Paratroopers darken the Skies

_Pontus_ wrote:

whats lacking is: range. no range = no use. i don't remember if I mentioned that before.... did i?

_Pontus_ wrote:

A different scenario:

By end of day 2, mass produced artillery are rolling out of the factories, reaching the enemy borders in numbers by day 3-4, destroying everything in their path on day 4-5-6.

By day 9 the now level 2 artillery divisions will blast the - if any remaining - meagre, under-developped troops, trying to hold the last line, to smithereens, while increasing numbers of LTs and ACs will exploit the breaches and rake havoc in the hinterland (if any still remaining) and ... per chance .... take that capital well before that para is ready?

For one, I disagree with that strategy. I never attack until the Industrial complex's are level 2. Too much resources wasted otherwise.

_Pontus_ wrote:

so... what you are saying: by end of day 9 I will have 1 para ready .... after stalling so many other crucial developments and reducing resource output potential of your capital?

Worth it?

_Pontus_ wrote:

whats lacking is: range. no range = no use. i don't remember if I mentioned that before.... did i?

Q: Since paras don't attack until they land, can patrolling interceptors shoot them down or must they be ordered to attack?

Patrolling interceptors have 25% damage and 100% defense every 15 minutes.

So yes, they will attack on patrol.

Considering the paratroopers plane only has 5HP, even a level 1 fighter will shoot them down.

In my overall dead game w/o active enemies, I am still stuck with several para's for which I still can't find good use.

Out of laziness I jumped to Sardinia and Corsica; hardly strategic targets. Some other two I used before to save me 2 hrs (Two? Yes 2.).

As is, paras are not very useful.

Someone said something about that I would be 'feeling the pain of paras' bc they have more than 5km range.

I don't see how 5 or 500km make a difference, if the jump distance of maxed out (not elite) paras hardly ever exceeds 2 provinces.

If paras had the range of Tacs, I might start to consider them. As is, they are too expensive in real and opportunity costs compared to their very limited usefulness.

I think the proof of what I am saying is in the fact that paras are definitely not darkening the skies. I see nobody producing them (outside FP games).

In case I forgot to mention it: the most important limitation of the paras, IMO, is their limited range ...

_Pontus_ wrote:

In my overall dead game w/o active enemies, I am still stuck with several para's for which I still can't find good use.

As far as I can tell from their stats and range they seem like a worse investment than commandos, stat wise.

Game mechanic wise they are of course unique. I am in an antarctica map and from what I can tell, they should be able to jump the mountains and capture one of the provinces surounding a center.

So if someone is completely unprepared I can take advantage of that. However, combined with all the building requirements I need to keep them in stock to take advantage of this. Otherwise the moment might pass.

So I haven't used them yet, but I can definately see some weak spots in using them.

- building requirements, they cost a lot. The investment made to research and build then will cost you. You will have a lot less other units.

- predictable use, why else have a lvl3 airfield in my capitol.

- to many level ups. They cost a lot of time and resources to get up to a decent level.

- probably only works against very unprepared enemies.

So at the moment I do not see how they compete with any other unit. Especially since the other unit exclusively built at the capitol is so much better.

The unique mechanics of para's does not seem worth the investment at the moment.

Edepedable wrote:

- predictable use, why else have a lvl3 airfield in my capitol.

wrote:

predictable use, why else have a lvl3 airfield in my capitol.

Building a lvl 2 barrack could also throw them off your scent.

General Nightman wrote:

wrote:

predictable use, why else have a lvl3 airfield in my capitol.

Just build lvl 3 airports everywhere, disguise your activities!Building a lvl 2 barrack could also throw them off your scent.

Strats do have some use, maybe you could find a use for them in that game.

Or rocket fighters

But them still knowing is a good point, though it wouldnt be quite so obvious.

Unfortunately strats are of limited use as rockets are so bloody OP. Its like having a multitool that is awesome at everything not average at everything but truly awesome. You are not going to spend time and money for something that is only good at one thing. Poor strats I would sure love to use them and have really tried in the past.

Anyway I think we are off topic

Thanks for the feedback on Paratroopers. We will consider changing their balancing in the future.

Hopefully the next update will add motorized infantry, light tank, artillery, anti-tank and anti-aircraft. To the parachutes.

I saw the first usage of paratroopers making the difference between active players in endgame.

Our endgame on a 100 player map has basically a Mexican player going for the solo win (but he left South America alone) trying to invade Europe dominated by me (Mauritania) and Syria.

He conquered England, then landed in France and pushed until Switzerland, but finally we expulsed him back from France (except Paris due to level 5 fortification and arty there) but he totally control through Naval units the channel.

We used planes to clean up his airport on the other side of the channel and Syria directly paradropped there. We are now on the process of removing him fully from the British Isles.

I didn't know that Paratroopers were such a new unit in the game and how they were added just half a year ago

Did something change with the Paratrooper range?

Yesterday I was able to fly my paratroopers into Africa via my own air fields.

Today I can't because I suddenly miss a tiny bit of range???

Did something change with the Update?

You are right, somehow the old values were reintroduced for Paratroopers. It should be fixed now, back to the new values.

freezy wrote:

You are right, somehow the old values were reintroduced for Paratroopers. It should be fixed now, back to the new values.

I now find paras very useful (at max level) to cross over neutral terrains; especially in combination with spies expanding my territory into neutral lands I don't want to have war with, just giving that extra bit of reach.

I couldn't reach Belgian Congo, except by sea... from Turkey: 2,5 days of perilous seafaring in unknown territories.

With 2 rebelling UK-African provinces (I incited the revolts with spy action), the maxed para range and well placed airfields, I was however able to jump over AI country into Belgian Congo.

If not, my war with Belgium would have continued until who knows when, ruining my reputation and economic progress, despite having set Belgium to peace 2 weeks ago.

Then suddenly I noticed my reinforcing paras couldn't get there anymore. Glad that is solved!