SAM effectiveness

[Kommissar]

Sorry if this has been asked already, but I am hoping someone can explain general effectiveness of shoulder-launched SAMs vs air targets. In game, it seems it takes a lot of SAM launches to hit and take down a helo. I know that many different factors are involved, but was hitting and taking down gunships difficult in actual practice (assuming they aren't taking cover behind a hill or something)? I expected air defense to be more effective than what is modeled in game, although there are times it truly is murderous. I had one hidden, hero Tunguska unit take out 6 Apaches as they flew past and other cases in which I've had enemy SAMs launch many missiles against my helos with no effect.

[Tazak]

MANPADs are mainly heatseeking 'fire and forget' relying on the limited space within the missile itself for to provide a computer system giving it tracking and terminal guidance data. Other MANPADs rely on user guidance so if the aircraft leaves the users LOS the missile flounders and is wasted.

Vehicle mounted systems more often than not are radar guided and have a fire control system providing second by second data sent to the missile mid-flight. Radar guide systems are limited not by LOS but by strength and range of the radar, I believe the more modern systems like the 2S6 can track and engage multiple targets at the same time.

[CapnDarwin]

Tazak, has it pretty well covered. There are a ton of factors in the game too. LOS, readiness, equipment, sensors, and of course some luck (good and bad).