Acceptable losses

[jusen]

Hi, i've played the old X-coms and the newer UFO:Aftershock, Aftermath and Afterlight
And now i've just started the game (Great game btw) and am having a few issues:

I started it on normal and built my base at the south pole (Figured it would give me about equal response time to all continents).
Now, it auto-equipped me like this-
4grenade launchers
2snipers
1flamer
1rocket launcher

I changed the flamer for assault rifle but didn't have any more assault to gear them all.

Anyway, noticed a few issues that bother me:
1. I did not notice a UFO flying abit north of the equator until a mission showed - Do I need some radar or was I just too far since i'm in the south pole or do they not show up every time?

2. I noticed that snipers and Assault rifle, when set on reaction fire, shoot at the alien as soon as he comes into sight/range. The Grenade launcher (set on airburst) and the flamer did not do that - They only shot after they were hit. That sometimes resulted in my soldier taking a shot and dying instead of shooting back and once to a soldier being hit in melee, surviving and then dying when he shot a point blank grenade at the alien (On his defense, it killed the alien).

3. I found myself retrying alot of missions as I always strive for 0dead (Atleast in the begining when my numbers are small and my supplies limited) and quite often I find aliens pop from around the corner and kill my soldiers with a single melee strike or just a lucky shot. Do my men start with armor? Where can I check? If not, where can I equip them with armor?

Those are my main concern. Thanks.

[Riker]

First of all, what version of the game do you use? You can check that in the main menu, on the bottom.

1. I did not notice a UFO flying abit north of the equator until a mission showed - Do I need some radar or was I just too far since i'm in the south pole or do they not show up every time?

You have a radar by default in your first base, so I guess it's just a matter of them flying out of it's range. I guess a north pole would be better - closer to main lands. Also, they don't show up every time.

3. I found myself retrying alot of missions as I always strive for 0dead (Atleast in the begining when my numbers are small and my supplies limited) and quite often I find aliens pop from around the corner and kill my soldiers with a single melee strike or just a lucky shot. Do my men start with armor? Where can I check? If not, where can I equip them with armor?

In the base menu click "aircraft" and there, on the Firebird-d screen there should be a "assign soldiers" button and that's where you choose whom do you want to take for the mission and what should they be equipped in. A soldier has a basic armor if he is represented by a model wearing a vest and a helmet. You can give them armour on the proper "armour" tab.

Although 4 grenade launchers is original:) I don't expect it to be some kind of UberEpic combination, I suggest switching some to weapons better suited for reaction fire, like snipe/heavy machine gun. If you don't have them just buy them (don't forget the ammo) - they aren't that expensive.

[Tlactar]

2. I noticed that snipers and Assault rifle, when set on reaction fire, shoot at the alien as soon as he comes into sight/range. The Grenade launcher (set on airburst) and the flamer did not do that - They only shot after they were hit. That sometimes resulted in my soldier taking a shot and dying instead of shooting back and once to a soldier being hit in melee, surviving and then dying when he shot a point blank grenade at the alien (On his defense, it killed the alien).

Yup, what version do you use? Does your Grenade Launcher really have reaction fire?
Reaction depends on your soldier's speed stats i think, so if you have a slow soldier he'll take longer to react... and Aliens seem to be really fast

[jusen]

Oh, sorry for not mentioning. I use 2.2.1

Yeah, the 4 grenade launchers aren't really by choice. I started the game with alot of launchers and very few other weapons in stock.
Restarted and got a more reasonable supply.
Took care of the armor issue.

But still weird, I can set reaction fire with the launcher but they never shoot unless attacked.
Even if the alien is walking at them and stops short of them, they still won't shoot him... When he comes point blank and stabs them, then they remember that they are holding a gun that shoots explosive stuff...


Anyway... Should I accept a loss of soldiers on the first missions? Since I start with 9 and 8of them are my team while the 9th is in my interceptor.

[ojasper]

I started the game with alot of launchers and very few other weapons in stock. [...] But still weird, I can set reaction fire with the launcher but they never shoot unless attacked.

Why didn't you just buy extra stocks? The mini-shotgun seems really good short range btw. For the latter, i don't know how that works. Afaik it does reaction-fire, note though that those things have splash damage, and might require a clear shot?

[Kildor]

There was other campaign mechanism in 2.2.1, mission was spawned just in place, without UFOs. In 2.3 all has beed changed.

[Viento]

I would upgrade to 2.3..

> there the grenade launcher has no reaction fire mode any more (which is sensible since you would often kill yourself and teammates).

Andreas