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Digital Combat Simulator
Freebies — what's in the box?
The free, base DCS World package comes with one full-sim aircraft module, the P-51D Mustang; one simplified-sim (“FC3-style”) aircraft, the Su-25T “Frogfoot”; and one piece of terrain, the Caucasus region.
The modules
DCS content is divided into “modules.” There are generally four kinds: aircraft, terrain, add-ons, and campaigns. Aircraft modules are pretty much what it says on the tin: a single aircraft, occasionally with a few variants thrown in, and often accompanied by single campaign. Terrains are the world maps in which your mission take place. Add-ons are an odd mix of speciality content for specific purposes — there is no real coherent theme other than that they require some other module to really add anything useful. Campaigns, finally, are just that: a set of missions for a specific aircraft and terrain (having both as a prerequisite in order for the campaign to run).
The currently available modules are:
- Aircraft: A-10C Warthog, AJS-37 Viggen, AV-8B NA Harrier, C-101EB and CC Aviojet, F/A-18C Hornet, F-5E-3 Tiger II, F-86F Sabre, Hawk T.1A, L-39C and ZA Albatross, Mirage M-2000C, MiG-15bis, and the MiG-21bis.
- Helicopters: Ka-50 Black Shark 2, Mi-8MTV2 Magnificent Eight, SA342L, M and Mistral Gazelle, and the UH-1H Huey.
- WWII prop planes: Bf-109 K-4 Kurfürst, Fw-190 D-9 Dora, P-51D Mustang, and the Spitfire L.F. Mk IX.
- The Flaming Cliffs 3 collection of aircraft: A-10A Warthog, F-15C Eagle, MiG-29A “Fulcrum A” and S “Fulcrum C”, Su-25 “Frogfoot”, Su-27 “Flanker B”, and the Su-33 “Flanker D” (each can be bought separately, but don't — get the full collection instead).
- Terrains: Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), Normandy 1944, and the Persian Gulf.
- Add-ons: Combined Arms, NS 430 Navigation system for Mi-8MTV2, an the WWII Assets Pack.
- Campaigns: Basic Flight Training (BFT), Advanced Aircraft Training Qualification (AATQ), Tactical Training Qualification Campaign (TTQC), 16-2 Red Flag, The Enemy Within, Operation Piercing Fury, and Stone Shield for A-10C; 16-2 Red Flag for AJS-37; Aggressors Basic Fighter Maneuvers (BFM), and Aggressors Air Combat Maneuver (ACM) for F-5E; Aggressors BFM, 16-2 Red Flag, and The Georgian War for F-15C; Republic for Ka-50; Kursant for L-39 Albatros; The Border Campaign and the Oilfield Campaign for Mi-8MTV2; The Museum Relic for MiG-15bis and/or F-86F; Charnwood, and High Stakes for P-51D; Operation Epsom for Spitfire LF Mk. IX; The Ultimate Argument for Su-27; and Argo for UH-1H.