Bug #1541

Helicopters Now Vulnerable to Talon Rockets Across Entire Map

Status:	Open
Priority:	Critical
Added by:	ripper7621 on August 22, '26
Assigned to:	Unassigned
Due date:
Reported for:	Forefront - v5.0.290
Regression of:	#433 Helicopter is ineffective against air threats This issue was created as a new bug instead of being marked as a duplicate because the original issue was already Closed.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Get into helicopter
2. Fly up a bit
3. You'll get immediatelly targeted with talons even across the map
4. Nowhere to hide => you're dead

Explanation

Talon is broken now, its impossible to fly helicopters as you can be shot down from the other side of the map

Recent update (20.08.2026, the one that added Clearwater Rush) completely ruined balancing around helicopters and Talon guided missile rocket launcher.

Previously any engineer with a talon was able to repel helicopters around them because pilots had to escape after first missile (and flares) to a safe distance or behind some cover.

The recent update changed the distance a rocket can fly (and perhaps also speed and other factors here?) and after that it is pretty much impossible to fly on any map because you can be targetted and shot at from almost any place in the map, even on larger maps like Paradise or Iceland, but exactly the same or even bigger problem on Clearwater or Mojave. All it takes is ~2-3 engineers with talons on a different spots and you're dead, you can escape you can hide on many maps , you can't even go to/behind your HQ and wait it out there.

This makes it almost impossible to play with helicopters and completely "not fun". Previously you had a powerful vehicle but you were also big target and could have been repelled and with a bit of luck shot down if there were 2-3 players with talon in 2+ points, but now after multiple games if you don't want to die in 20 seconds from starting you need to pretty much camp over a hill somewhere or at HQ and hope nobody will go on a vantage point and kill you there (and each map with helicopter has a vantage point where now you can pretty much target any vehicle.

I really hope you will revert this and keep the balancing as it was, as it was great and perfect already.

P.S. I've reported this as a bug and not "suggestion" because I believe this is a regression and as such should be treated as bug.

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