Helicopters and Strategic Value

[theDragon]

Ok, honestly, who here has ever really used Helicopters? Are they a waste of time and money? I understand what they do, but I was wondering how valueable they are to a military, esp when they come so late in the game and most fighting occurs with Mechanized units! So, my main question about these hardly talked about units is this: Are they worth the time and money? And if so, What is the best ways to use them?

I would appreciate any feedback and personal expirences involving Helicopters and their counterparts. THANKS!

[vmxa1]

Well Theseus actually had the AI land a helo in a game.

[Commy]

I have never used helicoptors, but here is what I guess you could do with them.

If say, a strategic resource, like aluminum, is in your enemies territory, but is close to your border, then you could load 3 TWO infantry onto a helicoptor and drop them onto the square. While this is basically the same thing as paratroopers, the TWO infantry would have better defenses at 14, compared to the defence of 11 (I think) for modern paratroopers. Also, TWO infantry bombard units that attack them...

Personally, I like dropping in a couple missiles and nukes, but that's just me...

[Sabre2th]

I've used them a few times during late wars (I'm more of a builder) to control small islands with airbases rather than building unproductive cities. They work well if you want to transport units large distances quickly. A combination of air units, TOW Infantry, and Paratroopers can be very powerful.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by vmxa1
Well Theseus actually had the AI land a helo in a game.

Yeah... the Babs landed a Bowman!!

Actually, at the end of AU 505, the last AI civ did a pretty good landing of two TOW Infantry on a hill next to an empty city... I was impressed (of course my 200 Modern Armor were, uh, slightly more impressive ).

[Dominae]

If Helicopters could travel on Carriers, they would be a lot more interesting (yes, I mean load onto Carriers while they themselves carry units).

As they are, I'm having a very difficult time putting them to good use in AU505 (I'm making a point of using every single Modern era unit).

[Solomwi]

The best use I've found for helicopters is rebasing them to move units. Even then, it's a shortcut except for a handful of situations, such as fortifying a city with infantry or marines that's completely inside enemy culture and needs help immediately.

[vmxa1]

I really like them in Civ2, but they were too strong for that game. So I was not sad to see them changed, but it seems senseless to have units in the game with no apparent use.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by Dominae
If Helicopters could travel on Carriers, they would be a lot more interesting (yes, I mean load onto Carriers while they themselves carry units).

Agreed... there is soooo much more that could be done with units and vessels.

BTW, the KAI in AU505 just also jumped 4 Spec Forces next to the aforementioned empty town!! Cool!! (FYI, Spec Forces are the peak upgrade to the Marine and Paratrooper lines in the AU Mod).

[Tattila the Hun]

Once, a helo transporting something, or doing recon, shot down an intercepting fighter...

But transporting units to far away cities is nice.

Another somewhat useless unit is paratroopers... By the time you get them, everybody has railroads, and if you drop them to a resource/luxury, they get smashed. Now, if they could do something on the same turn... I mean, that's what they are for, wreaking havoc in the back of the enemy, distrupting supply lines etc. Pillaging the road/railroad would be ideal.

I did manage to make them semi-usefull with "slight" modding...

I modded the paratrooper to be able to carry foot units. That way, you can paradrop to an area, and then activate the unit "inside" the trooper, and attack/defend/whatever with it. Think of it as giving you basic foot unit a parachute. And I quess one can make them 0/0 Attack/defence, and 0 maintenance...

Unfortunately, I doubt AI can utilize these...

[GePap]

Helicopters are transportation units- you can airlift without having an airport by rebasing the loaded chopper, and you can use them to ferry light forces to obscure areas, in times were doing sea lift of waiting to move some big stack of armor and mech inf. is useless.

[Commy]

So, instead of dropping off units in one turn, can you pick up units in the field and bring them back in one turn? Does the game allow that?

[theDragon]

I was about to ask the very same thing: Is it possible to evac units out of a fire zone and bring them home? That alone may be worth having a few helicopters in the air in my mind. Has anyone done/seen this occur in the game?


(P.S. Vietnam was fought this way so i would assume they would want to include it, right?)

HISTORY NUTS UNIT!

[Commy]

Dang, if only a way could be found to make tanks and such require more support, then we'd be in the good old days with marines and paratroopers. Really, you might as well just build modern armors and be through with it...

[Last Conformist]

Don't think I ever built a helicopter in the Epic game.

Have built some Heli-equivalent units in mods. They get real valuable when, like in MoM, they can transport top attackers, while no airport equivalent is available.