Messages

91

Tactics / Re: Help for beginner

« on: June 20, 2008, 08:29:27 pm »

Nevasith,

this is an interesting question: to leave the labs at the main base, or to have a dedicated research facility.  I found that:
1. With all production at a dedicated "factory", I had plenty of room left at HQ to build three labs (plenty) plus room for everythin else I needed - so far.
2. having research done outside of HQ (tried that too) created the need to shuttle samples of alien tech over there, made me duplicate the alien containmner and UFO disassembly facilites - since it only checks facilties at HQ upon capture, I believe.  So, the HQ was a transportation hub, anyway. 

92

Tactics / Re: Help for beginner

« on: June 20, 2008, 05:26:30 pm »

of course.  10 workers per shop, I believe. 

My preference is to take the production off the main base.  The "factory" has 3 workshops.

93

Tactics / Re: Blades

« on: June 20, 2008, 05:23:34 pm »

Well, there was a show "Highlander: The Series" that was quite good - in the 90's.  The original movie is really worth seeing.  Stay away from the sequels, however.  They are very bad.

94

Tactics / Re: Blades

« on: June 20, 2008, 04:10:21 pm »

What, no one go the "Highlander" reference?  No one? The great 80's sci-fi movie with Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery.  Immortals run around modern SF, cutting off each other's heads, saying "There can be only one!" and getting the power of the slain.

95

Tactics / Re: Blades

« on: June 20, 2008, 04:07:45 pm »

I've seen up to 12.  There was a promise of more.  You are right on the secondary weapon, though - rarely needed if ever.

96

Tactics / Re: Help for beginner

« on: June 20, 2008, 04:04:23 pm »

yes?  you can do that...

97

Tactics / Re: Some help with original xCOM tactics please.

« on: June 20, 2008, 04:03:38 pm »

Oh, they are indeed a pain.  sadly, same as before - you move carefully, leave time for reaction fire and have soldiers cover each other.  The "shoot a rocket, ask questions later" policy is very helpful here.

If it is a real tough situation - terror missions with snakemen can end up having 8 of those things.  Or taking a down snakemen terror ship can have 4-5.  Worst case - show up, not even let your guys off the ship, and abandon mission.  Still better than not going at all.

Eventually - heavy plasma + good reaction.  Accept no substitue.

98

Feature Requests / Re: Aliens with human weapons?

« on: June 19, 2008, 05:36:10 pm »

well, not *exactly* air, but they breath something.  Otherwise they would have nailed those openings shut.  Still need to take stuff into lungs, then into the blood stream and deliver it to tissue...  replace O2 with whatever, but the mechanics are similar, I think

99

Tactics / Re: Help for beginner

« on: June 19, 2008, 05:28:29 pm »

your troups: wounded or nearly-stunned soldiers may do dumb stuff, like run away or even kill team mates (happened to me on one ocasion).  Not a frequent event.  On one ocasion soldier paniced for 2-3 turns, than got control of himself and went back to the usual business of killing.

Aliens: after some (most) have been killed an isolated alien will/may drop his weapon and crouch in a corner, looking all upset.  If you keep firing in his genral direction, he will stay that way longer.  If left alone, he will eventually recover, pull out his side arm and may very well still cause some damage.

100

Tactics / Re: Help for beginner

« on: June 19, 2008, 04:47:31 am »

One of each: laser rifle and heavy laser.  Particle beam rifle hits at 150, while particle cannon only at 50 (typo?)

final selection, IMHO, i particle beam rifle and heavy laser. 

101

Tactics / Re: Some help with original xCOM tactics please.

« on: June 18, 2008, 11:33:19 pm »

yup, that's the only way to deal with them with confidence. 

practice on everyone else, then try the ethereals.  If 3-4 controllers can hold Ethereals reliably, one is ready for a trip to the red planet.

102

Feature Requests / Re: Aliens with human weapons?

« on: June 18, 2008, 11:01:03 pm »

kewl!  very, very neat. 

now, if an alien walks on two legs, has a torso, two arms, one elbow each, one head, two eyes - does that lock us into the opposable thumb scenario?  This design for the aliens makes a very interesting broader implication: that evolution for all air-breathers follows roughly the same lines - start as a lizard, a monkey, or whatever - and you end up with forward-facing eyes, dedicated pair of legs for running and arms for tools, with roughly the same proportion to the rest of the body.  Even if this was dictated by game mechanics, I think this can be easily worked into a story line.

103

Feature Requests / Re: Aliens with human weapons?

« on: June 18, 2008, 06:02:10 pm »

well, just to play devil's advocate - so long as the bad guys have opposable thumbs, i suppose we could manage to fire their weapons, and the bad guys appear in the balpark - all have two arms of generally the same structure.  If one uses fingers (and not, say, large flexible succers for example) opposable thumb (or two) is almost a must, no?

Any biologists out here?  thumbs or tentacles - what else can be used for tool grabbing?

104

Tactics / Re: Some help with original xCOM tactics please.

« on: June 18, 2008, 05:56:32 pm »

Them ethereals sure are a biatch to deal with.  I would tangle with them only using best armor and stun bombs.  And, preferably, using flying tanks to scout.  And immediately note any soldier who got paniced or taken over by aliens - means they cannot be in the final assault team.

105

Tactics / Re: Help for beginner

« on: June 18, 2008, 05:48:19 pm »

Laser is indeed the one using the DF cartridges.  It has a distinct advantage on not relying on alien tech, i.e. being available right away.  In my view, plasma weapons are no good as they are short range.  I prefer to fight from the outside if possible.  Particle beams are good, but you do not get them very early and you need to research the rifle itself, and, I think, one more weapon to get "man portable particle beams" - then you get to load the ammo for particle rifles.  I do believe particle rifles are better than lasers, though lasers are unsurpassed for low spread, i.e. accuracy at high ranges.

Dan