UFO: Enemy Unknown, remake by Firaxis

Okay, thanks for that info. Once I get through this run I'll either do one more achievement run or I'll just jump into a LW game. I'm pretty unsatisfied with the vanilla game so I'm looking forward to a tweaked version.

In a nut shell this is why i like Long War. There i was, happily playing away, and a terror mission pops up. No problem i think. When i see the map type, i see its actually the Newfoundland map, and as long war randomises the maps for terror missions, i think no problem. I start on the map, kill a few packs, nothing too serious. Then this monstrosity arrives. I was so terrified i saved and quit immediately, and came here for advice. Wtf do i do against this thing? Im thinking running away might be a good idea.

Ok i played one turn extra. And this is how i have ended up, and i also tripped a mechtoid. I did kill 1 floater though (yay..... i think)

I think Ronaldo is gonna take one for the team. Is this map still the same in that it ends in the place getting hit by an air-strike? Maybe you're not really supposed to kill Mr. Mutalisk?

Malachi256 said:

I think Ronaldo is gonna take one for the team. Is this map still the same in that it ends in the place getting hit by an air-strike? Maybe you're not really supposed to kill Mr. Mutalisk?

Click to expand...

No. Its a bog standard terror mission, so kill all aliens and you win. Although i would say its not exactly bog standard.

Wait til you see one of those big guys in the Sectopod flavor.

Wolfbeckett said:

Wait til you see one of those big guys in the Sectopod flavor.

Click to expand...

It ended well As you should be able to see:



And then finally:



My last two terror misssions have been crazy. The one just previous to this had no fewer than 12 berserker in. This one i think the alien comp was something like:

Mechtoid
Sectoid commander
Sectoid
6 chryssalids
1 chryssalid queen
2 drones
1 cyber disk
3 floaters
3 seekers
5 Zombies

Quite satisfying i think. Long war gives you a lot more power, but chucks a lot more back at you. Vanilla xcom seems tame by comparison.

i got EW a couple months ago and started a new campaign. forgot about it til this thread started popping up again. lost interest really. i was more interested in building facilities and HQ management than combat scenarios.

i have 2 MECs and just started in on 2 mods. i just finished reclaiming HQ last night (that was the mission i evidently stopped at, haha). lost 4 soldiers but only 1 i'll really miss (Chiang from the escort mission - had like 4 promotions). 2 rookies and one squaddie after that. 5 came out with promotions though. ill buy some more but i dropped all my money on a Satellite Nexus to pay for the last 3 sats i havent launched yet.

question. i have 24 days til the council convenes. it says 21 days til SatNexs is up. it takes 3 days to get Sats over countries. will they get up an running before the council meets? will feel like total fail if they dont, haha.

also, shredder rockets and/or suppression combos are the bees knees for the big baddies (15+ health). im having fun messing with those tactics. for 6 man units i like 3 Heavies, 2 Assault, 1 Support with 1-2 MECs in place of either Assault or Heavy based on injuries. Not sure how i'll work any gene modded units into it. is it good to send a heavily promo'd unit to the Lab or do you send the younger units there? i have an Assault with 2 promos in there right now. Thinking about putting a Support in there too. I only have 15 of the stuff you need to make them so I need a lot more.

Classic diff but i forgot the adv settings. im not doing Iron Man but it has some i remember like random squad stats. i think i started in Asia. i can probably play this out some more to see how it goes. im trying for a Heavy-centric squad and not doing the OP Sniper stuff from before EW. OTC is completed but I have a lot of Foundry left to do. And Heavies are destroying stuff I could normally sell so money is an issue but money seems to always be an issue. Havent gotten one Request from countries since the 1st month.

Hammer Rabbi said:

question. i have 24 days til the council convenes. it says 21 days til SatNexs is up. it takes 3 days to get Sats over countries. will they get up an running before the council meets? will feel like total fail if they dont, haha.

Click to expand...

You only need to launch satelites to get the cash and/or bonus. all that operational means is that they will start detecting ufo's

also, shredder rockets and/or suppression combos are the bees knees for the big baddies (15+ health). im having fun messing with those tactics. for 6 man units i like 3 Heavies, 2 Assault, 1 Support with 1-2 MECs in place of either Assault or Heavy based on injuries. Not sure how i'll work any gene modded units into it. is it good to send a heavily promo'd unit to the Lab or do you send the younger units there? i have an Assault with 2 promos in there right now. Thinking about putting a Support in there too. I only have 15 of the stuff you need to make them so I need a lot more.

Click to expand...

Its personal preference actually. Some people put their best soldiers in there. Others put their less experienced soldiers. Ideally you want a mix of both. Mechs will get lots of kills though so you have to question the use of putting in your most promoted soldier.

sherbz said:

In a nut shell this is why i like Long War. There i was, happily playing away, and a terror mission pops up. No problem i think. When i see the map type, i see its actually the Newfoundland map, and as long war randomises the maps for terror missions, i think no problem. I start on the map, kill a few packs, nothing too serious. Then this monstrosity arrives. I was so terrified i saved and quit immediately, and came here for advice. Wtf do i do against this thing? Im thinking running away might be a good idea.

Spoiler :

Click to expand...

Thanks for the nightmares. *shudders*

sherbz said:

Mechs will get lots of kills though so you have to question the use of putting in your most promoted soldier.

Click to expand...

However, MEC's get less accuracy from level ups than other soldiers, expecially snipers, so it is somewhat of a tradeoff.

PhroX said:

However, MEC's get less accuracy from level ups than other soldiers, expecially snipers, so it is somewhat of a tradeoff.

Click to expand...

True, but the real value of mechs comes in their special abilities and general tankiness, which you pretty much get right from the get go. Although in Long war i think shivs win the award for most tanky unit because you can research drone auto repair, which repairs 2 hitpoints up until maximum.

sherbz said:

True, but the real value of mechs comes in their special abilities and general tankiness, which you pretty much get right from the get go. Although in Long war i think shivs win the award for most tanky unit because you can research drone auto repair, which repairs 2 hitpoints up until maximum.

Click to expand...

I dunno...a sniper MEC with all the offensive abilities is frikkin' devastating. I my last playthrough (CI), I had one, MECed at Colonel, that was easily my most consistent damage dealer.

does the drone repair prevent repair downtime when the mission is done or is it just for longevity during a mission?

Hammer Rabbi said:

does the drone repair prevent repair downtime when the mission is done or is it just for longevity during a mission?

Click to expand...

No. But arguably it mitigates it because if your shiv gets hit on consecutive turns then it will have 2 more hit points 2nd time round.

I dunno...a sniper MEC with all the offensive abilities is frikkin' devastating. I my last playthrough (CI), I had one, MECed at Colonel, that was easily my most consistent damage dealer.

Click to expand...

I think for pure damage potential assaults come out top. The +50% damage with run & gun + aggression (crit chance) + Bring em on + rapid fire on is totally crazy. Even with scatter lasers you can reliably get 40 damage in a single turn. To my knowledge mechs cant get anywhere near that. The only possible exception is a sniper with in the zone and a load of flanked enemies.

sherbz said:

I think for pure damage potential assaults come out top. The +50% damage with run & gun + aggression (crit chance) + Bring em on + rapid fire on is totally crazy. Even with scatter lasers you can reliably get 40 damage in a single turn. To my knowledge mechs cant get anywhere near that. The only possible exception is a sniper with in the zone and a load of flanked enemies.

Click to expand...

A blitz move by an assault is a wonderful finisher on many tough enemies, but I hate the price that comes with it - often triggering another squad or two of enemies, and now your assault is probably dead. The game really punishes aggressive tactics.

Assaults are your problem solvers. You won't be getting 40+ damage out of them on a regular basis, for the reasons Malachi states, they leave you too vulnerable. But when you really need that alien dead NOW before he wipes your squad or flanks your Colonel Sniper or something, the Assault is the guy that can get that job done.

sherbz said:

I think for pure damage potential assaults come out top. The +50% damage with run & gun + aggression (crit chance) + Bring em on + rapid fire on is totally crazy. Even with scatter lasers you can reliably get 40 damage in a single turn. To my knowledge mechs cant get anywhere near that. The only possible exception is a sniper with in the zone and a load of flanked enemies.

Click to expand...

Notice the word "consistent" in my previous post

An Assault certainly can put out higher damage numbers, as can snipers. But they require specific situations - the assualt closing in and thus puttting himself, and in some cases the entire team, at serious risk, the sniper by getting flanking shots with ITZ. The Colonel Sniper -> MEC just stands there blowing the crap out of anything.

Malachi256 said:

A blitz move by an assault is a wonderful finisher on many tough enemies, but I hate the price that comes with it - often triggering another squad or two of enemies, and now your assault is probably dead. The game really punishes aggressive tactics.

Click to expand...

As i found out to my cost recently . Ran where i thought it was safe and ended up tripping another group. Assault flanked, dead assault .

I think that with all things xcom, you need a good balance of attack and defend. And the game will actually punish you if you are excessive in either. The skill comes in knowing when to attack and when to defend. If you just hide behind full cover and take pot shots at floaters, this can be a bad tactic. Because if a pack of 4 seekers then arrives then it can turn your day rather sour. i think its most pronounced in exalt missions actually, especially when you are limited to just 4 soldiers. On maps where you can get 19 exalts, you have to be incredibly aggressive and kill as many as you possibly can in as quick a time as possible. Long war exalt maps are tough. You need your best soldiers with the most fire power. I usually find a shiv is essential, plus a mech with flame thrower for crowd control, plus a gunner with either rapid fire or double tap, plus either a rocketeer, assault, or infantry.