DCS: Digital Combat Simulator

The F10 menu is your command center in DynamicWar. Press F10 Other to access the DynamicWar menu, which is coalition-specific — NATO players see NATO intel and Russia players see Russia intel.

Available Menus

• Briefing — Full tactical briefing with current situation, support assets, carrier ops, and player operations reference. Automatically shown on first spawn, available on-demand anytime.
• Radio / TACAN Card — Quick reference for all tanker frequencies, TACAN channels, AWACS, carrier frequencies, and JTAC laser codes for your coalition.
• Supply Status — Visual supply bars for every base on your side, including tier averages and CRITICAL/LOW warnings for bases running dry.
• Intelligence — Shows enemy contacts detected by your coalition's INTEL system. Only shows what your side has actually spotted.
• War Status — Territory count, which side has the advantage, and momentum indicator showing if the frontline is shifting.
• Mission Summary — Overview of your coalition's active convoys, air support missions, and garrison status.
• HQ Status — Shows your own HQ locations and any enemy HQs your side has discovered.
• Fuel Status — Fuel levels for your coalition's support aircraft (tankers, AWACS, escorts).
• My Stats — Your personal kill count, deaths, ejections, CTLD deliveries, CSAR rescues, and sorties.
• Leaderboard — Cross-coalition pilot rankings with [NATO]/[Russia] tags. See how you stack up against everyone on the server.
• Server Info — Discord link, website, server name, and DynamicWar version.

FARP Smoke

A separate Request FARP Smoke menu lets you pop smoke at any FARP to help with visual approaches in poor visibility.

CTLD (Combat Troop and Logistics Delivery) lets transport helicopter and cargo aircraft pilots move troops and supplies between bases. Successful deliveries award supply points to the destination base, directly impacting the war effort.

Compatible Aircraft

Any aircraft with a group name starting with "Transport" or "Rescue" will get CTLD menus. This includes UH-60L, CH-47F, UH-1H, Mi-8, and the C-130 Hercules (which uses the "Hercules" prefix for CTLD-only operations).

How to Use CTLD

1. Spawn in a transport aircraft at any base.
2. Open F10 Other — you'll see CTLD options for loading troops and crates.
3. Select Load Troops or Load Crate while on the ground at a friendly base.
4. Fly to your destination — another friendly base or a FARP.
5. Land within the base zone and select Unload/Deploy from the F10 menu.
6. Supply points are awarded to the destination base on delivery.

Zone Smoke

CTLD zones automatically pop colored smoke to help you identify landing areas. Look for smoke near base perimeters when approaching.

When a pilot ejects, they become a downed pilot on the map. CSAR lets transport helicopter pilots locate, pick up, and return these pilots to a friendly base for a supply bonus and stat credit.

How Downed Pilots Spawn

Any time an AI or player aircraft is destroyed and the pilot ejects, a downed pilot unit spawns at their ejection location. Pilot positions are saved to disk every 5 minutes, so they persist across server restarts.

How to Rescue

1. Spawn in a transport helicopter (group name starts with "Transport" or "Rescue").
2. Check your F10 menu for CSAR options — it will show known downed pilot locations.
3. Fly to the downed pilot's position.
4. Hover low and slow near the pilot — they'll be picked up automatically when you're close enough.
5. Return to any friendly base and land to complete the rescue.
6. You'll receive a supply bonus and a CSAR rescue stat credit.

DynamicWar features MQ-9 Reaper drones that automatically orbit the frontline and designate enemy targets with laser codes. This lets players with laser-guided weapons (GBUs, Mavericks, etc.) engage ground targets without needing a human JTAC.

How AUTOLASE Works

1. An MQ-9 Reaper drone orbits the frontline for each coalition — NATO uses callsign "Fox", Russia uses "Wolf".
2. The Reaper automatically detects and lases enemy ground targets within its sensor range.
3. Lased targets are assigned one of 4 laser codes per coalition — check your Radio/TACAN card in the F10 menu for the codes.
4. Set your weapon's laser code to match one of the active JTAC codes.
5. Release your laser-guided weapon — it will guide to the lased target.

CTLD Ground JTACs

Transport pilots can also deploy ground JTAC teams via CTLD. Once placed, these teams will start designating targets in their area and are picked up by the AUTOLASE system. This lets players extend laser designation coverage to areas the Reaper isn't orbiting.

Dynamic Repositioning

The Reaper automatically repositions its orbit every 5 minutes if the frontline shifts more than 10km — it always stays where the fighting is. If the Reaper is shot down, it respawns after a delay.

C-130 Hercules and OV-10 Bronco pilots can drop paratroopers over contested territory. Successful drops spawn ground fireteams and award supply points to the nearest friendly base.

How It Works

• Hercules (C-130 mod): Press F8 to release paratroopers. 30 drops are tracked to ground impact and spawn as 6 fireteams at the landing centroid. Awards +5 supply per fireteam (+30 total) to the nearest friendly base.
• OV-10 Bronco (mod): Use the pickle button to drop paratroopers. 5 drops spawn as 1 fireteam. Awards +5 supply to the nearest friendly base.

Important Notes

• NATO only — no Russia paratrooper-capable aircraft currently exist.
• C-130J (official ED module) does not support visual drops due to a scripting limitation — C-130J players use the F10 CTLD menu for troop transport instead.
• Coalition-wide messages announce successful drops so your team knows reinforcements have landed.

DynamicWar features 3 carrier groups with AIRBOSS managing recovery patterns. Carriers have working TACAN, ICLS, and radio frequencies, plus recovery tankers and plane guard helicopters.

Carrier Frequencies

Recovery Cases

• Case I — Visual conditions (clear weather, daytime). Overhead break pattern. Fly the carrier's BRC (heading), enter the break at 800ft, descend on downwind, turn base, turn final and call the ball.
• Case II — Instrument approach transitioning to visual. Used in reduced visibility. Follow TACAN/ICLS to marshal, then transition to visual for the final approach.
• Case III — Full instrument approach (night/IMC). Marshal at assigned altitude, commence approach on time, fly the ICLS glideslope down to the deck.

LSO Grading

AIRBOSS grades every trap. Your landing quality is evaluated and auto-saved. Aim for an OK-3 wire — the LSO is watching!

DynamicWar has multiple tanker airwings orbiting in dedicated zones. Knowing which tanker to use and how to join up is essential for long missions.

Tanker Frequencies

Boom Refueling (USAF Style)

1. Tune TACAN to the tanker's channel and fly to intercept.
2. Approach from behind and below — join in pre-contact position (slightly below and behind the boom).
3. Stabilize and fly formation — the boom operator will extend the boom to you.
4. Hold position steady until the boom connects and fuel flows.
5. When full, the boom disconnects — back away gently.

Probe & Drogue Refueling (Navy Style)

1. Tune TACAN and intercept the tanker.
2. Approach from behind — you'll see a trailing basket (drogue) on a hose.
3. Extend your refueling probe (aircraft specific — check your cockpit).
4. Fly your probe into the center of the basket — you need to push it forward to connect.
5. Once connected, hold steady formation while fuel transfers.
6. When full, gently back away to disconnect.

Most aircraft on our servers start cold and dark on the ramp. Below are quick-start checklists for the most common airframes. These are abbreviated guides to get you airborne — for full systems tutorials, check out resources like Chuck's Guides or the DCS manual for each module.