Hind - Pilot’s Guide Planning Good preparation is essential to a successful mission, tovarich, and you should make full use of the planning phase to study enemy SAM and AA deployments. You also have complete access to satellite reconnaissance data, via the 3D view and you can even set up a virtual flyover of the battlefield to determine potential sources of danger. Remember, forewarned is forearmed! Plot a course which uses the terrain to maximum advantage, and, as you play each scenario through, especially in campaign mode, you’ll begin to build up a picture of the war zone and enemy deployments. Try and learn some of the local landmarks, so that you can find your way home in the event of instrument failure. Remember: as the fortunes of war change, so will the pattern of troop movements and the front line, so don’t forget to take this into account when planning subsequent missions. Lastly, it’s always worth adjusting your final series of waypoints to plot the shortest route back home, as some missions can be very tight on fuel, especially if you peel off to deal with targets of opportunity. Autorotating down on an empty fuel tank deep behind enemy lines is hardly the best finale to an otherwise successful mission. Your superiors will take a dim view, and might even suggest a little holiday in the Siberian salt mines Flight manoeuvres The Hind is primarily designed as a low level attack helicopter, and, ideally, you’ll spend most of the time cruising at about 30 metres with an average speed of 300-340 kph. Spend some time at the Saratov base and work through all the training sections, until you’re confident of the handling and limitations of your beast in whichever mode you intend to fly. When you move up to stable or realistic settings, a further period of retraining is advisable. Learn to rapidly adjust your height using only the collective and perfect the forward and reverse hover. Helicopter speed is a crucial factor in combat, and the method of flare braking is critical if you don’t want to overfly targets. At lower speeds, your tail rotors really come into their own and can be used to spin around rapidly to launch devastating rocket and missile salvos. Make sure you’re familiar and proficient at the various bomb delivery techniques (level, dive and toss bombing) before heading out onto the battlefield. On the offensive On every mission, prioritise targets and always try and take out air defences, SAM missile launchers and AAA in that order, as these three usually pose the greatest threat. Once you’ve unravelled the enemy’s defences, you can safely survey the rest of the targets and swoop in to mop them up at your leisure. It’s very easy to get side-tracked during a mission, but don’t waste time by peeling off to attack every tank and AAA formation you encounter on the way; time, fuel and ammunition are far too precious. Instead, concentrate on hitting your main target first (which is, after all, why you’re there) and then you can take on other targets of opportunity to increase your mission performance, on the way back. Air to ground techniques It’s very tempting once you’ve got the helicopter stable and in level flight to go hell for leather in a straight line, blasting away at all comers. A word of caution: this is likely to lead to disaster - you’ll only end up becoming a sitting and highly visible target. Once you’re actually in a combat situation, start making distinctive jinking manoeuvres, adjusting your course every couple of seconds to throw off any potential enemy missile locks, and even when you’re locked onto a target itself, slide left and right to avoid any return fire before delivering your payload. Again, terrain can be used to your advantage: although you may not equipped with the Apache’s mast scope, there’s nothing to stop you from rising above the crest of a hill to deliver ‘death from above’ with the best of them. Targets such as tank and truck columns tend to move along roads, and if you orientate yourself with the road’s heading, a short, sustained burst of rockets will usually follow and catch the whole group. When attacking airfields, it’s sometimes an idea to burst through the missile defences and catch enemy helicopters and planes on the runway, before they have a chance to take off. When deploying special forces, or evacuating troops, make sure the surrounding area is completely clear of enemy choppers and aircraft, as you’re extremely vulnerable to attack on the deck. Providing you’re not carrying any cargo or freight, you can land to reload any weapons which have become exhausted, but again pick your landing site carefully as the same strictures apply. Finally, if anyone asks you how you can gun down innocent civilians, just say ‘Easy, you’ve just got to lead them a bit more.’ Air to air combat This is the one area where altitude can be a positive advantage, so when you spot an enemy chopper you should aim to gain height and lock and launch your Aphids at the earliest opportunity. However, beware of gaining too much altitude (150m and above), as you’ll become easy prey to the fixed-wing aircraft which patrol there. If you fail with a missile strike, try to get behind enemy helicopters and use your cannon to renew hostilities. The Yak-8 is a solid and dependable back-up in air- to-air combat, and its turret mounting is ideal for following and engaging enemy choppers. Weapon selection Weapon selection is usually a case of horses for courses and choosing the payload which will best allow you to complete the mission. Pay particular attention to your primary targets and the relevant weapon load needed to ensure their destruction. For example, general purpose bombs will devastate large areas such as camps and headquarters, while if you’re going tank busting, you’ll probably load rocket heavy. A careful study of mission briefings and intelligence data will be crucial in determining your payload, but if in doubt, a good general purpose mix covering most options might consist of: wingtip mounted Aphid’s. Spiral AGMs and two S5 pods with backup from the Yak 8 turretgun. Countermeasures and other Hind systems The Hind’s flare and chaff dispensers are usually best left on automatic settings, unless you can think of a really compelling reason to change them, but your threat warning indicator is probably the most useful piece of kit on your entire instrumentation board, allowing you to identify and respond to enemy threats. Use it to analyse enemy targets and keep an eye out for radar or active locks - if you can catch them early enough, some sharp manoeuvring will usually spoil their aim. If you are about to receive incoming missiles, begin a series of sharp, right angle manoeuvres, while deploying chaff and flares and that should hopefully throw them off the scent. The FLIR system is invaluable for night flying, but if your mission begins at dusk or dawn, you’re probably better advised to switch to the LLTV system. Wingmen and formation flying No matter where you fly, you’ll usually be accompanied by at least one other Hind, so it’s important to understand group formations and tactics. There’s definitely strength in numbers, so when you take off, try to match speeds with your wingmen (typically 300 kph) and fly in formation to your target. Your combined force will be able to deal with any threats en route more effectively than a single helicopter, and the other Hinds will take some of the heat off you by presenting multiple targets to the enemy. When you arrive at your target, use the command options to single out targets for your wingmen and again, you’ll discover that concerted attacks will pay the most dividends No matter how strong the target’s defences, an entire flight of Hinds attacking in concert is an extremely formidable proposition indeed. Theatres of war ‘Know your enemy’ is never a bad maxim, tovarich, and you should pay close attention to enemy capabilities and their various strengths and weakness. It’s extremely worthwhile taking a little time to study the recognition charts, as this can pay dividends when assessing the various threats offered to your chopper. However, listed below for your delectation are the principle adversaries and weapons you’ll face in each campaign. Kazakstan The revolt in Kazakstan is an intriguing little scenario, because basically you’re fighting a mirror image. Rebel Hips and Hind Es provide the helicopter challenge, while MiG 29s and 27s cruise the battlefield, seemingly at will. Expect to encounter advanced SA8 and SA9 SAM defences around key locations, while AAA comes in the form of the ZSU-23 Shilka. Shoulder mounted SA7s can prove more than a minor irritation Korea In Korea you’re up against the cream of decadent western technology loaned to the enemy lackeys by their debauched imperialist masters. In the air, you’ll face your ultimate adversary, the Apache Longbow, but don’t underestimate the standard Apache or Blackhawk either, both of whom are more than worthy opponents. The F-15s, F-16s and F-18s which are used in a close support role are particularly deadly, and advanced AA missiles like the Patriot and Stinger can take a heavy toll. Afghanistan In spite of a notable lack of modern military equipment and air support, the Mujaheddin are an implacable enemy and can make any battle zone feel extremely warm. Sheer weight of numbers along with difficult and restrictive terrain can turn the mountain valleys into a deadly ambush points. Shoulder mounted SA7s and even the humble AK47 have a habit of ruining your day. Not to mention your shirt. Pakistan War is a dirty business, and just as the imperialists’ war in Vietnam spilled over into Cambodia, sometimes the unique conditions of the Afghan conflict mean you’re going to have to violate Pakistani airspace in a bid to counter the insurgents. Although Pakistani forces are perhaps not quite as well equipped as the Koreans, caution is nevertheless advised, as F-16s and Supercobras patrol the air, while Rapier and Stinger AA systems stalk the ground.