Made of lighter, and therefor, less durable materials than the sturdier, less expensive standard KV47 Walkers, each of the three specifications of the Aero Walker are offensive powerhouses in their own right. Unfortunately, few these walkers need rapid transport during a battle. Nor do they have the capability to be true drop walkers that can be truly effective behind enemy lines. Further frustrating commanders, is their high Army Point cost when combined with a Walker Transport Chopper and the all-so-valuable support slot just to give these walkers this ability.
KV47-D Aero “Nina”
The only truly functional drop walker, it is designed to destroy the even heaviest of armor (up to the maximum of Dust Warfare, Vehicle 7). Despite being the only aero walker armed with two independent weapon systems, the RPG-47; they are too inaccurate to count on only rolling two dice both with the standard 33%. The RPG-47 delivers 6 damage per hit plus the Tank Killer special ability but only rolling two dice make them a high risk to reward choice. Additionally, the Nina is near worthless against all solider types. All the while functioning with possibly one other unit, the Walker Transport Helicopter.
Tactics:
The Nina actually functions really well with the Walker Transport Helicopter. The Nina while rarely is going to deliver its 12 damage potential, it can be used on any kind of armor with great effect from behind where vehicles don’t get armor rolls. Even if the Nina does have to deal with armor rolls, its Tank Killer special ability give it good odds of worst that the Vehicle Damage Table can offer. I also recommend never split firing with the Nina as you only have a die per attack to hit. Those are mighty low odds to cause damage. To make up for it lack of anti-infantry firepower the chopper can provide cover. This allows these two units a one two punch for as long as they can survive in the enemy’s rear area. The big drawback, as mentioned before, is the 80 Army Points and the two support slots (or 3rd and 4th sections of a Red Guards Platoon) needed to accomplish it. That is a lot of work two expect two units to accomplish cut0ff from the rest of your force at that cost.
KV47-E Aero “Nikita”
While the other aero walkers can be argued for having some use being moved about the battlefield via the transport chopper, the Nikita has none beyond getting it to a safer spot in which by that time you’ve most likely lost the battle. Armed with its Dual Quad 120mm Mortars, it as an Artillery weapon that can reach any point a soldier with the Artillery Strike special abilty can see. As a mobile artillery piece it does a good job. Although it does less than the Allies MCW M2-F “Steel Rain” against soldiers and each walker has the same Army Point cost. But you won’t have to worry about the reload with the Dual Quad 120mm Mortars. When if comes to the SSU, I personally don’t think you can do better than the Nikita for artillery.
Tactics:
Treat the Nikita like the artillery piece it is. Place it back behind the rest of your army in a difficult to reach or well protected area. Be sure to have a unit with the Artillery Strike special ability and continue to use the walker for indirect fire. Enjoy that fact you don’t need to reload like most Artillery units.
KV47-F Aero “Nastasia”
What the Nina can do to armor, the Nastasia does to nearby infantry, aircraft, and lighter armor (Vehicle 3). Combined with the guns on the walker transport helicopter, few enemy infantry units can survive such an onslaught. Nastasia also serves as an excellent, if short ranged, ground-based mobile anti-aircraft platform. This makes it a fine choice to field even without the transport.
Tactics:
Nastasia works well in the same places as a KV47-B Nastasha with its howitzers can with the added benefit of anti-air capabilities. It is great at wiping out enemy soldier squads to allow the rest of you army to focus on bringing down the enemy’s armor. You can use it with some success as a scout walker help your soldiers move across the battlefield either behind it or with the Tankodesantniki platoon upgrade. Just remember, it isn’t quite as durable as a normal KV47 only have 4 Damage Capacity. Its 16″ range can become a liability as well. Many anti-armor weapons (the Allies Bazooka, the Axis Panzershrek, and even the SSU oven PTRS) can target the Nastasia at this range.
MIL MI-46 Walker Transport Helicopter
Armed with Quad DShK 12.7 guns on the nose this helicopter, it can carry vehicles with the Air Lift special ability up to Damage Capacity 4. Which is currently only the Aero Walkers. The chopper costs the same as an Airborne Transport at 40 Army Points. However, unlike the Airborne Transport, this helio cannot be taken as a Transport Support slot for a Political Platoon. It is this combination of high Army Point cost, few/no good drop walker options, and requirement of two support slot (a very valuable commodity in SSU army lists) that make it fairly difficult to field without seeming like a drain of Army Points. Not that this unit doesn’t have its uses, it is just that it can be a hard pill to swallow to incorporate such interesting tactics to the battlefield.
Tactics:
The Wingman Concept: When using aircraft, I believe in having at least of them two working in conjunction with each other. It is easy for the enemy to target your only helicopter and destroy it. However, it become more difficult when you have a second or third to, “watch his six.” Unfortunately, it is difficult put to together of a list of two Walker Transport Helicopters and two KV47 Aero Walkers as that takes up four support slots or the 3rd and 4th sections of the Red Platoon as well as 120 Army Points not including the Command and 1st-4th Section needed to accomplish it.
I like to use the Walker Transport Helicopter primarily (which a corresponding Aero Walker) as a rear area raider backed up with additional air support. While this gives you a lot to work with behind the enemy forces, it leaves your other forces with much less to threaten with if you decide to go with the classic pincher maneuver. For the second chopper, I recommend an attack helicopter such as the Striker or Death Rain. Personally, I like using the Death Rain to soften up the enemy by using the napalm on soldiers and bombs on vehicles before sending in the Walker Transport to drop off the Aero Walker.
Behind Enemy Lines Raid: I find to get the best use out of the Walker Transport and Aero Walker (Nina is usually the best choice for this) as a behind enemy lines drop walker. To do this you need to capitalize on the off the table Compulsory Move action that all aircraft units have. To do this maneuver, you simply have your helicopter pointed toward any table edge within 12″ before its activation. When activated, you move it off the table. You lose the ability to have those units for that round, but next round you can come in from any portion of the table that the aircraft leaves. This means if you go off the table on the left of the long side of the table away from your opponent’s main force, next round you can sweep in behind for a rear area sneak attack on the right side of that table edge.
Using Nina this way allows you to potentially ignore armor for a chance at 6 to 12 damage plus Tank Killer which should incapacitate even Vehicle 7 (V7) if not out right destroying them with a little luck. Also remember, aircraft must re-enter the table the round after they left so don’t’ try to the off the table compulsory move back-to-back such as going off the short edge then then long edge.
Pick Up and Move: I want to talk about the idea of using the Walker Transport to pick up and move an Aero Walker. Unless it is the Nikita, most of the time you should have your Aero Walker already loaded on the Walker Transport at the start of the game. You are wasted valuable actions otherwise. You might be tempted to think that the Walker Transport is worth the cost as you can pick up and move your Aero Walker from a part of the battlefield that it is no longer needed, either because you have wiped out the forces there or are being over run. I would advise against largely of considering this tactic in your choice to buy the Walker Transport Helicopter or not.
Most Dust Warfare games are a mere five tuns. The way I play, I usually lose one or two rounds just getting my helicopters into position to strike (I like rear area attacks). Even if you clear the area, you need to spend a turn to pick up and move. One, this exposes you chopper to Vehicle 2 (V2) attacks. Two, you may only get at most 24″ from that spot. And three, you might only have a but a single turn left. That’s 80 points and two support slots for two/three non-sustained attacks. For five more points and only a single support slot you could have bought yourself a Mao Zedong Heavy Tank.
Army Lists:
Armor Pincher Attack
Red Platoon (153)
Command: Red Command (25)
1st: Red Thunder (20)
2nd: Red Thunder (20)
3rd: KV47-D Aero “Nina” (40)
4th: MIL-46 Walker Transport (40)
Political Support: The Karamzin (8)This is a strong anti armor platoon. The two Red Thunder squads are joined together by the Commissar giving them 3 PTRS-47. They sever as your advancing front line. Meanwhile, the Walker Transport moves into position as detailed by the Behind Enemy Lines Raid tactic. The platoon is fairly weak (for SSU) to infantry and cannot handle enemy aircraft very well. Consider adding these elements and an Attack Helicopter, see Wingman Concept, to your second platoon in a 300 point game. Also not that this platoon range is largely 16″ meaning it can easily be out ranged many Allied and Axis units.
Defensive Artillery
Defense Platoon (99)
Command: Medvedi (25)
1st: Any allowed (20-21)
Command Support: Nabludatyel (8)
Support: KV47-E Aero “Nikita” (45)
This is your basic Campaign Book: Zverograd based SSU artillery platoon. It features two squads with the Artillery Strike special ability to cover a greater amount of the battlefield with the Nikita. It also allows some redundancy should one team be eliminated. I suggest positioning the Medvedi and Nabludatyel pretty far away from each other or at least with differing lanes of fire. Since the Nikita isn’t likely to be going any where and using indirect fire rules, place it back behind your forces/terrain trying to keep it out of sight.
Rating:
I really like the concept of the helicopter drop walker and this is my personal favorite model set. However, as much as I like it, I have to admit that use of both the Walker Transport and an Aero Walker usually under perform when compared to similar Army Point value options such as two Attack Helicopters or a single heavy tank. The Aero Walkers are a much better value when speaking about them without their transport chopper. The Nastasia is great short range anti-aircraft and anti-infantry platform and the Nikita performs well as an artillery piece. The Nina is too usually too unreliable for damage most of the time, and those points would better be spent on a cheaper, tougher standard K47 walker if it isn’t used in conjunction with the Walker Transport. I rate this unit fair to bad as it is neat concept but poorly realized. What would really change my position is if taking an Aero Walker allowed you to purchase the Walker Transport Helicopter as an upgrade or if helicopter was a just easier to put into a platoon. Perhaps even making this chopper a bit cheaper in Army Points. In fact, make it cheap enough, and I might consider just taking it by itself as a flying weapon platform.
Clash at Zverograd 