WARDOGS · Pilot Handbook
Fleet, controls, curves, flight ops, threats · data: EVA data-mine (9 Oct) + Dexerto wiki, Season 1
Season 1 numbers. Season 2 lands Thu 15 Oct 2026: progression wipe, cash turns into Gold Bars, and Bulkhead is changing weapon damage, recoil and suppression. Re-check after the patch.
TL;DR
- All four assists ON: Stability, Auto Hover, Envelope Limits, Turn Coordination.
- MKB: Rotary Mouse Control on · Air Vehicle Multiplier 2.0 · mouse 50% · axis isolation 0% · arrow keys as secondary collective and yaw.
- Sticks: in-game sensitivity never below 1.0. Use 1.1 (yaw 1.05), and do all smoothing with S-curves in VKBDevCfg.
- Flying: under 80 km/h turn with yaw, over 80 bank to turn. Touch down under 50 km/h. Drop pallets below 60 m.
- Pay: each pallet delivered = 750 XP + $2,500. Threat: a CIWS kills a Havoc in about 6 s.
Builds
Startno unlock
MH-6 · small transport, fast and agile take-offs and landings.
$6,250350 km/h6 seats105 L
Pilot 4$50k unlock
AH-6M Miniguns · small attack heli with 2× M134D miniguns.
$7,000350 km/h2 seats105 L
Pilot 10$35k unlock
Z20 Lakota · large transport and pallet slinger. Fastest in the fleet.
$7,400445 km/h13 seats120 L
Pilot 20$250k unlock
AH-6R Rockets · small attack heli with 2× B-13 rocket pods.
$12,500350 km/h2 seats105 L
Pilot 25$75k unlock
Z20 Lakota Miniguns · 11 passengers plus 2 door miniguns.
$8,000445 km/h13 seats120 L
Pilot 35$500k unlock
Havoc · heavily armored gunship with B-13 rockets and a 2A42 autocannon.
$18,000400 km/h2 seats130 L
Personal loadout
- Flares ($750, 3 bursts) for every attack run.
- A parachute: Basic ($100) or Sport ($1,000, steerable, 9 kg) to bail out.
- Wrench for field repairs, a purple Landing Zone smoke ($50) to mark pickups.
- Light carry weapon (MP5 or AK-74) and an IFAK for when you end up on foot.
Ballistics & zeroing
| Weapon | Zero | 150 m | 200 m | 300 m | 400 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK-74 | 100 m | 5 cm0.3 mil | 13 cm0.6 mil | 38 cm1.3 mil | 76 cm1.9 mil |
| MP5 | 100 m | 23 cm1.5 mil | 61 cm3.1 mil | 184 cm*6.1 mil | 368 cm*9.2 mil |
Holdover = how far above the target to aim, in cm and in mil (1 mil = 1 cm per 10 m, the hash marks on MRAD scopes). Lead = how far ahead to aim at a target running 5 m/s (an assumed sprint speed, WARDOGS does not publish one). Calculated from muzzle velocity (g = 9.81, no drag inside the full-damage range). Check it in the firing range: patches change velocities.
Zeroing rules
- Sight in at 100 m and aim center chest out to 200 m. The round lands a hand-width low at 200 m, which is still chest.
- Between steps (for example 160 m): keep the lower zero and aim at the top of the head. A low miss still hits neck or chest. Dialing up to 200 m and aiming low sends the round over the head.
- Long shots: PgUp/PgDn dial the zero in 100 m steps, then aim dead center. If you don't want to dial, use the holdover table.
- Past the full-damage range the round loses speed as well as damage, so it drops more than the table says (marked *).
Leading moving targets
- Lead in mil stays the same at every range inside the full-damage range: target speed ÷ bullet speed × 1000. A 5 m/s runner needs about 6 mil with an 830–900 m/s rifle and about 13 mil with a 380–400 m/s SMG.
- Players stop about every 10 s to scope in or check the map. Shoot then, and you don't need to lead at all.
- Running straight at you or away from you: no lead, aim for the drop only.
Aerial guns and rockets
- The wiki lists no muzzle velocity for the M134D, the B-13 rockets or the 2A42 autocannon, so there is no holdover table for them.
- Walk tracers onto the target. Rockets (122 mm HE) have a large splash: aim at the ground at their feet.
- Yaw S-curve 5 on sticks stops the minigun slingshotting past targets (see HOSAS).
Kit
Flares · $7503 bursts, anti-air countermeasure. Pop them when a lock-on launcher like the 9K333 Verba targets you.
Basic Parachute · $1002.5 kg, single use, can't steer.
Sport Parachute · $1,0009 kg, steerable · Wardog 35.
Wrench · $150Repairs every vehicle.
Landing Zone smoke · $50Purple smoke plus a map marker for pickups.
MP5 · $1,500Light carry weapon. Or an AK-74 ($1,600).
IFAK · $800Full heal.
This kit weighs about 11 kg, which puts you in Light.
Weight classes
| Kit weight | Class | Move speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| under 10 kg | — | full | |
| 10–17 kg | Light | −5% | |
| 17–27 kg | Medium | −13% | slower ADS, less stamina regen |
| 27–40 kg | Heavy | −20% | no tactical sprint |
| 40 kg + | Super Heavy | −20% | no sprint, slowed |
Source: WarDogs.News weight-class table. Other guides give −12% / −19%. An Adrenaline Pen drops you one class for a short time.
Ammo
122 mm HE rocket · $450B-13 pods (AH-6R, Havoc). Stack of 3. Big splash.
30 mm HE cannon · $500Havoc 2A42. Stack of 200. Infantry and light vehicles.
Flares · $7503 bursts per item.
Your carry weapon
| Caliber | Ammo | No armour | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 9×19 (SMGs, GGX) | FMJ | 25.43 (4 shots) | 17.81 (6) | 15.27 (7) | 11.45 (9) | 8.91 (12) | default |
| HP | 50.84 (2 shots) | 7.56 (14) | 5.51 (19) | 2.41 (42) | 0.36 (278) | Wardog 6 | |
| AP | 20.34 (5 shots) | 16.08 (7) | 14.65 (7) | 12.52 (8) | 11.09 (10) | Wardog 75 | |
 5.45 (AK-74) | FMJ | 28.62 (4 shots) | 20.03 (5) | 17.18 (6) | 12.89 (8) | 10.03 (10) | default |
| HP | 57.21 (2 shots) | 8.51 (12) | 6.19 (17) | 2.72 (37) | 0.4 (250) | Wardog 16 | |
| AP | 22.9 (5 shots) | 18.77 (6) | 17.4 (6) | 15.35 (7) | 13.98 (8) | Wardog 93 |
Which ammo
- FMJ is the default. Armor blocks 30 / 40 / 55 / 65% of it at L1 / L2 / L3 / L4.
- HP does 2× to flesh, but armor blocks 85–99% of it. Only use it on players with no armor, or aim for arms and legs.
- AP does 20% less to flesh, but armor only blocks 10–20%. It wins against L3–L4 armor and helmets.
- Headshots do about 2.1×. L3 and L4 helmets also cover the neck. L4 armor also covers the upper arms and pelvis.
- HP and AP rounds unlock on the Wardog (career) track. The vendor sells the tracer versions.
Field rules
| Speed | What happens | Do |
|---|---|---|
| < 50 km/h | safe touchdown | Land only below this, or you break the skids or flip. |
| < 80 km/h | full yaw authority | Rotate freely with Q/E or the stick twist. |
| > 80 km/h | yaw authority drops off sharply | Turn by banking (A/D) with a little back-pitch. |
| ~300 km/h | best level cruise | Keep the HUD pitch triangle just above the lowest gauge line. |
Lakota pallets
- No J-hooks or hard airbrakes while you carry a pallet. The weight shifts your center of gravity and you get a tail-spin you can't recover from.
- Drop below 60 m AGL while in a slow forward hover.
- Keep Envelope Limits ON.
Pre-flight checklist
- All 4 assists ON
- Stick sensitivities ≥ 1.0 (1.1 / 1.05)
- Gremlin activated + free-look script running
- Flares bound and tested
- Proximity chat on a button to talk to passengers
Pay per trip
| Action | XP | Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger delivered | 50 | $150 |
| …and they survive | +100 | +$500 |
| Round trip (troops only) | 300 | $750 |
| Supply pallet delivered | 750 | $2,500 |
EVA. Same delivery bonus as Driver: ×1.1 after 10 players, up to ×3 after 75.
What kills you
| Vehicle | Bullets | Worst threats (extra damage) |
|---|---|---|
| Havoc | −95% | drone +450% · rocket splash +400% · AT mine +200% · 20 mm CIWS and 35 mm Gepard +87.5% |
| Lakota | −95% | drone +450% · rocket splash +200% · 120 mm +150% |
| MH-6 / AH-6 | −92.5% | drone +500% · rocket splash +400% · AT mine +200% · 120 mm +100% |
Wiki damage-resistance tables. Since the 2 Oct hotfix a Vanguard CIWS kills a Havoc in about 6 s again (it was 12). Stay out of its sight.
Mouse & keyboard
In-game settings
| Rotary Vehicle Mouse Control | ON. Use Yaw & Pitch to aim like a rifle, or Roll & Pitch if you come from Battlefield. |
| Heli mouse pitch / yaw sens. | 50% |
| Heli mouse axis isolation | 0% |
| Air Vehicle Multiplier | 2.0 (full-strength key input) |
Flight assists: all ON
| Stability Assist | no spiral or tumble when you tap keys |
| Auto Hover | no crash if you let go for a moment |
| Envelope Limits | stops nose-dives you can't recover from while carrying Lakota pallets |
| Turn Coordination | smooth high-speed banking |
Keybinds: primary + secondary
| Function | Primary | Secondary | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collective up | Space | ↑ | Thumb control, so W/S stay free for pitch |
| Collective down | C | ↓ | Same key as crouch, so it feels natural |
| Yaw left | Q | ← | Two-handed fast rotation |
| Yaw right | E | → | Two-handed fast rotation |
| Roll L / R | A / D | — | Lateral tilt |
| Free look | L-Alt | — | Hold to check the cockpit or landing zone |
4-button instant airbrake (from 250+ km/h)
- Level out: line the horizon up with the center display.
- Hold S + D + ↓ + → together. Mirrored version: A + S + ← + ↓.
- You get a flat flick-stop to < 50 km/h in seconds, with no altitude loss and no nose-dive. Safer than a J-hook.
Single stick / HOTAS
Rule #1: in-game vehicle sensitivity must never go below 1.0. WARDOGS doesn't smooth the input. It clamps max deflection, so at 0.5 collective you can never reach full climb or full speed. Do all smoothing in device software.
In-game sensitivities
| Axis | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch | 1.1 | |
| Roll | 1.1 | |
| Collective | 1.1 | |
| Yaw | 1.05 | twitchy · dead zone 0.02 |
Button map
| Main trigger | Fire |
| Thumb red button | Reload |
| Hat pull back | Flares / countermeasures |
| Rocker R / L | 1st/3rd person / ping target |
| Throttle side button | Proximity / squad voice |
| Throttle rocker / lever | Deploy supply crate |
External tools
- Joystick Gremlin maps stick switches to keys the game won't bind (map zoom [ ], proximity chat, squad comms). Details on the Gremlin page.
- Free-look script turns a hat switch into smooth mouse look while you hold L-Alt. The game has no native head-tracking for sticks.
- Curves: use S-response curves in device software (VKBDevCfg). See the HOSAS page.
HOSAS · 2× VKB Gladiator NXT EVO
VKBDevCfg curves
| Axis | Dead zone | Curve |
|---|---|---|
| Yaw (R twist) | 2–3% | S-curve 5 (range 4–6). Top priority: stops the minigun from slingshotting past targets. |
| Pitch / Roll (R stick) | 2–3% | S-curve 3 (range 2–4). Smooth for landings and pallet drops, full authority at the stops. |
| Collective (L Y) | — | Linear (0) for predictable altitude |
| Strafe (L X) | 2–3% | mild S-curve |
What an S-curve does
Hardware: on the left OTA stick, remove the Y-axis centering spring or tighten the dry clutch. The lever then stays where you leave it, like a real collective.
Your notes disagreed on the S-curve values and on collective direction. This page uses yaw 5, pitch/roll 3, and pull = climb. If climb feels backwards, invert the axis in VKBDevCfg.
Your notes disagreed on the S-curve values and on collective direction. This page uses yaw 5, pitch/roll 3, and pull = climb. If climb feels backwards, invert the axis in VKBDevCfg.
Joystick Gremlin + free-look
Why
WARDOGS reads stick axes, but it can't bind some features to stick buttons. Gremlin turns a button press into a normal key press. It doesn't inject code, read memory, or run macros, so it's safe to use.
Remaps
| Throttle side button | P proximity chat (talk to passengers) |
| Throttle rocker up / down | [ / ] mini-map zoom |
| Spare throttle switch | squad voice key |
| Left thumb button | L-Alt free-look |
Setup
- Install Joystick Gremlin, plus vJoy if your setup needs it.
- Find the button: press it on the stick and Gremlin highlights that input.
- Remap: select the input, set the action to Remap, then press the target key from the table above.
- Free-look script: download IceManIsaac's Python script (from his GitHub or HOTAS community links). Tune the X/Y magnitude in its file, then start it.
- Activate Gremlin with the green button before you launch WARDOGS.
- Test in the firing range in an MH-6: hold L-Alt with your left thumb and move the hat switch with your right.
Why the script: Gremlin's own hat-to-mouse mapping moves in fixed steps and jumps on diagonals. The script moves the mouse along a smooth sine curve instead.
Progression ladder
| Level | Unlock | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Small Armored Crate | $10,000 | air-drop supplies |
| 4 | AH-6M Miniguns | $50,000 | first gunship |
| 10 | Z20 Lakota | $35,000 | 13 seats, pallets |
| 15 | Large Armored Crate | $25,000 | bigger air drops |
| 20 | AH-6R Rockets | $250,000 | rocket pods |
| 25 | Z20 Lakota Miniguns | $75,000 | door guns |
| 35 | Havoc | $500,000 | armored gunship |
Unlocked by other roles: MH-6 needs no unlock