Helicopters

I'd say I never research Advanced Flight. I did have a Helo once, it was shot down by an enemy jet fighter. I haven't bothered since, But, I am now planning to try to use them again, thanks largely to this thread and in the game I'm now playing I said I'd use Every unit in the game, so I'll be trying that soon.
 
I haven't built a helicopter since the first time I played the game. And I started playing the game the same time I joined this forum...so it's been 3 years.
 
i ususally build them only for effect..lol..i love dropping troops in behind a counter attack by the ai...they usually split their attack and send a few towards your new troops..freein up the main assualt for some city bashing.
 
helicopters can transport better defensive units to absorb attacks and later move to fortify the new city....

i usually move a column of tanks up..then of course the AI moves to stop them..rather then hit them with the tanks(risk injurying my assult units) i chop in some TOW or something like that...fortify on a hill(if available) right next to the city..they attack that..not the tanks..it makes an open road right to the city..plus its alwasy cool to imagine a helicopter droping troops behind enemy lines.lol:D
 
i guess there really isnt...lol..but i do it any ways..i combined attack..i like to do combat a little more realistic..but thats just preference...theres alot of things in conquests that are kinda useless...at least..no on else uses them...
 
that would be practical yes..but unrealistic...the games combat is less then perfect from the start..but oh well..i still use helo's on occasion...along with a great air defense grid..(pointless) and a large surface fleet( pointless)
 
They arn't bad for moving infantry (marines, TOW infantry, guerillas, etc.) to keep up with your tanks and the such. They help with combined arms a fare amount. I still think they should have made some kind of modern age infantry that was kind of meant to be used in helicopters. Seriously, that would have been helpful. Something that was better on the offensive than TOW infantry. Just my thoughts.
 
Perhaps in the current game I'm playing I will build a helicopter or two just for fun and try them out on an island landing.
 
Helicopters before TOW were worthless. After TOW, they got value.

Helicopters are a tool that, at the right time, can be provide great value.
Here are some instances of the value provided by helicopters, that no other unit can provide:
-The Re-base Airlift. This is done by loading units unto a helicopter, and using the rebase option. This is a great way to reinforce or provide offensive units to cities faster then ships.
-Airdrop Looping: Because helicopters return to their home base, they can be used to send massive loads of troops to another land mass. Helicopters can carry 3 units 8 squares in a single turn. They then return to the home base, ready for a new set of units, which can be delivered to a different location.
-Can move the TOW Inf.: (If you can tell, I'm a big fan of these units. TOW can give a big bang, both offensively and defensively. They are cheap to produce. And also importantly- I've seen them time, after time defeat tanks. Never count them out of a fight.) This gives a player, an extremely mobile and powerful option.
-Afghanistan War Strategy: The US strategy in Afghanistan was to attack using special forces and Air power to defeat a weaker nation. In Civ, you can now use airpower to soften up a target and let TOWs finish it up. Once a city is captured, helos can rebase in the city for further reinforcements.

Despite all I said, Helicopters are still underdeveloped in Civ. Here are someways for them to be improved:
-Allow helicopters (and units they can carry) to work off of Aircraft Carriers. Part of the reason helicopters can't be used is because land masses are rarely in the right place to work optimally. Allowing them to work off carriers would allow their worth to increase exponentially.
-Allows them to do other missions that increase their use. Anti-submarine patrols are a great use for helicopters (as El Justo).
-Allow Helicopters to do extractions, which I was wondered for years was not implemented. There have been numerous times where I have not used helicopter or paratroopers cause it was too much of a hassle to get them out.
-Allow helicopters to carry more units, but NOT armor. What I'm thinking of is like artillery, not RADAR Artillery. This would allow helos to back up the foot units with artillery defenses. To keep game play balanced, helos should never be able to carry Armor. (In addition, this is rarely done in real life. Note that the tank in the picture was a small one, not a main battle tank.)
 
I've never researched Advanced Flight. Until now, it's quite frankly never occurred to me - at that point in the game, I'm either gonna win, no doubt, or I'm fighting for my life, and can't afford to research an optional tech that isn't crucial, such as Military Tradition. Would the helicopter users really use the research time on this tech if the AI were close, or perhaps even more advanced that you? Is it ever THAT useful?

Joe
 
It's not that useful to me. Like I said earlier, I generally just trade for it. And if the AI never researchs it, no biggie.

But no, I don't think it's so useful as to make a huge difference. OTOH, it can help quite a bit too. Moving defenders across the map quickly can mean the difference between keeping and losing that newly conquered city....
 
searcheagle said:
Helicopters before TOW were worthless. After TOW, they got value.

Helicopters are a tool that, at the right time, can be provide great value.
Here are some instances of the value provided by helicopters, that no other unit can provide:
-The Re-base Airlift. This is done by loading units unto a helicopter, and using the rebase option. This is a great way to reinforce or provide offensive units to cities faster then ships.
-Airdrop Looping: Because helicopters return to their home base, they can be used to send massive loads of troops to another land mass. Helicopters can carry 3 units 8 squares in a single turn. They then return to the home base, ready for a new set of units, which can be delivered to a different location.
-Can move the TOW Inf.: (If you can tell, I'm a big fan of these units. TOW can give a big bang, both offensively and defensively. They are cheap to produce. And also importantly- I've seen them time, after time defeat tanks. Never count them out of a fight.) This gives a player, an extremely mobile and powerful option.
-Afghanistan War Strategy: The US strategy in Afghanistan was to attack using special forces and Air power to defeat a weaker nation. In Civ, you can now use airpower to soften up a target and let TOWs finish it up. Once a city is captured, helos can rebase in the city for further reinforcements.

Despite all I said, Helicopters are still underdeveloped in Civ. Here are someways for them to be improved:
-Allow helicopters (and units they can carry) to work off of Aircraft Carriers. Part of the reason helicopters can't be used is because land masses are rarely in the right place to work optimally. Allowing them to work off carriers would allow their worth to increase exponentially.
-Allows them to do other missions that increase their use. Anti-submarine patrols are a great use for helicopters (as El Justo).
-Allow Helicopters to do extractions, which I was wondered for years was not implemented. There have been numerous times where I have not used helicopter or paratroopers cause it was too much of a hassle to get them out.
-Allow helicopters to carry more units, but NOT armor. What I'm thinking of is like artillery, not RADAR Artillery. This would allow helos to back up the foot units with artillery defenses. To keep game play balanced, helos should never be able to carry Armor. (In addition, this is rarely done in real life. Note that the tank in the picture was a small one, not a main battle tank.)
Click to expand...
these are nice remarks searcheagle.

i think that the helos in the regular civ3conquests game leaves a lot left to be desired.

i guess the bottom line is that if you want them to be of more value, you have to mod them.

in my TCW scenario, there are a few different types (or classes to be more specific) w/ each one offering a different and unique attribute. some are gunships, others are for transport, and still, others are for heavy transport (think heavy duty arty pieces).

diversity is a good thing! :D
 
El Justo said:
these are nice remarks searcheagle.

i think that the helos in the regular civ3conquests game leaves a lot left to be desired.

i guess the bottom line is that if you want them to be of more value, you have to mod them.
Click to expand...

That's the problem. Most of my suggestions can NOT be modded. For example, my most important reccommendation (Helicopters to work off of Carriers or Extrations) can not be modded. Civ does not a unit that can carry other units (aka helicopters) to be carriered themselves. There's no way also to mod the ability to extract.

El Justo said:
in my TCW scenario, there are a few different types (or classes to be more specific) w/ each one offering a different and unique attribute. some are gunships, others are for transport, and still, others are for heavy transport (think heavy duty arty pieces).

diversity is a good thing! :D
Click to expand...

Of course that's your choose. Civ does not want to overwhelm the users with a ton of units. I think civ should have an attack and transport unit. Attack helos would have the ability to search for subs.
 
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