Helos and artillery

[Bipman]

Hi all

Done a search but couldn't find anything. I'm playing the Germany reforged scenario "FPG_A1_Meeting of Titans_NM" and found that the NATO artillery can shoot down helicopters and I can't remember if this was being looked at ?

SPG

[Tazak]

if a helicopter is hovering it can be hit by arty

[CapnDarwin]

Hovering Helos can be hit. A helo "moving thru" a hex has a small chance of getting hit since it is transiting thru.

[Stimpak]

Alternatively, an unlucky helo flying NOE could be vulnerable as well...

[Bipman]

Could this happen in real battle conditions ?

SPG

[Tazak]

We're not talking a shell hitting helicopter but rather the shrapnel and blast wave that radiate outwards in all directions that are lethal to helicopters hovering or moving through the impact zone, look up google images for shrapnel some of them are large enough to rip through the light armour that the best protected helicopters have. In the case of large shells (+105mm) the blast shockwave would be enough to knock helicopters sideward potentially causing the pilot to lose control which if hovering a few meters above the ground would likely result in a crash

handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA329188 for a more detailed understanding of HE blasts and their effects

[Bipman]

Ah, understood. Makes sense now.

SPG

[CapnDarwin]

Not to mention ICM rounds or large area nearly simultaneous impacts from rockets and things like that.

[SwampYankee68]

DPICM fragmenting above where a helo is hovering would completely ruin that crew's day!

[Steelwhip]

ORIGINAL: stephen_gray98

Could this happen in real battle conditions ?

SPG

During the first Gulf War I know of one that was shot down by artillery from 1st Marine. I think 1 or 2 more were caught in cluster munitions from air strikes on the Road of Death