Bradley APC & Attack Helicopter Guide

The Bradley APC follows a predictable patrol route around Launch Site, circling the main rocket building and adjacent structures. Understanding its route lets you set up ambush positions and time your attacks.

Patrol behavior: Bradley drives at a moderate speed along the paved roads within Launch Site. It follows a roughly circular route, pausing briefly at certain waypoints before continuing. The full circuit takes approximately 3-4 minutes. When it detects a player within its 75-meter detection radius, it stops, turns to face the threat, and engages with its cannon and machine gun.

Weak spots: Bradley takes increased damage when hit in specific areas. The rear engine compartment is the weakest point, taking approximately 1.5x normal damage. The turret mechanism on top also takes slightly increased damage. Hitting the front armor deals standard damage. When using HV rockets (the most common method), aim for the rear or top of the vehicle.

Engagement windows: The best time to attack Bradley is when it is at the far end of its patrol route from other players. Position yourself near a safe cover spot along the route and wait for Bradley to approach. As it passes, fire from behind to hit the weak rear armor. Bradley turns slowly, giving you 2-3 seconds of free damage before it faces you.

Multiple Bradleys: On some modded servers, multiple Bradleys may spawn. On vanilla servers, only one Bradley exists at Launch Site. After destruction, it respawns in 60 minutes. Track the respawn timer if you plan to farm Bradley repeatedly.

Bradley aggro mechanics: Bradley aggros on the closest detected player. In group play, have one player kite Bradley's attention (running behind cover to avoid cannon shots) while another player fires rockets from a safe angle. This split-aggro technique prevents the shooter from taking return fire.

The Patrol Helicopter (commonly called Attack Heli) spawns every 2-3 hours and flies a route that covers the entire map. Its behavior changes based on what it encounters during its patrol.

Spawn timing: The Patrol Helicopter spawns at a random edge of the map and flies toward the center. It then patrols across the island, visiting major landmarks and player-built structures. The total flight time is approximately 15-25 minutes before it leaves the map if not engaged. Server restarts and certain admin commands can affect spawn timing.

Flight patterns: - Idle patrol: The heli flies in wide sweeping patterns across the map at moderate altitude. It scans for players matching its aggro criteria (2+ clothing items or holding a weapon). - Aggro approach: When it spots a valid target, it turns toward them and begins an attack run. It descends slightly and increases speed. - Attack run: The heli makes strafing passes, firing rockets and machine gun bursts. It typically makes 3-5 passes before circling to reassess. - Disengage: If the target dies, goes inside, or removes aggro items, the heli circles once and resumes its idle patrol.

Aggro rules in detail: The heli aggros on players wearing 2 or more clothing items (including armor). Hazmat suits count as a full set. Merely holding a deployable weapon in your hotbar triggers aggro. To avoid aggro: strip to underwear and put all weapons in your inventory (not hotbar).

Base targeting: If the heli aggros near your base, it will fire rockets at your base structures. Stone and above can withstand multiple hits, but twig and wood structures are destroyed quickly. This is why experienced players lure the heli away from their base before engaging it.

Important detail: The heli announces its presence with a distinctive rotor sound audible from several grid squares away. When you hear it approaching, quickly decide whether to fight (gear up and take position) or hide (strip naked and go inside). Hesitating often results in taking fire while partially geared.

Solo players can profitably farm both Bradley and the Patrol Helicopter, but the strategies differ significantly due to the different threat types.

Solo Bradley strategy: The most reliable solo method uses 7 HV Rockets fired from an elevated safe position at Launch Site. Climb the scaffolding near the outer wall or position yourself on the roof of a side building. Wait for Bradley to patrol below you. Fire rockets at the rear/top of the vehicle. Bradley's cannon has limited vertical aiming, so it often cannot hit you when you are directly above it. Between rocket shots, duck behind cover to avoid the machine gun. Total engagement time: 2-3 minutes. Total cost: approximately 5,600 sulfur for HV rockets.

Solo Helicopter strategy: Build a heli tower (4-5 stories of stone with window frames at the top) near your base but not directly attached to it. Stock the tower with 300 rounds of 5.56 ammo (mix of regular and incendiary), 10+ medical syringes, and a sleeping bag. When the heli approaches, aggro it by equipping armor and a weapon. Climb the tower and shoot at the tail rotor through window frames. The stone walls block rocket damage, and the window frames provide shooting angles. Total engagement time: 5-10 minutes. Total cost: approximately 300 rounds of 5.56 ammo.

Solo risk management: - For Bradley: The main risk is other players at Launch Site, not Bradley itself. Clear the monument of hostile players before engaging Bradley. Bring a full PvP kit in addition to your rockets. - For Helicopter: The main risk is the crash site attracting every player on the server. After downing the heli, rush to the crash site and loot the crate as quickly as possible. Have a vehicle ready (horse, boat, or mini) for rapid extraction. - For both: If the engagement goes badly (running low on ammo, taking too much damage, enemy players arriving), disengage immediately. Bradley and the heli can be attempted again later. Your life and gear are worth more than one fight.

Groups of 2-4 players can take down both Bradley and the heli faster, safer, and more efficiently than solo players.

Group Bradley strategy: Player 1 (tank/kiter): Stands in a visible position to draw Bradley's aggro. Uses cover to avoid cannon and machine gun fire. Their job is to keep Bradley stationary and facing away from the shooter. Player 2 (shooter): Positions behind Bradley and fires HV rockets at the exposed rear armor. With Bradley focused on Player 1, the shooter has uninterrupted firing time. Player 3 (lookout/PvP): Watches for counter-players approaching Launch Site. Engages any hostile players to protect the Bradley farmers. Result: Bradley dies in approximately 60-90 seconds with this method. Total group cost: same 7 HV rockets but distributed across team members.

Group Helicopter strategy: Multiple shooters dramatically increase DPS against the heli. Three players with AK-47s firing at the tail rotor can destroy the heli in 2-3 attack passes (roughly 3-5 minutes). Each player expends approximately 100 rounds instead of 300. Setup: All shooters position in the same heli tower or in adjacent stone structures with overlapping fields of fire. One player acts as the designated aggro target (stands on the exposed roof), while the others shoot from protected positions.

Optimized loot sharing: - Bradley drops 2 locked crates. With a group, one player can defend the area while others begin looting. Assign crate priority based on who needs what: the PvP player gets weapons, the builder gets components, the farmer gets resources. - Helicopter crate loot is typically split evenly or rotated (this crate's loot goes to Player A, next crate goes to Player B).

Double farming: With enough players and resources, split into two teams -- one farms Bradley at Launch Site while the other takes down the heli elsewhere on the map. This doubles your event loot per cycle and is the most efficient use of group manpower.

Understanding the economics of Bradley and heli farming helps you decide when these events are worth pursuing versus other activities.

Bradley loot table (per kill, 2 locked crates combined): - High-tier weapons: AK-47, LR-300, M249, Bolt Action, L96 (1-2 per kill) - Armor: Metal Facemask, Metal Chestplate, Heavy Plate armor pieces - Explosives: C4, Rockets, Satchels (occasional) - Components: Tech Trash, Rifle Bodies, SMG Bodies - Resources: 50-100 HQM, 500-1000 metal fragments, 100-300 scrap - Estimated total scrap value: 600-1500 scrap per kill

Bradley farming cost: 7 HV Rockets = 5,600 sulfur = approximately 30 minutes of sulfur farming for a solo player. The return on investment is excellent -- you spend 30 minutes farming sulfur and 5 minutes killing Bradley for 600-1500 scrap worth of loot.

Patrol Helicopter loot table (crash site crate): - High-tier weapons: AK-47, LR-300, M249, Bolt Action (1-2 per kill) - Armor: Metal Facemask, Metal Chestplate - Attachments: 4x Scope, Holosight, Laser Sight, Silencer - Explosives: C4, Rockets, Explosive Ammo - Resources: HQM, Metal Fragments, Scrap - Incendiary Rockets and HV Rockets (useful for next heli/Bradley attempt) - Estimated total scrap value: 500-1200 scrap per kill

Heli farming cost: 300 rounds of 5.56 ammo = approximately 1,500 sulfur (for explosive ammo) or zero sulfur (for regular ammo, just gunpowder and metal). Using regular ammo makes heli farming essentially free in terms of sulfur.

Comparison to monuments: Bradley farming yields comparable scrap to a Launch Site keycard run (400-600 scrap) but requires less time and lower risk from other players (you control when to engage). Heli farming is less consistent (heli spawns every 2-3 hours) but provides unique high-tier loot that is otherwise hard to obtain.

Optimal strategy: Farm the heli whenever it spawns (since it costs almost nothing), and farm Bradley every 60 minutes between heli spawns. This cycle generates 1,000-2,700 scrap per 2-3 hour rotation, rivaling the best monument farming routes with lower PvP risk.