Even though I am a huge flight sim buff, I've never been a big fan of flying egg-beaters. I'm a fixed wing guy: stick and rudder for me. Choppers are weird machines. They have a "cyclic" and a "collective" instead of a joystick and thrust levers. Like I said...weird.
So, it was with considerable lack of enthusiasm that I strapped myself into the AH-64 Apache gunship in BFBC2.
Well, I can now tell you that I had no idea how much fun it can be flying around in these things. When did I change my attitude toward these whirlybirds? Was it when I snuffed out that charging MBT with a salvo of rockets or when I calmly feathered the ship in for repairs after going down to 10% health after taking a sabot round in the face?
Hard to know exactly how it happened, but I'm hooked.
The choppers are rendered beautifully and are really pleasurable (read "easy") to fly. So easy in fact that everyone should try their hand at it. I've noticed though that many don't quite get it and usually end up smoking hole somewhere on the map.
For those of you that have never thought of trying out the choppers, this article is for you: a noob's guide to flying helos in BFBC2.
There are three controllable aircraft in BFBC2: The UAV, the Apache and the Blackhawk.
The UAV
This is a tiny unmanned aerial vehicle that looks like a
mini-helicopter. It is available instantly to the attacking side. You
take remote control of the UAV at a special terminal near the spawn
area. The UAV's claim to fame is its ability to fire a Hellfire missile
at tanks. It makes for a tiny target, but is very vulnerable and can be
shot down by small arms fire. It's not too good of an idea to loiter
with the UAV. Pop up...shoot...pop back down behind cover. It's also
good to have an engineer friend who will help you repair it if it does
get shot up.
I use the mouse to control the UAV as the joystick controls seem reversed in the Beta.
AH-64 Apache
A very lethal weapon, the Apache's pilot can fire unguided rockets
and the gunner controls the Chain Gun under the nose. It can take a
punch and give one. Everyone will be shooting at you so ensure that at
least one crewmember is an engineer as you will undoubtedly be fixing
this bird up during the game. It is not uncommon to set the aircraft
down two, three times to patch up bullet holes.
In the Beta, the Apache is available to the Defense after the first
two objectives have fallen. You will notice a huge change in momentum
once the gunship gets into the air and starts beating back the MBT's
trying to rampage through the docks.
Don't be too aggressive as the attacking side can throw a lot at
you. I have noticed that staying high and fast is proving to be a good
tactic. Loitering in one place just invites an rpg round. Getting low
has its own hazards as anyone manning a machine gun will be putting you
in their sights.
The Defense should be careful not to have the Apache stolen right from
under them by flanking attackers on their quads. Either side can use
the Apache...possession is 9/10th's of the law.
The Blackhawk
If you have lost the dock area, the final objective opens up and the
Defense no longer gets resupplied with Apaches. Instead of the quick
AH-64, you get the sluggish Blackhawk.
The Blackhawk carries a pilot and two door gunners
who man miniguns. The miniguns will rip through flesh and steel alike.
Even a main tank is not safe. Pilots concentrate on flying as they do
not have direct weapon system to control. For the pilot you have to
trade off between being a stable gun platform and a fat, juicy target.
Keep your head on a swivel and know when to hold'em and when to
fold'em.
Controlling the chopper
Read the "Helicopter Flight Controls" article in Wikipedia. I kid you not. This is all you'll need to read to understand the physics.
Quick summary:
Going up/down
Use the Up and Down keys (The Collective). This allows you to ascend
and descend. Careful when you are descending and transitioning into a nose-down
attitude...the excess speed might make you crash into terrain.
Yawing left/right
Use the left and Right keys (The Torque Pedals). A yaw is a spinning motion in place. You do not translate.
Rolling left/right Pull the joystick left/right (Lateral Cyclic). This motion allows you to translate the helo left and right.
Going forward/backward
Push the nose below the horizon to go forward and above the horizon to
go back (Longitudinal Cyclic). Very intuitive motion...unless you're
one of those guys who likes to reverse their mouse controls (I'm
talkin' to you rob-wiz).
You can combine various inputs to produce complex motions. For example,
to turn tightly, push the stick forward to develop forward momentum and
combine a left key (Left Torque Pedal) with a left Lateral Cyclic. The
result is a tight, co-ordinated turn.
Flying the choppers
1. Get a joystick. Sure a mouse will do...but a joystick just
feels like you are connected the helicopter. BFBC2 got the "feel" thing
right. The stick can be set up very easily in the interface menu.
2. Jump in the pilot's seat and look around. Make sure you're not going to hit anything inanimate. To look really "pro", check your inputs. That is, damp out any overswings by reversing the controls so that you don't end up looking like you are sitting on child's swing set.
3. Fly around an empty map and try out the commands described above.
4. Landing the chopper is fairly simple. Line up the helipad...or a flat piece of land. Do the best you can to avoid obstacles on your way in.
"Military" landings (under duress) can be accomplished even if you are carrying considerable forward velocity. Descend at approximately a 30 degree glideslope (nose down) and at last moment, execute a flare (nose up). The flare should stop your forward momentum.
