The La-7 Has Been Released

[AKIron]

Finding the enemy and keeping up with their location as you maneuver was and is a very important aspect of air combat. Labels/icons on pretty much nullifies this challenge imo.

[AKIron]

If you've never played without icons you cannot appreciate the difference of playing without. If you have then you understand that with icons you don't really need to continually visualize the 3D battlefield and where the players are and will be in your mind. With icons you can keep a general idea and glance at big swaths of sky and easily spot the large enemy (and friendly) icon. And if you lost even the general area you can still cover a lot of sky quickly. Without icons you cannot. You either keep track of the iconless aircraft or spend very valuable time finding it. This definitely gives situational awareness a different meaning. 

[DmonSlyr]

I agree with the icons thing, it definitely takes SA to whole a new level. Especially with planes like the P51 and 109 fighting each other. From a distance its extremely tough to make decisions when you dont know the plane types in the current furball scrimish. For me though, I stare at computer screens all day, so staring even closer at the screen trying to determine plane type as im closing on a fight and then maintaining visual the entire time is very tough on my eyes. Thats why I still like some type of icon (preferably not the players name) and also a hat switch for visual if needed. The track IR is okay, but I find it tough for aiming if your gunsite isnt re-centered.

[AKIron]

I press my trackir recenter button often.

[Oldman731]

If you've never played without icons you cannot appreciate the difference of playing without.

True!

We used to turn off icons in AvA.  It brought home a lot of real-world considerations, not present when you can pull into a climb and know that you'll be able to do a few twists and look back later to pick up the icon of the plane following you.

People complained, however, so that went away.

- oldman

[Eagler]

The icon setting in MNM should be used in MA imo..

Eagler

[RichardDarkwood]

When you turn off icons and have to rely on visually identifying aircraft it changes combat. 

A friend and I dove into a huge furball over a base take last night.  The furball consisted of 190s, 109s, I-16s, and La-7s.  My friend got shot down quickly. 

I downed three enemy and was saddled on the fourth when I ran out of ammo (no ammo counter like in AH).  A quick look at my six showed three 109s on my tail.  I extended and dragged all three to my home field as my buddy was lifting.  He engaged two of the 109s and I stayed on the tail of the third one to keep from getting shot down.  My buddy got one and was shot down, leaving me to fend off the two remaining 109s.  After losing a large chunk of my left elevator I did a long circular drag around my field.  When I had enough distance I dropped flaps and gear (takes longer than AH due to having to do one at a time) and did a rough landing, damaging my right main gear.  I scrambled into a hanger narrowly missing being strafed on the ground.

The game play is there with the added bonus better graphics and aircraft system modelling.

In what server?

[xanax]

The icon setting in MNM should be used in MA imo..

Eagler

Similarly the FSO events. Much more exciting when you are not sure what those dots are until you are in close.

[RichardDarkwood]

NO icons is the only way to go.

The only way.

[Eagler]

NO icons is the only way to go.

The only way.

That would not work in ma as all sides fly all planes..

Much lower icon range would and does but I think it would be hated by as many as would appreciate it..

Eagler

[AKIron]

You guys should do a drag race.

[RichardDarkwood]

That would not work in ma as all sides fly all planes..

Much lower icon range would and does but I think it would be hated by as many as would appreciate it..

Eagler

But this discussion isnt about the main arena

[Animl-AW]

NO icons is the only way to go.

The only way.

No, its not. Go play your game with no icons, this is not dcs.

You don’t need icons when you can barely find a fight in the first place.

[Bruv119]

the third party "Octopus G" made this LA7 module and not DCS themselves,  he also did the I-16,   Neither aircraft fit the historical narrative of the most populated WW2 server so it's a bit of a waste in that sense.   The next toys to come appear to be the F6F and A6M zero for some sort of pacific carrier scenario.   At least they made the Marianas map free to play in preparation for it.   The thing with DCS is that the multiplayer aspect is left up to the playerbase to do as they please.   That then has plenty of positives and negatives and some are happy to just entertain themselves in singleplayer or small scale squad operations.   

I would push for a level bomber like the B17 , Lancaster or JU88 to be flyable, at least that would encourage some Non AI bomber raids and give mission planners something else to work with.

[AKIron]

the third party "Octopus G" made this LA7 module and not DCS themselves,  he also did the I-16,   Neither aircraft fit the historical narrative of the most populated WW2 server so it's a bit of a waste in that sense.   The next toys to come appear to be the F6F and A6M zero for some sort of pacific carrier scenario.   At least they made the Marianas map free to play in preparation for it.   The thing with DCS is that the multiplayer aspect is left up to the playerbase to do as they please.   That then has plenty of positives and negatives and some are happy to just entertain themselves in singleplayer or small scale squad operations.   

I would push for a level bomber like the B17 , Lancaster or JU88 to be flyable, at least that would encourage some Non AI bomber raids and give mission planners something else to work with.

The Marianas map was always free. They recently modified it to fit WWII and both are free.