It is a new year! The turn of the year often brings new players to Digital Combat Simulator World for the first time ever. Whether that is because of last holiday's sales or trying something new, some of these players might feel a bit intimidated by the amount of money that some of the official modules cost. Some of them cost as much as an AAA game. There is nothing to fear, though, as we have prepared a small guide to show that you do not need money to get the full DCS experience!
ORIGINAL POST: 01/07/2023 - UPDATED: 01/08/2025
DCS SHINES WITH FREE COMMUNITY MODS
For those that are not willing to commit 40 to 60 USD on a single module without knowing if they even have the mindset needed for a simulation game such as DCS World, there always is the option that got me started in DCS: the modding community. Modern mods are no longer just re-skins of official modules, but fully-fledged modules that are available for free for everyone to enjoy. These go all the way from prop aircraft, training jets, light attack aircraft, full-on attack aircraft and even utility helicopters! That means that no matter what you want to learn or do in DCS before buying a module, it will be possible to get started without spending a single dime on the game. They are extremely easy to install and all of these come with newcomer-friendly installation instructions!
To enjoy these to the fullest you might need a flight stick, but I know that a lot of people fly in DCS with standard gamepads and do just as well as some who have complex HOTAS setups.
OV-10A Bronco by Split Air
To get started, the first aircraft I would recommend anyone to try would be Split Air's OV-10A Bronco. This aircraft is the easiest one to fly and would allow you to gain all the fundamentals of flight without any of the drawbacks. It is also great fun to do missions with it due to its small but versatile arsenal.
Sk60B by BAAS Dynamics
The next one you should try after you feel confortable with the Bronco is the Sk60B by BAAS Dynamics. It is the best jet trainer at the moment, period. It allows you to get a proper jet experience with a fully-clickable cockpit that is both entertaining and educational. Furthermore, it is an awesome aircraft with a very interesting story behind it. Its 3D model and textures have nothing to envy from official modules. Additionally, It has some very lethal weapons available, so you are sure to have a blast with it.
A-4E-C Skyhawk by Community A-4 Developer Team
Once you have tried the Sk60B, you will have the need to fly something a bit faster and a bit more exciting. That is where the A-4E by the Community A-4 Developer Team comes into the picture. This is a full-on module with no strings attached. It has been built and improved upon for the best part of four years now, which shows how dedicated the team are.
This mod gives you a fully-clickable, fully-featured 1970s attack aircraft. It has a wonderful air to ground radar and the capability to carry some extremely unique weapons exclusive to it.
F-4B/C Phantom II by VSN
Once you are accustomed to the rigors of jet combat, it is time to go supersonic. In 2023, a mod released that we have not only invested a lot of time on, but also one that we have included in many of our missions. This extremely capable fighter is no other than VSN's F-4B/C Phantom II mod, an appetizer for the upcoming Heatblur F-4E module. This mod is also standalone, which means you do not need any other module, official or not, to use it. We highly recommend this mod to everyone!
It might not be full fidelity like the A-4E, but it is sufficiently good for almost everything you would want it to do. It has a fully-functioning radar and unique weapon systems!
T-45C Goshawk by VNAO
If what you want to train for more modern aircraft to see if you like the more modern playstyle with screens and buttons, then VNAO's T-45C Goshawk is for you. This recreation of the venerable Goshawk is quite the mod, boasting a very detailed, fully-clickable cockpit with most of its systems modeled. This aircraft is the best one to try if what you want to buy is the Hornet or even other modern aircraft like the Tomcat or the F-16C! The only detail is that it only carries training weapons, so do not expect to do any serious combat in this aircraft.
UH-60L Blackhawk by H-60 Project Team
If fixed-wing aircraft are not to your liking, then do I have a treat for you! The UH-60L by the H-60 Project team. This helicopter is the best way to get into rotary wing aircraft in DCS. It is a modern helicopter with all the amenities, including a full-on stability augmentation system, HMD, etc.
It is fast and agile for what it is. I might be a bit biased as I am the texture artist for the Black Hawk, but I sincerely recommend this to everyone that might have even a passing interest in helicopters!
YOU DON'T NEED MONEY TO ENJOY DCS
I hope that this small list of wonderful mods serves as a window into DCS World and its amazing modding community. If you try them out and like them, then you can be sure that DCS is something that you will truly enjoy for years to come. So why not try them out? They are all free and accessible to everyone, no questions asked. 2025 is the year to get into DCS. I hope I see you in the virtual skies somewhere.
UPCOMING DCS WORLD MODS IN 2025!
AH-1G Cobra by Violent Nomad
This mod has been in the works for quite a while now, and to say that it looks promising would be an understatement. Its developer, Nomad, is a hardworking individual that has been extremely open with his community about the progress he has made towards the completion of this mod. It would be the first standalone attack helicopter mod in DCS World, and one that fits perfectly with the Vietnam-era assets that we have in-game, and also the F-4E!
In the last half of 2024 the AH-1G mod showed off its continued progress with a series of videos from the project's YouTube channel. Development is to the point that there are now videos of entire training missions that would be included with the module on release. Things are looking great so far.
The most recent video about the mod shows off some of the cold start procedure and some neat features that this mod will have on release:
Dassault / Donnier Alpha Jet by Split Air
Brought to you by the Split Air team, the developers of the OV-10A Bronco and other excellent mods, the Alpha Jet is setting itself to be one of the best mods available for the game upon its release.
The external model is extremely detailed. As at least January 8th, 2025, the exterior model is 98% complete, with the interior model also quite advanced. The external flight model has been getting positive responses from source material experts that include former pilots of the aircraft. Several instruments are already interactive, base textures are nearly complete, and there is much more in active development.
Seeing how detailed the flight model was for the OV-10A Bronco, we expect it to fly just as good as any of their other mods. Look forward to this trainer/light attack aircraft!
About the Author
Santiago "Cubeboy" Cuberos
Longtime aviation fanatic with particular preference towards military aviation and its history. Said interests date back to the early 2000s, leading into his livelong dive into civil and combat flight simulators. He has been involved in a few communities, but only started being active around the mid 2010s. Joined as a Spanish to English translator in 2017, he has been active as a writer and the co-founder of Skyward ever since. Twitter | Discord: Cubeboy
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