Lasguns Vs Plasguns, My Old Beef

[The Duke of Vandals]

Ok, I havent played EU for a while (I moved on to TFTD, but am thinking of switching back after several bumps against the research bug), but weren?t lasers a bit disproportionate? True, they were weaker than plasma, but unlimited ammo meant that, playing cautiosly, you could just spray something over and over into submission. They were also lighter than heavy plasma.

[[NKF]]

The lasers would have a clear edge in a battle of attrition, but the aliens aren't going to be that unlucky and are going to land a few good hits with the few shots that they get off - just as you will be.

 

With lasers, the unlimited ammo does allow you to be more wasteful with your shots and you end up with more room to bring in other things. In addition to that, the laser pistol and rifle also take first and second place as the fastest weapons in the game. While only moderately powerful, they aren't as accurate as plasma weapon. On superhuman, most of the tougher aliens don't easily succumb to a one-hit kill with the laser rifle.

 

Plasma weapons on the other hand are slower but pack a far bigger punch and are always more accurate. Once the aliens ditch their early plasma weapons in favour of the heavy plasma, it's hard not to avoid ending up with an enormous pile of heavy plasma clips. Each clip also sports 35 rounds, which does last quite a while. Unless you really waste your shots, (standing, holding two items, target is on other side of map and full-auto), you should have plenty of time to find more spares off dead aliens as the battle progresses. This briefly negates the laser's unlimited ammo advantage long enough for you to complete the battle.

 

All that said, I still like my laser pistol.

 

- NKF

[Crafty]

Another huge advantage of heavy plasma is that they can blow through UFO walls, which really helps to keep down casualties on supply ships, abductors, and alien base missions. Heavy plasma also saved my butt one game before I was savvy to the bug that leaves a hangar isolated from the rest of your base, I was able to blow through the wall and dirt to get to the last few aliens. Good times. After heavy plasma are in ready supply, laser rifles are mainly handed off to lo-psi rookies to clear foliage and barn walls.

[[NKF]]

Heavy plasmas end up being so common that it might be a good idea to just arm your basic riflemen with laser rifles. Capture a few heavy plasmas in the field and start upgrading your firepower to heavy plasmas as necessary.

 

This lets you enjoy the good properties of both the weapons, plus you halve your Skyranger storage requirements by not needing to lug any ammo along. This leaves room for more equipment or supplement your fire power with more high explosive, rockets or blaster bombs.

 

- NKF

[Hidden Sniper]

Well On A daytime mission laser rifle with unlimited ammo would make you almost as good as an alien since i sware they dont run out just not as accurate if you got a good perimeter level the buildings then spray anything you see with lasers and if your like me you barely care about civilians especially when the chryss our out everyone to die

 

I do not encourage this playing style