Electronic Warfare Helicopters

[Airforceguy805(孙明)]

With the new EW Helicopters entering the game, is lowering Exceptional Optics -> Very Good optics even worth a whole unit?

First you need the enemy to use recon units with Exceptional optics (of which there aren’t many), then you have to spot them, then have a slot in your deck where you can actually fit such a niche unit, then use it in game and hope the enemy has no air defenses that could shoot it down, all just to slightly degrade your opponents recon capabilities, again ASSUMING they’re even using a unit affected by it.

I think these units are a really cool concept but they either A, need to be really cheap to justify their limited use in game, or B expanded to affect more units. I think on account of their EW capabilities, it would be better if they also impacted Very Good (maybe even Good) optics to simulate that they could disrupt and degrade radio communication between these recon units and you, the commander, so as to more broadly impact recon in general. This would make them worth a slot and make them high priority targets if you’re fighting against them.

[GAINSB]

Hmm, the only actual use I see with those is to mess the whole laser guided rounds of the Akacias of the 27th Motostrelski that need exceptional reco to be targeted, except this very very specific use, it's pretty much useless.

But extremeley cool to play with I gotta admit, the devs are really adding complexity to their game

[Vovin]

Originally posted by GAINSB:

Hmm, the only actual use I see with those is to mess the whole laser guided rounds of the Akacias of the 27th Motostrelski that need exceptional reco to be targeted, except this very very specific use, it's pretty much useless.

But extremeley cool to play with I gotta admit, the devs are really adding complexity to their game

Actually, I think this is incorrect, but would like clarification. I thought arty observers were different than just recon. A great example is the Spetsnaz OP teams, which are arty observers but not recon.

[Brother Pedro]

It's a utility, but sounds pretty marginal. From devblog only unit with GSR trait (so only some special recon squad) will be effected, so meaning normal radar vehicle are unaffected? Let's assume the devblog was wrong/ambiguous and regular radar vehicle are also affected. Vehicle with bad stealth is pretty easy to see with very good optic. Only thing exceptional optic is somewhat better at is spotting exceptional stealth unit (so other recon squad). So the EW helicopter will help your recon stay hidden for longer from other sneaking scout....I don't know about you but most of my scouts are not spotted by enemy creeping another GSR squad up and stopping every 500m until they see you. Most scout are spotted from enemy advancing in force with exceptional optic and very good optic recon screening or mixed in with the main force.

I doubt the EW helicopter will cost much, especially with the recent recon vehicle price reduction (my guess is that it'll cost like 10pt more than the exceptional optic Mi-8). So it'll be a cheap capability but also doesn't do much. I think players will have a hard time gauging if it ever makes a difference without checking many replays.

Then there's the matter of range. How close do you have to be to degrade enemy recon? Anything closer than 2800m is pretty dangerous as you'll be in range of enemy AA.

Now if they make it so the jammer protect against aircraft radar detection then it might be an interesting capability, especially with the accompanying helicopter slot change.

[Vovin]

Originally posted by Brother Pedro:

Now if they make it so the jammer protect against aircraft radar detection then it might be an interesting capability, especially with the accompanying helicopter slot change.

Well the other thing is that it could have a high ECM rating and could potentially help protect a squad of helos from SAMs.

To be honest, I'm not actually sure if high-ECM planes like SEAD planes actually provide a screening effect or just protect themselves. Keep in mind that they said they will bring back the Raven as a jammer plane so I assume they can give a screening AOE for nearby units.

[DasaKamov]

Originally posted by Vovin:

To be honest, I'm not actually sure if high-ECM planes like SEAD planes actually provide a screening effect or just protect themselves.

Keep in mind, SEAD planes sole role is to destroy radar-based AA. They "protect" other aircraft by killing the units that threaten friendly aircraft. ;)

[Vovin]

Originally posted by DasaKamov:

Originally posted by Vovin:

To be honest, I'm not actually sure if high-ECM planes like SEAD planes actually provide a screening effect or just protect themselves.

Keep in mind, SEAD planes sole role is to destroy radar-based AA. They "protect" other aircraft by killing the units that threaten friendly aircraft. ;)

The subject of my sentence was high-ECM aircraft, of which all SEAD planes are. And like I said, they already said they were bringing back the Raven for the sole purpose of having an unarmed aircraft that will decoy SAM missiles and waste them.