Suffering heavy casualties in the assault on Crete during Operation Mercury, Adolf Hitler forbade German airborne troops from further airdrops.

The Fallschirmjager instead acted as elite infantry serving in all theatres in which Germany fought. Supported by two weapons with a high rate of fire – the deadly MG42 general purpose machine gun and the Granatwerfer 34 8cm medium mortar – they were respected by the Allies for their fighting ability and honourable actions.