How to fly a helicopter
A helicopter is the fastest transport in WARDOGS: a minute in the air instead of ten minutes on foot. Here is how to set it up and what the keys do, where to land and how not to get your passengers killed. How to earn and level with it is in the Pilot guide.
In short
Section titled “In short”- Switch helicopter control to the mouse first under Settings → Controls — flying on the keyboard is noticeably harder.
- Left Shift / Ctrl is up and down, W S A D pitch and roll, Q / E yaw, V flares.
- Land in cover at the edge of the zone, not in the middle, and remind passengers about parachutes if you drop them from the air.
Before your first flight
Section titled “Before your first flight”- Switch control to the mouse. Under Settings → Controls, move helicopter control from the keyboard to the mouse. Any key can be rebound there too.
- Start with the MH-6. It is unlocked from the start and costs $6,250 per spawn. The other helicopters come with Pilot levels — the list is below.
- Practise away from the zone. Take-off, turning and landing on flat ground first; passengers and the zone later.
The default layout. If something does not match after a patch, trust the game.
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Climb (collective up) | Left Shift |
| Descend (collective down) | Ctrl |
| Pitch forward / back | W / S |
| Roll left / right | A / D |
| Yaw (turn on the spot) | Q / E |
| Free look | Alt |
| Flares | V |
| Next / previous seat | 0 / 9 |
| Lock / unlock the vehicle | L |
| Interact (enter, exit) | F |
The full layout for infantry and ground vehicles is in the Controls guide.
Landing and drop-offs
Section titled “Landing and drop-offs”- Land in cover at the edge of the Control Zone, not in the centre. Passenger payouts double in the Hot Zone, but all three teams shoot at it.
- Air drops need parachutes. Without a parachute in the slot your passengers die on impact. The parachute is bought separately and opened with Space; see Getting to the zone.
- Lock the helicopter (L) when you get out: anyone can steal an unlocked one.
- Switch seats without getting out (9 / 0): if the pilot dies, you can take the controls without stepping into the open.
What to fear in the air
Section titled “What to fear in the air”- The Flakpanzer Gepard anti-air tank: its 35 mm cannons deal extra damage to helicopters, almost double to the Havoc attack helicopter.
- The 9K333 Verba MANPADS: a missile at a locked aerial target. Flares (V) are the answer. Don’t pop them early: they are for the moment of launch.
- FOB anti-air. Avoid overflying enemy bases.
The helicopters
Section titled “The helicopters”| Pilot level | Helicopter | Price per spawn |
|---|---|---|
| start | MH-6 — light transport | $6,250 |
| 4 | AH-6M [Miniguns] — attack | $7,000 |
| 10 | Z20 Lakota — transport, carries pallets | $7,400 |
| 20 | AH-6R [Rockets] — attack | $12,500 |
| 25 | Z20 Lakota [Miniguns] — armed transport | $8,000 |
| 35 | Havoc — attack, top of the track | $18,000 |
Levels and prices are from the Pilot guide; refuelling costs $5. Season 2 may change the line-up and prices — see the patch notes.