Control of helicopters

[jason oates]

I was always told that the helicopter was the ultimate in "real time" battlefield tactical response. However, in AB it seems that you have to pre-plan all potential helicopter missions and if the situation develops beyond your pre-planning then the missions become irrelevant and the helicopter mission is useless and fixed so no tactical updates can be given.

Unless im missing something this is the case.

How can helicopters be used in a much more tactically reactive way?

Your thoughts on this would be of interest.

Looking forward to the tactical flexibility of air mobile troops.

[Veitikka]

In addition to the pre-planned battle positions, any HQ unit and the 'player character' unit can call on-map helicopters to its position. Select the unit and 'ORDERS' -> 'HQ CAS'.

The helicopter support of this era was not nearly as flexible as it is today.

[jason oates]

I have been to the steam forums and it seems im not the only one dismayed by the lack of control of helicopters and their seemingly suicidal impulses.

If you can place an APC in a woods that is miles away from you as commander, im sure you could order a helicopter flight to move to a tactical position and pop up to attack then move to another position to evade defensive fire.

After all a helicopter is just another vehicle like a tank or APC it just moves slightly differently.

Try to look at "Air Battle Central Europe" by Alfred Price - The chapter regarding Army Air Corp offensive operations with Lynx used in squadron strength as an intervention force combined with Gazelle to provide artillery to the strike area. In effect a massive concentration of firepower in a small area.

I have tried to design a scenario to test this tactic but helicopters just hover without evading fire and when travelling to their battle position expose themselves to enemy fire.

I have read the reply but just cannot see any use for helicopters at all. It seems to me even an american Apache regiment would have a negligible effect on an armoured formation and sustain enormous losses.

I have given up with rotary wing operations as they have no offensive capability and no defensive capability and no transport or resupply capability and are not under any but the most rudimentary control.

That said, the game remains challenging and fun and i look forward to improvements in the future.

[22sec]

ORIGINAL: jason oates

I have been to the steam forums and it seems im not the only one dismayed by the lack of control of helicopters and their seemingly suicidal impulses.

If you can place an APC in a woods that is miles away from you as commander, im sure you could order a helicopter flight to move to a tactical position and pop up to attack then move to another position to evade defensive fire.

After all a helicopter is just another vehicle like a tank or APC it just moves slightly differently.

Try to look at "Air Battle Central Europe" by Alfred Price - The chapter regarding Army Air Corp offensive operations with Lynx used in squadron strength as an intervention force combined with Gazelle to provide artillery to the strike area. In effect a massive concentration of firepower in a small area.

I have tried to design a scenario to test this tactic but helicopters just hover without evading fire and when travelling to their battle position expose themselves to enemy fire.

I have read the reply but just cannot see any use for helicopters at all. It seems to me even an american Apache regiment would have a negligible effect on an armoured formation and sustain enormous losses.

I have given up with rotary wing operations as they have no offensive capability and no defensive capability and no transport or resupply capability and are not under any but the most rudimentary control.

That said, the game remains challenging and fun and i look forward to improvements in the future.

Fun fact - you can copy the Hinds flight, edit them to remove the isHelicopter designation, and save them as a new flight. In game they will now perform "attack runs" like the other planes, and when you see it in game, not only does it look like the old videos of Soviets Hinds on the attack, it's pretty devastating. Of course, they still take losses. I think we can underestimate how fragile helicopters are. I need to tidy up my revised database and release it if anyone is interested.