Chopper Tactics?

[Chrono]

I've still got the strategy guide to Longbow 2, but I wonder if there are other resources out there. Real life documents from the worlds' armies? Great documents, online, produced by the various communities?

 

My understanding is that you've got to fly your chopper like a tanker, not a pilot. Choppers should be viewed as fast tanks with long guns, not fighters that can hover. :pilotfly:

 

My biggest problem in Longbow has always been coming over a rise in the terrain and getting pegged by something just on the other side to my flank. :helpsmilie: Stay in the valleys? Or stay on the ridges and look down into the valleys?

 

Discuss.

[graywo1fg]

Or just Fly over the battlefield with some Brittany Spears song over the loudspeaker or something. that will scare em away :P but beware... it could anger them too O.o

[RvETito]

Being the only signle pilot combat helicopter in the world the Ka-50 is quiet unique and specific. Usualy it is never meant to work alone, during it's combat debut in Chechnya it has worked together with a modified Ka-29 as a targeting platform and airborne mission commander. In DCS:BS we have the datalink system modeled which allows target data transmission between helos in 4-ship wing. That is what you could use over the battlefield to assist hidden attacks. Of course you can try to use classic tarrain masking, hover, pop up and splash the bad guys from standoff distance but it would be good if you have someone else to back you up as you gonna be a sitting duck.

[graywo1fg]

how does one Datalink? is it on the ABRIS? and you can just link waypoint and target info through there?

[Yellonet]

Not really about tactics, but in a way concerning tactics and regardless a good read.

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Defensewatch_120303_Helicopter,00.html

[Sundowner.pl]

I think a good tactic for start would be getting a can of red, or neon orange spray paint, and writing over the wall, just above your monitor: "Don't fly alone!" :smilewink:

 

This will never fail you, especially in the Ka-50. But when you have no other option:

 

1. Fly low - but not really hugging the ground, just low enough, to be shielded from the sides, by whatever the terrain gives - hils, trees, buildings etc. You have to be aware of your HV curve, because when something bad happen, you may have not have time to react before hitting the ground for the last time.

 

2. 'Plow thru' the route waypoints, its not that being cautious and therefore slow, will give you any advantage when you meet something surprising en rout to target, actually is the opposite, because when you fly fast, you can get of the danger zone quicker, and make faster turns jinking AAA and manpads.

 

3. Near target - pick a shielded place where you can pick your nose up to scout for targets. When dealing with human players in area, I avoid places, where after poking my nose high enough, I'll be visible with sky in the background - you're very juicy target then: hot, loud, and stationary.

 

4. When under fire, get the hell out of there fast! use the four Rs tactic:

Run away,

Regroup,

Rethink strategy

And when possible Reengage

 

:smartass:

 

Those are the rules I fight since 1991, and they work good for me :joystick:

[Glowing_Amraam]

Yeah i think i'm gonna stop playing RAMBO with the KA-50... :P

*edit* oh look, my updated sig works... yey!

[3Sqn_Fudd]

Get used to the term NOE ... Nap of the Earth

[Avimimus]

Hinds used to split their four-ships into two pairs and take turns "running over the target" from different directions (to produce confusion). Each pair would have the rear helicopter drift back and forth behind the fore helicopter in order to confuse any gunners using optics. After all the threats had been removed the helicopters could slow down, climb out of NOE and mop up.

[joey45]

i thought the Hinds were used like an APC/AFV/IFV transport and protect the troops

[RedTiger]

I don't have any experience with helo sims, but I do have a fair amount of experience with this:

 

http://www.battlefront.com/products/tacops4/tacops4.html

 

Quite a few scenarios give you the ability to command AH-64s or AH-1s. If used properly, they can be devastating -- so long as the HELLFIREs last.

 

You are correct. Think of an attack helo as a glass tank with a 5 mile effective range. You want to use tactics similar to a tank: pop-up, shoot, scoot.

 

The great thing is how damn fast you are in comparison to all the other AT assets on the battlefield. You can cover a ton of ground in just a few minutes. A tank is limited in the amount of "scooting" it can do in between shots. In TacOps I'd have 4 AH-64s popping up, shooting, then going NOE all in unison at different points of the map over and over again to minimize the effectiveness of AAA or MANPADs. These AA assets will rip you a new one in a hurry if you stay up too long.

 

None of this may apply to the Ka-50. Also, TacOps was a wargame. This level of control may not be possible with AI pilots. Maybe Wags can give us a little more info about the AI wing man commands Black Shark will have. ;)

[Wags]

There will indeed be come new comms in DCS:BS (like recon commands which will be very valuable!), but I need to see these fleshed out a bit more before providing a more detailed report. Once I do, I'll discuss them in producer video/notes.

 

Just putting some missions together for the show this week, you really get a feel for how deadly MANPADS can be without proper recon on the target area (with wingmen or careful use of the Shkval). Rushing into a target area is a fast way to get killed.

[USSR_Rik]

http://www.cavalrypilot.com/ - a lot of materials for study

 

http://www.cavalrypilot.com/fm1-140/CH4.HTM#3 - helicopter gun ballistic

[Squid_DK]

http://www.cavalrypilot.com/ - a lot of materials for study

 

http://www.cavalrypilot.com/fm1-140/CH4.HTM#3 - helicopter gun ballistic

 

Thanks for those links.... good info there

 

Cheers

Staffan

[Immermann]

http://www.cavalrypilot.com/ - a lot of materials for study

 

Nice page, but it's missing FM 1-112 : Attack Helicopter Operations.

[Piffer]

I've still got the strategy guide to Longbow 2, but I wonder if there are other resources out there. Real life documents from the worlds' armies? Great documents, online, produced by the various communities?

 

My understanding is that you've got to fly your chopper like a tanker, not a pilot. Choppers should be viewed as fast tanks with long guns, not fighters that can hover. :pilotfly:

 

My biggest problem in Longbow has always been coming over a rise in the terrain and getting pegged by something just on the other side to my flank. :helpsmilie: Stay in the valleys? Or stay on the ridges and look down into the valleys?

 

Discuss.

 

I will publish at my blog a virtual "tactical flight course", with about 25-35 flight. The texts are almost done, just waiting for Black Shark to record the tracks and videos. :thumbup:

 

(It will be in Portuguese ans English).

[159th_Viper]

....you really get a feel for how deadly MANPADS can be

 

My One pet-hate right there.....I'll get the Techies to start engraving "Stinger" on the 30mm Rounds whilst I wait!

[VMFA117_Poko]

Thanks USSR_Rik. Any info, books will be very appreciate.

[Sundowner.pl]

Nice page, but it's missing FM 1-112 : Attack Helicopter Operations.

I have that one on my hard drive, if anyone's interested, let me know via PM.

[Ditch3r]

Thanks to everyone for the good information. This will all be very helpful.

[Geier]

Yeah i think i'm gonna stop playing RAMBO with the KA-50... :P

*edit* oh look, my updated sig works... yey!

nice:)

[USSR_Rik]

Nice page, but it's missing FM 1-112 : Attack Helicopter Operations.

"As is..." :dunno:

[Piffer]

Nice page, but it's missing FM 1-112 : Attack Helicopter Operations.

 

Anyone has TC 1-201: Tactical Flight Procedures?

[Sundowner.pl]

Wow, that's an old one, 1984 if I remember correctly... but no, I don't have that one.

[Piffer]

Yes... 1984. But I can't find it to download... May be there was no PDF in the 80's... :)