Can you use ground forces in DCS World? Learn what AI infantry can do, what Combined Arms adds and which vehicles are controllable.
Yes. DCS World can place AI-controlled tanks, air-defence systems, artillery, support vehicles and infantry in missions. With the Combined Arms module and suitable mission permissions, you can command ground groups and directly control certain vehicles. Infantry remain AI units; DCS is not a first-person infantry simulator.
DCS models these units as part of the combat environment surrounding its aircraft. Our overview of DCS World’s combined battlefield explains how its air, land and naval elements fit together.
What ground forces can you use in DCS World?
DCS World supports AI-controlled armoured vehicles, artillery, air defences, transport units and several types of infantry. The available selection depends on the installed modules and asset packs, as some specialist or historical units are optional.
- Armour: tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers and reconnaissance vehicles.
- Air defences: radar systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft guns and infantry carrying portable missiles.
- Fire support: conventional artillery, rocket artillery and associated command or radar units.
- Support: trucks, unarmoured transports, logistics vehicles and other mission assets.
- Infantry: riflemen, anti-armour troops, machine-gunners and portable air-defence teams, depending on the selected faction.
Mission builders can place these units, form groups, draw routes and assign waypoint actions, targets, formations and rules of engagement. Pilots can then attack, escort or defend them without owning Combined Arms.
Do you need Combined Arms for ground vehicles?
You do not need Combined Arms to place AI ground forces in the Mission Editor, but you normally need it to command them during a mission or directly control supported vehicles.
| Ground-force feature | Core DCS World | With Combined Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Place and task AI units in the Mission Editor | Yes | Yes |
| Fly missions containing AI ground battles | Yes | Yes |
| Issue live orders from the tactical map | Only through mission-specific logic | Yes, with an authorised role |
| Drive or operate ground vehicles | No | Selected vehicles only |
| Join a ground commander or JTAC role | No | Yes, when the mission provides one |
| Control a soldier on foot | No | No |
Combined Arms provides tactical-map roles such as commander and JTAC, subject to the mission and server configuration. Its direct vehicle control is simpler than a full-fidelity aircraft module, and not every tank, truck, artillery piece or air-defence unit is driveable.
Can you play as infantry in DCS World?
No, DCS World does not provide playable infantry or first-person movement on foot. Infantry operate as AI groups that can patrol, defend positions and engage suitable targets.
A Combined Arms commander can select an infantry group on the tactical map, give it a route and assign targets, but cannot enter an individual soldier or use personal weapons directly. Infantry therefore work best as objectives, defensive forces, air-assault troops or threats to low-flying aircraft rather than as a separate infantry simulation.
Why can’t I control a ground vehicle?
Ground control usually fails because Combined Arms is unavailable, the mission has not granted a suitable role, or the selected object does not support direct control.
- Check the module: confirm that Combined Arms is installed and authorised for the account running DCS World.
- Join the correct role: select an available Game Master, Tactical Commander or JTAC position. Multiplayer servers can restrict these roles or protect them with permissions.
- Select an active vehicle: infantry, static scenery objects and many specialised units cannot be entered. Try a supported armoured or air-defence vehicle instead.
- Check coalition and map restrictions: the mission may limit which side you can command or hide units through its F10 visibility settings. Our guide to unit symbols and visibility on the F10 map covers those settings.
- Allow for mission scripting: triggers or scripts may replace your orders, reactivate an AI route or deliberately prevent control of a unit.
How do you make ground-force missions work reliably?
Short, tested routes and sensible group composition produce more dependable ground behaviour than long movements through complicated terrain.
- Test every route across bridges, dense towns, forests and steep ground; AI vehicles can become stuck or separate from their group.
- Avoid mixing vehicles with very different speeds and cross-country ability in the same group.
- If a unit will not attack, inspect its rules of engagement, alarm state, line of sight and waypoint tasks before assuming it is broken.
- Use late activation for forces not needed at mission start. Large numbers of moving or sensor-equipped units can increase CPU load.
- Test infantry transport and disembarkation logic in the finished mission rather than assuming it will work with every aircraft, route or landing area.
Community additions can expand the available ground-unit roster; our ground-unit and asset-pack suggestions for DCS World provide some starting points. Keep required dependencies consistent in multiplayer, because missing assets can prevent a mission from loading correctly or leave clients unable to join.