target on radar, select weapon, select target, fire ) Simple to get to action, good graphics, very high VR performance, four gaming areas - Straits of Hormuz, Mach loop, Yuma, and Oahu - photorealistic, and a Mission Editor which I have used to generate a mission at MCAS Kaneohe with red force SA-2s, Mig21s, AAA, gunboats along with blue force F4 drones, a Carrier task force, a tanker, and AI helis. The Dev is generating lots of missions now and supposedly will eventually have a realtime campaign. I fly DCS but struggle somewhat at getting quite enough VR performance (PC=9700K@5Ghz+RTX2070+Reverb) and so CAP2 is just a fun aircraft to get in, it starts up quickly, and go fly! 

There's really no contest here, DCS is absolutely the best combat flight sim, but as Farlis points out, it really requires you to properly study the aeroplane and its systems in order to get the best out of it, and if you go up against other people in it online, without having done that, you will get your @ss handed to you in very short order.

So you do need good hardware, preferably a HOTAS system which is either identical or as near as it can be to the real aeroplane's controls, because you can guarantee that the other guy will have that stuff.

If you've not tried it at all and are looking for a decent aeroplane to start off with, I would recommend their A-10 Thunderbolt II (AKA the Warthog), and for a very specific reason: Whilst the A-10 is of course just as likely to be shot at as any other warplane, and perhaps even more so given that 'every peasant with a rifle' is going to have a pop at you, this is a combat situation where you can at least sort of ease your way into things a bit, in an aeroplane which is comparatively easy to fly. Leaving you more thinking power to apply to tactics and the smart operation of its weaponry. This as opposed to jumping right into the fire by having someone come at you with missiles and guns blazing in their air superiority fighter and masses of experience.

The A-10 was specifically designed to be an aeroplane which would be no more difficult to fly than a Cessna - this genuinely was one of its stated design goals when they were dreaming it up at Fairchild/Republic - and this means it will allow you to spend time studying the weaponry. Having said that, there are enough systems on the A-10 to keep things interesting and it can go air-to-air if it has to. It might not have the BVR capabilities of a fighter or the speed to be able to break off the fight, but on the plus side, no modern fighter is going to be able to turn with it or get its weaponry to bear on it when it is down in the weeds and using terrain masking, and if you get low enough, many air to air missiles are beyond their launch envelope anyway.

What does help with DCS, is if you can find a buddy to fly with you who is familiar with the thing, as it will flatten the learning curve considerably. Flying as a pair emulates how the combat aeroplanes are flown in real life of course, with a few exceptions such as reconnaissance craft. It's also a lot more fun too.

Hellcat for MAC !

Edited April 29, 20206 yr by anden145

To add to Alan's point, the best HOTAS available (the Thrustmaster one) is modelled after the A-10. So if you buy that you will have the correct layout on your hardware by default.

Agree with everything said with regards to DCS

If you are shy about jumping into something too complex to begin with you could always try the flaming cliffs aircraft.

If you are interested in moving mud then you can't go wrong with the A-10C ….it has a large amount of DLC campaigns pretty much all of which are very well done.

If you want a mixed experience (A2A, A2G) with a good amount of content the M2000 has some excellent campaigns is relatively easy to master

If you want just A2A then the flaming cliffs F-15C is very easy to learn and has good DLC content

Best thing is they are running a promotion right now until May 19th where you can try everything for free and most modules/campaigns are 50% off.  Try it then buy it.

I use the grim reapers youtube channel to help learn the systems.  They have tutorials for all systems and break it down to the necessities

 

Enjoy,

 

Brett 

Honestly, I would not suggest the A10C as your first foray unless you like very systems heavy side of learning. It requires more knowledge of the various subsystems, menus, radio's etc than any other plane in DCS hands down, let alone doing it in VR without the help of keyboard shortcuts (ie binding everything to your hotas or Voice Attack ---well worth the money Voice Attack). I have owned it since it first came out and have the original version on retail DVD still.

If you just want to have fun with a "lite" version of planes, the Flaming Cliffs pack is an easy suggestion. You get a few planes, and lets you kind of ease into the world of DCS.

A solid all around plane, where the systems are not nearly as demanding, is the all hated F18. It is a solid starting point for someone coming from the likes of Falcon 4. Everything works on it, for the most part. Good pc performance. A wide range of mission types. Tons of tutorials and help threads out on the web for it. I know it gets alot of hate as it introduced alot of people to DCS and you see a ton of them online, but that's because it is a solid, easy to get into platform.

MY fave in VR is the tomcat. It requires alot more actual piloting than the other planes. Stick, Rudder and Throttle are the name of the game and it punishes you or rewards you based on how you treat it. That said, it is a decidedly more analogue experience. The Hud doesn't give nearly the same information, you have to learn to either man the rio yourself, get good with learning how to manipulate jester to do your bidding, or get a competent buddy to multi crew the plane..as that is where it shines.

Another good one is the "recently" released F16. While all the systems are not there, you can certainly get away with what is there. It is easy and forgiving to fly, as well as to learn.

Edited May 3, 20206 yr by CaptainNick