[##:##] Command : dropoff <TRANSPORTS> <ESCORTS> <SECT> <PATH|DESTINATION> <COMMODITY>
The dropoff command is used to resupply beleaguered friendly troops with food, shells, reinforcements, and other necessities of battle.
<TRANSPORTS> represents a list of planes to transport commodities to the target sector. Only planes with capability cargo and sufficient mobility, based in a sector stocked with petrol and the commodities to transport, will be successfully selected for the mission.
<ESCORTS> represent a list of fighter planes which are capable of escorting the transports all the way to the target. To be selected, escorts must have fuel and mobility.
<SECT> represents an assembly point, where all of the planes in the mission meet before proceeding on to the target sector. The assembly point must be owned by you or an ally, or you or an ally must have a ship there. It must not be more than four sectors away from any of the planes selected for the mission.
<COMMODITY> is the name of the commodity which is to be dropped.
Route is a normal empire path specification. You may also give a destination sector on the command line, or at any time while giving the route, and empire will use the best path from the current sector to the desired destination sector.
When getting a path interactively, empire will show you the information you have (from your bmap) concerning the current area, to help you plot your course.
Air drop missions can be intercepted just like any other mission. See info Intercept.
Planes which arrive safely at the target sector will drop the goodies off to the waiting people below.
Any plane with the mine ability can mine a sector by dropping shells in a sea sector.
Note that a plane must be at least 40% efficient before it can leave the ground.
See also : Plane-types , bomb , fly , paradrop , recon , Mobility , Planes , Commodities