Helicopter Operations (Logistics)

Rotary Wing Operations

Logistical Support

Air Defence Systems (ADS)

On hoggit servers (in DCS), when placing Air Defence Systems (ADS), try not to bunch the units up this ensures that if any SEAD action occurs, you're only likely to lose a single unit/entity & not 1/2 a dozen units

Some units are only single crate & can quickly be replaced, however these single crate unis are usually the less effective (hence 'cheaper') units with shorter ranges or lower hit ratios.

Units that require 2, 3 & 4 crates to assemble provide more optimal cover & nominally more effective use of your time & effort to set up.

Note: Please keep in mind that the techniques outlined below are not real-world methods, but adaptations for DCS world the methods used have been developed or adopted from personal experience or mentoring by others whom have learnt the hard way on what works & what doesn't. Take it with a grain of salt. This is what works for me.

HAWK system placement

Don't just dump all the crates on top of each other this will create a volatile target that when impacted will destroy most if not all the components rather than a single entity like a track or search radar system, these are the 'missle magnets'.

When unpacking the crates, try placing them as far apart as possible from ciribobs readme; "To build a HAWK (or BUK) AA system you will need to slingload all 3 parts - Launcher, Track Radar and Search Radar - and drop the crates within 100m of each other."

Priorities

The priority when working on air defences is really your own aicraft safety first, then the asset (airfield/FARP) then providing a safety umbrella for friendly air units hence the priority of work normally undertaken should be something similar to this 1. Anti- Air troops, scatter them about at the extremities of your area of work or in a line along your ingress/egress routes 2. Chapparal, nearby the FOB (green smoke) - single crate IR (no radar) & better range than crappy avenger (stingers) 3. Vulcan, nearby the FOB (green smoke) - single crate good AA for close AD 4. Hawk system 5. ammo truck (you should have been placing these first few items with the positioning of your first ammo truck in mind 6. roland 7. gepard

Strategies

playing with DCS-isms.... One mans "strategies" are another mans "cheats" i. some trees are collidable ii. SEAD aims for he radar emitters iii. DSC doesnt obscure radar detection through trees.... which leads us to tactical radar placement strategies in DCS.

Place your hawk site to maximise its footprint to reduce/limit unit damage. orientate the hawk site so that the radar systems are close to/hard up against a tree line/forest PCP & lunchers can be exposed in open ground (launchers will need clearance of obstacles).

Roland

Rolands are effective defence against Kh-58U but not so the kh-25PMU, (Gee a tunguska would be nice to have.....) however they are more effective when placed correctly when placed together & against multiple launchers, they will both fire on the first inbound missile but neither will fire on the second... optimal placement of rolands in combination with an established hawk site should provide 1x roland slightly to the rear (~1km) with another 1x roland well forward of the hawk site (~4km) perosnally i have found that these ADS/AAA units placed in supporting these positions with 2 of each type (2x Roland, 2 x Gepard, 2x Chaparral + the ammo truck) as a template are very effective remote AD

AAA

vulcans are cheap & cheerful single crate units, they have a limited range however, but are fun to watch operating Gepards are a 2 crate unit but far more effective.

IR missiles

manpads... ALWAYS carry anti-air troops with you CAP is rarely on Comms or co-ordinating with GCI (sad reality - despite so much co-op play) lacking human GCI / CAP units on comms & reliable support, helis will often have to fend for themselves pushing out away from airports / FARPs & any established ADS umbrella coverage is prone to draw the AI air threats. as soon as you see a fast mover inbound, get down to tree level, slow down & seek cover behind a building (cities are great for this) & deploy your AA troops & wait.

I have managed quite a few surprise kills with manpads, whilst avoiding AI air threats. once eliminated, pickup the ground troops & continue on.

SMOKE

you should always attempt to land into wind in a helicopter especially in an mi8 (which has a tendancy to fall out of the sky on approach if you so much as change your mind)

watch the smoke in game, industrial smoke stacks, house chimneys, FOB's & smoke grenades. these will all provide suitable wind direction indicators - use them.

Navigation

When flying out away from you base - set your compass carrot to simplify your return route navigation. (compass carrot will allow you to fly out & recipricol heading much easier/quicker than smoke (if you have voice attack too, its too easy to just say "drop <colour> smoke" even whilst your picking up).

Smoke grenades also have a relatively short life span, keep this in mind when placing units at a distance away from your FOB, you may want to drop a smoke grenade prior to returning to the FOB to make it easier to return again. when you return to the FOB & once landed (into wind) turn back towards the smoke signal to re-orientate & pick out a landmark &/or

Radio beacons

Radio beacons are better used when performing longer distance unit placement (beyond directly visible / line of sight) this will require you to be familiar with your radios in order to set the frequency for homing. definitely worth it though when trying to navigate whilst under constant air threats. its all too easy to get turned around whilst evading & if your not super famililiar with the area you're flying in, you'll get lost & probably have to land to F10 map your way out of it/back to base.