Help me, I don't use Marines or Paratroopers very much.

[Legal_My_Deagle]

I read a post where somebody said that marines and paratroopers are awesome, and realized I never use them.

I never use them, so I think I am missing something and/or I am a noob.

Marines....have a somewhat low strength compared to what else is available at the time that they usually become available to me, Amphibious seems extremely situational, and have bonuses against Machine Guns and Artillery. Artillery I have never had a problem killing, Machine Guns now that I think about it I rarely see the AI building.

Paratroopers: aside from the air drop, they have no special abilities and the same strength (24) as Marines. So a Range 5 Drop....I haven't ever really thought of a use for that.

I am not trying to say that my opinion is the fact of the matter, because I believe I am probably mistaken about something and/or haven't considered a possible use for these units. So what am I missing?

 

[DrewTate]

Marines are badass if you get the required tech at the right time. And if you don't have oil they will be your best unit. They're the best non tank ground unit

 

[ChickenSalad]

Besides both units come handy in island based maps. Done a whole campaign of island hopping, eventually conquered the entire enemy empire, where I used just planes (softening up), marines (seaside attacks), a handful of tanks (where there was enough land to make it worthwhile) and paras (attacking too but mainly for rapid garrisoning so the other troops could re-embark and move on).

Paras are generally useful for garrisoning newly conquered cities if you're conquering rapidly since they don't get hindered by neutral/hostile roads or non-road terrain.

 

[AfterShafter]

Hrm.. Can paratroopers drop off of ships? I've never used them either, but I love the transport/fighter/battleship stack combo.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

both are highly situational

 

[ChicagoCubs]

Marines are very nice right when they come available. Load up a few transports and do some amphibious landings. If you set up a couple carrier groups with some marines, you can pummel the city, strafe the defenders, mop up with the marines.

I LOVE paratroopers.

First, during war, the "fog" reappears; therefore, barbarians start popping again in civilized areas. Being able to drop the paratroopers far enough out to head off the barbs before they can pillage saves time.

Second, they are great attackers of the fringe cities. I am talking about those tundra cities that you really don't want to waste your time sending the main attack force after. Drop paratroopers right near the city and attack. Keep the city and then move the paratroopers into it to use the drop again the next turn back in useful territory.

Third, you can drop them ahead of your forces to act as guards. Promote one or two with hills and woods defense, and drop them beside a city in the appropriate tile. Fortify them for a few turns while the rest of your army marches across enemy territory. It gives them a good spot to attack from with a decent defender.

Lastly, they are a decent city garrison. You can have them with your attack force. Leave them in newly captured cities as garrison until your main garrison troops can replace them. Use the drop function to leapfrog them to the next captured city. The AI does a great job of spacing the cities well enough that you can just drop across the territory.

 

[Roxlimn]

I almost always try to use both Marines and Paratroopers to best advantage. Yes, their signature traits are situational. The key to using them effectively, as with any troop, is to make sure that the situation is in your favor.

Number 1 use for Paratroopers and Marines is stack defense. When you're at Industrialism and/or Flight, your main attack forces should consist of Tanks, but Tanks don't get terrain or Fortify defense bonuses. You can solve this problem by Paratrooping or walking Marines with your Tanks until they're ready to take the cities. Ideally, your Airforce will have dealt with the defenders prior to the arrival of the Tanks. There's nothing more annoying than having your Tank stack dismantled by a group of Anti-tanks before they could do anything.


Number 2 use for Marines is coastal city attack. Loaded onto Transports, Marines are essentially 24 Strength troops with a movement of 8. Use Battleships or Bombers to soften up the city, then take it from the sea with Marines. Remember to follow up with garrison forces. It'd be a shame to waste your Marines on garrison work. Don't forget to always unload them when in a city.

With a stack of 24 Marines, 6 Transports and 7 Battleships, you can go on a coastal Razing spree the likes of which will do any Viking proud.


Number 3 use for Marines is for good old frontal assault. 24 strength isn't bad at all when you're attacking weakened defenders.


Number 2 use for Paratroopers is to Pillage strategic resources and cut off reinforcements. Just drop them on the Oil and pillage away. Remember that you can paradrop them from off Forts. That'll extend their 5 square range.


Number 3 use for Paratroopers is to take empty cities. You'll need lots of Bombers, and lots of Gunships, preferably Blitz Gunships. Use the Bombers to weaken the city, then Gunships to take out all the defenders. Walk in your Paratroopers when you're done.

 

[Supr49er]

Hrm.. Can paratroopers drop off of ships? I've never used them either, but I love the transport/fighter/battleship stack combo.

No. Not from forts either.

You have to build at least one paratrooper to see its awesome graphic when it jumps.

 

[Quagga]

No. Not from forts either.

I jumped some paratroopers from a fort last night. It works. The fort must be in your territory for it to work. Also they can't have used any movement on the same turn.

I use both paratroopers and marines.

I find that paratroopers are especially good for providing an instant garrison in the city you just captured.

Paratroopers are also good on attack when combined with bombers weakening the defenses first. However, you have to eliminate the enemy air cover before this approach can be used effectively.

Marines are good because they get defense bonuses, as mentioned by others above. They also get a bonus against siege units, which often attack your stacks as they are heading toward their next target. (And they're good against that odd machine gun defender.) I often send a stack of marines and artillery first. The marines defend the artillery while they negate city defenses. Then my tanks roll up quickly for the kill.

Not mentioned is that SAM artillery units have become more useful in BTS, as the AI now uses its air forces effectively. I find myself putting at least two SAM infantry in each attack stack to deal with the enemy air attacks. This doesn't eliminate the problem, but gives me some satisfaction when the buggers get shot down. Along these lines, it's good to bring along some drill-promoted units (marines and paratroopers) to weather the AI bombing (and siege) attacks more gracefully.

And on the subject of AI aircraft, putting a carrier somewhere that it can use its aircover to shield your troops is fantastic. Too bad it can't always be accomplished. But get those fighters up to the front as fast as you can. Once they get a couple promotions, they can get the extended range promos, which help even more to shield your attacking forces.

 

[Supr49er]

I jumped some paratroopers from a fort last night. It works. The fort must be in your territory for it to work. Also they can't have used any movement on the same turn.

Ah. Thanks. I was using forts in enemy territory.

 

[Legal_My_Deagle]

Man reading about this makes me really want to enjoy some modern warfare. I am learning how to be a warmonger, and as a builder usually my games don't last in to the modern age....do most military games last late in to the game or something? Or are you guys playing with advanced starts....?

 

[AfterShafter]

No. Not from forts either.

You have to build at least one paratrooper to see its awesome graphic when it jumps.

Oh, I definitely want to build some and see the graphic... Guess I'll do some on my next game. Without them able to make leaps off of transports though, they won't be a huge asset to me in a lot of cases

 

[Supr49er]

Oh, I definitely want to build some and see the graphic... Guess I'll do some on my next game. Without them able to make leaps off of transports though, they won't be a huge asset to me in a lot of cases

Maybe ciV will have troop transport planes to drop your paratroopers deep behind enemy lines.

 

[AfterShafter]

Heh, here's to hoping. For some reason, I think Civ II had paratroopers that could drop from a transport - I recall using them all the time and loving them. They also had those cool helicopters that could fly over water... Oh, those were the days

 

[KMadCandy]

Marines are badass if you get the required tech at the right time. And if you don't have oil they will be your best unit. They're the best non tank ground unit

i really am a fan of marines if the game goes that far and i'm going to war. and imo they have the best sound effect when they're shooting .

paratroopers i've never really used in a war, but i make some every time i get the tech. they're just adorable! they never get the 25% fortification bonus since i'm always jumping them to see the graphics. i think they like it, they sure look like they're having fun, but hubby makes me drop them into the globe theatre city every once in a while, he thinks they might be unhappy and need a rest.

i had an OCC game in warlords with no oil and no uranium. always war, so no hope of any in trade, either. it was a very educational lesson about just how many units depend on oil! my SoD was marines, war elephants, and mech infs on galleons since i couldn't make transports, tanks, gunships, or even cavs (no horses either). it was wicked fun ... i needed time victory with all conditions on, so that's why i was OCC.

that game made me really thankful that mech infantry don't require a resource.

 

[Romo Gramsci]

my SoD was marines, war elephants, and mech infs on galleons

Did I read that right? War Elephants? What good would they do?

I use marines whenever I need to do amphibious landings, but so far, I've only had a chance to use paratroopers once, and they were intercepted and destroyed by the AIs fighter planes. I didn't realize that could happen- I guess I'll have to take out any air defenses before I attempt an aerial insertion, if I ever decide to try to use paras again.

 

[lutzj]

first: in case you haven't noticed, infantry has +25% against other gunpowder units, which gives them a SLIGHT advantage over paras and marines.

second: if you have the stronger navy, just put a carrier/transport/etc. stack next to an enemy city, and you can attack at any time you want without risk of counterattack. its like an extremely mobile land-based stack, but cannot be attacked and does not have to sacrifice siege units to deal collateral damage. are you getting any of this?

 

[KMadCandy]

Did I read that right? War Elephants? What good would they do?

well they were what i had, since i didn't have horses for knights or cavalry, and i didn't have oil for gunships *giggle*. they were good for morale, since they're so cute!

that's another thing i learned in that game. prior to that, industrialism just meant i lost a happy face from ivory. but it also means you can't build jumbos any more!

 

[Quagga]

Can you mount machine guns on those elephants?

 

[TylerD]

How have you never used them against Artillery? A decent counter attack by the AI will probably use more than a few Artillery to soften up your newly captured city. A couple of City Garrison Marines are necessary to soak up that attack.