XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - Now talking about the new WOTC Long War Mod

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:08 pm

It's interesting how the pacing varies by game, even though the game is heavily scripted for pacing.

I have yet to take down any Chosen, having only done 1 covert op for 2 of them and 2 ops for another. Yet I all spaces in the avenger have been cleared for at least 2 months. Only recently have Gatekeepers started showing up, and I'm still using Gauss. 6 armor is tough but I always bring grenades and shredder grenadiers, and have at least 1 acid bomb for just such an occasion.

I recently did a retaliation mission that went like clockwork. When things click, they really click.

Immediately after I had a kill the advent general mission, which are usually pretty straightforward, except this one was sitrep psionic storm, and had 5 (maybe 6?) priests, 2 stun lancers, a codex and a sectoid. Still not a problem except the map was a sewer map that was narrow and straight. I was unable to reach the general and alpha strike him, which meant that he was constantly retreating and following him to the extraction point would activate every pod on the map at the same time. Well, except the codex/sectoid. I could kill them before activating the general, but then the timer starts anyway.

After several attempts, I managed to only activate every pod but one (the one with the Gatekeeper, thank goodness) and with the judicious use of grenades to destroy cover, holo-targeting to increase aim, a bondmate's extra AP to get in range, I managed to pull the general back away from his support using Justice on my Skirmisher. I was able to kill him at that point, but I left 2 dudes out of cover to do it. I bet on the fact that priests like to stasis everyone and hoped that would be the case here, and they did, so I was able to stay alive for another turn. I did win the mission with no losses, but one guy was unconscious with 4 hp left (not sure I've seen this before, and standing his bondmate beside him did nothing) and another guy was 1 turn from bleeding out.

After about 3-4 tries, I wasn't even sure the mission was doable without losses. I did some smart things that I could only have done with foreknowledge of the mission, AND got some lucky rolls on top of that, and I still had 2 guys down and nearly out. It was just a chase/race down a long narrow corridor with pods all along the way. It was about as deathtrappy as I've seen, and there just wasn't any way to alpha strike the general without being dangerously outflanked by priests and stun lances.

Separately, my Templar just unlocked bladestorm, so he now has both bladestorm and reaper, 18 mobility and 54 dodge, plus deflection, and soon will have reflection. He just needs Fortress and some decent armor to be the tankiest tank who ever tanked. I realize that this might not be the most effective unit, but it's what I like to do in most games. I was always sad that the Ranger melee was simply out performed late game by shootier rangers. Of course in WotC you can have both on one soldier, if you want to spend the AP.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:39 am

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:08 pmI bet on the fact that priests like to stasis everyone and hoped that would be the case here, and they did, so I was able to stay alive for another turn.

I sometimes think Priests are secretly working against ADVENT. I've lost track of how many times they've helped me out by putting someone in a forward position into Stasis before they can be hurt by anyone else.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 9:28 am

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:08 pm I was always sad that the Ranger melee was simply out performed late game by shootier rangers.

Haha, my best savant ranger has reaper, bladestorm, blademaster, run & gun, untouchable, implacable and with the Assassin's katana (never misses, penetrates 5 armor) he absolutely slaughters almost everything in his path with his blade in one swing. For really tough enemies, he may need to break out the assassin shotgun a few times.

I just finished a Guerrilla Op mission last night with the Psi Storm sitrep. It had a sectopod, archon and andromedon along with sectiods and various Advent priests, purifiers and whatnot. They bad thing was I had to use my B team because the A team was out for 9 days with tiredness from the Hunter stronghold mission less than a day before. I ended up using a Psi Op troop an a mission for the first time. I'd just been leaving him in training but he popped up on the mission team so I used him. PSA: you can use Psi troops even if they're in the middle of training a skill in the Psi Lab. I assumed you couldn't use them but you can.

Psi Ops are pretty powerful. He cast Insanity on the andromedon the first turn and ended up controlling him. The purifier there broke cover and attacked the controlled andromedon so I killed him easily. I used the andromedon to attack the archon and 3 sectiods there and finished the sectoids off with my sniper's Kill Zone when they broke cover. My ranger ran up and finished the wounded archon with his blade then killed the 2nd phase andromedon the next turn when he broke mind control.

I had bluescreen ammo on almost everyone because of the Shadow Chamber report and I'm glad I did because those sectopods are no joke. My B sniper took out over half it's health with a Deadeye shot. The specialist used battle protocol on it and the ranger finished it off. After it was dead the mission was pretty much over.

By the way, the Spider armor for snipers is fantastic. Sure you lose a few armor points but they rarely get shot at if you place them right. The Spider armor has a built in grappling hook which costs no action points to use. So, on this mission, after my Reaper spotted the enemy pod, I was able to place the sniper on a high ledge and set up Kill Zone on the first turn.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:25 pm

The chosen are game changers, no question about that.

As an aside, I quite like the title screen images they use. They are almost certainly in-game engine shots, which is a nice touch, and they look great (so perhaps they are enhanced), but the game is very visually appealing in general.

I don't actually have an A or B team, I just use whatever is available. Given that I'm not playing Ironman and I'm save scumming on occasion, my roster is all Colonels and Majors at this point (mid-August) as I would expect most peoples' to be. I think less than 1/3 of my roster is below major. Just checked. My roster is 24 soldiers and I only have 8 col/maj and 3 sgts. Everyone else is Lt or Cpt. I dislike taking Colonels on missions, because I hate giving up all that xp. I've been that way since the original '94 version.

Many of my younger soldiers have better combat intelligence so they will be better than their predecessors, eventually. I have an up and coming sharpshooter with savant (natural roll, no covert ops needed) who also rolled covering fire (overwatch on any activity, not just movement) and guardian (50% chance of another overwatch shot if the first one lands, no cap on how many times it can trigger). Combined with Squad Sight she is a beast and she still has several ranks to go as well as room for better attachments.

My roster is a mix of builds, which is typical for me. I have pistoleer (this is new for me) and sniper sharpshooters, medics, hackers and guardian overwatchers, melee and shotgun crit rangers, etc etc. I just recently recruited my second Reaper, who I built somewhat similar to Coldsteel's build he describes above, but with some small differences. I regret giving her needle, as I'm either going to give her AP rounds or bluescreen, depending on the other units I take with her and what they are up against. If needle shredded armor I probably wouldn't regret it. She does not have Silent Killer and I'm so used to using my Reaper to finish off targets without fear of being revealed that I'm having a hard time dealing with that.

My roster is such a mishmash that I'm having trouble keeping track of who gets what items (since the team is different every mission, I have to pull items from everyone and redistribute every time. That is something I never had to do in Vanilla/Ironman), and who gets what attachments for their weapons. To make matters worse (better?) you can pull weapons from people and redistribute, so that auto-loading extended mag sniper rifle that is usually on soldier X might end up on soldier Y if the need is dire enough. Trying to keep track of that is more than I'm willing to micromanage.

I have yet to make any Talon Rounds, despite having every other type of round, including duplicates of Dragon and Venom, the two least useful of the experimental ammo. Still, it's fun poisoning a heavy armour unit from stealth and then moving onto something else for a few turns, returning later and doing it again. I did this to the Warlock one mission which was fun. I had too much to handle nearby but I got an occasional squadsight shot off at him and by the time I was ready to take him on he was at 2/3 health. Not a particularly good or efficient strategy, but it was fun. Dragon rounds in the bullpup fired at close range look like a flamethrower, which is kind of neat.

Of note is that the Warlock was standing beside an NPC soldier waiting to be rescued when I used Venom rounds on him, and it poisoned the NPC as well. I guess when it hits it creates a small AoE cloud? No idea how it happened, but it happened.

Psioperatives are coming along. They haven't seen action yet and are each Disciples (Lt.) going on Mystics (Cpt.). Oddly they have 4 powers each but when you look at their abilities screen it only shows 3 + insanity listed twice. Must be a UI glitch, as their listed abilities on the right under their stats are the correct 4 abilities.

In some ways I'm much farther ahead than I would be in a vanilla Xcom 2 game at this stage, and in others much farther behind. I only just researched encryption giving me a shadow chamber, and am just starting on codex brains. I have almost no contacts (well, 7, but only 7 for August would be terrible in vanilla) but supplies are incredibly easy to come by in wotc. I only have +90 supply income right now due to Chosen permanently reducing income and the -50% income dark event active. None of it matters. I actually only pick up my supply drops every second month. Massing contacts is much less important.

I'm finally pushing covert ops designed to go after the Chosen, so I should be taking on the Assassin shortly, and permanently.

Gauss is just starting to feel underpowered, and a solid advanced or elite stunlancer crit can 1 shot my guys wearing predator armour, so it's time to start looking at Powered armour and plasma. I've had both available to research for a few months now, but I always seem to find something else to spend time on, and Gauss/Predator had been enough up until now anyway. At one point Powered Armour research was either inspired or breakthrough and I didn't take it, and I seriously regret that now. I think I was testing something and made a mistake to be honest, rather than a conscious decision not to take it.

Anywho, starting to feel underpowered so I hope I can get plasma at least before things go completely to hell.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 11:22 pm

Hilariously, the one soldier that I have that is a representation of me has almost no compatibility with anyone, and the ones he does have mediocre compatibility with already have bondmates.

Sounds about right.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 2:05 am

You guys might already know this but I just learned it.

Reapers can solo facility missions. Even a low level Reaper. Just stealth in, plant the bomb, move onto extraction zone that you dropped in range, and that's it.

I hate leaving all that xp on the table but if you're playing ironman, it's probably worth it.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:33 am

I'm into September now. I just researched plasma weapons last night and had gotten the Warden armor a bit earlier. The Avatar project has about 10 ticks left so pretty soon I will need to do the Black Site mission and start taking out Advent facilities. I want to take out the Warlock first though so there are no Chosen showing up in those missions to complicate things. I still need to do the last covert op to find his stronghold.

I did a mission last night to rescue some folks and the reward was an engineer and two colonels (grenadier and specialist) so pretty nice.

I have a good mix of leveled troop types except for Gunslinger. For some reason I only have 2 of those at high level. So, I took a rookie genius and have been fast leveling him using covert ops. He's up to lieutenant already. It's a great way to do it if you can get lucky with the 'promotion' covert mission types.

This game has it's hooks in me harder than any game I can remember in a long time.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:10 am

ColdSteel wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:33 amThis game has it's hooks in me harder than any game I can remember in a long time.

Before you know it, you'll start erupting with Chryssalids.

There are very few games I'd ever say had a truly beautiful set of complimentary components, but this is one of them. All of the gears work smoothly with each other, and the end result is a very satisfying gaming experience.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:47 pm

So my regular missions have Sectopods and elite troopers, plus heavy MECs, mutons, priests, the occasional andromedon etc. Not too bad, but more than 1 sectopod is a challenge, for sure, especially since I'm using Gauss.

I take on the Assassin at home who has level'd up a few times, and things are pretty straightforward. I have a savescum file after each major encounter, but I never have to use it. I've left my Colonels at home, bringing anything from majors to sargeants. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling proud. I'm feeling a bit cocky. The aliens so far have been underpowered, imo, compared to my regular missions. Archons and sectoids and elite advent soldiers and a couple of chrysalids that never take more than 2 steps before dying. I'm rocking it.

I clear the whole thing, then the chosen shows up. No problem. She summons 3 advent, still no problem. I mind control 1, kill the other 2 and I put her back in her box and start shooting it. Then heavy MECs, andromedons and an elite(?) Spectre (22 freaking hp, are you kidding me? I might be able to kill it in 1 turn with 1/2 my squad if the ranger crits) start teleporting in. I can't kill all these in 1 turn and I start taking damage. Because of the teleport locations and the fact that I have no idea that this is going to happen, at least not in this way, I'm flanked. guys start falling. Bleeding out. Killed. I'm still working on the new arrivals when she's out of her box. Still, I'm making progress. She then summons 3 more advent and it's all over. I have about 6 active enemies plus the chosen stunning and slashing through my 4 standing soldiers. Even if my positioning was perfect ahead of time, I'd be lucky to kill 1 a turn. To make matters bizarrely worse, the newly summoned advent are hitting and critting my guys from maximum range, in heavy cover. I realize that heavy cover is not any guarantee of avoiding shots, but there are no ranged bonuses for advent, and how they are critting is beyond me.

I probably should have brought my Colonels.

Admittedly I'm frustrated, but I probably shouldn't be. I've never seen this fight before, and things were happening that are specifically designed to cause problems. If the early parts hadn't lulled me into a false sense of confidence, I'm sure I wouldn't be half as frustrated as I am. Oh well.

So...about that savescum file.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:33 pm

Try #2.

I'd say I played almost perfectly up until I put her in her box a second time. There were still 3 advent troopers when I did that, and the moment she goes in the box a chrysalid (easy) and 'zerker (too many hp) spawn, so now it's 5 ai vs 6 mostly unwounded soldiers, except the 6 are all out of position and the supposed 75 hit chance of the troopers continues to defeat high and low cover in record numbers, including crits, which just seems so improbable that I have to think they have hidden bonuses.

Part of the problem is pure attrition. They just keep whittling and whittling me down and while I do have 3 medkit charges at this point, it's not enough to counter the crits and 100% melee chance she has.

I'm pretty sure I can do this, but it will take some luck, both on my to-hit rolls as well as what spawns. 2 chrysalids? Awesome. A 'zerker and rocket launching heavy MEC? Less awesome. I am definitely not ready to try this fight at this same stage on ironman. Perhaps it's easier to go after her right when I first get Gauss. It's September now and I've had gauss for months and months. I really, really wish she couldn't summon those critting high cover targets from max. range troopers though. It's the ability "General", and while I normally wouldn't have a problem with troopers, even deadeye ones, that plus the 2 spawns per turn that she's in the box are overwhelming me.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:47 pm

I just checked. I have 2 sargeants and 2 lieutenants and 2 majors.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:29 am

Ok, try #3 was completed with no losses and only 2 injuries.

Pushed hard to get in range of the pillar before she spawned, then focused down her 3 troopers before turning on her, making sure to stay in range of the pillar at all times before putting her in it for the first time, and managed to get some shots on it on the turn she went in, so I got a head start on damaging it. Next turn spawns an Archon and a hvy MEC, but on the far end of the room. I ignore them and pour all my fire into the pillar, destroying it before a second spawn of 2 random enemies could appear.

She jumped out and I ignored her (except the sniper had her flanked without moving, so I took that shot and hit) to kill the Archon/MEC. She summoned 3 more troopers, and I demolitioned the cover of one, who was squadsighted to death by my sharpshooter. I mind controlled another, and ignored the 3rd who was now flanked by the mind controlled dude.

Assassin managed to blind 4 of my soldiers but it didn't matter, as I could see her with 2 and used that to guide my blinded dudes into close range. I missed 2 point blank shots, but hit her with enough of the others to kill her anyway. Mind controlled dude never got a chance to move. 3rd trooper was so far away that he wasn't even visible when I killed her.

So. That went well. Things went my way for the most part, but the only thing that I would consider "lucky" was the Archon/MEC spawn. The Archon decided to close instead of shooting which allowed me to kill him before he did anything, and the MEC bombed my psiop who is immune to explosions (fortress) and my ranger, who luckily only took 3-4 damage. I think I made all my 80+ chance shots, and missed a couple of 60ish shots (they were hail mary's anyway), but that's it. Nothing strangely improbable this time. The same 2 soldiers were wounded multiple times, but I healed them almost back to full in between.

I want to go after the other two right away because that sucked and I do *not* want them to level up some more, but I think I'll wait for my next armor upgrade (3 days away) and some plasma (I already have plasma pistols on my sharp shooters).

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:56 am

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:25 pm I have almost no contacts (well, 7, but only 7 for August would be terrible in vanilla) but supplies are incredibly easy to come by in wotc. I only have +90 supply income right now due to Chosen permanently reducing income and the -50% income dark event active. None of it matters. I actually only pick up my supply drops every second month. Massing contacts is much less important.

So this changed right before the Chosen mission. I had been saving up intel, not for any specific purpose, I was just prioritizing scanning for it and wasn't spending it. I increased faction influence which gave me the "contacts are now instant" card, and I had upgraded my radio as well as completing a "contacts" covert op.

The long and short of it is that I grabbed 5 contacts instantly and still have room for another 2, I just ran out of intel.

I'm also using the +20% will recovery card, which I'm led to understand is the only way to speed up recovery of shaken/tired.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:57 am

I'm just into October now and took out the Warlock last night, so the last of the Chosen has fallen and they will bother me no more. Now I can concentrate on the Avatar project. I have 7 ticks left there.

The Warlock was bar none the nastiest fight of all the Stronghold missions. I'd say the Hunter was easiest and the Assassin in the middle.

If you didn't like the Assassin summons, just wait until you tackle the Warlock. He's not a fighter, he's a summoner and he does throw a lot of crap at you. On his first turn he summoned in his Spectral Army (4 spectral stun lancers), 1 elite spectre and 2 priests. Then he put himself into stasis so he can't be injured. Thankfully I had my best colonel sniper with his Hunter weapons and bluescreen ammo with me and he took care of most of the spawns by himself.

I had the sniper (along with most of the team) parked up high in the middle of the room so he got his height bonuses. Lightning Hands (no AP cost) on the Spectre took out most of it's health then Face Off (one pistol shot at every enemy killed the spectre and wounded 5 of the other 6. He has a bond with my reaper so she then gave him one of the extra bond APs and he used it to kick off Serial (if you kill something with a rifle shot all action point are refunded) which kills 3 of the wounded spectral lancers and puts one of the priests into stasis (the stasis thing ends Serial and Death From Above, unfortunately). I then used my grenadier to take out the last spectral lancer (chain shot) and the Ranger put the other priest into stasis.

On the next turn the 2 priests are up again with 1 health. One tries to move but my ranger ended his turn parked right next to him so bladestorm took him out when he moved. The other priest mind controls the ranger but my reaper was stealthed right next to him so she took him out and broke the mind control. At that point the Warlock's stasis is broken because his army is gone and we take him out the first time. He had less than half health because we took a big chunk out with overwatch shots when he originally spawned and moved.

We start shooting the sarcophagus and he called in a chryssalid and another elite spectre. The 3 team members with bluescreen rounds shoot the sarcophagus and the ranger and psi take out the 2 spawns. Soon the sarcophagus is dead and he pops back up with 60% health. The reaper runs over and banishes him and that's that. I don't have to listen to his blithering anymore.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:56 am which gave me the "contacts are now instant" card, and I had upgraded my radio as well as completing a "contacts" covert op.

The long and short of it is that I grabbed 5 contacts instantly and still have room for another 2, I just ran out of intel.

I'm also using the +20% will recovery card, which I'm led to understand is the only way to speed up recovery of shaken/tired.

I have recently gotten the instant contacts card and it's great. The only problem is that you still have to build the radio transmission towers afterwards so you don't have to pay so much intel on adjacent contacts. And that still takes a while.

I was lucky enough to get that 20% will recovery card at the very beginning of my game. It has helped a lot.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:39 am

Very nice.

I don't remember anything special about the end mission. I wonder if they added anything with wotc? I can't imagine what it would be like with the chosen weapons, as it was already pretty straight forward.

That said, my memory is shaky and I often confuse the first and second games, so maybe I'm thinking of the first one.

I built a lab because I had nothing better to do. This might be the very first time I've built a lab in over 300 hours (most of those were squad wiping early in CI games) in Xcom 2 or Xcom 1.

I lost a bonded Grenadier early in the first couple of months, and am only now seeing a covert op mission to rescue her (or locate her? I don't remember). At this point she has been surpassed by at least 3 other grenadier soldiers, but I guess I should bring her home? If for no other reason than for her bondmate, who is one of my higher level sharpshooters, but unfortunately suffers from being completely average, including combat intelligence.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:45 am

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:39 am Very nice.

I don't remember anything special about the end mission. I wonder if they added anything with wotc? I can't imagine what it would be like with the chosen weapons, as it was already pretty straight forward.

That said, my memory is shaky and I often confuse the first and second games, so maybe I'm thinking of the first one.

I built a lab because I had nothing better to do. This might be the very first time I've built a lab in over 300 hours (most of those were squad wiping early in CI games) in Xcom 2 or Xcom 1.

I finished WOTC 2 or 3 times and I don't remember anything different about the end mission. I don't know if the Chosen might show up if you leave them alive because I never left them alive. I mean why would you?

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:49 am

coopasonic wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:45 am I finished WOTC 2 or 3 times and I don't remember anything different about the end mission. I don't know if the Chosen might show up if you leave them alive because I never left them alive. I mean why would you?

Not sure. If they don't show up and you're not savescumming, then winning the game without the risk the chosen missions bring, maybe?

Fardaza · Post by **Fardaza** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:32 am

Paingod wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:10 am
ColdSteel wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:33 amThis game has it's hooks in me harder than any game I can remember in a long time.
Before you know it, you'll start erupting with Chryssalids.

There are very few games I'd ever say had a truly beautiful set of complimentary components, but this is one of them. All of the gears work smoothly with each other, and the end result is a very satisfying gaming experience.

I tried to post pictures of my Steam pages, but I don't have an active image hosting page. (All of them want me to pay to continue.)
These 2 games "have their hooks in me" for sure! Steam says,

XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 1,631 hours
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - 757

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:46 am

I thought I was a fan at 135 and 397. You have played a lot.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:06 pm

Fardaza wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:32 am
Paingod wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:10 am
ColdSteel wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:33 amThis game has it's hooks in me harder than any game I can remember in a long time.
Before you know it, you'll start erupting with Chryssalids.

There are very few games I'd ever say had a truly beautiful set of complimentary components, but this is one of them. All of the gears work smoothly with each other, and the end result is a very satisfying gaming experience.
I tried to post pictures of my Steam pages, but I don't have an active image hosting page. (All of them want me to pay to continue.)
These 2 games "have their hooks in me" for sure! Steam says,

XCOM: Enemy Unknown - 1,631 hours
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - 757

That is a *lot* of play for a turn based tactical combat game. Hopefully those hours improved your performance in the game. My hours mostly have not.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 4:00 pm

I've been playing since I bought the game on the 15th and Steam says I've played 91 hours so far with 28 unlocked achievements. A drop in the bucket compared to you guys.

coopasonic wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:45 am I don't know if the Chosen might show up if you leave them alive because I never left them alive. I mean why would you?

From what I've read, any Chosen you don't kill will show up in the last mission. I guess that would increase the challenge a lot if you left them all alive.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:39 am but I guess I should bring her home?

Damn straight you better bring her home. No soldier left behind and all that. Semper Fi!

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:39 am I built a lab because I had nothing better to do.

I did the same and now I'm getting breakthroughs like crazy.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:43 pm

I finally did the Black Site mission and it was pretty easy. I had expected it to knock a bunch of ticks off the Avatar clock but it only reduced it by one. Oh well, I guess I'll have to start hitting the Advent facilities next to reduce it some more.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:35 pm

Yeah, the Black site mission is available pretty early and I don't think it's dynamic, or if it is, it never reaches the same level as randomly generated missions. I'm guessing it's supposed to be slightly easier than most missions because it's so game critical, but I could be wrong, and when things go south in Xcom, it doesn't matter that you're getting crushed by early enemies or later ones.

Typically I save the black site until the avatar bar is full, then do the mission and reduce it. I think you get another 2 pips from something related to the black site (maybe research) so you end up knocking it down 3 pips total. I noticed the bar moved a lot faster in wotc but you also have more options to knock it back down again, particularly the covert ops.

I was in real trouble at one point in my game but I have enough options now that the project is no longer a concern. At one point I knocked it down to 1/2 with whatever tools were available at the time. Probably a couple of facilities and a covert op or 2. The facilities are even easier than the black site, imo. As I noted previously, you can solo them with a concealed reaper, although I haven't done that myself yet.

Still, it puts some pressure on you fairly early and if you are not ready to knock it down a peg or two, it can screw you. I've definitely lost a few games to the project, always early in the game.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:35 pm

Ok, went after the warlock because I hear the hunter is the easiest.

I had just built 1 W.A.R. suit and put Warden on everyone else.

First contact on the main floor pulls 8 guys. The two pods were literally intermixed and I made the mistake of opening the door with a non-stealthed guy. I kind of did it intentionally, but I had no idea 2 pods were in range. On the very next alien turn, a patrol wandered into range, so I had 12 activated enemies engaging me at the same time. I almost immediately reloaded, but decided to play it out to get some practice in.

In the end, 3 of 4 medikit charges were expended, armor was stripped from 2 of my guys, several instant reloads were used, but everyone alive. So I continued to play it out. Kill the last pod with no issue and down (up?) I go.

On the main floor I murder a berserker and purifier with prejudice. I look around, and figure out it's the same fight, so I position my guys aggressively without activating the pillar. I activate it on the first move of my new turn, and proceed to pound the crap out of him. He has 1 hp when he summons 2 stun lancers and 3 spectral stun lancers, then stasis's himself. I manage to kill 4 of the five, and throw my own stasis on the last guy. Warlock comes out and...I don't remember. Does nothing maybe? I kill him and his last guy and proceed to pound the pillar.

An advent officer and...something else spawn. I kill the something else and mind control the officer. I continue to pound the pillar. An andromedon and Chrysalid spawn. I bait them with the officer and the Chrysalid takes the bait, but the Andromendon goes after my sniper and pounds him down to 4 hp. Warlock comes out and I blow up his cover, then focus fire him down, including the officer's shots. Game over with the Chrysalid still at 100% and the Andromedon at about 50% of it's first form.

So I did it without save scumming, which was nice. 5 soldiers wounded, 1 has the negative trait "cautious". None were Colonels (I guess I didn't learn my lesson after all). The Reaper was a Lt.

Challenging, but not nearly as impossible seeming as it was the first time with the Assassin. There were no surprises (outside of 12 at once on the first floor) which made it much simpler this time around.

Edit: The dark event Undying Loyalty was in effect during the mission, but it never activated during it thank goodness. Undying Loyalty is the event that automatically rez's dead enemies (presumably only advent) as psionic zombies immediately after dying.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 27, 2018 12:20 am

ColdSteel wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 4:00 pm
GreenGoo wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 10:39 am but I guess I should bring her home?
Damn straight you better bring her home. No soldier left behind and all that. Semper Fi!

For the record the covert op unlocked a time sensitive rescue mission that was a 3 man gig. I walked in with a reaper, sharpshooter and templar and killed everything I saw until the base was on high alert and reinforcements became a little overwhelming, which was on the 5th reinforcement drop I think. There were a lot of advent bodies around the extraction zone.

Separately, why are the chosen assault missions time sensitive? It's a good idea to keep a skilled team on standby (healed, rested) for when the covert op finishes because you can't just leave the assault for later. That annoys me.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 27, 2018 12:39 am

In a month where I uncovered and rescued a previously captured Xcom soldier, added 5 new resistance contacts, increased my monthly supply drop from 90 to 340, researched and built warden armor, and found and killed 2 of the 3 chosen, the former council member is disappointed with my performance.

In his defense, the project did increase by 3 pips, a facility was constructed and a dark event completed.

But really. Dude. Do you know what morale is? Why are you stepping on Xcom's during it's best month to date?

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Sat Oct 27, 2018 8:46 am

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Sat Oct 27, 2018 12:20 am For the record the covert op unlocked a time sensitive rescue mission that was a 3 man gig. I walked in with a reaper, sharpshooter and templar and killed everything I saw until the base was on high alert and reinforcements became a little overwhelming, which was on the 5th reinforcement drop I think.

For future reference you can just stealth around to the back, blow up the prison cell wall with a Claymore, and wait for it to burn down. Then grab the prisoner and call in the evac zone right there. 10 minutes and you can probably do it with 1 reaper.

T · Post by T » Sat Oct 27, 2018 9:16 am

WotC is on sale on WinGameStore for $20.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 27, 2018 11:47 am

Actually that was my point. Instead of sneaking around I kicked in the front door with a 3 man team. Obviously pod sizes were smaller to match, but it was still fun.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 27, 2018 9:56 pm

Cheesed the OverPowered Achievement, but not on purpose. The OP achievement is finish a mission on Commander or higher using a squad of all the same class. I had 2 grenadiers on a covert ops get ambushed on a Lost map. The Lost complicated things but not too badly. I spent a LOT of time reloading. I never did see the heavy MEC that was supposed to be on the map somewhere too.

With a roster this size I'm starting to feel that everyone looks the same. I do have a number of customized soldiers, mostly from here on OO, but it's not enough. I will seriously consider some of the cosmetic DLC if I can get it at a good price. If I do buy it, it might be the very first time I've ever paid money for new colours. Of course there are new customizations as well, but colours though. You want neon green? 5 bucks please. That's pretty counter to my usual outlook. I don't care though, I have 10+ soldiers wearing brown armor and non-descript hair. It's bugging me.

Dark event Undying Loyalty appears to only be a chance of rezzing as a psionic zombie. It certainly doesn't trigger every time an advent dies.

Ran a facility mission with just a Reaper, because the project was maxed and I needed to drop it quick. Also, just to have done it once.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 2:56 am

I know there are others playing Xcom 2 right now besides Coldsteel and I, and I was wondering if anyone wanted to submit a customized soldier for me to import? Right now I just have the base game and WotC, so any customization items from other DLCs probably wouldn't work.

If there are any takers, I'm not sure how to get them to me. Dropbox maybe?

You can certainly submit more than 1 soldier too, if you want. I have most if not all of the OO soldiers that were posted in the original Xcom 2 thread, I think. I could probably zip those up and make them available to anyone interested.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 9:48 am

I have a customized 'Coldsteel' soldier that I had created. He showed up in my current game and has become my best Gunslinger. I'd be happy to submit the character pool file for him if you can figure out a way to share files. It's only 5kb.

I'd be interested in getting the all the OO pool characters that were originally submitted if you can find a way to distribute that file.

killbot737 · Post by **killbot737** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 12:19 pm

This game is so cheaty! I revealed a group of snake-people, being led by <redacted>. My Grenadier was in a perfect position to not only hit all of them with a grenade, but it would have caused Two vehicle explosions as collateral damage, just to add to the enemy's misery.

And thus, the game chose that exact moment to crash. Conspiracy!

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 2:45 pm

Those "snakes" were actually lizard people from Rigel 7. We're through the looking glass here people!

Related to blowing things up, I did a VIP extraction on a gas station map where every single pod took cover behind a gas pump or vehicle. It was glorious.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 4:02 pm

I'll see if I can figure something out for the OO soldiers tonight, Coldsteel.

Edit: Ok, I think I've got it. I never use dropbox so if there is an issue let me know. Anyone should be able to use the link to grab all the OO Soldiers plus a few more I created for variety. And yes, there are two OO'ers who's name is J. Scott <lastname> with the nickname "Scooter".

OO_Peeps+

I believe you need a dropbox account.

Edit2: I just noticed that there is a new developers character pool that must have been added with wotc, I guess? You can probably import all those guys into your active pool for more variety as well. They appear to be specific classes, so I don't know what that means when it comes to recruiting them. Maybe they are only available as mission rewards?

edit3: I realized what I really wanted was more soldier customization options without paying for them. I'll let you know if I find any good ones.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:19 pm

Grabbed the Meat over Metal achievement last night, which is killing a sectopod on the turn you discover (I assume they mean activate) it, which isn't too exciting except I'm still using Gauss, no Plasma yet. Plenty of Bluescreen and AP rounds though.

Man it's tough going to the fusion melee weapons and giving up the stun chance of the Gauss ones. I just have not been able to do it. Stuns can be game changers. A couple more points of damage and setting stuff on fire, not so much.

I seem to have run out of things to do that aren't story based. I'm just finishing the covert op to discover the Hunter, at which point I'll take him out. I do need to skulljack a codex. I had an opportunity last mission but he kept splitting and running away. He ended up killing himself through psionic feedback, a covert order for the Templars. It's almost worth watching him drop a psionic bomb on 4 of my guys just to watch his face as it starts to melt.

I'm not sure what I have left to research. Fusion shotguns and cannons. Some autopsies that I kept hoping would be instant if I just collected enough bodies.

I have only had the option to recruit one other hero class, and that was a Reaper. So as it stands right now I have 2 Reapers, 1 Skirmisher and 1 Templar. The Templar is kind of insane, with something like 22 mobility (~14.6 squares per movement point), 65 dodge and deflection and reflection and parry. And he's just standard combat intelligence. I wish he had more AP, just to make him even more broken.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:54 am

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:19 pm I'm not sure what I have left to research.

I have just about everything researched now. The remaining research list is pretty small. Next, I'll start doing the Shadow Chamber research projects like the codex brain.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Sun Oct 28, 2018 6:19 pm So as it stands right now I have 2 Reapers, 1 Skirmisher and 1 Templar.

You have the same mix of heroes and hero int that I do so it's probably scripted. My Templar is still a captain and is not very mobile. It's hard to get him kills because he just can't reach the aliens in time to kill them before the others do.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 2:44 pm

Note: Prices are in Canadian currency.

Steam/Green Man Gaming have the Xcom 2 Reinforcement pack on sale for $11/$10 respectively.

edit: Green Man gaming has a Halloween code for 15% off. Code: 666

This is a bundle of DLC (note: It's not *all* DLC, just 3) which includes:

Shen's Last Gift: on sale on Steam for: $5.49 (adds the robotic unit SPARK to the game, as well themed missions)
Alien Hunters: on sale on Steam for: $5.49 (adds Alien Rulers. Souped up leader versions of the base aliens)
Anarchy's Children: on sale on Steam for: $2.74 (adds soldier customization options)

I'm picking it up from Green Man Gaming, because saving $2.50 is a game changer.

edit: Mistakes were made.

edit: Purchased for $8.50 Canadian from Green Man Gaming.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:11 pm

I also added 3 or 4 soldier customization mods. Star Wars helmets, Halo helmets, stuff like that. I'll let you know if they work and how they look tonight, and provide links in case others are interested. Of course I just bought DLC some of which adds new customization options. I might not even be able to tell which is DLC and which is mod, although Stormtrooper is gonna be pretty obvious, I guess.

edit: They look pretty good. The Halo helmets are all high quality, and while I'm not a big fan of the Halo look, at least it gives some options to mix up the appearance of the 15 bald guys wearing brown armor I have.

Anarchy's Children give a few new looks which are all high quality as well, as you'd expect from a paid DLC. Not as many options as I'd like, considering it's cash for 3D models (and in some cases, just new skins for tattoos/face paint), but since I got it for pennies on the dollar, I'll call it a win. You can also see which options were added via which DLC, as they have an Anarchy symbol beside them. The Alien Hunters adds some customization options as well, but not as many as Anarchy's Children.

edit: Cosmetic mods I have installed:
Capnbubs accessories - wotc (this is berets and goggles, things like that. Cosmetic only)
free the hood - wotc
[wotc] Halo reach helmets
wotc star wars helmets

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:15 pm

So I jacked a codex and killed the result, but I seem to have done things out of order because I can't proceed with the next shadow project until other shadow projects have been completed. Right now no other projects are available, but I do have a couple (codex coordinates, black site vial coordinates) of story missions that I've been putting off, so I assume those are what's holding me back.

I'm going after the last Chosen first though, and since I just did a kill the general mission that I completely hamfisted (team was revealed on turn 1), I have a few wounded/tired that need time. I still have a host of Colonels, but with the Chosen covert op almost done, I'll need them soon. The story missions will have to wait.

Question:

I have a plasma lance (sniper rifle) with 3 upgrade slots. Currently equipped are:

1) adv. auto-loader
2) sup. laser sight
3) std. stock

I want to replace the standard stock with a superior scope, but the game says I can't do that. It will let me put other upgrades in the 3rd slot, including but not limited to hair trigger, expanded magazine and repeater, but not the superior scope.

What am I missing? Chances are it's a mod causing the problem, but I don't have any mods that affect weaponry, except 1. I do have a mod that adds an SMG, but that worked fine in vanilla and I'm using the wotc version here. It's less damage for more mobility if anyone cares, and costs an arm and a leg to buy the tech upgrades. I used it plenty in Vanilla, but I have not built one in wotc, probably because a cloaked reaper has mobility 16, and covert ops give mobility bonuses all the time.

edit: Tests run:
1) installed in empty 3rd slot of another rifle no problem
2) installed in occupied 3rd slot of another weapon, no problem
3) weapon with 3 upgrades showed that the scope could be installed over the 3rd slot item. I then installed a laser sight over the second slot item. I could no longer install scope over the 3rd slot item.

For anyone paying attention, it appears I cannot install a laser sight and a scope on the same weapon. Outside of the realities of having a scope/laser sight on the same weapon, is anyone else having this issue? Is this a base game issue or is a mod screwing with me?