Airborne operations in Hearts of Iron IV could gain a more deliberate supply network, but Paradox is still asking players what that system should look like. The latest Steam Dev Corner explores more precise air transport, less manual control over transport wings, and the possibility of using captured airfields to keep airborne troops supplied.
The game already allows transport aircraft to provide parachute supply, although the support requires aircraft and fuel while spreading its effects across an entire air zone. That makes it difficult to direct supplies toward one force or landing area. The discussion builds on an earlier airborne discussion about planning, visibility, and survivability, with the latest questions focusing on what happens after troops reach the ground.
Transport wings could become a national resource
One proposal asks whether players should stop assigning every transport wing by hand. Instead, transport capacity could be handled at the national level and distributed according to need, much like naval convoys. That approach would leave players managing the scale of an air logistics network rather than tracking each aircraft group separately.
Paradox is also asking what currently limits transport wings when they deliver airborne troops and supplies. The feedback will help determine whether a more abstract system would give players useful control without turning air operations into another layer of constant micromanagement.
Captured airfields could keep airborne troops alive
Another idea would connect two airfields controlled by the same side, creating a point-to-point route that could move supplies more efficiently than the current parachute system. A direct connection would also give commanders a clearer way to support a specific operation instead of relying on coverage spread throughout an air zone.
The Dev Corner raises a more aggressive option as well. Airborne troops could capture and hold an enemy airfield in a Crete-style operation, then use it as a base for replenishment. That would reduce the danger of leaving a landing force completely isolated and give the initial drop a practical objective beyond simply reaching enemy territory.
None of these ideas is a confirmed feature yet. The post is gathering feedback on systems still in early development, so the eventual approach could change based on what players say about transport control, targeted supply, and the risks of holding an airfield behind enemy lines.
Would you prefer a national transport pool or direct control over individual wings, and should capturing an airfield become the best way to sustain an airborne attack? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
