1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 LHX tactics/Walkthrough FAQ Author: Allan Curtis (Forlornhope) Version 2.0.3 Hi I'm ForlornHope. You might remember me from such FAQS as the Streets of Rage 1 General FAQ. This is my second FAQ for GF and it's for my favourite Genesis flight sim. Most people don't seem to like this game for some reason. Sure the controls take a bit of getting used to, but after learning them they are very well thought out and take full advantage of the Genesis pad. This FAQ will hopefully make sense of this game for people and make it more accessible, because really this is an excellent sim. Version History 1.0 First Release 1.0.3 3/6/07 Saw this FAQ was getting a few hits so added contact info, list of allowed sites and copyright.1.0.4 6/6/07 Was contacted by Neoseeker. Gave them permission to use my FAQs and added them to Allowed Sites 1.3 29/10/08 Started adding mission walkthrough submitting now so the guides available on Gamefaqs again and will finish rest of walkthrough soon. 2.0 16/08/09 Walkthrough done. Cleaned up other sections and fixed typos. 2.0.1 Fixed typos, Email change 2.0.3:19/09/10: Fixed a few missing things in enemy stats and fixed a lot of typos. Copyright ----------- This document is mine! Do not rip it off, steal fragments of text, or charge for it without giving me a cut. It must be distributed in its entirety not in parts. This FAQ is copyright Allan Curtis AKA ForlornHope. If you want to use this FAQ on your site I may allow it, email me and ask. If you do not ask first I will find you and I will take legal action. Contact -------- If you have something to add to the FAQ or comments about it, feel free to contact me at Proudnerd@hotmail.com Any useful additions/corrections will be credited. Allowed Sites This FAQ may only appear on: www.gamefaqs.com www.freewebs.com/darknessoffate www.Neoseeker.com If you see it anywhere else contact me. If you want it on your site etc ask me first and chances are I'll say yes. Do NOT edit this file yourself; I will add you to the allowed sites list. If you use it please check for new versions now and then at any one of the sites above. If you're charging for it or access to it in any way, contact me and we'll make a deal. Contents Press Ctrl+F to open Search and search for the section's name. 1. Controls -Pad One -Pad Two. Piloting -Taking Off -Navigating -Flying -Fighting -Landing -Autorotation 3. Weapons -Guns -HellFires -Sidewinders -Stingers -FFAR -TOW Missiles 4. Units -Allied -Infantry -Tanks -Sams -APC -Artillery -Anti Aircraft Guns -Helicopters -Planes -Others. 5. Personal -Ranks -Medals 6. Playable Helicopters -LHX -LHX cockpit description -Apache -Apache cockpit description -Effects of damage 7. Walkthrough 7. Credits 1. CONTROLS -------------------- If you got this game without a manual you might need this section. 1.1 Pad One Dpad up: Throttle up. Push it longer to go faster and drop the nose further Dpad Down: Throttle Down. Push it to lower your speed. When stopped push it to go backwards. Push it longer to reverse faster and raise your nose. This is great for getting aerial targets in your view. Dpad right: Rotate right Dpad left Rotate left A: Change weapons B: Fire selected weapon C: Fire chain gun Start: pause Up+Start: Ascend Down+Start: Descend B+Start: Activate winch (below 20 feet) Start+C: Switch onboard computer between Navigation and Combat mode A+Start: next waypoint 1.2 Pad two A: Fire weapon one B: Fire weapon two These controls fire the weapons without any kind of lock achieved, unless you have the weapon selected and locked they will simply fly straight. C: Chain gun Up: Push nose down Down: Push tail down Use these controls to line up shots with the FFARs. Start: Toggle time warp. The makes everything move four times faster and is useful if you want to get to and from distant waypoints quickly. Be careful with these controls as steering and landing is much harder if you're not used to it. 2. PILOTING ------------------ This section explains how to fly from taking off, navigating, fighting and landing 2.1 Taking Off Taking off is as simple as flying straight up. Hold start+up till you get to about 150 feet. 2.2 Navigating First press start to have a look at your map, if you didn't in the briefing to see how far you have to go. When back at the cockpit press C+Start to switch to nav mode and you can see each waypoint, their distance and relative heading compared to your current heading. Your navigation computer is always set to your first mission waypoint, whatever that may be. Press Start+A to change your current waypoint. The selected waypoint's text will be bright green. Look at your compass. Your compass is at the top centre of your Heads Up Display, or HUD. In the compass is a small line: that is the heading to your currently selected waypoint, the arrow on the compass is your current heading. If you're a long way off course, a large red arrow will appear indicating the way to rotate to bring the arrow into the screen and therefore fly towards your destination. Align your centre arrow with the notch to fly directly toward your waypoint. Once you get close enough to a waypoint your Nav Computer will switch to the next one, even if you haven't finished your work at the current one. Make sure you've done what you need to do before you leave. 2.3 Flying Press forward for a few seconds until your speed reaches maximum (340knots for the LHX 270 for the apache). Refer to the controls section for flying controls 2.4 Fighting When a target comes into your view it is superimposed by a square. This means you are currently tracking that target and it is still a long way off. Your maximum spotting distance is about 2 miles. Your targeting computer will beep when a target is being tracked. The closest target is always chosen to be tracked, though there may be much more dangerous ones. Press left or right on pad two to change the tracked target. The right screen in the LHX is your radar screen. Targets of any alignment; neutral, allied or enemy are shown as dots; flashing red dots are units firing at you, bright white dots are missiles. Use this to stay away from extreme hotspots. Listen to your co-pilot. He will alert you to juicy targets or danger from a direction by telling you to look in that direction, either "look left" or "look right". He can also say "behind you" which is important one because things behind you are usually choppers. "Incoming!" means enemy aircraft from any direction, "Lets rock!" is a lot of enemy targets around you, "Toasted!" is when you kill an enemy. He will also say "Mission accomplished" as soon as you complete your mission, so you can be sure you're finished. Not only is he fun to have around, his warnings can be very useful. Don't fly at high altitudes (1000 feet and above). Doing so makes you extremely easy to see and show up on tbe enemy's radar. If you've spotted, fighters and helicopters will be scrambled and you'll almost always have to end up fighting them, they can find you much easier at high altitudes. Stay at 200 feet or below. Only rise if you're chasing an aircraft. Use your chain gun and save your precious missiles. Targets only need a second or two of chain to die. Never use your sidewinder missiles for anything but aircraft. They are ineffective against armour and are your only dedicated anti aircraft weapon. If you aren't after a fight with aircraft, stay away from enemy airfields. Allied airfields are yellow, enemy ones are black on the map. It's possible to use your chain gun to down helicopters. Enter nav mode and when you fire your chain gun you'll notice it fires straight and not at a target. Climb until you are on the same level as the aircraft, get the heli in your centre crosshair and fire your guns. Just a small burst will down a helicopter and it really saves missiles. Take out Command and Control (C&C) vehicles before anything else if possible. They support the surrounding unit's tracking and targeting abilities and taking them out will break everyone's tracking and make it harder for them to get a lock. 2.5 Landing You can land anywhere there is clear ground, but you should always try to land at your assigned destination on your map unless your helicopter's shot to bits, or you're wounded. Landing at another airbase gives you fewer points since you disobeyed orders. Landing on the ground in friendly territory can result in you being picked up by a friendly chopper or captured and taken to a POW camp and escaping. Both of these let you continue the game as normal: you will be told what happened and sent to the debrief. Landing in enemy territory will almost always result in you disappearing without trace, which is a game over or rarely being captured and escaping or traded for another POW which lets you continue. On difficulties higher than very easy moving too fast when you hit the ground will make you crash. Press and release down+start in the last 20 feet to touch down gently. 2.6 Auto Rotation If you lose your engines for whatever reason you can still land safely using a technique called Autorotation. When your engines stop, if you're not going maximum speed do so ASAP as the speed keeps you main rotor spinning. Then as you approach the ground, press Up and Start like you were trying to climb, pressing and releasing to try to touch down safely. It's very easily to hit the ground too hard and crash and it can be hard to actually touch down as you'll keep going up a little sometimes. The higher the difficulty level the less leeway is given to how hard you can land without dying. 3. WEAPONS ------------------ This section contains descriptions of the weaponry available and how best to use it. 3.1 Guns Your chain gun is effective against everything, even aircraft if you know what you're doing. It has by far the most ammo and should always be used instead of missiles if possible. The chain gun also has a white tracer to show the path of your shots. Keep advancing on the target until the % under it starts to rise. This is the chance that a shot from the currently armed weapon will connect with the target. You should wait until the target is 100% or close to it before firing. 3.2 HellFires Hellfires can take practice to use. They are highly effective against all kinds of amour and are the most powerful missiles you have. They aren't too good against buildings. They are too slow to hit jets but work fine against slow moving helicopters, if you can keep the heli in your view until impact. When you first see a target it will have a tracking square over it like any weapon, get closer and the percent count will start to rise. Once it reaches about 70% a diamond will appear over the square and the targeting computer will hum. The camera view will also confirm a missile lock has been achieved. If you fire now the hellfire will track the target as long as you hold it in view and will impact. Hellfires are laser guided missiles: a laser designator is fired at the target, the missile then homes in on the laser's reflection. This means you must hold the target lock until impact. If you change targets while the missile is in flight it will attempt to turn and go after the new target. If the target goes out of view, you switch to navigation mode or you switch weapons the missiles lose their guidance and simply flies straight into the ground, or if you're lucky the target if it's already closing in. You cannot fire multiple Hellfires at different targets, since they will all go to the currently designated target. Firing multiple Hellfires at one target is fine; they will all be guided. 3.3 Sidewinders Sidewinders are anti air missiles and are your longest range missiles. They are extremely effective against aircraft and unarmoured ground targets such as SAMS. Sidewinders are next to useless against amour, three sidewinders are needed to destroy a T-72. Sidewinders are heatseeking fire and forget missiles. You just get a target lock and fire: the missiles will track the target without your help. You can change targets, change your view or do anything else and the missile will still independently track the target. This makes it possible to quickly nail individual targets at once. Try to use Hellfires or your chain gun against helicopters and save sidewinders for jets. 3.4 Stingers Stingers are Air to Air missiles found only in crates. They are smaller than sidewinders and you can carry twice as many of them. They still take down aircraft in a single hit. Always use stingers when you can, as the greater carrying capacity is a real boon. 3.5 FFAR Folding Fin Aerial Rockets are unguided rockets designed for destroying buildings. You can carry a lot of them and they fire fast, but they are completely unguided. If you want to use them against anything you have to perfectly align you centreline crosshair with the target and use the pitch up and down controls to line yourself up before firing, or simply lower or raise your altitude to line yourself up. You occasionally get FFARs in a few selected missions on easier difficulties, but you'll often find them in crates. See below for how to find and pick up crates. 3.6 TOW missiles Tube launched Optically tracked Wire command link guided missiles or TOW missiles are the rarest type of missile in LHX. You can directly control them. If you pause and turn on missile view you can directly steer the missile using the D-pad. This also works in the standard cockpit view when you fire but it's almost impossible to see and control the missile. TOWs are effective against all targets but are too slow to hit jets. You sometimes get them in missions on easy difficulties, but can find them in crates. 4. UNITS -------------- This section has descriptions of enemy units, what tactics they use and how to wipe them out. 4.1 Allied Don't attack these troops. They won't hurt you and doing so will reduce your score. M2 Bradley Armoured Personal Carrier M1 Abrahams Main Battle Tank UH-60 Blackhawk Transport Helicopter Infantry with solid green (not camo) clothes on are allies and are always called "Man" rather than "Man with AK-47" etc. Any buildings at allied airfields obviously The Ka-34 Hokum in one of the last missions. I don't know if destroying cities adds or removes points 4.2 Infantry Infantry are almost completely harmless to you. They are awful at finding you, taking forever to track and have weak slow weapons. It seems they are more scouts than anything. If you encounter infantry and they manage to track you before you kill them, you'll almost always encounter aircraft later on. They seem to be good at reporting your position and do so faster than other units. One burst of 10 chain will kill them. AK-47 infantry Man in grey shirt and camo pants holding assault rifle Common Threat assessment: As close to zero as you can get without being zero Guidance: None Hits to kill: 10 chain As you'd imagine rifle infantry is no match for an attack helicopter. They take a very long time to track you and even after they achieve a tracking lock they often lose you again and have to find you. When they fire they do so slowly and their shots do almost no damage. They also have a rather limited amount of ammo. After about ten shots they will stop firing and sit there helplessly. SA-7 infantry Man in fatigues with shoulder mounted bazooka (RPG) Common Threat assessment: A tiny bit more than the AK-47 soldier. Guidance Radar Hits to kill: 10 chain These are infantry with man portable SAM launchers. Like other infantry they take a long, long time to track you and tend to lose their tracking often. When they fire, the missile is very inaccurate and will almost always be fooled by chaff. They only have one rocket; I have never seen them fire twice. SA-14 Looks the same as SA-7 infantry Common Threat assessment: Same as SA-7 Guidance IR Hits to kill: 10 chain This is just like the other SAM infantry, but uses IR tracking. 4.3 Tanks Tanks aren't all that effective in fighting aircraft. After all that isn't their job. The T-80's Songster can be a pain though. T-72 Brown tank with white turret Common Threat assessment: Very, very low Brown tank with white turret Guidance: None Hits to kill: One hellfire, two FFAR, three sidewinders, 40 rounds chain. These are easy to deal with. Their only weapon is their main gun which must be pointing directly at you to be able to fire. They rotate slowly, take a while to track you, have a crap rate of fire and can't take much punishment so just wipe them out. Don't waste Hellfires on them, use your chain gun. If you're silly enough to stay still long enough they will shoot you with their main gun doing a fair amount of damage. T-80 Black tank with white turret Rare Threat assessment: Dangerous if not taken out quickly. Guidance: Laser guided missiles Hits to kill: 2 Hellfires, too many sidewinders, about 120 chain Much more dangerous than the older and cheaper T-72, the T-80 has the toughest amour of any enemy unit, faster tracking and a laser guided songster missile that none of your countermeasures have any effect on. The main gun must be pointing in your general direction to achieve a target lock so if possible approach these tanks from behind so they have to turn around slowly. Always take them out first in a firefight and don't stop moving. 4.4 SAMs SAMS are one of your biggest threats. Obviously made solely for taking out aircraft, you'd be wise to wipe them out first in a firefight. If your chaff/flare dispensers are damaged or if you're out of them, don't fight SAMS because they will shoot you down very easily. SA-6 Gainful Yellow SAM launcher with large white missiles Common Threat assessment: Average Guidance: Radar Hits to kill: One of any missile, 30 chain This SAM launcher isn't much of a threat. It takes ages to fire and I don't think I've ever seen it hit me. Just shoot it. Sa-9 Gaskin Grey SAM launcher with small rack of SAMS Common Threat assessment: Low Guidance: IR Hits to kill: One of any missile, 30 chain These fire rather weak and very inaccurate heat seeking missiles. They take forever to track you by day, and by night they will probably never find you. Even without flares, their missile often won't hit. Just shoot them. Sa-8 Gecko Yellow SAM launcher with rack of SAMS, rotating radar aerial and six wheels Uncommon Threat assessment: High Guidance: IR Hits to kill: one missile or 30 chain These are very accurate often hitting you even you have jammers and flares. They also do a fair amount of damage. Always take them out quickly in a firefight. Sa-11 Godfly Green Sam launcher with large blue windscreen and large grey missiles Rare Threat assessment Average Guidance: Radar This is a rare SAM, you'll hardly ever see it, but it's really nothing special, much like the Gladiator and you should have no trouble with it. Sa-12 Gladiator Purple and white SAM launcher with huge white missiles on rack Very Rare Threat assessment: average Guidance: ? hits to kill: ? Sa-12s are very rare; you see them only as a mission objective in a few missions. Despite their rarity they aren't anything special and should pose no problem to destroy. Sa-13 Gopher Dark yellow SAM launcher with treads Uncommon Threat Assessment: High Guidance: IR Hits to kill: any missile 30 chain These don't seem to be as accurate as the Gecko but they can still hit you easily and they do a crapload of damage if they hit you. Take them out without any hesitation. 4.5 APCs and IFVs APCs and IFVs are a pretty pathetic collection of enemies. They aren't equipped at all to fight aircraft and they are armed with weak machine guns. Don't worry about these enemies, as they can barley hurt you. BRDM-2 Armoured Car Grey APC with flat top Common Threat Assessment: Almost harmless Guidance: No missiles Hits to kill: One of any missile, 40 chain This is probably the most pathetic excuse for an enemy in the game. They are fragile vehicles with teeny 7.62mm guns that won't even faze your amour. Since they use no tracking they fire directly at you: if you keep moving they will never hit you. Even if you're hit they will do next to no damage. The only way to be killed by one of these is to stop and sit there while it shoots dozens of bullets at you. If you want a purple heart you can try hovering near one of these and hope it gets a bullet into your cockpit. BTR-70 Armoured car Grey eight wheeled vehicle with large gun on top Common Threat assessment: almost harmless Guidance: No missiles As above these are almost defenceless against aerial threats. They pack a larger 12.7mm gun but it's still completely ineffective against you and they won't hit you if you're moving. 4.6 Artillery These are dangerous only if you stop moving, they don't track your movements and flying across their field of fire will prevent them from hitting you. If they manage to nail you though they do a lot of damage. Just a few hits can pierce your amour S-60 Large standing artillery gun Common Threat assessment Low Guidance: None Hits to kill: 30 chain any missile The only artillery capable of firing, it's very quick to track you and fires very quickly. As said above its unguided, so fly across its field of view to avoid being hit. Try not to approach them head on or they can hit you and they hurt. S-23 180mm gun Big gun with a large yellow shield and ground anchor Uncommon Threat assessment: They never fire so it's harmless Guidance: unknown since they don't fire, but I'd assume none Hits to kill: 50 chain 1 of any missile 180mm! Whoa this thing could rip a hole the size of your head in you! Don't let the size of the gun worry you these things never shoot. I don't know if it's a bug or what, but they never fire ever. This is simply fodder. 4.7 Anti Aircraft Guns These are some of the most dangerous foes, they are designed solely for taking out aircraft. The shilkas are exceedingly deadly. ZSU-23 Shilka Green vehicle with four gun barrels Common Threat assessment: Dangerous one of the biggest threats. Extremely deadly if not taken out fast. Guidance: Movement prediction Hits to kill: 50 Chain The Shilka is the most consistently annoying and dangerous enemy in the game. They are very common and use a system where they aim their quad 23mm guns at where you are going rather than where you are, making flying across their field of view completely ineffective. When approaching a Shilka keep zigzagging, never fly in a straight line. This confuses its tracking and it won't be able to hit you. It takes a fair bit of practice to do this well. They fire quickly and do decent damage so take them out quickly. ZSU-30 Looks just like a Shilka Threat assessment: Same as ZSU-23 Rare Guidance: Movement prediction Hits to kill: 50 or so chain This is exactly like a Shilka in every way. I'd assume the name change means it has 30mm guns instead of 23mm but it seems no different. It's a rare unit and you won't see it often at all. ZSU-57 Yellow and green vehicle with two barrels Threat assessment: Low you'd have to sit in front of it to get hit. Uncommon Guidance: None Much less of a threat than its newer and more advanced brethren, the ZSU-57 takes a while to track and when it does it has a very slow firing rate and simply fires straight at you. It's rare for these things to even fire at you let alone hit you. BMP-2 Large yellow tank like vehicle Threat assessment: Low its lack of path prediction and useless SAM make it a pretty sad opponent. Rare Guidance: Radar for missile Hits To kill: 50 Chain, One of any missile I'm not sure what these are but they aren't much chop. They have a single SAM which they will fire first which has never hit me and them follow up with their main gun which is just fired where you are. While it's one of the few enemies to have both missiles and guns it's not much of a threat. You only see these in Central Europe. Note on aircraft Aircraft are dispatched to your area when you have been detected by enemy units by as flying near them so they track or fire at you. They take off from the nearest enemy airbase and fly to your area. All aircraft have limited fuel and if they are not shot down and you stay alive, they will eventually fly back to their airbase and land and disappear. Flying at high altitudes like around 2000ft causes aircraft to scramble at the nearest airbase as they see you coming on radar. You'll see the message "Scramble at (name of airbase)." Scrambling is quickly getting as many aircraft in the air as possible the intercept an incoming attack, rather than waiting to be caught on the ground and you'll start getting a lot more aircraft after you. This is only recommended if you really want to fight aircraft and aren't badly damaged. 4.8 Helicopters Helicopters are by far your deadliest foes. They are fast and mobile and often have accurate weapons. Helicopters are at their most dangerous after you've completed a mission and are flying home damaged and running low on ammo. They can chase you and unload their accurate missions on you, blasting you out of the sky. Some helicopters will try to kamikaze you doing a lot of damage. Even the Mi-8 Hip can do damage if you're not careful. Helicopters have a limited amount of fuel if you watch them in target view you'll see they eventually retreat and land at a nearby enemy airfield. Helicopters like to fly at about 1000 feet and you should gain altitude to get a clean shot. Mi8 Hip Black boxy helicopter Uncommon Threat assessment: Can be deadly if it gets close, but otherwise it has a hard time getting in a position to shoot. Guidance: none Hits to kill: One Hellfire or Sidewinder short burst of chain The Mi8 hip is a slow helicopter with optical tracking which uses large barrages of unguided rockets. They may not be accurate, but if allowed to get close enough they will hammer you with multiple rockets, causing a lot of damage. Constantly be on the lookout for Hips, they are black, the only helicopter that is. Listen to your co pilot and if he says to look in a certain direction or says there are incoming aircraft do a check for them. Hips are no threat at night because with their optical tracking they will have a hard time even finding you and you can shoot them down easily. Hind Yellow sleek helicopter with vent above canopy Common Threat assessment: Dangerous, even more so if you're already damaged Guidance: Radar Hits to kill: One Hellfire or sidewinder short burst of chain The Hind A is the weakest with the weakest weapons and the F is the toughest with very accurate and deadly weapons and a very effective tracking system. Take them out fast. Mi-24 Havoc Rare Threat assessment: Medium It's a very tough helicopter and very agile. Guidance: ? Hits to kill: Two sidewinders, one hellfire The Havoc is a Russian built rip off of the AH-64 Apache. It's not anywhere near as deadly as the playable Apache, but it's the toughest air unit in the game, needing two sidewinders to take down. It's very agile with a decent pilot as its constantly moving and evading and it looks almost the same. Because it's so rare it's hard to tell how dangerous the Havoc is, but because of it being like the apache, I suggest you take it out ASAP. 4.9 Planes Mig 27 Flogger Black jet with red nose Common Threat assessment: Really only dangerous if you're completely out of countermeasures. Its weapons are too inaccurate. If you have no chaff it's extremely deadly since it's so fast and will rip you apart Guidance: IR Hits to kill: One sidewinder, don't even bother with chain, one hellfire Floggers are the most common airplanes you'll see. They are very fast; you usually won't see them coming until they begin to circle you, trying to achieve a weapons lock. Obviously being a plane they can easily keep up with you and its impossible run from them. They usually can't hang around long before heading back to base to refuel, so if you can't kill them just try to stay alive until it's forced to retreat. The Flogger is very inaccurate, meaning it will usually never hit you if you have any flares left and takes forever to track you. Still if you're out of flares they are utterly deadly, able to keep up with you and hammer you with missiles. They are too fast to hit with chain guns, use sidewinders if you can, but don't use them when the Flogger is flying across your view as the missile usually can't turn fast enough and will shoot right past it and miss. Wait till the Flogger is flying straight towards you or away from you or at a less extreme angle, so the missile has a chance to turn. If you're forced to use hellfires, use them only when the plane is flying straight towards you and turn or climb to keep them in your view. Hellfires can outrun floggers over very short distances. Su-27 FrogFoot All yellow jet Rare Threat assessment: Very dangerous. It can fly slowly enough to pound you with its powerful cannon thanks to its low minimum air speed and it has a large load of accurate missiles. Guidance: IR Hits to kill: One sidewinder, don't even bother with chain, one hellfire The Frogfoot is the deadliest plane in LHX. It has powerful missiles as well as a strong nose mounted cannon. It's capable of flying very slowly to rain ordnance down on you and is very agile. The FrogFoot has more fuel than the Flogger and when it's out of missiles it will fly behind you and hammer you with its cannon, which you are too slow to escape from. You don't have a hope of escaping it, so the best you can do is destroy it with a sidewinder or hellfire, which is easier since its slower than the flogger, or evade its fire (much easier said than done) until it hits bingo fuel. 4.10 Other C&C (command and control?) vehicle Flat vehicle with rotating yellow radar dish Common Threat assessment: It has no weapons but supports the units in the local area Guidance: N/A Hits to kill: 30 chain, one of any missile These units can't attack you directly, but while active they seem to support the surrounding units tracking, making it much easier for them to find and hit you, even at night. Make sure to silence these whenever you see them. Radar Vehicle Looks exactly like a C&C Vehicle Uncommon Threat assessment: No weapons just like the C&C Guidance: N/A Hits to kill: 30 chain, one missile These are seemingly just like C&C vehicles and should be destroyed whenever you see them. SSC-4 Sepal Cruise missile launcher Large brown missile platform with very large missiles Very rare. There's just one as a mission objective. Threat assessment: It never fires. Cruise missiles aren't meant for close range combat. Guidance: Unknown Hits to kill: ? This isn't a threat, it doesn't even fire at you and it is just there to be destroyed for a mission objective 5. PERSONAL -------------------- 5.1 Ranks You earn points for completing objectives and destroying the enemy. Killing friendlies and disobeying orders such as going to the wrong airfield or landing on the ground somewhere costs you points. When you get enough points you are promoted. Promotion doesn't do anything in game though but it's nice. You start as a 2nd Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant: 2000 Captain: 6000 Major: 10000 Lieutenant Colonel: 16000 Colonel: 25000 5.2 Medals You can be awarded medals for accomplishing certain things in missions. Medals have no effect on game play but you can see them and at the end you are shown all medals you received. Air Medal: Finish a mission and shoot down six helicopters or planes. It can be a mix. The missions where you shoot down a helicopter and its escorts are best for this. Good Conduct: Complete four missions in a row without restoring you status with a password, i.e. dying or turning the game off. Purple Heart: Be directly injured by enemy fire by having it come through your cockpit's window and make it back to base alive. You don't have to complete the mission. Can be hard to get as getting shot is rare. Armed forces executory medal I'm m not sure what you get this for. It looks to be for finishing a lot of missions I.E. most of the game, without dying or using a password. 6. PLAYABLE HELICOPTERS --------------------------------------- This is a description of each helicopter and cockpit. 6.1 LHX The LHX or Light Helicopter Experimental is the more modern and simpler of the two helicopters. It has a much simpler cockpit with electrical instruments and readouts that can be easier for rookies to understand. It's faster than the apache at 340 knots max but can't carry as many weapons. Its tail fan is less susceptible to damage than the Apaches. All up the LHX is better for players who like to stay mobile and prefer the faster speed. 6.1.1 LHX Cockpit description From the left: IR/Radar sensor: This consists of two lights for Infrared and Radar based attacks. When you're tracked by an enemy unit the appropriate light will turn yellow and you'll hear a warning sound. When you're fired at it will flash and you'll hear another sound then it will turn red to signify engaging countermeasures to prevent the missile hitting you. If they are successful and the missile tracking is broken, the light goes out and the missile harmlessly impacts the ground. If they aren't, the light returns to yellow and you'd better try some dodging. Left screen: In combat mode this shows weapon and countermeasure status in navigation mode it shows levels for fluid systems and your fuel and throttle level. Falling levels are flashing red. Your fuel turns red when you are below 20%. Centre screen: This shows a camera view of the target in combat view. If there are no targets it shows navigation status. In nav mode it always shows the status. Right screen: This is your RWR or Radar Warning Receiver. It shows surrounding units as grey dots, firing units as red flashing dots and missiles as bright white dots. It is identical in both computer modes. HUD: The Heads up display is made up of the compass, (see navigating in the piloting section for use) the altimeter on the right, the Vertical speed indicator on the middle left and the air speed on the top left. The target's name is also in the bottom centre. 6.2 Apache The Apache is the helicopter for players that like a lot of weapons. It has 16 HellFires compared to the LHX's maximum load of 8, though it can only carry 2 sidewinders. The Apache is slower than the LHX with a max speed of 270 knots, though it's more than fast enough to get around. Its tail rotor is much more vulnerable to enemy attacks, which can be very annoying and losing your HUD can screw you up badly as you can't tell what targets are besides visual contact, if you lose your camera too. The Apache has a somewhat more complicated cockpit and is generally lower tech. 6.2.1 Description of Apache cockpit From the left top: Chaff/Flare count: How many chaff cartridges and flares you have left for defence against missiles. Fire Control panel: A list of remaining weapons, but it's less intuitive than the LHX, since you have to select the weapon to see its remaining ammo. Throttle level: The green dial is your throttle setting. The green area is for forward throttle and the red area for backward throttle. This is useful for getting an idea of your speed if you HUD is damaged. Artificial Horizon: The white and black dial is your relative position to the horizon. When you turn it will change to show it. It's really not much use since you can just see out the canopy when you're turning and is just for show. Screen: This is just like the LHX screen. Target view in combat mode, nav status in nav mode. Altimeter: The black dial with the number is your altimeter. The number is in hundreds of feet so 11 would be 1100 feet. The dial is the percent of 100 feet so 11 with the hand straight down would be 1150 feet. You don't really need it since the altitude is on the HUD, but if that's damaged it can be handy. Vertical speed indicator: This is the green and red dial below your altimeter and shows the rate of decent or ascent. Red is descending green is ascending. It's not all that necessary, since it's easy to judge vertical speed, but it canes handy when landing. Fluid levels: These are the green bars to the left of the altimeter and show the levels of your helicopter's fluid systems: T: Throttle F: Fuel O: Oil H: Hydraulics Radar Warning Receiver: This is the black circle below the fluid levels and works just like the one in the LHX. HUD: The heads up display is made up of the compass at the top, (see navigating in the piloting section for use) the altimeter on the top right and the airspeed and vertical speed indicator on the top left. 6.3 Effects of damage Camera: You lose your view of the target, distance, heading etc. This shouldn't be a problem, as long as you don't lose your HUD in the LHX, as target names appear in the bottom centre also. In the Apache you won't be able to tell what things are, except by direct visual contact and sound. If you don't know what you're shooting at use the target view. Chaff/Flare dispensers: You can no longer release chaff or flares. This is very serious leaving you with almost no defence against missiles except your jammers. If this happens early in a mission it's a good idea to head back to base. Engine: Doesn't seem to do anything but make the motor sound sick, you still seem to move at full speed. Fuel tank: Your fuel tank got shot. You'll start to lose fuel very quickly. Return to a friendly base immediately. HUD Your entire head up display - targeting system, compass, airspeed, everything - disappears. Can be very annoying. Use nav mode main screen for judging direction - the headings are how far you have to turn to face that waypoint - watch if the distance to location goes up or down and turn accordingly. Off course arrow still appears. You can of course also use your map. Hydraulic lines: Your hydraulic systems are leaking. Hydraulics are used for steering, you can see the pressure percentage on the nav mode left screen on the LHX and the engine status on the centre left in the Apache. If you're still in the air when hydraulic pressure is completely lost you will crash, so return to base asap, as you lose hydraulic pressure very quickly and in a few minutes it will be drained. If you're too far away from your base, try a friendly airfield or at least in friendly territory, though you might have to land anywhere. IR/radar sensors damaged. The IR panel of the left of the LHX stops working as does the sound alerts. You have no idea when you're being fired upon, except for the actual sound, nor a way of knowing if it's an IR or radar attack. Jammers: Your radar jammers, your first line of defence against missiles are inoperative. You can still survive with chaff and flares. If you lose both you're a complete sitting duck. Main rotor: Your main rotor is damaged. Makes the aircraft bounce up and down all the time. Doesn't affect its performance, but looks pretty unsettling. Oil lines: You are leaking oil. The percent is shown in the engine status. When you run completely out of oil your engine will be fine for a while but then suddenly sometime later your engine will burn out and stop. As soon as you get an oil leak head back to base, unless you can finish your objective in the next 5 minutes or so. Monitors: It's possible for any of the MFDs to be destroyed, making it go completely blank and denying you information. Steering lines: Your steering controls are damaged. The helicopter will randomly wander off course and you won't be able to fly very straight. Can be annoying but it's still perfectly possible to complete a mission like this. Tail fan/rotor: Your tail rotor/fan is wrecked. This is one of the worst things that can happen. Without the torque to counteract the main rotor spinning the helicopter will just circle around and around. Trying to move results in you flying in circles. The only possible way of flying is to try to move forward when facing your destination and stopping when you're not its very time consuming but it's possible to return to base like this. You: You are hit by a shell or bullet that comes through the canopy. You'll know for sure by the bullet hole in the window. If you get shot you'll usually be able to stay alive for another ten minutes or so. Get back to a base! When you're done for the game will say "You are about to die from your wounds", from then you have about 30 seconds to land in a friendly base or you'll simply crash and die. If you're really unlucky just after you're shot you'll get a warning "You've been seriously injured". If that happens you have about 2 minutes or less before you get the warning you are about to die. You must land in a friendly base! If you land anywhere else you'll die before you can get to a hospital. Getting injured and living earns you the Purple Heart. Walkthrough LHX's campaign is randomized. The enemies are always in different spots and you'll receive missions in different orders. The order here might not match the one you have. If not just search for the mission objective like say for the armoured group search group. The objectives for the codenames might be different to yours but the codenames still count for that mission of the game you're on. Some missions like Green rain and Rainbow Veil are fixed and always have the same objectives. Majestic Twelve: Destroy Command and Control Vehicle Password: DAAAAGA Fly to the vehicle marked on your map which may be quite a long way from your takeoff point and wipe out the SA-13 and zsu-23 guarding it. Blow the helpless vehicle up, then head to your landing point, blowing up anything you can on the way back for more points. You will probably meet aircraft en route to your landing so don't waste your sidewinders. Anterior Nova Destroy the bunkers Password: DAAAIHA Simply go to the objective and destroy the Shilka guarding them and then use your chain gun on the bunkers as they resist missile attacks. It takes quite a bit of gunfire to kill them so make sure not to use it up. This mission was a lot more annoying because the very first enemy I saw was a shilka and it hit me once and that hit destroyed my chaff. Annoying. Reindeer Flotilla Rescue the pilot. Password: DAAAQEA Go to the pilot and get him. There was a guy with an AK near him, but it's not like he's a threat. Get near the pilot and reduce your altitude to less than 20 feet. Then slowly inch forward at say 15 knots, since you can't fly quickly at such a low altitude and get within about 60 feet of the pilot to have him climb on board. Then shoot your way to your landing point. Phoenix: Destroy the truck convoy Password: DAAAYFA Go to the convoy destination which is always an airfield and then go from there in a straight line to the convoy destination. On the way you'll find the convoy of trucks. Simply shoot them all up and head to your landing airfield. The trucks are moving and you will fail if they make it to their destination, so wipe them out quickly, then muck around taking out other enemies if you wish. Rainbow Veil: Rescue the POWs Password: DCIAASG Another rescue mission. Go to the POW camp, but don't start shooting randomly. The POWs are interspersed with other targets there and it's all too easy to be shooting at something, destroy it and without noticing start shooting at a POW, killing him and failing your mission unless you practice proper fire control. Carefully kill off any infantry firing at you and any enemy units close to the camp as there are sometimes units right near the camp. Make sure no helicopters are firing at you and carefully pick up the POWs destroying any tents that are in the way of the pickup point. After you have all three on board feel free to wipe out the entire camp, before heading back to base. Chess: Rescue The Rangers Password: DCIAITG Yep more saving the grunts. Go to the pickup points in any order, sometimes the second is closer to your takeoff point than the first. It's fine to go to that one first. When approaching the landing zones don't shoot the green clothes guys with rifles; they are friendlies likely the rest of the ranger squad that wasn't injured. Simply pick up the causalities then go to the other point and get the others. Then head back to base. Lobster Quadrille: Escort the Blackhawks Password: DCIAQQG This mission is different in that you have to escort two UH-60 Blackhawks as they airlift equipment to a team of Rangers. Start heading to LZ Alpha, wiping out every single enemy capable of shooting you see. If you can see any looking left or right from your path to the LZ, blow them up too so the route is clear. When you get to the LZ blast the enemies there and watch out for the tough T-80 there. Make sure you don't take too much damage to try to minimize the chances you'll get something serious like a fuel or hydraulic leak or get yourself wounded that will force you to land before you crash, as you need to be able to hang around. Head back to your base and wait there, still in the air for the Blackhawks to make it to LZ Alpha. They are slower than both playable helicopters and will take a while to get there. Ending the mission before the Blackhawks complete theirs get them both destroyed always. You need to wait at the base. After a while you'll get the warning that the Blackhawks are approaching LZ Alpha. Soon after you'll get told they are leaving LZ Alpha then get the "mission accomplished" quote from your co-pilot. You can land now and the mission will be complete. Don't worry about your fuel you have enough to hang around till they complete their mission. You can then land and complete the mission. You can also follow them to watch as they do their thing. First start heading back to your takeoff point, after crushing the enemies at the LZ and on the way as described above. On the way you'll see the Blackhawks on the way to to the LZ. Match your speed to theirs and you can follow them to the LZ. When they get there if there aren't any enemies you'll see them land and stay on the ground for a while. They will then take off and start heading to your landing point, though you probably won't have time to escort them there as you'll be running out of fuel and they won't be shot down anyways. You will be running on fumes by the time you make it back to base afterwards. Hen House: Deliver equipment to the Rangers Password: DCIAYRG In this mission you have to airdrop a crate full of supplies to Delta Company a group of friendly troops deep in enemy territory. Head to Delta Company and when you get there; you'll see a group of friendly units and infantry. Hover above the four guys in a square and drop the crate in the target area. Make sure not to shoot any of the friendlies, then head back to base. Oddly blowing up the crate and even Delta Company after dropping the crate still completes the mission, tho you'll get almost no points since you lose points for killing friendlies. Desert Two: Execute the high ranking terrorist Password DCIABCA This mission is rather dumb since the briefing says they were going to send B2 bombers to wipe out the camp, but they are all broken (what? broken how? and all of them??) and the service techs don't have clearance to read their repair manuals (odd you'd think somebody would and if they didn't have clearance they wouldn't have any experience fixing B2s anyway). Anyways getting back to the point, This is a very easy mission. Just fly to the tent complex and perforate the useless infantry guards. The large brown tent is the only building you need to blow up; once you do you'll accomplish the mission, evidently killing the terrorist in the collapsing building/explosion. This is the only thing at the camp that needs to be destroyed; the units in the area and other buildings can be left if you wish; tho I like to flatten the entire camp. Then simply fly back to base. Flaming arrow: Shoot down the document carrying helicopter Password DCIAJDA The briefing in this mission is sort of ambiguous. Are the US government helping to cover up African government terrorist activities or simply stopping false propaganda about them being terrorists from being circulated and ruining their reputation? Hmmm. Anyways head to the convoy origin. If you've been fast enough you'll see the helicopters still on the ground and can target the paper helicopter: the black Mi-8 Hip and blow it up, accomplishing the mission. As soon as you get close/start shooting the helicopters will attempt to take off. While they are on the ground they can be targeted with the chaingun and hellfires will select them as ground targets. As soon as they start to lift off they won't be treated as ground targets. So take out as many as you can before they scramble and take off. When I got to the origin there were two hinds and the hip on the ground, one hind taking off and two hinds in the air, but they could have been aircraft sent in to intercept me, not part of the mission. This mission is a great chance to get the Air Medal as you'll bag a few heli kills and any others you encounter should be enough to get the six you need for the medal. Simply fly back to base and congrats you're a pawn of the government's corruption/the saviour of your ally's reputation. Plain Aria: Stop the Green Rain dropping helicopter. Password DCIERAC This mission is an interesting one. Your mission is to shoot down another Mi-8 Hip carrying a deadly biological weapon called Green Rain a smoke like substance the Libyan government plan to use to kill off a village full of US Rangers as a final show of defiance, even though they have lost the fight, thanks to you. Don't fly to the Chem Drop on your map. That's just the village where the green rain is going to be dispensed. Instead use your map to navigate to the Chem Flight's origin and if you're fast enough you'll see the helis still on the ground, like in the Flaming Arrow mission. If you took a while getting here they may be airborne or gone. If they are quickly start heading towards the Chem. Drop from the Chem. Flight Origin and you'll find them. Shoot down the mi-8 Hip to complete the mission and wipe out its guard Hinds if you follow them to the village you'll get the message saying the green rain is being dispensed, and the Hip will start dropping circular smoke like green stuff. If you get that message the mission is failed as the biological agent has been dropped and the village is doomed. This is the last mission in Libyan. Now it's time to head to Americas favourite place: Vietnam. VIETNAM Lobster Quadrille: Escort the BlackHawks Password: DAYEZBG Welcome to Vietnam. Whee another annoying escort mission. This is exactly the same as the last one. Just go to LZ Alpha killing off anything you see on the way annihilate the stuff at the LZ then wait by your base/follow the Blackhawks until they leave the LZ and your mission is complete. Reindeer Flotilla: Rescue the Glider Pilot Password: DAYEBSE Another rescue mission. The briefing says that the downed pilot has the means to avoid being a POW but would prefer not to use them, but if you fail to rescue him he becomes a POW anyways... Anyways this is another easy rescue mission. Just go to the pilot, kill the AK toting solider near him, pick him up and head back to base. Flaming arrow: Destroy the Khmer Rebel General's helicopter Password: DAYEJTE Another "destroy the gunship" mission. As before just go to the enemy origin quickly and you'll find the helos still on the ground. Simply detonate them with chain or hellfire on the ground or sidewinder in the air and try to kill six to get the air medal, if you haven't already got it. Head back to base afterwards Hen House: Deliver water to the GIs Password: DAYERQE Another Delivery mission. Just fly to Delta Company which is a group of friendly units and infantry and drop the crate in the middle of the infantry guys. Head back to base Lava Lamp: Destroy the Artillery site Password: DAYEZRE And now for something completely different. Fly to the Artillery site. There you will find a group of Sa-23 180mm guns and a few other units like Shilkas. Kill off the guards and then wipe out the guns. Sa-23s don't actually shoot either because the devs didn't want them to, or because of a bug. You only have to take out the Sa-23s to complete the mission. Once you do that, head back to base. Anterior Nova: Destroy the grounded MIGs Password: DAYEAKC Another easy mission. Just fly to the MIGs and you'll see four of them on the ground parked on the runway. There will also be two skirlkas (guess that light AA cover mentioned in the briefing WAS actually light AA cover) Destroy them, then use your chaingun or hellfires since the jets count as ground targets. Then just head back to base. Gemini: Crush the truck convoy Password: DCYEILG Another truck destroying mission. Just go to the convoy origin (which for me was a remote building in the middle of the countryside) and start heading to the convoy destination. On the way you'll see the trucks with no guards at all. Blow the idiots away and head back to base, shaking your head. Chess: Save more GIs Password: DCYEQIG I'm not sure what the briefing is on about for this: A green Looney with a winning manner than got shot first? Is that an inside joke from the devs or what? Anyway this is just another group pickup. Just go to the two LZs, going to the second pickup first if it's closer and pick up your guys before heading back to base. Binary Rainstorm: Stop the chem Drop. Password: DCYEYJG This is just the same as the other chem drop mission. Just ignore the chem drop waypoint and use your map to navigate to The chem origin to find the helos on the ground or on the way to the chem drop and blow them away. Another good chance to get the air medal. Freedom Train: Save more POWS! Password: DCYEA4E More grunt saving? There are three this time, so fly to the POW camp. Once you have all three on board feel free to torch the camp since there's just some AK-47 infantry and no other defenders. This is your last mission in Vietnam. Now you go to the ambiguous "Central Europe" for ther games final missions. CENTRAL EUROPE Domino Mirror: Destory the Cruiose missile launcher Password: DCYEI6E Welcome to Central Europe. Letting enemies keep cruise missile launchers is a big no no, so fly over to where the missile laucher is, watchig out for the new enemies like the BMP that you'll meet alot of in Europe and you'll find the launcher with a Shilka guard and two Radar vehicles. Blow up all idiots at the site then head back to base. You'd think Russia would protect a cruise missile launcher with more than one AAA... Chess: Save MORE GIs! Password: DCYGQYE Wow another GI saving mission. The end of the game is in sight, so stay strong and resist the urge to blow them into fleshy bits for being stupid enough to be captured. They are out in the open with enemy soldiers, so don't shoot friendlies and airlift them out. Arc Lite: Save MORE idiotic people! Password: DCYGYZE Wow ANOTHER airlift mission. Go there, resist the urge to shoot them, kill off the guards, pick the guys up and return home. Anterior Nova: Destory the bunkers Password: DIIGBKG Well after all that its back to one of the first mission types in the game: destroying the bunkers. Because after all the battle you've seen, this is really a mission that a pilot of your calibre should be given. This as you'd imagine is a very, very easy task. Just remember the bunkers are resistant to missiles, so blast them with a long white stream of chaingun love and head back to base. Reindeer Flotilla: Save yet another pilot Password: DIIGJLG Now you have to save another pilot but this time he's the pilot of a shot down Apache. How come when you're shot down or crash you never survive but he does? It's a conspiracy! There is nothing different about this so just go and get him. Hop Toad: Drop supplies to the downed pilot Password: DIIGRIG Ohh look another Apache that survived the crash and can be REPAIRED while you always die. Even his co-pilot survived, as the end mission debrief says that he can treat his injured co-pilot. Anyway the object is to drop a crate to him so head out there and you'll see a man simply called "Man" standing by himself. Drop the crate next to him and you're finished. Also if you want to be evil, after you drop the crate you can shoot the guy or even blow up the supply crate and you'll still complete the mission just fine. Olympic Torch: Clear the way for the B-2 Password: DIIGZJG Well here's something different! Your task is to clear the way for a B-2 stealth plane prototype to complete its test flight. The top brass in the mission briefing sure don't seem too impressed with it and it will get blown away by SAMs despite being stealth, so it's your job to eliminate the threat. When you go to the runway you'll see the bomber take off in front of you. It will then circle the airfield and head off away from your mission objectives. it is faster than you, but don't worry because it will take a little while to actually head towards the SAMs. You still don't have time to waste though, so hurry over to the SAMs and wipe out the Sa-12s. Unlike the Blackhawk mission; as soon as you blow up the Sa-12s the mission is complete, even if you land before the B-2 gets there. If you like though you can try to follow the B-2, tho it is faster than you, you can go to one of the SAM sites if you want to watch it. Its funny that in a previous mission the briefing said they were going to send B-2s to take out a target but they were broken and the tech crews didn't have clearance. If the B-2 is already in service why does it need a test flight? I thought this was a prototype? Lobster Quadrille: Protect the Blackhawks Password: DIIGB4E This is another "protect the Blackhawks" mission. Handle it much like the previous ones and head over and clear out the LZ. Hang around and follow the Blankhawks or go to your destination and wait for the mission to be complete before landing. Grand Theft Hokum: Escort the Ka-34 Hokum Password: DIIGJ6E A new mission type, this time you have to escort the defecting Russian Air Minster in his stolen Ka-38 Hokum to your landing airfield. Take off and head over to the pickup point and you'll see the Hokum marked as a mission goal with some tanks next to it marked as mission goals. Obviously destroy the tanks and not the hokum and wait a minute or two and it will take off. Then just fly with it to the destination. Nothing seems to shoot at the Hokum, so as long as you stay alive and get there with it you should be fine. Of course a Russian helicopter flying with a US helicopter protecting it is a commonly seem sight for the Russian troops. Once it lands at the airfield the mission is complete and you can land. Flaming Arrow: Destory the hitsquad's helicopter Password: DIIGRYE This is it: the last mission in this long game. A hitsquad has been sent to eliminate the Air Minster and you have to intercept their helicopter and stop them. Despite what you may think this mission is just like the previous helicopter hunting missions. Just take off, go to the flight origin and wipe them out the same way you have wiped out other helicopter flights. After burning the hitsquad, return to base and set your faithful helicopter down for the last time. CONGRATULATIONS! you have beaten LHX Attack Chopper! Credits: Me for writing this. Alexander Davidson for making MetaPad a very useful tool for FAQ writers. My sisters and mum for being awesome. SEGA for making great games and systems in the 8bit and 16bit days before screwing up again and again. Fin