SPAA Overload and the Systematic Destruction of Aviation Balance

Game Discussion Realistic Battle
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Developers, when are you going to stop nerfing aviation and helicopters?

In the latest patch you added yet another vehicle and even more SPAA, simply multiplying its presence and influence. SPAA was already excessively effective, and now there is even more of it. This looks like a deliberate, systematic indirect nerf to aviation.

SPAA costs far too few spawn points compared to aircraft, yet aircraft spawn costs are not being reduced. BRs for aircraft and helicopters are also not being reconsidered — instead, we see an endless chain of nerfs patch after patch.

A separate and critical issue is map design. Maps are fundamentally not built for helicopters or aviation.
Most maps are either urban or completely flat.
In urban environments, aviation and helicopters have no operational space at all.
On “desert” maps, the outer areas are flat, open terrain with no cover for helicopters, while the inner areas are dense city blocks.

The result is obvious: ground vehicles and SPAA receive cover, protection, and safe firing positions, while helicopters and aircraft are forced to operate in open terrain with no survivability. Maps are clearly designed around SPAA effectiveness — maximum safety and minimal risk — while aviation is given minimal viability.

Top-tier BRs 12.0–13.0 are no longer gameplay — they are punishment. There is no enjoyment left. SPAA is blatantly overtuned, and aviation has been effectively pushed out of ground battles.

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All because they refused to remove the Kh-38

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ezgif-392e662f9b2df092

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As long as theres LDIRCM in its current implementation, i see no reason why some of the helis should struggle

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I think you’re in the minority with those opinions. Most other players argue the opposite.

I recommend looking through these two threads with thousands of replies:

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*insert "what’s wrong cas main, afraid to finally play the game? "

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image

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Well what you expected cas dominating ground battles? Im a cas enjoyer and still believe ground need a properly counter against cas and its munitions.

Also new spaa has radar missiles just do multipath and you will be fine. And stay away from aim9x range, its like 4km max.

Also LDIRCM helis still inmune to top tier spaa. So cas still broken.

Not even mentioning the kh38 spam.

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I don’t play top-tier at all. I usually play around BR 8.7, maximum up to 11.3. Yet all discussions always focus only on top-tier. Why does nobody talk about the lower BRs? The situation there is also very bad.

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Because the situation at top tier is the worst one

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Because top tier its the main cas issue. Anyway making changes like sp change from the spaa will affect all BRs.

I dont see whats the problem with 8.7 spaa, its only cannons and no missiles, just shoot like the bullups or play far from spaa bombing other areas. If you want to kill spaa jus sneak on them at very high alt or at very low alt playing with terrain. Not that hard.

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LDIRCM has been there for the lognest time why is it an issue with it now most top tier SPAA are using ARH seekers now? so could you elabortate what you mean?

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Bc ARH sekkers dont work at low altitude? The altitude helicopters usually fly?

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Lol? LDIRCM was introduced in tusk force update idk what u on abt

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and your SPAA cant see him because they hiding behind a hill I see

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Yeah thats also why saclos spaa (its only counter) are useless.

Lets not even speak about range and speed.

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multipath is quite easy to abuse in helis tbf to him

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the Hind also has it tho no?

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Yeah just go lower, not that hard, if you ever played lower br helis like hellfires or even pars. You know a heli player must not fly high

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This argument keeps repeating the same flawed premise: that aviation is some kind of untouchable, risk-free god mode. That premise is outdated and factually wrong.

First, I am not talking about top tier only. I mostly play BR 8.7 up to 11.3, and the situation there is already bad. The problems people describe at top tier start much earlier — they are just more visible later.

Second, the claim that ground players “can’t see, can’t hear, can’t hide, get no warning” is no longer true in the current game:

  • SPAA is cheap, abundant, and highly lethal even at mid tiers.
  • Aircraft are constantly visible on the kill feed, minimap cues, tracers, radar pings, and missile warnings.
  • Engagement windows for CAS have been repeatedly shortened by missile nerfs, flight model changes, and damage model changes.

Third, the idea that SPAA is “useless” is simply false outside of very specific edge cases. In real matches, SPAA:

  • denies airspace by presence alone,
  • forces aircraft into predictable attack paths,
  • deletes helicopters and jets within seconds once detected.

Meanwhile, aviation:

  • costs significantly more spawn points,
  • has far higher risk,
  • has shrinking impact on the match outcome.

This is not mutual vulnerability, which is required for combined arms. This is asymmetric suppression.

The “CAS should be separated” argument is also logically inconsistent. If CAS truly has “no effect on the game,” then there would be no reason for thousands of complaints. If it does have an effect, then the correct solution is balance, not removal.

Right now, Gaijin is doing neither:

  • they are not balancing SPAA cost vs aircraft cost,
  • they are not fixing map design for helicopters,
  • they are not restoring viable engagement windows.

What players call “CAS oppression” is often just bad positioning and refusal to use available counters. What aviation players are experiencing is systemic design pressure from economy, maps, and mechanics at the same time.

That is the difference.

This is not about skill.
This is not about top tier only.
This is about a balance model that punishes one class by design while pretending it is “combined arms.”