When the AH-64 Apache was added in 1.97 “Viking Fury” it got a build in nerf by leaving out the historically correct Hellfire launcher vertical articulation, while giving the KA-50s their launcher articulation.
The Pylons on the Apache can articulate to present the weapon launchers with a correct elevation to launch the weapons whether it’s doing a running or hovering attack and the relation to the target:
But in Warthunder they are fixed along the level line of the helicopter when it is hovering or just standing on the ground:
Lets compare to the KA-50 in flight:
First the apache:
Now the ability of the KA-50
It might seem like a small thing but due to how the game plays out it is a significant nerf.
It means that if you are moving forward you are always firing the missiles into the ground.
The consequence of this is that the Hellfires are loosing energy to correct or if you are low they just hit the ground making them totally useless.
So you can’t attack from low altitude unless you are either hovering or pointing your nose at the sky. This again makes you slower and exposes you to enemy fire as you have to manuver so you have to spend time and context switch your attention from the target to elevating then regaining control of the helicopter and leveling it out, which can loose your target or not be able to switch to a new target if the opponent ducks behind cover.
Here I am over 20 meters of the ground, but because I am moving forward the missiles just slam into the ground:
So by nerfing the launchers the result is:
- Forces the player to expose himself to more enemy fire by being static or at high altitude
- Nerfs the Hellfires range and agility.
- Gives the player task saturation so they are less likely to succeed in complicated manuvers or low-level flying.
- Completely removes the ability to conduct attacks while moving at low level.
While it might have been seen as a necessary nerf 6 years ago, due to the range advantage and weapons 16 missile load of the AH-64, back when helicopters could just sit high and mighty and almost be immune, that is not the case any longer, everybody is given a free AA spawn that makes short work of the AH64 so it’s time to reverse this nerf to make active and skill based play possible at low level.
The issue has already been bug reported 3 years ago AH-64 Hellfire pylon angle causing hellfires to hit ground // Gaijin.net // Issues but has been overlooked. Its time to fix this!