Think that one factor that may keep helicopters from being more popular is the Caucasus terrain and the fact that the AI can see and shoot through the trees. I know its a bit of flogging a dead horse but terrain masking is the whole game for helicopters in combat and at present it really isnt a viable tactic to use with trees.
4 Likes
I totally agree. This is the reason why the Gazelle rests unused in my hangar, even though I really like it.
One of my favorite things to do in Steel Beasts used to be hunting tanks with some light TOW carrier. Sneaking though the woods, camouflaged and waiting for the right moment for a surprise shot. In open combat you were dead within seconds. I wanted to do this so badly with the Gazelle.
1 Like
I for one simply prefer the ample difference in options one have when flying Helos vs flying Fast jets.
That saidā¦ I reckon that it takes quite more skill to survive a generic mission with armed enemies in a Huey compared to an A10 (yeah not a fast jet butā¦) and that alone makes Helos less appetising.
Factor in that Helo movies are usually less than stellar ( Top Gun vs that-apache-movie-with-Nick-Cage) and glamorous than jets ones and I can totally understand why one could claim that helos represent a smaller part of the Virtual Battlescapeā¦
ā¦
I forgot what point I wanted to make.
But I really like DCS. And Falcon 3.0.
And basically everything that puts me inside a vehicle that costs more than my Toyota. 
Or Heisenbergās!
Thatās an over generalization on a few levels though. First youāre implying that all online servers run scenarios in the vein with the 104th, explicitly runs missions with minimal complexity to draw in the greatest number of players simply looking to kill stuff. This same argument could be applied to āwhy fly the F-5 when Iām just going to get smacked in the face with an AMRAAM?ā. The answer is if enough people desire it, a server will coalesce to fill the niche. Blue Flag, which Iāll argue has a similar following to the 104th runs a game mode that simple cannot be won without chopper support. If one doesnāt like the gameplay on the 104th, then one shouldnāt fly on the 104th, but that doesnāt automatically exclude all of multiplayer.
Second, youāre arguing @TheAlmightySnarkās position from the other side. Because I fly like X, many people must fly like X.
Without sales data, no one knows except ED.
This might come off more mean spirited than I intend, I aplogize if it does, butā¦
Try fifteen minutes courtesy of a non EGI INS alignment. The Mirage is the only fighter that cannot do this.
1 Like
Iām not actually - I think I impled āI donāt knowāā¦I was citing the lack of evidence for any side in that argumentā¦
Agreed.
Ahā¦see, I wouldnāt know that because I have the Mirage, but havenāt flown it. So every cold start requires a 15 minute alignment? And despite me picking a poor choice of platformā¦almost all the other fast jets will get you to the action sooner rather than the time it takes to get your helo there. Generally speaking. Helos are usually an investment of timeā¦in my observationā¦
1 Like
You really need some quality DCS time Beach 
Yup. if you want navigation, it takes between 8 and 15 minutes every start up. Been like that for the better part of a year.
Youāre not wrong, but Iād argue thatās just DCS. Even a sortie in an FC3 jet on something as simple as the 104th can last more than an hour if you play it smart and stay alive. Youāre just covering more distance in the process.
1 Like
Yeah, once ED gets a handle on trees catching bullets, it will be a game changer for sure.
1 Like
I really do. When I see the site hasnāt had an article up for a couple weeks I get all twitchy though. I have so many modules that I havenāt had time to explore. The M2000 is probably the most neglected, followed by the Gazelle and Viggen. The Hawk and C-101 Iām not touching until they are done, not out of any protest, but just because I want the experience to be newā¦and Iād like it to be the whole experience. I think the Hawk underwent a FM change a few months back to the more advanced type. Not really sure where the C-101 is.
Other than maybe a 5 minute flight, I havenāt flown any of the WW2 modules. Not really my thing, and when Iām so crunched for time it is hard to pick up something that new and foreign to me.
And even though Iām excited about the Tomcat, as a non air-to-air guy, Iām more excited about the Hornet. And I keep wishing that ED would consider a fully clickable Su-25T. Thatād be awesome.
1 Like
My problem is once I become proficient in one module I move on to learning how to Fight/Fly in the nextā¦by then Iāve completely forgotten the previous aircraft and have to āRe Educateā myself 
Kinda a catch 22!!
2 Likes
6 Likes
performanceā¦that performanceā¦sigh
Dammit. Iām gonna end up buying that map. Clearly.
Concerning the discussion that rotary-wing is less popular than fixed wing
Itās true that there is only little data publicly available concerning the popularity of certain types of modules compared to others. And that most statements are backed up only by gut feelings. However, that does not mean that no data exists at all
One form of data that exists isā¦ the number of posts and threads created on the official ED forums. The numbers arenāt likely to match the exact representation of modules sold or time spent on the airframe by the community. Par example, some modules lend themselves better to forum activity due to their complexity, wich can be seen by the AJS-37 viggen accumulating more posts than a significant portion of the other available modules, despite being the latest release. Not to mention that some modules, and their forum sections, have been around longer than others. However, these numbers are the only real data we have that is easily collectable and represents the interest and popularity certain modules perceive from the community.
While fixed wing do indeed have the upper-hand, rotary-wing modules take a surprisingly large cut of the forum activities. Taking the average between the marketshare of posts and threads, 30.01% of the forum activity regarding modules is about rotary wing. So saying that for every 3 people spending time on the forums, one is busy with rotary wing stuff, wouldnāt be entirely wrong.
The number does drop significantly, to 18.55%, if we take the two oldest, all-star classic DCS modules out of the equation, The Ka-50 attack helicopter and the A-10C Warthog.
If we divide the data into arbitrary ātypesā and compare the popularity of each, we get the following:
Helicopters, either as a whole or attack/anti-tank (containing the SA342 and Ka-50) in particular are very popular. And even the utility helicopters, the UH-1H and Mi-8MTV2 can compete for attention on the forums with things like FC3 and WWII fighters.
Subjectively, I donāt think helicopters are in a bad spot. Theyāre still great to fly. Itās to bad nothing currently has an interaction with trees, preventing helicopters to use bob-up tactics in woody areas. But that may all change soon. I prefer to use the side of hills anyway, as it allows me to precisely control to whom I expose myself to, and to whom not. You get a view on most bad guys when going over the crest of a hill, but all of them also get a good view of you!
2 Likes
Not sure, but Wags talk about a WW2 Normady navigation system to WW2 aircrafts on progress?
I dont understand Wags about maps and X-Plane / FSX to dcs world?
Heās pretty much asking if Orbx and the likes want to make maps for DCS World
1 Like
Nice video, do you think Matt pulls for power 
Canāt wait to fly my whirlybirds around Normandy
i hate bringing this up but it really upsets me that a part in the community is after somekidna Witch hunt against ED and the pre purchase method with the WW2 assets, i just got to say that from my point of view with all the new models being imported in the game all the ww2 ground and AI planes, its like a whole new game, and ppl are complaining about the price.
i know how many hours you can spend on 3d modeling and animation, speaking about my self im doing architectural 3d models and renders and its pretty tuff with many work hours, thinking about it when it comes to a gaming company that got to do that whole thing with animators, artist models and computer scripting takes lots of time, i just think we should fight this and support ED on making us happy and letting us getting our hands on moduels maps and scenarios that are close to reality.
another point i got to make is that im not buying all modules as i dont feel like im going to fly them all and dont have the time, i think ppl should consider that this āWitch hunt:ā is bassicaly sometihng that they wont be playing at after all. its not warthunder and not all could be freeā¦
p.s. not trying to flame something in our lovely forum which i got TONS or respect toā¦ just that i feel much more free here to talk about this issueā¦ have a great sunday boys see u in the air
5 Likes
Iām really with you on thisā¦
2 Likes