That Hind is starting to tickle my “Buying” finger. Y’all are a bad influence!
I’m not very good at making missions, but plunking down a simple scenario seems to be scratching my itch for the moment.
A straightforward amphibious invasion denial with a few platoons of BRDMs, BMPs, and T-90s ashore. Infantry beginning to occupy the port buildings. MANPADs and ZSU-23s set up for air defense so far. A few transports in the harbor with a Frigate guarding the entrance.
Started off as a flight of two. But as I don’t know much about how wingmen work in DCS, he ejected early as a sign of defiance…towards me or the enemy, I’m not sure which!
Started plinking the air defenses around the port.
It’s such a beastmother of an aircraft. Fast. Beautifully balanced. Loads of rockets that are accurately aimed with a fairly simple gunsight.
The guided missiles are powerful but you need to be wary of constraints. Fun times! The AI gunner interface isn’t perfect but I think is well thought out.
The best part is the gun. It has two settings; a slower and extremely accurate ‘blyat blyat blyat’ setting, and a rapid fire ‘blyaaaaaaaaat’ that wil obliterate everything in its path. It’s a huge thing bolted on to the side of your aircraft, fixed. The gunsight again is simple yet effective.
I have to say comparing the Hind to the Apache, the only three areas the Apache has an edge over the Hind are HUD, night capability, and Hellfire. I guess you could add the MWS but that only matters if you’re using terrain masking properly. I find it hard to hit anything with the Apache’s gun or rockets, even knowing how to use the sights. In the Hind you just put the thing on the thing and you’ll score hits, guaranteed.
I would call those exquisite FLIR systems a plusas well. The swivel gun is very fun, if not very accurate (perhaps one can git gud with it?). Luckily it’s not necessarily either/or, is it?
Its just so stable as a gun platform. Fly in below treetop, climb and bank onto target. Poke gigantic holes in it and then fly away under the trees at 330kmh
Honestly, the Hind is a good addition to a collection. I say this because it’s probably the most unique helicopter in DCS in terms of operations. In a lot of ways, it feels like it has a lot more in common with Su-25s or A-10s. How you fight with it is pretty unique and kind of hits that same note as the Viggen.
It’s a simple airframe and very much a stick and rudder kind of ordeal. It takes off lazily, owing to its weight, but once you get some air flowing over the wings and forward moment, it becomes quite thrilling.
Fighting with the Hind really separates it from the Apache or Black Shark. The Apache is very much a WYSIWYG experience; you expected attack helicopter and that’s exactly what you got. Same with the Black Shark, albeit with a real nifty rotor set up and a BMP-2’s gun slung on the side. They both top out around the same speed, too.
The Hind is quite a bit faster. The AH-64 and Ka-50 are safely operating in combat up to about 130kias with the Apache a bit faster and the Black Shark a bit slower to factor in maneuvers with its coaxial set up. The Hind, on the other hand, is real comfortable at 170kias (320kmh indicated). So, my typical attack profile has my shaving tree tops or even dipping under them at that speed, then popping up into view of my target, absolutely unloading rockets into the general area of the target, then dropping back down to ground level and either weaving around for another go or RTB. I usually open up with rockets and then weave around to let Petrovich pick things off with Atakas as I continue these treetop hit and runs. You conduct these blistering fast slashing attacks before seeking to terrain mask, so it really does make you think and reference maps to optimize safety and effectiveness.
The Mi-24 is not like any other ‘attack helicopter’ not that I’d even call it that. It’s a very unique weapon and if you use it the way it was intended to be instead of like a more modern attack helo, it’ll come into its own. And it’s a lot of fun. Less rotary winged line infantry and more airborne guerrilla.
Those shots are epic. All of them are. I was going to wait for the Apache to firm up a bit, but I think I will need to try the Hind first.
I will still probably hold off for a sale, if there is one. My first love is the Harrier, but I also have the Hornet, which I can still only use like a fast P-51. And I’d like to at least be familiar with it before busting out a new module…though the simple nature of the Hind is a big attraction.
Besides, I’m usually flying so far above the terrain in the Harrier/Hornet that I’m missing all that beautiful low level scenery.
Thank you all for convincing me. I’m sure I will love it as much as you all clearly do…
There is a instant mission on Caucasus called battle for zugdidi (i think) and ive flown it at least a Dozen times. Take out the Buk launchers and then the tank column moving into the city.
Its so much fun flying between the trees and doing pop up attacks on them. Then standing off and wrecking the tanks with spirals and 30mm
