A/A advice

[nickexists]

In playing on multiplayer server lately I have found myself in a handful of A/A engagements with Hueys and KA-50's. If i'm far away i set the shkval to a/a mode and set the tracking gates to the size of the target and attempt to track it. But it is often very hard to get the shkval to track and even then if the target is moving very quickly the vikhrs almost always miss. In a close in engagement I usually just boresight the cannon and try to swing into position.

 

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice or tricks for how to quickly acquire and engage an enemy helicopter. I also wondering if it is right to boresight the cannon for a closeup engagement or if it would be better to use the HMS and hold down the target designate button so that the cannon tracks where I'm looking.

 

Thanks.

[tsumikae]

First thing first, know that helos are not really supposed to engage each others. That said, if you have a chance to waste one, enjoy. In that case, here are some tips:

 

-the A/A mode will detonate the missile before it actually hit the target. The blast and sharpnels have better luck to do damages than counting on an actual hit. As you noticed already, it can be pretty difficult.

 

-Wait for a good angle from your target. Typically, anything else than profile.

 

-KAs have laser detection capabilities. If I get a laser warning, be sure I'll make you work for that kill. And if you're also in a helo, I'll be successful 90% of the time. So If you can, avoid using your laser.

 

-Hueys are nasty little bastards. If you spot one from far enough, vickhr it to death, it's a breeze. BUT if you are at its guns reach, you'd better brace yourself. Its angle of fire is larger and the AI gunner is, well, AI. Avoid engaging it at close range.

 

-regarding fast aquisition, you can see why A/A engagement is not a KA speciality. Once you managed to put your shvkhal screen on target using your HMS (unzoomed), follow it and try to lock it whenever you can.

[karambiatos]

to lock effectively you need to aim the shkval slightly in front of the target and press the lock button, this is because of network lag, also when engaging air targets its recommended that you put the salvo mode on medium, so that you fire 2 vikhrs increasing your chances of a hit.

you should aim for the engines, as much as you can, especially when engaging hinds, those bastards are tough.

 

If a huey is close to you your 30mm can wreck it pretty easily, you can also out climb it and outmaneuver it use that to your advantage (the hueys weapons cant aim very high), and at close ranges having the gun static is pretty useful as well.

[Hunden Ynk]

-the A/A mode will detonate the missile before it actually hit the target. The blast and sharpnels have better luck to do damages than counting on an actual hit. As you noticed already, it can be pretty difficult.

Isn't that the Head-On-AA mode, with regular AA using the impact fuse. Or I'm I confused?

[tsumikae]

Isn't that the Head-On-AA mode, with regular AA using the impact fuse. Or I'm I confused?

 

You may be right, I might confuse stuff myself. I'll double check that.

 

(edit:) from the manual:

 

"To use the Vikhr‟s proximity fuze that will detonate the warhead with a near miss, turn on the “ВЦ”(Airborne target) button from the Targeting Mode Control Panel. Depending on the target‟s aspect (attack hemisphere), it may be necessary to adjust the missile‟sproximity fuze delay.

If performing a pursuit or side attack, fuze adjustment is not required. If attacking at high aspect (in the Head-onhemisphere) it is necessary to decrease the fuze delay in order to increase hit probability. From the Targeting Mode Control Panel, press the “ППС” (Head-on hemisphere) button to do so."

Edited March 24, 2014 by tsumikae

[TurboHog]

• If engaging a Ka-50. Only use your laser when you actually decide to shoot. If I attack you and you receive the warning there will be two Vikhrs already on the way. (The LWR is able to distinguish Vikhr guidance mode by the small 'fan' icon)
  
• Scan the horizon by zooming in and looking around
  
• Use forward hemisphere mode for anything faster than an A10 (provided that he's coming straight in).
  
• Fire two Vikhrs in one go
  
• In close combat quickly gain an altitude advantage. Good chance that your opponent will pitch up to line up for a shot but flies backwards and ultimately weathervanes away from you. Then dive on him.
  

[Hunden Ynk]

Thanks tsumikae, for schooling me! :)

[Bushmanni]

Helicopter air-to-air is all about pointing your weapons (ie. nose in most cases) to the enemy and blasting him out of the sky before he does the same. The exceptions is if you can see him first and there's good chances you can sneak on his six then you should "back stab" him.

 

In long range missile combat the winner is who shoots first (of course you need to be in range). The slower one has no other chance but to defend or run. Vikhr can't follow targets which orthogonal speed is more than about 200km/h so they can be dodged easily by beaming the launching aircraft and speeding up. The problem is of course that while defending you can't guide your own missiles so the attacker can keep shooting and forcing the target to defend until he's in guns range. There's theoretical chance of turning the tables while the laser is still in guidance mode after firing and preventing additional launches. At that time window of 6-10s the defender can turn at the attacker, lock him and fire his missiles but that depends on the skill of the pilot to do all that in the time frame. The attacker can also reset his weapons system and re-lock the defender to reduce the down time of the laser.

 

As has been noted it's hard to lock fast moving targets with Shkval unless they fly directly at or away from you. If you see an enemy Ka-50 coming at you from either side, ie. it's apparent he's attacking you, it's not smart to turn at him or away if you are already within missile range as you will just make yourself easy to lock with Shkval. After you have been locked you can break it only by breaking LOS by flying behind a hill or something like that. Even if he doesn't fire missiles at you he will get deadly accurate computer calculated gun solution on you which will be the end for you in most cases. Better way is to keep beaming him and when he's close enough dive and fly under him at high speed to keep yourself as a moving target to prevent Shkval lock. After you get past his 3/9 line you should climb and turn your nose to the enemy and blast him down as quickly as possible. This is not a fool proof tactic as skilled pilot will most likely lock you regardless of your speed but it's something to try when there's no better plan.

 

If you can aim weapons with HMS it will give you tremendous advantage against enemies who can't do that. I can aim with HMS pretty good and so far no one (human player) has even got a shot of at me before I have shot down my opponent in unhandicapped fight. Many of them had their nose pointed at me but they still didn't manage to get a shot off.

 

You can defend against attacking helicopter by flying under or over him but this is applicable only when you are already in very close. After that the winner is the one who gets the nose turned on the enemy first. You can turn the nose of the helicopter quickest by having some forward speed but no too much (around 70-150km/h) and the chopper turns like a biplane. High speed is the most slowest state for turn rate and hover the second slowest. If you are flying fast the most effective turn method for large turn (more than 90 degrees) is to pull up to a 30-60 degree climb to slow down and build an altitude advantage and then make a break turn.

 

Here's more stuff about air-to-air procedures and demonstration about the HMS aiming effectiveness.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=92722

[tsumikae]

Thanks tsumikae, for schooling me! :)

 

I schooled myself as well :D

Aaaah, good ol' manual.

[BitMaster]

Hey,

 

I only had a few Heli A2A engagements but won them all by just doing this in the Ka-50 vs. another Ka-50, Huey or Mi8.

 

Great Distance: Try the Shkval, never done that myself but others seem to have luck with it.

As long as the other chopper doesn't see you there is hopefully plenty of time to lock on and shoot a Vikhr.

 

If it happens at short distance I turn old school, turn the GUN KNOB 1 click to the right into FIXED FORWARD GUN and go for it. Just don't try to emulate a fixed wing AC, use the choppers ability to stay more or less stationary and ALWAYS point your crosshair at your enemy. Most enemies do the mistake and circle around you, trying to get on your six or other "good" position, well, thats a mistake as you can easily shoot them out of the sky without moving anywhere other than turning on your Z-Axis. Fly less, hover more and stay alive. Use what the helicopter can do best, always point the nose at a certain point, have the gun straight forward too, that avoids heavy fiddling with useless Shkval or Laser options at that moment. The fight is over before you could ever get a lock at close range.

 

I had about a handful of Heli-2-Heli engagements and they all did the mistake to fly like a bird, turn circles etc... stay stationary and maybe a bit above your target, that's all what I learned.

 

You can actually get one down, even with a broken HUD, ruined Shkval and most of your Electronics dead. Just "calculate" the impact point of your rounds by pure eyesight and judgement, hold the trigger and sooner or later 1 of your 30mm HE rounds will do it. 1 round usually takes a huey down.

 

Bit

Edited March 31, 2014 by BitMaster

[Maverick-X]

stay stationary sounds like a bad advice to me, doesn't that make you an easy target?

[ShuRugal]

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice or tricks for how to quickly acquire and engage an enemy helicopter. I also wondering if it is right to boresight the cannon for a closeup engagement or if it would be better to use the HMS and hold down the target designate button so that the cannon tracks where I'm looking.

 

Thanks.

If you are outside cannon range, use HMS to lock up shkval and blast away with vikhrs in AA mode. If you are inside 2km, start maneuvering and use boresighted cannon.

 

Against a Huey, your biggest assets are armor, rate of climb, and speed.

try to keep your airspeed in the 150+kph range, as this will give you maximum maneuverability and climbing authority. if you find yourself in a climbing battle, remember 130 kph IAS as this is your most efficient climb speed and you will quickly leave him behind.

 

His assets are a much wider firing arc and an AI gunner, but you can negate that advantage with altitude. If you find yourself against a Huey pilot you just can't shake, dive at 60 degrees to the deck and sprint away from him. from there, your simplest option is to continue to extend until you have enough range to execute a climbing stop (emphasis on climbing), turn, lock shkval, and let him have it with vikhrs. More complex option is to try and use terrain cover to break contact and see if you can out-guess him to get into a safe firing position.

 

 

as for "hover and shoot boresight". I'll take that guy on all day and win every time. In a hover your climb rate and turn rate are both severely diminished. Fly at 90-degrees and climb like there's no tomorrow (or there won't be). once you've got the altitude, turn in and dive on him, boresight cannon... or, shit, he's hovering, set your S-8s for long burst and let him get out from under 80 80mm rockets, if he can....

Edited April 1, 2014 by ShuRugal

[MauganRa84]

I shot down a stationary Ka50 today while in a Blackshark myself with Vikhrs in A/A mode. In the S77th server. Twas truly glorious.

[kobac]

And may this way