Fighting Helicopters, or A to A in general...

[WelshZeCorgi]

I keep losing offensive CAS missions cause of KA-50s and Hinds. And occasionally Su-25s. I'm trying to shoot them down, but have incredible difficulty finding them visually and TGP wise... the AWACS usually doesn't help, cause the radio jams up with backlogged messages that come out at snails pace, and even then, 270 for 2 at 1000 is awkward to translate into looking west for something ambiguously 2 miles away at around 1000ft.

 

I got shot down by a KA-50 as I was looking for it. I literally passed it by a quarter-mile, didn't see it and got killed when it ripped me apart with 30mm.

 

The main issue is effectively taking them down before they completely destroy a platoon, which they seem to be able to do in several minutes...

 

So how do you effectively combat helicopters and other Su-25's out hunting in the chicken coop?

Edited October 10, 2015 by WelshZeCorgi

[QuiGon]

I almost only play multiplayer, so my A-A experience in the A-10 is against human players, not AI.

 

Helicopters are very easy prey, since they can't really defend themselves (unlike the AI it seems). If I'm hunting helicopters I fly as low as possible trying to stay below helicopters to make them highlighting against the blue sky. They are easier to see then as when the background is green.

 

Fighting Su-25s (or any other fixed wing aircraft) with the A-10 is pretty much the same like it is in any other aircraft without a proper radar (MiG-21, MiG-15, F-86 and especially the WW2 planes). You just have to keep your eyes out of the cockpit and scan the sky. There is not much else about it. It's easier in DCS World 1.5, because you can activate the new feature, that replaces distant aircraft with a 2D-sprite which makes them easier to spot and is closer to real life. If you have an AWACS available it will also make finding enemy planes MUCH easier (ask for bogey dope, not picture). I also use the AIM-9s seeker in scanning mode to find enemy aircraft in dogfighting situations, because it sometimes spots them in front of me, before I detect them with my eyes.

[Haukka81]

AI A-64 is bit like T-800 , hard to kill and very deadly.

 

My SU-27 flying 900kmh in 5000meters is killed quite easily by AI Apache :D hellfire K model is suprising good to take fighter jet's down.

 

I will make track soon :)

[Nerd1000]

I almost only play multiplayer, so my A-A experience in the A-10 is against human players, not AI.

 

Helicopters are very easy prey, since they can't really defend themselves (unlike the AI it seems). If I'm hunting helicopters I fly as low as possible trying to stay below helicopters to make them highlighting against the blue sky. They are easier to see then as when the background is green.

 

Player Ka-50s have trouble with situational awareness due to poor visibility and high workload, so they probably didn't even know you were there unless you lased them with the TGP (dropping a GBU-12 on a defenseless Kamov? you meanie :cry:).

 

The other issue is that their weapons suck against air targets. The cannon on the Kamov is fairly powerful, but its difficult to use it on planes because of its low fire rate and the necessity of either getting lock on with the shkval (tricky against air targets) or being Luke Skywalker if you want to get hits at decent range. The Vikhrs can go further, but once again you need lock. They also have trouble with turning, so generally they're only effective against targets that are flying directly towards or away from you.

 

AI units of course have near omniscient SA and can lock on instantly, which is why their abilities are so far removed from the players.

[Boris]

AI units of course have near omniscient SA and can lock on instantly, which is why their abilities are so far removed from the players.

 

This really needs to be fixed I think. I've often come up against a Hind and lost. This should near unthinkable in a real life situation.

 

Helicopters should more or less be sitting ducks.