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[umiman]

"To reap what you sow"?

I do find it amusing that the choice between the three classes is supersoldier, supersoldier, and backwoods hick.

I think in the AMA that they did, the devs stated that the backwoods hick used to be way stronger but they had to tone them down due to balance.

I can definitely see it, pairing perfect stealth to super damage would mean there's no reason to use anything else. Well, other than the fact that it's fairly rare to get more than one.

[scriver]

I just had a great Supply Raid mission (one of those where you have to tag crates for airlift, in case there's more than one variant) featuring me, the lost, and both Advent and a Chosen. Lots of fun. It wasn't timed (except once Advent tags a crate, which it does at random, you only have one turn to retag it before it is airlifted out of there) so it was a great mix of faffing about at the start countered with having to move quickly later, and of course trying to use the Lost to deal with Advent and the Advent to occupy the lost while you run around and mark boxes. Unfortunately Outrider got pretty beat up (her long move distance meant she was the one running into new Lost) but otherwise I did pretty good, even got the Chosen before she inflicted a single damage. Also, Skirmishers make the best Lost bait, what with how they can move long distances with their grapple book hook and then still have both their actions left.

I'm pretty in love with Skirmishers. They seem built pretty much for how I loved to use the grappling hook armours. It's a shame they don't have a shotgun for that extra "grapple up next to a far away enemy and shotgun them in the face" oomph.

I like the Lost too. It's nice to see some direct connection/consequence of what we saw in the previous game, something original XCOM 2 had a lack off. They also fit in very well with my own imagined post Enemy Unknown happenings, except with Meld and Chrysallids instead of the Stasis-Inducing-Pods.

I'm really wondering if the Reapers weren't called something to do with hunting originally, what with like every other line of theirs seeking to have to do with hunting or whatever. "Stalkers" being a likely candidate, and would probably explain why they had to change it as well, given that their aestethics are a definite... I guess we can call it an inspiration

The only thing that could too this is if Annette turns out to be the leader of the Psiotic Resistance group, but that is probably unlikely. She'll always be in my head canon, though.

[umiman]

Yeah, there are a few different supply raid missions.

By the way, according to data miners there were supposed to be four chosen and four resistance factions. There's supposed to be an "insane" chosen with a focus on explosives but they got cut. It's why in the cutscenes you see a space for four even though there's only three.

I think if they did that they'd have to turn the game basically into long war, which it kinda is already.

[kilakan]

The game definitely feels harder early on, but late game you end up with an insane power level due to covert action buffs and the Templer/reaper.... the skirmisher is kinda bad though really... at least compared to the other faction heroes and most of your units.

What's wrong with the Skirmisher?

Maybe it's just the skirmisher I have, but his shot's never get above an 80% chance to hit and the bullpup does worse damage than any other weapon I have aside from pistols and the templers auto-pistol.  Even the best I've seen his rip-shot abilities get for to-hit is around 90% on a flanked/lower than him enemy.  Sure he can do two actions+grapple but they don't seem all that reliable, compared to say most other units. 

Also, superior extended mag reaper with banish is godly.  Absolutely insanely strong, I had it one-shot the psionic chosen when he was max ranked on the assault his base mission.

[Tack]

Bullpup is basically a lesser shotgun. Only 100% at point-blank range.

By the way, according to data miners there were supposed to be four chosen and four resistance factions.

Ooh, what would the elusive fourth faction be then?
I'm thinking Space Marines. New MEC's.

[Chiefwaffles]

Cyborgs.
Embrace the similarity with UFO Aftershock. Which also has you play in a flying base taking place after a loss of the first game where you manage relations with three factions in order to recruit personnel for them.

[scriver]

I WANNA MEC DAMMIT

[EnigmaticHat]

Got War of the Chosen finally.  Not going to read the shit here because I don't want spoilers, (the last time I got the "oh shit new enemy" Xcom moment was Andromedons and that was the only one I hadn't spoiled myself on...), but challenge mode is kickass.  They've somehow turned Xcom into a coffeebreak game.  Your decisions are timed in real-time and you only get one go, but on the other hand there's no permanent consequences and you potentially get aliens on your team.  So the tense guerilla action of the base game is replaced by wacky shenanigans mode.

This is what I got on today's challenge:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The scenario is 3 vipers and 2 grenadiers vs a melee themed Advent squad.  I didn't get the message until halfway through, but that's basically "no cover: the mode."  Vipers constrict is insane and I didn't realize just how good it is until too far into the mission to make that much use of it.  I could have done better, for sure, in fact I know that I could have likely saved at least one unit.  But on the other hand I did a whole mission in 8 1/2 minutes, so that's... not normal.  I'm digging it.  You can also watch replays of the leaderboard scores, so I guess you can verify if they're hackers or not.  Sadly I always assume any online leaderboards are hacked.

[Tack]

Aw, thought it was snek-on-snek Free For All.

[EnigmaticHat]

Research breakthrough: +1 sniper damage.  First random promotion was a sniper.  Apparently Reapers have sniper rifles too?

You know what this means right?  Snipercom  I was training a grenadier in the GTS but fuck that, sniper rifles for everyone.  I don't care if its optimal, I'm playing on commander instead of legendary anyway.

Edit:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"You weren't kidding when you said those tanks could explode."  NO ONE FUCKING SAID THAT BRADFORD.  Mox took out a purifier at melee range and instantly died.  I also had to look it up on the internet that hunkering down cures burning, when both my Xcom soldiers (with 5 health each!) where lit on fire by a grenade.  Not that I'm mad, it was funny and I get to restart right there, its just.  Should probably put that info somewhere more obvious.

[TheDarkStar]

hunkering down cures burning

wait what

this would have been so useful to know

[umiman]

Both those things, the tanks exploding and the hunkering down are explained in the mission they show up (lost and damned). Also when you're on fire, the game will actually make the hunker down button a priority over the shoot button.

[scriver]

Nopey, that tanks explode is only said after the first guy you shoot explodes. Possibly in your face, like with EHat. I've never noticed anytthing saying hunkering down cures burning either.

[Draignean]

I believe the tooltip of hunker down says it cures burning.

[GiglameshDespair]

It does, yeah. I feel like this is a change for WotC because i don't remember that in base xcom 2.