How to use paratroopers?

[Blue Ghost]

I don’t have much experience in late-game warfare, so when I decided to try out paratroopers in my most recent game, I realized I have no idea how to use them effectively. They can do a bit of damage to infrastructure, but being dropped behind enemy lines makes them very vulnerable. Not being able to attack after paradropping means their offensive use is very limited.

I feel like paratroopers could be a very powerful tool, if I only knew how to use them. In what circumstances are paratroopers useful, and how do you deploy them effectively?

 

[Bascule2000]

I like to use them to destroy railways to isolate a city, so that my forces can't be skirmished to death by units moving backwards and forwards from anywhere in the enemy empire. They're also useful for citadels, and occasionally for knocking out key strategic resources. They are squishy, so it's best to be following up with other units before they are surrounded. Survivalism makes them much tankier.

 

[Stalker0]

I like to use them to destroy railways to isolate a city, so that my forces can't be skirmished to death by units moving backwards and forwards from anywhere in the enemy empire. They're also useful for citadels, and occasionally for knocking out key strategic resources. They are squishy, so it's best to be following up with other units before they are surrounded. Survivalism makes them much tankier.

All good notes. I find they're are too good uses for them.

1) Suicide pillagers. As Bascule mentioned.

2) Grouped invaders. One paratrooper is vulnerable, but 3 in a cluster can help to protect each other. If they can hold an area they can start doing some real damage.

 

[vyyt]

They are also good for surrounding a city (which decreases its defense by 20%). But they need to be used in numbers to be able to hold the line.

 

[Stalker0]

They can also be good blocker units. If your vulnerable units get exposed, a paratrooper can be flown in to hold the gap. They can't kill much but they can take a lot of hits.

 

[Iamblichos]

Clear a couple of tiles near city with air support. Paradrop 3 units in. Nuke city and finish bombing it down (1 or 2 May die). Take city next turn. Rinse and repeat. ‘Nuke and Shoot’

 

[Thuis001]

To my experience the best use of Paratroopers is to use them as reserves and to pillage as much enemy tiles as I can. They become very tanky if you have a few upgrades on them, and combined with maxed out explorer and movement cost upgrades you have some very mobile units that can heal themselves back to full health in most cases. Since they are very squishy you can't really use them as frontline units, and their lack of combat buffs make them even worse at that job so pillaging is a good use of them.

 

[lunker]

I like to use them to hold the line in rough terrain. Since they can drop from far away, I don't have to worry about how to shuffle my units to get melee up front. Admittedly I don't like using them offensively. I consider any paratrooper deep in enemy territory a lost cause, generally. I pretty much only use them if I desperately need vision that turn.

 

[Galbias]

I tend not to use them a lot myself but they can be useful to reinforce a front line in rough terrain where your other units would take several turns to get there, and of course for pillaging sprees. Also agree with pillaging railroads in particular so you get less nasty surprises.

 

[tu_79]

I rarely get to paratroopers. By that time, I'm speeding up my peaceful victory or I've already won the violent one.

 

[YukiN]

Paratroopers benefit hugely from having promotions. My initial pathfinder upgraded to a paratrooper has extra movement to both run and to pillage, the ability to use enemy roads and terrain features for even more movement, extra defence and 60% chance to withdraw, and the ability to heal every round. It's really not the same unit.

I also usually have a few of these highly promoted recon units by that point. I recall me initial scout back after a while and send out new ones to get them promotions from exploration.