About Helicopters
We need to discuss a realistic approach to overhaul the current vehicle-infantry balance regarding all helicopters, including both Recon (Nightbird) and Attack Helicopters. Developers originally designed the air-to-ground ecology assuming that fighter jets would hunt helicopters while ground infantry provided support using the IGLA. However, in actual match telemetry, this idealistic synergy has completely broken down, causing deep frustration for both infantry and helicopter pilots alike.
From the infantry’s perspective, the true challenge is not just the direct attack from helicopters, but the built-in real-time data sharing infrastructure. The requirement for a continuous, motionless ADS lock-on forces players to stand exposed as sitting ducks. Before the slow missile can even impact, the helis' onboard 'Proximity Sensor', 'Thermal Optics', and 'Target Designator' systems instantly scan the area. This automatically synchronizes the infantry's exact location data across the entire enemy team's mini-maps and HUDs. As a result, infantry are immediately swarmed and killed by ground enemy players who utilize this shared Intel, leaving zero room for tactical concealment.
Conversely, from the helicopter pilot's perspective, navigating the battlefield has become a routine of escaping into out-of-bounds (OOB) areas for infinite repairs the moment they take damage. While tactical retreat to the OOB area for self-repair is a core, respected Battlefield tradition that showcases pilot skill, its current unrestricted implementation rewards passive, repetitive defensive loops rather than high-stakes front-line engagement.
To harmonize the sandbox parameters without destroying the legacy of vehicle play, we request Battlefield Studios to implement the following structural rebalancing:
1.Introduce OOB Limits and Risk Parameters for All Helicopters:Retain the traditional freedom to retreat out-of-bounds, but limit the number of allowed OOB retreats per match (e.g., maximum 3 times). Furthermore, if a heli takes damage while within the OOB area, multiply the incoming damage and enforce an immediate mobility hang (speed reduction). This respects the pilot's retreat privilege while introducing a strict risk-reward mechanic that prevents empty, infinite survival loops.
2.Reintroduce the Anti-Air Mine (AA Mine) from Battlefield 4:Re-deploying this automated deploy-and-forget gadget will allow infantry to protect their perimeter from cover without being forced into an exposed, defenseless ADS state that triggers the helis' automated tracking loops. This perfectly capitalizes on the helis' enforced speed reductions when pilots mismanage their front-line positioning, restoring a fair ground-to-air deterrent against both attack and recon choppers.
Please listen to the voice of the community and bridge the gap between developer intent and real sandbox physics by returning to the tactical principles established in BF4.
