GUNSHIP
ACADEMY

Tactics and Maneuvers for Attack
Helicopter Simulations

Richard G. Sheffield

*  *  *

A COMPUTE! Books Publication

Editor: Lynne Weatherman

Copyright 1988, COMPUTE! Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the United States Copyright Act without the permission of the copyright owner is unlawful.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4

ISBN 0-87455-153-6

The author and publisher have made every effort in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information. However, the information in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author nor COMPUTE! Publications, Inc. will be liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly, indirectly, incidentally, or consequentially by the information in this book.

The opinions expressed in this book are solely those of the author and are not necessarily those of COMPUTE! Publications, Inc.

COMPUTE! Publications, Inc., Post Office Box 5406, Greensboro, NC 27403, (919) 275-9809, is a Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. company and is not associated with any manufacturer of personal computers. Gunship is a trademark of MicroProse Software, Inc.

Foreword

You've finally made it. You busted your hump for two months in basic training, you showed superior leadership skills in Warrant Officer Development, and they still are talking about you at the Army Aviation Center in Ft. Rucker, Alabama. You were a natural helicopter pilot, the first to solo, and you graduated tops in your class. Training in the AH-1 Cobra was exciting, but you wanted more. And now you've got it—orders to a unit to fly the AH-64A, the pinnacle of Army aviation.

Now it's back to school again, but this is no ordinary school; this is probably the most exciting school in the world—Gunship Academy. This is your Academy textbook and with it you learn the ins and outs of your Apache Gunship, how to fly it in combat, and how to fight and win with it.

In Gunship Academy, we take first things first. Initially, you'll learn about the Apache, its weapon systems, and helicopter aerodynamics. Once you are ready to fly, you'll be guided through a series of progressively harder tutorials designed to teach the basic skills you'll need to survive on the modern battlefield. Following that, advanced attack helicopter tactics and strategy will be covered, including air-to-air combat and defensive plans. You'll learn to strike deep behind enemy lines, where it hurts the enemy the most, and live to brag about it and be decorated. Want to win the Congressional Medal of Honor? You'll learn what it takes and the skills necessary to garner the nation's highest award.

So you had better get started, because things are heating up in Western Europe. Soviet T-74 Main Battle Tanks and BMPs are racing across the German border, and the Hind helicopters are as thick as flies. Arab extremists are attacking in the Middle East, Cuban-backed forces are expanding in Central America, and things are still a mess in Southeast Asia. They need you at the front as soon as possible. So strap on your IHADSS helmet and wind up your engines. Dust off is in five minutes!

Preface

I was one of the thousands of computer game enthusiasts who anxiously awaited the release of Gunship by MicroProse. At the time, I was familiar with other games by MicroProse so I expected a very good game, but even I was surprised by the excitement, realism, and complexity of Gunship. I get so worked up playing this game that I can't play it after 10:00 at night or I'll never get to sleep because it takes me too long to calm down!

It became immediately obvious that there was a lot to learn about this game, so I started the research which led to this book. It is amazing how well the real Army attack helicopter tactics and strategies translate to this game. The more I learned about the way real Army pilots fly missions, the better my scores got.

My education was completed on a snowy day in early November when I visited the MicroProse facility in Hunt Valley, Maryland. There I spent the afternoon talking with game designers Andy Hollis and Arnold Hendrick, and with Alan Roireau (a play-tester who played Gunship all day long for weeks during development). They helped me learn how the program actually worked, and again my scores immediately shot up. What I learned from the guys at MicroProse formed the basis for the "Tips and Information" chapter. This turned out to be the longest chapter in the book and certainly one of the most helpful. The scoring system that they use is clever yet complex, and learning how it works will go a long way in improving your scores.

While I was developing this book, two new helicopter simulation games were released: Thunderchopper by ActionSoft in Urbana, Illinois, and Tomahawk by Datasoft in Chatsworth, California.

Players of both of these games should benefit by reading this book. Although this book was written around Gunship, most of the tactics and overall strategies translate well to other games. But if you have not seen Gunship in action, by all means take a look. I highly recommend it.

Good luck and good hunting,

Richard G. Sheffield

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank everyone who helped in the development of this book. Special thanks go out to the following people:

Everyone at MicroProse Software, for a first-rate job in developing Gunship. In particular, I would like to thank Mike Harrison, Andy Hollis, Arnold Hendrick, and Alan Roireau for taking time to talk with me on a snowy afternoon. I enjoyed my visit.

Jim Ramsey, with McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company, for providing photos of the AH-64A Apache.

Richard Adams, with Singer/Link Flight Simulator Division, for providing photos and information on the Combat Mission Simulator.

Mr. Vinci, with Rockwell International Missile Systems Division, for photos and information on the Hellfire missile.