28 June 2024

Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends,

The DCS Summer Sale 2024 is in full swing and now also on Steam. Don’t miss the opportunity to update your collection with something truly special. Browse all our aircraft, terrains, add-ons, and campaigns now and benefit from massive savings of up to 50%. Shop now!

We have been reworking ground unit AI target detection with a current focus on a ground units ability to acquire, engage and destroy aerial targets more realistically. This is also important to ensure non-air defense ground unit’s behave correctly in the presence of aerial targets. Please read the details below. 

We are delighted to announce a new DCS: UH-1H: The Stormfront Campaign by Low Level Heaven! This will be available for purchase on the 3rd of July, along with our next upcoming DCS update. 

Stay tuned for the impressive update coming soon.

Thank you for your passion and support.

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

Summer Sale

Massive Savings

The DCS Summer Sale 2024 is your chance to save big across nearly our entire range of aircraft, terrains campaigns and important add-ons. Hurry! The sale lasts until the 14th of July, 2024 at 15:00 GMT on our E-Shop where you will find huge savings across all our most popular products. Also, the DCS World Steam Edition sale is now open until the 11th of July, 2024 at 17:00 GMT.

Ground Units

Improved AI Behaviour

One of the most commonly requested improvements to DCS has been the behavior of ground Artificial Intelligence (AI) units. In this newsletter, we’d like to bring you up-to-date on these ongoing efforts.

We are currently reworking the target detection of ground units. Here is how it works now: The AI detects a target as soon as it enters the “kill zone” and the target is immediately designated for attack, if the target is within range. In the new version, the range and time after which the target is detected will depend on the crew's level of training, the unit's state (GREEN or RED STATE) and the sights with which the unit is equipped (magnification and field of view).

Let's consider an example:

• An aircraft approaches a BMP-2. The BMP is in a GREEN state and the crew are visually searching the surroundings. An "average" crew will detect the aircraft at a distance of 2.0-3.5 km, while an "excellent" crew will detect the aircraft at 4-5 km. As you can see, the values "float" because the AI has a probability of detection depending on the range.
• In another situation, the BMP-2 crew is in RED state with hatches closed and observation only conducted through the commander and gunner sights. Consequently, it will be more challenging for the crew to see the enemy. Additionally, the target may not be in the sights' field of view (for example, the aircraft approaches from a high altitude).

Let's consider another case where we are dive bombing a target convoy from 4000m. Within the convoy are 10 units that include a tank, infantry fighting vehicles, and a SAM. As seen in the screenshot, five units (SAM and 4 IFVs) managed to react to our attack, but only the SAM managed to attack.

Thus, the upcoming change should address this issue of non-air defense ground units being too capable of engaging aircraft. However, as mentioned earlier, this is just our first step and we will continue to refine the ground AI especially pertaining to line of sight such as trees and obstacles, meteorological conditions, target parameters such as airspeed and maneuvering, and manual aiming compared to sensor-aided aiming. We will also add more varied firing methods such as barrage fire versus directed fire, which is particularly relevant for manually aimed guns. Please stay tuned as we keep you updated on our progress of Ground AI.

UH-1H Worlds Apart Stormfront

Campaign by Low-Level-Heaven Mission Development

Introducing the STORMFRONT campaign for the DCS: UH-1H, the latest story-driven campaign set in the SPRING of 2025. As a continuation of the WORLDS APART series, you step into the boots of a German UH-1H helicopter pilot of the renowned German Army "WOLF PACK" Squadron (Heeresflieger). This campaign offers a rich narrative experience with 12 missions, three of which are split into A and B segments, totaling 16 missions. Each mission builds upon the previous, delivering a seamless and evolving storyline with multiple tasks per mission.

STORMFRONT is designed to challenge even the most seasoned pilots, yet it provides extensive support for beginners, ensuring a rewarding journey for all. With countless language outputs and a comprehensive 77-page manual detailing every mission, STORMFRONT immerses you deeply into its demanding yet exhilarating world. Prepare to experience the intensity and intricacy of modern helicopter operations in this meticulously crafted campaign coming in the next DCS Update. 

We truly hope you are taking advantage of the important savings in the Summer Sale and that the development progress on the Ground Units AI is to your satisfaction. Please hang in there as we are working on one of the largest updates in the history of DCS, coming to you with impressive new features such as Supercarrier Air Boss station, Flaming Cliffs 2024, DCS: Afghanistan, DCS: CH-47F and so much more! Don’t forget this is also your last chance to benefit from the 30% pre-order discount for both DCS: Afghanistan and DCS: CH-47F.

Thank you again for your passion and support,

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics