Starter Heli grind is suffering thanks to the state of SPAAGs.

[thighdeology 5]

The state of trying to grind any starter heli is incredibly painful and annoying thanks to SPAAGs. Most of these are equipped with ATGMS with a range of under 4km, with most around 3km. Other are equipped with dumbfire rockets with no CCIP system. These go up against a mix of Shilkas, Falcons, ZA-35s and Gepards, as well as the occasional M42 Duster. All of these never use their radars, the Gepards will have theirs folded down.

The Shilkas and the M42s can be dealt with via using some trick turns, but the Falcons, ZA-35s and especially the Gepards appear to have this hyperaccurate AI targeting that hits you no matter what you do. They tend to miss for a few seconds then nail you. This makes me think that Gaijin has made it so that you are able to deal with these AA before they hit you, however in practice the targeting time is far too short for you to be able to deal with the SPAAG. Ones in a convoy are also incredibly challenging to hit thanks to Heli EC maps being on air maps, which makes them phase through the ground at occasions or go underwater. Of course, they can still shoot you while in this state.

 

The entire starter heli experience is evidently designed to make you buy GE or a premium heli to skip it entirely, so you can engage SPAA without being instantly swatted out of the sky by something there is no counterplay against