Falcon BMS | AVOID these mistakes in 2024

Here are a few mistakes I see people make. Especially when coming from other sims. Sometimes I make some of these myself. Most of these will degrade your experiences in Falcon BMS.
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:14 Comparing to other sims
0:52 Training and Learning
1:58 Multiplayer
3:05 Questions
4:15 Link 16
5:07 Wrapping it up
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[@arithex]

Other tips coming to BMS.. - if you drop low-drag bombs 150 ft off the deck, you won't see cool looking explosion effects .. you'll just die - if you wait for a launch warning, from a modern phased-array targeting radar like SA-10, before going defensive .. you'll just die - if you try to land your viper on a remote, rough gravel road .. you'll just die - if you fail to scan your runway to make sure nobody parked a truck on it, before you land .. you'll probably die In summary .. there's a lot of dying.

[@jakobole]

And no respawning.

[@T595955i]

Falcon BMS is the gift that keeps on giving. Many thanks for your persistence and videos. 🙏 However, and pardon the rant, one thing that is desperately missing (IMO) ever since the inception of BMS, is more intuitive, interactive (and resumed) tutorials, to be easier for others coming from "Lite Sims". 😵‍💫 As long as people keep going to Forums asking for help and get a "RTFM" as response, BMS won't have the projection, or as many users as it should have. Because as much as "hardcore" a simulation can be, it's still a game, meant exclusively for entertainment. This is the biggest complaint. It's not the simulation itself, which is top notch, it's the disdain for newcomers both from the BMS team and also the veterans of the game, like they don't care and "you're on your own". 😑Most people I've point to video tutorials online (old ones from Krause are okay) always complain that the first impact and steps are way, waaay too steep (even folks who ran F4.0 and F4AA back in the day), then get frustrated and lose interest. 😕Speaking from experience, BMS is extremely fascinating, but stepping in it does feel like real life work. And here I think is where DCS does a far better job to welcome and hook the newcomer, to make the first steps more aproachable and enjoyable. 🤷‍♂

[@joruli]

I recently read in the BMS forums they are planning to remove all Tactical Engagements because no one is keeping up the coding on them and they have broken parts. Like wingman not landing on the runway was one example used and the person posting it in the bug forum was told by reply it would be removed before being fixed.

[@captaincurd2681]

krause is fantastic. It's amazing that you mentioned him.

[@T595955i]

@@captaincurd2681 Yep, he is. And I do think he's the right example. He's far more "informal", simplifies, tries to be able to keep people entertained in the learning (hard to see in this and other videos, tbh) while still respecting procedures. Considering the limited conditions (no guides, no interactive lessons) he's got the right aproach, IMO.

[@cagancatalbas5517]

Most things transfer as i was able to launch harms and drop gbus right away but there is still a learning curve as there is no checking the F+10 map to get cordintes on a target

[@numberboxgamer]

Prior missing planning is definitely more of a thing. That said, it's way faster to load up a training mission in BMS than DCS on account of the fast load times, so at least it's easy to practice.

[@AviationPlus]

The lack of F10 map can be immobilizing for those used to always having it. I always forget there is an F10 map in DCS when I play. I very rarely use it.

[@cagancatalbas5517]

@@AviationPlus i also heavily strugled with the mission editor as it was tortourus to even put a steerpoint down

[@Jabzzo]

@@AviationPlus I've started UH-1 flying in dcs and stopped using the F-10 map often cause you plan the flight earlier to know when to turn. Also cause UH-1 flying and not being able to see where your control reactions is terrifying and normally ends up in death

[@jakobole]

@@AviationPlus F-10 is just cheating.

[@devinhorner2358]

Oh man, can't agree more with the part about comparing to other sims

[@AviationPlus]

When I realized this I instantly noticed that I do this all the time. One does not know about something that should not be done if they are not aware that it should not be done. We compare things all the time but sometimes two things are not supposed to be comparable. Thanks for the comment. I am a fan of your channel!

[@devinhorner2358]

@AviationPlus playing Strike Fighters all the time, I sometimes hear "why not just play DCS?" As if DCS is the perfect game. But it's not, it doesn't do the things I find most important to my game enjoyment. You make a great point that even within the SAME game, not every player is engaging in the same way. Find the joy in exploring Sims that do things different rather than complaining that they're not like our comfortable, familiar favorite

[@captaincurd2681]

To fly Falcon BMS, one needs to imagine that he is a fighter pilot who will be called for duty one day in the future when the war arrives.

[@gkky_]

It's a lot to ask, but is there any chance we can get a guide on how to communicate? It's easy to google a list of radio brevity codes, but when it comes to it, I feel like I can't communicate at all when things get hectic. I don't think I even know what pieces of info should be immediately shared, and which ones don't really matter. I only play with the Falcon Lounge guys and they're pretty chill, but they're so good at communicating I almost never say anything mid-combat to avoid cluttering the radio channels with my lack of conciseness. This is the same reason why I'm way too anxious to allow myself to join a UOAF flight, and I know I'm missing on good fun because of it.

[@AviationPlus]

Watching videos and understanding what others are saying will help. This would give you a pretty good idea of what to say. Also during the debrief you can ask this same question to different people many will be glad to explain to you. However, everyone has a different opinion but generally it is the same. Yes you are missing out on fun.

[@Wheelman_PCAS]

Learn how to properly communicate fast with ATC up and down the comms ladder first would be my recommendation to start building comms confidence. Request your full taxi/ departure etc clearances and do proper read backs in single player.

[@Raptor13270]

With UOAF, can try to join as number 4 in an A-G role. Usually, missions involving OCA, deep strikes, etc. should be ideal for your situation. Pre-planned targets. Makes it easy for communication.

[@gkky_]

@@Wheelman_PCAS the ATC flow isn't the problem, but combat comms

[@gkky_]

@@Raptor13270 dunno m8, I've been in fun, easy A-G missions, but I've been in others where I've gone Bingo before being able to drop a single munition because the target went mobile, and everybody is very efficient at picking targets and calling dibs on them thru bullseye calls, when all of a sudden we're already RTBing and lead is asking me why I didn't communicate, me having spent the whole mission being afraid of either getting in the way of the other flight members, or missing/not understanding the leads orders, which has caused wingmen to die in front of me having been able to cover them, or having to abandon ground targets of opportunity because the anxiety of being given important orders freezes me up. I'm not overwhelmed in singleplayer, but in multiplayer I feel like a burden and a cheerleader the moment combat happens and the comms go hectic.

[@dash9655]

Would you recommend getting started and learning BMS in VR, or would it be better to set up a flatscreen based simpit initially? I love flying in VR, but for learning its hard to look at tutorial material, maps, keybindings, and so on...

[@AviationPlus]

I've never had VR but as you said with VR it's hard to watch tutorials. So if money allows start with trackir.

[@Ultrajamz]

@@AviationPlustobii works?

[@AviationPlus]

@@Ultrajamz Not sure I don't use it.

[@Turboy65]

Go back to the base Falcon 4.0 training engagements and use them. It's relevant training and will take you a long way toward being competent in BMS.

[@numberboxgamer]

As an extremely casual BMS player, one of the biggest mistakes I made was assuming the BMS community was the same as the DCS community. They are not. This is not inherently bad or good. However, it can result in a mismatch in expectations that can burn you out almost immediately. I initially came into BMS only a few months after starting in DCS, and I was very surprised at the level of seriousness that many BMS players have over DCS players. This isn't to say DCS can't be serious, but there is a very noticeable difference in the average level. For me, that created a lot of friction as I was browsing forums or chatting with people on Discord. I ended up deleting BMS, and stepped away from both sims altogether for a couple months. I've since returned, and I have been slowly moving back into the BMS community with a bit more of an understanding of exactly what the community is about and how they interact. Like anything, it's a unique ecosystem, and trying to hold one community to the standards of another will never work for the individual.

[@AviationPlus]

This partially stems from the one life everyone gets during a mission. We don't have the luxury of respawning and getting back in. We want more flight time and not explaining basic standards especially if it is not a training specific mission. Thanks for your comment!

[@mnmailman3489]

In (very) general terms, there is also an age difference between the two groups. DCS tends to attract very young including teenage years players who are more interested in quickly blowing stuff up aka air quake where BMS tends to attract an older player base, where mission planning, package size flights, etc. are more the norm.

[@Starmast3rmusic]

Yeah, I agree fully. I started with BMS quite few versions and years back because it was way cheaper. Honestly feel like I got sloppy moving to DCS because of the amount of crutches it gives you. It's still fun launching 10 AMRAAMs in the hornet or spamming four HARMs with a HAD against unrealistic SAMs in DCS, but there's a whole different level of enjoyment that comes from playing a sim where things are slowed way down, scaled much larger, and the nuance matters (ATC comm ladder, actually sticking to your flight plan, etc). DCS liberation/retribution and some custom missions offer some of this as well, at least to an extent. There's a lot of work that needs done there though.

[@ImpendingJoker]

I've been flying since Falcon 3.0 and the reason for this is because where DCS is very systems focused it takes a lot of skill and concentration to master all the systems and employ the aircraft effectively, this makes it a bit more stressful on most people even ones like me that have been flying with ED since the Flanker series, so that makes the community more chill because there is no reason to add more stress to something that is already stressful, where as Flacon BMS is more akin to LOMAC or Flamming Cliffs, where the systems are no where near as simulated as a full fidelity DCS module(Put your pitchforks away, I don't care) so it being easier to fly the community tends to be overly serious so that they can say they are flying realistically as possible. I fly all simulations for enjoyment first and foremost. If you are too, serious, I will not fly with you period for two reasons, 1) Unless you were a F-16 pilot in real life, it makes you look like an fool, 2) I'm not getting paid to listen to someone berate me for a minor or even a major mistake. This isn't the real military and you have no right to talk to people like a lot of BMS players do. Get over yourselves, it's a game, just like DCS, MSFS, and IL-2. Nothing more, nothing less, they are for entertainment, so don't take yourself too seriously in life over a video game because nobody gets out of it alive.

[@ImpendingJoker]

@@mnmailman3489 The learning curve for DCS is steep. The ones that are flying it regularly are mature individuals. There are those that come from War Thunder and think they can just jump in and blow stuff up but they QUICKLY learn that just to turn the jet on from cold and dark can take a few days to learn, then the shock of flying a truly realistic flight model puts most of them in the dirt almost immediately. I started out with OG Flacon when I was in high school and played through Falcon 4.0, went to Flanker to 2.0, and when Blackshark came out, there was no looking back at Falcon. The F-16 in DCS is far and beyond what is modeled in BMS hands down to the point where it's right not to compare the two because it's like comparing DCS to War Thunder. BMS is closer to DCS but it feels more Ace Combat to me now.

[@opensourceradionics]

No guides? This is something that we need to change!

[@AviationPlus]

There are plenty of other recourses. If there was a guide it would be over 1000 pages long any way.

[@captaincurd2681]

There are more guides in Falcon. We are just too lazy to go through.

[@MrDertien]

I don't play multiplayer (yet) since I'm an old timer coming from the Commodore 64 era, where multiplayer was non existent. So I don't really miss it. There are a few flight sims I enjoy. Il-2 GB, X-Plane 4, BMS and DCS. Since BMS went VR lately, I've put DCS on the back burner regarding the F-16 platform. DCS is great as a rotary wing (Ka-50, Mi-8, Mi-24 and A-10) simulator, where the fidelity of the terrain is important for NOE flying. The dynamic missions are pretty good in DCS but are 'battle scale' instead of 'conflict scale' in comparison to BMS. What I love about BMS is the depth of the avionics and the whole 'product' in general. The AI, ATC, the detail that the developers and also the BMS team put in it. The VR capable BMS is not as demanding as DCS on the GPU, which is really a plus. BMS takes 'digging' and you need to put 'work in' as you call it, but it is well worth it. Once the F-16 in DCS matures completely I'll give that a go, but BMS will probably remain my main F-16 sim as long as they keep VR support.

[@whammo11224]

I'm an older gamer too and agree with much of what you say. I don't understand what you mean by "dynamic missions" in DCS, there are no dynamic missions as far as I know in DCS.

[@MrDertien]

@@whammo11224 Look up: Separate software that creates dynamic campaigns - DCS liberation here on YT. I think it's version 7 now. - Rotor Ops. In game dynamics are as follows and can be found in the User files section of the DCS website: - 'Foothold Persistent Dynamic Sandbox' is another one - 'Blades of Steel' - Haifa Dispatch, Batumi Dispatch. - Tootall and a non dynamic campaign but very immersive is [UH-60 Campaign] Move Order - Emirates Edition (by C98) On a final note, Falcon 4 has been picked up again a few weeks ago by Microprose... I'm gonna keep an eye out on that one as well. Hope this helps

[@evolgenius1150]

I too am from the LOAD"*",8,1 era. Multiplayer in DCS is is amazing because of all the live radio traffic and sometimes there's live AWACS and Tower controllers. Sometimes there's human JTACS on the ground. Some multiplayer servers are player-vs-environment only and practice servers so it's pretty fun. It's not all just getting your rear handed to you from experienced players ... but sometimes it is. The dynamic missions are going to be online like the Gerogia at War campaign, and some of the stuff like Through the Inferno and 4YA Practice Server, and Growling Sidewinder's server. They all have a sort of "Territory Capture" and objective based missions going on where Bluefor vs Opfor is going on and the computer is controlling a lot of ground targets. I'm pretty new to online myself so I mostly fly BARCAP type missions and focus on my BVR skills, but snaking through canyons to take out ground targets at low altitude is fun. You can also come in as a Warthog driver or an Apache driver and request a human player fighter wing to fly cover for you as well and the banter and comms is pretty fun. Really, it feel a lot like just a buncha guys playing against the computer on one side or the other, with a bunch of tactical-scale missions that "dynamically" pop up, while on the strategic level a whole war is going on and you play your small part in that dynamically shifting war. There's other servers online too where people practice formation flying, landings, carrier traps and just practice in general. I tend to hang out on practice servers that have many things to shoot at, people to practice comms traffic with, and the way the game feels "Alive". The feeling of role-play goes up with this kinda thing, which is why I like games like Arma 3 and DCS. They're the only thing that takes me back to my C64 Microprose days where the sims felt real for some reason. Maybe it was because of the 800 page manuals and the real world tactics. Maybe it was just nostalgia. BMS is very amazing has this sort of dynamic campaign going (in single player) on where there's an all out war going on, and every sortie you fly is a small part of that war, and the success or failure of your missions will contribute to the outcome of that war. That's what a dynamic campaign is. There's lots of cool online play too but I don't know quite yet how to figure that part of BMS out, and I have a hard time figuring out what the heck i'm doing once I"m at the blue screen with all the briefing and flight planning and what not so I don't play it much.

[@joruli]

I only play single player right now too. I have owned Falcon 4.0 since Microprose released it and I now feel good about relearning to fly it sans keyboard as I have all the Winwing HOTAS and MIP and ICP. It's amazing. I only use the keyboard now for comms and that will be only until I download a 3rd party app to use my voice. But I wanted to ask why you like the VR? I started out using VR in DCS and I could barely read the MFDs or switch labels and after an 8 hour day of flying I hurt my neck vertebrae (3 weeks now and the chiro is finally getting it not to hurt as much). I immediately bought a trackIR 5 and I love love LOVE it!

[@2Dark03]

Can you control the cockpit with your mouse?

[@AviationPlus]

If you mean by control as in click buttons...yes.

[@kink_shamer_692]

Top 50k mistakes you make coming from wt sim to falcon bms

[@Turboy65]

If you do fly both BMS and DCS, take the time to configure both so that all your HOTAS controls are set up the same no matter which sim you use. Ideally, any F-16 simulator should operate just like an F-16. Obviously. If you're a long time veteran of Falcon 4.0 and earlier versions of BMS and legacy F4 mods, such as Allied Force, just accept the fact that your 25 year old Thrustmaster Cougar is probably on its last legs and it's time to get new controllers. They're going to cost more than you paid for your Cougar. Deal with it. The VR headset is going to cost a bit, too. But it's worth it. At the very least, get a Track IR if you haven't budgeted for a VR headset yet.

[@sambrady9009]

Thank you for this video, im a Veteran DCS player, especially the F16, ngl this video has put me off BMS, i really love how realistic they make the F16 but you make it seem (to me) that all players are hardcore and dont help at all and the game seems wayyy too imtimidating from this video.

[@AviationPlus]

Sorry if it came across to you like that but I am sure if you were not able to respawn in DCS and you spent 45 min or more briefing you would take it a little more seriously and feel a type of way if someone shot you down ending your mission. Have you even been a full 20 plus player package with a SEAD DEAD ESCORT and Strike flight?

[@briangulley6027]

Just play single player, that's what I do. Being locked in my chair for a 2+ hour sortie isn't my idea of fun. I'm a retired USAF fighter crew chief so I understand quite a bit of pilot language. I get a kick from these basement pilots throwing around "pilot" talk like their making Top Gun III. I also smile when they talk about tactics, weapons employment, aircraft systems among other things. All that being said I do like watching these types of videos.

[@AviationPlus]

@@briangulley6027 Once I started playing multiplayer I am unable to play a mission in single player. I come from the flight line too but I greatly enjoy playing missions with others in BMS there is nothing like it. I have been through pilot school so I love flying even if it is virtual. It is more of a mental exercise especially as flight lead or mission commander.

[@briangulley6027]

@@AviationPlus I fully understand, I just don't want to put in the time and effort to play a game. For the guys that do I think it's great. I subscribed to your channel and wish you and your squadron many victories. Us "crew dogs" will keep your virtual jets in the air. Too bad real jets never break like sim jets😜. For those that don't know you're lucky to get 5-6 sorties from a fighter jet before something breaks.

[@sambrady9009]

@@AviationPlus yea i have, im usually SEAD or DEAD

[@Komsomolskaya]

This video pretty much nails it. The only thing to add is that it’s okay if you don’t understand everything - some things can take a few years to click.

[@AviationPlus]

There are an unlimited amount of topics but you pointed out a great one. Something will take years to understand and you must take it slow.

[@sarcasticommentator]

I don’t mean to be that guy, but this is borderline a stressful job at this point. A little too hardcore, it’s no wonder most stick to single player on BMS.

[@AviationPlus]

It does take time and effort but just about everything does to an extent. Simulators basically allow one to experience mentally what it is like to be a fighter pilot and how much you want to learn and how you want to play is up to you.

[@gb7418]

Just imagine joining the Air Force, compared to that multiplayer BMS is like a game of dungeons and dragons

[@EbonySeraphim]

I wonder why the video isn't just titled "Maybe tips for flying in BMS"? As a DCS flyer, I found none of this information helpful and mostly insulting. The differences between BMS and DCS for the actual avionics are about as large as 6 months to a year of DCS patches/changes would be -- in other words, any veteran DCS player would be able to adjust just fine when it comes operating the jet under different contraints. Seems like the rest of the advice is just filler that presumes that a DCS flyer wants to operate exactly based on your proper procedure. What happens if a DCS flyer is an actual ex F-16 pilot and you start lecturing them like you do? My guess is they roll their eyes and never want to come back to play BMS if the presumption is going to be so condescending all the time.

[@AviationPlus]

Thanks for your comment...

[@sambrady9009]

@@AviationPlus ngl bro i agree with his comment

[@AviationPlus]

@@sambrady9009 I have personally taken DCS players who are great with the F-16 and they start the aircraft with an engine fire, don't know that BMS has IDM and not Link 16, also unable to function effectively with out Link 16, and confused to why they can't shoot 6 targets in TWS and get a kill. Everyone can adjust to anything but there will always be mistakes no matter what. Knowing those mistakes up front will help and if someone thinks that this video was an insult then I don't know what to say.

[@joruli]

I play both platforms and didn't find anything you said insulting. @@AviationPlus

[@gb7418]

The DCS viper is on a journey to catch up with the BMS viper. The DCS community is *mostly* stubbornly staying where it’s always been (arcadey, Jacks of all planes / masters of none). The BMS bar remains set too high for most.

[@ImpendingJoker]

hahahaha No. The DCS F-16 surpassed the BMS almost on day one. Arcadey? What version of DCS have you been playing? Flamming Cliffs? Get the F-16 and tell me how arcadey it is after you've actually flown it. hahaha

[@Mobius118]

@gb7418 Sounds more like you’re referring to War Thunder

[@SignumCruxis0]

​@@ImpendingJokerHow many blocks of F-16 does DCS have again? do you have GBU 39s yet? SPICE? yeah, didn't think so. In terms of Viper variety, BMS has that in spades, fidelity-wise i'd say BMS is also better (ever cooked your engine at startup on DCS?). And we wont even get started with the Dynamic campaign. DCS is great its my main flight sim, but for the Viper platform? BMS is where its at.

[@MultiJp51]

@@ImpendingJokerdo you realize that every of your comment emphasizes how little you know about the F16 and how little you know about BMS modeling. Give everyone a break and let grown up people discuss .

[@RW-zn8vy]

@@ImpendingJokeras a dcs player who’s never touched bms I will say the f16 is pretty Arcady you can make all the mistakes you want with no consequences.

[@jasonking442]

Sorry.. sorry my mistake, didn't mean to gun you down, finger slipped....

[@fastdust3410]

Little exaggerated, it took me week to get into BMS and another one to be effective. Playing with someone is the best way to learn (but have all basics learnd to not get Your teacher bored with Your questions). Flying in DCS first is also superior thanks to many guides, in game tutorials and less inelegant UI. In therm of difficulty when You used to not having Link-16 and fact that You have to spam AWACS for situation awarnes BMS is very easy vs AI. Like bots try to do their best but when You used to their tactics they become very easy to predict. How fun as it sounds I treat BMS as much more casual form of flying, after all that briefings, tabels and excells You can just fly to target do Your job and ignore all that. I think it's much more overrated as some hardcore version of DCS it's NOT. It's cool give much fun but yeah had it quirks

[@Starmast3rmusic]

Nah, I don't agree with this. The flow of DCS and BMS are just fundamentally different, at least until DCS gets the scale and the dynamic campaign engine that BMS offers. They're both fun, but for different reasons. The difficulty of BMS comes when you take part in larger-scale strikes or are flying as part of a four-plane flight in a more serious multiplayer environment. Having that many friendly planes to worry about really makes you have to fall back on the more nuanced procedures (staying in formation, etc) because once a large amount of enemy planes start flowing in or things start going in ways that you don't expect, you need to work together to get stuff done. I also think you need to play more; you shouldn't need to spam AWACS. If you're playing with human GCI/AWACS, that's also something that you won't have the luxury to do either.

[@gkky_]

@@Starmast3rmusic I mean, saying "BMS is easy because the lack of Link16 forces people to spam AWACS" implies that DCS players don't spam AWACS on top of having a ridiculously easy Link16 and sometimes even a real-time F10 map that depending on the server might even show you all enemies and the munitions they've fired lmao

[@gb7418]

After all that briefings tabels and excells indeed.

[@fastdust3410]

​@@gkky_ It was not my point I would not say that "BMS is easy because the lack of Link16" I would say that "BMS is easy and hard part is start playing without Link16) but yeah when You get that it becomes "easy" (I prefer word "simple"). After You go throw all that layer of "complexity" You understand that it's just very old game with it quirks, AI behavior, flying in a fake bubble etc. I'm not saying that it's bad or something, I like to fly it. I just hate when people try to sell it as a more hardcore version of DCS, cause it's not.

[@andreikokot8927]

video that tries to tell you, that BMS simulator and BMS community is better ... its not going to work for you way you think, it will work against you

[@AviationPlus]

Not sure what you are trying to state here but I was trying to showcase what BMS has to offer in a short condensed video. If you think it is a better simulator and community then that is on you I never said that.