Little bird tactic

Expendable Grunt · Post by **Expendable Grunt** » 2007-07-22 03:25

First let me get a Q out of the way. If the USA calls their bell-front chopper a "Little bird", what are the names for the PLA/MEC ones? Also, when does the US actually deploy such small and somewhat fragile choppers? That is, what is their main purpose, especially the armed ones?

Ok, that's out. Now, here is an interesting suggestion for the pilots who have not already thought of this on their own (and you know who you are.). When the round starts on maps like Kashan or Qwai, instead of hovering around and trying to capture a flag with the rest of the force, do something very useful -- harass.

*On Qwai, especially as China, you have the oportunity to really put some hurt down on the enemy. USMC first has to capture the Mines. This is way out of reach for anything China has at that stage of the game, except for you. Normally, the USMC team has a few men and an APC up there. Use your chopper to go and harass the hell out of them, damaging the APC / killing the soldiers (I forget if the PLA little bird gets rockets like the US one or if it's just a chain gun...I really really don't fly these often) and slowing down their capturing. This allows your team to settle in with their cap zones before the enemy gets Government.

As USMC, you have a harder battle as you need to deal with tanks, but you can tick them off enough to slow things down a little.

*On Kashan, your enemies first flag to capture has one of your APC's on it. This means that, in a somewhat organized round, there should be atleast one squad on that flag, holding things up. Since I mostly play the 64 edition, IIRC there are no planes at the start of the round, so the only thing in the air would be yourself and (maybe) transport choppers. Your job would be to fly over to that flag in question, and harass oncoming light vehicles and infantry. The ability to stop this flag from being taken, or atleast slow it down while the heavier aircraft arrive, is vital -- it could seriously hamper your enemies ability to win.

In my opinion, since the LB only requires one person to man, I don't think it's too much of a hamper having the pilot as a member in an otherwise all-infantry squad (and it may actually be optimal). These choppers, being fast, fairly well armed, and un-detectable by heat-seaking ordinance, really can reek havok all over the battlefield.

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-07-22 03:45

I think, they make great recon helis for their teams and a nice tin can to shoot down for the T90s

Post by **Falkun** » 2007-07-22 04:18

This website gives a good idea of they're made for.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/ah-6.htm

Expendable Grunt · Post by **Expendable Grunt** » 2007-07-22 18:43

Hopefully this changes the way they're used in game.

Post by **Dunehunter** » 2007-07-22 19:02

The attack-LB the USMC gets on Qwai is nice for harassing, you just need to find a way to re-arm and repair, otherwise you're useless quickly. The Chinese one only gets a machinegun, no missiles, so it isn't really useful.

Nimble · Post by **Nimble** » 2007-07-22 19:14

dunehunter wrote:The attack-LB the USMC gets on Qwai is nice for harassing, you just need to find a way to re-arm and repair, otherwise you're useless quickly. The Chinese one only gets a machinegun, no missiles, so it isn't really useful.

I suggest the landing pad. But hey, that's just me.

CAS_117 · Post by **CAS_117** » 2007-07-22 19:22

I find it hard to believe that the on Qwai that the USMC has neither tanks, nor available anti tank helicopter mounted weapons (Realism). This map would be more interesting if the USMC had 1 cobra and 1 blackhawk. This would force the Chinese to be as careful regarding USMC air support as the USMC is with PLA tanks. THB, I rarely win against the PLA on most maps, including this one. A chinese team that has less teamwork and coordination can still beat a USMC that all have voip, a good commander and intelligent responsive squad leaders. Call it realism or call it balance, but both should end up causing the US to get better equipment. Just a little frustrated I guess.

Post by **Dunehunter** » 2007-07-22 19:24

Nimble, I'm not a retard. I tried it, it didn't do anything.

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-07-22 19:35

Cobra's are overpowering, because then PLA would get air raped and every single vehicle TV'd.
LB with rockets would do just fine

EDIT: Oh yeah, take out the bridges, if you don't want tanks on your side of the map

HABO3 · Post by **HABO3** » 2007-07-22 19:42

I've never understood why US doesn't get at least 1 tank on that map either.

And thanks to Black Hawk Down the little bird has become synonymous with troop transport but that helicopter is basically exclusive to the special operations community. Why is a little bird transporting infantrymen? You would more likely find a Kiowa Warrior hunting tanks with it's TOW launcher rather than an attack-LB if it were the Army, in the case of Marine Corps combined arms doctrine, a Cobra (at least 1?) would probably be supporting infantry on that map

. I'm pretty sure the Marine Corps doesn't even field the MH-6 and if they do it has probably been on only a very few occasions.

Nimble · Post by **Nimble** » 2007-07-22 19:47

dunehunter wrote:Nimble, I'm not a retard. I tried it, it didn't do anything.

I think only one of the landing pads repairs / re-arms, not entirely sure. I just know that it can be done.

Post by **Dunehunter** » 2007-07-22 21:20

Alright, thank you. I tried hovering above all of them, but I guess that I missed it or something. Sorry if I sounded offensive, but I took some offense at your comment.

101 bassdrive · Post by **101 bassdrive** » 2007-07-22 22:29

to rearm and repair the AH on qwai hover near the support humvee spawning at the base, any built up CO asset that does the same or supply drops.
it does not only harras APCs and tanks, hellfire missiles kill them.
1 sec full mg burst kills the PLA variant ( theoreticlly the MEC aswell).
its flying abilities are sick.
dont use it for transportation.
my general assault, furthemore timed and situational territorial engagement procedures I wont reveal though.

Expendable Grunt · Post by **Expendable Grunt** » 2007-07-23 02:31

Well, if you've got the little bird as part of your squad, you can take one rifleman and one heavy AT up with the pilot of fly off to mine; 1 AT round takes out an APC.

CAS_117 · Post by **CAS_117** » 2007-07-23 19:31

Well its just odd that the one actual MARINE chopper is the only one not on the map, while both army choppers are.

Expendable Grunt · Post by **Expendable Grunt** » 2007-07-23 20:50

What does the USMC use for choppers anyways?

Spaz · Post by **Spaz** » 2007-07-27 12:53

I think they use them to land small groups in places where bigger choppers can't land.

Ontop of buildnings etc

Thats what i think don't know if its correct ^^

Post by **Mongolian_dude** » 2007-07-27 17:15

Well, The USMC chopper is obviousl called the LB.
The MEC one is called the Gazell
Im not sure what the PLA one is called, but i call it the Wasp(cuz it looks like one).

Only the USMC attack littlebird has Rocket pods, but only the scout model(minguns only) is used in PR, atm.

On Qwai, i cant think why the USMC would deploy 3(2?) transport choppers(lets not get into USMC doesnt use LB IRL), aswell as an APC and a few Hummers. For a battleground that is as small as quwai.

Also, it seems like a bit of a waste of resources for the PLA to deploy 2 scout choppers, to scout for a very small armoured unit(2x MBT, 2xAPC).

It would seem to make more sense for the USMC to deploy 1x transport LB, 1xAttack LB(w/rocket pods) to support its troops(as the USMC only gets TWO Hummers to combat the PLA armour)

And sensible for the chinese to deploy 1x scout chopper(just guns), to support its armoured unit.

...mongol...

Sabre_tooth_tigger · Post by **Sabre_tooth_tigger** » 2007-07-28 04:48

'[R-MOD wrote:Mongolian_dude']
It would seem to make more sense for the USMC to deploy 1x transport LB, 1xAttack LB(w/rocket pods) to support its troops(as the USMC only gets TWO Hummers to combat the PLA armour)

And sensible for the chinese to deploy 1x scout chopper(just guns), to support its armoured unit.

...mongol...

That would make sense which is maybe why thats what they get

(thats how its set on the TG server anyhow)

The map is delibrately unbalanced afaik or balanced in different ways. The usa attack heli can destroy an apc easily and severely damage a tank. It takes about 22 hydras to destroy a tank, it has about 13

The usa team is more air mobile (3 helis vs 1), the chinese more ground dominant (tanks). Obviously that doesnt mean the chinese side wont go and run over their own mines and the usa team flip all their helis while taking off but in theory thats why this map is like this.
A cobra would totally stomp all over such a great idea of air vs ground advantage.

Possibly this is my fav map now with the 0.6 changes

system · Post by **system** » 2007-08-01 04:09

caboose wrote:I find it hard to believe that the on Qwai that the USMC has neither tanks, nor available anti tank helicopter mounted weapons (Realism). This map would be more interesting if the USMC had 1 cobra and 1 blackhawk. This would force the Chinese to be as careful regarding USMC air support as the USMC is with PLA tanks. THB, I rarely win against the PLA on most maps, including this one. A chinese team that has less teamwork and coordination can still beat a USMC that all have voip, a good commander and intelligent responsive squad leaders. Call it realism or call it balance, but both should end up causing the US to get better equipment. Just a little frustrated I guess.

Well at least they have an attack Little Bird to at least take out APCs.