My carrier tours were 1986-88 (VF-32 on CV-67) and 2003-2005 (CARGRU7 on CVN-74). For that first tour, practically all of the refueling was done with KA-6 and A-6E with buddy stores. I seem to recall seeing an S-3B with a refueling package…but mostly they were looking for Soviet submarines so I wouldn’t think it was used much. (We didn’t have A-7s but they were also used for tanking around that time.)
My second tour, tanking was pretty much all the S-3s did. The squadron air crew all had “Gas Station” shirts with a big Texaco star on the back.
So the transition probably happened while I was on US GUAM…where the purple shirts did all the refueling.
They already tried that with the WWII asset pack. Much whining ensued.
Honestly, for AI assets, I kind of expect them to be in the base/core engine. Having to pay for them separably just seems like it invites way to much trouble. If you have to pay for the base engine, maybe it could work. If it’s the current “free to play” model, not so much.
Don’t get me wrong, I know it takes a lot of work to produce high quality content. It just seems like ED painted themselves into a corner with how to internally pay for the core engine updates.
Greatly depends on the quality of the models required. Given the mods that add various aircraft like CAM, but they use models bought or acquired from modeling sites, which have questionable origins to begin with (modeling sites are notorious for being fast and loose regarding content sources and creators). The model needs to be created toward a certain detail level, then unwrapped and UV’d (that’s the hard part), then special models like damage models need to be created. With the right tools and skills this can be a relatively quick affair, but even so you’re looking at a month between start to finish.
But I also agree with @Roo that asset packs go up like a lead balloon with the community. My take is that if they’re going to do it, then assets should be tied in with purchase of other modules like maps.
My take on it is they could do something like a generic tank model, car, etc. done on a real simple scale, then color it a bland or generic green or tan; anyone who doesn’t own a particular asset pack gets a generic model of said asset. That way, players aren’t barred from servers that are using those assets, yet the packs can still be paid additions to cover the cost of making them. BIS did similar with a few of their expansions where the units were added, but the textures and details were reduced for non-owners. That could be another solution, where we just treat it as a HD asset pack.
Ok so guys must be the people to ask, in general the DCS software seems no to start at the beginning. I am a total newbie with little flying experience, but I love aircraft. So maybe I jumped in a little too soon. I downloaded DCS 2.5.6 I think and was so impressed and wow they had a sale on, ok I’ll be in that. MMMmmm what to buy Syria map looks good, AV8B , and what about Supercarrier. I’ll take them all (not steam). Cool, download them about 6GB,and then where do I start, did the quick start up in the air for laughs and after several crashes looks like a new Joystick is required ( As well as another 8GB ram and new Video card (only have 4GB).Anyhow thought I’d try Supercarrier but from what I make out unless you have the FA-18 I wont be playing that. Also looks like the Syria map also might need an F15 am I correct. Anyhow any info appreciated, just looked like I jumped in before I looked. Cheers everyone.
Oz newbie here, do you have to own Hornet before you can use Supercarrier ??? and F15 with Syria, have just purchased both with Syria and FC3 and , but looks like I cant use them. Surely DCS should tell you this before you buy them as say “FA18 Hornet required to play Supercarrier” or " F15 required to play Syria", much confused. Have the AV8B on smaller carrier but I assumed as it is carrier equipped you could play it on a Nimitz ???.
To enjoy supercarrier you need a carrier capable blue jet. A hornet or a tomcat.
I don’t see why Syria shouldn’t work with the Su-25T. DCS is very much a box of toys that hardly limits how or what you do with it. If you want to fly a spitfire off the USS Nimitz against Iranian YaK-152’s over Nevada, you go right ahead.
like Schurem already stated, the supercarrier is best enjoyed with a CATOBAR-capable jet. You can land your harrier on it and it can probably be refueled and rearmed but I doubt the crew will guide your plane around.
You should be able to fly everything you have over Syria. There are no aircraft restrictions for any of the maps. You can even take all the modern stuff and bring it over to the WW2 maps. I’ve flown the F-15 over Syria so I’m 100% sure it works.
The Hornet or the Tomcat are the only aircraft modules in DCS that are made to operate from a USN aircraft carrier. So yeah, If you want to take off and land on the carrier, you will need one of those. There is also a freeware A-4 mod, but I haven’t tried it and I don’t know if it is compatible with the Supercarrier.
Ok thanks for the reply, will have to get my hands on a Hornet. ( Might fly to 20,000ft see if any Tic-Tacs around ).
Now I see the TF51D comes with the Frogfoot for the initial game.
My miserable system is I5 7600 @ 3’8G h/z with 16Gb ram which I think should be Ok .
Gigabyte GTX 1060 -3Gb Vram which I dont think is OK.
Looks like I have to do a bit of shopping .
NB Just had a quick shufty and found how the modules work. Gonna see if them S-400s can pick me up in the TF51D.
Operate…safely…from an aircraft carrier.
Yes. ”Safely” is the first word that comes to mind when I see 70,000 lbs of Tomcat being thrown of the bow of a ship…
Only partially, they do not have access to the SDK that’s needed to make the radios work, and with NORDO the supercarrier is only a third of what it should be, ne c’est pas?
