Longbow Helicopter MK I

*Not to be confused with the Allied Longbow Liberator.*

 **Key Features** | »» *"Lynx"* T53 turboshaft engine»» M144 *“Archer”* HEAT rockets (x6)»» MX-198 20mm *"Pyrocumulus"* autocannon»» Retractable landing skids»» Seating for two

*"Let's do us some target practice!"*

- Longbow pilot, showing no regard for grammar

## Tactical Analysis

* **Still packing a hell of a punch:** Speedy and capable of striking from almost any angle, the Longbow is a devastating anti-tank helicopter armed with six short-ranged anti-tank rockets. Uniquely, the Longbow is the only aircraft capable of hiding under a PAWI field.

* **I ain't going out without a fight:** Though the Longbow's rockets lack effectiveness against infantry, it can switch to a stolen 20mm chaingun. The change may only be done at the Airpad, however.

* **It isn't the 50s anymore:** The Longbow's weapons cannot track air targets, leaving it extremely vulnerable against enemy aircraft. Additionally, the Longbow must reload its rockets/chaingun at an Airpad after expending them.

* **Joining the modern age:** Experienced Longbow pilots get priority for better munitions, usually in the form of incendiary bullets and missiles equipped with miniature seismic generators that make tank armour easier to penetrate.

## Operational History

During the Second World War, the Westland AH-53 **Longbow** was the linchpin of Allied defences against Soviet aggression. Fast, sleek, powerfully armed and long ranged, the Longbow was specifically designed to counter Soviet tank divisions, a job it excelled at. Swooping low out of cover to deliver its payload of *“Archer”* HEAT rockets from beyond retaliatory range, hundreds, and later thousands of Longbows were deployed from forward airbases, and its descendants continue to arm the Allied military to this day.

The Longbow was almost impossible for early Soviet tank divisions to counter. Though infantry with rocket launchers, anti air "Flak Tracks" and the rocket pods on the JS-2 Mammoth Tank could fight them off, most tanks were helpless against these machines, which scored the highest kill ratios against the Soviet war machine of any vehicle in the war.

The only real threat to the Longbow was Soviet aircraft, particularly the MiG-9, so the Longbow was initially constrained in its abilities due to the constant risk of interception by enemy air patrols. The appearance of the Hawker Jumpjet and the subsequent disintegration of Soviet air supremacy allowed the Longbow to operate freely, and in the last year of the war Longbows managed to completely neutralise the Soviet tank divisions, finally forcing the Soviets on the defensive.

One of the biggest advantages of the Longbow is its ability to hover extremely low to the ground; it could hide in a GAP field, pop up over the cloud to fire its rockets at enemy vehicles, and then sink back into the protective cloud. These rockets retain their lethal effectiveness against even more modern tanks, but their lack of guidance systems means they can only be employed at short ranges.

The Longbow is possibly the most modern of all Continental assets; it has been upgraded with components stolen from Thunderclap assembly plants, including 20mm chain guns that give them some anti-infantry capability. The unparalleled armour penetration the Longbow provides makes it invaluable for keeping Allied armour at bay and is a staple of Continental strike forces.

## Behind the Scenes

* The Longbow is a mix between an Apache Longbow and Korean War era helicopters such as the Bell 47. Its tail armour plating was presumably removed for maintainability and reduced weight.

## Just the Stats

 **DPS** | 100