Why does the helicopter pilot in this game only attack from the helipad?
Have you considered flanking the enemy and launching a surprise attack?
Besides, all they do is complain about missiles and IRCMs. There’s no ingenuity at all! There are plenty of ways to deal with them besides SPAA. For example, you could use helicopters to hunt other helicopters or engage in air superiority combat.
Please note that this is my personal opinion, so feel free to ignore it if you disagree.
helicopter pilot … you … they … I … them … you …
edit?
Because maps either offer zero protection for helicopters around the battlefield or offer the most protection at their helipads but nowhere else, they’re pretty horribly designed for anyone wanting to flank. The maps that actually do have hills usually require to spend way too much time navigating your way to a good location and by the time you’ve arrived there, the match has already been decided
I get in my heli, I strap on a bunch of unguided rockets and run to the battlefield. I do not flank, I do not fly low, I get killed instantly and I return to the hangar. Fun!
Recently, I’ve felt like these points haven’t been discussed anymore. As mentioned above, the focus has shifted to missiles and IRCM.
I wish I could use my unguided rocket helis on Air RB maps, tbfh. Would be fun taking out the likes of Light Pillboxes and Oldschool AI Tanks on a map like [Operation] Korsun or something.
Yeah I have no idea how players like MadSolar actually practice sufficiently to “git gud” using rocket helis when so many maps don’t allow a safe approach, and any half-aware tank will hear you coming miles away.
Most of my kills in helis have been with unguided rockets but its only on maps with a lot of cover. Helicopters are pretty much useless in open maps especially at higher tiers. I watched an SAM fly OVER a mountain and still hit me, and I’ve had missiles track me through trees and ignore every countermeasure I had. Can’t forget the spikes following me do the helipad.
Because they can yoyo and reload and repair super fast.
The issue is, Jets and Helis cost a lot more SP than to spawn an SPAA and if you have only grinded the ground tree ,you may have none.
As for Jets… They are a pain to deal with, radars can detect them, so you have to find them with IRST or visually. IR missile dont work if they have DIRCM, so that means gun running something firing missiles at you potentially whilst also defending against an enemy SPAA also firing at you.
As for using a heli. Again, maybe, but you can be hunted back just as quickly, and if you are in a heli without DIRCM, you are extremely vulnerable to some of the new SPAAs.
Helicopters are slow, loud, have limited ordnance, and generally don’t gain much from flanking anyways (in a guided ground attack role). The vast majority of SPAAs you will meet have 360° scan radar. They will simply detect you no matter where you come from, there is no surprise in any case.
Furthermore, helicopters will often deplete their ordnance quickly, and staying close to the helipad allows for greater combat effectiveness. Flanking is only viable if optimal terrain features demand it (terrain allowing for easy pop-up attacks) or if map obstacles are especially prohibitive (ie, to line up with a street). Most missiles have penetration enough such that front armour of tanks is not a major issue, especially from a high target angle. You may even find that tanks often have better survivability from the side. Therefore, there’s really no point in flying to the side of the battlefield anyways.
