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XCOM: Long War | A mod for XCOM: Enemy Within
- Thread starter Sober
- Start date
Hate those fuckers
Ugh. Thanks for the tips and the solidarity. I was doing great til they showed up.
Imperfected
Member
Dial down the .ini setting for their AI preference on using it from "Fuck it, spit all the time" to "Maybe just spit when enemies are grouped up in heavy cover".
But if you mean in actual gameplay: Sniper abuse always works (Snipers are too far away to get spat on, units in range can just Hunker after the Snipers have taken their shots for the turn; you probably wanted them Hunkered, anyway, so no big loss), and their innate Defense isn't actually so high as to be able to survive being sniped in light cover, anyway. Try to position your troops so that the Thinmen have to take half-cover to get into range to spit, then fire away.
You can also, of course, just spam explosives and then abuse Hit And Run/In the Zone, or run with a couple of SHIVs on the mission to act as anti-lawyer flanking elements. (The SHIV will suffer a loss of DR from the acid, but they should generally have close to 100% kill chances on close-range flanked Thinmen, so it's no big deal.)
Gah, made it through that third Terror Mission with only a couple of damaged SHIVs as the casualties. That was fun! I even managed to save five civilians, despite being attacked right off the landing.
For those who don't know, the third Terror Mission is apparently hardcoded. It has a very specific loadout of aliens.
And to make it more fun, when all was done, I had killed 43 aliens. I'd wager at least 20 of those died to a double dose of Close Combat Specialist from my Assaults. I had been warned. Now you have, too. Bring two Assaults on the third Terror Mission.
And as a reward, my Scout on that mission hit Tech Sergeant. Oh, yes. Now you see her, now you don't. I look forward to trying out a Concealment Scout with Battle Scanners. I get the feeling she's going to be my Snipers' new favorite squadmate.
I could use some more credits soon, though. I need to set up a temporary Thermal Power Plant, so I can build more stuff. I don't need more stuff right now, but I am maxed out in power, and I won't need that final spot in the 2x3 Sat network until well after I have Elerium Power going. Better to use it now that leave it empty.
Oh, and finally, I have a little pro tactic to share. I had a bad Chryssalid activation, and they ran into a building with a closed door facing me. Clearly, next alien turn, bad things would come pouring out of that door. So... I parked a SHIV on the tile on my side of the door. Aliens can't use handles, and you need the spot on the other side free to kick the door. So, one SHIV kept five Chryssalids at bay for 6-7 turns just by blocking the door. Silly bugs.
For those who don't know, the third Terror Mission is apparently hardcoded. It has a very specific loadout of aliens.
Chyssalids and Zombies only!
And as a reward, my Scout on that mission hit Tech Sergeant. Oh, yes. Now you see her, now you don't. I look forward to trying out a Concealment Scout with Battle Scanners. I get the feeling she's going to be my Snipers' new favorite squadmate.
I could use some more credits soon, though. I need to set up a temporary Thermal Power Plant, so I can build more stuff. I don't need more stuff right now, but I am maxed out in power, and I won't need that final spot in the 2x3 Sat network until well after I have Elerium Power going. Better to use it now that leave it empty.
Oh, and finally, I have a little pro tactic to share. I had a bad Chryssalid activation, and they ran into a building with a closed door facing me. Clearly, next alien turn, bad things would come pouring out of that door. So... I parked a SHIV on the tile on my side of the door. Aliens can't use handles, and you need the spot on the other side free to kick the door. So, one SHIV kept five Chryssalids at bay for 6-7 turns just by blocking the door. Silly bugs.
Shake Appeal
Member
Into August of my second game and doing much much better: I have 46 soldiers this time and almost all of them are Sergeant or above. Air game was a mess in the early months as I blew a lot of money on shot-down satellites, but I'm catching up now (12 interceptors and satellite coverage across two continents), and I will soon have gauss weapons for the first time.
Lagging a bit on psi (though I just got my first couple of Mindfray soldiers) and captures, but I just cleared a landed large with one wounded. Concealment scouts slay.
Lagging a bit on psi (though I just got my first couple of Mindfray soldiers) and captures, but I just cleared a landed large with one wounded. Concealment scouts slay.
Shake Appeal
Member
A few weeks later and my roster is looking veeery thin because of a bad sequence of missions and wounds. Just cleared an August terror mission with one minor wound, but I have six troops available right now for a shot-down fighter, and I'm considering ignoring it to make sure I'm ready for any bigger priorities. Like Deluge, which is probably right around the corner.
Are there consequences for letting a downed UFO expire?
Are there consequences for letting a downed UFO expire?
The aliens will get some resources back that they "spent" on the UFO, I believe. But whatever mission it was on has failed. So if it was a Research mission, you're coming out ahead.
Imperfected
Member
There's basically a slight panic penalty, as doing the mission would have reduced panic in the country in question slightly. The amount is very minor, though, so if the nation isn't on the brink it's probably not much to worry about.
The experience and resources are always the major thing.
SpartanSlayer117
Member
About at what time should i have lasers researched in Long War? I tried to rush lasers but it didn't work out out so good since i was missing weapon fragments and it took longer than i thought. And how long does it take for a laser rifle to be built? I beat classic Ironman on vanilla but Long War is something else!
You probably don't want to fight Cyberdisks with purely ballistic weapons. So, May-ish.
The more important laser thing, though, is the Laser Cannon. Your interceptors want this, badly.
SpartanSlayer117
Member
Yeah my airgame is a mess, i wasn't expecting it to be so intensive compared to vanilla. I lost 3 interceptors shooting down one UFO. And then i saw the base price of 200$ compared to 20$(40$?) In Vanilla :/
Shake Appeal
Member
Two new Corporals for one live Muton. Yeah, I'll take that deal.
So, the second mission of Slingshot popped up... Do I remember it right that Confounding Light can be completed without killing all aliens? All you need is to get a unit to a specific square, which may or may not be full of Mutons?
Because I'm thinking of blitzing it, since I know full well that my A-team has to be ready to go in 12 hours after Confounding Light for the main event... My Concealment Scout might have to do a runner. Or one of the SHIVs, if they can complete it.
Because I'm thinking of blitzing it, since I know full well that my A-team has to be ready to go in 12 hours after Confounding Light for the main event... My Concealment Scout might have to do a runner. Or one of the SHIVs, if they can complete it.
Yes, you can do that. I've done in with only 2 B-quality Assaults before. Perhaps 1 more Scout to run the Overwatch from the drop-ins.
Poodlestrike
Banned
I'm seriously considering abandoning my current game and restarting with the Interceptor equivalent on :/
Balanced approach shouldn't mean one shot out of 6 connects, c'mon son.
I always play with Friendly Skies on. Bad airgame RNG has the potential to screw up a campaign, and is something you can't really control (outside of dodge matrices). If I mess up a tactical mission, it's because I made a mistake somewhere, like being too greedy or not evaccing soon enough. But sometimes even trying to shoot down a raider comes down to whether you spent an exorbitant amount to put 6 interceptors on a continent.
As for cinematic mode, play however you want - it's a singleplayer game. It's also a really difficult and obtuse game, so if you're looking for an easier time it's definitely a good choice.
As for cinematic mode, play however you want - it's a singleplayer game. It's also a really difficult and obtuse game, so if you're looking for an easier time it's definitely a good choice.
You should be ashamed of your words and deeds.
Ok, initial strategy. Grab the Mexico starting cash bonus and send early 2 satellites into USA and Canada to get continent bonus.
Sounds good?
Edit: Also, I modded the uplink and nexus values back to vanilla (2 and 4). STOP JUDGING ME HK-47!
Yeah, I heard about the mod because of the XCom 2 hype and it feels like a great way to honor this great game before the second one comes crashing in, hopefully being the "as good, but different" kind of thing that looks like it is.
Sounds good?
Edit: Also, I modded the uplink and nexus values back to vanilla (2 and 4). STOP JUDGING ME HK-47!
Yeah, I heard about the mod because of the XCom 2 hype and it feels like a great way to honor this great game before the second one comes crashing in, hopefully being the "as good, but different" kind of thing that looks like it is.
Dick Justice
Banned
OH SHIT SON (What's the current state of the game? Heard that the latest patch was a bit on the shit side in terms of stability and stuff).
CertifiedFP
Member
Huh, thought the Long War devs were planning on making their own commercial game instead of making more mods.
Unless, that is, they've been hired to make an expansion for XCOM 2 as their first commercial product.
Unless, that is, they've been hired to make an expansion for XCOM 2 as their first commercial product.
BRocknRolla
Member
Implication that it's for Xcom 2 or just the next iteration on the existing one?
RedlineRonin
Member
Damn. I just finsihed my first playthrough of vanilla xcom 2 (with a couple quality of life mods and a few weapon packs) but i loved every minute of it. I'd probably hop right back in for another go if this adds a bunch of stuff.
Their new website says they're making this in partnership with Firaxis, so I would assume they're compensated somehow? And it still lists their own game as well.
CecilRousso
Member
Wouldn't be suprised at all if turned out to be a paid mod. And wouldn't mind it either.
Directly from that twitter discussion down the line:
A Long War-ified XCOM2... Now that'll be a timesink to shame all those that came before.
Fragamemnon
Member
EW Long War has been more or less the only game I've played seriously in the last two years outside a few months terrorizing World of Warcraft economies. Everything else feels sedate and pedestrian in comparison with high-stakes I/I LW. It's kind of the game of the forever for me at this point.
XCOM 2 has some serious problems in its terrible strategy layer that will need LW-grade recooking to make the game interesting again to me. I'm glad Firaxis is bankrolling this work, but I hope that johnnylump and team have access to really rip into the strategy layer and re-imagine (read: force player investment into) the strategy layer. It's necessary to get the experience to work.
XCOM 2 has some serious problems in its terrible strategy layer that will need LW-grade recooking to make the game interesting again to me. I'm glad Firaxis is bankrolling this work, but I hope that johnnylump and team have access to really rip into the strategy layer and re-imagine (read: force player investment into) the strategy layer. It's necessary to get the experience to work.
Doubt enough will see this but I am asking for advice on whether I should restart my playthrough. I just got to July which isn't thaaaat far in Long War but didn't (like most I imagine) know how the air game really goes and feel super behind on where I should be. Can't really defend my satellites and I'm down to only one over my starting country (I only ever had like 3 up max) so my general income is shit even if I'm winning missions fairly easily (laser weapons and full phalanx for the entire team plus shiv when I need it). But I feel so far behind on my air game and my actual council report income will be so shit that my actual ability to progress and buy, well, anything is fucked and I can see myself just getting outpaced relatively soon.
It doesn't help that I've also never played Enemy Within (beat EU classic ironman) so I don't know Enemy Within's specific quirks. Also terror missions are fucked in Long War and I kinda don't even try to save civvies if I start to see 2 or 3 separate pods of chryssalids all run up on me. Just kill aliens and pray.
Basically, in July (don't know how long that is for Long war), should I restart and reevaluate priorities towards more air game?
It doesn't help that I've also never played Enemy Within (beat EU classic ironman) so I don't know Enemy Within's specific quirks. Also terror missions are fucked in Long War and I kinda don't even try to save civvies if I start to see 2 or 3 separate pods of chryssalids all run up on me. Just kill aliens and pray.
Basically, in July (don't know how long that is for Long war), should I restart and reevaluate priorities towards more air game?
If you're still winning the ground game, you're (more or less) fine. You can supplement lost income by selling stuff. It may bite you further down the road... but why worry about that now if you can't even reach that point? You'll certainly take a hit now but it is recoverable.
You shouldn't be losing any interceptors, if they're getting fired up pull them out at ~50%. I would suggest always going defensive unless they're showing heavy smoke and you want to guarantee the kill on your follow up interceptor. Don't send them after targets they can't take down.
An expensive tip is to store interceptors in other countries and swap out damaged ones with fresh ones.
I don't know where you started, but I tend to start NA and my first 3 sats are all in the the NA for the air bonus. It makes the air game much more manageable.
Ya I'm in North America.
I did the vanilla game thing where I used my earlier sats to kill panic in trouble spots but have had run ins with big bad UFOs that just shot down my sats. I mean to an extent, those seem intentional, but because I hadn't first consolidated in NA early on, I'm now in this position.
I'll keep going and see how things pan out.
I did the vanilla game thing where I used my earlier sats to kill panic in trouble spots but have had run ins with big bad UFOs that just shot down my sats. I mean to an extent, those seem intentional, but because I hadn't first consolidated in NA early on, I'm now in this position.
I'll keep going and see how things pan out.