Choppers?

What exactly can I do with the choppers i.e Chinok (Spelling). Can it carry troops or pick up the litter?

What exactly can I do with the choppers i.e Chinok (Spelling). Can it carry troops or pick up the litter?

Well ARH and Hind can be used for both recce and atk.

MH90, Chinook and Griffon can also be used for recce (if you really want to but its a fair bit "out of role").

In a Sim mode they can be used to conduct AME as well (albeit infered).

For example when we test gunners (Arty type, not vehicle crews) part of their role these days is airspace management.

So they have to plot fire to spt an assault but often we inject AME missions so they need to consider them (you can't fire the guns if the path for the rounds cuts the flight path for the helo) so they might fire Bty A until 10:00, then switch to Bty B in a different loc for 10:00 to 10:15 and that opens a route for the AME flights for 15 mins that might have to cut the "line OT" between Bty A and the OBJ.

This stuff doesn't impact on the "first person" view (unless they have to cease fire in which case there's an issue with the plan) but does show up on the "map view".

Similarly from a CSS perspective the CASEVAC is not complete until the armoured ambulance RV's with the AME helo at some designated LZ and of course the armoured ambulance needs an escort, etc.

You can script a LZ with triggers to say that if helo A enters area B, then "spawn" squad C, but you can't use them (yet) as an APC and load a squad and then dismount it at the LZ (if that's what you are after).

In a Sim mode they can be used to conduct AME as well (albeit infered).

What does "AME" stand for ?

Air Medic ?

For example when we test gunners (Arty type, not vehicle crews) part of their role these days is airspace management.

You use SB to test arty-gunners ?

You mean the FO-vehicles ?

Or is arty in your Aussie-mil-version of SB more advanced than the current civilian version ? (and contains e.g. a M 109 ... :-) )

THX, K

What does "AME" stand for ?

Air Medic ?

Aero Medical Evacuation

You use SB to test arty-gunners ?

You mean the FO-vehicles ?

Or is arty in your Aussie-mil-version of SB more advanced than the current civilian version ? (and contains e.g. a M 109 ... :-) )

THX, K

Yes, we use it for lots of things.

Well both FO’s (we call them JFT’s - Joint Fire Teams) now and BC’s (the guys who control the FO’s).

No its not more advanced but its a feature of the Mil Spec version in general that when I’m on the “Instructor Host” machine I can plot fires wherever / whenever I want.

So if the Arty trainee want to fire from GR 12345678 to GR78901234 and the line between those intersects with the AME bird’s flight path he has failed bcause his job is to manage the airspace such that artillery rounds continue to fall on an OBJ even if there is AME or an airstrike going in.

Hmmmmmmmmm? So I can use choppers for MEDEVAC? does the game treat the MEDEVAC like the Medic M113? I can see were an instructor might use the choppers for "Call For Fire" or "Forward Observation". Am I right in saying that US Choppers (Chinok) is mostly eye candy?

Love this Sim:)

Hmmmmmmmmm? So I can use choppers for MEDEVAC? does the game treat the MEDEVAC like the Medic M113?

In abstract, yes.

You can have the APC(A) (“Medic M113” in your terminology) collect the patient and then plot a route for it to drive to a designated LZ.

At the same time you can have the MH90 / Griffon / Chinook fly a route to the same LZ and hover.

You wont see any animation to reflect the transfer of the casualty but after a set period you can then have the helo fly off to some base location (i.e. you plot a new route) while the APC(A) returns to the action (again you plot the route).

None of that happens automatically and you need to use your imagination to cover the gaps but certainly at the F5/map view it looks like the two meet.

The helos aren’t immune from fire like the APC(A) is but to a certain extent that’s fine as you normally aren’t close enough to tell if its an AME sortie or otherwise.

Using a Chinook to collect a single person would be a bit of a waste.

Am I right in saying that US Choppers (Chinok) is mostly eye candy?

Well IIRC correctly it doesn’t have a gun but as I said earlier you can script the battle so that if the Chinook arrives in a given location a platoon of Infantry can appear. If you get the Chinook shot down then it never gets there, so no Infantry.

So while it can’t influence the battle directly (like say a ARH or Hind) its loss can certainly have an impact so I wouldn’t call it “eye candy”.

Thanks MAJ RAAC, while in Baghdad they provided the golden hour. US Blackhawks and Chinoks alway flew in pairs. I kind of wish that I could summon up 2 units for one flight. I am also hoping that someday the Blackhawks will be available............thanks again ....................Otto Out.

Correct me if I'm wrong but niether the medic M-113 or any helicopter will load troops. So any drop off by these units must be scripted. I'm not sure how you would do a pickup as there is no "de spawn" option.

Mog

Yes you are right, hence my comments about not “seeing any animation“ and “use your imagination to cover the gaps“ and it working at the F5/map view.

I kind of wish that I could summon up 2 units for one flight.

If you mean to have 2 or more choppers fly in formation in SB, you can do that:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Tacbat#p/a/u/1/iVmIv9VxjEY

You can also setup a unit of helo’s too, albeit indirectly.

The following works in the Mil Spec version 2.498 (and I guess the Pro PE one too but haven’t checked):

1. Create new non helicopter unit (I selected a 4 vehicle Leopard Tp but it should work for anything) with 4 members.

2. Change that unit to a UAV (via "set unit type", then "others"). UAV is the only aerial option.

3. The mil symbol will now change to the non filled in UAV.

4. Now use "set unit type", then "chopper" to select whichever helo you like (incl ARH). Seems once you have changed it to a UAV you can then change it to any other aerial type.

5. Once you select ARH (or Hind) the symbol changes too and becomes filled in.

You then have 4 x ARH (or whatever) to employ as a TP.

Want two helos in formation, just start the above process by creating a 2 vehicle ground unit.

Yep, it works the same in SB Pro PE. I tried it earlier as I was curious.

Good tip!

Wow!!!!!!!!, yep this works. Made a leo platoon and converted the platoon into a HQ's support section of M113 (Repair), M88A1, M113 (Medic), M113 (MICLIC). Also made one of my 2 tank platoons a five size element one with a mine plow. This also compensates for the Company HQ's Tank section. I no longer have single tanks requiring constant movement orders. Back in the day the Company Comander had the 66 element and normally attached himself with the 2nd platoon. The XO had the 45 element that was normally the Blade tank. That was great advice...........................

Yes you can use it to make "composite" platoons too.

The method I use for that is:

Create the foundation unit (Tk Pl or whatever)

Use "Divide Unit" to get the specialist vehicle(s)

Then adjust the special characteristics of that vehicle (ammo loadout, fuel, damage, etc.)

Then recombine the unit via "Attach to".

If you don't do this then you'll only get options available to the "parent unit".

For example, if you want to make some sort of ACR outfit you could start with say 6 x M1. Then split that into 3 x M1 and 3 x M2 then recombine.

Unfortunately once you recombine the only ammunition options available to you are the M1 ones.

If you look at both "sub units" while split, you can say tailor the number of TOW the M2's are carrying and change the tk ammo too.

Then when you "recombine" the various sub units, they will have the characteristics you specified whilst they were split.

This is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, but you need to exercise care when you employ such a composite unit.

As the "unit type" is still whatever the parent unit was it doesn't distinguish between the members.

So you might want to setup some sort of HQ unit like you had but with say a M1 too.

So you create a 5 vehicle M1 PL.

Split it up and change four of them as you had (M113(F), M113(A), M88 and MICLIC) and then recombine.

You'd then have 1 x M1 and 4 x spt vehicles.

However the sim still thinks its a five vehicle M1 PL so if you want then to advance down a road in column it will allocate the order of march accordingly.

That means that if you want the M1 to be at the front (which you probably want) you need to ensure that it is vehicle #1 in the PL because the Pl's order of march will be:

1

4

2

3

5

If you've made the #1 vehicle a M113(A), then it will lead because despite your customisation, the sim still thinks this is a PL of 5 x M1.

There are similar implications if you give a vehicle a mine plough because again you probably want it to go first if you are breaching.

Yes, but you need to exercise care when you employ such a composite unit.

. . . .

There are similar implications if you give a vehicle a mine plough because again you probably want it to go first if you are breaching.

Be careful with the mineplows though, in my experimentation, mineplows sometimes swap from one vehicle to another

Be careful with the mineplows though, in my experimentation, mineplows sometimes swap from one vehicle to another

Yes I've pretty much adopted the SOP that those breaching assets are best used as individual vehicles.

The requirement for micro management is better than a failed breach (or a bunch of vehicles damaged by mines that "shouldn't" have been).

You can also setup a unit of helo’s too, albeit indirectly.

The following works in the Mil Spec version 2.498 (and I guess the Pro PE one too but haven’t checked):

1. Create new non helicopter unit (I selected a 4 vehicle Leopard Tp but it should work for anything) with 4 members.

2. Change that unit to a UAV (via "set unit type", then "others"). UAV is the only aerial option.

3. The mil symbol will now change to the non filled in UAV.

4. Now use "set unit type", then "chopper" to select whichever helo you like (incl ARH). Seems once you have changed it to a UAV you can then change it to any other aerial type.

5. Once you select ARH (or Hind) the symbol changes too and becomes filled in.

You then have 4 x ARH (or whatever) to employ as a TP.

Want two helos in formation, just start the above process by creating a 2 vehicle ground unit.

Hi,

While twiddling my thumbs waiting impatiently for 2.538, I went and did some more playing with this and came up with a caveat.

While this approach will give you a group of helos, I strongly suggest that you;

a. Set their spacing to “wide”, and

b. Avoid tight turns / manoeuvring whilst at NOE.

Unfortunately (I guess due to their ground vehicle heritage) a group of helos, esp if they are in tight formation don’t like turns and tend to be unable to “maintain separation” (i.e. they tend to either crash into each other or the ground - if its too close).

Oh and another thing I noticed in 2.538, you will be no longer able to attach a mine roller to a helo (not real good for their performance apparently).

Agree with Mark regarding the difficulties of manoeuvering a "flight" of helo...... If you have to turn, try and do it at slow speeds, and even think about moving them into single file beforehand. Don't know how many helo I've had crash into one another!

Pairs of helo aren't too bad an option (and probably realistic) - with either pairs of attack birds, or alternately an attack bird escorting an "AME" bird.