You can plan for it, but the point remains that they give it to you too early. Peppering the Slingshot missions in between other council missions, I think, would have been a much better design.
+1
DuriniaEvolved from Space PotatoesRegistered Userregular
That first C/I squadwipe really takes the wind out of your sails. What do you guys typically do if there's no high cover in sight and you know you're going to trigger an enemy if you move forward?
You can just lower the difficulty during that mission.
Or you can just ignore it, then do some other missions and research tech until it comes up again - not like its rewards are substantial, so doing so is only to your benefit for that mission and the later assault on the Battleship. Ever discovering that you can do so, I now always delay Confounding Light until I have at least Lasers and Carapace armor. All Aboard achievement attained on Classic Ironman.
That first C/I squadwipe really takes the wind out of your sails. What do you guys typically do if there's no high cover in sight and you know you're going to trigger an enemy if you move forward?
That first C/I squadwipe really takes the wind out of your sails. What do you guys typically do if there's no high cover in sight and you know you're going to trigger an enemy if you move forward?
Depends on what part of the campaign I am in. Hopefully I am at the point where I have access to a lot of explosives or suppressing fire at that point. If I don't have that I will make super, extra sure there isn't some way I might be able to sneak along the edge of the map to a better spot. Failing the above two things? Go in, go in hard. Grenades, flanks, etc. Kill them fast because otherwise they will kill you.
Getting such a situation early on can be really rough, not much you can do but hope for the best sometimes.
I, assuming I can, move one guy forward to activate, dash him back to good cover, put everybody else in overwatch and then, hopefully, the fight starts with me in a better position than the enemy.
The problem with that is that usually if you've activated the aliens, overwatch is already too late because they'll mostly be in cover or pinned in cover anyway by the overwatch, so they'll just be taking static shots. I think it's better to send in the red shirt and just write her off, then move the rest of your troops back, away from the aliens so that they have a turn of no-sight to set up overwatch better.
The problem with that is that usually if you've activated the aliens, overwatch is already too late because they'll mostly be in cover or pinned in cover anyway by the overwatch, so they'll just be taking static shots. I think it's better to send in the red shirt and just write her off, then move the rest of your troops back, away from the aliens so that they have a turn of no-sight to set up overwatch better.
ideally you are dashing back to a point away from the aliens. otherwise overwatch is kind of pointless.
Huh, if I recall the situation you are referring to, having an Assault and a Support who tosses Def Smoke on them works out for the best - a Sniper Overwatching them with Squad Sight doesn't hurt either. Sn ---> Su ---> A. If A gets in trouble, they fall back to Su, then both fall back to Sn, leap froggin each other from cover to cover. No need to lose anyone, I've had this work for me at relatively low ranks too and multiple alien triggers.
Come to think of it, my least used class is the Heavy but I always have one along if I can help it as well, some situations you just can't beat having a Rocket at your disposal.
Even if the aliens move up (sometimes they turn passive, and I'm not powergame-y bore-y enough to wait 30 turns) I don't favor waiting tactics. Don't get me wrong, time is usually in your favor and sometimes you wait a few rounds to see what happens, and on impossible you almost always move slowly when you know there might be danger. But, even with overwatch I would prefer to move and kill something, rather than waiting for the alien to move up and shoot at me. If I have to get shot at I would try to get hunkered down behind heavy cover that won't just blow up. Later in the game you get a lot more powerful overwatches, but you also get a lot more tools to handle screw ups and dangerous situations, so I don't get too passive.
I take a lot of time to set a battle up if I can though, when I still haven't activated anything.
The problem with that is that usually if you've activated the aliens, overwatch is already too late because they'll mostly be in cover or pinned in cover anyway by the overwatch, so they'll just be taking static shots. I think it's better to send in the red shirt and just write her off, then move the rest of your troops back, away from the aliens so that they have a turn of no-sight to set up overwatch better.
As Phonehand says, overwatch baiting tactics require that the enemy want to close in on your position, thus ideally the enemies shouldn't be able to see the rest of your overwatching squad, and thus will want to move to where your guys are. It's not the most reliable tactic, but on Classic and Impossible such tactics are the difference between life and death, since until you get Titan Armor and some Colonels your men can't take too many hits, making them unsuited to clashing against enemies head on unless you use liberal amounts of explosives.
As to Finnith's question, that depends on the situation. If you have highly-capable soldiers and have a good chance of hitting your enemy, then you should attempt to kill the aliens before they shoot you. Otherwise, Hunker Down is the best option if you're not confident about taking a shot since it makes your soldiers infinitely more survivable. Ideally your first move every turn should always be the farthest (preferably with a single move, so your soldier can retreat to cover afterwards), giving you the best chance of triggering an enemy first. This'll allow you to position your squad in anticipation of enemy's new positions post-discovery, rather than have the risk of them getting flanked.
Lots of insight into the philosophy and design evolution behind the MEC Trooper, as well as more pics, including our first good look at the Tier III MEC Suit and its Particle Cannon:
Also kinda confirms that it's only the arms and legs that get chopped off.
Surely you're not much more than a head in a suit that big though. They should be able to install some pumps to circulate oxygenated bloody to you noggin to replace your fragile organic ones, making room in your torso for more on-board equipment
e: Reading the article though, they go to lengths to explain why its important the the torso is also retained, defining the cross over point between being a human and being a cyborg
We will see, but I get a feeling that your trooper just gets their arms and legs replaced so there is a directly link between their brain and the limbs, and then those robotic limbs interface directly with the MEC suits.
But that is just my guess. Also I am definitely giving all my MEC troops helmets because that just looks a bit silly to me. I don't mind some of my soldiers, especially snipers, going helmetless but on something that armored it seems silly.
Lots of insight into the philosophy and design evolution behind the MEC Trooper, as well as more pics, including our first good look at the Tier III MEC Suit and its Particle Cannon:
Also kinda confirms that it's only the arms and legs that get chopped off.
Reminds me a bit of this
Edit:
A thought occurs. I wonder if a MEC soldier with good enough willpower can become the Volunteer. That would prove to be an amusing temple ship assault.
I can't believe they don't have a mechanic where, if a soldier dies and you go on to win the mission, you can recover their body and turn it into a mech trooper somehow, at some cost. It always seemed weird that someone would just go 'ok sure, chop off my arms, there's a war to win'. I guess I just like the dreadnought lore from wh40k.
I can't believe they don't have a mechanic where, if a soldier dies and you go on to win the mission, you can recover their body and turn it into a mech trooper somehow, at some cost. It always seemed weird that someone would just go 'ok sure, chop off my arms, there's a war to win'. I guess I just like the dreadnought lore from wh40k.
Maybe there will be one, if they die close enough to the end of the mission? We don't know all the details yet, so you can hope.
A thought occurs. I wonder if a MEC soldier with good enough willpower can become the Volunteer. That would prove to be an amusing temple ship assault.
It was confirmed in an earlier interview that MEC Troopers cannot be tested for Psionic potential. Thus, they can't become psionic and hence can't become Volunteers.
A thought occurs. I wonder if a MEC soldier with good enough willpower can become the Volunteer. That would prove to be an amusing temple ship assault.
It was confirmed in an earlier interview that MEC Troopers cannot be tested for Psionic potential. Thus, they can't become psionic and hence can't become Volunteers.
But you can make a guy a MEC Trooper at any point, right? What if I test my guys, find the gift, and then slice off his appendages and jam him in a mech chassis? His brain still kicks ass - does he just lose psionics? I certainly hope not.
But you can make a guy a MEC Trooper at any point, right? What if I test my guys, find the gift, and then slice off his appendages and jam him in a mech chassis? His brain still kicks ass - does he just lose psionics? I certainly hope not.
Considering the game balance given to not make MEC Troopers into psionics, I don't think you turn Psionics into MECs either.
A thought occurs. I wonder if a MEC soldier with good enough willpower can become the Volunteer. That would prove to be an amusing temple ship assault.
It was confirmed in an earlier interview that MEC Troopers cannot be tested for Psionic potential. Thus, they can't become psionic and hence can't become Volunteers.
But you can make a guy a MEC Trooper at any point, right? What if I test my guys, find the gift, and then slice off his appendages and jam him in a mech chassis? His brain still kicks ass - does he just lose psionics? I certainly hope not.
That's the kind of thing I had in mind.
I guess it'd make more sense for a genetic soldier to have the gift, given that they get some anti-psionic abilities and what not.
So glad I'm finally playing this game. I'm liking it more and more as I figure it out.
At first it was frustrating because I thought I'd have to keep replacing dead members with rookies and didn't see how that would be sustainable. Finally getting the +4hp armor turned that around, for now.
While I'm probably doomed to lose with so many countries backed out of the program, I'm enjoying playing it out anyway. Scraped by to finish the mission with the first sectoid commander, but it was a relief to find out that critically wounded units aren't totally lost.
At first it was frustrating because I thought I'd have to keep replacing dead members with rookies and didn't see how that would be sustainable. Finally getting the +4hp armor turned that around, for now.
At first it was frustrating because I thought I'd have to keep replacing dead members with rookies and didn't see how that would be sustainable. Finally getting the +4hp armor turned that around, for now.
Well you hire on soldiers ahead of time...
Well ya, I knew about hiring but not gear, so the thought of only having rookies as replacements while the missions got harder was daunting.
Apparently taken via instagram from by a user called @starbuckcmdr, who apparently took it at a 'press day' for Enemy Within after having played the mission in question.
Posts
It's got the same enemies every time, doesn't it? You should be able to plan for it.
Gamertag: PrimusD | Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Yes, it's mostly a gearing problem. That, and both times, my heavies were injured when it came up. :P
--Mark Twain
Steam: CavilatRest
Or you can just ignore it, then do some other missions and research tech until it comes up again - not like its rewards are substantial, so doing so is only to your benefit for that mission and the later assault on the Battleship. Ever discovering that you can do so, I now always delay Confounding Light until I have at least Lasers and Carapace armor. All Aboard achievement attained on Classic Ironman.
Move forward anyway. Like a man.
Then die horribly. Like a man.
Depends on what part of the campaign I am in. Hopefully I am at the point where I have access to a lot of explosives or suppressing fire at that point. If I don't have that I will make super, extra sure there isn't some way I might be able to sneak along the edge of the map to a better spot. Failing the above two things? Go in, go in hard. Grenades, flanks, etc. Kill them fast because otherwise they will kill you.
Getting such a situation early on can be really rough, not much you can do but hope for the best sometimes.
Come to think of it, my least used class is the Heavy but I always have one along if I can help it as well, some situations you just can't beat having a Rocket at your disposal.
I take a lot of time to set a battle up if I can though, when I still haven't activated anything.
As Phonehand says, overwatch baiting tactics require that the enemy want to close in on your position, thus ideally the enemies shouldn't be able to see the rest of your overwatching squad, and thus will want to move to where your guys are. It's not the most reliable tactic, but on Classic and Impossible such tactics are the difference between life and death, since until you get Titan Armor and some Colonels your men can't take too many hits, making them unsuited to clashing against enemies head on unless you use liberal amounts of explosives.
As to Finnith's question, that depends on the situation. If you have highly-capable soldiers and have a good chance of hitting your enemy, then you should attempt to kill the aliens before they shoot you. Otherwise, Hunker Down is the best option if you're not confident about taking a shot since it makes your soldiers infinitely more survivable. Ideally your first move every turn should always be the farthest (preferably with a single move, so your soldier can retreat to cover afterwards), giving you the best chance of triggering an enemy first. This'll allow you to position your squad in anticipation of enemy's new positions post-discovery, rather than have the risk of them getting flanked.
Lots of insight into the philosophy and design evolution behind the MEC Trooper, as well as more pics, including our first good look at the Tier III MEC Suit and its Particle Cannon:
Also kinda confirms that it's only the arms and legs that get chopped off.
e: Reading the article though, they go to lengths to explain why its important the the torso is also retained, defining the cross over point between being a human and being a cyborg
But that is just my guess. Also I am definitely giving all my MEC troops helmets because that just looks a bit silly to me. I don't mind some of my soldiers, especially snipers, going helmetless but on something that armored it seems silly.
Reminds me a bit of this
Edit:
Steam profile - Twitch - YouTube
Switch: SM-6352-8553-6516
Maybe there will be one, if they die close enough to the end of the mission? We don't know all the details yet, so you can hope.
Gamertag: PrimusD | Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
It was confirmed in an earlier interview that MEC Troopers cannot be tested for Psionic potential. Thus, they can't become psionic and hence can't become Volunteers.
Considering the game balance given to not make MEC Troopers into psionics, I don't think you turn Psionics into MECs either.
That's the kind of thing I had in mind.
I guess it'd make more sense for a genetic soldier to have the gift, given that they get some anti-psionic abilities and what not.
Steam profile - Twitch - YouTube
Switch: SM-6352-8553-6516
At first it was frustrating because I thought I'd have to keep replacing dead members with rookies and didn't see how that would be sustainable. Finally getting the +4hp armor turned that around, for now.
While I'm probably doomed to lose with so many countries backed out of the program, I'm enjoying playing it out anyway. Scraped by to finish the mission with the first sectoid commander, but it was a relief to find out that critically wounded units aren't totally lost.
Steam profile - Twitch - YouTube
Switch: SM-6352-8553-6516
There's also this interesting tidbit according to the game's description:
Stealth-based missions in XCOM?
Jesus, you should put NSFW stuff like that behind spoilers. Now I gotta slide up under my desk until it subsides.
Asshole.
Well you hire on soldiers ahead of time...
Gamertag: PrimusD | Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Sooo.....that'd be a no?
Well ya, I knew about hiring but not gear, so the thought of only having rookies as replacements while the missions got harder was daunting.
Pre-ordered. Good looking out, Sayuri.
Also, it seems that XCOM is free until Sunday on Steam, if you guys know anyone who has been sitting on the fence about it in the past.
Steam profile - Twitch - YouTube
Switch: SM-6352-8553-6516
Greenmangaming have it too, but use the code GMG20-WS93W-R39MD to further reduce the price by an addition 20% - £14.40 compared to £17.99.
Apparently taken via instagram from by a user called @starbuckcmdr, who apparently took it at a 'press day' for Enemy Within after having played the mission in question.
That's a good name for the opfor. Got a nice ring to it.
That didn't work for me. Must not work in the US.