Because no one uses the Other Games Forum: X-COM

[Al B. Sure!]

Yeah I've had aliens appear out of thin air at my flanks before and once in the middle of my fairly narrowly spaced troops. Really weird.

[snoopy369]

I don't see how 'facing' is the way to deal with that issue. Simply having aliens not randomly appear is probably the way to deal with it. Why introduce additional confusing factors?

[snoopy369]

How long do you have to respond to an abduction mission? If someone is wounded-1 day for example, can you scan for a bit, see if they come back?

[Al B. Sure!]

How long do you have to respond to an abduction mission? If someone is wounded-1 day for example, can you scan for a bit, see if they come back?

Haven't tried it but pretty sure this is no.


And facing is stupid. It doesn't make any sense. Just because I'm facing forward doesn't mean I don't have a grip on what's going on behind me or I can't just turn around in a quarter of a second. Tanks have facing. People don't.

[snoopy369]

You clearly have some time; I tested it with an old save, and it looks like 12 hours, but I am not 100% sure. However, scan is way too fast - unless you get something else stopping you before 12 hours is up, you won't be able to stop the scan before the abduction fails.

[regexcellent]

You could just wait 12 minutes in mission control, go eat a sandwich or something.

[snoopy369]

Sure, that was my question originally though - HOW long is safe?

[snoopy369]

Also, I've finally figured something out at least. 4 missions in, every mission I've come back with 3 of 4 guys. But this time, it's always been a rookie who dies So 4 missions in I have a sergeant and two corporals.

[Hauldren Collider]

It occured to me that SHIVs are awesome for terror missions. They're disposable, so you don't have to worry about a squad wipe and can also be MUCH more aggressive. Even better, they can't be turned into zombies.

[Wiglaf]

It occured to me that SHIVs are awesome for terror missions. They're disposable, so you don't have to worry about a squad wipe and can also be MUCH more aggressive. Even better, they can't be turned into zombies.

Some terror missions just spawn mutons/heavy floaters. Also I wouldn't really call SHIVs disposable. Researching plasma SHIVs is a huge and probably unnecessary expense.

[Tupac Shakur]

Note to the Sectoid Commander I just murdered: seriously, I don't think it was a good idea for you to panic the alloy cannon carrying assault that was crouching right next to you. You kind of brought that panicked kill shot to your swollen head on yourself, dude. Why didn't you try to run away? Sure, I was going to run you down with that support and stun your ass, but is getting captured and tortured to death by Dr. Vahlen really any worse than getting your body ripped apart by a blistering mass of alien alloys?

Hmmm. When I put it that way, I guess you might have made the right choice. Well played, pile of goo that used to be a Sectoid Commander.

[Tupac Shakur]

Disagree. It significantly speeds up research (both by eliminating opportunity cost and interrogated aliens giving research bonus) and allows you to jump ahead of the curve on aliens. I finished the game I won in 200 something days, making sure that I avoided getting some of the real nasties.

Agree with this. I'm having my best game ever right now (normal, ironman) and I think it's because I chose South America for my base for the first time. I powered through the tech tree in no time (without any investment in scientists) with the help of early Muton and Thin Men interrogations, and was rocking Titan Armor and plasma weaponry before the Heavy Floaters even showed up. Just beat the alien base at the start of September and I wouldn't have taken a scratch if not for a brain dead move on my part when facing a Sectopod, and a Muton Elite teleporting into the middle of a six-person formation of soldiers (who didn't get a reaction shot despite all of them being on overwatch).

[Tupac Shakur]

Anybody care to post complete 'good builds' for various characters?

I've mostly settled on my favorite builds at this point, although I still waffle on a few Ability choices.

Assault

If you had to pick the best all-around assault build, I think it would be this:

Balanced - Run & Gun, Aggression, Lightning Reflexes, Rapid Fire, Close Combat Specialist, Extra Conditioning, Resilience

I use that build for all assaults after my first two, but I like to make my first two assaults a tank and a psycho, respectively. The tank is a woman equipped with an assault rifle, and the psycho is a man equipped with a shotgun, because I'm sexist like that.

Tank - Run & Gun, Tactical Sense, Lightning Reflexes, Flush, Close Combat Specialist, Extra Conditioning, Resilience

Psycho - Run & Gun, Aggression, Close and Personal, Rapid Fire, Bring 'Em On, Extra Conditioning, Killer Instinct

Tank scouts ahead and triggers enemy overwatchs, while the psycho waits for opportunities to rush in and shoot fools in the face. The balanced build is pretty good at doing both.

Support

Smoke Grenade, Sprinter, Field Medic, Revive, Dense Smoke, Deep Pockets, Savior

I tend to use my supports as medics and backups for my assaults, which explains the straight left-side build. Only choice I still wonder about is Revive over Rifle Suppression; it would be nice to have supports who can suppress so my heavy doesn't have to, but I'm risk-averse enough that I like the security blanket that Revive provides.

Heavy

Fire Rocket, Bullet Swarm, Suppression, HEAT Ammo, Danger Zone, Will to Survive, Rocketeer

I think Shredder Rocket might be better than Suppression, but I like to have someone with the ability to suppress and also don't like that Shredder Rocket is one-use only until you get a Colonel Heavy. Mayhem might also be a superior choice to Rocketeer given that I take both Suppression and Danger Zone, but I just can't pass up a second rocket.

Sniper

Headshot, Squadsight, Gunslinger, Disabling Shot, Opportunist, Low Profile, Double Tap

I can see why people would take Damn Good Ground over Gunslinger, or Battle Scanner over Disabling Shot. I like my snipers to not be completely useless inside buildings or UFOs (so Gunslinger), and have terrible luck actually finding anything with the Battle Scanner (so Disabling Shot).

On the other hand, anyone who takes In the Zone over Double Tap is an idiot.

[Docfeelgood]

sure you just don't want to run and hide from the aliens? You'll live longer.

[Tupac Shakur]

I run and hide from the aliens all the time. Committing suicide by running headlong into a pack of superior enemies doesn't help anyone.