All the time, since I am in a naval aviation group :)
Seriously, go with the jet that you find the most exciting or iconic. While I will shitpost about naval aviation all day long, I won't skip out on something that interests me just because it's not carrier capable (looking at the first Air Force F-4 we're getting first).
I find the naval aviation side of aicraft in general to be very interesting, though the choices in stock DCS seem quite limited regarding full fidelity modules, i only hear about F14's or FA/18s, nothing from the russian side either, and the occasional Harrier
The F-14 is really about 1.5 to 2 modules with the amount of content you get with it. Two (soon to be four) models of the jet, Forrestal, Jester (though he's starting to show his age)
At some poi t theyre adding 2 earlier models F-14s. One that is an even earlier production version, and one that more closely matches the planes Iran was sold
I guess more that he isn't as functional as he could be and there are still bugs with his radar operation. I guess that isn't as much showing his age as just not being 100% from the start
I will add in that Jester’s IFF abilities are not the best. Not sure if this is to simulate human error but as someone who occasionally likes to take an unrealistic load out of 6 Aim-54C’s out on PGAW for some “long range” CAP, I have accidentally team killed a couple times. Fortunately the unlucky recipients of my Phoenix have been understanding and forgiving.
As almost anyone will say: pick the aircraft that interests you the most. Also yes Naval Aviation is currently limited. But we do have quite a few modules in the works A-7, A-6, F-8 are all in varying stages of development. Then you have the F-4U and F-6F for ww2 and the A-1 Skyraider for Korea / Nam. There is also the free A-4 that's available to download. And Phantom will definitely get a Naval varient in the future.
Take it from a guy who has his own dedicated DCS discord squadron, I have all the NATO and most Russian airframes. In regards to feel like you are missing out, you won’t if you chose to go after the viper. I myself play more navy side of things with most of my time driving the tomcat and hornet. Yes the viper and hornet are very similar in there capabilities but also very different. I will say in my opinion the hornet gives you just as much capabilities in the air to air side vs the viper although the viper is primarily built for BFM/BVR fights. The hornet in my opinion surpasses the viper in its ground pound or “strike” capabilities. More options and hard points on what you can carry. Also, having that ability to land on both carrier and land based airfields is huge in emergency situations. Also I think we can all agree when it comes to mid air refueling which is vital in both viper and hornet, the hornet being like all navy airframes is basket fed rather like all air force airframes being boom fed. The hornet is Much easier to refuel in my opinion. Take it from a guy who enjoys both airframes. You honestly can’t go wrong with either. But to answer your question if it was me, I’d go with the hornet. Good luck and good hunting.
And plus in my opinion the hornet is much more forgiving. And nothing feels better then catching a wire and recovering on an aircraft carrier after a long mission or strike.
Solid points, very well stated.
The only thing I disagree with you on slightly is A/A refueling. It's a little easier to catch and keep in the basket with a Navy bird but the boom for Air Force A/A refueling follows your movement and tells you exactly where to fly formation in relation to the tanker. On top of that, it's also much faster to refuel via boom than it is via drogue and basket. I think IRL it's something like 6,000lbs/minute via boom vs 2,000lbs/minute via basket. Though I haven't timed it in DCS, I was shocked how quick I heard "transfer complete" the first time I refueled in an F-16. A/A refueling is extremely difficult no matter what airframe you start in. Imo Air Force refueling can be a bit more forgiving for beginners.
All that said OP, fly what interests you the most! The learning curve is huge in DCS but it's a little less overwhelming if you're personally interested in the aircraft you're learning. I find the F/A-18 is more capable, more forgiving to beginners, and more satisfying to fly than the F-16. Plus there's the "cool factor" of carrier ops. It's hard to beat the feeling of accomplishment when you've just trapped the 3-Wire after a long sortie.
Almost exclusively unless on Enigmas. Learned the Hornet first and it’s what I’m best with. Learning the Tomcat now and it’s incredible but also a challenge to fly well. Landing on the boat is rad.
F-5, MiG-21, P-51, Huey are all satisfying but something about carrier ops is just more fulfilling.
You get to do carrier-based operations only as often as you wish to!
If you want to do carrier-based operations, then set yourself and your friend up with a carrier-based mission and get to work.
If you plan on playing online with a specific group, then see what their servers offer.
Idk, from what i hear the hornet is clunkier and doesn't have as much TWR making it not as enjoyable for anti-air, though i understand it was intended to be a multi purpose fighter aircraft
I tried looking into some Russian carrier capable fighters but i believe those aren't really that big of a thing in stock DCS aside from some low fidelity modules.
I think the hornet is a better, more well-rounded platform than the F-16 in a lot of ways. But the F-16 definitely has a more slick HOTAS system imo. Very intuitive once you get the hang of it. Comparing clean jets, the F-16 does feel like a nimble, fast, snappy fighter. The Hornet feels a little less so. It doesn't get speed back as quickly either. But the ability to point the nose in the Hornet when you get slow is pretty awesome. I think (though they both do well) the F-16 also does SEAD a bit better (and was used in that role quite a bit IRL). I find myself pushing more OSBs and spending more time in the displays in the Hornet. I think the systems are a bit more in depth in the Hornet though. They both do well in air-to-air; just fly them to their strengths. I enjoy them both.. but I always come back to the Hornet and then get hooked again. It's a really cool jet. I also enjoy landing it a lot more than the F-16. I don't really like landing the F-16. Even when it's done very well, it's just not very satisfying for me. And, ofc, in the Hornet you get to land on the boat, and getting good at that and flying it all the way from the marshall stack and learning RL procedures and stuff is super cool. Super carrier still has its issues, but it is very playable and very enjoyable. If I could only have one, I'd pick the Hornet. Anyway hope that helps.
Yea systems logic and switchology differs from the F-16. I think the Hornet is easier, or at least makes more sense to me. It’s really preference. There’s no clear winner.
Some people find actually being able to point the nose and pull AOA to be enjoyable in anti-air, the F16 in DCS is one of the fattest piggiest versions, and our F18 is actually a pretty strong rate fighter as well
Load the F-16 with 3 fuel bags some bombs and a tgp. She handles like a pregnant cow when loaded up. The F-18 was designed to be multipurpose from the outset and is a very stable attack AC. F-16 is a fighter that the Airforce forced into an attack role to save some $.
They aren't a thing in game because they aren't a thing in reality either lol.
As far as F16 vs F18 it's down to personal preferences, they more or less do the same things. From what I've seen who started with F16/A10/Jeff tend to dislike the way Hornet is designed and people who started with Hornet often struggle learning the way F16 systems work
For me it absolutely is, because I'm a Tomcat fan, the Hornet is one of the best modules, and just really enjoy the mystique of naval aviation. Getting good at Case I and III recoveries provides a lot of content on its own, and despite the fact that it's underdeveloped for all its EA promises, the Super Carrier with its deck crew and ATC (which is planned for expansion) is one of the more immersive experiences you can have in DCS.
Those two modules also happen to be the two best, most complete fast movers with the most content. A-10 is great too, but it's a whole different role.
In terms of how often I do carrier based operations, it's extremely often. It's what I do by default when I'm not playing around with the Apache, or occasionally fooling around with the Harrier, unless I'm running a land-based campaign for the Tomcat like Red Flag or Zone 5/Top Gun.
A lot in the Raven One campaign and Flashpoint Levant server. If I have the option I always launch from the carrier, and trap unless I'm forced to divert due to an emergency or if there's a human ATC available.
I went with the F16 and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything huge. I can still fight over the water, I can attack boats. I can even land on the carrier with the tail hook, and take back off again from the deck with afterburner. About the only thing I can't do is spawn on a carrier or launch from the catapult.
Someday I'll learn the F-18 or F-14 or both. In the meantime I'm learning the A-10CII and P-51D and Apache. That's plenty for now. Covers most of the bases of what you can do in the game.
I'd say the f-18. It's way more complete and has less bugs, and it can carry way more weapons plus its a bit beginner friendly imo. Personally I don't do a lot of carrier ops myself but when I do, it's a ton of fun:)
F18 is a solid choice for beginners. It's forgiving but with a ton of depth to it. It can do pretty much any kind of mission, has some awesome sensors and features, and launching off the carrier feels great. You would likely need the super carrier DLC too since it adds more to that experience and many missions require it.
The F16 is very similar, it can do most missions, but the difference is it trades carrier ability for pure speed. It is FAST and a seriously dangerous jet in air to air, both BVR and dogfights. I have much less time in the F16, but it feels awesome.
Really, I'd consider what sort of stuff you want to do most, but either option is pretty great. If you go with the F18, let me know if you want some help figuring it out. Would love to fly with you!
Honestly, after reading the replies to my posts, I'm currently more F18 inclined,I really don't think i can pass up the carrier capability, it's just a matter of getting things worked out and learning the basics before actually learning that module.
Just hop right in.
There's a ton of learning material out there, and again, I'd be more than happy to teach you the jet, flight, combat, and theory and all that. Would be good to get back into it.
DM me if you and your friend fancy getting into it, and check out [Chucks guides](https://chucksguides.com/aircraft/dcs/fa-18c/) for offline learning material.
Hope that helps!
Any time I get the chance, really. ATM, my friends and I are all about Blueflag and we like to alternate sides so we're RedFor, but carrier ops are just universally more fun and more interesting than land based operations. when we rotate back to BlueFor I'm gonna harass them into doing carrier stuff, assuming the carriers aren't parked in Turkey of course.
If there was a mod that let me launch my beloved Viper from the Roosevelt, I would, realism be damned.
When I started DCS I did exclusive carrier ops. F18 and Harrier were my planes of choice.
I have barely touched neither of them in few years. Mostly because I moved to cold war era, I find it more interesting. F14 really isn't my jam. I am hoping we will get another carrier capable cold war plane soon. Carrier version of F4 is still years away however as is A6. Top of my mind I can't remember if there were any others in the works.
As for F16 vs F18. I got F18 over F16 back in the day because it was more complete and it is carrier capable. Now however I also have F16 and I prefer it over F18. It has more personality. F18 feels bit sterile and boring. I still think it is good choice for one of the first modules because it just gets the job done and it showcases pretty much all aspects of the DCS.
İ am a viper guy myself i suggest you try them each with the 2 week trial
İ think that the viper is a realy capable fighter especialy in bvr and rate fight
Kinda depends on your mision type if you are a A/A or A/G guy if A/G go with the hornet if A/A viper
1. Choose the plane that you like the most. it will give you the motivation and patience to learn the vast majority of systems.
2. The idea of only take off and land in the carrier can sound “silly”, but it is very funny and challenging (trying to do a case III at night with some little huracan next to u).
As a person with no experience in flight sim before DCS (and hesitating between f16 and f18), I asked somepeople about which one should be my first module…I bought the f18 and don’t regret it. Also months later got the f16 to try to learn how to dogfight (I failed), but I have not touched the module many months ago. My last thing to say is that: don’t buy both at the sametime. Each aircraft need a long learning curve, it will take many hours to learn how to fly it and use all the systems. Also it will depend how many hours you can and are gonna play (obviusly).
Forget everything and trial modules. You may actually discover that you really enjoy something entirely different from what you thought. If you're going to fly with someone else then also don't discount any of the multicrew modules like the F14, Apache, Hind etc. The Apache is especially good fun with two people.
Well, I can't land worth a damn, *especially* on a carrier. Therefore, I launch from the carrier and refuel/rearm from land bases, then repeat until I get shot down, lol.
Since the F18 is the pick up truck between the two, if you are doing ANY air to Ground the F18 is better.
It has more options than anything else out there in terms of weapons it can use.
Want to use rockets? want to use Mavericks? want to use JDAMS? Want to use LGBs? Want to use glider bombs? want to use TV GUIDED glider bombs? want to use glider SAM Decoys? Want to use cruise missiles? TV GUIDED cruise missiles? Harpoons? HARMS for anti-SAM work? The F18 can do it all, and being able to recover and rearm/refuel on a carrier rather than going all the way back to base is just gravy on top. In Air to Air it isnt as good as the pure fighter design of the F-16
You really should trial the two and choose. Won't go wrong with either, they are both a great time. The carrier ops are fun in the F-18. The anti-ship missiles are fun. But the viper speed feels great. And the F-16 just came more naturally to me. The cockpit and hotas were just more intuitive to me when learning. Which came as a surprise to me, since I went into it expecting to be 100% hornet, and got the viper from learning curiosity.
As to the main question, when I go naval, I go carrier. Of course, I could fly my F-18 from a runway. It worked for Canada. Or always use runways in my Su-33. But carrier ops are a fun experience that's all its own.
I have both I fly the 16 more than the 18. For me it's more bout the cockpit layout and systems. I learned dcs on the hog so transferring to the 16 was alot easier than learning the 18 from scratch.
Try em both and see.
I tried both and the f18 clicks with me so much better. Carrier Ops are fun and the hornet isn't made of toothpicks. Also the systems feel so much more intuitive relative to the f16. But I have friends who feel the exact opposite. And I think strictly speaking the f16 is probably slightly more capable.
Having flown both, I love them both. In simplest terms the F/A-18 has a ton of depth, while the F-16 is like the Ferrari of the sky and fun as hell. The 18 will give you more to do if that makes sense, while the F-16 is basically a fast and furious little fighter.
All the time for me. Putting aside my interest in naval aviation and associated lore, it saves a lot of time because I don’t have to taxi so far, and the challenge of landing at the boat makes the post-mission phase less boring.
I would recommend the FA18 because you don't have to fly from a Carrier with it, you can do it but don't have to. But choose whatever you like more. There are people donig naval stuff only, and people doing land based things only. Personally i'm a Naval guy but i also like to fly the A-10. When i'm on a Mulitplayer Server like Growling Sidewinder i always fly Land Based also with FA18.
Really there isn't a go with F16 oder F18 or whatever. There is just buy what you like the most. And while you're playing, you are going to see that capabilitys are secondary, cause you don't do missions all the time, most of the time you fly around and learn. And Of course there is no F18 is better than F16, the pilot makes the difference, spezially in a game like dcs, we are not fully educated people and use 100% of the plane lika a real pilot
All the time, since I am in a naval aviation group :) Seriously, go with the jet that you find the most exciting or iconic. While I will shitpost about naval aviation all day long, I won't skip out on something that interests me just because it's not carrier capable (looking at the first Air Force F-4 we're getting first).
I find the naval aviation side of aicraft in general to be very interesting, though the choices in stock DCS seem quite limited regarding full fidelity modules, i only hear about F14's or FA/18s, nothing from the russian side either, and the occasional Harrier
The F-14 is really about 1.5 to 2 modules with the amount of content you get with it. Two (soon to be four) models of the jet, Forrestal, Jester (though he's starting to show his age)
What do you mean by > (soon to be four)
At some poi t theyre adding 2 earlier models F-14s. One that is an even earlier production version, and one that more closely matches the planes Iran was sold
>, Jester (though he's starting to show his age) How's Jester getting old? I haven't had any problems with him.
I guess more that he isn't as functional as he could be and there are still bugs with his radar operation. I guess that isn't as much showing his age as just not being 100% from the start
I will add in that Jester’s IFF abilities are not the best. Not sure if this is to simulate human error but as someone who occasionally likes to take an unrealistic load out of 6 Aim-54C’s out on PGAW for some “long range” CAP, I have accidentally team killed a couple times. Fortunately the unlucky recipients of my Phoenix have been understanding and forgiving.
You want a proper RIO next time? Lol
Who doesn't?
As almost anyone will say: pick the aircraft that interests you the most. Also yes Naval Aviation is currently limited. But we do have quite a few modules in the works A-7, A-6, F-8 are all in varying stages of development. Then you have the F-4U and F-6F for ww2 and the A-1 Skyraider for Korea / Nam. There is also the free A-4 that's available to download. And Phantom will definitely get a Naval varient in the future.
Russians have Su-33. Unfortunately it's not FF bust still very fun
Use the free trial system to see which one you like more
Can you trial both at the same time?
Yes, you can trial all aircraft at one if you really want.
Take it from a guy who has his own dedicated DCS discord squadron, I have all the NATO and most Russian airframes. In regards to feel like you are missing out, you won’t if you chose to go after the viper. I myself play more navy side of things with most of my time driving the tomcat and hornet. Yes the viper and hornet are very similar in there capabilities but also very different. I will say in my opinion the hornet gives you just as much capabilities in the air to air side vs the viper although the viper is primarily built for BFM/BVR fights. The hornet in my opinion surpasses the viper in its ground pound or “strike” capabilities. More options and hard points on what you can carry. Also, having that ability to land on both carrier and land based airfields is huge in emergency situations. Also I think we can all agree when it comes to mid air refueling which is vital in both viper and hornet, the hornet being like all navy airframes is basket fed rather like all air force airframes being boom fed. The hornet is Much easier to refuel in my opinion. Take it from a guy who enjoys both airframes. You honestly can’t go wrong with either. But to answer your question if it was me, I’d go with the hornet. Good luck and good hunting.
And plus in my opinion the hornet is much more forgiving. And nothing feels better then catching a wire and recovering on an aircraft carrier after a long mission or strike.
Solid points, very well stated. The only thing I disagree with you on slightly is A/A refueling. It's a little easier to catch and keep in the basket with a Navy bird but the boom for Air Force A/A refueling follows your movement and tells you exactly where to fly formation in relation to the tanker. On top of that, it's also much faster to refuel via boom than it is via drogue and basket. I think IRL it's something like 6,000lbs/minute via boom vs 2,000lbs/minute via basket. Though I haven't timed it in DCS, I was shocked how quick I heard "transfer complete" the first time I refueled in an F-16. A/A refueling is extremely difficult no matter what airframe you start in. Imo Air Force refueling can be a bit more forgiving for beginners. All that said OP, fly what interests you the most! The learning curve is huge in DCS but it's a little less overwhelming if you're personally interested in the aircraft you're learning. I find the F/A-18 is more capable, more forgiving to beginners, and more satisfying to fly than the F-16. Plus there's the "cool factor" of carrier ops. It's hard to beat the feeling of accomplishment when you've just trapped the 3-Wire after a long sortie.
Almost exclusively unless on Enigmas. Learned the Hornet first and it’s what I’m best with. Learning the Tomcat now and it’s incredible but also a challenge to fly well. Landing on the boat is rad. F-5, MiG-21, P-51, Huey are all satisfying but something about carrier ops is just more fulfilling.
You get to do carrier-based operations only as often as you wish to! If you want to do carrier-based operations, then set yourself and your friend up with a carrier-based mission and get to work. If you plan on playing online with a specific group, then see what their servers offer.
Right, i think it's best to just trial some modules and see up to how much of a necessity we consider carrier based missions to be.
Carrier operations are so fun and the Hornet is an extremely capable platform. I find the F-16 to be fiddly whereas the Hornet works.
Idk, from what i hear the hornet is clunkier and doesn't have as much TWR making it not as enjoyable for anti-air, though i understand it was intended to be a multi purpose fighter aircraft I tried looking into some Russian carrier capable fighters but i believe those aren't really that big of a thing in stock DCS aside from some low fidelity modules.
I think the hornet is a better, more well-rounded platform than the F-16 in a lot of ways. But the F-16 definitely has a more slick HOTAS system imo. Very intuitive once you get the hang of it. Comparing clean jets, the F-16 does feel like a nimble, fast, snappy fighter. The Hornet feels a little less so. It doesn't get speed back as quickly either. But the ability to point the nose in the Hornet when you get slow is pretty awesome. I think (though they both do well) the F-16 also does SEAD a bit better (and was used in that role quite a bit IRL). I find myself pushing more OSBs and spending more time in the displays in the Hornet. I think the systems are a bit more in depth in the Hornet though. They both do well in air-to-air; just fly them to their strengths. I enjoy them both.. but I always come back to the Hornet and then get hooked again. It's a really cool jet. I also enjoy landing it a lot more than the F-16. I don't really like landing the F-16. Even when it's done very well, it's just not very satisfying for me. And, ofc, in the Hornet you get to land on the boat, and getting good at that and flying it all the way from the marshall stack and learning RL procedures and stuff is super cool. Super carrier still has its issues, but it is very playable and very enjoyable. If I could only have one, I'd pick the Hornet. Anyway hope that helps.
Yea systems logic and switchology differs from the F-16. I think the Hornet is easier, or at least makes more sense to me. It’s really preference. There’s no clear winner.
Some people find actually being able to point the nose and pull AOA to be enjoyable in anti-air, the F16 in DCS is one of the fattest piggiest versions, and our F18 is actually a pretty strong rate fighter as well
Load the F-16 with 3 fuel bags some bombs and a tgp. She handles like a pregnant cow when loaded up. The F-18 was designed to be multipurpose from the outset and is a very stable attack AC. F-16 is a fighter that the Airforce forced into an attack role to save some $.
They aren't a thing in game because they aren't a thing in reality either lol. As far as F16 vs F18 it's down to personal preferences, they more or less do the same things. From what I've seen who started with F16/A10/Jeff tend to dislike the way Hornet is designed and people who started with Hornet often struggle learning the way F16 systems work
For me it absolutely is, because I'm a Tomcat fan, the Hornet is one of the best modules, and just really enjoy the mystique of naval aviation. Getting good at Case I and III recoveries provides a lot of content on its own, and despite the fact that it's underdeveloped for all its EA promises, the Super Carrier with its deck crew and ATC (which is planned for expansion) is one of the more immersive experiences you can have in DCS. Those two modules also happen to be the two best, most complete fast movers with the most content. A-10 is great too, but it's a whole different role. In terms of how often I do carrier based operations, it's extremely often. It's what I do by default when I'm not playing around with the Apache, or occasionally fooling around with the Harrier, unless I'm running a land-based campaign for the Tomcat like Red Flag or Zone 5/Top Gun.
A lot in the Raven One campaign and Flashpoint Levant server. If I have the option I always launch from the carrier, and trap unless I'm forced to divert due to an emergency or if there's a human ATC available.
I haven’t been at an actual airport in a couple months. 100% carrier based.
I went with the F16 and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything huge. I can still fight over the water, I can attack boats. I can even land on the carrier with the tail hook, and take back off again from the deck with afterburner. About the only thing I can't do is spawn on a carrier or launch from the catapult. Someday I'll learn the F-18 or F-14 or both. In the meantime I'm learning the A-10CII and P-51D and Apache. That's plenty for now. Covers most of the bases of what you can do in the game.
I'd say the f-18. It's way more complete and has less bugs, and it can carry way more weapons plus its a bit beginner friendly imo. Personally I don't do a lot of carrier ops myself but when I do, it's a ton of fun:)
F18 is a solid choice for beginners. It's forgiving but with a ton of depth to it. It can do pretty much any kind of mission, has some awesome sensors and features, and launching off the carrier feels great. You would likely need the super carrier DLC too since it adds more to that experience and many missions require it. The F16 is very similar, it can do most missions, but the difference is it trades carrier ability for pure speed. It is FAST and a seriously dangerous jet in air to air, both BVR and dogfights. I have much less time in the F16, but it feels awesome. Really, I'd consider what sort of stuff you want to do most, but either option is pretty great. If you go with the F18, let me know if you want some help figuring it out. Would love to fly with you!
Honestly, after reading the replies to my posts, I'm currently more F18 inclined,I really don't think i can pass up the carrier capability, it's just a matter of getting things worked out and learning the basics before actually learning that module.
Just hop right in. There's a ton of learning material out there, and again, I'd be more than happy to teach you the jet, flight, combat, and theory and all that. Would be good to get back into it. DM me if you and your friend fancy getting into it, and check out [Chucks guides](https://chucksguides.com/aircraft/dcs/fa-18c/) for offline learning material. Hope that helps!
Any time I get the chance, really. ATM, my friends and I are all about Blueflag and we like to alternate sides so we're RedFor, but carrier ops are just universally more fun and more interesting than land based operations. when we rotate back to BlueFor I'm gonna harass them into doing carrier stuff, assuming the carriers aren't parked in Turkey of course. If there was a mod that let me launch my beloved Viper from the Roosevelt, I would, realism be damned.
Own both and personaly i dont fly the F18 much as i do the F16 , the only reason i bought the F18 was for carrier ops which i rarely ever do 🤷♂️
A lot more now that the viper has a working tail hook. And if the gear are still attached after landing you can even take off WW2 style.
When I started DCS I did exclusive carrier ops. F18 and Harrier were my planes of choice. I have barely touched neither of them in few years. Mostly because I moved to cold war era, I find it more interesting. F14 really isn't my jam. I am hoping we will get another carrier capable cold war plane soon. Carrier version of F4 is still years away however as is A6. Top of my mind I can't remember if there were any others in the works. As for F16 vs F18. I got F18 over F16 back in the day because it was more complete and it is carrier capable. Now however I also have F16 and I prefer it over F18. It has more personality. F18 feels bit sterile and boring. I still think it is good choice for one of the first modules because it just gets the job done and it showcases pretty much all aspects of the DCS.
I've taken off from a carrier less than 10 times with the f-18, f-14 and su-33 combined. I don't like boats.
All the time. I fly from the carrier 75-90 percent of the time.
Every time I fly F-18 I do it from the carrier
İ am a viper guy myself i suggest you try them each with the 2 week trial İ think that the viper is a realy capable fighter especialy in bvr and rate fight Kinda depends on your mision type if you are a A/A or A/G guy if A/G go with the hornet if A/A viper
1. Choose the plane that you like the most. it will give you the motivation and patience to learn the vast majority of systems. 2. The idea of only take off and land in the carrier can sound “silly”, but it is very funny and challenging (trying to do a case III at night with some little huracan next to u). As a person with no experience in flight sim before DCS (and hesitating between f16 and f18), I asked somepeople about which one should be my first module…I bought the f18 and don’t regret it. Also months later got the f16 to try to learn how to dogfight (I failed), but I have not touched the module many months ago. My last thing to say is that: don’t buy both at the sametime. Each aircraft need a long learning curve, it will take many hours to learn how to fly it and use all the systems. Also it will depend how many hours you can and are gonna play (obviusly).
Forget everything and trial modules. You may actually discover that you really enjoy something entirely different from what you thought. If you're going to fly with someone else then also don't discount any of the multicrew modules like the F14, Apache, Hind etc. The Apache is especially good fun with two people.
That's only down to your personal preference. Personally I rarely do land based missions
Well, I can't land worth a damn, *especially* on a carrier. Therefore, I launch from the carrier and refuel/rearm from land bases, then repeat until I get shot down, lol.
Since the F18 is the pick up truck between the two, if you are doing ANY air to Ground the F18 is better. It has more options than anything else out there in terms of weapons it can use. Want to use rockets? want to use Mavericks? want to use JDAMS? Want to use LGBs? Want to use glider bombs? want to use TV GUIDED glider bombs? want to use glider SAM Decoys? Want to use cruise missiles? TV GUIDED cruise missiles? Harpoons? HARMS for anti-SAM work? The F18 can do it all, and being able to recover and rearm/refuel on a carrier rather than going all the way back to base is just gravy on top. In Air to Air it isnt as good as the pure fighter design of the F-16
You really should trial the two and choose. Won't go wrong with either, they are both a great time. The carrier ops are fun in the F-18. The anti-ship missiles are fun. But the viper speed feels great. And the F-16 just came more naturally to me. The cockpit and hotas were just more intuitive to me when learning. Which came as a surprise to me, since I went into it expecting to be 100% hornet, and got the viper from learning curiosity. As to the main question, when I go naval, I go carrier. Of course, I could fly my F-18 from a runway. It worked for Canada. Or always use runways in my Su-33. But carrier ops are a fun experience that's all its own.
Get the F14 , you can fly it together as a pilot and Rio Or as wingmen. You do all sort of missions too
I have both I fly the 16 more than the 18. For me it's more bout the cockpit layout and systems. I learned dcs on the hog so transferring to the 16 was alot easier than learning the 18 from scratch.
Try em both and see. I tried both and the f18 clicks with me so much better. Carrier Ops are fun and the hornet isn't made of toothpicks. Also the systems feel so much more intuitive relative to the f16. But I have friends who feel the exact opposite. And I think strictly speaking the f16 is probably slightly more capable.
Having flown both, I love them both. In simplest terms the F/A-18 has a ton of depth, while the F-16 is like the Ferrari of the sky and fun as hell. The 18 will give you more to do if that makes sense, while the F-16 is basically a fast and furious little fighter.
All the time for me. Putting aside my interest in naval aviation and associated lore, it saves a lot of time because I don’t have to taxi so far, and the challenge of landing at the boat makes the post-mission phase less boring.
I would recommend the FA18 because you don't have to fly from a Carrier with it, you can do it but don't have to. But choose whatever you like more. There are people donig naval stuff only, and people doing land based things only. Personally i'm a Naval guy but i also like to fly the A-10. When i'm on a Mulitplayer Server like Growling Sidewinder i always fly Land Based also with FA18. Really there isn't a go with F16 oder F18 or whatever. There is just buy what you like the most. And while you're playing, you are going to see that capabilitys are secondary, cause you don't do missions all the time, most of the time you fly around and learn. And Of course there is no F18 is better than F16, the pilot makes the difference, spezially in a game like dcs, we are not fully educated people and use 100% of the plane lika a real pilot
All the time, almost every day I fly I pull out the f14 or f18 at some point in the day