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[Karkov]

PTW, I didn't realize just how different Long War was from the original game.

[UXLZ]

Would you say scouts have good survivability or bad survivability?

Scouts are simultaneously great at surviving and horrible at it. They are great because they basically never have problems with overwatch fire due to their lightning reflexes, which allows them to GTFO if they ever get pinned down or flanked (due to giving them like a 90% chance of dodging overwatch shots). On the other hand that same thing means that one of their more common uses is to draw overwatch fire so that other people who are pinned down or flanked can GTFO. Similarly another common use is as the point man, since they can trigger a group of aliens and then run back, dodging the handful of overwatch shots on the way back to safety. This means that though the chance of them failing a risk is very small, they end up taking a lot of risks in favor of their more vulnerable teammates, and after a while in-game a single failure can mean the end of a scout.

That said they are also rather valuable as arc thrower carriers, since they can dodge overwatch as well as pick up the sprinter ability that gives +4 mobility, allowing them to carry an arc thrower without much of a movement penalty.

I see what you mean. I think that happened at least twice in the above encounter. Still, I like this. It makes fights more tense to observe, since I know my character won't be miles back out of (relative) danger. I'm glad I ended up with Scout over Sniper.

@Mephan
I'll go with Rapid Reaction. Since I don't know exactly how the Overwatch mechanics work though, if that skills is useless and terrible go with Holotargeting instead.
I think I'd like my character's new name to be 'Elend "Jäger" (or Schneider if you can't get the accent on the 'ä') Albtraum'. (Colored to make it easier to spot.) I think this name seems a bit more interesting. xD
Very nice work on the photograph, by the way. The pictures are conveying the sense of the scene very well.

[Mephansteras]

@UXLZ: Rapid reaction is fine. It's less...frequently useful than Holotargeting, but it's one of those skills that can really save the team when it goes off right. In my first Long War test campaign I had a scout with RR who took out two Thin Men who were moving up for perfect flank shots on the squad. I think he quite literally saved that mission from failing that turn.




As a side note...I think Raven has been making liberal use of the medical supplies:


She has 6 health somehow. That's as much total health in a Tac Vest as the next toughest soldiers on the team in Tac Armor.

[UXLZ]

That kind of usefulness is fine enough. It's always good to have at least one answer in a dire situation, anyway.

Are her other stats below-average to compensate? I'm assuming it's just XCOM making a character with super health but crappy other stuff. (I don't know how it *actually* works but that seems logical.)

[Toaster]

I was looking at engy perks and wondered: for Smoke and Mirrors, what's a "support grenade?"  And for Packmaster, which items does it affect?

[Mephansteras]

I was looking at engy perks and wondered: for Smoke and Mirrors, what's a "support grenade?"  And for Packmaster, which items does it affect?

I'm honestly not sure. I know Smoke grenades count and Flashbangs do not for Smoke and Mirrors. No idea about Packmaster. In theory it should include things like medkits, grenades, stims, and whatnot, but I don't really know. I haven't gotten all the way through a Long War campaign yet.

[GiglameshDespair]

Did I actually get any kills that mission? Seems Rickenbacker was used to injure a lot rather than kill, which wastes the bonus of executioner.

[i2amroy]

IIRC "support grenades" means smoke grenades and eventually ghost grenades (smoke&mirrors also gives you +1 battlescanner use with the perk as well). And yeah, AFAIK pack master is all limited use items in the accessory slots, i.e. arc throwers, medkits, battlescanners, grenades, etc.

Are her other stats below-average to compensate? I'm assuming it's just XCOM making a character with super health but crappy other stuff. (I don't know how it *actually* works but that seems logical.)

There's no form of balance like that. Because we are playing with hidden potential turned on you get much more diverse (random) stat upgrades than you would usually. The end result leads to much more individuality in the soldiers IMO, but combined with soldiers starting with varying stats, you can totally end up with great stats all of the way across the board (or horrible ones), depending on how lucky/unlucky you get.
Also I'd like to grab the male tactical specialist from egypt if he's still free. Assuming you haven't changed around any of the settings it would be nice to have a 9 for the hair, a 1 for the facial hair, race 4, armor tint 26, and armor deco 1 (for those of you without the game or if you have changed stuff that's buzz cut + no facial hair + dark skinned + bright gold/yellow armor + sleeveless). If you feel like it try to make the face look "imposing", maybe with a hint of "crazy" in there.

Name: Ra Amenamen
Weapon: Assault carbine
Armor: Tac vest for now, phalanx if you've got it to spare
Equipment: Laser sight (or scope if you have one to spare), medkit
Tactics: Slightly cautious but not afraid to go for the kill

Once he class ups (I'll go assault) that will pretty much all change equipment/tactics wise, but for now that would be awesome.

[Mephansteras]

Did I actually get any kills that mission? Seems Rickenbacker was used to injure a lot rather than kill, which wastes the bonus of executioner.

Oh, yeah, she got at least 2 or 3 kills. Her assists were just her missing one of her shots, or somehow failing to do enough damage on two to get a kill like against that one Thin Man leader.


@i2amroy
He's all yours.

Are her other stats below-average to compensate? I'm assuming it's just XCOM making a character with super health but crappy other stuff. (I don't know how it *actually* works but that seems logical.)

As i2amroy said, it's mostly luck of the draw. There is some randomness at the start that is fairly balanced, but as people level up it can be amazing or horrible. In theory she could actually be at 7HP now, but that would be incredibly unusual.

[UXLZ]

IIRC "support grenades" means smoke grenades and eventually ghost grenades (smoke&mirrors also gives you +1 battlescanner use with the perk as well). And yeah, AFAIK pack master is all limited use items in the accessory slots, i.e. arc throwers, medkits, battlescanners, grenades, etc.

Are her other stats below-average to compensate? I'm assuming it's just XCOM making a character with super health but crappy other stuff. (I don't know how it *actually* works but that seems logical.)

There's no form of balance like that. Because we are playing with hidden potential turned on you get much more diverse (random) stat upgrades than you would usually. The end result leads to much more individuality in the soldiers IMO, but combined with soldiers starting with varying stats, you can totally end up with great stats all of the way across the board (or horrible ones), depending on how lucky/unlucky you get.
Also I'd like to grab the male tactical specialist from egypt if he's still free. Assuming you haven't changed around any of the settings it would be nice to have a 9 for the hair, a 1 for the facial hair, race 4, armor tint 26, and armor deco 1 (for those of you without the game or if you have changed stuff that's buzz cut + no facial hair + dark skinned + bright gold/yellow armor + sleeveless). If you feel like it try to make the face look "imposing", maybe with a hint of "crazy" in there.

Name: Ra Amenamen
Weapon: Assault carbine
Armor: Tac vest for now, phalanx if you've got it to spare
Equipment: Laser sight (or scope if you have one to spare), medkit
Tactics: Slightly cautious but not afraid to go for the kill

Once he class ups (I'll go assault) that will pretty much all change equipment/tactics wise, but for now that would be awesome.

Really? You're naming a character after the sun god? Then putting him in golden armor? xD
If my current character dies, I think I'll make a wolf-themed character, and call them Fenrir.

In response to the balance stuff: I see. That kinda makes it so if you see someone with good stats you should snap them up. Are there growths with every 'level' as well, or is everything set from the start?

[Mephansteras]

Stats go up every level. They are normally 3-5 in Aim and Willpower, with occasional boosts to health. It depends on the class (each has its own progression) and I have the more randomized version going so it could be more or less than that. So a weak starting character could end up more powerful than a strong starting character, but it's not too likely. Does mean you should keep an eye out on your own character's progression compared to everyone else's so you can see where you're strong/weak and plan perks accordingly.

For instance, 75 Aim at Lance Corporal is pretty high, which makes Rapid Reaction much better then if you'd had a lower Aim.

[i2amroy]

Ah, for some reason I was thinking of him as a rookie instead of someone who could upgrade . In that case a small revision:

Weapon: Shotgun
Accessory: HE grenade + medkit
Tactics: Full-YOLO close-range killer

Also you got the look perfectly.

[UXLZ]

Guess I got lucky then. Thanks for explaining some of the mechanics to me.

[Remalle]

I'll go with Lone Wolf.

[IronyOwl]

As a side note...I think Raven has been making liberal use of the medical supplies:

FEEL NO PAIN

Really? You're naming a character after the sun god? Then putting him in golden armor? xD
If my current character dies, I think I'll make a wolf-themed character, and call them Fenrir.

If my current character dies, I might make a Solar Exalt.