Small only-helicopters-AAR

KAreil · #1 August 20th, 2012, 01:34 AM

Hi!

Did a small english AAR with a pure helicopter force against a soviet motorized rifle unit force.

I had really much fun, but some questions arose:

1. One of my Cobras retreated off-map without having more than 3 or 4 supression-points...do they retreat if most of their ammo is spent?

It had no gun-ammo left, only 1 or 2 TOWs.

2. The AI seemed a little bit shocked by my air-force, they used ther AA-assets not really effecient. They had some STRELA-troops in their tranpsorts but didn't dismount them to attack me...

Is this behavior normal or just my luck?

Just some small question, I really LOVE this game and I'm still surprised about the manifold types of battles it can represent.

Aeraaa · #2 August 20th, 2012, 03:34 AM

I find helicopters in this game too cowardly for my taste. A sigle point of damage and they're heading off map...

Imp · #3 August 20th, 2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aeraaa

I find helicopters in this game too cowardly for my taste. A sigle point of damage and they're heading off map...

Right so as the pilot you would press on despite the warning lights & it bucking & shaking risking your life & the wrath of your commander if you survive for crashing a multimillion dollar piece of machinery instead of getting it home or at least on the ground in one piece.

Aeraaa · #4 August 20th, 2012, 06:59 PM

Well I dont disagree with you but my point still stands, I find choppers more of a liability than an asset (unless you're in those wide open desert maps which are a hellfire paradise). I'd certainly wouldnt base any task force that I'd make around them...

FASTBOAT TOUGH · #5 August 20th, 2012, 07:41 PM

I find it best to commit to buying my helos early to allow for those experiences, which is the whole point, for them to gain experience. I've had to have helos manually depart the area because they've survived deep into a long campaign of which mine are 19-27 battles long. The converse is true for the AI again experience is key which might explain the AA units misses. Just based on my long history with the AI.

Regards,
Pat

Imp · #6 August 20th, 2012, 07:50 PM

Ohh now thats scary definetly not helo territory you need cover rolling hills or mountains are the right stuff ask the AI. Not so long ago it sent 6 Apaches vs me & they did an exellent job of staying behind the hill line slowing my advance to a crawl

FASTBOAT TOUGH · #7 August 21st, 2012, 01:44 AM

Point well taken, it generally does make good use of terrain even beyond helos. If you treat your helos, tanks etc. like some kind of charging elephant, sooner rather then later, a hunter is going to shoot you dead. Disposition and movement of my forces are the most important phases to me. Terrain concealment is so important in keeping a better equipped AI/or HI player in check so you have a fighting chance. A good way to practice it is get 3 to 4 helos with some troops on board and try to penetrate the opposing players rear area. If successful and you start threatening the HQ, Arty, AA, VHexes etc. then it's really game on. But make sure before you try a deep penetration those helos gain a little... well you get the picture I'm sure.

Regards,
Pat

Imp · #8 August 21st, 2012, 04:19 AM

K Ariel if you fancy doing it again may as well do it realisticly, they are scary powerfull if enemy AAA is light.
Use 1 or 2 wings as follows USA Air Cav make up from memory
HQ Wing + 3 Recon Wings + 2 Attack Wings

Recon Wing = 6 Scout + 4 Attack Helos
Attack Wing = 4 Scout + 7 Attack Helos
HQ Wing = 1 Scout + 1 Attack + 6 Transport Helos

From around 2000 you can get helo wars with the right sides with them shooting missiles at each other.

gila · #9 August 21st, 2012, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imp

K Ariel if you fancy doing it again may as well do it realisticly, they are scary powerfull if enemy AAA is light.
Use 1 or 2 wings as follows USA Air Cav make up from memory
HQ Wing + 3 Recon Wings + 2 Attack Wings

Recon Wing = 6 Scout + 4 Attack Helos
Attack Wing = 4 Scout + 7 Attack Helos
HQ Wing = 1 Scout + 1 Attack + 6 Transport Helos

From around 2000 you can get helo wars with the right sides with them shooting missiles at each other.

The trouble i see with that scenario, and it seems sound as a plan.
The AI will rarely cooparate with your plans ,unless you buy for it.
Likely it will muster scads of manpads AA and infrantry which will send helios in a panic,your gonna need possible Arty and grunt scouts as well.
Scout helios are good for draining off AA,but some ground support is needed IMO.

Scenario #59 Egypt airmoble attack seems to be a good example on a good plan.

KAreil · #10 August 22nd, 2012, 02:47 AM

Thanks for all the feedback!

I bought for the AI, that's why it had the AA-guns in the first place...I was just wondering why it didn't use it's Strela-troops...

It still was a lot of fun and it was mainly for this battle-report within the big ModernCampaigns-AAR, so I won't try any helicopter-atttack in near future.

But Scenario #59 sounds great!