Mi-24P Fixed gun use

[Mattressi 10]

ToH: Hinds has got me really interested in Mi-24s. After playing around in it quite a bit, I've found that I greatly prefer the V and Superhind models to the P model, simply because of the P model's fixed gun (GSh-30k). I find that it's really difficult to hit anything at range with the fixed cannon - adjusting for distance is difficult when aiming upward isn't so simple in a helicopter. It's also usually impossible to hover while firing (since it's fixed and you will need to aim down at your target), so I'm usually moving at quite some speed toward my target, making aiming more difficult again. Not to mention it's extremely difficult to hit another helicopter with it.

So, it got me wondering: why did the Russians "upgrade" to the fixed gun. From what I've read, they wanted more power than the 12.7mm cannon gave and the 30mm needed to be fixed in place. Apparently the Hind pilots loved the new fixed gun. So, now I'm wondering whether other people who are more skilled at piloting the Hind are able to use the fixed gun effectively at range and/or in hover; or if Hind pilots simply used the cannon in close-up strafing runs. Presumably, they also never had to shoot down helicopters with it.

Is anyone here able to use the fixed cannon on the P model effectively? Do you only use it close up? Are you able to hover while using it? Are you accurate or do you just spray and eventually hit? Does anyone know anything about Hind tactics and can tell me what they were with the unfixed cannon and the fixed cannon (and if they changed)?

[hon0 10]

Hello.

I think the Hind is more used as a plane than an apache. It don't hover to shoot a targets. I really enjoy flying this helo but at the moment I just don't fight with it causr the instrument are just.. :(

The sight is not holographic, and I use track IR = I can't shoot with accuracy.. Nothing for the bomb and rockets.. I don't know how it's is in real but I can't believe it's as it is now in TOH. So I just wait this to be patched or,.. something :o

[Mattressi 10]

Oh, I didn't consider that the systems might not be modelled properly. I don't know very much about Hinds, so I don't know how the aiming is meant to work. However, the fixed gun, obviously, should be modelled relatively accurately in regards to aiming, since there can't really be a complex aiming system for a fixed gun. As for the rest of the weapons, maybe you're right that they have a different way of aiming IRL. If the current aiming/instruments aren't accurate, I hope they're patched to be more accurate in the future.

Actually, I did notice that my point of impact seemed to change based on where I was looking (with the fixed gun even) - that is, if I moved my head up, down or sideways (rather than freelooking), my point of aim would shift away from the Hind's sight and the rounds would impact at the centre of my screen instead. I noticed that in one Hind with the fixed cannon, that I started in the Hind with the centre of my screen far away from the holo sight (down and to the left), which meant that I needed to carefully move my head into alignment with the sight, so that it worked. I hope this can be fixed in the future.

I'm having difficulty using the Hind as a plane as well; though perhaps less difficulty than trying to hover and shoot with it. I can hover-shoot with the AH-6 perfectly fine, but I think the Hind just has it's cannon aimed up too high. Maybe the fixed gun can be moved down IRL? That would be really nice to see in-game, if that's realistic.

I think that getting pedals would also help my aiming a lot - as it is, I frequently try to line up a shot, need to use the pedals to help and then aim way past my mark because the keys don't work so well.

[hon0 10]

Hind never hover to shoot. It does a several rocket and canon passage.

Yes the sight is not "holographic" or something like that so as soon as your head isn't perfectly center you fail. And it also don't care about distance.

[Mattressi 10]

I never knew that - I always assumed helicopters hovered to shoot (too many movies have taught me wrong, lol). I wonder what height/speed they do their passes at (maybe it varies depending on the target and the Hind's weapons)?

Yeah, I've played around with head positioning a bit more and it's really starting to annoy me that the sight isn't truly holographic. At least the point of aim will always be the centre of your screen - it's not at ll realistic, but it makes it easier to know where you're going to hit.

[ericinexile 1]

There is a fairly recent review to TOH: Hinds where the author briefly discusses tactics used by former eastern block Hind pilots. Basically lots of team tactics. No hover/cover as with AH64 and Mi28.

[Mattressi 10]

There is a fairly recent review to TOH: Hinds where the author briefly discusses tactics used by former eastern block Hind pilots. Basically lots of team tactics. No hover/cover as with AH64 and Mi28.

Yeah, since I started this thread, I've had a look into Russian tactics with Hinds. They all seem very team based for sure. One that I thought was interesting was that they'd form a circle around the target and strafe around in that circle, firing down onto it. I think I'll need some rudder pedals (and a joystick) before I try that, though! All of them seemed similar in that they involved constant movement and coordinated teamwork.

[Revolving_REC0N 1]

have the same issue :/

[Mattressi 10]

have the same issue :/

Which part are you saying is a bug? The fixed gun is definitely meant to be fixed (as in, you can't control where it aims other than by moving the helicopter), since it is in real life. Or did you mean something else?

[T.S.C.Plage 0]

You're right that it's quite difficult to put this gun(s) to use properly because of all the shaking and banking but that's in fact quite realistic I'd say. Maybe a little more tailrotor-authority even in fast forward flight would help for a more precise aiming but in general the shot placement looks quite good if you aim correctly (view centered + zoomed in on the sight). In reality the recoil of the gun actually throws the helicopter off target so they can only fire short salvos and have to aim again before they can fire again. Be happy they don't included this feature. That would make it even harder to use.

Btw, as far as I know the "P" version with the GSh-30-2K was introduced during the Soviet Afghanistan War because the 12,7mm YakB wasn't effective enough against fortified enemy positions like MG and AAA nests.

What actually bothers me more is how uneffective the Shturm anti-tank missiles are. Three or more for a single T-72 is way too much.