I am fairly inexperienced in helicopters, as a ground player my only exposure to them was the killcam after being sent to the shadow realm by Vikhrs or the occasional harassment by rocket rushers at the start of the game.
After having completed the US ground TT I switched research to helicopters, and ground my way to AH-1Z, wanting to see what all this helicopter fuzz is about.
After a bunch of Heli EC games later to grind the necessary modifications I try the real deal, bringing AH-1Z into Ground RB. It can’t be that hard right? After all, if KA-50/KA-52s can hover 4km in the air and snipe people left and right with little opposition, I can’t do much worse flying low, flanking and staying hidden among the trees.
Errrm apparently not. It was a real struggle, and here are some of the issues: my Hellfire losing track of the target, people smoking or relocating immediately after I launch at them, being rammed by “friendly” aircraft, all-seeing Pantsir immediately firing back the second I peek, being sniped by KA-50/KA-52 with their proximity Vikhrs, and I struggle to search for/acquire a target because my sight has two zoom settings “Quake pro” and “Hubble telescope”
Most irritating of all is the SPAA imbalance. It seems “western team” helicopters face a much more difficult threat environment than the USSR team does. I am seriously considering quitting helicopters altogether if it goes on like this. So, heli players, is there anything to do?
yea, don’t do that keep moving and changing position so that they can’t pinpoint where you are( console players can find you easily regardless, though)
Oh I’m not hovering in one place though, I just wanted to point out how Kamov helicopters seem to get away with this lazy strategy, while I try to move around and stay low I still get clapped
It’s a very asymmetrical experience, because they have competent SPAA systems and we often don’t
yea russia gets spaa’s that can actually lock helicopters farther than 2 miles while the closest thing the us has to that is the m247 and even that’s sketchy
Just spawn if your team is losing, as the enemy team is advancing, maybe they’re not going to spawn anti air.
But those are specific case scenario. They may not spawn a anti air but a aircraft which is even worse, specially when you’re replenishing ammo or repairing.
One of the idea of the Kamov is the complete opposite: close combat.
But since you have access to Vikhr, why put yourself in risk. I mean depends on what you’re flying, Ka-50 needs to stay near as the low zoom multiplier optics doesn’t really helps at distance.
Ka-52 is the big prize for the time grinding this, decent optic zoom for its BR.
Welcome to helicopters.
Just like with Ka-52s, all other helicopters cannot hover without being shot down.
SPAA is OP compared to all helicopters in the game.
The only way any helicopter pilot does well is by avoiding SPAA; that includes Ka-52s.
Didn’t know USA was Russia… oh wait, it isn’t.
Please don’t come in and start implying ADATS, Crotale, etc are all Russian; at least I hope you knew they existed prior to your comment…
I guess there’s a few more, like ITO 90M and FlarakRad, ADATS, they work decently against helicopters
The biggest problem IMO is that these SPAA are rarely spawned. I guess people either don’t own them, don’t bring them in the lineup, or choose not to spawn them.
SPAA rewards are poor, and I bet most people would rather drive their MBTs. For someone to spawn SPAA, it has to be effective enough to warrant your time, or the only option you have left. Considering that, I can understand why there’s so many Pantsirs, and so few other SPAA being used
Just checked, it can’t. I’d personally use the APKWS Hydra-70’s over the hellfire, but, the hellfires are almost a garunteed 1 shot (Cough cough, I hit a leo 1a5 with 3 9M127’s yesterday and It still didn’t die)
Always carry the AIM-9M’s on your outboard, stay light, stay mobile, and right now there is a bug, that if you get hit by a single 7.62, your useless as far as fighting back goes.
Its map dependant. Some maps allow you playing smart, fire good shots out of terrain cover, out of firing arc from enemy SPAAs (which are mostly at spawn). Some maps just allow the all or nothing approach: Spawn the closed helipad, hoover up, switch to ATGM view and shot as fast and as long as you can to nuke some targets and hope there’s no russian SPAA spawned.
Also keep in mind that some helis allow you to exploit third person view to guide ATGMs whiile you’re totally behind cover and safe. You see Mi-28 players do that often. Dunno whether other models allow this too. Its funny to watch the replay. How they hit target after target while beeing behind a rock formation or building etc.
Ok, i mean when there is no spaa up sure literally every heli can do it, but it just doesn’t work overall.
Just stop saying this bs that only kamovs can do it xd
That’s one of my main points in this thread, soviet team has good SPAA and players spawn/use them, while sadly western teams have mediocre to bad SPAA and don’t spawn/use them
There are two versions to my knowledge, it’s because you get a ton more, they are, generally, faster than the BGM and AGM, and have similar range to the Vikhr.
Hmmm makes sense, I’ll have to figure this out over time. Can you name some heli friendly maps off the top of your mind?
Oh, so far I’ve always spawned on the furthest pad, and immediately left it flanking off to either side. I figured the closest spawn was too obvious. AH-1Z also has awful zoom options, either too little or too much, so at that close range I’d have a hard time I think
