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XCOM 2 |OT| Be Aggressive! Be Be Aggressive!

M

Mupod

Member
Best moment yet of my playthrough:

It's a 'kill/capture the VIP' mission, with a kind of troublesome map layout. Huge building in the middle, VIP in a room inside, with the evac point on the other end of the map. I'd just researched the basic tier 3 guns so I figured it wouldn't be too bad. And it wasn't - I easily dealt with the first few packs as well as some surprise
faceless
due to my active dark events.

I'd seen one more pack patrolling early in the map but it was just regular ADVENT and it looked like they were pathing over towards the evac point. So as my squad clears the interior I grapple my sniper up on the roof so he can cover their escape like the cool action movie dude he is.

Of course, I've played XCOM before and I know that this usually ends up having the sniper trigger a pod on the roof and getting screwed. So I didn't dash, I used my regular move. The roof was clear...but somehow the ADVENT pod had managed to strand itself on a little balcony right below, and he activated them with his first move.

But that's okay because I had a backup plan - I'd just researched EXO suits and had a couple soldiers with rockets. I blew a hole in the damn roof and my sniper dropped down to safety. The next turn the ADVENT had climbed up on the roof...so I blew up the rest of it and sent them crashing to their deaths. Got an achievement for it too.
 
R

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
I still dont know how I can make more contacts, im stuck at 3/3 even tho 2 more locations opened up
 
J

Jintor

Member
Lanrutcon said:
7JTzCrx.jpg


Physics says what now?
Click to expand...

6a2.gif


thats xcom baby
 
R

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
Apparently mimic beacons are OP (until its patched) because it FORCES the enemy to attack them, they have no choice.

I can actually build these now but didnt because it didnt sound useful.

Jintor said:
You gotta build a comm relay in your ship.

i.e. you're probably boned
Click to expand...

Why am I boned? :(
 
V

Van

Member
Sober said:
WELCOME TO THE GAF-COM SECURE DATABASE. PLEASE LOG-IN WITH YOUR GAF-COM CREDENTIALS TO CONTINUE.

*** PLEASE NOTE THAT GAF-COM IS UNDER MAINTENANCE AS CENTRAL COMMAND IS CURRENTLY ORGANIZING LOGISTICS FOR THE RESISTANCE. ***

*** SECURE LOG-IN WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. ***
Click to expand...

WHERS GAF COM?!!? D:
 
A

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
Rhaknar said:
Apparently mimic beacons are OP (until its patched) because it FORCES the enemy to attack them, they have no choice.

I can actually build these now but didnt because it didnt sound useful.



Why am I boned? :(
Click to expand...


That is overstating it, but you could be behind. As long as you have space and engineers to build a relay you can always make it a priority.

Jintor said:
5 days to clear out debris, 7-10 days to build a comm relay (less with engie rushing) - need to spend intel to buy a zone + 4 days, etc

certainly doable, but...
Click to expand...


Can also double build time at HQ, if there are only two locations with black sites revealed on the map it's still plenty early to deal with it.
 
R

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
I already have the space dug out, ive been digging them to get the resources

Jintor said:
5 days to clear out debris, 7-10 days to build a comm relay (less with engie rushing) - need to spend intel to buy a zone + 4 days, etc

certainly doable, but...
Click to expand...

My avatar bar is only at 3 ticks tho?

By the way the gremlin engineer tip in that video sounds amazing
 
T

TC McQueen

Member
Someone at another forum I frequent came up with a good solution for the timers: have them all start after concealment ends. That way people get all the tactical freedom they want, while still having the incentive to move quickly.
 
S

Snapshot King

Member
I researched the skull jack, but couldnt find it in my items, and then saw there was still a skull jack research option at the proving grounds. Then 3 days into researching it, I have a mission, and a squaddie has a skullkjack equipped?

Also holy crap. I have 6-7 things to scan, the black site to go to, a retaliatory strike incoming in 2 weeks, 3 dark events going on that I can't see...and I just, just got a 5th squad member but no significant weapon upgrades. Jesus christ. Is this normal?
 
J

Jintor

Member
Snapshot King said:
I researched the skull jack, but couldnt find it in my items, and then saw there was still a skull jack research option at the proving grounds. Then 3 days into researching it, I have a mission, and a squaddie has a skullkjack equipped?

Also holy crap. I have 6-7 things to scan, the black site to go to, a retaliatory strike incoming in 2 weeks, 3 dark events going on that I can't see...and I just, just got a 5th squad member but no significant weapon upgrades. Jesus christ. Is this normal?
Click to expand...

remember, the first xcom game is always just flailing around.

this is (among other reasons) why canonically xcom failed to defend the earth :(
 
R

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
SpartanSlayer117 said:
Yeah but what he said pretty much. We are boned. Comms take 16 days without engineer and then we gotta deploy them...how much progress on your Avatar bar?
Click to expand...

Only 3, I've only done like 5 missions yet, havent even done the blacksite yet lol. How can I be boned already wtf :eek:
 
J

Jintor

Member
Snapshot King said:
Can someone explain that skulljack thing though? I'm totally baffled. Does researching skulljack again just give you another?
Click to expand...

The Proving Grounds is basically a workshop where they make "1" item. So you could get multiple skulljacks if you want.

I'm not entirely sure what the point of skulljacking anything other than the objective is at this point.

Rhaknar said:
Only 3, I've only done like 5 missions yet, havent even done the blacksite yet lol. How can I be boned already wtf :eek:
Click to expand...

I was just exaggerating, you'll be fine. I was just thinking of my campaign progress at the point when I finally figured that out, which was
- Month Two
- Fucking Mutons
- Only just realised I need to clear space out
 
V

ViviOggi

Member
Lactose_Intolerant said:
In the first month? It takes a whole round just to kill 3 guys this early on for me.

Some of the maps aren't easy. On of the maps had the device on a ledge so you couldn't shoot it.
Click to expand...
Yeah you have to keep the reinforcements at bay to be able to expend the sniper attacks. Pretty rough running into the UFO in the first month and then getting bad map rng on top.
 
A

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
Snapshot King said:
So proper armour research just goes on everybody?
Click to expand...


When you get a new armor type through research and buy it under the armor tab in "Build Items" it is available on everybody. There's also advanced armor you build in the proving grounds that you need to spend time and resources on for each unit you want to build.
 
S

Snapshot King

Member
Archaix said:
When you get a new armor type through research and buy it under the armor tab in "Build Items" it is available on everybody. There's also advanced armor you build in the proving grounds that you need to spend time and resources on for each unit you want to build.
Click to expand...

So I'd only need to build 1, then, right?
 
K

klaushm

Member
Well... It's really harder than XCOM, for me.

I finished only one mission as flawless, and the rest of them I got at least one crew member injuried. Most of missions having timer are driving me crazy x.x

Also, think I'm boned. Avatar bar at the middle, just now I have 6 members to go at each mission, don't have magnetic guns, didn't build relay and I'm building a power generator... So, luckly, in 17 days I'll be able to leave Africa.

To be clear, I'm loving it.
 
A

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
Snapshot King said:
So I'd only need to build 1, then, right?
Click to expand...


Right. If it's under armor or weapons in the build items menu, you only build one. Anything under utility items or made through the Proving Grounds needs to be purchased repeatedly for use on more than one soldier at a time. At least that's how it's been for everything so far. The Proving Grounds items also require time, where everything under Build Items seems to be immediately available.
 
R

Ragnar Blackmane

Member
Have been playing the game for two days... and seriously, it has some REALLY rough edges.

In two days I have been, despite having verified the integrity of the game cache three times:

-Having constant hang-ups in loading screens when loading saves where the game just stops loading at one point, leaving me stuck on the screen and forcing me to force-quit the game
- The game hanging up after a mission, stuck at an outside view of the Avenger or a black screen with only one or two muted lightning effects visible. Had that three times now, including my first ironman game where the save got corrupted through that (autosave after mission, reloads impossible because of above bug... with nothing happening even after multiple restarts and reloads). Quite often the after mission-autosave will also get corrupted by that

- When loading a save of a tactical mission: Certain keys not working at all (like rotating the camera), game not moving units when giving move orders, when this happens on the last soldier with action points left... you can't progress and have to reload.

- Icons/Buttons in info screens in the base (like research results, choices on the hologlobe etc) disappearing when you move the mouse over them and not being able to click them anymore. Good luck making an informed decision if you can't see your choices and your only way to interact with the interface window is to press ESC to close it
- Serious balancing issues: Having to fight 2 Sectoids, 3 ADVENT Commanders, 2 Stun Lancers (!) and a whole bunch of Troopers on the THIRD mission of the tutorial, all of them popping up in front of you in short succession, with 4 rookies and an 8 turn deadline to hack some box that is completely exposed is NOT fun. This was almost like a landed Large Transport in the first month of Long War, except that you can't skip the mission and if your squad gets wiped you get an instant game over. It also made me realize why Long War gives you 6-men squads right away.

- Rather bad optimization. Nothing to add really.

I seriously wonder what Firaxis has been up to the last 5 months they spent "fixing the game". The game is buggy as hell, constantly hangs up and it is pretty much impossible to play an Ironman save unless you want to take chances with your save getting corrupted during the inevitable post-mission hang ups. Damn shame, was so looking forward to the game, especially after the dozens of reviews that seemingly didn't have those technical issues for whatever reason, guess I'll just play alot of Digimon Cyber Sleuth instead till the patches roll out.
 
P

Poodlestrike

Banned
Once I get a stockpile of different grenade types I think I might try out an all-Grenadier team. They've got some serious utility once you start looking at adding Venom, Acid, etc. grenades.

Ragnar Blackmane said:
Have been playing the game for two days... and seriously, it has some REALLY rough edges.

In two days I have been, despite having verified the integrity of the game cache three times:

-Having constant hang-ups in loading screens when loading saves where the game just stops loading at one point, leaving me stuck on the screen and forcing me to force-quit the game
- The game hanging up after a mission, stuck at an outside view of the Avenger or a black screen with only one or two muted lightning effects visible. Had that three times now, including my first ironman game where the save got corrupted through that (autosave after mission, reloads impossible because of above bug... with nothing happening even after multiple restarts and reloads)
- When loading a save of a tactical mission: Certain keys not working at all (like rotating the camera), game not moving units when giving move orders, when this happens on the last soldier with action points left... you can't progress and have to reload.
-Having issues with quite bad optimization - Especially on Skyranger loading screens and in the Avenger base, despite
- Serious balancing issues: Having to fight 2 Sectoids, 3 ADVENT Commanders, 2 Stun Lancers (!) and a whole bunch of Troopers on the THIRD mission of the tutorial, all of them popping up in front of you in short succession, with 4 rookies and an 8 turn deadline to hack some box that is completely exposed is NOT fun. This was almost like a landed Large Transport in the first month of Long War, except that you can't skip the mission and if your squad gets wiped you get an instant game over. It also made me realize why Long War gives you 6-men squads right away.
- Rather bad optimization. Nothing to add really.

I seriously wonder what Firaxis has been up to the last 5 months they spent "fixing the game". The game is buggy as hell, constantly hangs up and it is pretty much impossible to play an Ironman save unlike you want to take chances with your save getting corrupted during the inevitable post-mission hang ups. Damn shame, was so looking forward to the game, especially after the dozens of reviews that seemingly didn't have those technical issues for whatever reason, guess I'll just play alot of Digimon Cyber Sleuth instead till the patches roll out.
Click to expand...

I haven't had any of those technical issues, so if I had to guess the same was true of the reviewers and that's why it's not in the reviews.


As for the balance issue: you're not supposed to fight them all at once, and on the 8 turn ones you start in concealment so there's a few free kills right there. Also, you don't have to kill them all by turn 8, just complete the other objective. Once that's done you can take as much time as you like.
 
L

LurkerPrime

Member
I really thought weapon mods would be a bad addition, but the extra importance of a soldier's weapon can change everything. It's given me reasons to extract corpses, for example. Plus it also doubles as a kind of meld replacement in-mission, forcing tough, risky moves to grab the loot.

Good stuff.
 
B

Basileus777

Member
The loading times before and after missions have been getting longer and longer as my campaign progresses. Some of these post-mission loads are already in "go eat a sandwich" territory. And the game is installed on a SDD, I don't even want to know how bad it is on a HDD. I really hope they patch all of these technical issues.
 
M

megalowho

Member
Spent a lot of time with this today. Tempted to start over now that I have an idea what to expect a bit, already know I can build a more efficient base. Been playing a little loose and getting a bunch of soldiers killed along the way. Game is tough but very good.

Basileus777 said:
The loading times before and after missions have been getting longer and longer as my campaign progresses. Some of these post-mission loads are already in "go eat a sandwich" territory. I really hope they patch all of these technical issues.
Click to expand...
Yeah, load times are pretty rough.
 
J

Jintor

Member
Nete said:
I'm waiting clearance from Sober to post the instructions. We had some details to figure out :p
Click to expand...

Can't wait. It'll be interesting to see this from the other end for once. (Although actually I was in an old-school X-com LP back in the day, one of the best I've ever read)
 
R

Rhaknar

The Steam equivalent of the drunk friend who keeps offering to pay your tab all night.
Grenadiers are my favorite class so far, very early on tho.
 
R

Ragnar Blackmane

Member
Poodlestrike said:
Once I get a stockpile of different grenade types I think I might try out an all-Grenadier team. They've got some serious utility once you start looking at adding Venom, Acid, etc. grenades.



I haven't had any of those technical issues, so if I had to guess the same was true of the reviewers and that's why it's not in the reviews.


As for the balance issue: you're not supposed to fight them all at once, and on the 8 turn ones you start in concealment so there's a few free kills right there. Also, you don't have to kill them all by turn 8, just complete the other objective. Once that's done you can take as much time as you like.
Click to expand...
Kinda hard to do when, with the exception of a sectoid and a single trooper which you get to ambush, all the enemies including the reinforcements (commander and stun lancers) are camping or arrive directly at the objective that you have to hack (one time the reinforcements even spawned straight on top of another group of enemies that just spotted me). Nothing better than facing another commander, two stun lancers, a trooper and a mind-controlling Sectoid (with almost guaranteed sucess rates on the harder difficulties) all at the same time... with 4 rookies.

Wouldn't have been that much of an issue in EU/EW/Long War where you can just pull back a bit and pick your fights, impossible to do with the turn limit and the very small map, so II ended up just sacrificing a trooper to hack the damn objective on the third try, even if it meant getting the poor guy wasted in the open.
 
U

Uthred

Member
One thing to watch out for if youre playing Ironman is that the saves wont load if you disable mods you were using. Decided to try out the free camera rotation mod, didnt like it, turned it off and now I cant reload my save without having it on. A tad annoying to be honest
 
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