Super-aliens or Alien heroes

[fuuuu]

I have noticed that not all aliens have the same stats but I have during a map encountered an Taman Alien that has enough agility to avoid reactive fire and butcher my defenders, more health to sustain 1-2 more hits and improved accuracy. Yes, the Taman did wear armor, but so did other Tamans, and he still went down slower.

Has anyone else encountered these aliens? Or perhaps its just a pure stroke of luck? I am pretty Happy if it is indeed the case, fighting a corporal or Sergent ranked Alien only adds more dimension to the game, rather than always thinking they have certain health that will die after X amount of hits. It also seems more of an challenge to isolate and suppress the said alien that isnt in supportive formation, and adds a danger assessment to the game. I personally would like to see 1-2 or more special alien leaders every mission to spice it up abit. Also, it only makes sense to have super aliens when u get super soldiers 1% of the time.

I am currently playing very hard, and is it possible to include this as a future feature to the said difficulty?

Edit: I try to avoid having soldiers with less than 24 agility on RF in close range, say around a corner. If I can recall correctly, the said alien also bypassed one of my soldiers with 32 agility.

[Aiki-Knight]

Wow - what a terrifying but exciting idea - alien "heroes". Maybe we could call them "alien villains" :-).

[shevegen]

I'd shoot that alien down instantly!!!

[fuuuu]

No-one else encounted such aliens?

[Sophisanmus]

I honestly haven't noted this sort of variation in alien ability, but it does hearken back to the old X-COM's Leader and Commander alien ranks.  I do like the idea of having alien specialists, to boot; certain variants of the regular alien roles/behavior with specific equipment to compliment.  Examples could be an Ort "Tanker", a high-health Ort with uncommonly heavy armor, a heavy weapon, and an AI disposition to finding an central location and holding that position until death.  Or a Taman Sniper, with low health but high speed, a particle rifle, and a disposition towards high terrain.

[Aiki-Knight]

I'd certainly find it believable to encounter various grades of alien units. There would be the ship crews that get shot down and killed in downed-UFO missions, but better infantry-quality units for terror attacks and base raids. And no reason why significantly better alien special forces can't be encountered very rarely. It's one thing to take out crashed aliens, but imagine going to a specific terror mission against alien special forces. Imagine always having to dread the slight possibility that you'll have to send in your best team against an alien special ops unit. Because I know that I treat my PHALANX team like special forces: every one equipped to the hilt with the best, every single step taken is planned, every arc of fire monitored, every opportunity for ambush and snipers taken. No mistakes. Patient, calculating, deadly. Always flanking, always using every last trick, never being afraid to take the time to do it exactly right.

[Zorlen]

I was also thinking of alien "bosses" for storyline missions - ones maybe even having a model different from others. For example, that infested Phalanx traitor, cybernetically enhanced into some scary cyborg.

[BTAxis]

Are you also thinking about who's going to make this model?

[Aiki-Knight]

Good point, Sir. It's easy for us to dream about new features, but let me apologise and show my respect to the developers for the best game I've ever played. I can barely use Microsoft Powerpoint, let alone program anything. I'm sorry about that. I wish I had any useful knowledge so I could contribute.

[Sophisanmus]

Storyline bosses may be a bit too linear, though; I could see more just being alterations of existing models or even as simple as re-texturing in some cases.

[Zorlen]

Are you also thinking about who's going to make this model?

I was thinking of it when I was going to model it :-) Now I am not thinking of anything due to recent marriage of mine.

[Duke]

I agree with Sophisanmus.
A 'pink Ortnok' would do the trick from the gameplay perspective.
Not nice, but working.

[Sophisanmus]

A straight color-swap may be too 90s; I'm thinking along the lines of varying markings on their armor.  The existing armored Ortnok models, for example, could have altered versions of their texture, such as shifted metal color to denote a different armor material/composition/density; one such variation could have neon blue seams, for instance.  From the storyline, I don't perceive there being much discernible hierarchy proper within the alien ranks, but there is room for specialists, with their armors functionally (and visually) modified to compliment their specializations.

[Sarudak]

If the aliens really are hive minded then even though they would not have the sort of individuality we understand the hive mind would not treat each individual the same but rather specialize each on for the function needed much like you would use the various limbs and parts of your own body for specific functions even though the limbs have no individuality of their own. To further this then aliens could possibly undergo mutations to be more fit to the role the hive mind desires of them. These could be done by technological means or possibly an added effect of the XVI strain itself. The ability to alter the hosts physical makeup to a point. I don't think there should necessarily be a hero that is all around better but possibly some that have mutations to be extremely tough or very accurate ect.

[Captain Bipto]

Are you also thinking about who's going to make this model?

It would be easy to do, simply have the Super-Alien wearing better armour than his/her mooks