Medal of Honor: Airborne – Complete Guide

"Who does the Army trust the most? AIRBORNE!" — 82nd Airborne, The Opening

Medal of Honor: Airborne (MOHA) is the 11th installment in the legendary Medal of Honor series. Developed by EA Los Angeles with support from Demiurge Studios and published by Electronic Arts, the game was released worldwide in early September 2007 for PC and Xbox 360. A PlayStation 3 version followed in late November 2007. Versions for PS2 and Wii were planned but later canceled.

Airborne is set in the European theater of World War II and is the first in the series to focus solely on paratrooper operations. Players take on the role of Private First Class Boyd Travers of the US 82nd Airborne Division, completing missions behind enemy lines from Italy to Germany.

Platforms, Genre & Modes

• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

• Genre: First-person shooter (FPS)

• Modes: Single-player and multiplayer (multiplayer servers were shut down in February 2023)

• Rating: ESRB Teen (T)

• Media: DVD

Plot

The story follows Boyd Travers, a US paratrooper participating in six major WWII missions. Each mission represents a different operation, from Operation Husky to the final assault on Der Flakturm in Germany. Travers fights alongside the 82nd and 17th Airborne Divisions, experiencing the intensity of airborne warfare firsthand.

Missions

1. Training – March 24, 1943

2. Operation Husky | Infinite Mischief – July 10, 1943

3. Operation Avalanche | The Show – September 13, 1943

4. Operation Neptune | Saved By Sacrifice – June 6, 1944

5. Operation Market Garden | The Opening – September 17, 1944

6. Operation Varsity | Young Fools – March 25, 1945

7. Der Flakturm | Flying Through Hail – March 27, 1945

Medals

• Soldiers Medal: Use every weapon in the game

• Legion of Merit: Complete any mission without dying

• WWII Victory Medal: Complete the game on any difficulty

• Bronze Star: Earn a five-star rating on every mission (casual difficulty)

• Silver Star: Earn a four-star rating on every mission (normal difficulty)

• Distinguished Service Cross: Earn a three-star rating on every mission (expert difficulty)

Weapons

Players can choose their weapon loadout at the start of each mission, and all weapons have 3 tiers of upgrades. When a weapon is upgraded, the game temporarily goes into slow motion, and the player is immune to damage with unlimited ammo and health during the upgrade sequence. Upgrades are earned faster through headshots, melee kills, triple kills, or 5 kills in a row.

American Weapons

WeaponUpgradesM1911Leather holster: Faster draw time; Match-grade loader mechanism: Quadruples rate of fire; Magnum rounds: Doubles damageM1 GarandMatch-grade barrel: Improved accuracy; Adjustable ironsights: Improved accuracy, variable zoom; M7A1 Rifle Grenade Launcher: Rifled grenadesM1903/A5 SpringfieldPolished bolt: Faster bolt cycling; Stripper clip: Decreased reload time; Rifle Grenade Launcher: Rifled grenadesThompson SMGPistol foregrip: Reduced recoil; Cutts compensator: Increased accuracy; 50-round drum magazine: Larger ammo capacityBrowning Automatic Rifle (BAR)Compensator: Reduced recoil; A2 Adjustable sights: Increased accuracy, variable zoom; Dual magazines: Faster reloadWinchester Model 12 ShotgunBarrel choke: Tighter pellet spread; Buckshot rounds: Increased damage; Bayonet: Increased melee damage and distanceMK 2 GrenadeN/AM18 Recoilless RifleEnhanced Scope: Variable zoom; Satchel: Ammo Capacity; Musette bag: Ammo Capacity

German Weapons

WeaponUpgradesC96Rifle stock: Reduces recoil; 20-round magazine: Increased ammo; 712 Conversion Kit/Automatic fire adapter: Increased rate of fireKarabiner 98 KurzPolished Match-Grade Bolt: Increased rate of fire; Stripper clip: Faster reload; Rifle Grenade Launcher: Rifled grenadesGewehr 4320-round magazine: Increased ammo; Scope: Sniping capability; Rifle Grenade Launcher: Rifled grenadesMP40Dual Magazines: Faster reload; 64-round magazine: Doubled ammo capacitySturmgewehr 44Blowback reducer: Reduces recoil; Dual magazines: Faster reload; ZF Tactical Scope: Increased accuracy, variable zoomModel 24 StielhandgranateSatchel: Capacity increased to 10; Bandolier: Capacity increased to 12; Musette bag: Capacity increased to 14PanzerschreckAdjustable Iron Sights: Variable zoom; Satchel: Larger ammunition capacity; Musette Bag: Even larger ammunition capacityMG42 (fixed)N/ADaggerIncreased melee damage and distance

British Weapons

WeaponUpgradesGammon GrenadeN/A

Characters:

Main Characters

• Corporal Boyd Travers (Alive)

• Sergeant Setzer (KIA)

• Sergeant Dane (MIA)

• Private First Class Wirth (KIA)

Secondary Characters

• Private First Class Rossum (Possibly KIA)

• Private Harding (KIA)

• Unknown Radio Operator (Alive)

• Harding Spotter (MIA)

• Colonel Scott Webb (Alive)

• Corporal Kish (Alive/KIA, depending on player actions)

• Corporal Towne

• Captain Campana (MIA)

• Jimmy (Alive)

Gameplay

Airborne emphasizes non-linear gameplay. Players can choose:

• Where to land during parachute drops

• Which objectives to complete first

• Which weapons to bring into battle

Weapon upgrades carry over between missions.

AI & Combat

The game introduces “Affordance AI”, a new system allowing NPCs to react intelligently to terrain, enemies, and player actions. Features include:

• E-Cap (Emotion Capture): Realistic facial expressions and tension

• Procedural Awareness System: NPCs have emotional states (defensive, nervous, hysterical) and respond dynamically to combat situations

This creates adaptive, lifelike AI behavior far beyond previous scripted MOH games.

Engine & Graphics

Airborne uses a heavily modified Unreal Engine 3, optimized for DirectX 9 and 10 PCs, PS3, and Xbox 360. Key features:

• HDRR (High Dynamic Range Rendering)

• Per-pixel lighting

• Dynamic shadows

• Realistic environmental effects

The switch from Renderware to Unreal 3 delayed development but allowed for richer visuals and advanced gameplay mechanics.