Sahel slugfest helo tips

[Phoenix100]

Can anyone help with the best way to use the Helicopters in the Sahel Slugfest scenario, please? At Abeche there are 2 Hinds and 4 Tigres. What I would like to use them for is to send them nap of the earth just over the border to take out the multiple SAMs there west of the Sudanese forward airbase. I have tried many ways to do this, in order to keep the helos low during and after they've attacked, but I seem to lose them all without fail. Micromanaging them I do no better than giving them all an area SEAD mission - same unfortunate result each time. There are quite a few manpads there, I think, and the helos detect them at quite close range. But even the normal SAM sites there seem easily able to hit them when they're flying as low as I can get them to fly. Which seems to be 500ftAGL - is that the lowest you can get anything to fly?

Or am I just trying to do the wrong thing with these helicopters?

Many thanks.

[ExNusquam]

Last time I played that scenario, I mostly held the helos back until I'd attritted enough of the tactical SAMs with AASMs then used the helos to standoff against the armor/arty. They were not as useful in the long run as the train of M2000D's I set up once I had air superiority.

[Phoenix100]

Thought it must be something like that - like me using them wrong. Thanks, ExNusquam!

[thewood1]

Not directly applicable, but read up on the battle around Najaf in 2003. AH-64s attacking the Medina division without anti-air suppression support or effective scouting were very roughly handled to the point the air brigade had to be pulled back from further combat for a while. Not many SAMs, but a lot of AAA and small arms.

https://www.airforcemag.com/article/1003najaf/

The difference with 1991 is they had good intelligence and surprise.

[Gunner98]

Interesting article. Was not aware of this - thanks for sharing.

[Phoenix100]

It is interesting, yes. Thanks.