Best Attack Helicopter Tips & Settings in Battlefield 6

Become an Unstoppable Aerial Threat in Battlefield 6

Let’s be real—a skilled pilot in an attack helicopter can completely flip a match in Battlefield 6. I’m talking about the kind of player who makes entire enemy teams rage-quit, the one who single-handedly locks down objectives and turns tanks into scrap metal.

But here’s the catch: there’s a massive skill gap between “that guy who keeps crashing helicopters 10 seconds after takeoff” and “the ace pilot farming 50+ kills per match.” The good news? With proper settings, the right loadout, and some dedicated practice, anyone can learn to fly effectively.

I’ve spent countless hours mastering helicopter gameplay, and I’m going to share everything I’ve learned—from basic control settings that make flying dramatically easier, to advanced combat maneuvers that’ll have enemies scrambling for cover. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, this guide has you covered.

Shoutout: The firing range examples in this guide come from x8Reaps’ excellent Portal map (code: YH1FC). It’s perfect for practice without the pressure of live combat.

Table of Contents

Game-Changing Control Settings for Helicopters

Before we talk tactics, let’s fix your controls. Trust me, this section alone will transform your helicopter experience.

The Control Assist Secret

Here’s something most players don’t realize: Helicopter Control Assist is an absolute game-changer, and it’s not enabled by default.

Without Control Assist:

Flying feels like piloting an actual helicopter (realistic but difficult)
Requires constant input adjustments to maintain stability
Easy to over-correct and lose control
Steep learning curve that frustrates most players

With Control Assist:

Movement works like infantry controls (WASD/Left Stick)
Camera/aiming with mouse/Right Stick
Game automatically prevents tipping and maintains hover
You can focus on combat instead of fighting physics

How to enable it:

Open Settings
Go to Gameplay tab
Navigate to Vehicles section
Toggle Helicopter Control Assist: ON

I’m not exaggerating when I say this setting makes helicopter gameplay feel like easy mode. It completely eliminates the frustration of trying to maintain stable flight while engaging enemies. Some veteran pilots might call it “cheating,” but honestly? It levels the playing field and lets you actually enjoy the vehicle instead of fighting with it.

Additional Recommended Settings

Helicopter Sensitivity:

Increase this significantly for more responsive controls
Allows faster target tracking and evasive maneuvers
Start at 60-70% and adjust based on comfort
Higher sensitivity = better combat effectiveness

Field of View:

Wider FOV helps track threats around you
Particularly important when checking for missiles
See our best settings and optimization guide for full details

Audio Settings:

Use War Tapes audio mix to hear missile locks clearly
Sound cues are critical for survival

Button Mapping Considerations

The default button mappings work fine with Control Assist enabled, but here are some considerations:

Mouse/Keyboard: Keep defaults—they’re actually well-designed
Controller: Some pilots prefer swapping certain functions for thumb comfort
Personal preference matters: Experiment to find what feels natural

For more control optimization, check out our controller vs keyboard/mouse comparison.

Where to Practice Safely

Don’t jump straight into competitive matches—you’ll just feed the enemy team kills and frustrate your squad.

Best Practice Options:

Portal Mode (Recommended):

Create custom lobbies with no enemies
Use x8Reaps’ firing range (code: YH1FC)
Practice landings, movements, and weapons without pressure
Learn how to create Portal matches for custom training

Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare:

Lower player counts than standard playlists
Matches fill with bots instead of full human teams
Less competitive pressure while learning
Check open vs closed weapons playlists for details

Low-Traffic Conquest/Escalation:

Play during off-peak hours (early morning/late night)
Choose large maps like Liberation Peak
Learn in real combat conditions but with fewer skilled opponents
See all maps ranked to pick best practice locations

Pro Tip: You can also practice in bot lobbies for risk-free training.

Optimal Attack Helicopter Loadout

Once you start unlocking equipment, here’s the meta loadout that’ll maximize your effectiveness:

Primary Weapons (Prioritized)

Light Rockets:

Best for: Infantry elimination and area saturation
High ammo capacity for sustained attacks
Excellent for attacking clustered objectives
Perfect for beginners learning rocket trajectory
Can fire rapidly to cover large areas

Heavy Rockets:

Best for: Tank hunting and armored vehicle destruction
High damage per shot against vehicles
Limited ammo—must make shots count
Also effective for precision infantry kills
Use against priority targets only

Default PGM Rockets:

Act like mini-guided missiles
Follow your crosshair placement
Great for mid-range precision shots
Fire one or two at a time for best accuracy
Decent all-around option before unlocks

Secondary Weapon

TOW Missile:

Essential for vehicle destruction
Can one-shot enemy helicopters
Requires manual guidance but devastatingly effective
Much easier to use with Control Assist enabled
Save for high-value targets (tanks, choppers, IFVs)

Learning Curve: TOW missiles feel weird at first, but after 10-15 successful hits, they become second nature. The satisfaction of sniping another helicopter out of the sky is absolutely worth the practice.

Equipment Loadout

Ground Target Detection System:

Highlights enemies on your HUD
Makes target identification dramatically easier
Essential for spotting threats and opportunities
Pairs perfectly with next item

Radar System:

Works synergistically with Target Detection
Provides enhanced enemy information
Shows enemy positions on minimap
Critical for situational awareness

Important Trade-off: When Target Detection is active, enemies with anti-air weapons can lock onto you faster. This seems scary, but proper positioning (covered next) completely negates this downside. The benefits far outweigh the risks.

For more loadout optimization, see our best vehicle loadouts guide.

Master Class: Positioning and Cover Usage

This is where average pilots separate from great ones. Attack helicopters are extremely fragile—one good RPG hit or a few seconds of concentrated fire will end you.

The Golden Rules of Helicopter Positioning

Rule #1: Always Stay Near Cover

Stick close to tall buildings, mountains, and terrain features
These provide escape routes when missiles lock on
Use them to break line-of-sight with threats
Maps like Manhattan Bridge and Liberation Peak are perfect examples

Rule #2: Never Fly Over Enemy-Controlled Areas

Assume every infantry soldier has an RPG aimed at your chopper
Being directly overhead = death sentence
Attack from angles and distances instead
If you must fly over, make it brief and have flares ready

Rule #3: Track the Enemy AA Tank

This is your #1 threat at all times
Know where it spawns and where it’s patrolling
Avoid its effective range entirely
If it’s destroyed, that’s your window to dominate

Rule #4: Don’t Overstay Your Welcome

Hit enemies from the side or rear
Deliver your payload and retreat immediately
Resupply at base between attack runs
Greed kills more helicopters than skill

Rule #5: Check Below Before Hovering

Always scan for infantry and vehicles beneath you
A stationary helicopter is an easy target
Keep moving unless in completely safe zones
Use your motion to make yourself harder to hit

Terrain Exploitation Techniques

Canyon Flying:

Use valleys and ravines as highways
Stay below ridgeline to avoid detection
Pop up, attack, disappear back down
Incredibly effective on Liberation Peak

Urban Weaving:

Thread between buildings for cover
Makes missile tracking extremely difficult
Requires practice but provides amazing protection
Manhattan Bridge is perfect for this technique

Mountain Masking:

Keep mountains between you and known threats
Attack from unexpected angles using terrain
Forces enemies to reposition to engage you
Buys time for your flares to recharge

Advanced Missile Evasion Tactics

Flare management is literally the difference between life and death. Here’s the complete breakdown:

Understanding the Missile System

Lock-On Warnings:

Beeping sound = Enemy is attempting to lock onto you
Continuous tone + “PAINTED” warning = Lock achieved, missile incoming
You have 1-2 seconds from lock to missile launch
React immediately when you hear/see warnings

Flare Mechanics:

Duration: 3-5 seconds of protection
Cooldown: Significant—don’t waste them
Effect: Redirects incoming missiles away from your helicopter
Critical: Only deploy when missile is confirmed incoming

Core Evasion Strategies

Strategy #1: Terrain Masking

Fly extremely close to the ground to break lock-on attempts
The lock-on system struggles with ground clutter
Excellent counter against enemy attack helicopters
Weakness: Vulnerable to ground infantry and vehicle fire
Use this when flares are on cooldown

Strategy #2: Structural Cover

Put solid objects (buildings, mountains) between you and the threat
Only works if you know enemy position
Sometimes missiles will hit obstacles instead of you
Not 100% reliable but better than nothing
Can save your flares for emergencies

Strategy #3: Base CIWS Protection

Each faction base has an automated gatling gun system
Automatically shoots down incoming missiles
Also targets enemy aircraft
Retreat to base when overwhelmed
Great for emergency resupply and protection

Strategy #4: Perfect Flare Timing

Wait for missile launch before deploying flares
Don’t let enemies bait early flare usage
Listen for the distinct missile launch sound
Deploy immediately after launch confirmation
Never waste flares on just lock warnings

Strategy #5: Never Fight Without Flares

If flares are on cooldown, retreat immediately
Don’t engage enemies until they’re available again
One locked missile without flares = death
Patience saves helicopters

What NOT to Do

❌ Panic-deploying flares the moment you hear beeping ❌ Staying in the open when painted by missiles ❌ Continuing attacks with flares on cooldown ❌ Flying predictably—vary altitude and direction constantly ❌ Ignoring audio cues—sound is your best warning system

Executing Devastating Strafing Runs

Strafing runs are your primary attack method. Here’s how to execute them like a professional:

Pre-Attack Planning Phase

Step 1: Intelligence Gathering

Open your map and identify high-value targets
Look for clustered infantry on objectives
Note vehicle positions and AA threats
Check if your flares are available

Step 2: Approach Vector Selection

Attack from flanks or rear—NEVER head-on
Choose approach paths outside AA range
Ensure you have cover along your route
Plan your escape route before starting

Step 3: Altitude and Angle Setup

Level your helicopter relative to the target
Too high = missed shots and wasted ammo
Too low = easy target for infantry fire
Sweet spot is usually medium altitude with slight downward angle

Combat Execution Phase

Step 4: Target Acquisition

Activate Target Detection System as you approach
Enemies will appear highlighted on your HUD
Prioritize targets based on threat level:
1. Enemy AA vehicles
2. Tanks and IFVs
3. Infantry clusters
4. Isolated infantry

Step 5: Weapon Deployment

Light Rockets: Saturate the area, fire multiple salvos
Heavy Rockets: One or two shots per vehicle
TOW Missile: Single precision shot on high-value targets
Don’t use all ammo—save some for escape defense

Step 6: Immediate Retreat

The moment you’ve delivered your payload, get out
Pop flares if you hear lock warnings
Return to base cover immediately
Resupply and prepare next attack

Making It Easier with a Gunner

Everything becomes significantly easier with a competent gunner:

They handle sustained fire with the autocannon
You focus entirely on piloting and rockets
Combined firepower is devastating
Coordination makes you nearly unstoppable

Communicate with your gunner about targets and threats. A good pilot-gunner duo can dominate entire matches.

Advanced Helicopter Combat Techniques

Ready for pro-level tactics? Here’s the advanced stuff:

Movement and Physics Mastery

Understanding Tilt-Based Movement:

Helicopters move based on nose tilt direction, not just throttle
Throttle Up/Down primarily controls altitude and acceleration
Forward tilt + throttle = fast forward movement
This is how helicopters work in real life too

Horizontal Strafing:

You can strafe sideways without changing facing direction
Incredibly powerful for sustained objective bombardment
Perfect for attacking rooftop objectives (like Manhattan Bridge)
Keeps weapons on target while maintaining evasive movement
Many players don’t realize this is possible

Altitude Management:

Higher altitude = safer from infantry, better overview
Lower altitude = harder for missiles to track, more vulnerable to ground fire
Constantly vary altitude during combat
Use altitude advantage in helicopter duels

Gunner Seat Exploitation

Quick-Switch Tactic:

At high altitude, switch to gunner seat briefly
Fire autocannon burst at targets below
Switch back to pilot seat immediately
Only do this at safe altitude—very risky otherwise
Useful when solo and you have a perfect firing opportunity

This takes practice and situational awareness. Don’t try it in combat zones or without sufficient height.

Ammunition Conservation

Smart Rocket Usage:

Don’t dump entire payload in one pass (except Heavy Rockets on vehicles)
Spread attacks across multiple runs
Conserve ammo for defensive situations
Always keep reserve for escape scenarios
Frequent resupply runs are part of effective play

Target Priority System:

Enemy AA vehicles (highest priority)
Enemy attack helicopters
Friendly-targeted tanks
Infantry on objectives
Isolated enemies (lowest priority)

Helicopter-vs-Helicopter Combat

Altitude Advantage is Everything:

Always seek higher altitude than enemy choppers
They can’t shoot you without tilting up and losing altitude
You can rain fire down on them easily
Forces them into defensive positioning
This tactic wins most aerial duels

Combat Execution:

Use TOW missiles for one-shot kills
Heavy Rockets work if TOW is unavailable
Maintain altitude superiority throughout fight
Watch for their missile locks—evade and counter
Coordinate with gunner for combined firepower

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Beginner Errors

❌ Flying without Control Assist enabled

Fix: Turn it on immediately—no reason to make life harder

❌ Staying too long in enemy territory

Fix: Hit and run tactics only—never linger

❌ Ignoring flare cooldown timers

Fix: Track cooldown mentally, retreat when unavailable

❌ Attacking without escape plan

Fix: Always know your retreat route before engaging

Intermediate Mistakes

❌ Poor ammunition management

Fix: Be selective with targets, conserve for priority threats

❌ Neglecting minimap awareness

Fix: Constantly check minimap for threats and opportunities

❌ Predictable attack patterns

Fix: Vary approach angles, altitudes, and timing

❌ Fighting without gunner coordination

Fix: Use voice chat or squad commands for teamwork

Synergies with Other Challenges and Progression

While mastering helicopters, you’ll naturally progress through several challenges:

Vehicle Mastery: Helicopters count for vehicle repair challenges
Class Progression: Use Engineer class for vehicle repairs
XP Farming: Helicopter kills provide massive XP—see fast leveling guide
Challenges: Complete Engineer class challenges while flying

Understanding the max level rank system helps you track progression as you master aerial combat.

Map-Specific Helicopter Tactics

Different maps require different approaches:

Liberation Peak:

Use valley terrain for cover
Attack from behind mountain ridges
Best sniper spots guide shows key locations to bomb

Manhattan Bridge:

Weave between buildings for protection
Perfect for practicing urban strafing
High-altitude attacks on rooftop objectives

Open Maps:

Rely more heavily on flares and speed
Stay near map edges where cover exists
Quick hit-and-run tactics essential

Pro Tips for Dominating Matches

Loadout Timing:

Start with Light Rockets for easy infantry kills and practice
Switch to Heavy Rockets when enemy vehicles become threatening
TOW Missiles once you’re comfortable with aiming

Team Coordination:

Communicate with ground forces about AA locations
Support Assault class pushes with aerial fire
Coordinate with Recon for spotted targets

Psychological Warfare:

A good helicopter forces enemies to constantly look up
Disrupts their ground game and creates openings for your team
Even if not getting tons of kills, you’re providing massive value

Know When to Abandon:

If multiple AA threats lock down airspace, switch to ground combat
Don’t feed the enemy team kills stubbornly trying to fly
Adapt to match conditions—flexibility wins games

Additional Resources and Learning

Essential Guides:

Best tips, tricks, and settings for overall improvement
Complete weapons list for understanding armament options
Field Specs guide for enhancing capabilities

Platform-Specific:

Get the game: Steam | PlayStation | Epic Games
Join the community: r/Battlefield6

Final Thoughts: From Novice to Ace Pilot

Mastering attack helicopters in Battlefield 6 is genuinely one of the most rewarding skill progressions in the game. There’s something incredibly satisfying about transforming from “that person who crashes immediately” to “the pilot that makes enemy teams quit.”

The learning curve looks steep from the outside, but with Control Assist enabled and these strategies implemented, you’ll be amazed how quickly you improve. Start with Portal practice, move to bot lobbies, then graduate to competitive matches as your confidence builds.

Remember: every ace pilot you see in matches was once a beginner who kept crashing. The difference is they persisted, practiced, and learned from mistakes. With this guide, you’re already ahead of where most players start.

Now get out there and own the skies. Your team is counting on you.

Related Guides:

How to fly jets alongside helicopters
How to perform takedowns when you’re on foot
Crossplay and playing with friends to find reliable gunners

Master the air, control the battlefield.