Heavy Airborne are the default choice for airdrops in A&A, but on this page we'll take a look at the ground deployed version, which is seen almost exclusively from Japan, due to a reduced cost of $75 (all others $100)
^{[For info on paradrops see: Airborne HQ]}
 
Ground deployed airborne has several advantages over their infantry counterparts, mainly stronger units across the board. For instance, Japanese paratrooper units are armed with a Type 100 Submachinegun that has a better attack speed [33%], and the unit also features better grenades [25], better Pierce Damage Effect [12], and better defense value [2]; when compared to the standard Japanese infantry unit.
 
Why do you only see them with Japan? At $75 the regiment is a good value, but at $100 the regiment becomes more expensive than SaS (arty brigade $150 instead of SaS upgrade $100). Considering the regiment doesn't have sniper units, they are not a great matchup 1v1 versus SaS; their success usually depending on an advantage in numbers, which Japan can acquire due to the reduced cost.
 

The basic build will vary some depending on map size and starting money (if more than $500)

If you are planning an early game Heavy Airborne attack, or your base is located in the front, you might spend more on regiments and less on the HQ's (which bolster your economy). If you have plans on really getting your economy going, or your base is located in the back, you might spend more on HQ's and less on your armed forces. Of course this is an example of a multiplayer build (3v3, 4v4), if you attempt to eco this much in a 1v1 you would be quickly rolled...

Get a basic idea of which upgrades effect which infantry units, and how to apply those upgrades in online play. Included is a suggested upgrade order to help newer players understand which upgrades are the most benefitial to their cause. See: Upgrading Your Infantry/Airborne

There are two different types of formations, formation on the regiment level (Assault, Aggressive, and Column), and formations on the division level, which are a formation of a group of regiments.

Groups of regiments can also be put in the Assault, Aggressive, and Column formation by activating group behavior, but this is not recommended for combat, only for reorganizing your division if it becomes too spread out. That means most of the time your division should have custom formations with group behavior set to off. This also allows you to set the formation for each regiment in your division without affecting the group formation.

You will want to use different group formations for different game situations, some basic examples are seen on the left and right. The determining factors are usually what type of enemy regiments you are facing, and how many special op bombs your opponents have. Hotkeys are essential for effectively managing your divisions, so once you have selected and organized a group, save it by holding down [Ctrl] and pressing any of the keyboard number keys; or simply right click an spot on the group control bar.
 
Of course there are many other factors that influence a successful infantry campaign, see conclusion for more tips and links.

Japan has many options when it comes to Infantry, and good upgrades as well, such as Special Forces, Improved Mortars, Foraging, Plentiful Ammunition, and more.. While Commandos certainly have their place in the game, many experienced players can't seem to agree on which in better, Japanese Mortar Infantry or Heavy Airborne. So we thought we would take a moment to profile these two commonly seen regiments, and maybe you can decide for yourself..
 
First, let's take a look at the regimental level, with the most obvious differences being that the Mortar Infantry regiment has [2] Mortar Infantry Units and [1] MG Unit, while the Heavy Airborne regiment has exactly the opposite. The Mortar Infantry regiment costs a little less at $65, and of course these these two regiments are deployed from different HQ's. There are differences between airborne and infantry units as well, but we will cover those in a moment.
Read More.. [Story Continued]

Can't get enough stats? Here's a breakdown of the heavy airborne regiment by unit, before/after upgrades. Click on the icons to sort the columns

Here's our unofficial ranks, by unit and regiment for heavy airborne. Click on the icons to sort the columns