Microsoft Flight Simulator launched on 18 August 2020 and streams Bing Maps imagery with Azure generated 3D buildings across roughly 37,000 airports. The 40th Anniversary Edition arrived with Sim Update 11 on 11 November 2022 as a free update, adding helicopters, sailplanes, seven historic aircraft and the Airbus A310, taking the roster to 37 flyable machines with individual flight models. Live weather and live traffic feed real conditions into the sim, so a departure into low cloud at 03:00 local is genuinely low cloud at 03:00 local.
Combat in Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Streamed satellite terrain
Scenery is pulled from Bing Maps and rebuilt in 3D by Azure, with photogrammetry applied to several hundred cities. Microsoft lists 5 Mbps as the minimum connection and around 50 Mbps as ideal, and the difference between those two numbers is visible the moment you fly over a photogrammetry city.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Live weather and live traffic
Real METAR data drives cloud, wind, pressure and temperature, and live traffic can populate the sky with actual flights. Turning live weather off gives you presets instead, which is the sensible choice when practising an approach you keep failing in a crosswind.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Flight planning and ATC
The world map screen builds VFR direct routes, low or high altitude airways and full IFR plans with SIDs and STARs before you load in. The built in ATC then works that plan, issuing clearances, vectors and altitude changes you can accept or ignore.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Assistance and realism sliders
Almost every system can be automated or handed back to you: engine management, taxi ribbon, auto rudder, unlimited fuel, crash detection. The sim ships heavily assisted by default, and turning those off one at a time is the actual difficulty curve.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Rotary wing and sailplane flight models
The 40th Anniversary Edition added the Guimbal Cabri G2 and Bell 407 with a proper helicopter flight model, plus the DG Aviation LS8-18 and DG-1001E neo sailplanes with thermal and ridge lift simulation. Both need control setups that fixed wing flying never asks for.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Streamed satellite terrain + Live weather and live traffic
Scenery is pulled from Bing Maps and rebuilt in 3D by Azure, with photogrammetry applied to several hundred cities. When combined with Live weather and live traffic, real metar data drives cloud, wind, pressure and temperature, and live traffic can populate the sky with actual flights. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Flight planning and ATC + Assistance and realism sliders
The world map screen builds VFR direct routes, low or high altitude airways and full IFR plans with SIDs and STARs before you load in. Paired with Assistance and realism sliders, almost every system can be automated or handed back to you: engine management, taxi ribbon, auto rudder, unlimited fuel, crash detection. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Rotary wing and sailplane flight models as a Multiplier
The 40th Anniversary Edition added the Guimbal Cabri G2 and Bell 407 with a proper helicopter flight model, plus the DG Aviation LS8-18 and DG-1001E neo sailplanes with thermal and ridge lift simulation. Both need control setups that fixed wing flying never asks for. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Rotary wing and sailplane flight models optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Build
Each build approaches combat differently:
General aviation VFR pilot (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) Primary mechanic: Streamed satellite terrain
General aviation VFR pilot offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Airline pilot (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Daher TBM 930 Primary mechanic: Live weather and live traffic
Airline pilot offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Bush pilot (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Airbus A320neo Primary mechanic: Flight planning and ATC
Bush pilot offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Helicopter pilot (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Airbus A310-300 Primary mechanic: Assistance and realism sliders
Helicopter pilot offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Sailplane pilot (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Guimbal Cabri G2 Primary mechanic: Rotary wing and sailplane flight models
Sailplane pilot offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
- Exploit Streamed satellite terrain for maximum damage windows
- Chain Live weather and live traffic and Flight planning and ATC for combo damage
- Use Assistance and realism sliders to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Set a manual rolling cache in the data options before you fly anywhere twice. The sim streams scenery every flight, so caching the areas you fly often removes the pop in and cuts bandwidth use dramatically on repeat routes.
- Position using Streamed satellite terrain to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Live weather and live traffic: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong equipment for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Innsbruck Airport (LOWI) but will get you killed in Barra Airport (EGPR).
More Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Guides
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Overview
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Best Builds
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Tier List
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Walkthrough
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Beginner's Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Tips & Tricks
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Weapons Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Boss Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Maps & Locations
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Crafting Guide
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) 40th Anniversary Edition Classes & Characters
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