––I would say you’re ill-informed as to the “era” of paratroop drops. Have you ever heard of Normandy, Market-Garden, Crete, Etc. Literally tens of thousands of troopers were dropped and had an important, and sometimes the MAIN influence on the battles.
Paratroopers were not THAT widely used in WWII to warrant a new plastic piece, for all the countries that does something that could be done with ink on paper.
––The “new” plastic piece has ALREADY been made, The U.S. Paratrooper from HBG. � They only cost .30 each, or even less if you buy the whole U.S. Supplement Set.
----And as far as your suggestion that this part of our “combats” could be done on paper, YES, they could. But for that matter, the WHOLE GAME could be accomplished in this manner. That would completely rid you of your board conjestion problems. But I prefer my games to be much more interesting and visual than a MATHEMATICS PROBLEM!
Aside from being “aesthetically pleasing” an air transport piece literally offers no other benefit to the game
––In my gameplay it adds the possibility that the Air Transport itself may be killed, and thereby aborting the paradrop or air transport. Also, it’s mere presence speaks volumes to your opponent and his counter-strategy to them.
- Realistically you could use bombers to fill the role. Everyone already has them, understands how they move, etc, and no one needs to buy new planes from FMG
––The Air Transports would move in the same way that everyone already undestands for aircraft, with minor and easily understood diferences.
----The HBG C-46s are only .45 each., or less if you buy the whole U.S. Supplement Set. A player only needs a few.
----Also, the use of Air Transports instead of Bombers to deliver the Paratroopers symbolizes the huge investment in money and logistics it took to raise, train, and deliver Airborne operations. Airborne operations were special, exspensive, and important. Your suggestion of having every airbase on the board automatically having an Air Transport (AT NO EXSPENSE) ready and waiting to go not only is completely ahistorical, but would lead to a “Wild West” type of continous attacks with Airborne forces that IMHO would completely unbalance the game.
- Alternatively, you can just force players to pay per turn in one of many ways when they paradrop. Either through airbase damage (which could go up to ‘3’ damage per trooper) or with just IPCs out of their pocket for each paratrooper.
––I believe this would lead to an overabundance of inexspensive airborne attacks like described above(“Wild West”) and doesn’t address the possibility for the defender to kill the Air transport.
What would this wondrous air transport do?
Carry 2 men by air into combat and during non-combat?
Would it have a cost? A stat line? is it taken as last casualties like sea transports.
Adding a unit is a BIG deal. And there simply doesn’t seem to be any room for a unit that isn’t fun. That you can’t pick up and go “pew pew, your dead”
––All of the A/D/M/C factors have been well discussed,…or you could use your own house rules if you prefer.
----The symbolism of the of an actual unit on the board was discussed above.
----The ability to go “Pew Pew(Bang-Bang?), you’re dead” is an operational consideration, potentially concerning the life/death of the cargo(Paratroopers).
From a standpoint of realism. WWII just wasn’t the war of mass transit by air.
––Excuse me, but we’re NOT talking about mass transit via air here. We ARE talking about Paratroop Drops and Air Transport. Do you realize how many THOUSANDS of C-47s were produced?
To be realistic, the piece would have to look like this.
Move - 6, Attack - 0, Defense - 0, Cost - 9
Special Rules:
Transport - Air transports can carry two infantry, which act as paratroopers during combat, or may exit in friendly territory during non-combat.
Logistics Nightmare - Loaded Air transports may only take off if they are at a friendly operational air base
Vulnerable � - Air transports hit by AA fire are lost, along with their passengers
––I agree with some of your Rules, but that’s merely a case of “specifics”,…not if Air Transports have a cost factor and are represented on the board
There are some problems already brewing here.
The US could circumnavigate the whole “naval issue” in the pacific, and just build a monstrous air wing and gobble up islands one at a time.
Because unlike naval transportation, which plods along, and can be interdicted by an enemy fleet via traditional combat, there is no way to stop a huge armada of planes in the game.
––The simple answer here is what’s already been thoroughly discussed, and what represents what actually happenned in WW2.
----Paratroop Drops MUST NOT be stand-alone operations. They MUST be conducted in co-operation with another standard land (or amphibious) attack on the same objective simultaneously. Most (if not all) WW2 airborne operations, held this as a vital part of their plans. Even the German Airborne assault on Crete included a sea-borne amphibious assault, even though only a small part of the total forces.
You can’t destroyer block them, you can’t anticipate where they are going nearly as well as you can a naval transport.
––See above.
----As the range of your enemy’s Air Transports would be a known factor, you would know EXACTLY what targets of yours were at risk of an enemy Airborne assault.
I see nothing but headaches.
–-??? Such as? Let’s disuss them so we and everyone else might solve them.
----Again, I think that with an open-mind and everyones input the most logical and fun solution is available and any player is always free to make their own “house rules” if they so prefer.
Oztea, I thank for your input on this interesting topic of Paratroopers and Air Transport and look forward to your continued discussion.