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[EnigmaticHat]

Yeah Meld was replaced, mechanics-wise, by straight-up evac timers.

I don't think there's any good explanation for why they were landing meld canisters in XCOM1:EU.  Obviously EXALT used a lot, but even critically damaged alien ships always dropped a few canisters a few dozen meters away.  I don't know that there's any explanation for that.

And even EXALT was only, very marginally, working toward alien interests.  Maybe they seemed like candidates for the Ethereal experiments...  But based on one mission (the dam, I think?) they were definitely fighting against the aliens.  They just happened to be fighting XCOM also, and somehow exceeding Vahlen in transhumanist zeal.

Also, why would you want to become human-alien hybrids like ADVENT?

....
I don't understand the question, why would you not

Becoming a hybrid in Xcom 2 is kind of like downloading your brain onto a computer in the Terminator universe or intentionally getting turned in a not-sexy vampires story.  The most likely outcome is your former friends shooting you in whatever your head analogue is.  In EW it made sense because you weren't fighting hybrids, you were fighting pure aliens.  Average Xcom 2 soldier would think the commander was back under alien control if they suggested gene-mods.

[Aseaheru]

 Plus, before it was a kinda "whatever possible to win", now its more of "dont let the aliens win by making us like them"

[Rolan7]

Yeah, the game is loading significantly faster now that I cleared FORTY GIGS of space for it on my 150 gig SSD.  That's twice as large as XCOM 1, and I still don't think it's justified, and oddly the base-load is a LOT longer than the mission load.
But whatever.
It's at a level where I can comfortably at least finish the campaign, once, and that's actually pretty cool.

[lordcooper]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=847481752

I think this makes a lot more thematic sense than increasing turn limits.  They'll remain the same, but won't start ticking down until you break concealment.

[Flying Dice]

The problem is that there are mission types with timers which don't give you a concealed start. The VIP extracts are particularly heinous offenders since they'd often be a cross-map sprint with no turns to spare even if there were no ayys at all.

[lordcooper]

I like the odd mad dash mission and haven't had any particularly tough VIP extracts yet.

Train missions are the ones I seem to struggle with.

[Flying Dice]

Huh, just the opposite for me. Had a total squad wipe on a VIP mission because there were ~25 ayys all sitting right on top of the extract point, including three vipers and three stunlancers. Meanwhile I ran a train mission against a similar number and composition and cleared them out with only two minor wounds. Granted, I did get slightly lucky at the end when my Grenadier managed to roll max damage on four enemies to kill them all.

Some useful notes: The Technical gets that perk that lets them take a free action to massively boost their defensive stats for a turn? Take it. Fucking amazing. Mine avoided two tongue grabs, a stun baton, and three shots while in low cover in a single turn.

Also worth noting that garrisoning a scientist in the medbay is exceptionally worthwhile since heal timers are so long and so few recruits are available. Which is helped along by the way missions can and should be avoided, and how deploying on a mission doesn't mean your whole A-team is out of action (since you rarely send more than 4-5 and are leveling many more than that consistently).

[SharpKris]

will setting havens into hiding lower advent pressence?

[lordcooper]

Yup.

[ventuswings]

Few "hiding" won't stop determined AI from moving threats into the region, mind.

I had a case where I put all haven individuals into hiding status and still had threat level increase, because apparently Advent really wanted to destroy that place, and pace of their arrival far overpowered my ability to mitigate their presence.

[Sanctume]

Wow ok, took Friday off, and hardly had any sleep.  I did some early games in Rookie, Veteran, Commander, and Legend.  Forget ironman mode, not worth it. 

I also then watched a few vids from those who QA and played LW2.  And I have reddit also browsing for more info.  They are in, tech trees and tips.  As well as more compatible mods. 

For min-maxer, using Not Created Equally and Hidden Potential,  Commander's Choice mod works with LW2 and I am using it which make my gaming better and do not have to use quick reload to promote my rookie to a squaddie of certain class. 

Some opening strat: 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

1. Do not kill aliens with explosives in Gate Crasher (mission 1).  You will need most of the corpses.  Also loot drop are destroyed if death by explosives. 

2. Research Weapon Mod. 
Build GTS. 
Promote your Rookies. 
Assign Gunner in Haven advisor.
Set all 6 to Intel.
Scan, skip the Blacksite. 

3. Mission Type: Data Extraction.  Send your Specialist with SMG and nothing else (or just the armor). 
Send 1 Rookie with High mobility, with smoke and/or flashbang.   
Take a mission that will give you 200% infiltration.  Use the calculator spreadsheet posted in reddit. 

With 2 guys at 200% infiltration means putting down the evac flare makes the evac available next turn. 
Really map dependent: Specialist to hack via line of sight and in a spot to remain out of LOS from enemies. 
Rookie to throw evac flare on specialist while maintaining out of LOS.

4. Mission Type: VIP Rescue.  Need Shinobi because they start mission concealed and can can scout ahead for clear path. 
I think 17-18 tiles visibility range, so your civilian VIP can try to skirt the sight range this way.  Also they are not detected by towers.

5. Mission Type: Jail Break.  This can be done by a smaller team, but I like using the rest of my Squaddies with some rookies. 
Still, objective is to get into freeing the while concealed.  Use 2 moves to get there sooner if the way is clear.

6. Research goes Alien Bio, and usually Render Trooper corpse to gain 2 Alloys. 

7. Once GTS is built, save 35 supply to open Officer Training. 

8. Swap out Gunner out of Haven with Ranger or Assault to help him level up, then put him back in Haven duty. 

9. I also take out my Gunner off Haven duty to be my first Officer for Focus Fire. 

10. When haven exceed 6, I put them on Recruit.  When you find the faceless, play around with Supply and Recruit, but keep 10 on intel.  That 6 haven intel + 4 sky ranger during scan.

11. Haven goal is to get 13 max active scanner, any personnel above the 13 are just reserves.  So you need to open new region via Resistance research. 

12. Skip missions if they do not work out with "at least 100% infiltration" at "Extremely Light" based on the "squad capable of doing objective."

[Flying Dice]

In my campaign it appears that ADVENT has developed...

Spoiler: A WEAPON TO SURPASS METAL GEAR (click to show/hide)

[The13thRonin]

Wow ok, took Friday off, and hardly had any sleep.  I did some early games in Rookie, Veteran, Commander, and Legend.  Forget ironman mode, not worth it. 

I also then watched a few vids from those who QA and played LW2.  And I have reddit also browsing for more info.  They are in, tech trees and tips.  As well as more compatible mods. 

For min-maxer, using Not Created Equally and Hidden Potential,  Commander's Choice mod works with LW2 and I am using it which make my gaming better and do not have to use quick reload to promote my rookie to a squaddie of certain class. 

Some opening strat: 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

1. Do not kill aliens with explosives in Gate Crasher (mission 1).  You will need most of the corpses.  Also loot drop are destroyed if death by explosives. 

2. Research Weapon Mod. 
Build GTS. 
Promote your Rookies. 
Assign Gunner in Haven advisor.
Set all 6 to Intel.
Scan, skip the Blacksite. 

3. Mission Type: Data Extraction.  Send your Specialist with SMG and nothing else (or just the armor). 
Send 1 Rookie with High mobility, with smoke and/or flashbang.   
Take a mission that will give you 200% infiltration.  Use the calculator spreadsheet posted in reddit. 

With 2 guys at 200% infiltration means putting down the evac flare makes the evac available next turn. 
Really map dependent: Specialist to hack via line of sight and in a spot to remain out of LOS from enemies. 
Rookie to throw evac flare on specialist while maintaining out of LOS.

4. Mission Type: VIP Rescue.  Need Shinobi because they start mission concealed and can can scout ahead for clear path. 
I think 17-18 tiles visibility range, so your civilian VIP can try to skirt the sight range this way.  Also they are not detected by towers.

5. Mission Type: Jail Break.  This can be done by a smaller team, but I like using the rest of my Squaddies with some rookies. 
Still, objective is to get into freeing the while concealed.  Use 2 moves to get there sooner if the way is clear.

6. Research goes Alien Bio, and usually Render Trooper corpse to gain 2 Alloys. 

7. Once GTS is built, save 35 supply to open Officer Training. 

8. Swap out Gunner out of Haven with Ranger or Assault to help him level up, then put him back in Haven duty. 

9. I also take out my Gunner off Haven duty to be my first Officer for Focus Fire. 

10. When haven exceed 6, I put them on Recruit.  When you find the faceless, play around with Supply and Recruit, but keep 10 on intel.  That 6 haven intel + 4 sky ranger during scan.

11. Haven goal is to get 13 max active scanner, any personnel above the 13 are just reserves.  So you need to open new region via Resistance research. 

12. Skip missions if they do not work out with "at least 100% infiltration" at "Extremely Light" based on the "squad capable of doing objective."

Without Ironman the difficulty setting is useless...

What does it matter if you play on Rookie or Legendary if you're just going to savescum a bad result?

[Egan_BW]

You get to pretend you're not a casul.

[Chiefwaffles]

I usually play Commander Ironman but with LW2 I chose to go without Ironman on Veteran difficulty.
And for all the XCOM games difficulty definitely still matters without Ironman. Savescumming doesn't remove all punishment for failure or shoddy play - you still have a time component and possibly unwinnable situations.

Some elements in the game can build up over time, and don't just happen in one savescum-able moment. Wounded soldiers, shoddy geoscape management, and more. If you're in a tricky mission, savescumming won't always work. It may let you reroll (which I don't do personally) failed hits and try it differently, but sometimes with the more tricky missions you can't leave without casualties. If you're in a bad battle, you can keep on savescumming when you fail, but that adds a lot of time which isn't that fun to do.

It's a bit elitist to look down at people who savescum. Difficulty 100% matters still and it's still very easy to have fun.