How to airdrop?

[Dalwin]

This is the one basic game mechanic that I have not been able to master. I am missing some simple step I am sure, but I have not been able to drop my paratroops anywhere.

I start with the airborne unit in the same province with an unused heavy bomber. How do I conduct an airdrop? Is there a range limit on the airdrop that is shorter than the bomber's range?

It seems that there must be some loading step to put the guys on the planes and that I have just not found the right icon to do it.

[dobeln]

Step one: Select the bomber

Step two: While bomber is selected, right-click the Paratrooper icon.

Step three: Move bomber to target territory.

[Dalwin]

Thanks. I knew it would be something simple like that.

I don't think that one is in the manual. At least, I wasn't able to find it.

[aletoledo]

I think you have to move the paratrooper and not the plane.

I usually seem to have problems with having enough supplies or being out of range with this myself!

[CommC]

I think the tutorial covers this, and if i recall correctly the tutorial had you:
1. Select the plane
2. Move it (the plane) to destination
3. Right click the paratrooper to link them
4. Move paratrooper to the same destination as the bomber

I might have steps 2 and 3 reversed in order.

[dobeln]

I just checked, and moving the bomber after right-clicking the paratrooper works just fine.

[Dalwin]

ORIGINAL: CommC

I think the tutorial covers this, and if i recall correctly the tutorial had you:
1. Select the plane
2. Move it (the plane) to destination
3. Right click the paratrooper to link them
4. Move paratrooper to the same destination as the bomber

I might have steps 2 and 3 reversed in order.

Ah, it was in the tutorial. That explains it. I always skip the tutorials in any game I play.

[Willy Liao]

Don't be like me, who forgot the little proviso that you have to cut your range in half (rounded down) when airdropping into hostile territory. So even if you up german heavy bomber from range 3 to range 4, you can still only move TWO regions for airborne ops.

[Dalwin]

Thanks for pointing out the range thing. That is pretty important.

I guess I need to add range four for heavy bombers to my must research list. This also means that the force that would drop on Gibralter if the WA foolishly leaves it undefended (as they often do) must base in southern France and not western France. I guess it also means that if I want to drop guys behind eastern Poland on the initial invasion of Russia to encircle the troops there, I should base in Prussia instead of western Poland. (yes you could reach from western Poland but would face op-fire from the planes in eastern Poland.)

[Rik81]

ORIGINAL: Dalwin

ORIGINAL: CommC

I think the tutorial covers this, and if i recall correctly the tutorial had you:
1. Select the plane
2. Move it (the plane) to destination
3. Right click the paratrooper to link them
4. Move paratrooper to the same destination as the bomber

I might have steps 2 and 3 reversed in order.

Ah, it was in the tutorial. That explains it. I always skip the tutorials in any game I play.

There is a moral there: Don't skip the tutorials[:D] Of course, I'm the type that figure I haven't got my moneys worth unless I play all the tutorials and read all of the manuals (not necessarily in that order!)

[Dalwin]

It is my philosphy, of course, that the tutorials are just there to help you learn if you need the help. No explanation of basic game mechanics should ever exist only in the tutorial and not be duplcated somewhere in the manual.

(And yes, in case you are curious, I also played my first game without reading the manual first. I did look up a few specific things as the game went on.)

[Rik81]

ORIGINAL: Dalwin

It is my philosphy, of course, that the tutorials are just there to help you learn if you need the help. No explanation of basic game mechanics should ever exist only in the tutorial and not be duplcated somewhere in the manual.

(And yes, in case you are curious, I also played my first game without reading the manual first. I did look up a few specific things as the game went on.)

You are definitely right about that: "No explanation of basic game ...", hence my [:D] after my remark.

[ydejin]

It's in the manual guys. Page 46. Section 7.1.11 Air Tranport of Units (including Parachute Movement).

[Dalwin]

Cool. I'm glad it's in there. I don't mind admitting that I missed it.

After not seeing it in a quick scan of the movement section I searched the document for all instances of the word "airborne" since that is the term that the game uses to refer to paratroop units. I guess the section you referred to did not use the word airborne.