DCS Kola

DCS: Kola map now available for early access.

The early access DCS: Kola Map covers northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Russian Murmansk Oblast, and parts of the Karelia region. It also includes large areas of the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea to the north and west, ideal for aircraft carrier operations.

This area contains several high-detail locations, centered on airports in Finland (EFRO, EFKE, plus two road airbases), and Russia (XLMV, ULAK, RU-1110, RU-4464, ULMM), along with their urban and rural surroundings and infrastructure. Outside this focus area, two airports in Norway (ENBO, ENNA) and three in Sweden (ESNQ, ESNJ, ESUK) are functional but not fully detailed yet. The Orbx team has made every effort to craft a map that can be enjoyed by all types of users and will continue to update the map with additional content including airports, military installations, natural features, and lots more POIs over the following months. The team will also work on enhancing ground textures to reach a “real-life” level of detail as much as possible.

Key Features of the Early Access Release

• Map features represent the current era but includes allowances for the late-Cold War era – e.g., operational road runways and fully functioning Russian air bases – to enhance mission options.
• Complete base terrain for the entire map area, with high-resolution aerial orthoimagery
• Complete topography, shorelines, lakes, rivers, summer and winter ground textures that load dynamically based on mission date
• An initial focus area spans the Finland/Russia border and encompasses central Finland and the western parts of the Murmansk and Karelia regions of Russia (see map)
• Four high-detail regions covering airports in Finland (EFRO, EFKE, EFKS and EFIV) and five in Russia (XLMV, ULAK, RU-1110 (UMOE), RU-4464 (UOLE), and ULMM)
• Two road runways in Finland (at Vuojarvi and Rovaniemi) and airports in Norway (ENBO, ENKR and ENNA) and Sweden (ESNQ, ESNJ, ESPA, ESPE and ESUK)
• Improved night lighting for cities and towns.
• Main road and railroad network, with bridges and tunnels, which is connected across the map that allows long-distance AI routing.
• Natural landmarks and geographic features, like Norwegian fjords, detailed coastlines, snowfields, forests and wetlands, tens of thousands of lakes, and large river systems.

October Update 2024

New

• ENAN Andoya Airfield
• RU59 Alakourtti Airfield
• Added new towns and villages around each airfield
• Vector data cleanup
• Added missing rivers and lakes around the map
• Added missing islands East of Kallax Airfield

Bug Fixes

• Forest borders smoothed.
• Artifact clean-up under the bridge in Severomorsk removed.
• Snow properties on mountains updated.
• Kemi Tornio: AI updated to prevent planes blocking passage by moving towards each other

Future Updates

Orbx remains committed to providing frequent updates to ensure the Kola Map is continually optimized and enhanced. Future releases will see:

• Additional detailed airports and airfields including AndØya, Alakurtti, Evenes, Bardufoss, Kittilä, Enontekiö, Pudasjärvi, Sodankylä
• Additional military installations like naval and army bases, barracks, ports, storage areas, training areas/ranges, radar and communication sites, and air defense sites.
• Additional Cold War era Swedish and Finnish road runways.
• Additional civilian airports, including Tromsø, Hammerfest and others.
• Additional detailed civilian POIs include bridges, vertical obstructions, monuments, hydro dams, power stations, port facilities and landmark buildings.

The Orbx team is collaborating with experienced DCS campaign creators Baltic Dragon and Reflected Simulations to create engaging campaigns. The upcoming Arctic Thunder campaign for the Kola map, will consist of two campaigns: one for a Finnish Air Force F/A-18C and another for an USAF F-16C Viper. Both will share the same storyline and missions, so it will be possible to play them from different perspectives.

Note that the DCS: Kola Map available on Orbx Direct IS NOT compatible with the STEAM VERSION of DCS World. If you have DCS via Steam, you will need to download the map via Steam too.

Prerequisites

Download and install the current version of DCS World from here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/

INSTALLATION

PLEASE NOTE THAT ORBX CENTRAL CAN NOT BE USED TO INSTALL THIS PRODUCT

Here is what needs to be done:

To commence using DCS Kola, follow these simple steps: Visit https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/personal/licensing/voucher/ Log in or register your details If you’re a first-time user of DCS, don’t forget to check your spam folder for the confirmation email - it might be waiting for you there! Copy the License Key provided in your email receipt and paste it into the “Voucher Redeem” field. Click the redeem button, then start DCS World and download the map with the Module Manager. Instructions on how to install DCS add-on modules can be found here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/#1432837

DCS World is free.

More FAQs here: https://orbx.co/dcs-kola-map-faqs/