A middle east map centered on Syria has been talked about as a future addition to DCS World for a long time. Now, it looks like it is moving forward and making some progress. I missed the news when it first came out at the end of last year but I am catching up now. Let’s get into the details!
A map to cover multiple areas
Ugra media are busy building a DCS World map centered on Syria but also including several other countries in the Middle East. Their previous work on DCS: Normandy gives them plenty of experience in map building and it seems too that Ugra are making a name for themselves supporting both 1CGS and Eagle Dynamics in production of content for both IL-2 and DCS World.
Here’s the translated version of the information on their website:
The project will present a map of 610 * 440 km in size, which includes almost all the states on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It will present such large cities as Israeli Haifa and Shefaran, Lebanese Beirut and Tripoli, Turkish Adana and Gaziantep, Jordanian Irbit and Jerash, and of course the cities of the Syrian Arab Republic – Damascus, Homs, Hama, Lattakia, Iglib, Aleppo, Raqka and etc. In the project you can see the real monuments of ancient architecture – the colonnades and the amphitheater of Palmyra, the citadel of Allepo, the fortress of Krak de Chevalier, the mosque of Muhammad Al – Amin and others.
More than 20 airfields will be implemented on the map, including the international airports of Damascus and Beirut, the US airbase Incirlik. And of course, the base of the Russian VKS Hmeymim and the Navy base Tartus will be presented.
Recall that Syria is a state in the Middle East, bordering Lebanon and Israel in the southwest, with Jordan in the south, with Iraq in the east and with Turkey in the north. Washed by the Mediterranean Sea to the west. The modern statehood of Syria has a little more than 70 years, but civilization originated here as far back as the 4th millennium BC. the capital is Damascus, one of the oldest, ever-populated cities in the world. In addition, Damascus is also the oldest of all modern capitals in the world.
http://ugra-media.ru via Google translate
The translated description kind of says it all. This is a map that is going to cover a lot of terrain and a lot of territory from Israel to Turkey and Syria to the Mediterranean. That breadth of territory opens it up to multiple kinds of simulated scenarios and plenty of flying operations.
There are three scenarios listed by Ugra (using names that may be less familiar in the west) including the the 1982 Lebanon War, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, as well as modern day operations.
Multiple screenshots have been posted on their website but here are just three that give you a taste of what the map will look like. Similar to Nevada and Persian Gulf, this is very much a desert map dominated by sandy terrain textures although its clear from the description that Ugra are planning to include plenty of landmarks and unique features that will hopefully make the area feel unique.
Stormbirds 
Awesome in so many ways! I would buy early access now if available.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yet another desert map… and Afghanistan is on the making as well… I’d like to see other different maps but I understand that central europe would be very difficult for the amount of landmarks and cities around.
At least they are making the Falklands for more carrier operations.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s kind of a challenge in terms of variety where Eagle Dynamics appears to be looking for hypothetical or real flashpoints and most of those for the last 70 years tend to be in places that have a lot of desert. Falklands is certainly a diversion from that.
It does appear that Ugra are making sure that the map is at least visually distinct from the two others. There is also a fair bit of diversity of terrain in the area they are covering so, like Persian Gulf, it will hopefully have its own flavour if not being distinctly different.
LikeLike
Doesn’t the part they describe look similar to Caucasus, more so than Nevada anyway?
I’m more concerned by the map being made by Ugra, the Normandy is so heavy in terms of performance that I never fly over it. Perhaps it’s due to the trees though, the new Caucasus can be a pain in some regions too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I heard that Normandy’s performance issues were caused by the trees but I don’t know that for a fact. Any future map will use SpeedTree so I think Syria has a good chance of being a better performer. I had heard too that Normandy would eventually be given a SpeedTree upgrade of its own.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better map than the UAE one they released which covers no real conflicts.
LikeLike
The Persian Gulf offers a lot of “what if” possibilities, and a lot of room for carrier and naval ops. The syrian map has really little water and the Caucasus is really unrealistic. No “Blue” fleet would be able to operate on the black sea without permission from Russia.
Don’t take me wrong, more maps are always welcomed, but I’d expect some kind of variety instead of more middle east desert maps, even if it is and has been a hot spot for conflict since WW2.
LikeLiked by 1 person
While this map feels more ripped from the headlines and from the 20th century history books, Persian Gulf as a map is more of a hypothetical region of conflict rather than one that actually happened. It’s still my current favourite to fly on.
LikeLike
But the Gulf map is the least interesting part of the region unless you want to recreate the Tanker War. As for ‘what if’, Georgia is arguably a more fertile ground for varying scenarios.
At present the Gulf map is GCC with US support versus Iran. Somewhat one-sided. Syria has the eastern Med plus the Golan and most of Syria itself, currently and historically an area of intense action.
Having been several times to the UAE and being aware of just how little of aviation interest has occured there, I would argue that the modelling the Dubai Palm Tree Island and associated areas was indicative of DCS’s remarkable ability to mis-manage internal and 3rd party efforts, but I accept that others feel differently.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very exciting news indeed! I am admitably somewhat surprised at the fact that this map allows the reconstruction of recent military operations by the world military super powers. It is all so fresh it gives me goosebumps. The choice is also a ver good one since it will allow for the employment of a majority of DCS modules. I am just beginning to see my hero-pilot-career flying as one of the few Syrian Arab Army pilots in their old Mig-21s against Jihadis…..
I love this blog btw and check it out for the only news that matter on a daily basis. Great work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the kind comments about the blog!
This is definitely going to be a bit more of a sensitive topic in terms of the actions in recent history. I’ve adopted a neutral tone when talking about it. From a purely simulation aspect I think it’s going to be very interesting and very relevant to a wide variety of modules for the sim. From a real life aspect we’re talking about a region that’s seen a lot of tragedy. Probably best left at that.
Nearly all of the non-WWII aircraft in DCS World can see a potential use on this map so I can see the appeal. I will definitely be covering more news here as it comes up!
LikeLike
Sadly for the locals, this map is history, current events and likely future wars as well.
So useful to have all these updates in one great blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just want a Taiwan theater of operations. This T.O has so much to offer within the DCS ecosystem and the chinese modules and assets currently in development.
I consider Syria and the Afghanistan maps as mainly ground pounders playground. I’ll buy the new theaters anyway, we need to support the guys creating the maps with the hope to see someday Balkans, Baltic, Central Europe maps – one can dream right ?
LikeLike
There have been several suggestions of south east Asia map made. Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan is certainly interesting too.
LikeLike
India/Pakistan
South China Sea
Korea
Vietnam 60’s and 70’s
Arab-Israeli wars 67 73 and 82
Iran Iraq war
LikeLike
We got new map pictures as background for the new hornet skins.
Now I stand corrected, it doesn’t look like a desert map sll the time. It looks mediterranean. I kinda like it.
LikeLike
New Hornet skins?
LikeLike
Oh I see!
LikeLike
It’s largely been confirmed now that this is the new DCS: Syria map.
Caught me by surprise!
LikeLike