I'm splitting all my time between Aces and DCS right now. My brother-in-law is a Lawndar... I mean Viper pilot currently, and we have had some great conversations over a sortie and a beer when he's on leave. His take on it, is that all the switches are more or less accurate in the F-16CM model ....but the electronics aren't, obviously. Also the F-16 is modeled a bit sluggish.... and I'll take him for his word. He was pretty impressed with the realism of the startup and cockpit manipulation though.
I've basically barely moved into the "able to employ weapons with some accuracy" state... and am still setting up buttons. I can CCIP Mark 82's with pretty good accuracy on T-55 sized targets, as well as strafe. Still trying to get used to BVR 120's and HMCS AIM-9x shots though.
I bought the FA-18 the other day, my first jet in DCS, im really happy that i did tough, having tons of fun learning the thing.
At first all the buttons and switches is intimidating, but after 5-6 hours in it i have no problem with doing an cold start, enabling what should be enabled (from memory), take off, do some basic AA stuff, can handle the AA radar decently. Have shot down some AIs and can land again.
You really learn stuff fast if you just throw yourself at it, and because you have to turn the switches push the buttons etc you learn FAST and you remember it easily, would have been another matter if you had to remember what key to push on your keyboard.
Theres alot of great youtube guides, that can be intimidating when you are new at it, i recommend watching some basic guides, then get at it fly some, play around with the MFD displays etc, THEN go back to the guides when you have som basic knowlege, then you get what they are talking about in the guides more easily.
