diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs
index 3f8fd32791..61a7ea9343 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Graphics/HardwarePalette.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game.Graphics
 			foreach (string remap in new string[] { "blue", "red", "orange", "teal", "salmon", "green", "gray" })
 				AddPalette(new Palette(pal, new PaletteRemap(FileSystem.Open(remap + ".rem"))));
 
-			AddPalette(new Palette(pal, new PaletteRemap(Color.FromArgb(178, 0, 0, 0))));
+			AddPalette(new Palette(pal, new PaletteRemap(Color.FromArgb(140, 0, 0, 0))));
 
 			using (var bitmapCopy = new Bitmap(bitmap))
 				for (int j = 0; j < maxEntries; j++)
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/MainWindow.cs b/OpenRa.Game/MainWindow.cs
index 2c2262d17b..14086e2779 100755
--- a/OpenRa.Game/MainWindow.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/MainWindow.cs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			Game.world.Add(new Actor("ca", Game.map.Offset + new int2(40, 7), Game.players[1]));
 			Game.world.Add(new Actor("e1", Game.map.Offset + new int2(9, 13), Game.players[1]));
 			Game.world.Add(new Actor("arty", Game.map.Offset + new int2(10, 13), Game.players[1]));
-			Game.world.Add(new Actor("v2rl", Game.map.Offset + new int2(11, 12), Game.players[1]));
+			Game.world.Add(new Actor("heli", Game.map.Offset + new int2(11, 12), Game.players[1]));
 
 			renderer.BuildPalette(Game.map);
 			sidebar = new Sidebar(renderer, Game.LocalPlayer);
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Traits/RenderUnitRotor.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Traits/RenderUnitRotor.cs
index 555f7bd673..090b84ee60 100755
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Traits/RenderUnitRotor.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Traits/RenderUnitRotor.cs
@@ -27,14 +27,27 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game.Traits
 		{
 			var mobile = self.traits.Get<Mobile>();
 
-			yield return Util.Centered(self, anim.Image, self.CenterLocation);
-			yield return Util.Centered(self, rotorAnim.Image, self.CenterLocation 
+			yield return Util.CenteredShadow(self, anim.Image, self.CenterLocation);
+			yield return Util.CenteredShadow(self, rotorAnim.Image, self.CenterLocation
 				+ Util.GetTurretPosition(self, self.unitInfo.PrimaryOffset, 0));
 			if (self.unitInfo.SecondaryOffset != null)
-				yield return Util.Centered(self, (secondRotorAnim ?? rotorAnim).Image, self.CenterLocation
+				yield return Util.CenteredShadow(self, (secondRotorAnim ?? rotorAnim).Image, self.CenterLocation
+					+ Util.GetTurretPosition(self, self.unitInfo.SecondaryOffset, 0));
+
+			var p = self.CenterLocation - new float2( 0, altitude );
+
+			yield return Util.Centered(self, anim.Image, p);
+			yield return Util.Centered(self, rotorAnim.Image, p 
+				+ Util.GetTurretPosition(self, self.unitInfo.PrimaryOffset, 0));
+			if (self.unitInfo.SecondaryOffset != null)
+				yield return Util.Centered(self, (secondRotorAnim ?? rotorAnim).Image, p
 					+ Util.GetTurretPosition(self, self.unitInfo.SecondaryOffset, 0));
 		}
 
+		int altitude = 0;
+		const int climbRate = 1;
+		const int cruiseAltitude = 20;
+
 		public override void Tick(Actor self)
 		{
 			base.Tick(self);
@@ -44,12 +57,18 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game.Traits
 
 			var mobile = self.traits.Get<Mobile>();
 			var isFlying = mobile.HasActivity;
-			if (isFlying ^ (rotorAnim.CurrentSequence.Name != "rotor")) 
+
+			if (isFlying && altitude < cruiseAltitude)
+				altitude = Math.Min(altitude + climbRate, cruiseAltitude);
+			else if (!isFlying && altitude > 0)
+				altitude = Math.Max(altitude - climbRate, 0);
+
+			if ((altitude >0) ^ (rotorAnim.CurrentSequence.Name != "rotor")) 
 				return;
 
-			rotorAnim.PlayRepeatingPreservingPosition(isFlying ? "rotor" : "slow-rotor");
+			rotorAnim.PlayRepeatingPreservingPosition((altitude>0) ? "rotor" : "slow-rotor");
 			if (secondRotorAnim != null)
-				secondRotorAnim.PlayRepeatingPreservingPosition(isFlying ? "rotor2" : "slow-rotor2");
+				secondRotorAnim.PlayRepeatingPreservingPosition((altitude>0) ? "rotor2" : "slow-rotor2");
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Traits/Util.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Traits/Util.cs
index 17e8d7642b..c7b3507869 100755
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Traits/Util.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Traits/Util.cs
@@ -104,5 +104,10 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game.Traits
 			return Tuple.New(s, loc.Round(), self.Owner.Palette);
 		}
 
+		public static Tuple<Sprite, float2, int> CenteredShadow(Actor self, Sprite s, float2 location)
+		{
+			var loc = location - 0.5f * s.size;
+			return Tuple.New(s, loc.Round(), 8);
+		}
 	}
 }