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

[Krade]

So while we're on the topic of psionics, my question for the community at large is this:

What's the highest will (pre-Psi armor or mind shield) of any soldier you've had?

Mine? 104

It was a heavy I got as a captain from a mission reward late in my last playthrough. My previous record had been 101.

[YakYak]

I think my best to date is 87 with the OTS boost. Basically, my technique is to keep any squaddie with 47 will alive at all costs.

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by Krade

So while we're on the topic of psionics, my question for the community at large is this:

What's the highest will (pre-Psi armor or mind shield) of any soldier you've had?

Mine? 104

It was a heavy I got as a captain from a mission reward late in my last playthrough. My previous record had been 101.

106 base. Scootaloo during my first playthrough. She mind-controlled an ethereal without a mind shield by wearing psi armor and using the willpower boost psi power a turn earlier to hit 146.

[Krade]

It's funny because my first playthrough I gave all of soldiers Psi Armor and Mind Shields. Then in my second, I realized that Ghost Armor has WAY more utility. Now I only use Psi Armor the final mission because the Volunteer HAS to wear it. Even if thier will is already past 100 without it

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by Krade

It's funny because my first playthrough I gave all of soldiers Psi Armor and Mind Shields. Then in my second, I realized that Ghost Armor has WAY more utility. Now I only use Psi Armor the final mission because the Volunteer HAS to wear it. Even if thier will is already past 100 without it

I really like psi armor on 1-2 guys. My experience is that psionics are not common enough that you can have 4-6 colonels with 100+ base willpower. I usually have 1-2 guys in psi armor near the end since that gives 100% mind control on muton elites and heavy floaters.

I've also take to using flight armor for my snipers, since I prefer the height advantage to the guaranteed crits from ghost.

[Cikomyr]

Quick show of hand. Who here knows what is the alternate power to Mind Control?

Anybody ever took it..?

[Jade Dragon]

Originally Posted by Cikomyr

Quick show of hand. Who here knows what is the alternate power to Mind Control?

*raises hand*

[Impnemo]

I did on my first play through. Not worth it. Yes it made a perceptible difference in shots on target, but, so does taking an enemy out of the fight and having him soak those shots for you. Maybe making it a weaker always on ability, or rebalancing mind control to be less reliable would make it more appealing.

Does have a neat graphic.

[Surrealistik]

Originally Posted by Cikomyr

Quick show of hand. Who here knows what is the alternate power to Mind Control?

Anybody ever took it..?

Their attacks are useless!

As is this ability...

[Binks]

Originally Posted by Cikomyr

Quick show of hand. Who here knows what is the alternate power to Mind Control?

Anybody ever took it..?

*Raises Hand*. I only know it because Sid Meyer (the hero unit) has it and it's decent enough...if Rift, Mind Control and Mind Fray are all on recharge .

[Jade Dragon]

Originally Posted by Binks

*Raises Hand*. I only know it because Sid Meyer (the hero unit) has it and it's decent enough...if Rift, Mind Control and Mind Fray are all on recharge .

...

[Reynard]

Originally Posted by Cikomyr

Quick show of hand. Who here knows what is the alternate power to Mind Control?

Anybody ever took it..?

I took it on a Psychic Support who had the misfortune to get critically wounded at least a half-dozen times of the course of his career, so his Will was a whopping 80 with the suit on. I decided he was unlikely to succeed at mind controlling things and that I'd get more use out of the other one.

Heavy Elizabeth 'Flash' Hughes (Saviour of every one of us) had around 115.

[Impnemo]

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

...

->

Spoiler

[Krade]

Haha!

Just got a Support to Colonel and his Will is 107! He was another reward soldier that I got at Captain. I think that's the best way to get high will soldiers. It seems like all my highest are from rewards.

[Avilan the Grey]

Okey, I keep forgetting to equip the arc throwers. I just ended up in another UFO crash site mission without one. Damn.

In other news... met my first berserker this morning. Ugly helmet. Cool claws. I assume he makes a lot of damage with those if he gets closer than half a map before dying? (Three snipers with Double Tap)

[CreganTur]

I've found the secret to dealing with Berserkers at low level is to kite them past your assaults with the ability that lets them get a free shot against anything that moves near them. They don't last long in those situations.

In other news, using the Blaster on a heavy with Heat ammo and then launching it at a Sectopod is very satisfying.

Somehow still don't have the "all research" achievement, but I have no idea what I could have missed. Anyone, please spoiler me suggestions of what I might be missing.

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by CreganTur

I've found the secret to dealing with Berserkers at low level is to kite them past your assaults with the ability that lets them get a free shot against anything that moves near them. They don't last long in those situations.

In other news, using the Blaster on a heavy with Heat ammo and then launching it at a Sectopod is very satisfying.

Somehow still don't have the "all research" achievement, but I have no idea what I could have missed. Anyone, please spoiler me suggestions of what I might be missing.

Potential missed research

Spoiler

Since you mention blaster, I assume you also have the fusion launcher ship weapon researched?

Have you captured every alien type? These would be

• sectoid
• thin man
• floater
• sectoid commander
• muton
• muton berserker
• muton elite
• heavy floater
• ethereal

Have you done every autopsy? Don't forget drone wrecks, cyberdisc wrecks, sectopod wrecks, and chrysalid bodies.

Have you researched psi armor (only available by progressing the story)?

[Impnemo]

Its probably been brought up in the thread at some point already, but I just found it. There is a relatively painless way to make the game run on XP.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forum....php?t=2964408

Two dll's and a few hex edits is all.

[CreganTur]

Originally Posted by Anarion

Potential missed research

Spoiler

Since you mention blaster, I assume you also have the fusion launcher ship weapon researched?

Have you captured every alien type? These would be

• sectoid
• thin man
• floater
• sectoid commander
• muton
• muton berserker
• muton elite
• heavy floater
• ethereal

Have you done every autopsy? Don't forget drone wrecks, cyberdisc wrecks, sectopod wrecks, and chrysalid bodies.

Have you researched psi armor (only available by progressing the story)?

Spoiler

I have the achievements for every autopsy and every interrogation.

I have researched Psi armor and just got finished researching the plasma lance and blaster.

The only thing I have not done is gone inside the Gollup chamber yet. I've researched and built it, though.

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by CreganTur

Spoiler

I have the achievements for every autopsy and every interrogation.

I have researched Psi armor and just got finished researching the plasma lance and blaster.

The only thing I have not done is gone inside the Gollup chamber yet. I've researched and built it, though.

Have you captured every type of plasma weapon? I'm not sure if you get plasma pistol and light plasma research if you don't have those weapons, even if you research plasma rifle and it's subsequent advanced plasma weaponry.

[CreganTur]

Here is everything I have researched:

Spoiler

after writing this I realized I don't have the autopsy achievement. I'm missing standard floater interrogation.

• xeno-biology
• arc thrower
• outsider shard
• new fighter craft
• hyperwave communication
• ethereal device
• weapon fragments
• alien materials
• experimental warfare
• elerium
• psi armor
• carapace armor
• skeleton suit
• titan armor
• ghost armor
• archangela rmor
• beam weapons
• precision lasers
• heavy lasers
• plasma pistol
• light plasma rifle
• plasma rifle
• heavy plasma
• plasma sniper
• alloy cannon
• plasma cannon
• fusion lance
• guided fusion launcher
• alien nav computer
• ufo power source
• emp cannon
• interrogate sectoid
• interrogate muton
• interrogate sectoid commander
• interrogate berserker
• interrogate thin man
• interrogate heavy floater
• interrogate muton elite
• interrogate ethereal
• sectoid autopsy
• sectoid commander autopsy
• floater autopsy
• thin man autopsy
• muton autopsy
• chryssalid autopsy
• cyberdisk autopsy
• berserer autopsy
• heavy floater autopsy
• muton elite autopsy
• drone autopsy
• sectopod autopsy
• ethereal autopsy

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by CreganTur

Here is everything I have researched:

Spoiler

after writing this I realized I don't have the autopsy achievement. I'm missing standard floater interrogation.

• xeno-biology
• arc thrower
• outsider shard
• new fighter craft
• hyperwave communication
• ethereal device
• weapon fragments
• alien materials
• experimental warfare
• elerium
• psi armor
• carapace armor
• skeleton suit
• titan armor
• ghost armor
• archangela rmor
• beam weapons
• precision lasers
• heavy lasers
• plasma pistol
• light plasma rifle
• plasma rifle
• heavy plasma
• plasma sniper
• alloy cannon
• plasma cannon
• fusion lance
• guided fusion launcher
• alien nav computer
• ufo power source
• emp cannon
• interrogate sectoid
• interrogate muton
• interrogate sectoid commander
• interrogate berserker
• interrogate thin man
• interrogate heavy floater
• interrogate muton elite
• interrogate ethereal
• sectoid autopsy
• sectoid commander autopsy
• floater autopsy
• thin man autopsy
• muton autopsy
• chryssalid autopsy
• cyberdisk autopsy
• berserer autopsy
• heavy floater autopsy
• muton elite autopsy
• drone autopsy
• sectopod autopsy
• ethereal autopsy

Interrogate floater isn't on your list.

[Gnoman]

Ok, that was pretty bad. Doing a Council mission to extract a VIP. My support gets blasted by a Thin Man reaction shot, so my Heavy panics. And waxes the VIP.

[Jade Dragon]

Originally Posted by Gnoman

Ok, that was pretty bad. Doing a Council mission to extract a VIP. My support gets blasted by a Thin Man reaction shot, so my Heavy panics. And waxes the VIP.

The VIP was obviously a spy.

[Eurus]

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

The VIP was obviously a spy.

Spy check. You're doing it wrong.

[Avilan the Grey]

This is interesting...

UFO recovery mission. As I usually do I lick the fence (If I start close enough to see it) on the right side (this time). It keeps my back clear, and it is enough of a ridge to get terrain bonuses.

Problem is I am apparently too far to the right. I am now entering the UFO without encountering anyone. I HEAR the Mutons out there, but they are still in the fog of war. Oh well, I guess I will have to circle round THROUGH the UFO and hit them in the back...!

[Cikomyr]

They will move into cover as soon as you see them, denying you flanking bonuses.

You should sandwich them. Assault inside the UFO, others outside. Have the assault waiting near the closed door until your others guys trigger their reaction.

And then, destroy them from inside the ship.

[Badgerish]

Happy to report that I'm running the game just fine on WinXP64 (needed the 3rd hack/dll but hey)

End of the 2nd month and I have just lost Japan and India :( Had a satellite in storage and 2 days left on building the uplink station

Had my 1st encounter with chrissalids... no deaths but the tension as I tried to whittle them down and stun them was incredible! In the end I had to kill them both, but still an important encounter.

[Drascin]

Originally Posted by Cikomyr

Quick show of hand. Who here knows what is the alternate power to Mind Control?

Anybody ever took it..?

Telekinetic field. I've used it on guys who had lowered will from having been wounded. Hell, in general my experience is that landing mind control is really hard unless you're packing either Psi armor or psi shield, so I barely use it even when I take it. It's been really useful a couple times on very open maps, like those where you enter abductor sgips and there's **** all cover save for a couple stasis tanks.

[Krade]

Originally Posted by Badgerish

Had my 1st encounter with chrissalids... no deaths but the tension as I tried to whittle them down and stun them was incredible! In the end I had to kill them both, but still an important encounter.

You can't capture Chrysalids. Thought you should know before you try that again.