HELICOPTER PILOTING:
(USMC) AH-1Z Cobra / (MEC) Mi-28 Havoc / (PLA) WZ-10

Helicopter Specifications:
(USMC) AH-1Z Cobra
Pilot controls:
4 Canisters of 8 - hellfire missiles
Gunner controls:
20mm nose mounted cannon
8 - Optically guided anti-tank missile


(PLA) WZ-10
Pilot controls:
4 Canisters of 8 - 57mm barrel rockets
Gunner controls:
23mm nose mounted machinegun
8 - HJ-73 "Red Arrow" anti-tank missile


(MEC) Mi-28 Havoc
Pilot controls:
4 Canisters of 8 - 80mm unguided rockets
Gunner controls:
30mm nose mounted cannon
8 - Optically guided anti-tank missile

1.2 Attack Chopper Tutorial Addendum

Movement around structures and objects:

Before 1.2 came along, it was favorable for any helicopter pilot to use the terrain intelligently to avoid detection and acquire targets stealthily: it is no longer an option. Sadly, alterations to the helicopter have made it nearly impossible to stay airborne for extended periods without the use of cover at all times. Plan your route carefully and be ever more mindful of your surroundings.

Evasive maneuvers for land and air vehicles:

As a result of your decreased hitpoints, you are now highly susceptible to machine gun fire coming from jeeps and transport cars: it would be a terrible mistake for you to ignore them at this point. Armored personel carriers are relatively benign and pose little threat to the experienced and intelligent pilot: stay out of their line of fire and you will be fine. Tanks, on the other hand, are now to be respected and dealt with from their blind spots: do not engage them from any direction that could result in a turret hit.

AA emplacements and vehicles are now your main priority. Before freely entering an area to support the advance of your ground troops, you must first clear it of IGLA and Stinger weapons: this patch has given the 'newbies' a dangerously effective way to deal with air support, so make sure you know their emplacements and occupancy. You should also endeavor to destroy any mobile AA vehicles in any given area, even if unmanned. Prioritize the anti-air weaponry and your flight won't be as stressful.

Jets manned by competent pilots are no longer something you can defend against: the only real evasive trick is constant relocation to avoid their sights, but even this may not prove sufficient to fend them off. Ultimately, you will need the help of AA and friendly jets to be free from their attacks. Attempt to nip away at the airplanes using your turret. If a plane is smoking your gunner may be able to take him out quite easily. Check the media section for the video showing this technique.

Combat concepts:

Stay away from the carriers. That said, it would be preferable for you to let your gunner attack IGLA and mobile AA vehicles with his TV missile: this will make them more important now than they've ever been before. Using the TVGM is now a required skill... well, unless you enjoy re-spawn time conversations.

Land vehicles (including APCs and tanks) should be dealt with from afar, as close encounters can leave you seriously injured. Endeavor to give your gunner the shots. Since machine gun fire is more effective, you can combine this weapon with missiles to destroy non-combative and combative helicopters alike, but remember that for the latter, it works both ways: air battles are now (if AA doesn't interfere) shorter and highly dependent on the element of surprise (read: who sees the other first). Stay away from jets.

Since your chopper now has less health and is more susceptible to anti-air missiles, strive to plan your attacks carefully.

Situational Awareness:

I am tempted to say that this skill is no longer optional, but as is the case with many talents and abilities, it may be innate. Still, it can and should be developed as it is now more important than ever to be aware of what's happening on the field.

Conclusion:

Helicopter flight and combat was challenging before the 1.2 patch came along, so the changes you have seen may seem discouraging: just remember that you overcame your difficulties learning to fly and gun, so you can adapt and dominate again if effort is made to do so. Good luck...

Advanced Piloting

Lesson 1 - Survival

Visualize
Before you get your chopper airborne, try to visualize all of the AA placements on the current map. With patch 1.2 and the increased effectiveness of AA this is VERY important. Take into consideration what flags the enemy has captured around you and what your team's current status may require you to do. Then map your plan of attack around the parameters you have set for yourself. If you do this correctly, every time the missile lock indicator goes off or you take damage you should have a good idea of where the threat is coming from and will be able to make evasive maneuvers that will ultimately allow you to eradicate the threat.
Keep your head on a swivel.
One of the most important things to do while piloting one of the attack choppers in BF2 is to always be aware of your surroundings. This includes the location of trees, cranes, and buildings. However, the most important aspect of survival as an attack chopper pilot is constant awareness. I like to think of it in terms of four L's.


Tip #1 "The 4 L's"

Listen - Listen for enemy spotting calls from teammates, especially your gunner.
Look - Look on your mini-map to determine the location of the threat.
Re-Locate - Locate yourself in a position that is appropriate for the spotted threat.
Let loose - When you have relocated yourself appropriately, engage the enemy threat and take it out.

Repair, Repair, Repair
Just as the title indicates, always repair your attack chopper. Taking a hit from one SRAW may not get your armor in the red, but combined with heavy fire from a turret .50cal or another SRAW you will find yourself in a hurt locker. Plus, we all know that if you go down, there tends to be four billion people waiting for your chopper.

Lesson 2 - Pilot/Gunner Relationship

The "TV MISSLE"
The TV missile (as it is commonly called) is one of the most powerful weapons in BF2. If utilized correctly it can make tankers hide, APC's flee, and enemy choppers steer clear. The first thing to know as a pilot is where your gunner is looking in his TV view. These screenshots, taken simultaneously, show the relationship of the views between pilot and gunner while using the TV missile.
Note: The red crosshairs indicate the Pilot's HUD crosshairs.

In the USMC's Cobra, the gunner's TV view is centered just below the pilot's HUD crosshairs.


Much Similar to the Cobra, the WZ-10's view is located slightly lower, but not much.



The MEC Mi-28 centers its gunner's view in between the pilot's HUD crosshairs and the HUD display "gunner view".

For those who fly with the same person on a regular basis: First of all, communication is the most important issue here. If I am playing with friends we use Team speak, if I am playing by myself I always invite my gunner to my squad. Both are effective forms of communication and I highly recommend using one of them. The point is obviously to be able to spot a tank or other hostile vehicle and let your gunner know, and vise versa. Next on the list is the ability to call shots. I have just started doing this more and more and it has proven very useful. If a vehicle poses no apparent threat and is giving itself to the pilot, let the pilot take it. If for example, its an AA vehicle, you should let your gunner take it from long range. The choices are up to you depending on the circumstances. The main thing that this allows you to do is conserve TV missiles and rockets. If done correctly, you should both be spent on the way back for supplies. (Note: I usually like to have a few rockets on me for the fly back just in case)

Pilots: Setting up your gunner for shots on Tanks/APC's/Helicopters/etc. is the most crucial part of piloting an attack chopper in BF2. Determining the skill of your gunner is also a very important part of piloting. Regardless of your gunner's skill, you still need to know how to set him up as best as possible.
Gunners: One of the most common issues I see with the use of the TV missile is that most people don't know that it is possible to continuously guide it. Using the correct technique on guiding your missile is very important. Clicking frantically will sometimes get you a kill, however, you also run the risk of misguiding it right at the location of the opponent. I prefer to use only as many clicks as I need to. For example, an object traveling left to right in your guiding view needs to be "led". Start the missile where you think the target will be when the missile reaches it. After practice you will seldom have to re-guide your missile. On the other hand, this is pretty hard to do with enemy choppers because they are always changing their movement patterns. Just remember to readjust only when necessary.

Nose Mounted Cannon This is the POV relationship from pilot to gunner. As you can see, the pilot's view is very limited. On the other hand, the gunner has quite a wide ranging view.

Gunners: Always stay on the lookout for potential threats to the helicopter and spot them out accordingly. Pick your shots wisely as well. infantry climbing into the AA and anti-tank class infantry are your #1 priority. At the same time, spotting tanks and APC's is very important. If in a heated situation you see a tank, spot him and then tell your pilot to "Go, go, go!" "Move it!" or "Hit it!". That way he will know that the spot came from you and that it is an immediate threat.

Pilots: Give your gunners an even wider view by rotating to the left and right. Throw in some full spins to check for incoming threats. I don't recommend hovering in the same spot for long as it will get you in trouble fast. However, in order to make your gunners life easier try not to make jerky movements while he is engaging an enemy infantry unit.

Lesson 3 - Tactics

Evasive Maneuvers
First of all, evasive maneuvers can often get you into more trouble than you were expecting if you don't plan what you are going to do, and where you are going to go. The number one reason for evading an attacker is to get in a safe spot, the second is to set yourself up for the kill. Plan your evasion maneuvers around setting up the kill.

AA Vehicles and ground placements: "Bob and Weave" as I like to call it, is very effective after a flare. Also, timing your flares is very important because if you flare and they don't shoot their missiles, you are a sitting duck. Trees can also come in handy as they reset the opposing forces' missile lock every time their view crosses one. You will also find that buildings and hills provide cover as well, especially if you have located the threat and recognize his POV in accordance with your chopper. As stated in the "Visualize" section, always know where the AA locations and AA vehicle spawn points are located (Often you can take them out even before they become a threat).

Airplanes: "Get out the way" Aviators like to come at you straight on, if you hear the warning indicator and suspect it is an enemy airplane simply flare and turn sharp. That way they will have trouble gunning you down. However, some aviators are smart enough to go into their air-ground mode which eliminates the missile lock indicator. This is another reason I try not to hover in the same spot for too long. To protect against these guys, listen for gun shots on your helicopter and watch your health. Attacking airplanes in your helicopter is possible. If your gunner is highly skilled a TV missile to the rear of the plane (I like aiming for the engines) can take out an airplane. Also, if you are having troubles with an airplane that is slowing down to almost a stop to kill you, launch some rockets at him. It is pretty difficult to land successful shots in succession, however, one rocket will take about half of the enemy airplane's health and make him think twice about messing with you.

FAV/Hummer/Vodnik: "Hit 'em Quick" If not taken care of swiftly these personnel transporters are the most dangerous Anti-Air vehicles against choppers. Mounted with a .50cal rotating turret on top of the vehicle, these little buggers can take you down in about 10 seconds flat. The best defense against these is either a well placed rocket or a good burst from the gunner. Tanks: "Get High or get Hung" Tanks only have the ability to aim so high, so if you spot one, raise above their POV and you will be safe. Most tankers will shoot at you once, see you pass, and usually forget about you, so swing around and take care of them when they aren't looking, or when you are right above them.

Anti-tank Infantry: "Peons" Unless people selecting the anti-tank are highly skilled in guiding their rockets, they normally are of little concern to me as a pilot. It is quite easy to see a rocket coming at you and dodge it. However, if you are trying to cap a flag, you may be in danger.

Capping Flags
"Hang back and give 'em hell" First of all, I have to say that I don't condone capping flags in attack choppers unless they are very lightly guarded. Otherwise you run the risk of 3 SRAWs or ERYXs coming at you from all different directions. Remember, the main responsibility of the attack chopper is to support ground infantry. Therefore, we should not race ahead and try to capture flags unless they are unprotected. As chopper pilots we should hang back and look for prospective threats to our infantry.

Part 2 - By FSSF|Sloi (One of my friends and very accomplished pilot/gunner)

Note: Some of the material here may be covered above, however I encourage you read it regardless of this as the perspective of two different flying styles can be very useful.

My initial vision for this guide included an exact description of the core moves every pilot should possess in order to perform everything that was to follow, but it appears that I may have suffered delusions of grandeur or at the very least, overconfidence in my ability to convey this knowledge. As a result, I will simply assume that my readership is already well acquainted with the birds to the point where they can fly low (sub 40), turn rapidly and move with intent at all times.

Movement around structures and objects (avoidance, speed, trajectory)

The use of structures and objects for concealment and movement is one of the skills you should possess as a helicopter pilot in Battlefield 2. Essentially, this means having the ability to estimate your distances and projected trajectory on your way around the objects, all of this depending on the intended purpose of this series of moves. Practice flying close to the ground, avoiding and using the scenery as you make your way from one flag to any location of your choosing, but do so with a specific goal in mind: you may want to become comfortable with fast drops in altitude, followed by a fast course around structures, only to resurface in a more advantageous position. Perhaps your desire is to learn how to rotate around a particularly dangerous flag area for a capture assist to help a needy teammate ? These are all things you can decide to implement in your routines at your discretion. Ultimately, your skill at every one of them will determine how far you can take your chopper and how useful you will be to your team. Remember: a rounded pilot can do it all, so it would be important for you to learn how different helos move and what their limitations are in every situation.

Evasive maneuvers for land and air vehicles

Treat the following as helpful suggestions and possible methods/algorithms for evading threats in your immediate area. I will not suggest any particular way of dealing with boats for the simple reason that they are not a serious threat. Having an appreciable knowledge of the map you are currently on greatly enhances your chances of surviving surprise attacks on your chopper: you should always be in a position to tell where you are, the structures you can move around or use for concealment, the possible vehicles spawning in the area depending on which flags have been turned and finally, how to best use your current position against any particular threat. This will require practice...

Transports and Jeeps: if you aren't already doing so, you will learn to respect these vehicles if you value your time in the helos. Not only do most of them benefit from a great range of motion, but they are also equipped with powerful machine guns that cut through your chopper like a hot knife through butter. Make no mistake: should you give them even a few seconds of direct fire, you will be in a world hurt. As a result, it's extremely important that you learn to react rapidly to damage your chopper is taking. One of your first priorities is to determine the exact location of the offending jeep or transport vehicle, followed by moving to a safer place immediately: this is where the knowledge of maps and movement around structures becomes important. Your goal is to move away through the use of concealment or speed only to resurface in a more advantageous position to dispose of this threat... and only if your health permits it. Otherwise, you can offer a TV shot to your gunner if the option is available to you.

APCs: similar to the transport vehicles. They don't move as fast, but if you are caught by surprise, you may be on the receiving end of a dumb missile/rocket. Once you've made your way to a safer position, you can prepare your attack...

Tanks: arguably the same as dealing with an APC in most cases (rarely is the gunner position ever filled) but tread carefully, for one shot from the main tank gun can prove devastating. Make your way to a better location and prepare to punish the offending armor...

AA Vehicles: the guns are weak, but should you fail to flare up or do so in time, you could definitely be shot down. Do not underestimate them: use the transport algorithm to relocate but do not engage unless you have at least 70% of your health and a flare to use during the attack. If you have a gunner, put him in TV range and smile...

AA Emplacements: an annoyance you will learn to live with. Similar to a mosquito that simply won't go away, it seems that regardless of how many you swat, more come to replace the dead. Simply put, know the map and the AA emplacements so that you may relocate to a safer place or, in all honesty, flare up and ignore them if you can tolerate constant beeping: I prefer to dispose of them, but you can usually take evasive action and leave the immediate area without too much trouble, only to come back moments later to find the same offending AA short of an operator.

Jets: this is entirely up to chance. More specifically, you will either be faced with a good pilot that won't give advance warning before attempting to gun you down, or your aggressor will poke you first (through the use of his missiles), letting you know exactly what to do. Since their paths are usually rather straight, you should strafe in either direction, lose some altitude and face them to have a better idea of where they will turn, at which point you can determine where to go depending on your health and daring: some chopper pilots like the ensuing face-off, but don't take this chance against more competent jet fighters/bombers. The silent gun attacks can leave you with little and assuming your attacker makes a second run, your odds of surviving could be very low unless you drop and use your environment to stay concealed temporarily. Since many would-be ace pilots will fly straight at you guns blazing, it would be in your best interest to attempt strafing (moving to either side), as a ram will lead you back to a carrier or pad full of seagulls screaming "MINE!".

Attack helicopters: see the combat section.

Boats: Their gun range is limited and the damage delt is respectable provided you are near and at an appreciable angle. As such, they aren't to be feared. If you have a gunner, his primary fire should dispose of these annoyances quickly enough, otherwise, two of your dumb missiles will suffice. Okay, so I mentioned boats. No, they aren't land or air vehicles... so sue me. :)

Combat concepts (pre-patch 1.2)

The following is a general nudge in the right direction for different situations you may face on the battlefield: take them as helpful suggestions and develop the style you are comfortable with. Naturally, some approaches will work better than others, so choose well and enjoy the pwn4ge that is to come...

Basic techniques: at this point, you should be comfortable with all types of movement. It should be easy for you to guide the chopper backwards, stop on a dime, do angled rotations and use the terrain to your advantage. What you will now have to learn is the shooting of dumb missiles at different speeds, angles and heights: this is very difficult to explain in writing, so I'm afraid you will have to experiment, although at this stage in the game, you should already have a good idea of how to proceed. Keep practicing these shots at all angles and heights until you can do them without having to make any conscious calculations.

At this point, you are ready to engage ground and air targets. Let's see if we can find a few techniques to help you on your way, shall we ?

Structures and Land objects: these shouldn't pose too much of a threat if you are careful and approach them wisely. Take the Essex, for example: if you *must* approach the carrier for any reason, your gunner should take it out several hundred feet prior to your arrival, but if he couldn't, it will be your job to take it out with a few dumb missiles. Try not flying in any straight manner, as this will make it easier to target you and will help the AT and Assault kits take you out depending on your height. AA emplacements are the same, though they're not as dangerous: if you're close enough and have already flared/avoided the AA payload, give your gunner a machine gun or TV shot on it, being mindful to flare up if you're unsuccessful somehow. In this situation, it helps to have an escape route planned.

Land vehicles: in keeping with the abovementioned evasive maneuvers for every type of land vehicle, try to keep your distance and let the gunner work his magic with the TV. Should he not be in a position to take the offending vehicle out, it will be your job to do it so pay attention to your position, possible hiding locations and escape routes: APCs are generally very easy to take out, as are tanks... though you should be very careful with the latter, as one shot from their turret will leave you in a world of hurt. Expect to use 4-7 missiles for each land vehicle: you aren't going to successfully hit all of them, so check your current load before engaging and realizing that you're going to require a second run...

Non-combative helicopters: A treat, really. Line up your gunner and let his TV missile do the talking. Should he miss, let him spam the machine gun while you empty your payload on (preferably) the side (at an angle) of the chopper. You will need practically all of your missiles to make critical damage so make sure you're ready to give your gunner another shot should the first run not work.

Combat helicopters: along with the jets, these are your main concern. Depending on the helo you're in, the tactics will change.

Cobra: everything goes. You can do it all: fast and agile movement, TV missiles through the sky and tight pattern on dumb missiles for added precision. With this chopper, you can climb fast as well, so you should strive to have the height advantage for a few reasons: you are more difficult to spot, your gunner will have an easier time lining up TV shots and should the other chopper fail to spot yours, you will have the jump on him and thus, a chance at a surprise attack.

Chinese: although you have good mobility and TV missiles that can be used against clear skies, your missile pattern isn't as tight and your size can make you an easier target. I recommend a stealthier approach with this chopper, though you can engage every helo in air battles because of your TV missiles.

MEC: good mobility, excellent gunner machine gun and plating. However, your missile pattern isn't as tight and your size can make you an easier target. I recommend using this chopper to support the ground troops during an advance on the enemy flags. Although you may be able to use this bird in air battles, your gunner's inability to use the TV missile effectively against clear skies can put you at a clear disadvantage over long distances. Once you get to medium or short distances, you can destroy the other helicopter easily by letting your gunner hit the enemy with the machine gun while you let the missiles fly (preferably at an angle to the side to increase your target size).

You will need to get intimate with every chopper and know its abilities before you can use it wisely in battle, but there are a few common rules for every bird:

1- Try to have the height advantage.
2- Try to have the element of surprise.
3- Try to hit from the sides to increase your target size (unless you are in the cobra).
4- Try to keep yourself moving in as non-predictable a way as possible. This is very, very
important: if you are always flying in straight lines or have an easily discernable pattern to your movement, your enemy will find it much easier to take you out.

Again, develop your own attack style, but be mindful of these suggestions: they work very well on 95% of enemy pilots. If you are to dominate the skies against the remaining 5%, take your flying and gunning seriously, engage your target intelligently and practice, practice, practice...

Jets: you should already hate them by now. If not, you *will* soon (as well as learn colorful new language your parents will be especially proud of). Unless you are a daring pilot with a very good gunner, try to avoid engaging them. The idea is to let them make a pass at you, follow them to what will be their future direction and let the gunner take a TV shot, if at all appropriate: of course, you can make dumb missile shots while they are coming at you but odds are good you will only hit them once. Otherwise, do not engage... take evasive maneuvers and spot for your friendlies to handle them.

Situational Awareness

Although this should come to the pilot and gunner naturally, the development of this skill (especially in the pilot) can be of tremendous benefit to you and your team.

What do I mean by the above ? Having a very good understanding of the current situation your team is in, such as available vehicles (the whereabouts are also important), time/ tickets left (along with the most beneficial flags to capture based on numbering forces in the surrounding areas), who is in what and how skilled they are (so that you can approach a confrontation with them in as favorable a way as possible): in other words, you need to have a view of the battlefield in the same way a chess player sees a chessboard.

Ultimately, your understanding of the multiple factors involved in the current battlefield will enable you to make the most advantageous decision. The previously mentioned, in combination with a proficient gunner, will make you a very powerful ally.

Thanks goes out to FSSF|Sloi for this great addition/improvement on the original tutorial. Good luck out there!