Honestly... whats the use of Helicopters?

[joncnunn]

Against the AI, locusts don't have drawbacks. Just don't stack them outside of bases. (This is like all units in Civ II outside cities/forts.)

Chopters can't take control of a base, locusts can.

(I've won SMAC on transcendi level with all 7 factions using the ecologicly sound forest and fungus terraforming + native life forms as military approach. I also used the blob tactics with spare terraformers to grow my island.)

Originally posted by Cataphract887
choppers are massivly overpowered in smac
locusts have some very big drawbacks and are not a mainstream unit

[Kataphraktoi]

oh well in SP they are the best,no doubt about it.i have played many games like that.they just keep killing and killing

but not in MP


imho cIV should be having the helos attack like normal units
or assign targets to hit,i dunno.then they could be formed into bands(send 3 helos after 1 infantry for example)

[ElConejo]

Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions on how to make the helicopter more potent in the editor? I am open to almost everything...

[joncnunn]

Perhaps turn the helicopter into a very powerful but short ranged bomber. Say 2X bombardment of a bomber, but range of only 4.

[ElConejo]

Originally posted by joncnunn
Perhaps turn the helicopter into a very powerful but short ranged bomber. Say 2X bombardment of a bomber, but range of only 4.

... But that would take away the fact that its a transport... Isnt there any way to make it a transport unit that is needed in the game? (... or I guess I will just have to wait and hope for Civ4..)

[joncnunn]

To make helicopters as transports useful in Civ III, airports would have to be eliminated. (Or at least the allows air trade connection flag.)

In Civ IV, it depends upon if they've reduced the airport power or not.

[TomVeil]

I suppose helicopters would be useful if you find yourself in the modern era, desiring to attack an island/continent where you have no cities.
But let's say you give helicopters infinite travel capacity, like ICBMs. Then they could drop in places that airports can't. That would be totally unrealistic, though, unless air & anti-air units could shoot them down very easily, too.

[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by joncnunn

To make helicopters as transports useful in Civ III, airports would have to be eliminated.

please explain, how would that make a difference?

I have only built 1 airport in my history..dont hate me

[ChrisiusMaximus]

theres a few units in civ 3 that are not built by many because they are more trouble than they are worth bothering with, or so it would seem.

Helos are very good for dropping good units behind enemy lines, ie Inf. As stated by others Paras leave a lot to be desired and sometimes getting infantry in is a much better option.

I tend to build a few for such occasions, but then I also build cruise missiles and all the other units most people dont bother with.

Airports are too powerful in Civ3, but still helos can get you good units behind enemy lines.

Why dont you increase their operational range in the editor ?

[aspvv]

I think if you could move transported units the same turn you unload them would make helicopters worth building. It would also be more realistic solution, then making choppers more long ranged, after all troops that are dropped from a chopper in real life go straight in to combat.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

aspvv thats an excellent suggestion, i would imagine that would revolutionise them but then we would have an AI who has no idea how to use them and a great way for the human to pillage AI resources.

If playing in PBEM with only other people it would make an interesting mod for sure

[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by ChrisiusMaximus
As stated by others Paras leave a lot to be desired and sometimes getting infantry in is a much better option.

I find them very usefull in "island Games"

why wait for a boat, just jump.
As the main battle units move out of a captured city, the Paras sit back and maintain order.

Heck even use them to pillage and hold enemy high ground.
As the AI rushes to kick them out, here comes an army or two of MA

[aspvv]

True about the AI, what a shame, but what if you made them crash 50% or of the time when in enemy territory, that would even things out. Then you can adjust the crash rate to balance them out to where helicopters will not be supper weapons, also may be shortening the range some.

[Warlord Rishard]

I always turn them into an attack chopper where all terrain is treated as roads and a high move, high health, and around a medium attack/defense. I found them very effective.

[Montesquieu]

Helicopters are basically useless. I used them three or four times, but not anymore. I airlift my units, or use transports. They can handle lots of units.