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OK, now we are getting down to the nitty gritty...

I want to ask first about the possibility of using airborne forces to take down an enemy airfield in the game. According to the accounts of your practice games, it seems like it would be pretty tough to get airborne troops to the target without getting the transports (and all the paratroopers) killed. That is good because it is realistic. You definitely need air superiority and need to take out AA assets around the target. Now for the questions..if you manage to do everything necessary and take an enemy airfield, can you then immediately use the captured airfield to land follow-on forces (if you have the transport capability)? OR will there be a waiting period for using that facility (due to damage, logistics...)?
The idea behind this is based on the real strategy of using....say, Rangers to take and airfield and then land other forces on the airfield to push the offensive out from the seized airfield.

Issue number 2- Not only offensive troops, but supplies can also be brought in. If this is possible, this can change the whole balance of the war by allowing for another suppy route in addition to the ever-increasing and perilous initial supply route strung out behind combat units taking the land route into enemy territory. If an airbase is taken deep inside enemy territory and a player has air superiority/ transports, can the airbase have the same effect as the players home country for supply purposes?

Excellent question! And I believe you’ll be happy with the answer;

Managing to get airborne units to an enemy airfield is certainly no easy task. However, the reward is that the moment the unit occupies the hex with no enemy units present, they take control of the airfield. At the time of change of ownership, all bases (this includes airstrips and piers) must deactivate and repair to 100% before they come online. This means if you capture the airfield intact, you can immediately begin sending your C-17s loaded with LAVs and Paladins to reinforce the area. If it took damage, you could be in a situation of needing to hold on your own for a while.

Secondly, all base types provide varying levels of supply. Airstrips are reasonably good at supplying small areas. They can easily provide for more than 100km radius. However, the supply rules state that conquered territory builds up to it’s maximum supply over a few days so it could be about 5 game days before the supply model is strong enough to effectively support troops from it.

This BTW is a tactic I keep watching for but have yet to successfully execute. I pity whoever falls into this trap first! :grin:

Wow... I am very happy with the answer (and impressed!). I have been thinking about what to say about your post but the only thing that comes to mind is just.. "Wow"!

Hanibal,
"Nasty" because you tried to drop troops behind your enemy's lines and they got hammered or nasty because your enemy's airborne troops were tearing up your structures behind your lines? I suppose both are nasty, but just curious what your experience was.

Oh. Yep, that's nasty. Don't feel bad though... you learned the hard way and now can use the same tactics on people like me (and other newbies from the board). Then, we'll feel like crap, learn how it is done, and then do it to our friends. And some day, gamers all around the world will have commandos running amok behind enemy lines... sweet.