The idea of extending airborne forces.
Main goals:
1. Re-usability (and pre-usability).
2. Veterancy.
3. Equipment.

(Sorry for my English. Please inform me if something sounds badly in English. I will correct it.)

This suggestion is especially suited to the "All Units" mod.

It is linked with my already implemented wish from yet CoH1. The ability of disband units ("send them to the rear"). And they both complete each other.

Of course, I wish it would to be implemented with simplicity in mind and with elegance. Because I hope it is not as complex as may seem at first sight.

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First of all.

1. Why do same airborne units not be able to be used for the purpose (airdropping) several times during the game?

2. Why are they always newbies and can not gain veterancy before being airdropped?

3. Why do they not be able to be equipped by right weapons before being airdropped? If a Stuart tank may be airdropped, why do a squad not be able to be airdropped with SMGs and bazookas at once, and even with MGs and cannons at once?

Balance! Balance! Balance! Yes, of course! But I hope it may be solved. See later.

AI. For the first time it may be available only for human players.

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The idea by itself.

The HQ beacon. Not that which pathfinders build, the another. In the HQ area.
It works like a building too, and may hold units like civilian buildings, bunkers, etc. But may hold not only infantry units, but also light vehicles. Have you already guessed? (The last feature about light vehicles is not so necessary, at least infantry.)

Of course, the infantry, that may be held by HQ beacon, must be limited by only paratroopers, commando, etc (and maybe, must not, it depends on a doctrine).

And the next is necessary. When a squad (or a vehicle, if will be implemented) receives an order to enter the HQ beacon, it begins to move not to the HQ beacon, but to the nearest spawn point, as to the rear. And after reaching the spawn point they do not disappear from a map, but become held by the HQ beacon, and may leave it.

As, being held by the HQ beacon, they are in the rear but counting on the balance of the division and preparing for airdropping.

If being held by the HQ beacon they receive an order to leave it, then they just leave it, and again they appear not from the HQ beacon but from nearest spawn point.

And there should be a progress indicator with timeout for sending and returning them to and back from the rear afoot via the HQ beacon. Because the walking to and back from the rear must take a time.

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And of course. Holding units the HQ beacon gets its main ability - airdrop them (by parachutes or gliders).

I will not describe here how it may be happen and other details because there would be many opinions. And even the process of airdropping by itself is out of this suggestion at all.

I will just repeat the main goals which this suggestion would bring to airborne troops:
1. Re-usability. And pre-usability, also they may (and even have to, to be pre-equipped) be spawned afoot before airdropping.
2. Airdropping veteran units. They may take part of battle, be healed, be reinforced before airdropping.
3. Equipment. They may be equipped before airdropping.

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And yet additional very big wish. An ability to have a whole airborne (or commando) HQ outside the front-line in enemy territory. Especially for the "All Units" mod. And on large maps, with large popcap victory condition from available gamemodes. For example, when in one area there is an operation of rangers - and in the other one - paratroopers. (How to explain it better in English?)

And of course it need a special airborne command squad.
And special retreat point only for airborne units (if it exists then they must retreat to it, not to common retreat points).

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And of course, the balance!

Yes, without balancing it will be a cheater ability.

I am not a specialist in game balancing, but I hope it may be solved. Nearest ways to balance, I see, are:
1. Cost. More troops are held by the HQ beacon, and more expensive they are, including equipment, except veterancy - more cost of airdropping.
2. Timeouts. As before, more quantity and cost of units, including equipment, except veterancy - more timeout. Including the timeout for sending and returning them to and back from the rear afoot via the HQ beacon.
3. Massive "anti-air-only". Cheap (or may be not very cheap, I do not know yet) special "anti-air-only" units and structures, without population cost, which can shoot only to air, not to ground, and can not cause damage to ground troops.

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Another question is - AI players. Well, for the first time it may be available only for human players. Until somebody will make AI for it. The first stage of AI "learning" is ability to properly defend against massive airborne attacks (at least with massive building cheap "anti-air-only" units and structures). And only last stage of AI "learning" is using all suggested abilities of airdropping.

Indeed, there may be as many other details as one can imagine. But I hope it may be implemented with simplicity and elegance.