The Dilemma with Paratroopers

I prefer the Thompson Paras to the LMG ones. They're wipe machines.

Rangers fill a similar role, but without the Tactical Assault or the ability to reinforce in the field.

Only if you try to run into tanks to scare them off or even kill them like the old Volkshreck blob, if you can flank they do have really high dps, Paratroopers even do more damage with them!

yeah, right... as if any decent axis player will just dive their tanks to leave it exposed for a possible flank... Also all axis tanks are just turbo charged and have blitz at vet one.
EVEN if you get the flank you will only fire one volley before he just reverse away.

yeah, right... as if any decent axis player will just dive their tanks to leave it exposed for a possible flank... Also all axis tanks are just turbo charged and have blitz at vet one.
EVEN if you get the flank you will only fire one volley before he just reverse away.

Which would knock out a proper AT hit worth of health. While no sane Axis player is going to let you knock on their tanks ass with zooks till it dies no same USF player is going to rely on a single double zoomed Para squad as their AT. Zooks are auxiliary AT that can be everywhere. It's not meant to be your only source, but there to deal extra damage on a mobile platform. Zooks keep the enemy on their toes because it brings their tank that much closer to death or a snare. I know it's not the WFA way but it contributes to a combined arms approach.

dude, you are gonna fire once and retreat since grens/volks and pintle mounts are going to melt you in seconds.

This is a very stupid investment of 400mp + 150 munis + all the reinforcing later

Actually, I think the recon support bazooka paratroopers are fairly decent. When the camo doesn’t bug (almost never) you get a damage and pen boost and even if it does bug your paratroopers will still probably be able to fire behind the tank (if they were camouflaged and the tank drove by or whatever). They also are better bazookas, with more damage and pen than the normal version. On top of that, it’s still a six man squad and therefore a little less likely to get killed by the tank’s main gun (but will still die pretty fast to bullets until vet3). They can also plant real mines, which can, in tandem with the camouflaged bazooka troopers, kill unsuspecting medium tanks pretty much on their own. They also benefit from paradrop reinforcing with beacons.

With all the responses on the thread, I suspect I just haven’t been using the Thompson paras in the role they’re supposed to fill. I guess it’s a little personally disappointing but I do see how they’re a valuable addition to the faction in their current state. That being said, I think it’d still be cool to see them get a smoke grenade to lend a little more utility to them. That might not even be balanced though.

I also have a dilemma with any parachute unit in the game, why paratroopers can't re-drop? The main purpose of the paratroopers is to action behind enemy lines, but they turn out to be disposable. There-drop of several units reveals new tactics:
- large diversions in the rear of the enemy
- reserve in defense
- simultaneous offensive from the front and rear

I also have a dilemma with any parachute unit in the game, why paratroopers can't re-drop? The main purpose of the paratroopers is to action behind enemy lines, but they turn out to be disposable. There-drop of several units reveals new tactics:
- large diversions in the rear of the enemy
- reserve in defense
- simultaneous offensive from the front and rear

CoH 2 isn’t that kind of game.... sorry.

But you still CAN drop them once and be aggressive with that first drop. High risk for sure, but it can be a high reward if you pull it off or use it as a distraction to punch through the front and link up with them.

Kinda like how they were used IRL, but just small scale.

I don't understand how thompson paras are bad. I just played against you. You make decent use of the thompsons but the other aspects of your game need improvement.

https://www.coh2.org/replay/82820/loopdloop-needs-to-l2p

Only if you try to run into tanks to scare them off or even kill them like the old Volkshreck blob, if you can flank they do have really high dps, Paratroopers even do more damage with them!

high dps bazooka? what a silly

bazooka dmg is just 80, do you know?

penetration is likes dumbass and mostly cant do dmg to tank evne low dmg

flank is not always answer

flank is about 3 times difficult than just defending

3bazooka for ranger is most moron play in coh2

Bazookas reload faster than Shrecks, you can get a lot of them, they are good just not Old Volks Blob good.

high dps bazooka? what a silly

bazooka dmg is just 80, do you know?

penetration is likes dumbass and mostly cant do dmg to tank evne low dmg

flank is not always answer

flank is about 3 times difficult than just defending

3bazooka for ranger is most moron play in coh2

Paratroopers do 100 damage with their bazookas and have higher penetration. They also have an ambush camouflage bonus that usually bugs but is supposed to make them do more damage and have more penetration.

Edit: Also, disclaimer: the game I played against a certain banned user referenced in this thread was more or less a meme build. I only had 1 rifle and two REs to open with in the interest of trying to go airborne callin heavy later (which doesn’t work for obvious reasons lol). So if I could avoid being told to l2p that’d be great. I’m ranked decently at 250ish for 1v1s with usf and 116 or something with Brit 1v1s.

If there's something to be changed/added on Paratroopers, is either the ability to reinforce ANYWHERE on the map or give them default fire-up ability to avoid suppression, similar to CoH1 paratroopers. Otherwise, if you just add some kind of demolition charges, they will be able to do their job slightly better. They are designed to disorient the enemy.

Do paras have smoke? I don't recall but if they don't that would be a nice addition and add more variance from the now smokeless rifles.

If there's something to be changed/added on Paratroopers, is either the ability to reinforce ANYWHERE on the map or give them default fire-up ability to avoid suppression, similar to CoH1 paratroopers. Otherwise, if you just add some kind of demolition charges, they will be able to do their job slightly better. They are designed to disorient the enemy.

I think coh1 style fire up would be blatantly op on Thompson paras tbh. Even normal sprint would be stretching it a bit.

Do paras have smoke? I don't recall but if they don't that would be a nice addition and add more variance from the now smokeless rifles.

No and that was one of my suggestions. It’d be cool, and I don’t see how it’d be that imbalanced. Would mostly add utility and not make them even more abnormally good at their intended role of wiping retreating squads, but would add a little more synergy with other units IMO.

I think coh1 style fire up would be blatantly op on Thompson paras tbh. Even normal sprint would be stretching it a bit.

No and that was one of my suggestions. It’d be cool, and I don’t see how it’d be that imbalanced. Would mostly add utility and not make them even more abnormally good at their intended role of wiping retreating squads, but would add a little more synergy with other units IMO.

Normal sprint doesn't negate pin effects though. Hit and run tactics would be good with paratroopers if they had normal sprint at least. As for the smoke, i believe it will break the balance. Elite infantry unit with big DPS on its guns plus having smoke will make Ost mgs unable to do their job.

Normal sprint doesn't negate pin effects though. Hit and run tactics would be good with paratroopers if they had normal sprint at least. As for the smoke, i believe it will break the balance. Elite infantry unit with big DPS on its guns plus having smoke will make Ost mgs unable to do their job.

And this is why we are likely to see more Cavalry Riflemen then Paratroopers once the balance mode changes go live, they will have good CQC, smoke, snare and surpression, much better than Paratroopers while being much cheaper.

And this is why we are likely to see more Cavalry Riflemen then Paratroopers once the balance mode changes go live, they will have good CQC, smoke, snare and surpression, much better than Paratroopers while being much cheaper.

Same price but much tougher on a man for man basis for most of the game, in exchange for less dps and no tactical assault or paradrop reinforcing.

@leoverlord: you do have a point about smoke. Even giving them sprint might be a bit much considering that they have the best smgs in the game.

You dont see Rangers w/ triple Bazooka because Rangers are not cheap, and the current meta is often lots of Pz4's which have no problems killing of bazooka squads.

Bazookas are fairly bad late game because of their low pen on Panthers, Tigers, King Tigers, etc. You have to get rear flanking to do real damage and the fact that most of the tanks listed are good at killing infantry means USF is gonna get boned. Also ya know, adding all the bazookas means your squads are going to lose the AI fight anyways.

Pershing commander is used for the pershing, Rangers are pricy because they're just too expensive to bring out a bunch.. Paratroopers are basically like super-riflemen to me. I never use the Thompson upgrade, I throw the LMG's on them and let them hold shit and suppress.

I honestly consider the Thompson was a waste of munitions as the LMG is far more reliable... most engagements with axis are going to be long ranged as it's their own preference and now you can do the same with para LMG's. A nicely placed beacon and you can reinforce while doing it too!

+1 to the idea of giving Para thompsons a sprint, but prolly not camo.