Re: New icon series
 

Thanks for that. I'm actually pretty good for sources, I just have to do it. The new default is unfortunately more inaccurate than the previous one which is more the issue. I just have to go in and muck around with it.

AH-1Js and Ts apparently were capable of carrying minigun pods, though I'm not entirely sure how common that was. I've also seen pictures of AH-1Ts with Zuni pods and AH-1Ws with 2.75" pods loaded with illumination rockets (though I'm not sure that would lead to better vision rating since the sighting equipment usually allows for better vision than the 5 or so I alot to any aircraft/helo loaded with illum flares). So there are other things I sorta want to check up on, put in a certain variety of possible.

Re: New icon series
 

Thanks for the info. I had been looking for a bit of clarification on that as well. Just two quick questions on that:

- Are you sure the USMC AH-1J was TOW-capable, and if so, from which date? The introduction of the original J model seems to predate the AH-1Q and even the ICAP TOW-integration program.
Could it be a confusion with Bell's "AH-1J International" variant, (as delivered to Iran) which carried the TOW as an option? I had gathered the AH-1T was mainly an uprated AH-1J with TOW capability. Was the guidance system retrofitted to some J models while in service?

-How positive for the APKWS being in service simultaneously with the AH-1Z?

As a side note, there's a "Sidewinder ATAM" in Obat012, if needed you could probably patch up some stats from the Chapparal as well. (I mean, the guidance system is bound to be worse than the Stinger, while warhead and maybe range should be higher)

Re: New icon series
 

Any of them can carry a minigun pod, but given the built-in gun in the nose it was very rare for them to do so. The pods are used far more by UH-1 Huey's playing a light gunship role.
The USMC AH-1's commonly play a spotter role, thus illum and/or smoke 2.75's, since the Marines don't have a dedicated spotter helo like the OH-6 or OH-58.

Myself I created Attack and COIN versions of the AH-1's The main difference being the Attack version carry's twice as many ATGM's as the COIN version, and the COIN twice the 2.75" load as the Attack version.

Also, tho the AH-1's can carry Hellfire's I've seen no indication the Marines use them much. I suspect they're used more by the Army Reserve and National Guard units equipped with AH-1's.
I suspect this is for logistic reasons more then anything else. The Army already has Hellfires in stock for their AH-64's and for the Marines they would be used only by the AH-1's.

Re: New icon series
 

As with most things in the OOB's there's a bit of compromise.
It's not really possible to include every helo variant and potential weapons load-out.
Since I didn't include the AH-1Q variant I merely included the TOW capability with the AH-1J's.
Tho, yes the guidance capability was apparently retrofitted to some of the AH-1J's (more or less making them AH-1Q's).

As to the APKWS, again a compromise to keep the number of variants to a dull roar.

Yeah, I looked at the Sidewinder and Chapparel in OBAT #12, but again took a compromise position. Since I'm adding several variants of the Stinger already I just used those instead.

As has been said by the "Powers That Be" SPMBT is not a simulation so it's somewhat a matter of individual interpretation/taste what compromises to take.

Re: New icon series
 

The pictures from Iraq show AH-1Ws with split loads, usually two 2.75" rocket pods plus one 4 tube TOW launcher and one 4 rail HELLFIRE launcher. Neither ever seems to be fully loaded. I would suspect that even in a more serious situation, they would simply just be fully loaded, not go one way or the other.

Re: New icon series
 

Probably true.
To be honest I haven't spent a lot of time looking at what's going on present day.
Not many armored targets in Iraq these days so no real sense loading the weapons and exposing them to unnecessary wear and tear.
In fact I wasn't aware they were mixing Hellfire and TOW systems on single helo's. Might have to go back and tweak my Attack AH-1's. I so wish there were 5 weapon slots rather then four *laughs* !

Re: New icon series
 

Well I have seen it, but I've also seen just HELLFIREs. I'm sure its largely up to whoever gets to decide such things and whether they think there's a real benefit of one system over the other in the current environment.

Re: New icon series
 

One slot for M197, one for Hydras (19 shots of 2x rockets), one for TOWs and one for Hellfires. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif
I'd guess the Hellfires are in bunker-buster or FAE versions, and maybe a couple of TOWs for lighter targets?

Re: New icon series
 

I cant download them from the Box, Plasma; can you email them to me so I can put them on the archive? My ISP finally upgraded to 1GB so I can start adding new stuff

Re: New icon series
 

Trouble is I want to keep the Sidewinders.

What I'll probably do is pull them from the Attack version and give the COIN version only TOW's.

Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to make a bunker buster version of the Hellfire. To be honest I'm not all that impressed with them anti-tank wise in SPMBT, the advanced multi-charge and top-attack TOWs are much more effective.