Helicopters : nap of the earth

[Aradiel]

Is it me, or all those wanabe helo pilots don't know they are just sitting duck when flying more than 10 above ground level ???

Each time I board a choppper and I ask the pilot to fly lower, the most I get is rebukes or remarks clearly showing the pilots doesn't understand why I would ask this... and then "bip bip bip bip LOCK KABOOM" or I start seeing tracers flying around us like angree bees and then we're no more (and that only if we don't end up shredded during a midair collision with another wanabe kamikaze pilot).

What is funny is that if by chance I get first to the transport helicopter when it respawns and I give the crew the opportunity to puke all over my brand new helo by flying as low as 3 or 4 above sea level then they let me fly it even if they get to it first later on

[Eden]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Lol I wish I could see my passengers faces when I nose dive to the bottom of the dam in a BH only to level it out right outside the flag.

Or flying like you said about 1-2 feet from the sea, under bridges and allsorts, I actualy just noticed today that there were a few people actualy waiting for my to fly the choper for them.

[Kattspya]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Is it me, or all those wanabe helo pilots don't know they are just sitting duck when flying more than 10 above ground level ???

Each time I board a choppper and I ask the pilot to fly lower, the most I get is rebukes or remarks clearly showing the pilots doesn't understand why I would ask this... and then "bip bip bip bip LOCK KABOOM" or I start seeing tracers flying around us like angree bees and then we're no more (and that only if we don't end up shredded during a midair collision with another wanabe kamikaze pilot).

What is funny is that if by chance I get first to the transport helicopter when it respawns and I give the crew the opportunity to puke all over my brand new helo by flying as low as 3 or 4 above sea level then they let me fly it even if they get to it first later on

If you're up against decent opposition you are toast if you are seen. Flying low generally sucks. Your survival rate is much higher above 300-400. If you fly so low that parachutes won't deploy I would consider you a hack. I want to be able to jump out as soon as I see that wire guided in the air. Flying low is acceptable when you are trying to stay out of fixed AA LOS otherwise it's just stupid.

This is from the perspective of an attack helo pilot with a kickass gunner.

[Kinder133]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

I stopped flying all together because I would fly low and at times I'd run into things. Hey, stuff happens. But to then get punished by your passengers? Please, I no longer fly Blackhawks. I do enjoy them and I will hop in if it's not being used just to joy ride but I refuse to be punished for an accident.

[glaucoma]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Flying low is key. High flyers are my best friends because they mean instant kills for me from my first scout missile.
People zooming around between ground cover with the chopper are much harder to kill. I keep low, pop up for a shot, vanish between obstacles again. I survive.
Same with blackhawks - going low between obstacles and wide keeps you out of TV missiles and jet boardcannons more effectively than going high.

[BeerStein]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Yeah - use cover - but just staying that low over terrain is a death wish for your squad. If you get into some deep crap - and they cannot repair fast enough - you just donated 6 kills to the opposition. You are also bait for my tank round entering your back cabin, taking your whole crew with it in one shot.

Yes you tend to stay out of the aircraft's radar - but not my bombs in the bomber. I can't tell you how many low flying helos have fallen prey to my bomb runs. If I see them that low - I just turn around with bomb mode on so they never know I am coming. By the time they hear or see me - the bombs are just above the chopper and I just got 6 kills without you knowing wtf hit you.

You also give no vantage point for your gunners. Get up a bit in the air and your gunners can mow people down as they run for cover....it also keeps you out of eye level of the jeeps and APC's.

You are less likely to be taken out by a jet than you are by ground targets.

[imported_Rafterman]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

As an avid AAA gunner from BF42 and DC, I can honestly say I miss the challenge of going one-on-one with a good pilot that knows how to use terrain to their advantage.

Pilots in BF2 are totally spoiled b/c AA is such a minor threat to them. I'm hoping the new patch makes it much more dangerous to fly high and level around the battlefield.

[glaucoma]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Flying low is pointless in this game - tank shells, TOW missiles, AT rockets, and .50 cals are all easier to fire when shooting againt low helicopters.

I still do it, but it doesn't yield any advantages - and arguably hurts more. Flying super high is much safer.

Flying low is pointless if you've over large open spaces, e.g. water.
It is also pointless when there's no jets around.
It is very pointful when you have trees and buildings around you, because the enemies lose track of you and nothing ever gets consistent lock on you.

[vbl]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Flying low is pointless if you've over large open spaces, e.g. water.
It is also pointless when there's no jets around.
It is very pointful when you have trees and buildings around you, because the enemies lose track of you and nothing ever gets consistent lock on you.

Enemies don't need lock-on to kill you. There are a lot of things that are lethal to helicopters - and it's a lot easier to get hit by them when you're at near-ground level.

[glaucoma]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Enemies don't need lock-on to kill you. There are a lot of things that are lethal to helicopters - and it's a lot easier to get hit by them when you're at near-ground level.

Like I said

because the enemies lose track of you

most evidenced by blackhawk pilots on Mashtuur.
If they go high, taking them out with two humvees is easy.
When they dive between the houses out of your firing angle, they get away and repair.
Same on Songhua with the bamboo woods.
Same on Daqing with trees, hills and buildings.
Same on Dragon Valley with the Power station forest and the Refinery ridge.
Same on Fushe with the trees and hills.

[FierceTeapot]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

but when they fly low they are at risk of tank shell fire... I've killed so many BHs on Mashtuur that have been hovering over flags or flying low from one place to the next with my trusty tank.

[vbl]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

but when they fly low they are at risk of tank shell fire... I've killed so many BHs on Mashtuur that have been hovering over flags or flying low from one place to the next with my trusty tank.

Tank shells and AT rockets. It's true.

[gehirnstav]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Theres no secure way to hold a chopper in the air. sometimes you have to fly low, sometimes you have to climb. just take out the tanks first, then hide near ground. important is to destroy things that can be dangerous to you fast. you need a good gunner for the tv missle.

edit: hovering to cap flags is the worst mistake you can make. (excluding situations that require this, but they're very rare)
just let the groundforces get the flag and cover them.

[glaucoma]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Hovering over flags :/
I never do that.
I get my guys out and let it circle while mounting a gun.
Also, avoiding tank fire while staying low is no problem for me when keeping my eyes open.
The tank will cause frantic spotting from my teammates anyway - so I just don't move my blackhawk near it. If I ever encounter a tank, I quickly hover over it, rise a bit and then dive behind the next cover. While he's under me he can't shoot, and when I dive, I'm too fast for him to react.

Theres no secure way to hold a chopper in the air. sometimes you have to fly low, sometimes you have to climb.

Naturally it is dumb to just blockheadedly follow one single doctrine forever.
I just generally prefer to make use of the terrain, because for me it has worked out so far.
I only die through jets, and that only happens when I'm high enough for them to ram me or to punish me with the cannon. When I stay between trees, they usually either don't bother, or crash.

[KillerUk]

Re: Helicopters : nap of the earth

Flying low to the ground is a lot worse then flying high. I am pilot all the time I am in the chopper and me and my gunner normally do pretty good.

flying low inbetween buildings is possible the worst thing you can do, it takes less time for missiles to get to you, tanks can shoot you as well as 8 wheelers. Also if the enemy chopper has a sensible flyer that doesnt hog the ground you are toast. In heli battles with good pilots height generally wins the battle.
Also when flying low, so that you dont get hit by missiles, be it from anti tank, 8 wheelers or anti air you have to fly along a lot faster than if you were up higher in the sky. If you are flying that close at any sort of spead you gunner has no chance of shooting anyone let alone getting a tv missile off to take out an armored vehicle.

I think you will find that most good pilots that fly high find it easy to loose a lock on from anti air and to then go and destroy them.

I have been flying for a long time as you can see in my stats and considering I am a pilot i am pleased with my kills in it. I have 3 main gunners who all have a better kill to time ratio as I prefer setting them up over diving down to take something out, Im there to set there TV missiles up and to take out some anti air if they miss with the TV missile.