Tech Tree Paratroopers: Considerations For Unlocks & Capabilities

Suggestions
1

I know this topic is like beating a dead horse, but I wanted to find the best way to seamlessly implement this class into the current trees of each nation.

Unlocking and Tree Placement

Since no classes that currently exist in the tech trees are limited by the tier of weapon they can use, I would personally have the Paratrooper I Squad be unlocked on BR 2 SMGs following Assaulter II. On current trees, they could be unlocked on the following weapons:

USSR: PPS-43
USA: Owen Mk.I
Germany: FNAB-43
Japan: Type 2A SMG

The Paratrooper II Squad would subsequently be unlocked on BR 4 SMGs, following the Assaulter III squad. They would be unlocked on the following weapons:

USSR: PPD-40
USA: M1928A1 Thompson
Germany: MP 35/I
Japan: Tokyo Arsenal SMG

Features, Leveling, Progression

Tech Tree Paratroopers would have much of the same capabilities as the current premium Paratrooper squads. They would contain up to 6 members (beginning with 6), and would be capable of carrying SMGs as standard (no Assault Rifles) in their primary slots. I considered them beginning with 3 or 4, but due to the high skill-floor of the class, I think having the class start with 6 members would make it easier to use for beginners. Unlocking squad options would be unlocked within the “Squad Upgrades” tab, but can only be unlocked after unlocking the corresponding squad within the tech tree:

Paratrooper I Squad:

  • AT Squad: AT Gunner I
  • Assault Squad: Machine Gunner
  • Recon Squad: Sniper I, Radio Operator I
  • Mortar Squad: Mortarman, Engineer I

Paratrooper II Squad:

  • AT Squad: AT Gunner II
  • Assault Squad: Machine Gunner II
  • Recon Squad: Sniper II, Radio Operator I
  • Mortar Squad: Mortarman, Engineer I

Depending on which BR you are matchmaking as, your available equipment from the Supply Box would also change:

BR I:

  • AT Squad: PTRD 41, Boys AT, PzB 38, Type 97 AT
    +3 AT Rifles, +6 AT Mines

  • Assault Squad: Not Available
    N/A

  • Recon Squad: Mosin M91/30 Sniper, Springfield M1903A1, Kar 98K Scoped, Type 97 Sniper
    +2 Sniper Rifles, + Radio, + AP Mines

  • Mortar Squad: RM-38, Two-Inch Mortar, Granatwerfer 36, Type 89 Mortar
    +2 Mortars, + Engineer Toolkit, +6 Grenades

BR II:

  • AT Squad: PTRD 41, Boys AT, PzB 38, Type 97 AT
    +3 AT Rifles, +6 AT Mines

  • Assault Squad: Madsen, Vickers-Berthier, Breda Mod.30, Type 11
    +3 Machine Guns, +6 Medkits

  • Recon Squad: Mosin M91/30 Sniper, Springfield M1903A1, Kar 98K Scoped, Type 97 Sniper
    +2 Sniper Rifles, + Radio, + AP Mines

  • Mortar Squad: RM-38, Two-Inch Mortar, Granatwerfer 36, Type 89 Mortar
    +2 Mortars, + Engineer Toolkit, +6 Grenades

BR III:

  • AT Squad: Panzerfaust 60, M9 Bazooka, Panzerfaust 60, Type 4 Launcher
    +3 AT Rifles, +6 AT Mines

  • Assault Squad: DP-27, Browning M1918, MG 34, Type 96 LMG
    +3 Machine Guns, +6 Medkits

  • Recon Squad: Sniper SVT 38, Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk.1(T), Gewehr 98 Scoped, Type 99 Sniper
    +2 Sniper Rifles, + Radio, + AP Mines

  • Mortarman: RM-38, Two-Inch Mortar, Granatwerfer 36, Type 89 Mortar
    +2 Mortars, + Engineer Toolkit, +6 Grenades

BR IV-V:

  • AT Squad: Panzerfaust 60, M9 Bazooka, Panzerfaust 60, Type 4 Launcher
    +3 AT Rifles, +6 AT Mines

  • Assault Squad: DT-29, M1941 Johnson LMG, MG 34 Patronnentrommel, Type 99 LMG
    +3 Machine Guns, +6 Medkits

  • Recon Squad: Mosin M91/30 Sniper, Springfield M1903A1, Kar 98K Scoped, Type 97 Sniper
    +2 Sniper Rifles, + Radio, + AP Mines

  • Mortar Squad: RM-38, Two-Inch Mortar, Granatwerfer 36, Type 89 Mortar
    +2 Mortars, + Engineer Toolkit, +6 Grenades

Compared to the current premium Paratrooper squads, tech tree Paratroopers differ primarily from their limited primary weapon selection. The current premium options offer either a Full-Auto Rifle (Krieghoff FG), Assault Rifle (AS-44 Model 5), MG (Type Hei LMG), or a version of an SMG that eclipses tech tree options (M1928A1 Thompson 100). Since the tech tree options are limited to only SMGs, there will always be incentive for purchasing the premium Paratrooper squads. If this wasn’t enough for Darkflow, they could also consider excluding the Mortar Squad, and therefore an option to have an Engineer who can build rally points.

If you’ve read this far, thanks for your consideration! I’m open to any criticisms to this suggestion.

7 Likes
2

TBH, personally I would make the box fully customizable, but make it both BR restricted and point restricted. What I mean by points is that each BR has X amount of points to spend, with each BR getting more points. You can make as many box variants as you want, with as much equipment as you want, as long as it fits inside the points limit. You can then mix and match equipment, take less of up-to-par stuff or more stuff from lower BR. For example, at BR5 you can take 2 or 3 BR5 MG’s, or downgrade and get 5 or 6 BR2 MG’s.

2 Likes
3

meh
they should bive 1 br to all worst MG’s
like madsen or Brens

#freeitaly

4

Maybe BR V should possibly get access to flamethrowers like the Italian paratroopers.

5

I think
BR 1 should get pistols
BR 2 horrible SMG or bolts
BR 3 better rifles and SMGs
4-5 corresponding rifles SMGs and maybe MGs like the British event paratroopers

As starter weapons

6

Do we know if they are ever going to have progression paratroopers?

7

Your weapon selection are pure gameisms and so I cringe just trying to read the rest of the post, which makes sense from a certain perspective, but is still forcing a square peg into a round hole.

Paratroopers squads in the manner they are implemented are already a powerful force multiplier, and some of the additional weapon selection available from the container drops are already historically mismatched and atypical of what would have been available to these units. I am still of the opinion that their flexibility should have been as historically preserved as possible, and they should use as close to their historically available weapons as are implemented in the game, most of which are available from either BR II or III weapon selections.

Correspondingly, the Para squads should enter the game around BR II or III rather if that’s the way the devs have spread out the respective weapons and value add to the overall progression of the game rather than try to throw too much disparity into BR I which is what a lot of ppl are asking, but which is incongruent with a base progression tree at BR I.

I would rather have the core basic squads available at BR I and let folks learn the game and how to support the advance or defence, before they move on to the esoterics.

8

As an actual paratrooper that spent 6 years on Fort Bragg I’d like to see my beloved airborne corps represented on the tech tree.

1 Like
9

Doing a bit of homework is why I figured SMGs were the most appropriate place to unlock Paratroopers from. From what I could find, they all used what are some of the in-game BR II and III (even BR V PPD-40 and PPSh-41s for USSR) SMGs universally and historically, like you’ve said. We’re obviously familiar with German paratroopers using FG-42s and US paratroopers using M1941 Johnsons (both kinds) as well, but I think it makes more sense to tie base Paratrooper loadouts to SMGs, and maintain a balance throughout the selectable loadouts. If paratroopers had better options depending on the nation (which is unavoidable for AT weapons at the moment, unfortunately) due to historical accuracy, it would add another layer of balancing issues that we shouldn’t add to the list.

I believe in keeping the Enlisted sandbox as referential to history as possible, but of course we can’t expect things like Federovs in Berlin, or Type Hei Automatics on Guadalcanal if we want complete loadout historical accuracy. I think that would be neat if Campaigns were brought back and the population was large enough to bring it back in addition to the merge, but otherwise I’m happy with how I’ve presented the OP.

1 Like
10

Johnson were still rare the ideal weapon for a us paratrooper was the M1 carbine. General Gavin famously jumped with a regular M1 the NCO often used an SMG like the Thompson or the Grease Gun

I agree about campaigns… they did that to even out player distribution in campaigns so I doubt we’ll ever see old enlisted again sadly (or the ability to select campaigns in general)