anyone use paratroopers?

[gwgardner]

If so, how do you use them?

Aren't they too weak to actually add much to an attack, and to defend?

[cpdeyoung]

On the same sort of topic, have any of you used helicopter gunships, nuclear bombs, guided munitions, and space based defense systems?
 
Chuck

[gwgardner]

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung

On the same sort of topic, have any of you used helicopter gunships, nuclear bombs, guided munitions, and space based defense systems?

Chuck

You're wit is quite impressive.

[Mike Parker]

I have as yet to play via email.  I have used them against the AI to seize Malta, Copenhagen, and Constantinople (Istanbul) each time with prodigious use of air power.
 
I also once saved the Italians in the Med via some Spanish paratroopers that I dropped into Morocco then Strat moved to Libya.  There was no Vichy France as the vichy event messed up and fired after france had already surrendered (its done that on a couple of games with me.  I think because I tend to ignore the Netherlands until after I have put it to France.
 
In a game vrs. a live player, I think they are WAY too expensive.  I would humbly suggest the following.
 
They be reduced in cost to somewhere between a Motorized Corp and an Armoured Corp.
 
That events be instituted to provide Airborne Units.  I would suggest
 
Germany Feb 1940
One Lvl 2 Airborne Division designated '7th Flieger Division' or '1st Fallschimjager Division' as it was redesignated in 1943.
 
Italy October 1941
One Lvl 2 Airborne Division designated 'Folgore' Parachutisti Division'
 
UK  October 1941
One Lvl 3 Airborne Division designated '1st Airbourne Division'
 
US February 1942
One Level 3 Airborne division designated '82nd Airborn Division'
 
US August 1942
One Level 3 Airborne division designated '101st Airborn Division'
 
USSR  January 1942
One Level 3 Airborne Division designated '4th Guards Airborne'
 
This under-represents the Soviets airborne arm they had over ten full airborne corps; however, they were used as leg infantry except for a few drops at the onset of Barbarossa.  It is also debatable if they had the ability to operate these units in divisional size.  The name comes from the most likely candidate the unit involved in the 1943 Kiev drop, the date from when its likely the USSR could have made division sized airborne drops, also coinciding with the release of Siberian corps.
 
The other nations are pretty well established.  Although I would like to have included the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (Poland) it would not have been proper to provide UK with two divisions.
 
lowering the cost along with giving these nations 'free' Parachutists via events would be a good addition I think.
 
Also you could have the event have two options
 
yes we will create the unit (effect the unit is added to be deployed)
no we do not need such things, if man had been meant to fly he would have been given a parachute (no unit, +100PP)
 
or something like that.
 

[Michael the Pole]

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung

On the same sort of topic, have any of you used helicopter gunships, nuclear bombs, guided munitions, and space based defense systems?

Chuck

You're wit is quite impressive.

Gary, you're much too easily impressed.
I have also used paradrops, much as Mike Parker does. Amsterdam and Malta are favorite targets.
Chuck does raise an interesting question in his roaring river of sarcasm -- has anyone ever built and used a nuclear weapon?

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: Michael the Pole

ORIGINAL: gwgardner

ORIGINAL: cpdeyoung

On the same sort of topic, have any of you used helicopter gunships, nuclear bombs, guided munitions, and space based defense systems?

Chuck

You're wit is quite impressive.

Gary, you're much too easily impressed.
I have also used paradrops, much as Mike Parker does. Amsterdam and Malta are favorite targets.
Chuck does raise an interesting question in his roaring river of sarcasm -- has anyone ever built and used a nuclear weapon?

Yes but you'll only get one shot so make it count!

[gwgardner]

Well, I can see using the paratroops to drop in on an undefended location like Malta (after its garrison has been wiped out).

Has anyone used paratroopers in order to achieve a breakthrough?

In my PBEM, several encirclements were foiled because I had weak infantry at some point in the encirclement.  Chuck was able to attack at that weak point and escape.  I can't see that paratroopers, which are only like level2 or 3 infantry divisions, would be powerful enough to withstand such an attack.  300 PPs down the drain, real quick. 

I'm not complaining or asking for a change - obviously the Germans had some pretty bad experiences using paratroops, eg Crete.

Mike has however offered some interesting ideas.

[Mike Parker]

I would say Paratroopers could be used to plug an escape hole.  With all the other caveats of paratroop use, you could drop them to take that last hex, it would be risky, but if you could complete the encirclement of 2-3 armoured corps that would otherwise escape?!  There are also times when I am fighting in the USSR, as either side when I am taking a city it would be really nice to cut it off from main supply.  Perhaps I just remember it because its aggrating, but it seems quite often I am one stinkin' hex short of cutting the city off from main supply.  That is a whole extra turn at least it takes to conquor the city.  It could be worth it to have an Airborne division in the bullpen.

[balto]

Too expensive for Axis.  USA can afford them.  Just like a lot of things in this game (Air and Armor armies, paratroops, Invasion points), way too expensive for Axis.