WARDOGS has a small helicopter roster, but the aircraft are very different to fly and to pay for. Buying the wrong one is an expensive mistake, because a crashed aircraft means the vendor price is gone. This guide covers each type, what it is for and what it costs after Season 2. If you haven't flown yet, read our helicopter basics guide first, then come back here to pick an airframe.
The roster at a glance
There are six aircraft in the Pilot vendor, from three families:
- Little Bird family: the unarmed MH-6, the AH-6M [Miniguns] and the AH-6R [Rockets]
- Z20 Lakota family: the Z20 Lakota transport and the Z20 Lakota [Miniguns]
- Havoc: the dedicated attack helicopter
All of them are gated by your Pilot track, which is separate from your Driver and Wardog levels.
The Little Bird family: MH-6, AH-6M and AH-6R
The MH-6 is a Little Bird too. It is the unarmed scout and light transport version of the same small airframe, and the two armed aircraft are built on it. That is useful when you are learning, because the handling you pick up in the MH-6 carries over to the armed versions.
MH-6 (unarmed)
The MH-6 is where everyone starts. It has 6 seats, a 350 km/h top speed and 400 health. That is 2 crew and 4 passengers. It is unlocked by default, although it still costs $6,250 from the vendor each time you buy one.
Because it is light and responsive, it forgives small mistakes more readily than the heavier airframes. One guide notes it is easier to learn on than the larger Lakota, which tilts and dives faster under the weight. Practise take-offs, landings and low-level flying in it before you spend money on anything else.
Little Bird AH-6M [Miniguns] and AH-6R [Rockets]
These are the armed Little Birds. They are listed with two seats, and the miniguns version is the first attack helicopter you reach. The rockets version is the heavier hitter and costs more.
Season 2 pushed the miniguns Little Bird later and made it dearer:
- Pilot level 4 became level 8, and the unlock fee rose from $50k to $125k.
- The AH-6R [Rockets] price rose from $12,500 to $18,800.
- The AH-6M [Miniguns] vendor price rose from $7,000 to $12,000.
Bulkhead's reasoning, as one tracker summarises it, was that the miniguns Little Bird was too strong for how early it unlocked.
Season 2 also changed the weapons on these aircraft. The calibre damage reductions apply to vehicle weapons firing those rounds, including the Little Bird AH-6M minigun. The grenade launcher fired from Little Bird benches also loses 25% muzzle velocity and gains much more sway and inaccuracy.
Heavy transports: Z20 Lakota and Lakota [Miniguns]
The Lakota is the one to fly if you want to move people or cargo. It has 13 seats, a 445 km/h top speed and 600 health. It is listed as unlocking at Pilot level 10 for $35,000, with a vendor price of $7,400. The Season 2 notes I read don't list a change to those figures.
That makes it far better value for hauling than the armed Little Birds. A full cabin is also a lot of squad members arriving together, which suits squad nights well.
The armed version adds door miniguns. It has the same 13 seats and 445 km/h top speed. It unlocks at Pilot level 25 for $85,000. Its vendor price rose sharply, from $8,000 to $15,000. One wiki notes the miniguns need gunners, so two of the seats are minigun positions.
Handling note: coverage of the Season 2 notes mentions a Lakota balance pass, a fix for sluggish pitch, and helicopter input damping now applying to every input device. If the Lakota felt heavy on a controller before, it is worth another test in the firing range.
The gunship: Havoc
The Havoc sits at the top of the track. It has 800 health and a 400 km/h top speed. It is a two-seat attack helicopter. One database lists its weapons as a 2A42 autocannon and B-13 rocket pods.
Season 2 costs:
- Unlock fee up from $500k to $650k.
- Vendor price up from $18,000 to $28,000.
- Unlocks at Pilot level 35.
You need two players to get full value from it, and a crash is very expensive. Learn it in the firing range first.
Which one should you fly?
| Your goal | Fly this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Learning | MH-6 (unarmed Little Bird) | Unlocked by default and agile |
| Moving a squad or cargo | Z20 Lakota | 13 seats, tough for its size |
| Air support with a friend | Armed Little Bird (AH-6M or AH-6R) or Havoc | Two seats, armed |
| Armed insertion | Z20 Lakota [Miniguns] | Seats plus door guns |
A sensible route is the MH-6 first, then the transport Lakota, and only then the armed aircraft. The AH-6M [Miniguns] costs $125,000 to unlock and $12,000 to buy. The standard Lakota is much cheaper on both counts.
What it costs enemies to shoot you down
Season 2 changed the payouts for destroying aircraft. An MH-6 now pays $1,250, an AH-6M [Miniguns] $6,000 and an AH-6R [Rockets] $9,400. A Lakota pays $1,500 and a Lakota [Miniguns] $7,500. The Havoc pays $14,000, down from $18,000.
The armed aircraft are therefore juicy targets. If you fly one, expect to be hunted.
Common mistakes
- Buying an armed aircraft too soon. The money you spend on one costs more than you earn from a few lucky kills.
- Hovering in the open. One source says the Verba one-shots a Little Bird. Use terrain and keep moving.
- Relying on flares against everything. The Vanguard CIWS fires bullets that ignore flares, so break line of sight instead. The MH-6 and Lakota each carry 2 flares in the database listings, so spend them carefully.
- Ignoring the Gepard. The Flakpanzer Gepard is the first platform built specifically for anti-air defence, and it targets helicopters. Avoid repeated, predictable routes. Our vehicles guide covers it.
- Shooting through your own cockpit glass. Since Season 2, shooting out through the glass damages the vehicle just as incoming fire does.
Checked against Season 2, which went live on 15 October 2026. Prices and unlock gates can change in later balance passes, so check the vendor before you commit.