Attack chopper tips needed

[xombine]

I finally realized that I'm going to need to learn how to become somewhat decent at flying the attack choppers, since they can really own. I was quite pitiful before, but I think I'm better now.

So I spent about 2-3 hours tonight just playing single player games and using the attack chopper. I eventually got the hang of it and could judge the missiles too. I know that I'm at least 100% better now, and it doesn't seem that hard anymore. I really think that I can go online and not make a complete ass of myself.

So are there any tips or pointers that I should know? I'm sure AiM can give me a lot of insight seeing as how he totally owns in these.

oh btw I'm using a keyboard. I cba and really don't think I need a joystick.

 

[Dog--]

I use a keyboard for everything on the chopper, go into first person with the chopper, you can aim better (if your not in first person right now), make sure you know how to strafe left and right, because you really have to work to dodge missiles. Thats as much as I can remember.

 

[CookieCuttah]

Fly low when breaking missile locks, slightly higher when attacking and a bit more higher when anticipating your attack.

Never fly low when attacking or just traveling though, you're an easy target to everyone else. (Except AA)

 

[Glirk Dient]

Use the keyboard to fly.

Don't use your missles, get a gunner and have him TV guide stuff and shoot up infantry...that is when you own. You rarely ever use your missles, only if theres too many tanks/APCs or your gunner sucks and missed a ground target.

Fly high, stay high enough so ground vehicles and infantry don't shoot ya down. If you get a missle lock flare then go behind a hill/building. You really need to learn the maps and just get a feel for the helicopter.

Always look out for the enemy attack helo. If your going up against me and you don't see me chances are you won't until my name is in the upper left. Always look out as your a sitting duck if you don't realize they are there.

When dogfighting keep higher altitude than them, never dive. Always dodge when you see their missle coming at you, other than that try to line your gunner up for a shot every 8 or so seconds so he can shoot them down.

When shooting missles stop accelerating as that makes your missles shoot too high, don't slow down either as they go below your crosshair then. Just release the gas and launch em and you will own the tank pretty fast.

Also learn the benefits/downsides of the attack helos.

The cobra is best for fighting other helos. It is small and maneuverable. MEC chopper is a larger and slower target but its machine gun tears infantry up, it is best against infantry and jeeps as the machine gun just tears everything up with its explosive shells.

 

[xombine]

Ok then thanks for the tips guys, I'll definately put them to use.

Don't use your missles, get a gunner and have him TV guide stuff and shoot up infantry...that is when you own. You rarely ever use your missles, only if theres too many tanks/APCs or your gunner sucks and missed a ground target.

So a gunner cannot fire the TV missiles if the pilot is firing his?

 

[Pesmerga]

There are three weapons on the attack chopper,

The machine gun
The rockets
The TV guided missile

The gunner controls the machine gun and the TV guided missile, the pilot controls the rockets. The rockets are more effective at tearing up small armor, the TV missile is better for tanks, APCs, and other helicopters.

 

[Evo]

Go on the 256 server and get in a chopper with a clanny and their squad and ask for some flying lessons

 

[63]

There are three weapons on the attack chopper,

The machine gun
The rockets
The TV guided missile

The gunner controls the machine gun and the TV guided missile, the pilot controls the rockets. The rockets are more effective at tearing up small armor, the TV missile is better for tanks, APCs, and other helicopters.

Fantastic post *claps*.

 

[kaf11]

Glirk, by using the keyboard do you mean a keyboard/mouse combo?

 

[CyberPitz]

Glirk, by using the keyboard do you mean a keyboard/mouse combo?

Here's to hoping...I can't even imagine doing the helicopter thing effectively with just a keyboard. D:

 

[AiM]

So are there any tips or pointers that I should know? I'm sure AiM can give me a lot of insight seeing as how he totally owns in these.

QFT!

:E

Ok, self-praising aside, here's my best advice.

1. Stop using keyboard, learn to use the mouse.
- The keyboard constricts your movement's, you can't fine-tune specific movements and you'll be much better off in the long run with a mouse. I started off using a keyboard too and it's just not worth it, the mouse beats it in every way imagineable.

2. Learn and familiarize your sensitivity settings.
- This is very important, everyone has their own comfort setting and it's important you use a setting at or over 5 (unless your have some ridiculously high DPI mouse). Anything lower than that mean's you'll likely have to pick up and move your mouse, that is a big no-no. Personally I use a sensitivity setting of 7 and default 1 for the other two, it's a bit high for most but that's just a setting I'm comfortable with.

3. Practice!
- This goes without saying, but it's important you familiarize yourself with your sensitivity setting. Otherwise you might risk crashing into sneaky palm tree's, damn EA needs to nerf them since I never win against them!

4. Bind key's to Camera Back and Cockpit view to easily accesible keys
- This isn't a necessity but it's very helpful, I have two extra buttons on my mouse I that I have binded these camera views to and it's helpful to spot anyone potentially sneaking up or following you. I spend 90% of my time looking backwards when I fly long distances to heal or resupply, it has saved my ass countless times.

5. Know the limits of each chopper.
- USMC is highly manuevreable, every pilot's dream. The PLA flies like a whale and the MEC one drives like a bus. It's important when you're performing evasive manuevres to compensate for each chopper, the USMC you can do quick reactions while the MEC takes forever it seems. Also, the USMC rises in altitude the fastest while the MEC takes the longest, this is important to keep in mind while in heli-to-heli battles.

6. Altitude is king
- When fighting other choppers, your number one priority should be gaining an altitude advantage. Never ever do any fancy moves in a dogfight, all those barrel rolls / loops do is cause you to lose a chunk of altitude. It's never worth it, just laugh at those idiots who think they're being cool by doing that.

7. Never stay still
- It's important you're in constant motion, heli's are paper thin nowadays and your #1 priority should always be staying alive. Ray Charles could hit a stationary helicopter, so always avoid hovering completely still. That does not mean however, that you should fly like you're drunk, when your gunner decides to TV provide him a split second of steady flying and once he launches keep manuevring.

---------
Phew, that's a lot, I'll post more if needed but for now I need a break!

Oh and someone mentioned staying still when using attack heli rockets, it's up to the individual. Personally I'm always in motion so as a result, I'm flying at my target's and essentially make a 'passing attack'. 95% of the time the target dies but if he somehow lives, I'm out of his attack range and giving my gunner a second chance to TV.

 

[Pesmerga]

6. Altitude is king
- When fighting other choppers, your number one priority should be gaining an altitude advantage. Never ever do any fancy moves in a dogfight, all those barrel rolls / loops do is cause you to lose a chunk of altitude. It's never worth it, just laugh at those idiots who think they're being cool by doing that.

What are you trying to say, bub? Barrel rolls own your face.

Edit - That reminds me. When in the blackhawk, always, always do barrel rolls. They are vital to mission success.

 

[AiM]

What are you trying to say, bub? Barrel rolls own your face.

Edit - That reminds me. When in the blackhawk, always, always do barrel rolls. They are vital to mission success.

D:

You're right, the blackhawk was made for barrel rolls... preferably at low altitudes and with full passenger scenarios.

 

[CookieCuttah]

If your mission is throwing the blackhawk at the nearest large body of water, then that is a good idea.

 

[sinkoman]

OH.

Don't use the flares, unless you're POSITIVE that it's a jet. If it's a jet, then by all means use them, cause it's pretty much your last chance.

With mobile aa and the likes, try to outmenuever them. If you just blow your flares and keep going, remember that he's still there and trying to pwn you. Jets on the other hand, have to make a ginourmous turn to make a second pass.

 

[AiM]

Mobile AA is by far and large your #1 priority on the field, that thing tears down heli's like it's nobodys' business. Your best bet is to kill it every chance you get, make sure you kill empty one's that your team doesn't hold the flag to. Your best bet when it's manned by an enemy is to back outside his lock-on range and have your gunner TV him (~400m?). Nine times out of ten, the idiot will keep firing his shells at you which will give your gunner a nice trail to follow directly into him. If somehow you're caught in surprise by mobile AA, you have to time your flare's correctly (this is where the Camera Back bind is important) and use terrain / tree's to stumble his lock as you haul ass out of there.

Jet's are easily dodged, the only real danger is if they're crappy pilots and end up kamikazing you. Just realize which direction he's attacking from and go perpendicular direction, timing of the flares are important since many pilots nowadays fly at a snails pace. It's not as critical as against mobile AA but nevertheless, if you mis-time it you might lose a chunk of health.

 

[xombine]

1. Stop using keyboard, learn to use the mouse.
- The keyboard constricts your movement's, you can't fine-tune specific movements and you'll be much better off in the long run with a mouse. I started off using a keyboard too and it's just not worth it, the mouse beats it in every way imagineable.

2. Learn and familiarize your sensitivity settings.
- This is very important, everyone has their own comfort setting and it's important you use a setting at or over 5 (unless your have some ridiculously high DPI mouse). Anything lower than that mean's you'll likely have to pick up and move your mouse, that is a big no-no. Personally I use a sensitivity setting of 7 and default 1 for the other two, it's a bit high for most but that's just a setting I'm comfortable with.

Actually I am using the mouse, I guess I should have said the mouse/keyboard combo. It's just that back in the days of 1942 there were a ton of people who claimed that you absolutely had to have a joystick in order to fly properly.

I do need to fix my sensitivity though, I sometimes have to lift the mouse up in order to avoid making a lovely nosedive into the dirt. And sometimes I don't pull up fast enough.

 

[Glirk Dient]

So a gunner cannot fire the TV missiles if the pilot is firing his?

He can, just that is what n00bs do. Skilled heli pilots stay a long ways away and let the gunner pick targets off vs flying straight at a target for a rocket run.

Glirk, by using the keyboard do you mean a keyboard/mouse combo?

Yes