Shelter from the Norm
Most military helicopters have all the subtlety of a city bus.
They're big, they're loud, and so they normally attract a lot of
attention. Boeing Sikorsky's RAH-66 Comanche is different. Besides
being the Army's most technologically advanced rotary aircraft,
the Comanche is designed to survive on the modern battlefield
thanks to its low-observable (LO) stealth characteristics.
Comanche 3 is NovaLogic's newest helicopter simulation. Its five
campaigns (referred to in the game as operations) feature a
diverse mix of fast paced combat missions. Players will find
themselves performing everything from long range surgical
airstrikes to defensive combat air patrols. There are advancing
enemy tank columns to halt, submarines to hunt down and sink,
trains to de-rail, even nuclear reactors and chemical warfare
plants to destroy. But what really sets this simulation apart is
its emphasis on the importance of evading detection.
In this respect Comanche 3 is shelter from the norm. It's one
simulation that provides you with a change from all the
cookie-cutter flight simulations that flood the marketplace these
days. This game uses no linear detection equations or artificial
radii with pre-set thresholds. All detection routines are handled
dynamically. As a pilot, you can't look at a given situation and
think to yourself "everything will be okay if I stay this far away
from the enemy." If only it were that simple...
Comanche 3 manipulates an enormous amount of data just to
determine whether you've been spotted so it's easy to get lost
trying to keep track of it all. Fortunately, a lot of what you
need to remember is all common sense. But before we get into all
the ways you can maximize your stealthiness, let's first take a
look at how this simulation handles detection. Knowing how things
work ahead of time will make it easier for you to figure out ways
to beat the system later on.
There are two basic means of detection in the Comanche 3 "world":
general visibility and radar. All military objects (such as AAA
guns, radar towers, tanks, APCs, aircraft, etc.) are surrounded by
a general zone of visibility. Each zone is unique to that object
and is based upon the object's capacity to hear and see things
going on around it. The size and shape of the zone depends
entirely upon the object doing the viewing. A naval vessel like
the Nanuchka, for example, has a much larger zone of visibility
than a tank crew buttoned up inside a T-80. What's more, the
Nanuchka has a zone which fans out 360 whereas a tank crew is
limited to looking straight ahead through vision slits in the
armor.
This general zone of visibility is based primarily on sight but it
takes into account thermal and audio detection also. Objects have
the ability to detect other objects based on the amount of noise
they make. Loud objects like tank engines or helicopter rotors can
be heard from a long way away. Even at night when vision-based
detection is degraded, objects equipped with thermal imagers can
see just fine, thank you... and of course, sound travels just as
far at night as it does during the day.
The second means of detection is based upon radar. Modern combat
revolves around the use of radar. Once spotted by radar, the enemy
knows how high you're flying and how fast you're going. They can
tell the direction you're heading and can guess where you came
from. A good radar set can even tell what make and model aircraft
you happen to be driving.
Getting picked up on radar is like stepping on the proverbial
third rail. It's only a matter of time until something nasty shows
up in your vicinity. Luckily, not every object in Comanche 3 is
equipped with its own radar. Fixed wing enemy aircraft all have
radar but ground vehicles, unless they are air defense vehicles,
typically will not. Naval vessels, on the other hand have very
powerful radar. You will want to stay away from them whenever
possible. Finally, important high-dollar targets like air bases or
industrial complexes will either have a radar installation nearby
or will be defended by a radar equipped object.
Between these two zones of detection you'd think that much of the
map is covered, but it isn't. There are some real gaps in the air
defense- gaps large enough to drive a truck through. Your job is
easier, however. You don't need to drive a truck; you only need to
fly a Comanche through it. Here's how to do it.
Your Comanche is built to deflect radar waves rather than reflect
them. Its smooth external lines cause radar waves to flow around
its fuselage instead of catching on something and bouncing off.
Things like exposing your bay doors or leaving your landing gear
down only serve to break up the Comanche's smooth appearance and
make it more vulnerable to detection. In fact, your helicopter is
almost twice as likely to be spotted on radar when your bay doors
are open so keep them closed. Having your landing gear extended
does not have quite the same impact, but it still has an affect.
Most of the radars in Comanche 3 happen to be of the pulse-Doppler
variety. These radars detect movement much easier when it is
moving at a 90 angle in relation to the direct of their beam.
Crossing targets are easier to spot than those approaching head-on
so you're somewhat less likely to be detected when traveling
directly to or from the radar emitter itself. Always try to fly
directly toward or away from these radars where possible.
One last thing to keep in mind about radar is that it works
according to direct line-of-sight. In other words, it ain't
Superman. It can't see through mountains or around corners.
Therefore, if you can keep solid terrain features between you and
the radar, it won't detect you. This technique of flying low to
avoid enemy radar is called flying "Nap of the Earth (NOE)."
You'll be doing a lot of this when flying the Comanche so get used
to it.
Basically, if you're flying more than 50 feet off the ground
you're screwing up. Stay low and hug the terrain like a long lost
relative. It may take you longer to get where you're going, but
that's okay. These missions are not foot races so take your time.
Keeping low breaks up a radar's line-of-sight. It also lets you
lose yourself in ground clutter and false echoes.
Staying low also helps minimize the chances of being spotted
visually. Believe it or not, this simulation takes flying in
shadows into account- even during the daytime. It actually reduces
the chance an enemy object will detect you if you are in a shadow
as seen from the enemy's perspective. By the same token, if you
are back-lit by open sky, the enemy has a much easier time
spotting you.
Enemy units are notorious gossips as well. They can't wait to tell
their comrades that they've spotted a Comanche in the
neighborhood. Once an enemy unit detects you, figure on everyone
getting the message sooner, rather than later. Of course, this can
work in your favor also. Get the enemy's attention focused on
looking for you in one area, then move. Strike suddenly in one
spot, disappear, then strike again somewhere else. This is the
Comanche way.
Here's one final little tip to keep in mind. The saying "There's
safety in numbers" doesn't apply here. When flying a Comanche,
you're much safer on your own. Consider this fact the next time
you're blissfully flying along accompanied by an "escort" of AH-64
Apaches; the enemy may not be able to hear your super stealthy
Comanche but they can damn sure hear those Apaches coming! Once
the enemy starts looking in their direction it won't be long
before their attention is drawn to you.
Flying a Comanche for a living is a dangerous profession but then
again, so is driving a cab in New York. If you'd rather go
"tank-plinkin'" then worry about picking up fares, just follow the
common sense rules laid out for you in this article. You'll do
wonders for your chances of reaching retirement.
Fly low, fly slow, and try to keep something between you and the
bad guys. Oh... and whatever you do, keep those bay doors shut. It
is often said the Comanche has a radar cross-section the size of a
postage stamp. A moment's inattentiveness can turn this postage
stamp into something akin to the broadside of a barn. Good luck
and good hunting.
