Airdrop failed?

[pax]

Apologies if this has been answered before....

Got my fleet of bombers, they're ready to wallop France. I'm excited about this whole new combined arms thing. With lethal land bombardment, I figure to drop in some modern paratroopers or maybe some TOW Infantry via helicopters.

Bomb a city to the point where there are no defenders. I'll even do a spy mission to check. Nope, nothing. Move my paratroopers to my airfield. Airdrop... failed. What? Try again. Airdrop...failed. Ok, what about TOWs in Helicopters? Airdrop failed airdrop failed airdrop failed.

Well, this sucks.

Does airdrop success depend on the size of a city? Does it matter that the city was working on building infantry (but wouldn't finish for 9 turns)? Anyone else have this problem?

I can probably post a savegame if needed.

Oh, and so I don't keep anyone in suspense.... I just used a spare army of modern armor (love those 4 move points) to roll in and raze the city.

Any help appreciatated.

--Pax

 

[cgannon64]

You can't airdrop into a city, IIRC. So the best strategy for that situation is probably:

1. Destroy all rail connections to city to eliminate reinforcements (if you don't, they'll just kill your paratrooper with troops moved in by rails).
2. Bomb all defenders in city.
3. Drop Paratrooper next to city.
4. Bomb all defenders rushed/built in city.
5. Attack and take empty city.

 

[Gogf]

This has happened to me before C3C, when trying to drop onto units. There really should be combat or something.

 

[nalves]

Originally posted by Gogf
This has happened to me before C3C, when trying to drop onto units. There really should be combat or something.

The AI is doing war crimes .... shooting paratroopers in the air ...

 

[Hunter]

You must land on a empty square or your troops will be lost. I suggest that you use a fighter to "recon" the landing area before you drop in your troops.

 

[kokoras]

Actually it has no sence that paratroopers can't get in a city with the air drop order.What is the porpose of this unit if not air droping.I remember CIV2 when the paras had this ability,it was perfect not to mention 100% realistic.And i wan't to add that not only they sould be able to capture an empty city but to fight also against enemy units when they perform air drop.

 

[cgannon64]

I agree that they should be able to drop into cities, but not onto other units. That would be slaughter in real life.

 

[robcheng]

Originally posted by cgannon64
I agree that they should be able to drop into cities, but not onto other units. That would be slaughter in real life.

IRL, I think paratroopers tend not to drop directly into heavily populated areas -- dropping into town square is likely to get you beaten to death by an angry mob before you can cut your chute. Usually, these units drop into a secluded area just outside of the target. Also, I don't believe they are primarily used to attack cities, but rather to cut enemy supply lines, outflank enemies, hold a strategic position until reinforcements arrive, etc.

 

[cgannon64]

Perhaps dropping onto a city gives you a percentage chance to fail and the paratrooper dies, while landing outside the city gives you 100% chance of success?

 

[Louis XXIV]

Did anyone see "The Longest Day"

There is a scene where American Paratroopers miss their drop zone and land directly in the city. They were either shot down before they landed, or killed before they could fight back. One guy managed to land on a roof-top and avoid being seen, but the Paratroopers had little chance to win the battle when they landed directly in the city (I guess this really had to do with landing on enemy troops, though).

 

[kokoras]

Ok,maybe droping onto enemy units is too much.But what about if this unit had an extra movement of one right after the air drop?That way it could be possible either to attack at once/pillage or fortify,at least this could make them a real ''special'' force.By the way the operational range of parras is the same or it has been increased in C3C?

 

[Commander Bello]

Originally posted by nalves


The AI is doing war crimes .... shooting paratroopers in the air ...

Little bit off-topic, as I have to admit...

Paratroopers (even when being in the air still) are regarded as combattants and for that are "allowed" to be shot at. (For Marines, you wouldn't wait until they get to the shore and take out their towels, either).

On the other hand, pilots having emerged from a shot down plane are not allowed to be fought. (Unless, when safely reaching the ground they would use their handguns to fight, of course)

 

[pax]

I distinctly remember a case where I had an undefended city and I thought to myself "No biggie, there aren't any enemy units around." In between turns, what should rop from the sky, but a paratrooper. Sir, the So-and-sos have captured Anywhere and plundered an obscene amount of gold from our vaults....

Not totally sure if I remember this from Civ 3 (likely) or Civ 2. It's been so long since I bothered to use paratroopers. They just seemed like the thing to do with lethal air bombardment.

 

[Masquerouge]

Paratroopers would NEVER drop in a city !
But I totally agree they should get one movement point after they drop. I never build them because of that... Drop them, can't move them, wait one turn for the ennemy to kill them... huh ???
What's the point of these guys ?

And off topic, I like your sig, Pax...

 

[Dimy]

I totally agree with Masquerouge, paratroopers are one of the most useless units in the game (and now with Conquests we got even a new type of useless paratrooper). With one extra move, as suggested by kokoras they would make more sense.

 

[kokoras]

Exactly as you say.Now we have two useless units,and this is a pity,because this unit could be an important one.(As they actualy are in real life).

 

[Masquerouge]

Is there anyone in the forum who has an use for Paratroopers ? I'll be delighted to learn from him... There are two techs I never research, it's the GI and the first paratroopers (don't remember the tech name).
In C3C actually there's a third, Ironclad.

 

[player1 fanatic]

Actually, airdopping is usefull as pillage tactic, but for that TOW Infantry looks like better choice then Paratoopers (better attack and defense).

Still Mod. Paratrooper does have higher op. range.

 

[Daarkseid]

I don't think paratroopers are intended as an offensive unit, nor are they supposed to capture something as substantive as a city.

Instead they're meant to be dropped behind enemy lines, where they can draw the attacks of enemy units. This then allows your actual offensive units to advance against enemy cities with less resistence.

And if the enemy AI ignores the paratroopers you've dropped, then have them attack weaker units, capture workers, destroy roads and other improvements, cut off resources..

A purely strategic support unit, if you choose to use them that way.

 

[Masquerouge]

Yes, but paratroopers have a serious lack in defense, IMHO, so in your strategy they're more cannon fodder than anything else... I understand the theory and am quite sure it works, but it's a costly unit, plus the cost of researching a specific tech, just to divert attacks...