Airborne operations make games feel fast, dangerous, and full of risk. Troops fall from the sky, landing where they can, trying to pull together and complete their mission before the enemy can react. Some games treat airborne forces like regular troops with a different deployment method. Better games show how hard it really was to be dropped behind enemy lines with little support. Good airborne scenarios capture that tension.
Let’s look at a few example scenarios you can try in your own games.
One classic setup is a night drop before a major attack. Imagine a small airborne company landing near a town held by the enemy. They need to take out an artillery battery that threatens the main invasion force coming in the morning. The airborne players drop their troops using random scatter rolls. Some squads land on target. Others drift far off and have to spend the first turns getting back together. The defenders are surprised at first but quickly organize and try to pin the attackers down. The airborne player has to hit fast and destroy the battery before the defenders bring up reinforcements from nearby outposts.
Another good idea is a bridge seizure. An airborne platoon is tasked with capturing a bridge intact to allow tanks and trucks to cross later. They drop at dawn, and some land close to the bridge while others are scattered into nearby fields. The defenders are already guarding the bridge but aren’t fully ready for an attack from the air. The airborne player needs to fight through scattered defenses, clear explosives from the bridge, and hold it against a growing enemy counterattack until help arrives. Every turn, more enemy squads enter the board, and the paratroopers get more and more desperate.
You can also set up a rescue mission. A small group of airborne soldiers has been cut off after a badly scattered drop. They’re surrounded in a farmhouse, low on ammunition and supplies. Another team is trying to break through to them before they are overrun. The surrounded players must survive as long as possible, while the rescue force has to fight through enemy patrols and set up a safe escape route. It is a race against time, and every decision matters.
Random events table for airborne operation scenario
Airborne Scenario Random Events Table (Roll D10 at the start of each game turn, starting Turn 2)
| D10 Roll | Event Title | Description & Potential Game Effect |
| 1 | Heavy Flak Encounter | One arriving airborne unit (player choice or random) encountered unexpectedly intense AA fire during descent. Effect: The unit suffers additional casualties or starts the game suppressed/disordered upon landing/arrival this turn (if applicable), or apply a penalty to their first activation. |
| 2 | Unexpected Local Contact | A small, previously unknown enemy element (e.g., sentry post, rear-area detachment) is located very near one of the landing zones. Effect: Place a small enemy unit (determined by scenario or generic stat line) in cover near a randomly selected airborne unit that landed previously or is landing now. It activates immediately or gets a reaction fire bonus. |
| 3 | Radio Static / Comms Glitch | Atmospheric conditions or damaged equipment disrupt communications. Effect: The airborne player cannot use command abilities, issue coordinated orders affecting multiple units, or call for off-board support (if available) for this turn. Existing orders might be cancelled. |
| 4 | Wind Shear / Scatter | A sudden change in wind affects a drop or landing zone. Effect: One currently arriving unit suffers additional scatter distance, OR one unit that landed previously is revealed to be further out of position than initially thought (move it slightly towards a random table edge). |
| 5 | Enemy Command Confusion | The sudden appearance of airborne troops has caused chaos in the enemy command structure. Effect: One randomly selected enemy unit cannot move or attack this turn (it can still defend) due to conflicting or delayed orders. |
| 6 | Lost Equipment Bundle | A vital container with special equipment went astray during the drop. Effect: A specific airborne unit temporarily (or permanently, depending on rules) loses access to a support weapon (MG, Mortar, Bazooka/PIAT) or special gear (demolition charges, radio). |
| 7 | Sudden Weather Change | Fog rolls in, rain starts, or dust kicks up unexpectedly. Effect: Visibility is reduced for all units on the table for this turn (e.g., reduce maximum spotting range, apply negative modifiers to shooting at longer ranges). |
| 8 | Civilian Intervention | Local civilians react to the landings. Roll again: (1-3) They actively aid the airborne troops (provide intel – reveal one hidden enemy unit, or offer minor supplies – remove low ammo marker). (4-6) They hinder the airborne (alert nearby enemy forces – allow enemy player an extra reaction/activation, or block movement temporarily). |
| 9 | Accurate Enemy Intel | The defenders had some prior warning or quickly assessed the situation. Effect: The defending player may immediately redeploy one unit within its current zone or move one off-board reserve unit closer to entering the table. |
| 10 | Heroic Leadership / Rally | Inspired by the chaos, a leader emerges or a unit digs deep. Effect: The airborne player may immediately rally one suppressed/pinned/disordered unit, OR one airborne unit gains a temporary combat bonus (e.g., re-roll misses) for its next attack or defense. |
Using the Table:
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Decide when to roll – typically at the start of each game turn after the initial landings have begun.
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Reroll results that don’t make sense in the current game state (e.g., “Heavy Flak Encounter” when no more troops are arriving).
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Feel free to adapt the specific mechanical effects to best suit the rules you’re playing with. The goal is to inject narrative uncertainty typical of airborne operations.
A sample scenario for airborne operation
Background:
At dawn, an airborne battalion drops behind enemy lines to seize a key crossroads. Control of the crossroads will prevent enemy armor from reaching the front lines and will allow the main attack to advance without fear of counterattack. However, the defenders are already on alert, and the drop is scattered across a wide area.
Objective:
The airborne player must capture and hold the crossroads by the end of Turn 8. The defender must prevent the crossroads from falling into enemy hands or retake it if lost.
Table Setup:
The table is 6′ x 4′.
The crossroads sits roughly in the center, with a small village nearby (3–5 buildings).
Fields, woods, and hedges cover the surrounding countryside. Some minor roads lead off the crossroads in four directions.
Forces:
Attacker (Airborne Player):
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1 airborne infantry company (or equivalent: about 80–100 troops depending on your system)
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Light mortars, a few light machine guns, no vehicles
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No artillery or heavy support at start
Defender (Enemy Player):
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2 infantry platoons deployed around the village and crossroads (about 60–70 troops)
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1 heavy machine gun team guarding the main road
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On Turn 4, defenders receive reinforcements: a light armored car and a squad of infantry arriving from the south road
Deployment and Drop Rules:
At the start of the game, the airborne units do not deploy normally.
Instead, each squad or team must roll a scatter die (or use random direction + D6 inches) to determine where they land within 12″ of a drop point designated by the airborne player. Some squads will land close together; others might land far apart.
Any squad landing within 6″ of an enemy unit must pass a morale check or be pinned for one turn.
Defenders deploy hidden within 12″ of the crossroads.
Special Rules:
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Limited Ammo: Airborne troops must conserve ammunition. After Turn 6, every time an airborne unit fires, roll a die: on a 1, they are out of ammo and can only move or melee.
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Desperate Defenders: If the crossroads are captured, defenders may receive one more emergency reinforcement on Turn 6 (another squad or heavy weapon if you want to increase the pressure).
Victory Conditions:
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If the airborne forces control the crossroads at the end of Turn 8, they win.
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If the defenders control the crossroads, or if no one controls it but the airborne forces have fewer than half their starting squads alive and active, the defenders win.
Debrief:
This scenario captures the chaos and urgency that define airborne missions. Players will need to adapt quickly to scattered drops, unexpected resistance, and the ticking clock of incoming reinforcements. Success depends on aggressive movement, fast thinking, and holding your nerve when things go wrong — just like real airborne troops had to do. Whether you pull off a brilliant capture or watch your scattered squads get overwhelmed, you’re guaranteed a tense and memorable battle.
