Want to get HOTAS BUT

I’m sick of playing with K&M. Should i go for VKB or Virpil? I heard VKB is a tad bit better when it comes to QA. Are Thrustmasters any good still? I played ED with twin 3d Pros but one stick likes to keep spinning all the time and I know they are notorious for doing that after awhile. I also miss playing with twin sticks… Sooooo much better!! Thanks for the help!

Hello Kalimah,

I’m glad you’re looking to upgrade from keyboard and mouse.

Just for reference the ADI official recommendation is a HOTAS setup and not a HOSAS one.
The reasons for that has been discussed here and has a lot to do with hand fatigue during our operations.
In the end the choice is ofcourse yours.

Personally I have a full Virpil setup that I am transitioning into.
for throttle I would definately get their latest one as the mk2 does not have detents when you pass “neutral” throttle wich is a feature I really miss.
Good luck going forward with your upgrading plans :slight_smile:
Cheers,
SirToadie

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I never got fatigue when playing ED for hours on end. Hmmmm… ty for the rwply tho!

What you have to keep in mine with SC and ADI fatigue wise is you might need to fly formation and stuff for a long time. With a HOSAS you are not really able to relax ant anytime and might get fatigue when doing those kind of activities. Not saying that is the case everytime as every person is different.

I am using the Thrustmaster Warthog myself and can say it is really good. I have never tried VBK or Virpil so can’t say anything about them.

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Like Lacoste said, it’s not about general game play fatigue, it’s about squad/flight operations in formations.

Example: CAP flight in a 5k orbit at angels 5 around ground assets traveling 10k over rough terrain from drop point to target while holding 75m off flight leader’s wing, tracking the ground element, while using radar and mark 1 eyeball to scan for threats. Total formation time: 90 minutes. Any setup that requires you to hold a throttle position with tension either with left stick or pedals, or that doesn’t allow tiny, ongoing throttle adjustments that will hold when you relax, will make you want to chop that limb off by the end of the op.

Best of both worlds is a throttle and/or stick with analog mini’s. This lets you use HOSAS type inputs for 6DOF movement while also providing fatigue free fleet operations capability.

As for VKB vs Virpil, I’d call it a tie in quality and features. I full intended to get an Alpha until a Kosmo Premium/Mk3 suddenly showed in stock and I pulled the trigger. Zero regrets. Awesome stick.

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I have been using a Thrustmaster WARTHOG for about six years now with no issues, and if you upgrade it with an analog stick you can use it for very precise strafe movements. Also I have a profile for it that I am supporting for the community.

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I also use a Warthog set up. An additional benefit is the ability to upgrade it with an FSSB force feedback base to do away with springs all together.