BigGaayAl

Yesterday I played Dragon valley in the heli on chinese sidewhile in a 6 man squad. I had choppy graphics the whole round, but because the chopper was abandoned i used it anway. My mission was to stick with my squad as a unit. When I got a gunner (Rico - really great job on his part) things really tookk off.

Our squad was retaking the first base, but failing. We got it back when we in the chopper were able to mow down infantry at the flag while our squad moved in.

Then the squad moved to the southwest flag, the one with all the chimneys. Here i would circle around, facing the fixed AA. A few times, the flag was turned, but the squadleader managed to stay alive, while we in the chopper were killing infantry on the flag, and distracting most enemies. Then the squad would respawn and retake the flag.

When there was nothing to do the squadleader would give me orders to assist another squad that was attacking the north west base and facing heavy resistance. After a few tries, they got the flag back while we killed 5 to 15 infantry around the flag.

I think our chopper did not only kill 60 enemies, we also assisted our squad decisively in defending a flag, and another squad too.

Now the opposing chopper was probably not one of the best, and I am usually raped by the TG pilots in chopper vs chopper fight. But a few times in that, we were engaging the enemmy chopper (only because it attacked us; i was sticking with my squad) and it suddenly blew up, shot by an igla or something else. Now when it happened i thought lucky me. But now i think it wasn't maybe all luck. Since I was sticking with my squad, there were always some guns on the ground that could assist me in the air to air combat if they weren't under attack.

I had been trying this on our own clanserver for sometime. Yesterday it was a great succes, even though i can never fly a chopper without choppy gfx on TG because of the transatlantic lag.

This leads me to conclude that having a chopper in a squad might well be more useful when done right then having a seperate chopper squad.
The chopper can still be called on to assist other squads via the sl and commander and it is more closely involved in the battle through direct communication with 4 ground troops.

A good example of the communication advantage was when the squad was being hit by snipers from different directions. The squad had spotted the snipers on the minimap, but that area of the map (sw flag) has big differences in elevation. At that moment I was flying in from the base, and asked to describe exactly where the snipers were located. We took out one sniper on a ridge, while the squad killed another.

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TychoCelchuuu

There's no question that a chopper supporting a squad is wicked helpful, but a chopper squad supporting an infantry squad per the commander's orders is much more flexible, since if a tank pops up on the other side of the map the chopper can just zip over and TV missile something. The key here is good chopper pilots; they have to be aware of where they are needed on the map. Don't leave it up to the commander: take your attack chopper to whatever flag your team is assaulting, and help out the guys on the ground.

Of course, if the chopper's unused, it makes sense to hop in and support your squad for a while, at least until you get shot down.

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MrPaladin-TPF-

if the helo is not opposed by the other team, theres no limit to what it can do...

if the enemy's making use of the helo's you have to fight back or your gator bait

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wushuhero

that what Im here for BUt I use a Blackhawk, Its much more interesting to appose an attack chopper with a Blackhawk, of course Ive always liked a challenge......

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ingame name: Zuiquan1

BigGaayAl

So I read it correctly that all the people that have responded here don't see any use for this tactic?

Maybe, but you cannot compare the directness of comms in a squad to comms via the commander. It won't be more then attack here, attack there.

There could also be a greater involvement from the squad in trying to protect the chopper.

Well i'll keep trying it, mainly because it's fun to have simultanous air/ground battles.

If you guys are alone in a chopper squad, don't you do like I do then and just fly all over the battlefield trying to help, but getting shot down? I find I keep flying over enemy lines and getting taken out by AA or 50cal while I am engaging their chopper.

Maybe it is just good for a less skilled pilot to avoid canstant chopper vs chopper and be of some use.

__________________
Support your right to arm bears. ~Cleveland Amory

I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy. ~J.D. Salinger

PanzerHans

I firmly believe a separate chopper squad fits best into the TG way of playing it. Especially when we are talking games at 36+ players ( not age ). The reason for this is that a squad needs its 6 players on the ground in tight comminucation. On urban maps this is important as there are som many places the copper cannot reach. If you have a commander playing he vill relay requests from a squad to support an attack on a flag if he gets one. It is however rare that theese requests are sent. I've been sent out a few times on requests like this, especially on Daqing Oilfields when enemy squads have positioned itself ontop of the powerstation roof or on the refinery roof (in places which are unreachable from the ground).

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MrPaladin-TPF-

ohh it does indeed have its advantages, but you have to consider the two spots within the squad is nessary for spawning infantry... if you just do a seperate squad and respon to any armour or infantry sighted you could be just as effective for every squad... get commander assistance to know what flags to help assult and your set...

I'd prefer the transport helo for the job your talking about within the squad... that way not only can you assist on guns when attacking a flag, but your a mobile healing and reload center, and your automatic transport over any terrain... tho your squad is not a great defence...

__________________
"Victory without Honor, is Pointless..."
"I regret that I only have 1 life per spawn, to give to my team...."