I completely agree with all your comments above,I purchased this via steam as I wanted to play the beta straight away,and no online store was selling a retail version at the time.
A few weeks later after the game was unlocked and had gone from beta > full game,there was also a boxed retail available in stores as well.
And guess what,I bought that as well as the digital version !.......I'm a sucker for a physical copy,sad I know,but I like having a manual to flick through :)
Take on helicopter's was just the type of simulation I was looking for,I just wanted to fly and enjoy the scenery and not have to bother too much on how to get the helicopter flying in the first place.
I have A10-C Warthog,Black shark & blackshark 2 for that !
But yeah,I love the software Bohemia develops,always have.........ARMA \ ARMA 2 \ Take on helicopters and soon ARMA 3 !........can't wait :)