Research Request: Panicking Tactics

[hoiba]

Commanders!

As soon as we encountered ground combats with the enemy, we noticed the alien fire was really scaring our troops. They were losing moral if they only heard the enemy firing (maybe at civilian targets). Even if there was no alien in sight our troops got scared by the sound alone!

The good news is, we noticed the enemy ground troops are no dumb machines and get mentally influenced by the events on battlefield too. The more comrades they lose in fight, the more they tend to lose moral and even panic!

We need laboratory time and money to research, if this panicking reaction can be triggered by intentionally lowering the enemies moral by conducting suppression fire. If our troops get scared by the sound of enemy fire, the enemy might too!

Cdr. Hoiba



In other words:

Do Phalanx-troops lose moral when civilians are killed, even if they don't see it happen? Or is it the enemy firing sound itself that causes the loss of moral points (even when no alien is spotted)?

And IF it is the firing of enemy weapons that causes this loss of moral does this affect the aliens too?

Yesterday I was hunting the last survivor of a downed UFO. All his comrades were all shot and he started panicking for 2 or 3 rounds, then recovered and I feared he could wound/kill my men again.

I knew where he was, but he hid himself and I wasn't able to shoot him. I had to approach his hideout under bad conditions (no smoke left and almost no cover). So I was pondering, if it is possible to lower the aliens moral by shooting the air to make him panicking again. This could be uses to 'simulate' suppressive fire.
Surely.. this would only work with aliens who already have very low moral stats. But in some cases (like my fight yesterday) it would be a useful opportunity to gain a little advantage in bad situations.

Hoiba

[anonymissimus]

I think moral is only lowered by being hit and dying. The nearer it happens, the more severe the moral loss seems to be. Civilians being wounded or dying don't seem to have effect. It happens for the affected unit and everyone else. If the event is seen by the particular unit, the effect is more severe. It seems to apply with the same rules for organic aliens. Dying enemies or enemies getting hit don't seem to increase moral.

For the situation you mention...well, that's why smoke grenades are always the ones I take most of with me. In any battle you should carry at least maybe 20. They are cheap and have low weight you know. I would place some cannon fodder in a place where it can be seen and the others covered (smoke or buildings), and then wait for the enemy to unpanic. Actively searching for a panicked unit is often pointless and too dangerous...they are usually in the corners and such.
If you are lucky, the panicked unit threw away its weapon. Sometimes you can see it lying on the ground. Then they are much less dangerous, since they probably only wield a plasma blade or grenade now.

[Noordung]

i think that aliens that panick always throw away their weapon. dont know if they can pick it up again.

[hoiba]

I think moral is only lowered by being hit and dying. The nearer it happens, the more severe the moral loss seems to be. Civilians being wounded or dying don't seem to have effect.

Sorry, I have to disagree. I often don't leave the Firebird in the first round, when not neccessary. Instead I drop smoke to cover the troops.
During the following alien-round I see the moral of my troops drop 1-3 points every time an alien is shooting. But I can't tell if it's because they kill civilians with the shots or it is because they actually shoot.

i think that aliens that panick always throw away their weapon. dont know if they can pick it up again.

Yes, the alien yesterday dropped his stuff. Don't know if they pick it up again either.

[anonymissimus]

I have definitely seen panicking aliens still wielding their plasma rifle. It's a large weapon, clearly visible when they are holding it over their head (and cute).

Well, a few points moral loss is negligible. For Palanx soldiers to panic, other Phalanx soldiers dying nearby is necessary in my experience. Experienced soldiers have more moral, so they panic less probably.

[hoiba]

I have definitely seen panicking aliens still wielding their plasma rifle. It's a large weapon, clearly visible when they are holding it over their head (and cute).

Really? Can't wait to see it! 

Well, a few points moral loss is negligible. For Palanx soldiers to panic, other Phalanx soldiers dying nearby is necessary in my experience. Experienced soldiers have more moral, so they panic less probably.

Yes, it's no problem for Phalanx soldiers to lose a few moral points due to this. But my question is if this also affects the aliens? Can I lower moral of alien soldiers by simply firing in the air? An alien who already panicked could be thrown back into panic again by this. Wielding the plasma rifle again wildly over the head 

[MonkeyHead]

It is easy to confuse a panicking alien with no weapon crouching at the end of their turn with one that is crouching while still holding its weapon - the animations or models are similar. Remember that depleted morale gives 3 outcomes - rage, when an alien will gun things down indiscriminately (funny when a Sheevar with a plasma blaster guns down 4 or 5 of his pals), panic when they will drop their gun and run about for a few turns (they will not pick up their dropped weapon, but may very well have a side arm in the form of a pistol), and shaken where human troopers refuse tu turn of RF - not sure how the aliens deal with this as aliens always have RF turned on unless you flash-bang them IIRC. Like for stunned - some kind of status indicator would be nice.

[anonymissimus]

It is easy to confuse a panicking alien with no weapon crouching at the end of their turn with one that is crouching while still holding its weapon - the animations or models are similar.

I'm not so imprecise to confuse this, sorry.
It's easy to create panicking aliens on some maps. On "Forest" for instance, you can almost certainly kill half or more of the aliens on your first turn, which will likely cause one or more of the remaining aliens to panic (or to be consumed by mad rage - even better for you).