Ka-29 Helix

We're going to ruin somebody's day!

### Experience Value

Leang: 43, 57 (Veteran) 76 (Elite), 101 (Heroic)Bao and Tao: 56, 81 (Veteran), 118 (Elite), 170 (Heroic)

Kwai: 106, 253 (Veteran), 224 (Elite), 322 (Heroic)

### Experience Required

Leang: 128 (Veteran), 171 (Elite), 227 (Heroic)Bao and Tao: 167 (Veteran), 243 (Elite), 355 (Heroic)

Kwai: 317 (Veteran), 460 (Elite), 673 (Heroic)

### Cost

$2,000 (Bao and Tao)$1,200 (Leang)

$2,400 (Kwai)

### Build Time

20s (Bao and Tao)12s (Leang)

24s (Kwai)

### Ground Attack

Machine gun: 6AT missiles: 60 (primary), 30 (secondary)

### Damage Radius

Machine gun: 1AT missiles: 12 (primary), 20 (secondary)

### Range

Machine gun: 120AT missiles: 210 (minimum 50)

## Introduction

The **Ka-29 Helix** is a heavily armored, albeit slow-moving assault helicopter utilized by all Chinese generals except Fai.

## Overview

The Ka-29 Helix is a heavy assault helicopter that has a round helicopter chassis as its body with two small, rectangular wings and two 3-blades for self-hovering as well as maneuvering the helicopter. The helicopter uses a no-tail-rotor design: its tail does not have a rotor but is replaced by an onboard variable pitch fan to draw low pressure air into the helicopter, then leave from the tail's direct jet thruster so that the downwash from the main rotor hugs the tailboom, producing lift, and thus a measure of directional control. This is augmented by a direct jet thruster and vertical stabilizers. It also has additional thrusters to accelerate its speed. The helicopter is actually unarmed, but its detachable parts and "sockets" provide versatile weapon installations beforehand. The most used weapon for the helicopter is a 7.62mm machine gun under its nose and two Ataka-V anti tank missiles on its small wings. However, it also can be fitted with a Gauss Cannon on its nose to deal with masses of infantry, two propaganda speakers on its wings to boost morale, two ECM dishes to jam vehicles, a radar module to detect stealth units, a bunker that can accommodate 5 infantrymen for firepower support, a bomb bay underneath the helicopter to drop mini nuclear bombs and two Nuclear ATGM cannons on its wings to destroy vehicles and buildings alike. The helicopter can be upgraded with a sturdier aircraft armor to resist more to AA fire. Fai accommodated his own Ka-29s with a 10-seat bunker, turning it into a flying fortress. Bao on the other hand installed bomb bays that, strangely enough, drops fuel canisters to create an oil spill used to lay fiery traps once they are ignited.

In an attempt to keep up with the US air supremacy, the Chinese have developed their own airborne gunship to provide fire support and to transport infantry behind enemy defenses. During the design and planning of the Ka-29 Helix, the Chinese believed that it would be strategically advantageous to give some flexibility to this assault helicopter, given the unpredictability of a battle. Thus, each Ka-29 Helix can be further fitted with an attachment, allowing specific tasks to be carried out.

While the Ka-29 is used across all four Chinese leading generals, variations were made to suit the specific desires of each general. For instance, General Fai's tactics and strategies are focused on infantry and so his Ka-29's (deemed the ***Assault Helix***)are produced fitted with the only option of having a battle bunker.

## Abilities

* Transports infantry
* Can be equipped with various attachments

## Upgrades

**Aircraft Armor**

* Increase the Helix's durability by 25%, available at the Airfield at Rank 3.

**Thermobaric Mixtures** (General Bao only, Pre Patch 2)

* Swaps the incendiary napalm bombs of the Helix for high explosive thermobaric bombs, available at the Scientific Laboratory at Rank 5.

## Variants

### **General Kwai**

The Tank General's Helixes are armed with two AT missiles at stock, but has no machine guns. This makes Kwai's Helix more suited for taking on structures and slow moving targets. While the missiles are capable of dealing heavy damage to infantries, their slow rate of fire makes the Helix vulnerable to AA infantry rushes. When upgraded with Aircraft Armor, these Helixes can be a true menace and will quickly demolish any base that lacks sufficient AA firepower.

Optional modules include:

* **Gauss Cannon**: Install a pair of AP autocannons on the Helix, giving it additional firepower and increase its effectiveness against infantry.
* **Propaganda Tower**: Install speakers on the Helix, allows it to heal itself and nearby units.
* **ECM Tower**: Install an ECM dish on the Helix, allows it to deflect enemy missiles and disable enemy vehicles.
* **Radar**: Install a radar module on the Helix, allows it to detect enemy stealth units.

With ECM tower upgrade.With speaker tower upgrade.With Gauss cannon upgrade.With Radar upgrade.
### **General Tao**

The Nuclear General's Helix is a fairly basic one at stock, it's armed with a single machine gun which is effective against infantries but not much else. Only by installing upgrades can the aircraft reach its true potentials.

Optional modules include:

* **Gatling Cannon**: Install dual gating cannons on the Helix, increasing its overall firepower.
* **Propaganda Tower**: Install speakers on the Helix, allows it to heal itself and nearby units.
* **Bomb Bay**: Allows the Helix to drop nuclear bombs on the enemy, increasing its armor by 20%.
* **Radar**: Install a radar module on the Helix, allows it to detect enemy stealth units.
* **Nuclear ATGM** (rank 5): Installs a pair of slow but powerful nuclear missile launchers on the Helix.

Ka-29 with speakers.Ka-29 with nuclear ATGM launchers.Ka-29 with Gatling cannons.Ka-29 with radar modules.Ka-29 with bomb bays.
### **General Bao**

The Flame General's Helix is also a fairly basic one at stock, it's armed with a single machine gun which is effective against infantries but not much else. Only by installing upgrades can the aircraft reach its true potentials. This variant of the Ka-29 can drop fuel canisters which deals no damage but can be ignited by incendiary weapons to create a raging firestorm.

Optional modules include:

* **Propaganda Tower**: Install speakers on the Helix, allows it to heal itself and nearby units.
* **ECM Tower**: Install an ECM dish on the Helix, allows it to deflect enemy missiles and disable enemy vehicles.
* **Radar**: Install a radar module on the Helix, allows it to detect enemy stealth units.

### **General Fai (Pre-Patch 3)**

The Infantry General's variant of the Ka-29 is somewhat unique. It's refitted to transport infantry units only and has room for 10 infantry units. This version of the Helix is armed with a machine gun at stock, but can be outfitted with a Gatling cannon to increase its damage. Minigunners can fast rope down from the Helix to rapidly occur and take over civilian structures.

### **General Leang**

Tigress' Helix is highly similar to the vanilla Helix from Zero Hour. It lacks the Aircraft Armor upgrade unlike the other Helix variants.

Optional modules include:

* **Gatling Cannons**: Install dual gating cannons on the Helix, increasing its overall firepower.
* **Propaganda Tower**: Install speakers on the Helix, allows it to heal itself and nearby units.
* **Battle Bunker**: Allows up to five infantries to fire their weapons from inside.

## Assessment

Pros:

* Airborne infantry transport unit.
* Flexible due to the option of adding attachments.
* Well armored.
* Rearms in the air.

Cons:

* Expensive ($2000 except for General Kwai's version which is even more costly at $2400).
* Slow movement.
* Vulnerable to interceptors (such as MiG-31, Zipper and F-22).
* Requires rank 3 + Propaganda Center.

## Quotes (In English)

The Helix's quotes come from the *Zero Hour* version.

### When Selected

* Helix on the scene.
* We're going to ruin somebody's day!
* Yeah, what?
* What do you have in mind?
* Make it worth my time...

### When Ordered to Move

* Let's haul these guns.
* You have a target for me?
* Take it over there for now...
* Making a fly-by.
* Something down there?

### When Passengers are Leaving

* Get out there and take care of business.
* Come back when you are ready for some more.
* Heh, more room for weapons.

### When Ordered to Attack

* It's our turn!
* Who are they?
* Punish them!
* Load the guns, now!
* Pull no stops.
* Like a ton of bricks...
* They look so small from up here...

## Quotes (in native Chinese language)

### When Selected

* 在這呢。
* 卡-29隨時準備執行任務。
* 今天天氣不錯啊！
* 我屬中國陸軍航空兵。

### When Ordered To Attack

* 看他們怎麼辦！
* 從天上打他們最好了！
* 給他們顏色瞧瞧！

### When Ordered To Move

* 讓我們到那邊去。
* 把有用的東西都帶上。
* 他們看起來真小啊。
* 沒有問題的。
* 到我們了。

## Trivia

* Originally, General Bao's Helix can be outfitted with bunkers with room for 5 infantries and bomb bays which can drop incendiary bombs. These upgrades are removed in patch 2 for Contra 009 FINAL.
* Originally, General Fai's Helix can be used as an airborne Battle Bus. It comes with an unchangeable bunker with seats for 8 infantries. But patch 2 changed the unit to the specialized transport unit it is now, in return, the Chain Guns upgrade adds twin Gatling cannons to it.
	+ Prior to the introduction of 009 Final, Fai's Helix had the ability to deploy a cluster mine field by air, but it was removed due to balancing reasons.

## Gallery

The Kamov Ka-29 in real-life, note that the Contra version is much larger.
## See also

* **Harbin**
* **Combat Puma**