Who Are The Nastiest Aliens?

[Aiki-Knight]

As a set, which aliens scare the whiz out of you the most? Which are the hardest to repel, the nastiest of the wars?

 

1. XCOM 1: sectoids, snakemen, mutons, chryssalids, sectopods, cyberdisks, ethereals

2. XCOM 2: aquatoids, tasoths, lobster men, tentaculats, etc.

3. XCOM 3: arthropods, skeletoids, brainsuckers, poppers, spitters, megaspawns, psimorphs, various worms

 

Which set gave/gives you the most trouble?

[Aiki-Knight]

My vote: XCOM2's aliens. Those tentaculats are just the WORST. They're armed like chryssalids, but they "fly" and and hide in little nooks and crannies. And they're a LOT tougher than brainsuckers, which die if you sneeze.

 

X3's dimension missile does make the late-game arthropods and skeletoids more dangerous, because those missile are only escapable with immediate cover. However, seeing an X1 chryssalid or X2 tasoth take a blaster bomb right in the face and still be standing - that's scary stuff. X3's megaspawn are slow and restricted from moving very far, and psimorphs are harmless against good psi-troopers. But between X1 and X2, X2's tentaculats have one up on the walking chryssalid.

[Steelion]

Well, I'd go with the XC1 chryssalids, with Apoc poppers, multiworms, and Megaspawn. Complete with 4 hyperworms. (most) all of them are lightning fast, and ALL of them can kill an unwary soldier. except maybe the multiworms, which are really only dangerous in moderate-close ranges, where their spit does heavy damage to my poor rookies. Megaspawns are just plain lethal.

 

Put chryssalids in Apoc and you have brainsuckers on steroids.

 

Haven't played TFTD, so I cant go there, but I imagine throwing a couple of lobstermen into the mix would be hellish, from what I hear of 'em.

 

Tally- Chryssalids, Lobstermen, Poppers, multiworms, hyperworms, megaspawn. Anyone fancy their chances?

[Bullet-Tooth Tony]

X-Com 2. Mostly with Tentaculats. Yes, I agree with Aiki-Knight, they're pretty much flying Cryssalids.

Add Lobstermen to the mix. And not for the reason that they're tough as heck. It's because X-Com 2 is the only one of the three games mentioned, where you can unexpectedly get "late-game" aliens right in the beginning, if you're unlucky enough. When you don't have the tech to normally deal with them.

And Lobstermen is one of them - probably the worst to get in 2nd - 3rd month. If they attack your base and you don't have sonic weapons yet, you're pretty much doomed. I've had such experience a couple of times.

[NRN_R_Sumo1]

Well, Im gonna have to go with Apoc 3 Brainsuckers. Losing my troops magically because I like playing it fast paced?!??..

GRRRRRRR!

Poppers are no problem for me using my door breaching strats.

Stun guns on door sides, max speed. Just be careful if you use Two of them and it STILL runs past. Thats Two knocked out agents xD

[[NKF]]

You can be fast paced, but as long as you're vigilant and know what's happening around you, neither the brainsuckers or poppers are a problem. The main thing against the brainsuckers are that they're one-time only aliens and burst easily to practicaly anything you can get your hands on. Also if you keep watch of your soldiers and carry AP grenades on you, you can use them to blast the brainsuckers off you before the damage can be done. If you know they're coming, lie flat on the ground and they'll knock themselves out.

 

Chryssalids and Tentaculats have relatively tough armour (which thwarts attempts with most early weapons) and they can attack over and over. The one thing against tentaculats are that they only appear underwater and don't appear that often. When they do, the map designers set them in the most effective of locations. The atmosphere and helplessness of turn-based combat ramp up their fear factor considerably. Would've probably done it for the brainsuckers too if only they'd implemented the map lighting.

 

By the way, trying to get poppers as they're running past a corner with stun grapples is often suicidal. I find it's best to take them head on out in the open when you can see them coming right at you. But that's just from me having one too many poppers explode the moment they come around the corner.

 

As for who's nasty though - eh, couldn't say.

 

- NKF

[Steelion]

I've had three poppers explode on one agent, and he only died from the last one. Point blank, megapol armor. XD

[Aiki-Knight]

You can be fast paced, but as long as you're vigilant and know what's happening around you, neither the brainsuckers or poppers are a problem. The main thing against the brainsuckers are that they're one-time only aliens and burst easily to practicaly anything you can get your hands on. Also if you keep watch of your soldiers and carry AP grenades on you, you can use them to blast the brainsuckers off you before the damage can be done. If you know they're coming, lie flat on the ground and they'll knock themselves out.

 

Chryssalids and Tentaculats have relatively tough armour (which thwarts attempts with most early weapons) and they can attack over and over. The one thing against tentaculats are that they only appear underwater and don't appear that often. When they do, the map designers set them in the most effective of locations. The atmosphere and helplessness of turn-based combat ramp up their fear factor considerably. Would've probably done it for the brainsuckers too if only they'd implemented the map lighting.

 

By the way, trying to get poppers as they're running past a corner with stun grapples is often suicidal. I find it's best to take them head on out in the open when you can see them coming right at you. But that's just from me having one too many poppers explode the moment they come around the corner.

 

As for who's nasty though - eh, couldn't say.

 

- NKF

 

I agree - brainsuckers pop like balloons around even HE grenades, as do poppers, although the latter are more dangerous. Chryssalids and tentaculats are way scarier, IMHO, as they're tough to kill, go on killing, and the infection pyramid can get WAY outta control. I fear chryssalids, and I DREAD tentaculats. Dread them, I do.

[Pi Masta]

I kinda see this as a two part question. There were some aliens that scared me when I first saw them, or saw what they could do. But as I got better at the game and understood them better I feared or hated fighting certain aliens.

 

Unfortunately my knowledge of TFTD isn't much as I could never get into the game. I guess just the ridiculous plot line, fighting under water, and essentially the same game play as UFO Defense. Because of that I'll exclude it on the list, but the Tentaculats sound bad.

 

Initially what scared me XCOM 1 is a bit of a toss-up between Chryssalids and Ethereals/Psionic Sectoids.

 

I can't remember which I encountered first as I think had the unfortunate instance of assaulting a sectoid battleship on the ground early in the game. (I was still new to the game and didn't realize I would be better off leaving it alone, I wanted more Tactical Missions). To make things worse I believe it was also at night.

 

I was in a state of confusion, anger, and fright when my guys suddenly start getting psi'd and panic/berserk/MC. Confusion because I didn't know what the heck was going on. Anger because the guys getting psi'd weren't visible to the aliens (in retrospect they probably were at one point, since it was at night and moving them behind something doesn't work as they 'remember' your location). And fright because because I didn't know what was happening other than my guys were killing themselves and wasting TUs. I started dreading anytime psionics were being used (and at the time I didn't know only certain aliens could), thus when Ethereals came touting psi everywhere I was freaked.

 

Of course my first Chryssalid encounter wasn't much better either. I think I killed a few before they infected someone. I began thinking they were about as dangerous as Reapers (especially since the Chryssalids run up to you and run away). Then I think I saw a civilian get zombified. I was kind of like ? Why is the civilian now an enemy with green ooze in his mouth? I killed the Chryssalid and I think I waited a turn to see what the zombie would do. Then I figured well if the game thinks its an enemy, I better kill it, so I shoot it. Lo and behold out pops a Chryssalid.... what?? I just killed that thing. Eventually one of my guys got zombified but I knew to expect a Chryssalid to pop out by that time and was prepared (aka close enough for auto shot).

 

Of course now I laugh at Sectoids, except their cyberdiscs. Ethereals are a pain but by the time they show up I'm ready for them, I dread Muton's a bit more because of their resilience. But Chryssalids I absolutely loathe. I'd probably rather have Cyberdiscs or even Sectopods (well, maybe). Maybe it's because I know that there's always going to be a Chryssalid back behind the lines infecting civvies and I'm going to be facing several of them.

 

 

Initially on XCom 3 I would say brain suckers for a while until I figured them out a bit and managed to keep my guys close enough to cover each other. The real scare and surprise was a Godzilla Overspawn beaming down on the city. Luckily it was while I was 'previewing' what was going to happen (ie save game, set speed to max and ignore alerts/ufos, but maintain research, which I usually do before I quit the game) I was like Oh shuckeroonies! They can do THAT!?

 

Now it is mainly poppers with their massive explosion, disruptor missiles, and to some extent megaspawns.

 

On the flip side I'd have to say the most pathetic aliens to fight would be Floaters (oooh wow they float... so can Cyberdics and Ethereals) with their stupid reapers (aka 4-square target practice). Even the sectoids are harder to fight because of their small stature, possible psionics and flying cyberdiscs that explode. For Xcom 3, definitely the hyperworms (well unless you really consider the Apoc Chryssalids that do nothing, and stationary alien eggs as actual 'enemies' that you fight.)

 

Wow, didn't think this would be that big of a post. Oh well, just my $0.02

[[NKF]]

I don't mean to be pedantic, but Apocalypse doesn't have Chryssalids. They've got a Chryssalis, which is just a stage of the multiworm egg's life cycle. Got to point that out. You don't really need to do anything about them, but they're good for combat experience.

 

The tentaculats: imagine the Chryssalid, shift some of the tough armour about a bit so that most of it is at the front, and give it a flying ability (well, vertical movement - it's underwater after all). Combine that with the map designers purposely placing them in the most effective locations you can think of and there you go. They just look like a brain and a beak with a trailing spine. I kind of prefer the heavily chitinous plates that the Chryssalids have. Makes them look tough and that grin is creepy. Clown-creepy.

 

For brute force, nothing can go past the Lobstermen. They may not be as imposing as a sectopod individually, but there's lots of them. But are they nasty? When they mob you, yes they are. They can even bash you into submission when they lose their weapons. Of course, like all aliens, once you've learned their achillies heel, they're not that tough.

 

What would've been scary was if the Overspud - er Overspawn were to actually be used in the Apocalypse battelscape. Perhaps in a timed challenge where it stomps the whole map flat if you don't get out soon enough. I really despite timed challenges in games, but I would've actually let this pass. If only because it would look funny.

 

- NKF

Edited March 23, 2007 by NKF

[Aiki-Knight]

I don't mean to be pedantic, but Apocalypse doesn't have Chryssalids. They've got a Chryssalis, which is just a stage of the multiworm egg's life cycle. Got to point that out. You don't really need to do anything about them, but they're good for combat experience.

 

The tentaculats: imagine the Chryssalid, shift some of the tough armour about a bit so that most of it is at the front, and give it a flying ability (well, vertical movement - it's underwater after all). Combine that with the map designers purposely placing them in the most effective locations you can think of and there you go. They just look like a brain and a beak with a trailing spine. I kind of prefer the heavily chitinous plates that the Chryssalids have. Makes them look tough and that grin is creepy. Clown-creepy.

 

For brute force, nothing can go past the Lobstermen. They may not be as imposing as a sectopod individually, but there's lots of them. But are they nasty? When they mob you, yes they are. They can even bash you into submission when they lose their weapons. Of course, like all aliens, once you've learned their achillies heel, they're not that tough.

 

What would've been scary was if the Overspud - er Overspawn were to actually be used in the Apocalypse battelscape. Perhaps in a timed challenge where it stomps the whole map flat if you don't get out soon enough. I really despite timed challenges in games, but I would've actually let this pass. If only because it would look funny.

 

- NKF

 

What chance would XCOM agents have against an overspawn? It can smash through buildings and absorb a number of buildings falling on it. What could small arms do?

 

How dangerous are lobstermen up close? They have a nasty claw or something? How would an X3 agent wielding a power sword do against a lobsterman?

[[NKF]]

None. That's why they'd make a great plot device for timed missions where you have to do something quickly before the overspawn steps on the whole map. Or imagine having to climb into it and hack its innards up with a power sword. Amazing imagery right there.

 

As for soldier with power sword, he'd rip through a lobsterman easily. Lobstermen's achillies heel happens to be stun damage and drill attacks. But the real trick is getting up close to them before they kill you. When you do get up close and your own attack fails to take it down right away, the lobsterman can whack you very hard with their own claws, even through good armour.

 

The lobstermen's main gimmick are their amazing damage multipliers. They reduce armour piercing down to 20% and most others down by almost half or less damage. So they can last very long in a long range fire fight.

 

They're more brutish than scary.

 

- NKF

Edited March 23, 2007 by NKF

[Pi Masta]

What would've been scary was if the Overspud - er Overspawn were to actually be used in the Apocalypse battelscape. Perhaps in a timed challenge where it stomps the whole map flat if you don't get out soon enough. I really despite timed challenges in games, but I would've actually let this pass. If only because it would look funny.

 

Yeah it would be interesting / colorful. Reminds me of SimAnt where your ants could be stomped down by human feet.

 

Chryssalis, got it. I understand, little mistakes like that bother me like 'Alterior' - 'Ulterior'. Guess I'm a bit OCD / perfectionist.

Edited March 24, 2007 by Pi Masta

[Aiki-Knight]

What would've been scary was if the Overspud - er Overspawn were to actually be used in the Apocalypse battelscape. Perhaps in a timed challenge where it stomps the whole map flat if you don't get out soon enough. I really despite timed challenges in games, but I would've actually let this pass. If only because it would look funny.

 

- NKF

 

Actually, that makes me think about how lucky/unfortunate it is that the aliens don't get SERIOUS about wiping us out later in the game. I find that my XCOM escalates until it so far out-classes the aliens that it's almost laughable, especially in X3. By very late game (and you all know I play a long game), I'm suitably cautious around megaspawns, but they're not a problem.

 

And while the aliens do roll out higher tech the higher your score goes, they don't roll out better tactics or superior numbers. They stick to the same old plan even as my XCOM force is mopping the floor with their blue and yellow faces. I suppose this is to give us a chance to get a leg up, and I appreciate it, but it makes the late game a little disappointingly lacking in tension.

 

I'd have liked it if the aliens decided to wipe Earth out more as XCOM gets increasingly powerful. Perhaps at 80,000 points, the aliens could start real terror missions. At 100,000, large-scale city attacks, or attacks on XCOM bases with 10 or more ships. Base raids where 2 or even 3 ships do drops on an XCOM base and THEN initiate a base raid. This all seems doable within the programming framework of the game, doesn't it? I think it would motivate players to improve their skills even after their troops are ramped up to near max stats, and would motivate us to take down the dimension in shorter order.

 

I think it makes sense that the aliens, once they see that XCOM is too tough to subdue with insurgency operations, would switch to a more direct approach to wipe XCOM out. If they did, it would challenge us to get better and better, and not complacent late in the game. Becauase once you get to over 100,000 points, you think, "Come on, fat a**es, bring it on! Show me what you got!" One starts sending 4-man teams to tackle whole groups, while your other 96 super-heroes back at the base yawn and remember the days when going on missions was a challenge.

 

Any thoughts?

[NRN_R_Sumo1]

I think, you need to be like me and restart your games more often !

It tends to make you actually use your men in a tactical way rather than just massing stats and getting toxiguns as fast as possible.

No goals=more fun than winning goals xD!