Plasma vs. Laser

[ETBuster]

I find that the aliens are extremely proficient with Plasma Weapons, however my own units are terrible with operating them. My team of units are very efficient with using laser weapons, now that I have nano armor and every soldier equipped with a laser weapon losing a man is very rare, when I finally completed the research on plasma weapons I found my soldiers to be very inaccurate with them and very limited with range.

Do the aliens get a bonus when using plasma weapons? or do my own troops need more experience in operating them?

[Nutter]

Well, I'd say it's a streak of bad luck coupled with a far more Orkish approach to combat if I didn't find them hilariously precise. But quite frankly, they do send a lot of the stuff flying your way. Some of it's bound to trigger a save scum.
Though, it'd make sense in a way. Those things weren't built for Human hands, after all. Or face...wait, how do Sheevars aim?

I suspect the increase in combat range after you get lasers might help as well. Plasma doesn't go as far as lead which doesn't go as far as light. Sure the distances aren't that big but it still shows.

Anyway, just give the thing to one of your poor bastards and send him on the way of the dakka.

[ETBuster]

The orkish approach seems to work very well for the Hard campaign, 2 soldiers proficient in close combat with laser pistols, 2 proficient with heavy weapons with heavy lasers, and 4 proficient with assault weapons with laser rifles, reaction fire seems to take down most of the aliens quickly. At this point after struggling through many missions, most of them are a breeze with my current squad.

[Nutter]

It does in real life as well. Sure it took a quarter of a million bullets to take one of Afghans down but that's probably due to them using ranges the other guys aren't really trained for.
Ranges much longer than possible here.


But yeah, lots and lots of dakka pretty much fix all issues as long as you don't start shooting in the general direction of civvies.
And ammo is dirt cheap anyway.

[Sarin]

I found that setting up long range "reaction fire trap" with lasers will keep enemies pinned down with minimal threat from plasma weapons while your close assault guys flank em.

I found plasma weaponry quite...well, lacking something. At extreme ranges, lasers rule. on longer medium ranges, machineguns work better for more dakka approach, then, grenade launchers are kings, and on close combat, flamers and plasma blades. The only plasma weapon besides blade that found use in my arsenal is pistol, as secondary weapon for laser troops.

[Nutter]

Well, they're supposed to be middle ground with less accuracy than lasers and more punch than lead, if I understand correctly.
But since their accuracy goes down so hard, they either end up under secondary funding or fire support for experiments in my games.

[nanomage]

I think plasma weapons  should have splash damage.
IMHO that would fit the setting nicely. correspond to Ufopaedia texts, help to offset some of their (overwhelming) weaknesses and discourage tight formations of laser-shooting Phalanx troops, which I have found myself using too extensively. Plasma Blaster's Ball firemode could then be reworked into something even more devastating.
Aliens would become more dangerous with that, and as for players's troops, I think those would still use laser weaponry - it's just so convenient to have weapons that really do hit.

[TrashMan]

Dunno..I have some of my assault troops with plasma rifles.
Full auto is a mean damage dealer.

[Nutter]

The plasma rifle seems to be a nice light support weapon if you don't feel like lugging the MG around and(or) if you don't have anyone with a decent heavy skill.
And I honestly kind of shy away from the blaster altogether in general. Might stop that if you could mount it onto vehicles but I kind of doubt that.