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I wanted to get some of the communities thoughts around who I should base my airborne units on. Based on Turning Tide, I think I'm tending towards 82nd as they get the option of the TD platoon, which I think I would prefer over the light tank platoon. However, the 101st gets the AA units where as the 82nd doesn't seem to have any AA options. This of course, is only based on one book. How do the options look and compare in later books, such as the ones addressing Operation Market Garden?

Well maybe i can help you out.I play paras and have had the same dilema.As i have all three usa para books.
Here is the differences.
D day -1 Plattons are larger three instead of two,other than that i see no real difference.Also American diviional support.
Hells Highway Your Divisional Support Choices are British.
Turning tide Hells Highway smaller platoon build two squads miniun instead of mandatory three from -1,Also recommended book for thrid edition.Also American diviional support.

Me personally i went with the 101st,for a few reasons.
No need for tank destroyers,I take 76mm Shermans cheaper and just as effective.
i am a huge fan boy of the 50 cal in flames of war.overall a good weapon. aa, anti lite vehicle and infantry.
101 st may use lite tanks,Good anti infantry.

The only thing i really see that that i like is the 82nd Jeep recon.But for 101st is use the glider jeep recon instead.

Well i do not know if this helps but here is my 101st company build.

col. krazy kenny wrote:No need for tank destroyers,I take 76mm Shermans cheaper and just as effective.

What list lets you take 76mm Shermans? I don't have my copy of Turning Tide in front of me, but the EasyArmy 101st list from Turning Tide doesn't mention anything other than 75mm M4 or M4A1 Shermans. The 2nd A.D. lists from the same book explicitly mention 76mm Shermans, so I was assuming you couldn't take them unless they were explicit about it.

Yeah, I'm not seeing 76mm shermans in either of the airborne lists either, kenny. Although that's on easy army - I'll double check with my physical copy of Turning Tide.

Unless, of course, you're talking about the Hell's Highway book, in which case, I don't have for either easy army or physical.

That's an interesting question. Both airborne divisions can take a medium tank platoon from the 2nd AD as support (ref page 201). Page 201 specifically refers to the medium tank platoon with 75mm guns, but on the previous page, 2AD is allowed to take a medium tank platoon with 76mm guns. The next page also has a unit called the medium tank platoon, which has 76mm guns. So, when you are given a page reference to a support unit from another unit, are you only allowed to take what is on the specified page, or can you take any of the units of the same name that the parent unit can field?

Yes, you can only take that specific unit. Also, notice the difference in names - there's a 'Medium Tank Platoon', and then there's a 'Medium Tank Platoon (76mm)' which are two completely separate choices.

Makes sense. That's how I've interpreted the lists.

Page 201 Turning tide.75mm my bad.