berto
Posts: 20708
Joined: 3/13/2002
From: metro Chicago, Illinois, USA
Status: offline
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Helo Ops Hints, Tricks & Traps
When moving helos (helicopters), get in the habit of using the PgUp & PgDn keys to Climb & Descend. When I maneuver helos around the battlefield, I generally hover my left hand over those keys, ready to press them at a moment's notice. Sure, you could use the Toolbar buttons all the time. (And sure, the PgUp & PgDn keys are inconveniently positioned at the right side of the keyboard.) But you will save yourself lots of mouse sweeps and time by using the hotkeys. And both of your hands!
Make good use of the Air button category! Don't just use Common or Combat (or, shudder, All) all the time.
When flying long distances, fly High! Your helos will fly farther, faster. If you fly Low, or worse at NOE, you will fly shorter, slower. Thereby exposing your helos to possible ground fire, especially when flying NOE. Also, you consume those precious Turns Until Refuel unnecessarily. Fly High, fly fast to your destination, then back to base again. In between, that leaves more turns you can hover around the battlefield before you are forced back to base to refuel.
The purpose of "Cannot do two consecutive climbs/descents in the same hex" is to enforce flight arcs, to thwart straight up/down climbs/descents all the time. Note: The relevant flight zone crossover is Low to High, or vice versa. That is, you can do two climbs in the same hex from G to N to L, or two descents from L to N to G. But if you climb L to H, or descend H to L, no can do in the same hex; you must move to another hex in order to continue your climb/descent. (There may be obscure exceptions to these general rules.)
To find LZs, remember to use:
* the Highlight LZs Toolbar button, and/or
* the Display > Highlight > Landable LZ Hexes menu item, and/or
* the Alt+Z hotkey
Recall also: Options > Highlight Colors to set your preferred color. (Tip: Different highlight colors work best with different prevalent terrain.) I find Zoom 8 or 9 best for picking out highlighted hexes.
To find the LZs with supply -- for refueling, but also to rearm gunships etc. -- remember to use:
* the Highlight supply units Toolbar button, and/or
* the Display > Highlight > Supply Units menu item, and/or
* the Alt+Y hotkey[/list]
You will also need to use the Highlight HQs for helo resupply purposes.
Helos flying High generally cannot fire (except at other helos; n/a in CS:Vietnam). Flying Low, they can fire, and effectively so. For best effect, fire from NOE.
But watch out! Flying Low, you are vulnerable to enemy ground fire. Flying NOE, you will be quite vulnerable. If flying NOE, you will want to make good use of elevations and covering terrain to sneak around the battlefield, swoop in, fire fast, and retire immediately. When flying NOE, don't loiter in the vicinity of the enemy!
The farther away a unit fires, the less effective its fire. Helos at ground 2 hexes away from an enemy firing unit are considered to be at range 2. If at NOE, still range 2. If at Low flight level, range 2 (hexes) + 1 (flight level), i.e., range 3. If at High flight level, range 2 (hexes) + 2 (flight levels), i.e., range 4. And so on. Bear this in mind when firing helo to ground, or vice versa (enemy AA fire).
Pay attention to the phase opening Command Reports! They will alert you if you have helos Low on Fuel, or worse, Out of Fuel. Note that later in the phase, you can recall the earlier Command Report (for the current turn only) via Status > Command Report.
If you Highlight Aircraft Units (Toolbar button, menu item, or hotkey Alt+H), helos will be highlighted, while helos Low on Fuel (or Out of Fuel) will highlight with the Alternate Color to the Primary Highlight Color (as specified via Options > Highlight Colors). Primary Color & Alternate Color are closely matched, e.g., Yellow/Orange, Sky Blue/Turquoise, Black/White, etc. Experiment with the different Highlight Colors for best effect.
Understand the differing roles between helo transports, helo gunships, and recce helos. Don't rely on your transport & recce helos in a fierce firefight! Use your gunships if you have them.
Protect your Loaded helos! If they are destroyed, their passengers die with them. So be very careful maneuvering Loaded helos around the battlefield. Pay close attention to your flight zones, your directions of approach, elevations and covering terrain. Using your ground units, maybe induce enemy opfire first, hopefully where they expend it all, before you swoop in and attempt to land at (or take off from) an LZ.
Losing a helo hurts, badly! Not just the usual SP/VP loss, but also you might lose a heap of EPs (Event Points) per special CSEE scripting. Protect your precious helos!
If your Out of Fuel helo is forced to land (and survives the forced landing), it sucks! Because unless you can somehow get a suitable resupply unit to that hex, the helo is stuck there maybe for the remainder of the scenario. Worse, although a grounded helo does have some defensive value, it can be fired at, assaulted, etc. by enemy ground forces, and cannot retreat (since at ground).
What else did I miss?
[to be continued...]
< Message edited by berto -- 1/23/2022 6:30:05 PM >
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