3rd Wing USAF
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Beginner Guide
A practical path from your first game to your first scheduled operation.
Choose a game, find an active unit, and join its training pipeline without guessing at the next step.
The communities below offer a live starting point for players looking for a unit that fits their schedule and style.
Beginner guide
Most people who bounce off milsim do so in the first two weeks — wrong game, wrong unit, wrong expectations. This page is a step-by-step for picking a game, finding a unit that matches your time zone, and surviving the trial period.
Why trust this guide
MilSim.io indexes 670+ active milsim units. The advice here comes from what actually works across that population — not theory.
Pick by time commitment, not by game
If you have 2-4 hours a week, Arma 3 or Reforger. If you can only do weekends, Squad. If you want airframe specialisation with deep systems, DCS. The game matters less than the unit you join.
Live directory
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Pick a game (Arma 3 has the deepest pool), find an active unit on MilSim.io, expect a trial period, and ask about training.
Yes. Arma 3 is on sale frequently and is the cheapest entry. Reforger is available on Game Pass.
You need a working mic and roughly two to four hours a week for operations. A headtracker is optional, and most units are PC-only.
It depends on the unit. Most have a two-to-four-week trial where you attend scheduled operations.