[GUIDE] Apache tips and tricks

[hiddengearz]

Just a guide iv'e been working on for rgg, might as well post it here for the community as well.

This link is to the original doccument and will always be the most up to date version:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...zUF2H_zDo/edit

Below is a copy of the document and may not be up to date or formatted correctly depending on the website.

Hiddengearz?s Guide to The Apache


Intro:


The apache the most feared helicopter in project reality can cause a ridiculous amount of frustration to the opposing team if used correctly. It?s not a hard aircraft to use as long as you know how to use it, so below are some tips and tricks on how to keep your apache alive as long as possible.

Munitions: 

The ammunition used in the apache is listed below.

- 1200 30mm HEDP rounds
- 2 AGM-114 Hellfire tank busting missiles
- 19 CRV7 HEPD rockets
- 19 CRV7 FAT rockets


During flight:

1) The most commonly used opfor rocket, the rpg7 has a maximum range of 800m. The blast radius of the rpg is around 10-20 meters, if you keep the apache above 820m any rpg?s under you will simply make a loud noise and cause no damage.

2) When a Anti Air missile is coming your way you don't need to use 20 flares for one missile. 3 clicks (6 flares) has been proven to work every single time i've been shot at, trust me it works. You?ve tried it, it doesn?t work? Chances are you?re not breaking away while the missile is coming at you. if you're just sitting there or flying the same direction the missile originally locked onto you from, you're going to get hit. So flare and break away from the missile.

Heres a perfect example below .
http://youtu.be/LFHMpmINAak?t=2m20s

3) The apache was designed to sit behind a hill or tree line and pop up and down to do its business. In project reality that doesn't work too well, a couple magazines from a 50 cal and you'll be looking at the ground pretty quickly. Just because rpgs can't hit you doesn?t mean a 50 cal or a 120mm bullet can?t. Keep moving, it reduces the chances of you getting hit and the opposing team from creeping in shots onto your aircraft.

4) When landing and taking off as easy as it is for experienced pilots, you cannot see everywhere at once. you have a gunner if you?re suspicious about a certain area of you?re lz, go hey gunner look at bearing # what's over there or can you watch over there for me.





In Combat: 

1) One thing many pilots do when there gunner has a target is they come to a complete stop and autohover. That?s one of the stupidest time to stop, if the target you?re gunner is shooting at is armored and has a very large gun, thats when hes going to  figure out theres an apache to my right shooting at me, maybe i should shoot back. If you?re moving it helps reduce the chance of the target successfully getting shots on your aircraft but to also get a accurate aim on you. If he can't tell if his shots are too low or too high because you're a good distance from where his shot is then he has to compensate for the speed you?re moving at and height. Making his job twice as hard. So keep moving if you?re gunner can't shoot while you?re moving at a moderate speed (less than 150) get a new gunner.

Perfect example shown below: 

http://youtu.be/q5_MVHKO31I?hd=1

2) Currently the only weapon on the apache that can successfully destroy a bmp/T-55 + is the hellfire. In 0.15 PR the hellfire cannot lock onto other players lasers only the gunners because of this the aircraft must be extremely stable while the hellfire is launched and in the air. Any horizontal movement does not disturb the gunner that much but vertical movement will completely change were the gunner is aimed. An example of a good pilot keeping the aircraft stable while a hellfire is being fired is below.

http://youtu.be/MFTc0jEQTdI?hd=1&t=50s

Also one tip if you go full screen and 1080p on the link above you will notice a small green cross in the center of the crosshair. That green cross indicates the hellfire is able to shoot at the direction the gun is facing. The hellfire missile in PR has a very small launch angle, the helicopter basically has to be facing in between the 11 o'clock position and the 2 o'clock position for the hellfire to successfully follow the laser of the gunner.



3) Using the CRV7 also known as the hydra is sometimes under used/ used incorrectly. The HEPD is a very good anti infantry and light vehicle rapist. Flying low and going lining up the aimer with the target is the easiest way to do it. shown in this vid: http://youtu.be/MFTc0jEQTdI?hd=1&t=18s
http://youtu.be/MFTc0jEQTdI?hd=1&t=1m53s

It can also be done from higher distances like http://youtu.be/MFTc0jEQTdI?hd=1&t=2m27s but is a bit more tricky.

4) The CRV7 FAT ammunition is a tank busting rocket and i?m yet to have the balls to dive toward a tank to fire at it. This should be a rather effective tank busting missile but i've never tested it myself.


At base:

1) I leave the gunner to get the ammunition. not because im lazy because he knows what hes used and what he needs. The pilots job is to keep in contact with command, keep the airframe safe and navigate.

2) As a pilot you should always double check with your gunner that he has all the necessary ammunition. The worst feeling is having that tank in your crosshair and hearing we forgot hellfires... all it takes is a ?check weapons? and the gunner to reply ?were good on everything?.

3) A quick holler over side or command saying apache leaving main can prevent a mid air collision between aircraft.

4) Lock your vehicle, even tho you?d think when you?re standing beside the vehicle people do jump in it.


Glossary

CRV7: Canadian Rocket Vehicle 7 (sounds fake it isn?t).
FAT: Flechette Anti Tank.
HEPD : High Explosive Point Detonating.
HEDP: High Explosive dual purpose.

[Swedge]

These sorts of guides and info are gold. Thanks for sharing Gearz.

Cheers,
Swedge

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

Any reason it's in a code box? Just curious.

Thanks!

[hiddengearz]

Originally Posted by [508th_PIR] Grey

Any reason it's in a code box? Just curious.

Thanks!

It looks long and messy if i just copied and pasted it. I don't have the patience to re-edit and format it just so it looks nice on the PR forums. You can click a google doc link which is updated whenever i feel like making a change. This originally wasn't going to be posted here anyways.

For example i just added another 300 words to the doc that i probably wont add to that code.

[galzohar]

What about FOs? How many hellfires does it take to destroy one? What is the max range? Are any other weapons effective against FOs?

[hiddengearz]

Originally Posted by galzohar

What about FOs? How many hellfires does it take to destroy one? What is the max range? Are any other weapons effective against FOs?

Never tried using hellfires on a fo is just a waste you only have two and you're usually using them, also they won't 1 hit ko a fob. Max range is never a problem because you just have to set the range to max and raise youre crosshair above the target and you can hit as far as PR will allow you. The only limitation on range is PR's limited view distance. I've only seen 30mm destroy an fo and it wasn't purposly but by accident. We had hydra ran the fo multiple times and put 1000's of 30mm in and around it, so I'm not to sure but it can be destroyed by an apache. Thanks for the question ill add it to the doc.

[Predator.v2]

Some things i noticed so far.

- There is some way to "autolock" with hellfires (only ground vehicles). The gunner has to switch to hellfires, then the pilot gotta align the apache towards the vehicle. There will be a lock sound and animation (circle closing on a rectangle) and once that is finished the gunner and launch the missile.

- CRV7 FAT rockets are pretty deadly to any vehicles. Once i launched a short volley of these upon a T72 and it blew with only 3-4 hitting somewhere near the vehicle. (Hellfires wouldnt reload at main, so we tried these).

- Currently the radar is your best friend. Especially on battle for sobor with all the woods, no jeep, truck, apc or tank gonna get away. If i remember right each circle is 500m distance.

[hiddengearz]

Originally Posted by Predator.v2

Some things i noticed so far.

- There is some way to "autolock" with hellfires (only ground vehicles). The gunner has to switch to hellfires, then the pilot gotta align the apache towards the vehicle. There will be a lock sound and animation (circle closing on a rectangle) and once that is finished the gunner and launch the missile.

- CRV7 FAT rockets are pretty deadly to any vehicles. Once i launched a short volley of these upon a T72 and it blew with only 3-4 hitting somewhere near the vehicle. (Hellfires wouldnt reload at main, so we tried these).

- Currently the radar is your best friend. Especially on battle for sobor with all the woods, no jeep, truck, apc or tank gonna get away. If i remember right each circle is 500m distance.

I know about the hellfires but i'd pretty sure its a glitch since thats default arma2 and they've implemented parts of the mando missle system(spam right mouse button while you have the hellfire equiped). If we could get a dev to confirm its not a glitch i would put it in the doc.

Thanks for telling me about the FAT rounds i never gave it a go on a tank, But just to let you know there's a little trick with the hellfires. Every map that has a apache has a second service point for vehicles. In the vehicle service point you will find a second set of hellfires even if there wasn't one in the helicopter service point. So basically you have to check both, one will always have it.

I think the first circle on the radar is 1000m, then 1500 and finally 2000m but i cant find anything on google about it so ill have to test it.

[hiddengearz]

Suprisingly the first circle is 500m, second is 1500m and the farthest is 3000m

[mayr]

Yeah, I've measured that too, but the biggest circle seems to vary. Landscape/weather, who knows. Also, these are different on other vehicles.