Dropping the Troops

[Yarbles]

Any tips on how to drop the troops to capture an A and P and V base. From basics please I know you need a C47 with Para and thats about it.

[Lusche]

To capture an airfield: Destroy nearby town completely, inlcuding all anti-aircraft guns. Then drop 10 troops on maproom, which looks like a tiny hill / bunker in the middle of the town.

Ports & vehicle fields: As there is no town, it is sufficient to destroy all anti-aircraft guns. The maproom is directly on field. However, it is always a good idea to destroy the vehicle hangar there too.

Minimum C-47 drop altitude: 800ft over base ground level. You may also just land and drop your troops.

[trotter]

it should be noted that drop "on" the maproom does not mean a precise strike is required. If the troops land anywhere in town they will run into the maproom themselves.

[Yarbles]

So do you drop below 800 feet and at what speed?

Is there a method of getting the troops close together as in the past I think mine have been too spread out.

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Yarbles
So do you drop below 800 feet and at what speed?

Is there a method of getting the troops close together as in the past I think mine have been too spread out.

It's the minimum altitude - If you drop under 800ft your troops will die.
You speed is nothing to worry about.

The best method to getting your troops closer together (apart from simply landing your plane) is to fly in level, then point your nose straight upward and do a steep climb while dropping your troops.

[Tigger29]

Ok.. three ways to do it..

1> Land completely near town, taxi up near map room, release troops (Note, if you are on the ground you must be COMPLETELY STOPPED before releasing the troops.  This also applies to the LVT2 and the M3)

2> Maintain 800 feet (above ground level) and fly over the town.. open bay doors and right at the middle of town pull STRAIGHT UP while releasing troops.  If done properly you'll see your ten troops holding a formation that looks just like the Gateway Arch while they drop.  This way they all land close together, and close to the map room.

3>  Fly at about 15,000 feet and while your teammates are attacking the town, release your troops.  If will take them a very long time to parachute down from that altitude, but in the mean time the town will be destroyed.  This is not very effective while enemy planes are in the area, as it gives them a long time to shoot the troops down.

If you are much higher than 10-15,000 feet it takes such a rediculously long time for the troops to land, it's just a waste of time.

Oh wait.. I forgot method #4>  Fly at 800 feet and in that small amount of time between all enemies being killed and the fighter hanging coming back online, pull up over the town and release the field supplies you accidentally brought along!  That's always fun!  Gets a lot of comments from teammates, that's for sure!

[BaldEagl]

If not landing to drop them I usually fly in at 1000 ft (just to be safe), drop throttle and pull into a turn right over the maproom dropping my troops.

The advantage to this is that they land around the maproom in a semi-circle and all run to the maproom from different directions making it much harder for a vehicle and especially for a plane to kill them all before they make it in.  It's very easy to kill them all on a straffing run if they're all running in a line.

[Blagard]

I use the tight turn method. I never drop straight and level as this spreads them the furthest apart. I have done the pull up drop and used to do this from a lower level but you have to watch the altimeter and make sure the first one out is not too soon. I usually did this from the maximum flat cruise speed. by the time I got to drop alt you are slowing down and they come out as a fairly tight group.

One thing to watch out for these days, is the altitude of field and town is frequently different, often with an elevated town. So you need to get a feel on what is the right altitude if dropping really low. Using 1000 above the stated airfield height may be safe if you are unsure.

Drop them all at once use the .salvo 10 command so that when you hit the B they all go on the one press. Delay should be set at the minimum .05

As for absolute minimum height, this seems to be 700. Off line I tested 650 and they all died, then at 700 and they all lived. 800 is a very sensible minimum in game for a level drop.

[LTARokit]

Originally posted by Yarbles
From basics please I know you need a C47 with Para and thats about it.

Troops can be delivered by three methods: C-47, M-3, LVT-2.

Always, Always......check your load out before starting your mission.  Make sure your loaded with troops and not supplies.  As mentioned before, you bring supplies.....get ready for some smak talk..........and when you do it (bring supplies) not to worry or feel bad, cause there's  no one in here that Hasn't done it

C-47 (air):  Should come in at 200 or less feet to avoid being picked up on radar.  I open my door well before reaching target, that way I don't foreget, also if your trying to avoid being shot down it's already a done deal.  Dropping from air; Alt: no less than 800 feet, recommend 1000 until your good at alt. guessing.  Troops can be dropped in straight line; once over city go WEP pull straight up..when you start to stall (just before) start drop and roll over....troops in tight formation.

C-47 (landing):  Again avoid radar to target.  Land outside city.  Taxi up to city, door open, troops out.  You do not have to be in the city to make troops run.  You can drop troops up to 1K away from map room.  Of course, the further away from map room the more chance 1 or more troops will be spotted and killed.  If you run C-47 into town next to map room, be careful you don't clip your AC on building, or any object.  If you damage your plane to the point you loose a wheel.......troops dead.

Land Vehicles (M-3 & LVT-2):  Pretty straight forward.  Check load out, get within 1K of city and you can drop.  Obviously the closer to the map room you are the better.  Once your ready to drop, Make sure your completely stopped (as mentioned before), open door, and let go troop.

Finally:  you get there, troops out, and one or two get killed.  One option is running a Jeep in.  It's fast and will carry 2 troops.  However, for the speed of the vehicle you trade off Stability.  The Jeep is a very unstabile ride.  Just like the RL military Jeep, it doesn't like cornering (without rolling), and doesn't like doing the "Dukes of Hazard" jumps over hills

Hope this was helpful.

[Flame 2 the boy]

i find that using a vertical stall works well when dropping troops.

[Yarbles]

Thanks all good advice and glad someone remembered the set .salvo 10 part which I guess lots of old hands take for granted.

[gusman]

Originally posted by Yarbles
Thanks all good advice and glad someone remembered the set .salvo 10 part which I guess lots of old hands take for granted.

How do they all fit through the door?

gusman44

[Eurisko]

.salvo does NOT work with Troops.

[Flint]

Originally posted by Eurisko
.salvo does NOT work with Troops.

Since when?

[Lusche]

Originally posted by Eurisko
.salvo does NOT work with Troops.

It does.