One of the biggest questions I’ve had with the Ju52 is what we’ll be able to do with it.

A couple of weeks ago (when I wasn’t able to update) we saw a great update on what a German paratrooper would look like. This confirmed in visual format that we would have the ability to drop paratroopers.

Today we have a little more information from the Question for the Devs forum thread. Jason Williams answered a question about what the paratroopers would do.

You drop them and they float to the ground. This is not a shooter. They will possibly connected to other triggers etc. We have not decided all details about them yet.

While some may have unrealistic expectations as to what paratroopers will do in a flight simulator, if we have triggers associated with paratroopers I think that will make the Ju52 into potential strategic weapon in multiplayer matches.

Dropping troopers into designated zones with accuracy could be used to determine territory captured (similar to when armor captures zones). In this way the Ju52 would act like a bomber but with a different kind of payload. Thought the troopers won’t interact in any deep way with objects on the ground, the important part is the aircraft and enabling triggers for paratroopers would be a valuable feature for the aircraft.

Outside of cargo transfers, resupply drops or paratrooper drops, the Ju52 has very little to do in multiplayer matches. This is a concern of mine, however, I remain optimistic.

Early in the war, the Ju52 and its paratroopers brought huge success to the early campaigns such as in Norway where troopers helped capture key installations before anyone knew what was happening. Like the Stuka, the Ju52 is a symbol of WWII air power but it also represents a downfall with the Stalingrad campaign and the Pyrrhic-victory at Crete. So as a historical addition to the series… a flyable Ju52 is a huge addition. As far as its practical applications in competitive online matches, I’m not sure yet.

It’ll be fun to fly. That’s always a win!