XCOM: One Does Not Simply "Shoot" a Cryssalid...

[Impnemo]

I've got panic totally under control, so I'm not screwed by it, but losing three experienced troops to the game hating me still hurts.

I've been trying to start an II playthrough. Latest attempt goes like this: one sectoid springs out of the darkness and runs out into the middle of no where, dodges the reaction fire, takes no cover and allows himself to be flanked. He shoots a squadie. He crits their face. Rest of the team panics and shoots itself to death. There is almost something calming about the predictability of it all, knowing there is nothing that can be done.

[Neon Knight]

Thanks for the advice about Interceptors, I'll see if it works out with just a few uplink powerups and maybe a Phoenix Cannon or two. They're not that expensive, and I really am limited more by alloys and weapon fragments than raw cash at this point. It might cut a bit into my S.H.I.V. budget, but oh well. My only casualty on this play-through was a S.H.I.V., and although it was useful, it wasn't pivotal. Rest in peace, THUNDER-2.

[Zevox]

I've heard that battleships only appear after a lesser ship manages to escape from you. I don't know if that's true, as that sounds rather strange.

Definitely not. I've gotten battleships in both of my files so far, and only failed to shoot down a ship once in each of those, in both cases very early in the game.

Zevox

[Surrealistik]

Out of curiousity, which part? The 'you cheated' part, or the little kids playing against grown men part? For that matter, was X-com the grown men or the little kids?

It's not immediately clear, damn it!

The latter in all cases; much as I'm tempted to say 'both' for the first.

[KillianHawkeye]

As I get further into the game, I can't decide which terror mission is worse: 6 chryssalids, 4 mutons and 2 berserkers, or 2 chryssalids and 10 heavy floaters. The heavy floaters aren't as dangerous, but they brutally massacre the civilians. On the other hand, a berserker hilariously falcon punched my SHIV.

[Anarion]

As I get further into the game, I can't decide which terror mission is worse: 6 chryssalids, 4 mutons and 2 berserkers, or 2 chryssalids and 10 heavy floaters. The heavy floaters aren't as dangerous, but they brutally massacre the civilians. On the other hand, a berserker hilariously falcon punched my SHIV.

I choose option C. 1 sectopod, 1 cyberdisc, 4 drones, 3 berserkers, 6 mutons, 2 chrysalids.

[Krade]

I have determined that Ghost Armor in multiplayer is powerful well past the point of broken. Especially considering that Mind Control doesn't break cloak. Just in the past few hours I've fought four. Different. People. All with the exact same setup: Psi Assault, Ghost Armor, Alloy Cannon. And one Sectoid. That's it. And the Ghost Armor kicks the ass of my well balanced team almost everytime. It's getting really irritating.

Also, they increased the point value of the Deadeye sniper, so now it costs as much as the Colonel package, despite only being a Captain. Completely ridiculous. I'm really hoping they increase the price of Ghost Amor because it's just stupid the way it is now.

[Trazoi]

Cyberdiscs are the unit that freaks me out the most. It's something about that moment as it floats right up in the face of a soldier and uncurls into cannons of death that you know the end result isn't going to be pleasant.

[KillianHawkeye]

I choose option C. 1 sectopod, 1 cyberdisc, 4 drones, 3 berserkers, 6 mutons, 2 chrysalids.

LOL, I'm not quite there yet!

I just researched the hyperwave decoder and met my first heavy floaters.

[Surrealistik]

I have determined that Ghost Armor in multiplayer is powerful well past the point of broken. Especially considering that Mind Control doesn't break cloak. Just in the past few hours I've fought four. Different. People. All with the exact same setup: Psi Assault, Ghost Armor, Alloy Cannon. And one Sectoid. That's it. And the Ghost Armor kicks the ass of my well balanced team almost everytime. It's getting really irritating.

Also, they increased the point value of the Deadeye sniper, so now it costs as much as the Colonel package, despite only being a Captain. Completely ridiculous. I'm really hoping they increase the price of Ghost Amor because it's just stupid the way it is now.

I don't bother with MP anymore due to this combo or some variation thereof, mass snipers (which has been tackled a bit admittedly), Ethereals and to a lesser extent, mass Sec Coms being blatantly OP and dominant for their points; there's no variety.

[Eurus]

I've been trying to start an II playthrough. Latest attempt goes like this: one sectoid springs out of the darkness and runs out into the middle of no where, dodges the reaction fire, takes no cover and allows himself to be flanked. He shoots a squadie. He crits their face. Rest of the team panics and shoots itself to death. There is almost something calming about the predictability of it all, knowing there is nothing that can be done.

Was it telepathically linked? From what I've seen, Sectoids go kamikaze once they link up.

[Luzahn]

Is it wrong that my reaction to most things has become rockets?

[tyckspoon]

Is it wrong that my reaction to most things has become rockets?

Rockets have *always* been the answer in X-Com. The only difference in the new version is you have to level your Heavy(/ies) before they can carry enough explosives to apply them to everything.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

Is it wrong that my reaction to most things has become rockets?

In my current IC run, Heavy Jose "Chunky Salsa" Rodriguez has almost as many kills as the rest of Alpha Squad put together.

[Krade]

I don't bother with MP anymore due to this combo or some variation thereof, mass snipers (which has been tackled a bit admittedly), Ethereals and to a lesser extent, mass Sec Coms being blatantly OP and dominant for their points; there's no variety.

The thing is, the other 40-50 games I played before today I never once encountered that setup. Then, all of a sudden, today I can hardly find a match without it.

The level of cheese involved with the Ghost Armor Psi Assault is too much for me to stoop to. However, after recently being beaten by two Psi Supports, I decided to give that a try. Let's just say that being able to pick up a downed Psionic is... nice. They don't have Mind Control, but the shield they can put up instead is pretty beastly. Slap a Mind Shield on each (because they get two items) and throw in a couple Sectoids and you get a surprisingly competent team.

That said, 2500pts for the Support's psi package is criminally low. You can easily field two of them WITH decent equipment (Light Plasma Rifle, Skeleton Suit, MedKit and Mind Shield).

[thorgrim29]

What's a mind shield? Is it one of these things you pick up from the battleship? Also, why can't I get the DLC to work? I've got the customisation but no sign of the special missions.

[Anarion]

What's a mind shield? Is it one of these things you pick up from the battleship? Also, why can't I get the DLC to work? I've got the customisation but no sign of the special missions.

You get mind shield from an ethereal autopsy. It buffs your will for defense from psionic attacks.

I think the custom missions come up during a regular game, so you might need to start a new file. I'm not sure though, as I haven't downloaded it myself.

[Zevox]

What's a mind shield? Is it one of these things you pick up from the battleship? Also, why can't I get the DLC to work? I've got the customisation but no sign of the special missions.

It's an item that boosts your defenses against psionics. You get it from the autopsy of an Ethereal, I believe.

The special missions DLC isn't out yet - it was just announced, not released. What you have is just the customization DLC that was initially given out as a pre-order bonus and later released to everyone.

Edit: Ninja'd. But is that actually out? I've never heard of DLC releasing that quickly after it was announced before.

Zevox

[Impnemo]

Was it telepathically linked? From what I've seen, Sectoids go kamikaze once they link up.

It was not, though I have noticed that tendency to be more aggressive. The next II attempt went well, by comparison. I got through the first mission without so much as an injury, and the first abduction and UFO shoot down too.

I should have known something was up. Second abduction mission my scout gets plasma pistoled for 2 points of damage. Nothing to it, I figure. 'AIEEE!' Says the Cpl sniper, who proceeds to clock a round off into the back of my scouts head. 'zOMG, team killer!' says my heavy, ducking his head. This must have unnerved my assault, who missed his 89% hit with the shotgun to the side of the sectoid's head. Thats when the other two groups of three sectoids decided to join the first group of three's fun. Next turn my heavy has los on 7 greys, and misses his rocket. Not even the end of the first month and SA and Euro's are all in a panic now.

[thorgrim29]

The special missions DLC isn't out yet - it was just announced, not released. What you have is just the customization DLC that was initially given out as a pre-order bonus and later released to everyone.

Huh... well I just got screwed out of 5 bucks... Eh, my mistake.

[Krade]

Apparently the point balance changes in the multiplayer completely imbalanced the whole thing. It made it so the only way you can make a truly effective "team" is to deck out a Psi Assault in Ghost Armor and not even bother with the whole team thing at all.

Such a shame, really. I was enjoying the multiplayer, but now experimentation with squad layout is useless because there's ONE WINNING STRATEGY. Oh well, guess I'll stick to singleplayer until they switch it back or remove the Ghost Armor entirely.

[Beacon of Chaos]

In my current IC run, Heavy Jose "Chunky Salsa" Rodriguez has almost as many kills as the rest of Alpha Squad put together.

That's the best nickname ever!


Not doing too badly in my Classic game. Got a fairly good team, though I really need another Support; Princess Bubblegum can't keep carrying the team like this.

Currently I have one sattelite available and two countries at max panic level, so I need to choose who to save before the council report in about 5 days >_<. And I already lost France too.

I really want to buy the upgrade that doubles healing rates for my soldiers. I always lose at least one character for about 2-3 weeks after any mission. But that's more money I need for satellites

[Sean Mirrsen]

Apparently the point balance changes in the multiplayer completely imbalanced the whole thing. It made it so the only way you can make a truly effective "team" is to deck out a Psi Assault in Ghost Armor and not even bother with the whole team thing at all.

Such a shame, really. I was enjoying the multiplayer, but now experimentation with squad layout is useless because there's ONE WINNING STRATEGY. Oh well, guess I'll stick to singleplayer until they switch it back or remove the Ghost Armor entirely.

Wait, how it is the ONE WINNING STRATEGY if one can come up with a counterstrategy? Mind control doesn't break stealth, but unless it's changed in MP/stealth circumstances, it: a)requires LOS to target, and b)provides a nice visual cue to the direction of the controller.

So if you make a team of, say, a few heavies with Danger Zone... rocket launchers are one of the few weapons that can be fired indiscriminately. If your soldier gets mind-controlled, you get a pretty indicator to the enemy's position and can see the nearest point within LOS that you should fill with high explosives... or are there other factors to the "ghost psi assault" strategy that I'm not aware of?

[Luzahn]

Rockets have *always* been the answer in X-Com. The only difference in the new version is you have to level your Heavy(/ies) before they can carry enough explosives to apply them to everything.

I always have difficulty between grenades x2 and missile radius. Anybody have opinions on that upgrade?

[KillianHawkeye]

I always have difficulty between grenades x2 and missile radius. Anybody have opinions on that upgrade?

Well I can't say much about carrying 2 grenades yet, but I can say that the increased rocket explosion radius is sometimes a benefit and sometimes a problem. It is more often a benefit though in my experience, so make of that what you will.





Unrelated to that, is there some easier way of getting weapon fragments that I'm just not seeing? Because I need a lot of them to get the advanced aircraft and a bunch more to finish my foundry upgrades. Is it possible to get the overseer UFO with just 4 regular interceptors armed with plasma cannons? I have enough cash to make that happen.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

Unrelated to that, is there some easier way of getting weapon fragments that I'm just not seeing? Because I need a lot of them to get the advanced aircraft and a bunch more to finish my foundry upgrades. Is it possible to get the overseer UFO with just 4 regular interceptors armed with plasma cannons? I have enough cash to make that happen.

AFAIK, you absolutely need the Firestorm to shoot down the Overseer UFO. And the only way to get weapon fragments is not killing the alliums with explosives. Use rockets and 'nades to soften them up, then finish them with regular old bullets/lasers/superheated plasma.

[thorgrim29]

Well, I just lost my trainee squad during the first landed supply barge mission. Stupid teleporting cyberdisks and invinciible sectopods... After about a dozen turns of running around and exploiting LOS, my last guy (a mid level support) goes in the control room, hoping to kill the sectoid commander quickly. But noooo there's two of them, so she dies, presumably by her own hand as she was mind controlled.

[Surrealistik]

I always have difficulty between grenades x2 and missile radius. Anybody have opinions on that upgrade?

2x grenades. More cover destruction, more guaranteed AoE damage when you need it most.

[Zevox]

Not doing too badly in my Classic game. Got a fairly good team, though I really need another Support; Princess Bubblegum can't keep carrying the team like this.

Yeah, I'm getting that too. Entering month 3 I have three Heavies and two Assaults, but only a single Sniper and Support. And the Support seems to be a veritable damage magnet who usually spends a couple of weeks in the infirmary after every mission (poor Fluttershy...).

I always have difficulty between grenades x2 and missile radius. Anybody have opinions on that upgrade?

I always go radius, simply because I never put grenades on my Heavies. Early on I like to give them Nano-Fiber Shirts to help them tank on the front lines, and later on they get Scopes because they're the only class that ends up with actually rather poor accuracy on their own. Grenades go on my Assaults when they're not carrying Arc Throwers, and would go on my Supports once they have the second slot if it weren't the bug that affects that.

Zevox

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I always go radius, simply because I never put grenades on my Heavies. Early on I like to give them Nano-Fiber Shirts to help them tank on the front lines, and later on they get Scopes because they're the only class that ends up with actually rather poor accuracy on their own. Grenades go on my Assaults when they're not carrying Arc Throwers, and would go on my Supports once they have the second slot if it weren't the bug that affects that.

Zevox

Oddly enough, I'm not a big fan of grenades. I've got Heavies with Rockets if I need AE damage or cover destruction. Assault gets cattle prods, support gets either SCOPE or Nano-Fiber along with the medikits. If they need to use a medikit on someone, it generally means there's something unpleasant still lurking around. Last thing I need is my Support to get gibbed while trying to save another guy, so the extra armor is useful. Heavies get SCOPE because the HEAT ammo makes them hellishly effective against mech. And of course Snipers get SCOPE.