Circle and brief again
Confirm approach direction, touchdown and passenger exit before reducing speed.
TACTICAL GUIDE
How to Run a Hot LZ Insertion
Brief mark and abort criteria, fly a controlled hover approach, keep the touchdown short under covering fire, and go around if the pad is unsurvivable.
Reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Current evidence separated from version-sensitive values
QUICK ANSWER
Brief mark and abort criteria, fly a controlled hover approach, keep the touchdown short under covering fire, and go around if the pad is unsurvivable.
CHOOSE YOUR CURRENT STATE
Make the land-or-abort call before final descent
A hot insertion works only when the crew shares one mark, one exit plan and one abort condition.
Shift or abort
Use terrain masking and a short touchdown only when the aircraft still has a survivable exit.
Do not hover as a waiting room
Get the squad ready to dismount before the final approach or choose a cooler landing zone.
PROCEDURE
Follow these steps
Before takeoff, name the LZ, map mark, approach heading, and abort criteria with Pilot, Logistics and the infantry squad.
Pilot flies a controlled approach into hover — same landing discipline as a cold LZ, but expect fire on short final.
Door gunners / passengers suppress only clear threats; avoid shooting through friendlies exiting the cabin.
Touch down just long enough to empty the bird; infantry exit to cover immediately, not into open kill lanes.
If the LZ is unsurvivable (heavy fire, blocked pad, drifting aircraft), call go-around, regain altitude, and shift to an alternate mark.
After insert, Pilot leaves the hot pocket; infantry pushes the objective instead of clustering on the pad.
COMMON PITFALLS
Avoid these mistakes
- Hovering high and slow over a known AA nest.
- Unloading into open ground with no smoke or covering fire (smoke only if your current mortar/utility loadout actually provides it).
- Arguing on the pad instead of exiting or aborting.
- Inventing fixed "seconds on the ground" timers — keep it short, verify feel in current build.
HOT LZ OPERATIONS
Developer-provided gameplay featured in the hot LZ guide
Official helicopter operations showcase including landing zone tactics under combat conditions.
QUICK ANSWERS
Hot LZ Helicopter Insertion questions
What is a hot LZ in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam?
A landing zone under enemy fire or immediate contact. The helicopter still uses a stable hover/land/abort routine, but the crew prioritizes a short touchdown and a ready go-around.
Who should call the abort?
The Pilot owns the aircraft. Crew should call "hot," "blocked," or "going around" early so the Pilot can add collective before the skids settle into a death trap.
Should mortars smoke a hot LZ?
Only when a Mortar Squad can place smoke without hitting friendlies and the current loadout includes smoke. Uncertain rounds are a cease-fire condition per the mortar guide.
Where do passengers go after landing?
Off the pad into cover toward the objective. Do not form a crowd on the insertion point.
SOURCES & EVIDENCE BOUNDARY
What this guide can verify
These guides separate first-party release facts, dated catalogues and observed gameplay behavior. Version-sensitive values or features remain unstated when the current sources do not verify them.