DCS Liberation supports Supercarrier. Learn how to enable it, assign carrier aircraft, fly missions and fix missing slots or deck problems.
Yes. DCS Liberation can generate DCS World campaign missions that use Supercarrier vessels, deck starts, catapults and carrier recoveries. Enable or select Supercarrier during campaign creation, base a compatible player squadron on it, then fly the generated mission in DCS. Liberation handles campaign planning and results; DCS handles the carrier itself.
How do I enable Supercarrier in DCS Liberation?
Enable the Supercarrier choice during campaign setup and assign a compatible squadron to that carrier. The option’s wording and location vary between Liberation releases: some present a Supercarrier checkbox, while others let you select an appropriate carrier configuration.
- Install and authorise DCS: Supercarrier. It must be available in the same DCS World installation used to fly the generated mission. Liberation does not supply the carrier or aircraft licences; our guide to DCS aircraft and module ownership explains that distinction.
- Choose a campaign with a carrier group. A land-only campaign does not gain a carrier merely because Supercarrier support is enabled. The selected faction and campaign template must include a suitable naval group.
- Select the Supercarrier configuration. Use the relevant carrier option in the new-campaign wizard or campaign settings. If an older campaign has its carrier type stored in the save, changing the setting may require a newly generated campaign.
- Assign a carrier-capable squadron. Use aircraft compatible with the selected ship, such as an appropriate Hornet or Tomcat squadron, and ensure that you own the aircraft module.
- Create a flyable position. Mark at least one aircraft as a player or client slot before generating the mission. Leaving the whole flight under AI control produces no slot for you to occupy.
- Generate and fly the mission. Load the generated mission in DCS World, select the assigned carrier slot and follow the normal Supercarrier procedures. After the sortie, return to Liberation and process the mission result. Our complete Liberation campaign workflow covers the generate, fly and debrief cycle.
What does Liberation control, and what does Supercarrier control?
Liberation builds the campaign mission, while the DCS Supercarrier module provides the detailed carrier simulation.
| Function | Handled by Liberation | Handled by DCS Supercarrier |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign planning | Squadrons, packages, targets, timing and strategic state | No |
| Mission generation | Carrier group, routes, aircraft slots and mission logic | Loads the carrier asset referenced by the mission |
| Deck operations | Places and schedules flights | Deck crew, catapult interaction, ATC and recovery procedures |
| Post-mission progress | Processes losses, objectives and campaign results | Provides the events recorded during the DCS mission |
Supercarrier support therefore does not add a separate carrier interface inside Liberation. Once the generated mission opens, radio calls, deck directors, catapult hookup, launches and arrested landings work as they do in any other DCS Supercarrier mission.
How do launches and recoveries work in a Liberation mission?
Use the carrier details in the generated mission briefing, then follow the normal DCS procedures for your aircraft and the assigned recovery conditions.
- Enter the correct player or client slot rather than an identically named AI flight.
- Check the carrier name, radio frequency, TACAN and any ICLS details included in the briefing or kneeboard.
- For departure, configure the aircraft for a carrier launch, follow the deck crew’s directions, connect to the assigned catapult and give the required launch signal.
- For recovery, contact the carrier through the appropriate DCS radio menu and fly the applicable Case I, II or III procedure.
- End the mission normally and let Liberation process the debrief before advancing the campaign turn.
Liberation may schedule several packages close together. If the deck becomes congested, reduce the number of simultaneous carrier flights, use smaller formations or stagger their departure times. DCS deck handling and AI pathing, rather than the campaign calculation, usually cause aircraft to wait or block one another.
Why is Liberation using the wrong carrier or showing no slot?
The usual causes are an unselected Supercarrier option, an incompatible campaign template or a flight generated without a player slot.
- A basic carrier appears: confirm that Supercarrier was selected before mission generation and that the campaign’s naval group actually uses a Supercarrier vessel. Regenerate the mission after correcting the setting.
- No flyable aircraft appears: assign a player or client position in Liberation and verify that the squadron is based on the carrier rather than a land airfield.
- The slot is unavailable: check that the required aircraft and Supercarrier modules are installed and authorised. A host owning the module does not grant its features to another player.
- The deck crew does not respond: make sure the mission contains a Supercarrier asset, then check aircraft launch configuration, catapult alignment and the correct radio menu. Liberation does not override these DCS requirements.
- Aircraft are stuck on deck: reduce overlapping launches and recoveries. Large AI packages can exhaust parking positions or block taxi paths.
Avoid replacing the carrier manually unless there is no supported campaign setting for the change. Renaming or deleting generated units, triggers and scripts can damage the debrief logic. If inspection or adjustment is unavoidable, follow our guidance on editing generated Liberation missions safely.
Does every multiplayer pilot need Supercarrier?
Every pilot assigned to a Supercarrier deck slot should own and authorise the module on their own DCS installation. The server host’s licence does not unlock paid carrier functions for clients; players without it should receive suitable land-based slots instead.
The host generates the mission and campaign state, while each client joins through DCS World in the usual way. Keep every participant on the same generated mission and ensure required aircraft or mod dependencies match; our guide to hosting a Liberation multiplayer campaign covers the server-specific workflow.