Let's play UFO: Enemy Unknown - Update #25: It's on!

[Overweight Manatee]

Yeah I know but still I always research lase weapons and use them just for lolz, thought Laser Rifle is kick ass. Anyway - like in TFTD, I will need aliens to research plasma tech. I wonder how many Codexians die by trying to catch alien with stuntrods

Is that an xcomutil added feature? Because in the base games you certainly don't need to capture aliens to research their guns, you only need to salvage the guns themselves. Capturing specific aliens is only required for the armor in TFTD.

Frankly unless I know the alien is an unarmed psi leader or they are the last navigator left (hyperspace radar is worth getting ASAP), I won't use the stun rods and wait until I get the stun grenade launchers. Though if I have a few useless recruits standing around...

 

[Tails]

Is that an xcomutil added feature? Because in the base games you certainly don't need to capture aliens to research their guns, you only need to salvage the guns themselves. Capturing specific aliens is only required for the armor in TFTD.

Yes, it is Xcomutil feature, I think it was in older version as well. I just re-checked description, and it works a bit different then in TFTD:

Still, should be challenging. I think that Xcomutil allows you to use this setting with TFTD also.

Frankly unless I know the alien is an unarmed psi leader or they are the last navigator left (hyperspace radar is worth getting ASAP), I won't use the stun rods and wait until I get the stun grenade launchers. Though if I have a few useless recruits standing around...

Well with this serious research delay I will have probably problem getting stun grenade launchers fast. Still I try use rods only in buildings or UFOs, and basically have special unit ready for that, with some cover.

Btw.

It seems that options isn't working properly so I will have set-up soldiers equipment all the time.

 

[poocolator]

Be sure to include me as fodder, Tails

THERE IS NO GLORY GREATER THAN DYING TO THE FOE, AT THE HANDS OF AN EXPERIENCED POLISH GENERAL.

 

[Tails]

Be sure to include me as fodder, Tails

Worry not, my friend. Every volunteer shall have his turn.

 

[sheek]

Sign me up as the third next Sectoid you spot.

 

[taplonaplo]

Reporting for duty in case numbers running low

 

[sheek]

Every 3rd Sectoid spotted in any mission is me. Codex scum must die.

 

[Pliskin]

I do recommend skipping lasers straight to plasma weapons though. Heavy Plasma + Plasma cannons ensure your men can shoot shit up and your aircraft can shoot shit down. Never played with the alien captives help research though, I hear that increases research times dramatically so skipping to plasma might not be an option then.

I believe Xcomutil gives the option of making lasers more effective: More damage and more shots / AP. Actually makes lasers worth the effort.

Every 3rd Sectoid spotted in any mission is me. Codex scum must die.

So yr micmu's alt now?

 

[dragonfk]

I do recommend skipping lasers straight to plasma weapons though. Heavy Plasma + Plasma cannons ensure your men can shoot shit up and your aircraft can shoot shit down. Never played with the alien captives help research though, I hear that increases research times dramatically so skipping to plasma might not be an option then.

I believe Xcomutil gives the option of making lasers more effective: More damage and more shots / AP. Actually makes lasers worth the effort.

Every 3rd Sectoid spotted in any mission is me. Codex scum must die.

So yr micmu's alt now?

What? You consider laser weapons as inferior to plasma? I beg to differ. Laser rifles own plasma.

 

[sheek]

Every 3rd Sectoid spotted in any mission is me. Codex scum must die.

So yr micmu's alt now?

I think I had the Sectoid avatar before him, had one for a long time anyway.

 

[Tails]

I believe Xcomutil gives the option of making lasers more effective: More damage and more shots / AP. Actually makes lasers worth the effort.

Well something like this is available regarding laser weapons:

 

[Overweight Manatee]

Soldier auto equipping has always seemed finicky, using either the extender or xcomutil.

I do recommend skipping lasers straight to plasma weapons though. Heavy Plasma + Plasma cannons ensure your men can shoot shit up and your aircraft can shoot shit down. Never played with the alien captives help research though, I hear that increases research times dramatically so skipping to plasma might not be an option then.

I believe Xcomutil gives the option of making lasers more effective: More damage and more shots / AP. Actually makes lasers worth the effort.

Lasers are already effective enough, being about 80% as good as plasma and requiring no ammo. Its just that in the base game there is no reason to use them since if you go straight to plasma you get it in about the same time. They take a week later to research but you have them stockpiled up from prior battles so you don't need to spend weeks building them with your engineers. Plus Plasma Cannons, which you get about 2 weeks after heavy plasma, let you shoot everything but battleships out of the sky with no risk whatsoever. IMO, making plasma harder/longer to get is definitely the correct balancing step.

Laser Rifles are kickass all around weapons considering the cargo space and cash it frees up by not needing ammo, though the laser cannons are rather weak. The Xcomutil revamped laser cannon is really overpowered though. Same for the xcomutil revamped tanks.

 

[Big Nose George]

I hope he lives long enough to see the bright desert sun.

 

[juggernaut]

Sign me up!

A rookie named juggernaut is guaranteed to last less than 5 rounds

 

[Derper]

Soldier auto equipping has always seemed finicky, using either the extender or xcomutil.

I do recommend skipping lasers straight to plasma weapons though. Heavy Plasma + Plasma cannons ensure your men can shoot shit up and your aircraft can shoot shit down. Never played with the alien captives help research though, I hear that increases research times dramatically so skipping to plasma might not be an option then.

I believe Xcomutil gives the option of making lasers more effective: More damage and more shots / AP. Actually makes lasers worth the effort.

Lasers are already effective enough, being about 80% as good as plasma and requiring no ammo. Its just that in the base game there is no reason to use them since if you go straight to plasma you get it in about the same time. They take a week later to research but you have them stockpiled up from prior battles so you don't need to spend weeks building them with your engineers. Plus Plasma Cannons, which you get about 2 weeks after heavy plasma, let you shoot everything but battleships out of the sky with no risk whatsoever. IMO, making plasma harder/longer to get is definitely the correct balancing step.

Laser Rifles are kickass all around weapons considering the cargo space and cash it frees up by not needing ammo, though the laser cannons are rather weak. The Xcomutil revamped laser cannon is really overpowered though. Same for the xcomutil revamped tanks.

I've always used laser rifles for troops and plasma cannons for crafts. You don't run out of ammo and can sell a lot of rifles for a shitload of cash.
Also, sign me up for a stun rod-berzerker!

 

[Overweight Manatee]

I've always used laser rifles for troops and plasma cannons for crafts. You don't run out of ammo and can sell a lot of rifles for a shitload of cash.
Also, sign me up for a stun rod-berzerker!

Laser rifles aren't that great as far as manufacturing to earn a profit. Yes they make money, but less then med kits (20% more), and far less then motion scanners (100% more) and the holy grail of self sufficiency, the Laser Cannons (900% faster income then from laser rifles). In fact, laser cannons are pretty much the best reason to research the laser tech path, though its practically an exploit. Were talking almost 2 million a month profit just from a single workshop.

 

[TNO]

OM is right. I also forgot about the lift placement requiring making two hangers.

However, if capture is important, laser pistols seem a good idea. You can dual wield it with a stun rod, and its lightning fast with APs. It's damaging enough for the early game aliens: sectoids, reapers, floaters, and snakemen. The stun rods are very good against cyberdiscs (they don't blow up if knocked out), and obviously for capture purposes.

I prioritized my soldiers for bravery and (later) MC. The other stuff is will go up fairly quickly, esp. strength. But looking good. I expect lots of us will die in the first terror mission.

Keep it coming.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

The stun rods are very good against cyberdiscs (they don't blow up if knocked out), and obviously for capture purposes.

Didn't know that. Interesting, sounds very useful. Normally I emphasize a blow-everything-up-with-rockets strategy, but considering how capture is much more important now laser pistol + stun rods does sound very alluring.

I prioritized my soldiers for bravery and (later) MC. The other stuff is will go up fairly quickly, esp. strength. But looking good. I expect lots of us will die in the first terror mission.

Bravery is nice, but you really HAVE to emphasize reactions. Especially in close quarters combat, you need it. Soldiers with <40 reactions are pretty much completely unable to improve because they won't get any reaction shots to improve with. And soldiers who can't reaction fire an alien who walked through a door 5 feet infront of them tend to end up dead. I also cry every time a crysallid runs straight up in front of a bunch of low reactions soldiers, kills one, then runs away while my soldiers stare at it with a blank look.

Low bravery can be bad if things are going to hell, but in anything less then a total catastrophe if you are watching the morale you can just have soldiers drop weapons so they don't risk FF. Unlike reactions, bravery is a self correcting stat. Soldiers who panic during a mission will usually end up gaining 10 bravery upon completion.

 

[LusciousPear]

I volunteer to fight for Codexia and FREEDOMMMMMM

 

[Der Judenjäger]

Ich bin zur Jagd bereit.

 

[Tails]

Our brave Codexia soldiers are returning toward base, with first, casualties free mission.

From time to time I send one Interceptor to check some areas, in that way we can (small possibility but always) find UFO in area far away from radar zone, on ground or flying around. I always do that, somehow it makes me feel more safe.

Nothing happens but our scientist complete research of Laser pistol.

Should come handy in capturing aliens.

For start, I will produce three for use and few for sell, to raise funds. Yep we are saving humanity and selling advanced tech to black market. Ain't that fun?

For long time nothing happens, but we get General Stores completed. On 17th Jan we got same boredom and living quarters completed. Also I sold some Sectoid corpses, few laser pistols.

FINALLY we got some small UFO on ground, south from Madrid. Full house awaits.

Because for some weird reason Xcomutil wont remember weapon set-up for troops (do I have type it in some file or what?) it takes me a bit of time to split equipment properly. Overall I always have about 4-5 High Explosiv and 4-5 Smoke nades. HE goes to guys with rifles & highest throwing, and Smoke to heavy weapon guys and rest with lower Throwing.

We are on the most common terrain type in X-Com, farmland. Since again we have a day mission, it should go easy.

when kingcomrade leaves ship, he get bugged by alien and shot twice in the back. It seems they are taking advantage of exploits...

kingcomrade moves along and find the first alien, equipped with plasma pistol.

Hot Ashery runs out from Skyranger and with fine shot he stunts down alien. Fuck yeah, first captured alien.

At end of turn we do some silly strategic deploy and move kingcomrade forward to scout area.

During the aliens turn we hear some doors opening closing, nothing more.

kingcomrade discovers location of UFO. but moves south towards house or stables.

Silellak, Black_Willow go nort-west and are covered by TNO on bridge. WhiskeyWolf, dragonfk and Chef hathaway go south. Ashery and BUMFACE stay for now by Skyranger.

we spotted one alien and sheek, in the same place. The one on screen probably spotted Codexia forces, but retreated.

kingcomrade has find first one. dragonfk crouch and take three snap-shots, first one misses but second and third one hit, killing the alien.

Sheek on-line! WhiskeyWolf hits him two times and knocks him out! amazing. Get ready for some experiments, sheek

Since we didn't spot any more aliens, for soldiers is moving towards stables and three to north-west as was planned.

4th turn, nothing happens.

Boredom, dragonfk goes west, accompanied by BUMFACE and his rocket launcher. Chef hataway, Ashery and WhiskeyWolf (with shitty placement because of miss-click) are going south.

Hidden alien hits kingcomrade once. Not long after his position is discovered and rocket send along. R.I.P.

Chef is in barn and WhiskeyWolf make a hole in hedge, and spots that our first unconscious Alien is up. Oh well, Ashery will use new entrance and WhiskeyWolf will give some tranny love to this bastard. Turn ends and rest of troops continue with getting close to square-shaped UFO.

Alien turn goes along with silence of lamb. WhiskeyWolf stunts Alien and follows Ashery that checked hedge area. Chef thanks to another in-game bug, has noticed location of another alien, upstairs in the barn. For safety reasons, Ashery turns forward barn
entrance.

North squad goes carefully towards UFO entrance, dragonfk and BUMFACE are pretty close south entrance.

Since we see that bastard tries to camp a bit, kingcomrade sends a rocket into barn but horrible misses. We are going to take him out in another way. Also sheek wake up but WhiskeyWolf will take care of him.

Rest gets ready for UFO assault. Should be pretty lolzy.

Not much happens, again kingcomrade misse barn. Wake up! WhiskeyWolf from sadness of such failure, shots down barn wall behind alien, comes closer to wall and duck. If he won't come down, we going to use nade for persuation. Rest will Assault in next turn UFO.

Before turn 9, alien in barn changes his location. AI ain't dumb as we thought.

dragonfk is the first one to enter mysterious UFO Black Willow and TNO are inside, Silellak and BUMFACE wait outside.

For the third time kingcomrade tried to hit the barn and fat bastard did it and also killing alien. Time to end turn.

dragonfk enters another room and finds alien by UFO power source. Surprisingly, he misses alien with auto-shot so he retreats. TNO takes care of problem with but wastes corpse. Oh well. Black_Willow finds empty room and rest of team goes to the other part of UFO.

WhiskeyWolf plays with sheek. Chef is going along to join UFO assault. End of turn.

Silence during aliens turn. dragonfk enters UFO and finds on his left alien but manages to stunt him. TNO takes position to take down any hostile from north door. Black_Willow goes to join them, same Ashery. Silellak goes alone in coridor and WhiskeyWolf stays to play with sheek and other alien, if they get up.

14 turn. Nothing extrodinary happens, dragonfk and Black_Willow will assault two rooms in next turn. Ashery and TNO are out from room with their heavy weapons, that could make more harm then help. Silellak is going to join them.

Black_Willow enters room and takes down another, and last Alien. Let's see summary now...

I forgot that AC isn't ready yet.

No casualties in Codexia forces. I'm a terrible commander Not bad recovery but it seems we didn't get any of Elerium. To the next update, let's hope it will be more interesting.

 

[Tails]

The stun rods are very good against cyberdiscs (they don't blow up if knocked out), and obviously for capture purposes.

Didn't know that. Interesting, sounds very useful. Normally I emphasize a blow-everything-up-with-rockets strategy, but considering how capture is much more important now laser pistol + stun rods does sound very alluring.

There is no way to capture live Cyberdisc, even with stun you get corpse. Only Alien Medic can give you info about living Cyberdisc. And yeah, Laser Pistol + Stuntrod could be nice way to take down it.

 

[dragonfk]

Wow, I rock 11

 

[Chef_Hathaway]

Two missions and I'm still alive, what is this blasphemy? I expect to be feasting in Valhalla soon.

 

[dragonfk]

Please say that since I've seen so much action my stats have risen to Siellak's level.