New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 30 of 136
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    I've had my eye on this game ever since it came out, but it has always been a little out of my price range as of late when it comes to my leisure time budget. But the Steam Summer Sale happened and my brother was nice enough to gift me a copy since he was buying one as well.

    I started the game up, played through the tutorial and have gotten as far as invading the Alien Base (ignored that to level up and such; just saw my first Berserker), but I've lost Egypt (and thus Africa) and I have a feeling that I've already screwed up my game.

    So, I'm planning to re-start from scratch (this time with no tutorial so I can start at Africa), but I want to look more in-depth into the how-tos of the game before I make any game ruining errors again. I've heard that Second Wave options like the random stats and random stat upgrade mods can actually make the game easier, but I'm not sure. I appreciate any advice to helping me reach this goal.
    Last edited by Tanuki Tales; 2013-07-20 at 12:31 PM.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    ThePhantom's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hiding in the shadows
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    Okay, where you start is important. For your first time, you want either more money, or easier way of doing the research & making stuff. Remember to plan your base out, so you can put the things that power each other up together.

    As for the missions, look carefully at the panic levels, and try to pick the one that will keep the most nations calm. Now, when the base appears, you want to that either soon as you can, or wait until a lot of nations are about to pull out, as doing the base soon will result in weaker enemies there, and it will cause a big drop in panic levels across the globe.
    Avatar by Emperor Ing

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Colossus in the Playground
     
    Eldan's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Switzerland
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    On your first playthrough, you'll probably lose a country or two anyway. I did, don't worry, you can still win.
    Resident Vancian Apologist

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    TEXAS and 49 Other States

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    Grenades and explosives are great for destroying enemy cover or weakening strong enemy units. Killing with explosives is not usually optimal because you don't get as much loot.

    It's generally a bad idea to use both moves of a unit. Move once and overwatch if you are approaching an unknown area.

    Don't be afraid to fall back to better cover.

    Shredder + HEAT is an amazing combo.
    If God had wanted you to live he would not have created me!

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Sep 2008

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    Not to be pedantic, but X-COM and XCOM are two very different beast.

    Might want to get rid of the hyphen if nothing else. (I came in thinking you were referring to the older game.)

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Cikomyr's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Montreal
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Grif View Post
    Not to be pedantic, but X-COM and XCOM are two very different beast.

    Might want to get rid of the hyphen if nothing else. (I came in thinking you were referring to the older game.)
    I don't see why anyone would want to play the old X-Com now that there is a modern, better version. Better graphics and simpler gameplay, what's the point of the old clunky version?
    I am trolling off course : - D

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    @Obadiah: Isn't it better to have every use their first movement action so you can scope things out and then decide if you want to put everyone into Overwatch?

    And I try to have a heavy so I can spot remove nasty opponents if necessary, but I was always running out of weapon fragments. Though arcing things became difficult as soon as the Cyberdiscs and Berserkers showed up; too much health and too much damage to let them live long enough to be captured.

    @Phantom: So waiting makes it difficult? I was kind of just letting it wait until I was fully researched and had a team of six make it to Colonel. ^^;


    @In general:

    When I start getting up satellites, what is the best country to be gunning for? I originally took over South America as fast as I could for its continent bonus.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Zevox's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    @In general:

    When I start getting up satellites, what is the best country to be gunning for? I originally took over South America as fast as I could for its continent bonus.
    Africa has the most useful continent bonus. If you didn't set up your base there, that's the first place to go for, generally.

    South America is really one that either take early, because it's the smallest and you get the most benefit out of it by taking it early, or you ignore it because it's the least consequential in terms of both the money it nets you and its continent bonus.

    The other three are all useful to some degree, though North America probably the least so. Still, it's likely smart to put a few satellites over the richest countries before going for a full set on any of those larger continents, just to make sure you have good income.

    Otherwise, you put satellites over the countries with the highest panic rating, to reduce it and prevent them from abandoning the program. That really overrides all other concerns - if countries are at a 4 or 5 panic rating, get satellites on them ASAP, unless you're really willing to lose them.
    Toph Pony avatar by Dirtytabs. Thanks!

    "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." -C.S. Lewis

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    So, assuming no panic 4 or 5 countries are there at the time, I should scramble satellites to cover the largest payout countries and then work on taking over continents?

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    SwashbucklerGuy

    Join Date
    Sep 2009

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Zevox View Post
    Africa has the most useful continent bonus. If you didn't set up your base there, that's the first place to go for, generally.
    Uh no you shouldn't "aim" for any continent at all. Even if you had to, I would disagree about Africa.

    In general, you place your satellites for two reasons:

    1. Reduce Panic Rating
    2. Income

    in THAT order. If Africa is all green but 3 countries in Europe are all red, you better put those satellites in Europe!

    Never put satellites over countries unless they're about to leave - you claim continents when its possible, not just so you can "rush" those bonuses.


    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    So, assuming no panic 4 or 5 countries are there at the time, I should scramble satellites to cover the largest payout countries and then work on taking over continents?
    Assuming there aren't an countries threatening to leave, you should go for Europe (assuming you started in United States, and who doesn't?).

    Europe has the highest paying countries (second to US) and honestly its bonus saves you the most when you need it (normally 2nd - 3rd month).

    You should always start in North America - it has the best starting gold and the bonus is useful for the second month. The first time you see a big ship is often the hardest to stop.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cikomyr View Post
    I don't see why anyone would want to play the old X-Com now that there is a modern, better version. Better graphics and simpler gameplay, what's the point of the old clunky version?
    I am trolling off course : - D
    The old game has different gameplay, and that'd be reason enough.

    Also GRAA WHITE-TEXT
    Last edited by endoperez; 2013-07-20 at 03:47 PM.

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Zevox's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    So, assuming no panic 4 or 5 countries are there at the time, I should scramble satellites to cover the largest payout countries and then work on taking over continents?
    Basically, yes.

    Quote Originally Posted by JKTrickster View Post
    Uh no you shouldn't "aim" for any continent at all. Even if you had to, I would disagree about Africa.

    In general, you place your satellites for two reasons:

    1. Reduce Panic Rating
    2. Income
    In case you missed it, I mentioned that very thing later in my post.

    As for Africa, the big thing is that having its continent bonus dramatically increases your income - save for very early in the game, when you only have a few satellites, it gives you more than any one country. Especially long-term. Which means you get more stuff earlier, including more satellites, which means a much better position overall. It's the best place to start, and if you don't start there, absolutely the best continent to take as your first complete one.

    Quote Originally Posted by JKTrickster View Post
    You should always start in North America - it has the best starting gold and the bonus is useful for the second month. The first time you see a big ship is often the hardest to stop.
    North America does have the best starting gold, but that's all it has going for it. The continent bonus just saves you some money on aircraft, which really isn't that great of a benefit, short-term or long-term, as you don't need a lot of them. And Africa is in second on starting gold, since you get both the $100 base from Nigeria and the 30% continent bonus - and that continent bonus will quickly add up when you launch more satellites over rich countries like the US and Russia, so that you're earning substantially more than you would if you started in North America.

    Africa also gives you bonus Engineers instead of North America's bonus scientists, which is generally preferable early on, since you need to build up certain minimum numbers of Engineers to unlock different construction projects.
    Last edited by Zevox; 2013-07-20 at 03:53 PM.
    Toph Pony avatar by Dirtytabs. Thanks!

    "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." -C.S. Lewis

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Silfir's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Esslingen, Germany
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Starting continent is not an easy question. Asia saves you like §90 on Wet Work and Squad Size I, which I usually want to research ASAP. By the end of month one, Africa amounts to less than that. Month two - You only need three satellites to secure Africa otherwise, but four to secure Asia, so you might already have it by then. Even if not, saving §90 somewhere in the first two months instantly might beat earning §200 at the beginning of month three, and a larger and more highly skilled squad means you die less, you have to use frag grenades less often and you can afford to try to stun aliens more often, which gives you a significant return on investment in the form of weapon fragments and plasma weapons, either of which are worth money and in some ways worth more then money. It's a toss-up. If you want to take no chances on Africa, start there; I prefer Asia.

    (The other continents seem less profitable to me. Laboratories are not early game buildings and Workshops you will only build one or two in the first few months; Europe is hard to get otherwise, but not that good. Interrogations and Autopsies can be delayed no problem until you get South America, and Interceptors with Avalanche or maybe Phoenix will also be enough for quite a while.)

    Get engineers in abductions. You need engineers to build satellite uplinks, which you need to deploy more satellites to get more funding, and they make every item you buy cheaper, including the satellites. The only thing that loses you more money in the long run than not picking engineers every time you can is losing an entire country, and unfortunately in every abduction you will get panic increases in the two continents you didn't go to, so you might end up having to go somewhere that doesn't offer engineers. (Of course, there might be escalating consequences from not having skilled soldiers - getting a Captain level Heavy as replacement after your only previous skilled Heavy bit the dust might decide the outcome of an entire terror mission, for instance if it involves cyberdisks or you need to clear a throng of chryssalids with a rocket now more then once.)

    Always wait until the 9th of every month (satellites take twenty days) to order the satellites you plan to deploy by the end of the month - you might get more engineers before then, which makes your satellites cheaper. For instance, at the start of the first month you already know you will be deploying a satellite, but waiting until after the first mission will drop the price for that one satellite from §100 to §77. For the same reason, workshops are important - they increase your engineer count, which makes everything cheaper, and the adjacency bonus makes everything cheaper still. For weapons and such, too - wait to buy equipment until just before a mission, and always only as much as you need. (A good idea anyway. Only your snipers, especially those with Gunslinger, will really appreciate laser pistols right after you research them.)

    Buildings get very significant adjacency bonuses, so you will want to deploy your satellite uplinks, power buildings and workshops in 2x2 squares. (You can have four such squares in total. Your first uplink is in place for a square in the upper left half.) If you adhere to that for uplinks, you go from 2 max to 5 to 8 to 12 (Placing a nexus instead of an uplink gives an extra 2, but researching nexi early delays weapon research). Uplinks take 14 days to build - so if you're at the 9th of the month and up to four engineers shy of building an uplink, it might prove profitable to buy satellites just in case you get an abduction mission before the 15th that would allow you to build the uplink you need in order to deploy them.

    You need fairly enormous luck with missions to build a second uplink in the first month, and it's not really necessary. Do have a second uplink by the end of the second, and three satellites in store. This will allow you to save three panicking countries, and if things haven't been going poorly, secure your next continent bonus. With the extra funding, you should be able to ensure another three satellites before the end of month three, even if you have to build a workshop or two to get there, and can also afford to buy the advanced weaponry that your scientists will have researched by then. Even without extra scientists from abductions, your laser weapons will come online at or around the time the first aliens requiring the extra firepower rear their ugly heads. You can kill Chryssalids with conventional weapons, too, but it's better not to have to.

    Not Created Equally and Hidden Potential change your pool of equally middling soldiers into a mixed bag of really good to really crappy soldiers - and since you only need to field four to six of them you can pick the good ones right from the start. Especially in early missions that gives your squad a significant edge. The flip side is that instead of 12 useful soldiers you start with approximately 7-8 useful soldiers and 4-5 guys who can't hit the broad side of a barn, are scared of their own shadows, or both, so if your main squad gets sidelined or killed you need to start hiring replacements sooner. If money or time cease to be an issue late game, you can just start hiring soldiers by the truckload and train a cream of the crop squad for the final mission. (I pick these two settings as well as New Economy simply because I love randomizing things.)
    Last edited by Silfir; 2013-07-20 at 04:18 PM.
    This signature is boring. The stuff I write might not be. Warning: Ponies.

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Anarion's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    San Francisco
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cikomyr View Post
    I don't see why anyone would want to play the old X-Com now that there is a modern, better version. Better graphics and simpler gameplay, what's the point of the old clunky version?
    I am trolling off course : - D
    Well-played troll, good sir.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    @Obadiah: Isn't it better to have every use their first movement action so you can scope things out and then decide if you want to put everyone into Overwatch?
    Nope. The safest possible movement is follow the leader. You have one person use a single movement action. Everyone else follows that one person's exact footsteps, ending one space behind that person in a line. Then you end turn by putting everyone in overwatch. That guarantees that if you trigger a spawn during your turn, you'll have the maximum possible actions to respond to them.

    Once you're actually aware of and fighting aliens, you want to position in good cover and set up flanks. On the easier difficulties, you can win a straight up firefight, but as the game gets harder, you end up relying more and more on explosives and flanking positions, as well as the hunker down ability. Even on easier difficulties, the game gets markedly easier if you have good position and advance with hunker down.

    Since you're at the alien base, I assume that you've obtained some better equipment and some promoted guys. Snipers are the biggest advantage, as you can carefully move to give them safe shots via their squadsight ability, while the soldier providing vision can hunker down or move back out of sight. Assaults with Lightning Reflexes and Heavies with rockets are also a big game, the first for being able to advance safely when aliens overwatch, and the second for being able to save your butt if you mess up via large rockets.

    And I try to have a heavy so I can spot remove nasty opponents if necessary, but I was always running out of weapon fragments. Though arcing things became difficult as soon as the Cyberdiscs and Berserkers showed up; too much health and too much damage to let them live long enough to be captured.
    You can't capture cyberdiscs. You can, and should, capture a berserker. Just keep shooting it, it will run into melee anyway and once it's low, you can have several squad members try to arc it.

    @Phantom: So waiting makes it difficult? I was kind of just letting it wait until I was fully researched and had a team of six make it to Colonel. ^^;
    If, at any time, you have 6 colonels, at least one of whom is psionic, you've basically won the game. I personally would never bring all 6 on the same mission though. Might as well start training up backups and replacement guys, especially since the officer training school upgrades result in new soldiers having higher willpower than your starting team.
    School Fox by Atlur

    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    Anarion's right on the money here.
    Quotes

    "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
    Oscar Wilde Writer & Poet (1891)

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    ClericGuy

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Apart from already emntined very good suggestions, I think one point not stressed enough is gow to build your team and how awesome the snipers are.

    Really, squadie who can't kill anything, who can't move and shoot will become death incarnate with the right build. Most impoertant perk is "Squad Sight". Always, always get squad sight. Snap shot is a very big trap. Double Tap and In The Zone both ave their fans but I'm partial to double tap for its abiity to immediatly remove a threat while In The Zone is better for serial killing of little dudes. ALso you want to pick pistol upgrades from foundry and give your best pistolsto your snipers as they can't shoot their rifle after moving. Snipers can do 7 damage with a pistol end game which is very good. I reccomend 2 of these guys.

    Supports are very straight forward. Just remember to pick multiple medpacks perk and rest is really up to you. Although I think "Savior" is much better pick at colonel rank. 1 of these guys are enough.

    When it comes to assaults and heavies you must decide you play style, ıf you want to blow everything forever and pick the now coverless aliens off, 2 heavies are way to got. If you want to move more in the lines of "flank and conquer" 2 assaults are way to go. Spec you heavies for maximum explosion and mayhem and assaults for tankiness gives better results at least for me.

    With a team comp like this it is entirely possible to complete the game on ironman impossible, just be patient as other before me sait overwatch all the time.

    As for the alien base, I think waiting as long as possible and doing it right as many countries has a high panic rating is the best way. Also America start is better than africa imho.

    Wow, this way way longer than I intended. Maybe I should reinstall, hmm...
    Thousands of years ago, Egyptians worshipped what would become our ordinary housecat. The cats have never forgotten this.

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    What's the lowest Will and Aim you should tolerate with squad members?

    I'm pretty pleased that I have an Aim 80, Will 41 Rookie just at the beginning of my new game.
    Last edited by Tanuki Tales; 2013-07-20 at 05:48 PM.

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Cikomyr's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Montreal
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    What's the lowest Will and Aim you should tolerate with squad members?

    I'm pretty pleased that I have an Aim 80, Will 41 Rookie just at the beginning of my new game.
    With my luck, that kind of soldier would end up rolling to become a Support.

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    RagingKrikkit's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Hotel California
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in X-Com: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldan View Post
    On your first playthrough, you'll probably lose a country or two anyway. I did, don't worry, you can still win.
    My first playthrough, I launched the final mission down three countries with two more probably not going to last the month. If you strat feeling screwed, that's how you're supposed to feel as you get closer to the end of the game, leading to your last gasp of a final mission.

    And I'd suggest that you continue your current game. If you're worried about panic, then hit the base, as that will net you a global panic reduction.
    LPs that I like to think I will get back to some day.

    To Make a Fan: Let's Play Final Fantasy

    Let's Play Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

  19. - Top - End - #19
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2006

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    From the overworld standpoint, you'll want to focus everything into extra satellites and satellite uplinks for the first two to three months. On missions, prioritize any country that you are in imminent danger of losing (and yes, it is possible to not lose a single country), followed by engineers (faster/cheaper satellites), cash, and then scientists.

    Other notes, hmm... You might get exceptionally unlucky and land a bomb defusal or even worse, a civilian extraction mission, as the first assigned mission, in which case, you may want to consider save-scumming to get something other than one of those two mission types. The easiest is probably VIP-extraction.


    Basically, strategy in XCOM:EU is a test of patience. When a map loads, only a few enemies are actually spawned. The last thing you want to do is charge around the map, as you've now spawned a bazillion enemies, instead of fighting them a few spawns at a time. The AI isn't particularly brilliant, so they will eventually come to you if you give it enough time. Use the first movement on every soldier to setup flanking positions on any potential spawns, then set overwatch. Slowly work your way through the map, and take your time securing each room or hallway.

    Part of this also comes down to play style, but snipers are incredibly overpowered in this game. Find some high ground, or research the flying armor, and then park them way off in the corner. Use a Support with extra movement to go hunting for enemies, and then your snipers can eliminate the enemy with extreme prejudice. You can also use a variety of grenades and missiles to knock down any walls obstructing line of sight between the sniper(s) and the target(s).

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cikomyr View Post
    With my luck, that kind of soldier would end up rolling to become a Support.
    She's a Sniper.

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Minnesota
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Top ten most important things:

    1. Pick Asia, Africa, or Europe (don't run the tutorial. Just watch a Let's Play where a guy does up to the point where they explain how your base works. Or we can explain it to you)
    2. Build satellites
    3. Use grenades
    4. Build satellites
    5. Use rockets
    6. Build satellites
    7. Pick Squadsight for your snipers
    8. Build satellites
    9. Research carapace armor ASAP
    10. Build satellites
    Last edited by Hiro Protagonest; 2013-07-20 at 07:09 PM.
    Avatar of George the Dragon Slayer, from the upcoming Indivisible!
    My Steam profile
    Warriors and Wuxia, Callos_DeTerran's ToB setting

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Cikomyr's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Montreal
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Sniper with Squadsight and a clear line of fire into the unknown.is the perfect friend when you go explore. Any enemies you encounter will quickly regret their free.movement on spawn, as it triggers overwatch.

    And they are out of cover. Boom! Headshot!

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    I really like starting in Asia because of the cheaper Academy bonuses. Tactical combat drives the game. Anything that makes tactical combat easier (more d00ds plz) will spill over in to other segments of the game. Plus it's harder to secure. So you don't have to worry about controlling it anymore.

    I also recommend using the move + overwatch. Pick one guy, that person is your point man. NOBODY moves further than he does for any reason ever. Spread the rest of your team out just a little bit as cover allows. But nobody should ever be further than one move from anybody else. Once everybody has moved and you haven't triggered a spawn then put them on overwatch.


    Grenades. If you can kill more than one enemy with an explosive it is always worth it. You can always murder more guys and take their stuff. But you can't level up a solider as fast as you can loot stuff. I'd rather have 2 dead aliens and no weapons fragments than 2 dead aliens and weapons fragments and a dead soldier.

    The exception is on a UFO. That crap is valuable. Try not to explode it.

    Snipers and Heavies have feat taxes. Snipers always take squadsight, and heavies always take heat ammo. Even if your heavy picks up heat ammo way before you fight anything that needs it. Nothing feels better than a Cyberdisc floating in to your heavy who bought Heat Ammo 3 hours ago and then turning it in to goo.

    I really like crippling shot on Snipers. I don't always take it. But I really really like it. Two cyberdiscs suddenly show up and you can't kill them both in one round? Well *pow* Now one of them doesn't get to play this turn.

    Berserker ping-pong is fun. Especially when you manage to ping them in to the Shotty Assault soldier. He shoots with his shotgun, triggers the berserk charge, which triggers a free shotgun blast and the berserker falls dead at his feet. LIKE A BOSS.

    For squad composition I really like 1 sniper, 1 heavy, 1 assault, and TWO supports. I really like the midrange firepower afforded by the rifle. I also really love the extra flexibility provided by the "extra move speed" power. I use my supports to zip back and forth between squadmates to provide flanks, supporting fire, emergency medpack support, smoke grenades, whatever. They are, in my opinion, the most flexible unit in the game. Also what do you do when someone shoots your medic in the face early in the mission? You have a dead medic. UNLESS YOU HAVE ANOTHER MEDIC!!!!! (who can revive the first one if you're lucky) :D

    For that 6th slot, do whatever seems cool. Double Heavy? Rocks are cool. More rocks are even cooler: Now you can play all crazy fast and loose with the meat shields exploding things all day. Double Assault? Great for boarding UFOs and some of those really terrible Terror missions that happen inside buildings. Double Sniper? You'll be glad you have those supports to scout because now you are playing on Easy Mode.

    If your sniper doesn't have anything to do on his turn consider moving him towards the team. I've followed the "put your sniper in a corner and kill all the things" advice. But they don't tell you that the AI does patrol the map and they WILL stumble on your lone sniper. God help you if you neglected the speed upgrade on your supports. Because that sniper is going to die.


    As an addendum I like better guns before better armor. It is IMO better to kill aliens faster take less hits than it is to put out less damage but absorb slightly more. If you burn a hole through the alien's head with a laser rifle before he has a chance to shoot you then you probably didn't need the armor.

    But better guns are expensive to research. So I try and shoot for the capture mission ASAP to interrogate that stupid alien and unlock fast plasma. But thats just my personal thing.
    Last edited by Seatbelt; 2013-07-20 at 08:04 PM.

  24. - Top - End - #24
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Minnesota
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Seatbelt View Post
    For squad composition I really like 1 sniper, 1 heavy, 1 assault, and TWO supports. I really like the midrange firepower afforded by the rifle. I also really love the extra flexibility provided by the "extra move speed" power. I use my supports to zip back and forth between squadmates to provide flanks, supporting fire, emergency medpack support, smoke grenades, whatever. They are, in my opinion, the most flexible unit in the game. Also what do you do when someone shoots your medic in the face early in the mission? You have a dead medic. UNLESS YOU HAVE ANOTHER MEDIC!!!!! (who can revive the first one if you're lucky) :D
    Or you could double up on something else and give a non-Support the medikit. You don't need two smoke grenades.
    As an addendum I like better guns before better armor. It is IMO better to kill aliens faster take less hits than it is to put out less damage but absorb slightly more. If you burn a hole through the alien's head with a laser rifle before he has a chance to shoot you then you probably didn't need the armor.
    What if the aliens surprise you? What if you miss? Carapace armor takes you out of one-shot territory. All ballistic weapons other than the pistol can one-shot a sectoid.
    Last edited by Hiro Protagonest; 2013-07-20 at 08:26 PM.
    Avatar of George the Dragon Slayer, from the upcoming Indivisible!
    My Steam profile
    Warriors and Wuxia, Callos_DeTerran's ToB setting

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Bugbear in the Playground
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jade Dragon View Post
    Or you could double up on something else and give a non-Support the medikit. You don't need two smoke grenades.

    This is a thing you could do, yes. But I like double scouts. I wasn't trying to say that 2x support is the best/correct way to play. But its the way I play and it works very well for me.

    Wasn't saying I never get armor, either. But if you move correctly the chances of getting "surprised" with no response are very low.

  26. - Top - End - #26
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Anarion's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    San Francisco
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jade Dragon View Post
    9. Research carapace armor ASAP
    Disagree. Laser weapons first is the way to go. It's nice to actually be capable of killing Chrysalids the first time you see them.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jade Dragon View Post
    What if the aliens surprise you? What if you miss? Carapace armor takes you out of one-shot territory. All ballistic weapons other than the pistol can one-shot a sectoid.
    Not in impossible they can't.
    School Fox by Atlur

    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    Anarion's right on the money here.
    Quotes

    "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
    Oscar Wilde Writer & Poet (1891)

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Minnesota
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Anarion View Post
    Not in impossible they can't.
    I can give you advice, and I can give you advice for Impossible. Two different things.
    Avatar of George the Dragon Slayer, from the upcoming Indivisible!
    My Steam profile
    Warriors and Wuxia, Callos_DeTerran's ToB setting

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Zevox's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    I'm another who prefers to have two Medics on hand at all times. With just one you can't guarantee they'll be in range of wounded units you need to heal. With two it's much easier to manage. And in larger missions, such as the base assault or the final mission, you might well need those six med-pack uses instead of three. Plus it's not like supports are slouches in the damage department either - laser and plasma rifles do just fine.

    I tended to go two Supports, one Sniper, and split the remaining slots 2/1 between Heavies and Assaults (I changed up which between files). Yeah, Snipers are amazing, but I never felt having only one hurt me. Of course, I never played on Insanity, either, so there's that. Did play on Classic and did well, however.

    I also tend to grab Carapace Armor before Laser weapons, albeit mostly because I tend to unlock it first. Both are an important investment though, so in the end I don't think it makes a huge difference which you grab first, so long as you get them as fast as you can.
    Toph Pony avatar by Dirtytabs. Thanks!

    "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." -C.S. Lewis

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    What's the lowest Will and Aim you should tolerate with squad members?
    So?

    I saw on another forum that lower than 40 is a kiss of death.

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Anarion's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    San Francisco
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Crash course in XCom: Enemy Unknown?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tanuki Tales View Post
    So?

    I saw on another forum that lower than 40 is a kiss of death.
    It's basically irrelevant. Unless you're using second wave options, the numbers will hardly vary at all. Later, once you've purchased iron will from the officer training school, you can start rotating in new soldiers with better will if you want.

    The only place where will becomes an issue is critically wounded soldiers who survive a mission. They take a big will hit and are liable to panic in future missions. So, if you have the extra manpower, you can consider retiring people that take serious wounds.
    School Fox by Atlur

    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    Anarion's right on the money here.
    Quotes

    "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
    Oscar Wilde Writer & Poet (1891)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •