Your Guide to Spading Helicopters Efficiently

For many, helicopters are the most frustrating vehicles to spade, especially if all you get is a few rockets. Modifications are expensive, progress is slow, and you feel as fragile as a balloon. But worry no more, as in this article you’ll learn the best methods for grinding these flying wonders based on my experience going through the helicopter tech trees!

Preface

Starting off, spading any helicopter is by no means going to be fast, even if all the games go perfectly in your favor. This is simply because helicopters are expensive vehicles to spade. Thus, I highly recommend having a premium account to speed things up significantly.

The helicopters can be divided into three primary categories:

• Helicopters with rockets
• Helicopters with manually guided missiles
• Helicopters with laser guided/F&F missiles

As the names suggest, helicopters of these categories are limited by their weapon systems and have different ways to grind optimally. We’ll go through all these categories individually, and feel free to skip to the section that best suits your helicopter. But before that, there are a few universal things, such as crew upgrades and modifications, which we need to go through first!

Upgrading the Helicopters

The biggest factor in how efficiently you can earn RP with a helicopter is how much you can contribute to the fight. Constantly running for reloads takes away from the time you could spend hunting enemies. This is something you can influence by prioritizing certain upgrades for the helicopters.

1. Crew Upgrades

The first crew upgrade you must focus on is the Reload Speed. This will reduce your reload time on the helipad from 30 seconds down to 20 seconds, or 10 with an aced crew. You will inevitably have to return for reloads at some point, so cutting down on the time spent reloading gets you back to the fight faster.

You will also often get damaged, so the next crew upgrades to focus on are the Repair Rank and the Repair Speed. Those will help you get back in the air quicker.

The third upgrade you should focus on is the crew Vitality. It will help you survive hits to the crew that would otherwise have killed you.

Lastly, the final crew upgrade that provides any meaningful benefit for helicopters is the Weapon Maintenance. It slightly improves the accuracy of rockets and reduces the overheating speed of machine guns; if your helicopter has any, that is.

2. Modifications

For any helicopter that has access to multiple secondary weapon loadouts, the focus should always be on researching the strongest weapon loadout first. Having more firepower means more damage, which translates to more RP earned from battles.

This means that if you can research larger rocket pods, then prioritize those first. If a larger missile loadout is available, focus on it instead.

If your helicopter has access to thermal imaging devices, the NVD modification should be prioritized as soon as possible. It will significantly improve your ability to spot potential targets, making you much more lethal.

However, these modifications are often locked behind higher tiers, so as a second priority, you should focus on survivability upgrades. Go for Flares first, or Flak jacket if flares are not an option, and move on from there.

The last modifications you should research are the flight performance upgrades, as they have the least impact on your ability to earn more in battles.

Choosing the Correct Game Mode

Choosing the correct game mode is important. Choose wrong, and you’ll spend several more hours grinding than you would ever have to.

Game modes listed from theoretically the most to the least rewarding

1. Ground Simulator Battles
2. Ground Realistic Battles
3. Assault. Ground Arcade
4. Helicopter PvE Battles

In practice, the most rewarding option for the time spent in-game is usually Ground Realistic Battles. However, the rewards are heavily dependent on your performance. This becomes especially evident at higher tiers, where enemy SPAA is a constant nuisance, heavily limiting your effectiveness.

Thus the perfect secondary option to play is the Assault. Ground Arcade, which offers a much more reliable way of earning RP. However, this mode should only be played with helicopters that have missiles with a range of at least 3 km.

With a premium account, a single successful Ground Assault Battle yields approximately 5–6k RP for low-rank helicopters and 7–8k RP for high-rank helicopters.

The least efficient game mode to grind ANY helicopter is, funnily enough, the only game mode created specifically for helicopters: Helicopter PvE Battles. The games may last for hours, and the rewards are NOT going to be worth the time and effort. Without missiles, you are even worse off since you have to fight the deadly SPAA with great difficulty.

Helicopters With Rockets

Helicopters that only have access to rocket pods are the toughest to grind, but thankfully these are the cheapest to spade and have the lowest BR. Because of the weapon system, you are forced to do “heli rushes” to somewhat reliably score kills in any game mode. Let’s go through these types of helis.

Game Mode

What you want to play is Ground Realistic Battles. Nothing else is going to be worth your time. This is because Ground Realistic offers the best overall rewards for the time you spend in each battle.

Strategy

There are two primary ways of playing a helicopter with rockets in Ground Realistic Battles: heli rushing and rocket sniping. If you have a starter helicopter, I highly recommend following the heli rush method, as it is the easier one.

Heli Rushing

So, to perform a successful heli rush, spawn on the helipad closest to the battlefield as soon as the game starts. Take off, gain speed, and fly no higher than treetop level. Approach the enemy spawn using terrain features to mask your approach. The enemy will usually expect you to strike from either the side or the front, so finding a quick route to attack from behind the spawn will give you slightly better odds of success.

On the final approach, gain a little altitude to get a better view of the surroundings and choose your target. Take aim and fire a few rockets at a time, adjusting your aim as necessary. The closer you get to the target, the better odds you have of scoring a hit, but the more likely you are to be shot down as well. Once satisfied or once you have flown past the target, get as low as possible and flee the incoming barrage of machine gun fire.

If you survived, great! Assess your situation: does your helicopter need repairs? Are you out of rockets? If so, return to the helipad and prepare for another strike. Otherwise, you can fly to a new jumping position and repeat the rush right away.

If you died, no worries. Just leave the game and hop straight into another one. Having a reserve tank in the crew slots will prevent all your crews from locking up after leaving.

The trick is to stay visible to the enemy for as little time as possible and to be precise with the rockets. If your helicopter does not have CCIP, it can be really tough to score any hits. I suggest practicing these heli rushes in test flights or custom battles first. Once comfortable, move on to real battles against real players.

Rocket Sniping

Now, for a more survivable strategy, you want to play it smart. Instead of rushing the enemy, you want to keep your distance. I only recommend the following strategy for helicopters with CCIP or for players who are exceptionally skilled at firing rockets.

Just like heli rushing, you want to take off and approach the battlefield as soon as the game begins. When you are approximately 3 km away from the battlefield, start slowing down and gaining some altitude. Look for hills or other terrain features that you can take cover behind, while constantly scanning the battlefield for potential targets. When 1–2 km away from the battlefield, start firing rockets at any targets you have spotted. Do not approach any closer than this! Also, stay constantly on the move and never remain stationary, as you are guaranteed to attract enemy fire because you are high up and relatively close to the battlefield.

If you drift too close, dive down or take cover behind a hill, then retreat further back while flying at treetop level. Keep firing rockets from a distance until you run out or have to return to the helipad for repairs. If successful, you have scored a few kills without dying!

Helicopters With Manually Guided Missiles

Great, you have finally passed the brutal phase of heli rushing! But now you have missiles, which are slower and fewer in numbers. These weapon systems require great focus to operate effectively, especially if the helicopter is not equipped with good optics. On top of this, the helicopter needs to be kept airborne while controlling the missiles.

Game Mode

Just like with helicopters with rockets, I consider Ground Realistic Battles the best option for grinding these helicopters (or ground Simulator Battles). However, the Battle Rating will significantly influence the way these helicopters should be played.

Alternatively, if you feel like the grind isn’t going anywhere, you may try out Ground Assault Battles as long as your missiles have a range of at least 3 kilometers. It will be less rewarding than an average Ground Realistic Battles match, but the rewards are more reliable.

Strategy

In Ground Realistic Battles, you might’ve already noticed that you can’t spawn immediately with a missile loadout. For this reason, you must take a speedy light tank to the battle with you.

When the battle begins, spawn with the light tank and rush to a capture point. A successful capture should reward enough Spawn Points to spawn in the helicopter right away. Alternatively, scout as many enemies as possible and attempt to destroy one. The goal is to get airborne as fast as possible when there is less SPAA early game.

Once the required Spawn Points have been acquired, you can either J out, or heroically rush the enemy, the choice is yours! At this point, you have to determine the match’s Battle Rating. At lower BRs, you will only face SPAA armed with cannons. Increase your BR enough, and you will start facing SPAA armed with missiles. Knowing this is crucial because missiles are a much greater threat to you than regular cannon fire!

Facing Only Cannon SPAA

When playing at BRs where only SPAA armed with cannons are present, all you need to do is take off from the helipad nearest to the battlefield and gain altitude. Approach the battlefield to a distance of approximately 2.5–3.5 km, but not any closer! Using the gunner view, look for potential targets. Once you find a good one, make sure the target is within range and fire away! Hitting a moving target with early missiles can be tricky, but practice always makes better. Once you’re out of missiles, return to the helipad for a reload and repeat!

While you’re at it, you should NEVER hover still! Otherwise, you’re an easy target for anything with rapid-fire guns or a cannon with a laser rangefinder. Instead, you should sway slightly left or right, remaining balanced yet in motion at all times. Use the hover button only to rebalance yourself when the swaying motion gets out of hand.

Your biggest threats are enemy aircraft and unnoticed SPAA fire by enemy players. When you come under SPAA fire, significantly increase your swaying motion. This will make you a very difficult target to hit, and if you’re able to stay balanced, you can also strike back at the SPAA with a missile, eliminating the threat. If you can’t strike back, get low and hide, then proceed with the strategy explained for helicopters facing missile SPAA.

To counter enemy aircraft, your options are limited. It’s best to stay completely unnoticed and not engage at all if possible. If you spot an enemy fighter, get low and stay hidden until the threat has passed. If you cannot avoid detection and the enemy is coming for you, prepare to perform evasive maneuvers to dodge the incoming attack. Open fire with your machine guns and, if you have anti-aircraft missiles, use them!

If your helicopter doesn’t have any defensive weaponry, your best bet is to seek protection from friendly SPAA. Other than that, there is not much else you can do but to fly low and dodge the attacks.

Facing Missile SPAA

You have to treat the airspace differently when there is a constant threat of anti-aircraft missiles. Spotted at the wrong time in the wrong place, and you’re dead in a matter of seconds.

Instead of simply flying straight up, what you have to do is utilize the environment to the fullest. Every mountain and hill becomes a shield, and every large structure becomes a barricade between you and an incoming missile.

So, when you take off, you have to stay low. Look for high positions or tall structures a couple of kilometers away from the battlefield. Once you find one, fly there. It will become your firing position for the rest of the game or until you get spotted.

At your position, you want to remain as difficult to spot as possible, so stay very close to treetops or other terrain features. Scout for targets using the gunner view while slightly swaying left or right, never staying completely still. Once you find one, strike it with a missile. Repeat this until you’re out of missiles, then return to the helipad for more.

In case you get spotted by SPAA, take cover behind the hill or other nearby structure. If there are other allied aircraft in the sky, the SPAA will rarely stay focused on you for long. So after hiding for a bit, you have an ample opportunity to take out the enemy SPAA if you were able to locate it. In case there are no other aircraft in the sky, leave your position while staying low and in cover. Look for another good position to take advantage of, and with some luck, take out the enemy SPAA before it notices you again.

Some helicopters are equipped with RWR, which is a helpful tool for this kind of playstyle. It lets you know exactly when to hide, when radar-equipped SPAA are present, and when you are clear to act freely. If it’s making noise, you’re probably flying too high and should prepare to locate the source of the radar pings. If it starts alerting you, you must dive down immediately. If it isn’t a barrage of bullets headed your way, it’s a deadly missile!

Assault. Ground Arcrade

If flying in Ground Realistic Battles proves too difficult, you can always resort to Ground Assault Battles. Simply take off, gain some altitude, start hovering, and fire away. However, make sure to fly further away from the battlefield so you don’t get mowed down by SPAA or MG fire.

The only real threat to you are the bot-controlled fighters. For this reason, this mode is best played with a friend who has SPAA of their own and can take care of fighters before they can reach you. If you’re playing alone and there are no other players with SPAA, you can shoot down the fighters with MG fire with relative ease. Getting shot down is still very likely, and if your helicopter lacks defensive armament, there is not much you can do.

Helicopters With Laser Guided/F& F Missiles

Congratulations, you have finally reached the endgame for helicopters through sheer blood and tears! Or you just bought one of those fancy premiums… Nevertheless, things have never been easier, yet deadlier before—for you, that is. The skies above the battlefield appear to have become a permanent no-fly zone, enforced by 10 Sky Sabre, IRIS-T, and BUK systems at all times. And how do we combat this?

Game Mode

The short answer is, we don’t. Playing helicopters in Ground Realistic Battles at top tier is a constant struggle against the never-ending supply of enemy SPAA, which is not ideal for efficiently grinding helicopters. When you are not hiding from the enemy, you are moving to a different position to hide from the enemy. Only if you have access to F& F missiles can it be worth your time to play top tier Ground Realistic Battles.

What you want to play instead for steady rewards is Ground Assault Battles. Each successful game should provide approximately 2–3% spading progress with a premium account. In an hour of grinding, you can expect to have progressed 7–12% of all modification research.

Strategy

Assault. Ground Arcade

To play Ground Assault Battles, follow the strategy explained for helicopters with manually guided missiles. However, with laser guided missiles, you can take advantage of the fact that you’re only controlling the laser, not the missiles themselves. Fire the missiles at 3–4 second intervals, and after the first one hits its mark, immediately switch to the next target. Repeat this until you run out of targets or missiles.

Using this method, you can cause a lot more destruction in a much shorter time span. It can also be used against real players in Ground Realistic or Simulator battles, if you’re brave enough to venture in those, that is.

Ground Realistic Battles

I suggest playing top-tier Ground Realistic Battles only if your helicopter has access to F& F missiles. Guiding a laser guided missile to its target requires you to be exposed for longer periods of time, which is deadly if enemy SPAA is present.

To play Ground Realistic Battles, follow the strategy explained for helicopters with manually guided missiles facing missile SPAA. The difference is that everything can be done at longer ranges thanks to greater optics or the complete lack of need to guide the missiles. However, you must take positioning more seriously and pay extra attention to staying unnoticed. Also, the helicopter spawn costs are higher for F& F missile loadouts and require more work to access.

Once you take off, you need to be extra vigilant. The deadliest threat to you is other enemy helicopters equipped with F& F missiles, so targeting or hiding from them should be your first priority. They are likely to target you as soon as they notice your presence; a single F& F missile heading your way could already mean your battle is over.

If you make it to your firing position alive, always prioritize targeting enemy SPAA first. Some SPAA is effective at shooting down incoming munitions, so firing two or more missiles at a single target will greatly increase your chances of destroying it.

Your second priority should be IFVs that might carry F& F missiles. If you’re using laser guided missiles, beware that many top-tier vehicles have access to LWS and will be alerted as soon as you point the laser at them.

To combat this, you can disable the “Enable laser designator on launch” option in Air Battle Settings. This allows you to fire missiles at targets and keep tracking them while ensuring they remain unaware of the predicament they’re in. However, keep in mind that your missiles are blind without the laser, which is why you should turn it on approximately 3 seconds before impact to ensure they hit their mark. If successful, you have scored a kill without ever alerting the enemy before it was too late to react!

With “Enable laser designator on launch” disabled, you can also launch missiles blindly even from behind hills toward scouted targets or designated points on the map by utilizing SPI. Behind non-solid objects like trees, you can also launch missiles by simply pointing the helicopter in the general direction of the target. This is most useful against stationary SPAA sitting near spawn points, allowing you to get your missiles close while remaining out of danger. Just make sure to peek out of cover and activate the laser designator on a target before the missiles impact.

In a Nutshell

Tips

Here are some of my additional tips that should definitely improve your helicopter gameplay!

• Assess your target before firing a missile; if they are constantly under fire by other allies or moving between cover, launching a missile at them could be a waste
• Getting lost with the zoom? You can set the mouse scroll wheel as the gunner camera zoom axis in the settings (collective pitch will need to be bound to something else)
• Always prioritize survival over kills
• If there are multiple targets, focus on the one that poses the greatest threat to you
• Dropped the COLL too fast and now you’re sinking despite full power? Quickly sway left and right to escape the vortex
• Approaching too fast? Use the hover button to quickly and controllably slow down
• Dropping the COLL to around 60% gives you great control of the helicopter at low airspeeds
• If your helicopter struggles to fly right after takeoff, increasing your COLL slowly might help. This allows the RPM to keep up and not struggle under full power

Closing

That does it for this guide. I hope you found it helpful and informative! Remember, not all battles will go your way, and some maps are less suitable for helicopter gameplay than others. As a final tip, I suggest dividing your spading progress into a set % per day to prevent you from completely burning out.

And if you have any tips or strategies of your own related to helicopter gameplay, feel free to share them in the comments for everyone to see!

Now, go out there and get those spades going!

Image Sources: All screenshots and edited images are either my own work or taken from the official War Thunder Press Kit.