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[UXLZ]

Well, it depends. In vanilla, you don't have fatigue, so you usually have a alpha squad of badasses, and if you loose them on one mission, you've pretty much lost the game. In Long War, you have to have many more men, so it's less of an instant loss and more of your capabilities slowly degrading until you'd better give up.

Yeah. Long war does have some "helper" mechanisms that will help you to catch up (meld canisters contain more meld the farther you are behind the aliens, or less if you are ahead), and it can lead to an awesome feeling if you do manage to overcome insurmountable odds and get back on your feet, but losses kinda sneak up on you while you slowly start to lose worse and worse.

That said you can certainly avoid most of those "because numbers" type of loss by making the right plans and actions ahead of time (unlike many rouge-likes, where it often just comes down to RNG favor). It's just that Long War goes for more of a, well, "long" feeling to it. What you research and invest in now might not start to really make a difference until a few months down the line, and that difference can range from making things a breeze all of the way to making things nigh impossible. That extra +1 armor HP might not seem like much for the cost to research and produce it at first, until you realize that that's 1 more damage rookies can take without being wounded (since armor damage doesn't trigger wounded), which means they can go on more missions and get more xp to become more useful, which means a month or two from now you've got a much more developed team and have had to spend less on replacement soldiers (as well as buying you more time to research the next armor). Similarly investing in heavier weaponry right now might seem fairly useless when you are already 1-shotting enemies, but it's a high enough time and money cost to research and produce that you aren't exactly going to have time to research it when the enemies get stronger and you do need it. Unlike vanilla the aliens don't ever really stop progressing, and so you are constantly fighting to both catch up in research and to hold onto the ground you have already claimed against them.

It can be pretty awesome to come back from a losing situation, though it's even better if it's through your own merits and the game isn't helping you catch back up.

'Because numbers' is a pretty ridiculous sounding phrase now that I see someone else say it. xD
I kind of dislike it when games spring those sorts of situations on you without much warning or curve. One mission you're doing fine, taking out maybe 50% of an enemy's HP with a single shot on average. Then the next mission, you're doing 10% with a 20% chance of hitting them, and they're 1HKOing you with perfect accuracy. It's those kind of situations where the skill of player doesn't mean anything whatsoever. You're just going to lose, no matter what you do. Similar to those situations in Long Live the Queen (if you know what that game is) when you just sort of insta-fail because some random skill (which you had no idea was going to be important and the only possible way you could know that you need it would be having played the game before) isn't high enough. It's a bit more grievous in XCOM though, because while you don't auto-lose like LLtQ, it may take you a lot longer to catch up to the same point.

I dunno, maybe my gripe with those kind of situations is a bit unnecessary, some people like it when games are like that.

[Mephansteras]

It's...not really that bad in XCOM. It's a more gradual progression that going from 1-hit-kill to aliens-are-supersupersoldiers. It's more like, you go from being able to 1-hit-kill the aliens to almost always needing at least 2 hits to kill them. Which is tactically much more difficult to deal with, but not impossible. A lot of being good at XCOM is simply the tactics of controlling the situation. Keeping line of sight in mind, knowing where the enemies are, that sort of thing. Having the right mix of skills for the mission can be important, too. Sometimes an Assault's run-and-gun is exactly what you need to deal with a nasty alien. Sometimes a Rocketeer with Heat Ammo is the solution.

And sometimes it all comes down the RNG and not missing that critical 99% shot that makes or breaks your entire plan.

But most of the time I'm successful because I have both a plan and a backup plan for when things go wrong.

[Sheb]

Yeah, it's not so much that missions suddenly jump in difficulty, but since you might need a month between the time you start researching new weapons and the time they're in your soldiers' hand, you need to plan ahead.

Another thing to keep in mind in Long War is fatigue spiral. You can send fatigued troops on a mission, but then they're exhausted for even longer. If you don't have enough troops, you can find yourself in a situation where you simply don't have enough troops to address all missions, which might lead to countries leaving the council for example.

[Mephansteras]

A medium sized contact shows up on the radar. I've decided to send up the interceptors to see if we can take it down. We really to stem the tide of alien activity.


Our pilot gets in some good hits, but isn't able to sustain pursuit of the alien craft. It gets in a lucky parting shot as he disengages.


However, it lands before our next interceptor can be launched. We're not sure if it is setting down for repairs or is continuing with its mission, but either way we're not letting this opporunity pass up!


Given that it's a larger alien craft then we've assaulted so far and that it's a landed craft and not a crash, I send in some of our best troops.


Operation Red Line is a go!



I'll get to this mission this evening, I think. Although I realized after launching it that I hadn't looked over everyone's equipment quite well enough. Krauss has the LMG and not the SAW, which is suboptimal for a map like this. I really need her being able to move and shoot to assault the ship effectively, so that's going to make things a good bit harder. Also, I forgot to bring any scanners, so Seekers are a bigger threat than usual. Still, a pair of assaults should deal with them well enough.

[Toaster]

That particular group appears to give zero fucks about alien threats.

[RAM]

Awww, I missed out on operation Flat Line...

[Mephansteras]

Spoiler: Operation Red Line (click to show/hide)

The squad approaches the landed craft in a heavily forested area.


Alien activity is soon detected ahead.


Sure enough, a pack of drones patrols near the squad.


McSheb manages to down the closest one as they move forward


However, their Sectoid handlers are not far behind.


Amenamen takes out another drone that strays into shotgun range


And manages to resist a psychic onslaught by the Sectoids



Greene decides that the sectoid position is entirely too tough to crack, and employs his normal solution to problems


And Krauss takes advantage of the range on her LMG to kill a now exposed sectoid


Meanwhile, Vector tries to deal with the drones moving up on the right side, but is unable to kill either before one moves up on Amenamen



McSheb has more luck when one moves up to attack him and Raven


Realizing that Amenamen's will is too strong, the Sectoids settle for pinning him down


McSheb and Vector team up on the remaining Drone



And with that threat out of the way Krauss picks off another Sectoid


The remaining sectoid flees back to some better cover. Krauss forces it to keep its head down


Which allows Amenamen to move up and introduce it to the barrel of his shotgun. It is a brief but satisfying encounter.


The squad reloads and moves on, eventually finding one of those alien canisters.


With more sounds of alien activity coming from the craft, the squad wastes no time securing the container.



Vector moves up to take the high ground while the rest of the squad readies to assault the craft



While up there Vector spots another canister, but unfortunately it self destructs before she can get to it.


Scouting ahead, Amenamen finds another pack of Drones. They duck inside the craft as he heads back to the group


The first drone pops out of the alien craft and is taken down in a flurry of bullets


And Vector takes out the next with a well aimed shot.


The squad readies the ambush as they wait for more drones. Soon enough another pops out. It gets winged by Raven and McSheb shows off his Skeet shooting skills once again.



The last one seems hesitant to engage us and darts in and out of the alien ship


Amenamen will have none of those shenanigans!


Which seems to have angered some sectoids hanging back in the ship


Raven and Vector take out their leader as he dashes to safety.



And Krauss sends their Sentry scuttling back out of range with Flush


Which lets McSheb move up and Flashbang the closest one.


Amenamen rushes up to flank that sectoid, but catches sight of a pair of those crystal Aliens!

(Seriously, McSheb, how the hell did you not see them!)

The squad scrambles to take them out before they can exploit the flank on McSheb! Vector pegs the closest with a solid hit from her Marksmans rifle


Raven rushes in and grenades the pair


And Greene finishes off the closer one.


But with Amenamen unable to see the other, he settles for killing off the sectoid


Undeterred by the damage it has taken, the outsider cuts down McSheb before he has a chance to get to safety.


Enraged, the squad retaliates. Amenamen nearly slays the alien with a close range blast from his shotgun


And Raven braves the Sectoid overwatch to move in and finish the job



Vector moves around so she can get a clear shot on the Sectoid. Her aim is true.


The last Alien move up and takes a shot on Greene. He gets a shot on it first, but neither of them manages a hit.



Raven moves over and finishes the wretched thing off.


A costly victory for the team, but a major blow against the aliens. We have secured an undamaged craft, and in it working engines and flight computers!





Ok, that was just not fair. I have no idea how McSheb couldn't see them when he moved up but Ra could despite Ra being further from them during his entire move with what looks to me like worse sight angles. And I'd moved Sheb there first specifically so that the rest of the turn should be able to happen without any more surprises. But...it happens, and we move on, unhappy as I am about how he died.

Overall, I'm happy with how the mission went. If the Outsiders had had the decency to be back behind some doors it probably would have been flawless. I'm a bit mixed about the LMG on Krauss. It was very helpful in the first engagement, but her inability to move and shoot left her out of position to do much other than keep the sectoids down during the assault on the ship. I can't help but think that if she'd been in a better position I could have saved Sheb. Glad I gave Vector the Marksmans rifle, though. While that map is pretty good for sniper rifles, Medium ships are terrible for them and snipers often end up useless for the actual ship assault. And she more than proved her worth during that fight.

Spoiler: Soldiers (click to show/hide)

Another casualty, and on one of our more promising soldiers. But our first Corporals have earned their Nicknames!



Max, you can choose between Fire in the Hole (+10 Aim and increased range for rockets if you don't move), Suppression (same as the Gunners ability and +2 aim), Snap Shot (Reduces the Aim penalty for rockets after moving)


i2amroy, you can choose from Flush (low damage, high accurate shot that forces the target to move if it hits and +2 Aim), Close Combat Specialist (Automatic shot on enemies that move within 4 tiles), and Steadfast (Ignore many panic effects and +5 Will)


Vector, you can choose from Disabling Shot (Prevents the enemy from using their primary weapon until they reload), Precision Shot (High Critical Chance shot with Sniper Rifles or a full Squadsight shot with Marksman rifles), or Snap Shot (Allows Sniper rifles to Move and Shoot with a -10 Aim penalty)


IronyOwl, you can choose between Opportunity (removes the penalties for Overwatch shots and +2 Aim), Smoke Grenade (Automatic smoke grenade and using smoke grenades as your first action does not end your turn), Paramedic (Once per turn you can use a medkit as a free action)


R.I.P. Sheb McSheb. Your Skeet Shooting skills will be sorely missed in the missions to come!

Now that we have Corporals, the Officer Training School is an option

[MaximumZero]

Collateral is a hilariously good nickname for me. Also...

FIRE IN THE HOOOOOOOOLE!

[IronyOwl]

Wow, Amenamen and Raven were pissed at that thing.

I think I'll be going Smoke Grenade, but what are your thoughts on the three options, Meph?

[Mephansteras]

@Max: Heh, yeah, although if you specified a Nickname I will just be changing to that (unless you want to keep the random one).

@Vector: Speaking of which, what Nickname do you want for your character?

@IronyOwl: Well, you have Covering Fire, so Opportunist stacks really well with that. All three options are pretty good, though.

[Sheb]

Vector, you look awesome in that close-up of your face killing aliums.

It seems I was unlucky with a close and personnal style. Could you name a rocketeer for me then? Shec McSheb, brother of the departed Sheb McSheb?

[Tiruin]

Spoiler: Soldiers (click to show/hide)

Tiruin, you can pick from Engineer (Boosts to Grenades and some other support abilities), Medic (Healing, Smoke Grenades, Covering fire abilities), or go Random and see what you get from the other 6 class options.

I'm a lot of days late o_o
I'd love being randomized and luckily would get into Scout. Checking the .ini files, there's a 50% chance to pick the lowest chosen class--which is the Scout, in this case.
Please be scout 
(also fine work thus far, Meph Will give advice when I'd be finished reading all these up--being a LW veteran myself [bloody fatigue is annoying. Bloody panic mechanic is bloody annoying]
> Get hit by Acid.
> Acid corrodes 1 hp of armor...
> Panic.
> Others around you panic.

<_<

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.

Support Grenade = Any grenade that isn't the AP/Alien/HE//Any grenade that does damage. :3
Also catching up to lost posts!

Fun note about my mental process: The words that pop up are usually on a parallel to what the exact term is.
Meaning: They can be FAR off course that way. XD Despite me envisioning the idea with vivid and full clarity.
...Yeah ._.

Maybe you should just resort to images from the beginning then. xD
Out of curiosity, is English your first language?

Nup!
Technically my third (First = nat'l language; second = local dialect), but seriously--second.
...Due to me not mastering my local dialect >_>

On an interesting side-note, Tiruin, I'm currently the only other player character who's a scout.

Scout buddies!
I've done some tinkering with the training roulette [from memory]--it does work, but on some ranks, it doesn't (ie Sergeant rank = same set per class [that means a nice Hit and Run for Assaults, for example).
Like, the Assault does get Run and Gun, and at the last rank is possible to get Lightning Reflexes.
Same goes for the Scout: they get Lightning Reflexes, then at the last rank may get Hit and Run.

...But that's all from memory anyway ._.

[MaximumZero]

@Max: Heh, yeah, although if you specified a Nickname I will just be changing to that (unless you want to keep the random one).

Well, I like the running gag/story of the MaxClones (6 per XCom unit, and after they're gone, they're gone,) but in my last Classic run I only lost one soldier (on the last mission!)

So, I'm leaving it in your hands. He can stay Max Greene or become MaxClone1. Either way is fine with me.

[Mephansteras]

Some Soldier updates:

I set your Nickname up as Clone #1, Max. Let me know if you want anything changed.


Tiruin: The RNG gods have decided that you will be Infantry. Let me know how you want your equipment/combat style changed.


McSheb's Brother is here, and packing Rockets for Revenge! As always, let me know if you want anything adjusted on him.



Barely any time has passed since we took out that landed Medium ship, and the Aliens are already on the move. A Large contact has shown up on the scanners!


With only two fighters available, we can't hope to take it down. But I do send one up to see what it is doing.
The Abduction ship manages to get a shot off on our interceptor before he can disengage. A costly scouting mission, that one.


As expected, the aliens begin a mission in Nigeria



Since alien presence is light, a team is assembled that could use more combat experience against the aliens.


The mission takes place near a butcher shop. Alien presence is indeed fairly light, consisting mostly of Sectoids with a few drones and a group of Floaters


Overall the mission went pretty well, with the notable exception of the scout taking an unlucky shot from one of the floaters and panicking which prevented her from falling back to a more secure position. Still, no deaths and good experience gained across the team.







We have §493 available and no chance of getting the Uplinks in place until May when the Thermo Generator finishes. What should we spend our money on this month? We could get the OTS, we could get more recruits, and with Beam Lasers finishing up in 3 days we can also just spend all the money on better guns and equipment.

[Remalle]

Officer Training School!