I'm giving Long War second attempt and... well, I don't have a fair response yet I think. Last time I threw up my hands at the first terror mission, because I was *not* ready for those chryssalids. Also I didn't understand that I could lose more than 5 countries (if that was even true at the time. I certainly don't remember all these different starting bonuses). I know part of the point is to retreat from some battles, but losing two countries so early just seemed insurmountable. I also kinda tried to satellite rush, heh.
But everything makes more sense now, which I think is partially due to updates. And uh, actually reading the whole readme.txt. I'm also playing in Normal Cinematic, so yeah, "ez mode". Though I saw a lot of other ez mode second wave options that I held off on for now (had to scroll down, heh). I just love all the choices, even though it makes loadouts and levelling take a lot longer. It's also a lot more fun. I ended up choosing the UK's Special Air Service (SAS) because it's a permanent +3 aim bonus, which I can't imagine ever regretting. (Yeah I saw someone say aim gets high in late game with cinematic. Somehow I doubt that actually means 100% to hit enemies in high cover)
Anyway. Fought off a couple of sectoid abductions, no problemo (lost 1 guy each, rather avoidably). Mostly used battle rifles to guarantee kills against the 3HP, 1DR sectoids. Mobility is king yadda yadda, I don't want to rely on crits - and I can't exactly move up to flank because holy CRAP there a lot of enemies lurking everywhere. Instead I'm only moving within cleared space, or scouting such that I can retreat and draw the enemies in. Works pretty well (for now) since I can outgun the enemies alright.
Personnel grenades seem useless for now. 2 damage on an absolutely direct hit after DR, and that falls off fast (plus no cover destruction or penetration). HE grenades are similar, but at least destroy cover (though even that's nerfed from vanilla). I just got an engineer though, looks like they have perks for improving all that.
So the 15th rolls around and a large contact comes in... right towards the UK, where I'm at. Hm.
Losing the first interceptor was a rookie mistake. Losing the second was just stupid on my part. $400 down the drain, fuck. Buuut, it lands. All aboard the suicide skyranger!
It's a supply ship. Even after glancing over the alien missions yesterday, I'm not sure what it would be doing here. Harvesting resources, I guess. Or... getting captured nyar har har. I move people up to cover, all quiet so far, aaaand obviously I trigger a pod with my last person. A couple of sectoids. No problem, they mindmeld and miss despite flanking. What is *that* sound - Oh it's a bunch of floaters rolling in from the opposite direction! Everybody is flanked, nobody is safe! Fortunately they don't get to fire yet.
So there I am with my nutjobs in a vice, but still in range of evac. This is a flipping supply barge, even in vanilla they're full of sectopods and shit. I have literally no research complete. This must be one of those hopeless missions you're supposed to retreat from. Buuut, if I do that, the alien plans might advance. I really really want to delay the enemies from getting bonus HP. Besides, maybe there's partial credit? Was that a thing? CHAAARGE THE SECTOIDS!
Yes, I evaded the ambush by charging the weaker flank. There was a third sectoid but I managed to take them all down that turn, get out of sight of the floaters, and get the nearest people behind cover. The floaters charged and took their shots against the first guy they saw, behind a full-cover tree. Missed. I think there were three of them (plus one who'd died to reaction fire earlier) and then, shortly, there were none. Feeling quite satisfied with myself, I held position and had everyone reload (they were all out, or nearly so). Huh another noise, really disgusting this time... CHRYSALLIDS SERIOUSLY?
Four roaming chryssalids hopped out of the supply ship and ran right up to my guys. Too far to get any swings in, fortunately. It took exactly every shot we had to kill them that turn. I dunno how much damage they do, but I'd honestly be surprised if even the tac armor and ceramic plates would be enough (7HP I think).
On my guard now, I had everyone overwatch. Sure enough, more floaters charged out of the ship. Piece of cake, but now my weapons were empty again. Reloading...
ohai four more chryssalids, make yourselves at home
Again it took every shot. No misses, some crits from the close range. My squad was standing in a little semicircle of dead chryssalids.
It was at this point I realized two things:
One, nobody had even been wounded yet.
Two, we were flying this ship home.
Cue at least a dozen turns of very very very carefully advancing into the ship itself. There was some sort of sight glitch with a pack of drones, but I think it was in my favor. Otherwise the ship was empty, except for the bridge. With it's three lovely points of entry, heehee (actually there were four, as I found out to my dismay later). Two on each door, and I chose to open the middle first.
Four. Flipping. Outsiders. Let's just say I'm just glad I knew about their regeneration, that would have been an upsetting surprise. Two thin mints also, but I knew about their acid. In fact, one of them took bad cover right next to two outsiders. Pop! DR 1 becomes DR 0, hehe.
The last one survived three turns (and got the only hit of the mission, wounding a squaddie). The only other damage was from thinman acid, because I had the guy fall back to cover (his armor tanked it). Everybody leveled, and most of them were 1 pt away from leveling twice. What a coincidence
Total kills:
2-3 sectoids
12 floaters (first encounter)
2 thin men (first encounter)
8 chryssalids (first encounter)
4 drones
4 outsiders (first encounter)
Losses:
2 interceptor pilots o7
1 hour or so
Sure is slower, guess that's why it's Long War. And there was an option to reduce alien spawn numbers, but eh.
Author
Topic: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis) (Read 969491 times)