The Commander Series Forum

Slightly confused on air assault, apologies if this has come up before I had a look through the historic pages but didn't see anything.

In order for a transport helicopter to transport units onto the table, I have to purchase an air assault asset.

How does it work if I have multiple helicopters? E.g. would I need to purchase and roll for three air assault orders if I wanted to land units from three lynx's or is it one air assault asset per air assault order and all units in the formation come under that assault?

What about landing the three helicopters at multiple locations but simultaneously as part of a single order?

Further, if I fail an air assault due to AA fire, do I need to have purchased a spare air assault assets to re-attempt the assault?

Many thanks in advance!

There are two distinct options for an air assault, they can be either scheduled OR requested by HQ/CO.

For scheduled, you need one asset for each heli. No need to roll the dice, it (or they) arrive(s) on the specified turn. Since there is a maximum of one asset per unit, you can't schedule the same heli twice! I think it is allowed to try to request the aborted ones on a subsequent turn, though.

For requested you do NOT need an asset, but you have to roll the dice. Also, there is a -1 modifier for each unit, so 1 heli is normal, two at -1, three at -2 and so on. Or you can call them one after the other, but then again there is a -1 modifier for each subsequent one. If failed, or aborted, you can try again next turn.

I think that landing heli's at three different points with one order is not possible. But you can do that with three different orders.

If you purchase an an air assault as an asset you just specify what turn and where on the table it appears, and it comes in automatically in the turn and location you select. You need one for each chopper you're sending in. Basically the same as an arty or air asset

You can also call them in on the 'fly', using a HQ or CO just like a normal order but then they're subject to deviation and not coming in that turn just like called arty/air, and you're at a penalty for each extra chopper.

E.g. I often use three groups each of a Mi-8, three Conscripts with RPGs and usually an ATGW team or Recoilless Rifle etc for seizing an objective/vital terrain. If I want to call them in one at a time using (say) my CO I roll vs. his CV for the first at CV9, then motivate the foot a couple of times once it's landed, then switch back to the next chopper at CV9, do the same, then the third.

Or if they go in en mass to swamp AA fire I can try to call in all three on CV9-2 - 7, and carry on from there!

I think there was a discussion yonks ago and Pete said that you could have a a big pool of chaps off table and use just 1 helo?

So request 1 might lift say 2 units. Then next turn try to lift some more etc... It was only once per turn to reflect the time taken for the chopper to leave, reload and return. Seems tempting if you only have 1 helo - but if it gets shot down you might have some units off table that never get to come on.

Yeah, there's nothing stopping you using one chopper (either with an asset then called in by a HQ, or just rely on the HQs from the start) but I prefer to go in mob handed where possible

A company of infantry are annoying headache, a battalion plus is a major hkick in the knackers