The Next Step..they Are Killing Me

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Hi again!

 

The aliens have taken next step. In two mission I lost 12 troopers ( 8 and 4 ) and there went my first line assault troops and psi attackers. Aliens have a new beam weapon which cut Megapol armour like knife a butter. Also they have a some sort of force field ( one brave soldier managed to loot one...he died but device was rescued ) and new grenades.

 

Spitters and other easy targets are gone. Skeletoids and anthropods are plentiful and really willing to fight. I have now devastator cannon but it is not enough. It must be a default weapon for aliens now. It will take several ( at least ) days before secret of the shield is revealed.

 

My troops are mosty rookies now and funding is not good. Hard times ahead. Rookies shoot too many misses while alien grenades and beam weapon hits take heavy toll. I have been reluctant to take really heavy weaponry with me but now it seems that it is time for the rocket launcher ( both ). Loss rate is too high.

 

TLE

[[NKF]]

Ah yes, it's quiet jarring when you have to face devestators and the disrupter shields at the same time for the first time.

 

Until you can get and produce shields of your own: Do NOT charge right into combat and do not attempt to get into prolonged firefights with both sides firing at each other endlessly. Take it slower and try and attack smaller groups of aliens at a time. Too many aliens? Have everyone retreat for the nearest cover and try and take on any aliens that chase after you. Short range combat and autofire are deadly combinations, even against shields - especially good for rookies who cannot fight at long ranges. If you get into really close combat, use two power swords. They'll massacre anyone in a shield in only three strikes.

 

Also make as much use of the stun grenades as you can. Shields still cannot hold up too well against stun gas.

 

If you do get into a big firefight, remember the incendiary attacks always force the enemy to run away rather than attack. Great for breaking their ranks.

 

- NKF

[Tsereve]

By the time I had to face shields, I already had Toxin A, and only needed a live Skeletoid to get B. Do you have Toxiguns? Shields have no effect on them, literally. Remember, you push for the objective and you might as well run into a group of Megaspawns without weapons, armor, or shields. This doesn't work in alien buildings, but it does everywhere else. On recovery missions, camp outside the UFO doors. On investigations, find an easily defendable spot with a nearby escape route, and wait. They come, they die. You laugh. You win.

 

Anyway, if you don't yet have Toxiguns, concentrate all fire on one alien at a time. Use grenades excessively. A.K.A. when the bullets (lasers, disrupters, etc.) are thick, toss a vortex mine into the midst of the cluster.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Hi!

 

It goes better now. In the open I manage good because I learned to use gas and fire ( like suggested ). Still fights where there are lot of corners and poor visibilty are nightmare. Poppers + devastators + shields = :crying:

 

I have toxi A and I have researched skeletoid but no toxi B is available. Am I missing something? I see slot in inventory screen but I can produce only toxi A.

 

TLE

Edited September 19, 2004 by Tuntematon lentava esine

[[NKF]]

Just keep capturing all the aliens you haven't researched yet. That's a sure fire way of getting all the research you need to upgrade to toxin-B.

 

Anthropod and skeletoid, popper, hyperworm, multiworm eggs, multiworm, the mutltiworm chryssalis, spitter, brainsucker pod, brainsucker. And I think the megaspawn and psimorph are also necessary. Check that you've got one of each of these in addition to their autopsies.

 

For C, you'll need Toxin-B and you have to capture a micronoid. They can only be found in the first alien building and the bomber class UFOs (those medium-sized green ufos). You can only catch these with stun grapples because they're almost immune to psi-stun and are immune to stun gas.

 

To get the anti-alien gas weapons, you'll need Toxin C and the queen spawn. A bit too late in the game to be getting it, but well worth the effort.

 

The only alien that's not really necessary is the overspawn.

 

- NKF

[Exo2000]

Actually I've bumped into the odd Micronoid in the later buildings, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were a load in the command center, but I can't remember.

[Cpl. Facehugger]

Actually, you don't need megaspawn or psimorphs to get toxin b. You need Skelatoids, Anthropods, Spitters, brainsuckers, eggs, chryssalis' multi worms, hyperworms, and *possibly* poppers.

 

When the alien ships start showing up with shields, you'll want to capture one asap. When you've researched the personal shield and the small craft shield as well as the disruptor gun, you'll be able to research the best armor in the game; Xcom disruptor armor. (I'm serious. A full suit of disruptor armor can take poppers without even breaking a sweat.)

[Exo2000]

I think you need Poppers for at least C, and probably B.

[Tsereve]

Ya don't need 'em for B. As Cpl. Facehugger said, the bigger aliens aren't needed for B, just C. I just checked the research tree, so I'll post each toxin's prerequisites here:

A= Multiworm Egg Autopsy, Multiworm Autopsy, Hyperworm Autopsy

B= BS Pod, Brainsucker, BS Auto, Hyperworm, Chysalis, Chys Auto, Egg, Multiworm

C= all aliens except Queenspawn & Overspawn, live and dead

 

I'm pretty sure you need A to get B, and so on. Or at least you need A's prerequisites as well as B's. Oh, and don't fret about getting Poppers, Megaspawn, and Psimorphs alive to get C. B works just fine against every alien in the game, even Megaspawn can only take 10 good hits, and that's nothing with the Toxigun's ROF.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Ya don't need 'em for B.  As Cpl. Facehugger said, the bigger aliens aren't needed for B, just C.  I just checked the research tree, so I'll post each toxin's prerequisites here:

A= Multiworm Egg Autopsy, Multiworm Autopsy, Hyperworm Autopsy

B= BS Pod, Brainsucker, BS Auto, Hyperworm, Chysalis, Chys Auto, Egg, Multiworm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I have researched all aliens what I have encountered. After skeletoids I haven't seen any new species. I must check again my research but I am pretty sure that I have done all. But toxi A is also good.

 

Very impatient to get personal shields, but it now I know how to handle personal shield and devastator cannon problem. Concentrated firepower and no close quarters. Aliens throw so many grenades when near that before they die it means severe injuries to my troops. And poppers are of course very dangerous when not seen until last seconds. When I see them from distance I can spread my squad accordingly.

 

I lost my best troops and it still hurts but rookies are slowly getting better when I learned how to deal with new threats. Only one grunt from orginal soldiers have survived ( week 4 ) but his stats starts to be quite a good.

 

I also learned to respect autocannons versatility. Usually my androids carry it and I have noticed that right ammo type selection in the heat of the battle can affect very much on results. I use every ammo type.

 

TLE

[Exo2000]

Yeah. Just watch it when you bump the firerate up to 12.00rps and start using IN rounds. You can kinda... set... lotsa... stuff... on fire. ^^; You go through clips at a rate of knots too. I had to bump up the clip amount to 100 for cost reasons.

 

Fun though. Managed to set a small set on fire in a Sensodrome. It was some sorta building, fire spread like an inferno. Took out at least 3 aliens, and I distinctly remembering seeing a Spitter fleeing into the fire and out of a side door, only to die a few moments earlier.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Hi!

 

I was all wrong.... :crying: the aliens still me. Alien crafts have now shields and I noticed too late that and one attack went so that aliens didn't lost single ufo before they escaped..aaargh...

 

So city was full of aliens. I still have no shields ( those scinetist need some serious I have two small quantum labs). Next day my advanced quantum lab is ready so that smoothes things a bit.

 

After I disinfected city ( 17 seriously wounded grunt and one healthy rookie ) came new wave of ufos but now I managed to shoot down that big troop carrier, two other escaped because they made very short trip from dimension probe.

 

Anthropods have been plentiful and they use new kind of banzai charges and they have new weapons and euipment. Some sort of cloaking device and green slime thrower that eats armour.

 

Indoors Anthropods charge to the close quartes through my hail of fire and throw a lot of grenades. Once I counted three grenades. When one hit the ground two was in the air and thrower was same alien. When sending squad to the action the place where to fight and squad weaponry must be carefully selected. Androids are my troops backbone. They last battle after battle.

 

Is Marsec flying suit good? I haven't used those because of poorer protection than Megapol armour. I fear that flyingsuit is deathtrap because Devastator single shot can penetrate through Megapol armour.

 

TLE

[[NKF]]

The marsec suit is the weakest suit in the game (it's also the second lightest). However, it does allow you to fly. You'd do well to at least have one or two soldiers with the suit.

 

If you wear shields, the shields get damaged first. It's only when you lose your armour, that's when the strength of your armour is important.

 

You do however lose your almost complete immunity to explosives once you're wearing a marsec suit.

 

- NKF

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

How do I deal with enthrophy launcher ( if it is it which eats armour )?

I just lost three grunts because of cloaking device and entrhophy launcher.

 

Other aliens assault and enthrophy carriers are outside of my visibility. They shoot before I see them and if any alien sees my troops they launch from safe position. I tried to move my squads fastly positions where they were safe and outside of alien eyes. I have shields now but perhaps I must be more patient. Move safe and let the shields recharge

 

TLE

[[NKF]]

Well, once your shields have gone, entropy missiles coat you with an enzyme that will last 3 game seconds (or 1 turn-based turn). During this time, all the durability of the equipment you're carrying will get eaten away. Very fast. If it's a weapon, it can blow up and harm you.

 

The best way to save your equipment and keep on fighting is to drop everything and wait the 3 seconds, and then pick everything up again. The only problem with this is that it makes you very vulnerable to attack. Best done if you have some other soldiers to protect you or if you can run to a safe place. With teleporters this is easy. Make sure you can find a spare shield afterwards.

 

The next is to just run to the exit. Do this if there's absolutely no way to safe the soldier in time.

 

---

 

To combat them - yes use patience and use as much cover as you can. Short range ambushes with toxiguns or full auto devestator cannons are good ways to combat them. (Not good for poppers, but great against anthropods and skeletoids)

 

If you're getting shot at from long range, quickly find cover and wait for some of the aliens to come to you, or if you think you can handle it, select a group of soldiers and manually attack the area you think the aliens are firing from. The cloaking device won't stop you from hitting them.

 

- NKF

[Robo Dojo 58]

The cloaking device will make them harder to hit, though.

 

Well, try using the cloaks yourself. It will put you on equal footing with cloaked aliens, and give a big advantage over aliens that aren't cloaked. The biggest advantage is that devastators will not hit you as much, and aliens will not know where to shoot as often, which will make your shields last much longer.

 

You can literally level the playing field, too. Cloaked aliens can not dodge a million explosives.

 

If your agent's backpacks are not full, I suggest you put in two shields, instead of one. It'll provide double the protection, for when things go to .

[Tsereve]

Anthropods have been plentiful and they use new kind of banzai charges and they have new weapons and euipment. Some sort of cloaking device and green slime thrower that eats armour. 

TLE

 

Ouch. My friend, you've been hit by the dreaded entropy missile (drumroll!). It sucks against shields, but I can see you're having some trouble making your shields last long enough. Here're some pointers, courtesy of Brute:

 

When you see a missile/grenade in the air, put your weapons into your backpack and take your shields into your hands. When a grenade hits the ground, it will wait .1 seconds before exploding. Even then, you will see the blast miliseconds before it damages your shields, causing that blue shimmer. When you can see the explosion engulfing your troops, but before your shields become visible, drop your shields. DO NOT SET THEM DOWN IN THE EQUIP SCREEN! This will cause them to hit the ground instantly, getting them easily destroyed. No, pause and press the drop button on the combat interface. It's right next to the throw button. You shields will be in the air when the explosion hits your guy, meaning they take no damage. Full disruptor armor can easily take even a vortex mine, so you should be fine. A few seconds later, take your shields back up again, re-equip your weapons, start kickin' some alien @$$. Same goes for missiles, there'll be a split second while you see their explosion but before they hit your shields. Also, DO NOT PUT YOUR WEAPONS ON THE GROUND WHILE YOU SHIELDS ARE IN YOUR HANDS! It's just asking for it. You think the aliens are tough now, wait until you're weaponless! Once you've taken up your position against an alien charge, leave your shields on the ground to keep them from being damaged by devastators and the like, and only take them back up again when you see

a)a grenade/missile coming, then prepare to use above trick

b)an entropy missile coming, in which case pick up them right before it hits

 

Have fun, and ask Brute for more info. And DON'T GET HURT. Just like the loading screen says. . .

[Exo2000]

I've only managed to encounter Entropy in this game because I seem to be getting a score that alternates in + and - like a room full of blood donators. Never found them last time and they are the only reason I've lost two of my men.

 

Hint: "Sidestep" and charge the alien if he is alone. I managed to get an Entropy Missile on a medium orbit of an agent because I ran in and it can't turn fast enough to hit him, so it's turn rate made a perfect circle and it just orbited around him.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Some entrophy encounters. Squad encountered aliens whose fired enthrophy missiles and retreated full speed. Of course there was usual front line (alien) scouts but soon slime weapons started to launch from distance. Squad retreated full speed and lone android with awesome strenght was sent to aliens backside. He had two lawpistols and lot of clips and grenades.

 

Area was slums and no buildins (few). My android moved a lot. Throwed a lot of mines and grenads . Aliens tried to catch my retrating squad and that speedy android followed them and killed aliens with grenades.

 

One thing that I have noticed. If there is a civilian and a mine civilian gets it. It's a magnet. Throw an any kind of a mine and if there is a civilian in area it finds that mine. I will do a to complain to MR Murphy.

 

I almost used an editor but my morale is now boosted and hopefully I don't encounter soon new alien ( type ) crafts.

 

Do Evonet own psi clones? Need extra money.

 

Used entrhophy launchers against Evonet and it was nice. Is Ufoapedia right when tellling then it is no use against aliens?

 

Hopelfully my grunts do survive because I have lost all my first day troops. Battling with (allmost) rookies in week 6 is difficult. There are few medicore vets buts androids are the backbone.

 

TLE

Edited September 25, 2004 by Tuntematon lentava esine

[[NKF]]

Only the three gangs and the cult of sirius keep psiclones. All other organisations keep elerium pods, which give you almost $4000 worth of elerium ammo for your vehicles - though not every building will generate them.

 

The entropy launcher is no use against aliens that do not carry any equipment, like multiworms, spitters, poppers, etc.

 

Anthropods and skeletoids can easily be affected by it because they carry guns, shields and grenades. The launchers will first seriously damage the shields, then once they're down, they'll coat the unit with enzyme and any explosives and weapons still on it will explode after a few seconds. Fun.

 

- NKF

[[Blehm 98]]

oh goodie. i was hoping that it would do that to them. Now those stupid anthopods get to eat little organic enzymes for breakfast!

[Exo2000]

Certainly a bugger if they're carrying Boomeroids or Vortex Mines... stand well back! KABLOOIE! And there they go.

 

Just be VERY careful, when destroyed, the Disruptor/Devastators tend to fling out a spray of beams in random upwards directions.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Update and date is week 6.

 

Lately things have been well. At last I managed to destory all UFOs in flight and they have been sending only scouts lately. Troops are healty and secrets of cloaking device are mine. Grunts have had a lot of practice targets ( Evonet and b class aliens.

 

But now.... large ( a really large ) red dot appeared to city map and 2 escorts. Lousy fighters but I only managed to scratch their skin. Then they came second time. Oh what a feast of destruction. UFOs went right under slum building and buildings crumbled. Escort destoroyed and that ugly big ??ship seriously wounded. All crafts attacked and it was shot down.

 

It is really :o large. My grunts encountered normal furious resistance and lost one trooper. But when in the gates of UFO there are tree big deadly fighting machines. Tall as a house and bristling of weaponry. I made hasty retreat because their firepower ( tasted a bit ). Then those monsters went inside of the UFO. Now my troops are sniping positions near at the UFO door but not slighest idea what to do. Retreat?

 

My weaponry: 1 Marsec minilauncher + 1 toxi A gun + 2 MGs + 3 devastators + sniper rifle + 2 autocannons. Several mines and grenades of various type.

Grunts are very nervous and waiting when that UFO door opens....

 

TLE

Edited September 26, 2004 by Tuntematon lentava esine

[[Blehm 98]]

toxin A is like a pea shootier to megaspawns. Your best bet against megaspawns is to do turn based, because if you find them in RT, they always get off several shots. my advice? do turnbased, and when you see one, hit it with everything you've got in hopes of at least stunning it.

[Tsereve]

My advice to you: if you're already at the Megaspawn and "big ship" stage, FORGET SNIPER RIFLES!!! They're nothing compared to the Devastator, and you should have plenty of those if you have cloakers.

 

Megaspawns are tricky little (ok, big) buggers. They are armed with devastators and dimension missiles, but their weapons are surgically added, so don't try entropy. They have terrible speed & reactions (as in, "hey, look at that worm passing you by"), so try the hit-and-run (but mostly run) technique. Lie in wait, surrounding the door from a medium distance, as you've been doing, train all but two guns on the door. TOXIGUNS AND DEVASTATORS ONLY-the laser gun does a pathetic 35(?) damage, which is like a spitball to Megaspawn. Have your remaining two guns scanning the surrounding area, esp. your troops' rear, in case of poppers and skelly ambushes. You may want to lay some prox mines near the door, one space from it, or they will explode while the door is still closed. For a bit of finesse, toss some extra devastators, unprimed grenades (boomer at the least, standard don't do a thing against these behemoths, vortex is optimal) near the proxs. When they explode, these items will explode, and the devastators will, as was said above, start shooting off randomly. It's a death trap, even for Megaspawn. The moment the Megaspawn come into view, open all fire (snap-shot) at each one in turn. They'll go down fast.

 

The only problem with the above strategy is all your preparations can go up in smoke (literally) if an anthro or stray popper comes through your minefield before the Megaspawn. Either way, when he fires (if he's not yet dead), get yer guys in cover real fast!

[[NKF]]

I've got one strategy against Megaspawn that's a bit too loony to use most of the time, but I was actually surprised that it works.

 

Close range combat.

 

I know, complete and utter madness. But when I was playing my power-sword and android campaign, the one thing I noticed the most when I had 2 - 3 androids brave the dimension missiles and conduct a wild charge at the Megaspawn (amazingly well pulled of, by the way) was that the Megaspawn would often turn and try to run away from the androids.

 

Since my melee units spend so much of their time running, they were so exhausted that all they could do was walk. And the Megaspawn could only waddle away - just barely out of my reach. But the thing is, once I got them up against a wall, they were easy pickings. Very easy considering power swords are even more powerful than devestator cannons.

 

---

 

For the normal campaign, arm everyone with Devestators and toxiguns. As mentioned, toss out the sniper rifles (though I'd hold on to plasma guns - these things are almost on par with the disrupter guns).

 

The strategy I use most of the time is to arm everyone with disrupters, spread them out on the far end of the groove (near the exits) and have them all lie down. Then, I have one or two soldiers sneak up to the doors (from the two tunnels near the door) and watch for any Megaspawn to come out. Then, I have the firing squad force fire dual disrupters (mostly aimed or snap) in the general direction of the doors. No megaspawn can withstand that. And Megaspawn need to be able to see their targets to get them. Those hanging on the sides are pretty safe. And even if the megaspawn opens fire, only one or two soldiers will get attacked. Not the whole squad.

 

Yes, they are massive. They have enormous firepower. But they are easy targets and with the right strategy, easy to deal with. It's just a bit difficult to fight them one-on-one without resorting to running right up to them.

 

But that's assuming I'm remembering the map correctly. I think the mothership has crashed into part of the sewers, right? For that one, the trick with is to hang back in the passageways. Megaspawn cannot follow you up there and you can take all the time you want and shoot at things you cannot see with force-fire. Toss in smoke and stun grenades to mess things up a bit.

 

Don't worry about stray aliens escaping. Even if the whole ship escapes, they'll die off very quickly. It's the ship you want captured. Not the aliens that run away.

 

- NKF

Edited September 27, 2004 by NKF

[Exo2000]

Hint: Use a Devastator to blast the door down so you can see what's coming, and fill the corridor with IN. IN might not be that powerful, but anything in it will automatically flee out of the fire, routing it. Filling the corridor levels of the bigger UFOs with fire is VERY lethal. Imagine channeling the fire from an IN missile down a very narrow tube. VWOOSH! A literal fireball. Like when the Death Star is blown up.

 

EDIT: Aim about 3 squares behind for the best results. Also, 3 to 4 shots will bring ALL of the door above down. Fun.

 

My personal defense line is like this (| = standing, \ = crouching, _ = prone , - = none)

(Top down)

 

|\ _

-|\ _

|\ _

-|\ _

|\ _

 

This is vulnerable to missiles, HIGHLY, but allows maximum firepower to be borne upon the enemy. A squad with Dimension Armour, Shields and a Devastator set to fullauto will DECIMATE in this formation. Literally. With any accuracy. The big teddy bears are still a problem, but are usually mowed down quickly. Never lost an agent using this formation, because they were THAT well equipped and well trained.

Edited September 27, 2004 by Exo2000

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Hi!

 

My squads weaponry was quite a pitiful against Megaspawns. There were three of them ( And that biiiig ship was battleship, I researched it ). After many reloads I survived. Yeah I know..reloading is sissy but I wanted to study those monsters.

 

In pure firefight I managed to kill two of them, they fell quickly but that cost me 5 dead troopers so I tried another tactics.

 

Battle was fought in some kind of basement or sewers. I put one guy with flying suit to scout. He had a cloacking device and Megaspwans didin't saw him ( He was just eyes, didin't shot a shot ). Rest of my troops were hiding behind corridors. When bugs turned their backs quick shot or grenade and run cover. Bugs finally retreated inside and my scout followed. Aliens packed themselves in one room and my scout throwed two vortex, one AP and couple stun grenades. Then came rest troopers and finished that last still standing bug. I lost 2 soldiers in this battle. One android stoned under Megaspawns gaze and was shot to pieces.

 

But the battleship. Now came third battleship and it put some blue stuff in Nanotech HQ . I have no means to shoot battleships down but managed to shoot down that unknown escort vessel. Luck was with me in that one battleship but city was damaged quite a bad. I had to pay many organisations and that money was needed badly elsewhere. Hopefully research of that escort vessel brings some new craft types to my arsenal. I need something hard hitting. Shields are easy to wear down but that armour... :o

 

I am bit worried because I only have toxi A. I have nothing to research ( all aliens have been studied ). Good improvement is new personal armour which is soon in use.

 

TLE

[[NKF]]

Sparkly blue stuff? Ooh, check your graphs after a couple of hours. Evonet was it? Check them to see whether or not they've gone hostie.

 

This is called micronoid rain. When it's dropped, there's a chance that the organisation will instantly go over to the aliens. It doesn't always happen though. Also, no aliens are dropped, so don't even think of going to investigate.

 

As for the two capital ships, you need at least the medium disrupter to do any signficant damage. Lineage plasma cannons, great though they are, just take far too long.

 

Also, remember that the less you fight in the cityscape, the less damage you do to other organisations with stray bullets. So if the battleships and motherships do come along, leave them alone until you can deal with them. At least until you've got some ships armed with medium disrupters and disrupter shields.

 

It does mean dealing with more ground missions (and battleships can sometimes drop really huge missions), but it means less damage to the city and the less you need to pay money to appease angry organisations.

 

- NKF

[Exo2000]

Haha. Thankfully, all the organizations are 0% Infiltration and I -ALWAYS- check the graph after a rain. Not even a slight jump. I click "Top Ten" and none come up ^______^

 

I mostly leave the big ones alone because they've only dropped one Overspawn and the rest has been rains. One M-Ship and One Fast Escort. Not worth the awfully long scrambletime for all my ships. (My main launch base has three ports, and with a 7-8 strong fleet, it takes a helluva long time to launch all ships. Also my Retaliators are a little "spray happy" with their Triple Med Disruptor Cannons and tend to turn buildings into ruins with stray shots. Hence I don't really bother attacking.

 

I have gone for a UFO:Aftermath element though ^^; one of my bases has three brand new Valks with Shielding (400) and all I need to do now is re-equip them with some bigger guns that will fit.

 

Hence the Aftermath element, whenever you intercept you ALWAYS launch three fighters... hehehe.

[Tuoppi]

When dealing with megaspawns smoke is usually a good idea. If you keep smoke in maximum thickness you can stand right in the next square and kill/stun the poor megaspawn and it justs stands there staring stupidly. Sometimes it is good idea to keep shooting corridors/ufo doors with devastators. If the beam stops before back wall there just might be a reason to shoot some more.

[ROplayer]

great job so far. I assume you play real time games?

 

Make sure to buy all stun grenades you can get your hands on. also stockpile on engeneers and quantum scientists even if you have enough. they will come in handy later.

 

Turn based games are a bit harder. there you cannot switch equipement while stuff is flying at you. Best tactic there is to carry as little gear as possible, usually marsec body piece armor that allows you to fly, a shield in one hand, weapon (machine gun, stunner, POWER SWORD, toxigun) a grenade and a few stun grenades. Sitting and sniping is kinda lame, so you take risk, play aggrisive.

 

Funding problems are easy to fix, just tedious. when in problem just stun raid. whomever. kinda like in real life.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

XCOM NEWS FLASH!

 

Great news after few setbacks. Brave Xcom soldiers are hitting back. Fourth battleship attacked our loved city. Xcom crafts bravely engaged that awesome enemy and managed to hit navigator. Erratic movemenet of giant ship enabled our fighters to shoot down UFO. The price was heavy and aliens retaliated with random shooting against buildins and Xcom crafts. Whole city will have a 3 minute silence rememering of victims.

 

Assault against downed craft was heroic act after another. Anroid MR William Nash killed single handed one megaspawn and wounded another with power sword. "I didin't thought of a thing...it was just a reaction" said MR Nash when we interviewed him.

 

Hordes of alien attacked against our best soldiers in last defence of UFO. They brought even some new unknown race with them. It has an psi capability. "It felt really weird" commented one soldier about psi attack, but we gunned them all down" told our battlle scarred veteran.

 

Unfortynately one of new recruit soldiesr was killed following cleaning mission in Nanotech HQ.

 

Scientist are busy to examine new specimens. We all hope switf progress.

 

TLE

[ROplayer]

sweet dude, keep us updated.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

XCOM NEWS FLASH

 

The aliens are again step ahead of us! Severe security leak in XCOM!

 

XCOM internal security department found an security leak in science department. Our research have been hampered badly especially in biologigal warfare. Internal security found an former cultist amongst our scinetists. He tampered research reports and released live Multivorm form alien containment. "Poor creature was so cute and hungry" told scientist to our journalist before taken. Scientist is now in mental (prison)hospital. Hopefully our new ally Sanctuary clinic can re-educate him.

 

Our brave troop were forced once again to endanger themselves to capture a live multiworm. That awful thing is very dangerous when trooper had be close to it. It was decided to use stun grapples to get that monster. Our trustful ally S.E.L.F. demanded that this honorable mission is a task for an brave android. We don't tell her name here because Evonet have promised to pay 1 000 000$ for her head.

 

Task was taken. Aliens were found. It was time to our strike squad. Everything was done to ensure our anroid safety. Her only weaponry was 2 stun grapples. A squad of veteran soldiers were guarding him. Aliens used their normal cowardly tactics but our troops did it. But not without price. Our bravest and oldest soldier Mr J. Bouschard was killed in alien trap. He encountered 2 cloaked sceletoids with entrophy launcher and devastator gun. Aliens were hiding and JB was chasing them. He fought till the end. Comrad soldier who saw it told that JB had an weapon malfunction. "I couldn't fire because I had an explosive clip in my autocannon. They were so close to each another. JB used his weapons but there were a lot of misses and he was a man not to known miss a target. Aliens simply butchered him. After I saw him fell I went full auto, but that don't bring him back. When JB was covering, you didin't have to fear hits from friendly fire."

 

Our android told about multiworm capture. "I first heard it, You know that slimy sound. So I run towards the sound. We spotted each another and at first it tried to escape. I closed it and it decided to fight. At this time our boys get heated and opened fire with autocannons. Luckily my shield held blast and I was near enough the beast. After that it was easy. Beast managed to hit me before tainted but it was only some minor damage to nervous system."

 

 

ALIENS ENCOUNTERED WITH NEW WEAPON!

 

They attacked us again. Those hated ships appeared yesterday in the skies of our beloved city. Assault ship with 3 destroyers emerged form dimension gate.

As in allways our boys were alert. Fighters hit hard and downed three UFOs. One managed to escape but it didin't even try to fight.

 

Mission was supposed to be normal so there were rookies among. All went horribly wrong. Aliens used normal enthropy launcher tactics to launch from hidden positions but they also had a new homing weapon. It seems to be some kind of rocket launcher with awesome hitting power and good fire rate. Our boys were forced to run their lives. It is severe setback because we have no countermeasure. And our overstreched science laboratory is not able to study it soon.

 

Question was raised about not to investigate downed UFOs. Strong public opinion demanded that aliens must not be let loose in the city. So our boys have to take it against all odds in the future.

 

Aliens are known to be in city. So citizen, Be Alert! Careless word cost lives.

[Exo2000]

Nevermind that, just have an Annihilator or something big like that finish it off after it's down with a hefty Disruptor Blast.

 

http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5678

 

I never get alien alerts, and if you finish it before they have a chance to get out, that saves you one arduous mission and some X-COM soldiers lives.

 

Hint: Stun Raid Marsec for the Mind Shield Items. +20 Psi Def when active. Isn't removed if Mind Shield is still active at end of battle.

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Nevermind that, just have an Annihilator or something big like that finish it off after it's down with a hefty Disruptor Blast.

 

http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5678

 

I never get alien alerts, and if you finish it before they have a chance to get out, that saves you one arduous mission and some X-COM soldiers lives.

 

Hint: Stun Raid Marsec for the Mind Shield Items. +20 Psi Def when active. Isn't removed if Mind Shield is still active at end of battle.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

XCOM NEWS FLASH

 

There have been discussion of extreme measures to counter of alien menace. But in the sake of humanity we must take proper course and ally against common enemy. There are some who don't understand what is in the stake and defend only their capital investment. So XCom must take the challenge and face the enemy.

 

The XCom will not in any way harm human life if not brainwashed totally by aliens.

 

NEW CRAFT COMING IN TO THE SERVICE!

 

Xcom ship yards are making two new ship types to counter alien menace. First is an effective troop carrier witch will at last take battle to the alien side and another is powerful dreadnought class ship. The prototype is called Retaliator and Xcom is putting high hopes to it. First ship is ready soon. Meanwhile we continue our desperate fight.

 

NEWS FROM THE CITY!

 

Mr. Everyday from Sanctyary clinic apartments told us "I was just going to sleep

when I heard strange noise. Like if someone who had a bad flu. Then somethin green was in the air. It hit the wall and it started to melt. We ( my wife and 2 childrens ) runned away in to the balcony and I called help with my communicator. Megapol rescue station answered and said that help was coming. We saw pink creature what must have been an alien closing of us. It was horrible sight. We tought that now is our end. But I heard an terrible noise and all our windows cracked and creature seemed to lost his focus. Then the door exploded and there was green gas everywhere. That is all what I remember. Later I was told that Xcom craft hit the sonic wall and landed our building top. Then swat team assaulted our apartment. My family is all right. Yet I hear complains about Xcom behaviour and demands about money to fix broken windows."

 

TLE

[Tsereve]

! Yeah, the Retaliator is the turning point in the game (which is why it was my avatar for some time. +, it looks cool!). Once you get about 10 of them, each with 3 medium disruptors, you can fight off pretty much anything (except for the big ship combo:2 motherships or 2 battleships, pain in the @$$). Which transporter are you talking about, Biotrans or Explorer? The Explorer seems kinda useless to me, though. Module space sux. . .Hint: equip your biotrans with 2 small shields, a cargo, bio-transport, passenger module, and missile evasion. NOTHING can stop it, even without escorts!

 

BTW, Exo2000, the Mind Shield gives your guys an extra 30 psi defense. Give it to each of your soldiers, go on 2-3 stun raids. Each soldier needs >100 defense, because Psimorphs (green blob with red tentacles) can still stun androids w/ 100. Also, he probably doesn't have Annihilators( :happybanana: ) yet, if he just saw psimorphs.

 

That purple ultra-missile thing that's not entropy? The Dimension Missile. Almost as dreaded as entropy, it can break through your shields and take out 20 health in 2 hits! Disruptor armor? Rice-paper to this thing. My advice to you: rush the idiot with the launcher. Then git yer @$$ back to your vantage point, cuz you'll never survive otherwise. If you continue your charge, it's going to be JB all over again.

 

~ :happybanana:

[[NKF]]

Disrupter armour is not rice paper to dimension missiles. A full suit is almost impervious. A partial suit (say, with a Marsec torso plate) would get you killed almost instantly.

 

How the heck do I know this? Why, I shot six missiles at a soldier at one time and only lost 4 health. That's why. (just watch your armour durability though, as that still gets eaten away)

 

Vortex mines, individually, are still more powerful.

 

---

 

Also, once you've got 3 - 4 retaliators and compliment them with shields and medium disrupters, you can wipe out the entire alien fleet in the alien dimension - easy. You can even do it with multiple Explorers, but they're too fragile against multiple attackers. But taking on one ship at a time, and anything goes.

 

- NKF

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

XCOM NEWS FLASH

 

Massive destruction over the city!

 

Alien menace over our city continues. Now aliens intruded with mothership and battleship with their escorts. Massive battle ensued over the city and mothership was shot down. Our forces and several organizations crafts attented battle. Mothership was downed but not before it had caused massive damage to the buildings. Battleship escaped with minor damage and it was seen putting blue "seeds" over houses. Xcom was blamed and many organizations turned unfriendly demanding compensation.

 

New Retaliator type craft first time in combat!

 

Xcom shipyards have finally completed first two Retaliator type crafts. Wonderful Tailwind and Dreadful Sight attended melee over our city against alien mothership. Weapon officer Mrs Bumblebee told us about the battle: "When we got alarm our ship ( Wonderful Tailwind ) scrambled immediately. It flies like an angel. With ship like that I wasn't afraid of alien vessels. Combat control gave order to engage with mothership and soon I got weapon lock from battlecomputer. City was full of explosions and I saw many buildings crumbling. Our battlecomputer started to fire and soon I saw that big alien ship shaking under our fire. I wouldn't believe my eyes. It was huge powerful ship and we were shooting it down. Fortunately it crashed outside of the city. The we went pursuit after the battleship but it was already fleeing."

 

New alien races identified!

 

Our soldiers have captured new alien specimens. Bigger ships carry huge fighting machine called Megaspawn and our scientists have examined live one. Unfortynately it seems to be basically organic fighting machine or tank. It has no use of us. Another is called Psimorph. Studying live Psimorph have revealed strong psi capablity as our troopers have reported. Citizen, if you see live Psimorph or any another alien lifeform stay out of sight and CALL help.

Another still unknown alien life form looks like an green jelly. Unfortunately no live samples have been captured.

 

First manned mission to alien dimension fails!

 

Xcom sent first manned ships to alien dimension. Dreadful Sight and Wonderful Tailwind escorted our brand new bio-transporter Happy Autumn day into the alien dimension. Unfortunately aliens were waiting for them. Horde of alien vessels attacked our ships immediately after them emerged from dimension gate. Mission had to be aborted from the first moments and our ships were just able to escape. All ships were badly damaged and only great skill of our ship crews saved them. Aliens clearly were waiting for us and it must have been the fifth column which is present in our city.

 

Now we can only wait what aliens do meantime. It will take time to build sufficient big fleet of ships.

 

TLE

Edited October 4, 2004 by Tuntematon lentava esine

[ROplayer]

hehe, nice, you are at the same point in the game where I am. I just had a battle with mothership, battleship and 2 cloacked bombers. just me and the police attacked them. downed both big ships but the little cloacked bastards ran away. checked organizations, that battle cost me all my allies, 3 more that hate me and about 5 negative ones. Running out of funds, hoping i can get enough loot to pay off all the negative ones.

 

What happened was, half way through the battle, i went into hostile with Psyke. they had a few taxies out, and my hawks killed one of them, then a few more rounds hit the Psyke building, next thing I know, I got enemy vehicles flying out of that buildings and my ships shooting at them. a big setback for me. gonna be stun raiding the whole week again.

 

Get a live jelly guy fast. if you researched all others, that one is the last before you get Toxin C. one shot one kill :happybanana:

[[NKF]]

Here's a tip for entering the alien dimension:

 

The aliens have a blind spot where their patrols don't quite reach. It's the left edge of the map.

 

Also, when you enter the alien dimension, split your entire force into three and have each one enter one of the three dimension gates. This way your ships will all appear simultaneously, providing more targets for the ships to shoot at rather than having them all concentrate on the first one that entered.

 

Have them immediately head to the left edge of the map. Wipe out any UFOs that chase after you. Then rest up and let your shields recharge. Keep moving until you hit the invisible wall that marks the edge of the map. Also try and move closer to the centre rather than stay at the top edge.

 

While you're here, use the overhead map to survey enemy ship movement.

 

If you plan to combat all the ships (highly recommended), take them on one at a time. Even if all you have are Explorers, you can easily take on a battleship if it's alone.

 

As usual, watch the overhea map. If you can find one solitary UFO, send your forces there and have them hold position in the air somewhere within the flight path of the oncoming UFO (but stay close to the edge of the map to make a quick get-away). Make sure they're all facing it at an angle or head on (i.e. a semi-circle - or have all your ships stacked on top of one another by having every one ship in four on a different flight elevation). Also have them all set to normal or agressive stances.

 

See, though it may make your ships slightly more vulnerable, you can shoot continuously and make full use of your rate of fire - thus knocking a UFO out a lot faster than were you to engage it in normal air-combat. If you're moving about, your ship stops shooting the moment it cannot see the enemy ship (wasting its rate of fire). This strategy makes full use of the medium disrupter and heavy disrupter beam's long range of fire - which is very hard to use in the city because of all the buildings.

 

Just keep at it, one UFO after another and eventually, you'll dominate the alien dimesnion skies. Then just send in a small squad every sunday night and wipe out any new ships that appear on monday morning, and you'll never ever have to worry about aliens entering Mega Primus ever again. What's more, you get points for destroying the UFOs, so you'll still keep getting cash bonuses (until the govt. runs out of money). And you'll be free to research, train and do whatever you want without hinderance.

 

Of course, some technologies, like the personal teleporters will require you to manually raid an alien dimension building (or let a UFO get through) from time to time.

 

In any case, this still gives you absolute control over the aliens' UFO activities.

 

- NKF

[ROplayer]

:happybanana: Edited October 5, 2004 by ROplayer

[Exo2000]

Those blue "seeds" is the "Micronoid Rain", which can INSTANTLY transform a side to Alien if successful. The chance of success depends on the Alien Infiltration % of that company. With 0% for all companies, you should be fine.

 

The green jellies are the most powerful PSI things in the game. BE WARNED. They have awesome PSI, but no proper attack. Mob 'em with n00ber soldiers. Once, four of my n00bers managed to kill like four in a row. WITH NO PSI PROTECTION, AND UNENHANCED PSI SKILL.

 

[[NKF]]

Well, the micronodis only have a limited psi-energy level, so it's not surprising that rookies can take them out.

 

Of course, the answer to them and the psimorphs are to just use androids.

 

Also you can only capture a micronoid with stun grapples or psionic stun (if you manage to get lucky on that 2% chance rating - with unedited psi troopers ). Stun gas won't work. You need the micronoid to advance to Toxin-C.

 

- NKF

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

XCOM NEWS FLASH!

 

Xcom in the defence!

 

Xcom must be constantly alert because of frequent alien intruders. Our battle fleet is still under construction. Soon we can produce new Annihilator type craft which will lead our attack to alien dimension. Our four Retaliators are constantly drilling to be top notch. Once Annihilator is ready and armed we will bring the battle to the alien dimension.

 

Police forces have suffered severe casualties!

 

In constant fight against aliens and criminal elements police force is dimishing. Only few cars are in service and criminals are on the loose. Alien symphatisers are hitting organizations who are loyal to the Humanity.

 

Top secret analyst group revelead by journalist!

 

From the start of this war Xcom have used a group of experts to analyse alien behaviour, tactics and equipment. Until this day excistence of this group has been secret. A very clever journalist managed to infliltrate our safe house and story was published in Mega Primus Fizz. Now they have to be constantly moved from house to house to ensure their safety. Who are these mysterious experts? Mostly they are former Xcom soldiers who have veterans from former wars. They have been deepfreeze. Now they have been awakened in the moment of human destiny. They use call names like Exo2000, Tserve, Tuoppi, Blehm. Robo dojo, RoPlayer etc. What these names mean is ancient history and we don't know and these men won't tell us. And there is one more member in the group. We don't know his real name, but in sounds when pronounced in our language something like NKF. NKF is a skeletoid warrior who have found human way of life to be better. This group have constantly adviced our soldiers in the field and scientists in their work. Their help have been invaluable.

 

So Xcom thanks them warmly on behalf of whole humanity.

[[NKF]]

Nah, couldn't be me. Skeletoids only have a life span ... of what? 3 hours? No, 3 days.

 

I'm just your Typical-Brain-In-A-Jar™ tucked away in an android (made of recycled android bits from the SELF dumpsters, toasters, toy parts, clocks and three pre-historic Muton cyber hands - talk about cross compatibility! ) .

 

The real question is: where did the Typical-Brain-In-A-Jar™ come from? I don't know, and I'm me. Amazing.

 

---

 

Here's a vague tip for the last mission:

 

The mission targets are not the laser beam generators. They are a means to an end, but not your mission objective.

 

- NKF

Edited October 7, 2004 by NKF

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

Nah, couldn't be me. Skeletoids only have a life span ... of what? 3 hours? No, 3 days.

 

I'm just your Typical-Brain-In-A-Jar tucked away in an android (made of recycled android bits from the SELF dumpsters, toasters, toy parts, clocks and three pre-historic Muton cyber hands - talk about cross compatibility! ) .

 

- NKF

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Your logo remains me Apoc skeletoids. So Xcom one alien expert group member is a skeletoid called NKF. ::

 

TLE

[Exo2000]

Well, the micronodis only have a limited psi-energy level, so it's not surprising that rookies can take them out.

 

Of course, the answer to them and the psimorphs are to just use androids.

 

Also you can only capture a micronoid with stun grapples or psionic stun (if you manage to get lucky on that 2% chance rating - with unedited psi troopers ). Stun gas won't work. You need the micronoid to advance to Toxin-C.

 

- NKF

 

The Micronoids didn't even get to PSI once. Their concentration must have been disrupted by one lot saying "PSI!!!" and the other lot saying "RUN AWAY!!!"

 

@TLE: That's not a skeletoid, dude, that's a cartoon X-COM Power/Flying Armour from the original X-COM in his Avatar!

Edited October 8, 2004 by Exo2000

[Tuntematon lentava esine]

@TLE: That's not a skeletoid, dude, that's a cartoon X-COM Power/Flying Armour from the original X-COM in his Avatar!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yep! I know it, but still it looks ingame skeletoid. Not that what is presented in ufoapedia, but in game when battle is going on.

 

My game has not progressed because I have no time to play untill next sunday.

 

TLE