Is there a way to make paratroopers able to move after being dropped from chopper?

[johncmcleod]

Paratroopers could be very useful, almost as useful as they really were back in the day, if they could move after being airdropped. The first problem is that paratroopers aren't of much use because you can just load an infantry, marine, or MI onto a helicopter. If the game was modded so only paratroopers could move after they've been dropped people would build them.

The other problem is people like me would love to do commando missions with them. You know, drop them behind enemy lines to destroy roads to an improvement or have them take an interior city (because it probably would be lightly defended) that has a wonder in it. You can't really do this because once you drop them behind enemy lines the opponent gets a turn, and with the way railroads work in the game the paratroopers would get heavily attacked and definitely killed, even if they're on a mountain. If they could move after they were dropped they could be dropped right next to a city and then attack it.

This mod would also make the game much better and more like real life for lightning quick wars attacks. Of course this wouldn't be as useful in the game as it was in real life, but you could use a strategy similar to the Germans during WW2, you could drop the paratroopers behind enemy lines to pillage improvements or fortify themselves in enemy territory, which could wreak havoc.

Is there a way to do this? Keep in mind I don't have PTW. (I'm not sure if PTW came with an improved editor)

[Tassadar500]

Sounds like a good idea. Paratropers are basicly useless in Civ III

[Jaybe]

Indeed, PTW's Editor is much better (I've made a few changes here and there myself)!

But the answer regarding paratroops is
NO.

As far as that goes, drop a paratroop and fortify him: Graphically "interesting". I understand this happens also in stock Civ3.

Paratroops are just not slated for commando raids

[Solomwi]

The best use I've found for Paratroopers, if I have Helicopters available is this:

Use every available Helicopter to drop a Marine (8 attack) attack force next to the city. Airdrop your Paratroopers on top of them (8 defense). You've effectively created an 8/8/1 unit, and if your Marines just don't quite conquer the city, the Paratroopers are a decent second attack wave. For an example, let's say you're using groups of 8 units, as I do.

Airdropping a Marine Division and Paratrooper Division representes an initial investment of 2400 shields (800 each for the Marines, Paratroopers and Helicopters) and 24 gpt upkeep. This puts 256 TDP (Total Defense Points) on top of your attack contingent (8 defense x 4 hit points x 8 units), assuming all Paratroopers are veteran, which they should be by that point of the game, and before figuring in combat modifiers. To get a comparable amount of defense from Infantry, one would need 6 units (6 x 10 defense x 4 hit points = 240 TDP), which also need 6 Helicopters to drop them, meaning a total investment in that column of 2740 shields (6 Inf + 8 Marines + 14 Helos) and 28 gpt upkeep. Now for combat modifiers (remember that we're thinking of initial turn protection, so fortification is impossible):

Open Ground (+10%):
TDP(P) = 288 (8.8 rounded to 9 for each unit)
U(I) = 288/44 = 6.5... 6 or 7 Inf units, with requisite transportation, meaning the above investment numbers hold.

Hills (+50%):
TDP(P) = 384 (12 x 4 x 8)
U(I) = 384/60 = 6.4, which means nothing has changed yet

Mountains across River (+125%)
TDP(P) = 576
U(I) = 576/92 (22.5 rounded to 23) = 6.2, effectively no change.

Got to run, and will flesh this out a bit more later if there's interest, but the basic point being that pound for pound, the Paratrooper can cover a Marine attack column a little bit better than the Infantryman. Of course, the cost of an Airport can be factored in, but still doesn't bring the Paratrooper cost up to Infantry cost, especially with Adam Smith's.