First off let me thank you so much for this. I was amazed how well you knew everything that was going. You are 100% right about the base in in Italy (Milan).
It's a nightmare. I couldn't get the chopper in there because it was getting shot down every time. So I went in with the van (4 soldiers) and I'm getting laid out.
Every time I get the upper hand, A message comes up that says "Reinforcements coming in". Or something like that.
What happens is next is these dudes drop in that look like Navy seals and they don't mess around. They have me pinned down at the gate (even tough i took out the tank with dynamite). I'm backed into a corner with no where to go. having to reload saves and now I'm stuck in an infinint loop.
I honestly feel embarrassed that I'm playing on beginner. and doing this bad
Thank you so much for the direction and time you have taken to check this out. I've looked at downloading a text editor to try and edit the .rul file (rules set/Alien deployments).
But I don't mod at all. I'm just reading about it as much as I am trying to get to the next level in this game (trying to keep my head above water)
I just hate the thought of throwing away all these hours. I do have previously saved games from a month or 2 earlier but I fear of doing this same loop again.
XCOM files can be edited with a humble notepad (I use notepad plus) and is super easy to navigate in, in it you can see things like alien activities, XCOM activities etc... these are the entries you want to alter to boost yourself back up and take down Aliens down, you can also haxxxxxxxxxor many things but try to only do the score shuffling.
Just open your save file with notepad and start hacking away, with precision of course, given unforseen consequences might otherwise occur.
You do really need to get better crafts ASAP, getting to promotion 3 also unlocks you Migs which can clear the way of cultists aircraft, there is a second way i prefer prior to having migs/interceptors is to simply lure out the guards by sending a craft to the manor, once the warning about interception pops up, get it out of there and sneak in a second, actual infantry craft, Helicopter is too slow, but Dragonfly is fast enough, their jets do require a refueling time so there is a window of time you can sneak in it.
Once you get in there, you can metagame the hell out of the reinforcements given their arrival is completely RNG (Just save before the end of each of your turn and reroll the save each time they spawn). Second thing you should know that any mechanical, alien or animal units on the map alive will prevent surrendering of occupants, surrender usually happens if you battered them to shit enough and only some enemies left. But enemies like gilldogs, gillmen, armoured cars, dogs etc...
Hybrids do use surrender mechanic, i am mentioning this in particular given in this mission with RNF waves, it can be very frustarting having some 4-6 cultists holled up somewhere that gave up on fighting, but there is like a gilldog, stuck in a garden on the other side of the map preventing you from getting the victory screen and when you do finally find it and kill it, BOOM, instant victory screen.
Instead of editing files it's honestly better to simply restart. This mod is a lot about trial and error and coming back again to do it all over again but better this time (just like regular xcom was back in the day).You have a very valid point. my only fear is I run into the same issues all over again.
XCOM files can be edited with a humble notepad (I use notepad plus) and is super easy to navigate in, in it you can see things like alien activities, XCOM activities etc... these are the entries you want to alter to boost yourself back up and take down Aliens down
I have recently decreased the chances for manors to appear, by 33%. Also, new manors are usually lowest level.
As always, unreleased X-Com Files can be downloaded from: https://github.com/SolariusScorch/XComFiles/archive/refs/heads/master.zip
ini edits
I edited all you need and attached the "upgraded" save file to this post here, use it.
what i did is simply to push the clock inside of it that its the end of a month instantly, meaning the moment you load the save, you get score screen and you end up with negative 400 points, this is enough to continue playing (council is still happy enough) so now you get 2 months to straighten up.
Oh and also i included a small...second wind bonus to your armory, these should help you clear out the manors, they wont help you against aliens and you got limited amount of it, but will against bullets and explosives, your US base has recieved a shipment of high grade protection, enough for 6 soldiers, 5 regular and 1 for your officer/squad leader, gear them up.
I will use your edited file (I just downloaded it). Thanks again. I owe you one.
Might be the hardest one, given Sectoids are the same visual wise and without mind probe you cant discover who is a leader and who isnt...Are your Sectoid bosses not wearing those little gold circlets?
Are your Sectoid bosses not wearing those little gold circlets?
Are your Sectoid bosses not wearing those little gold circlets?
Furthermore to research topics, once you completed all i pointed out, you should research these topics and why
1) Advanced healing spray
Carries 3 charges, 3 point wounds are super common, but its quite pricy.
2) Knockout grenade
This is a ranged stun weapon, throwing in certain ways is better than shooting and you can use it on people and animals (And aliens) alike, problem is that you need a workshop to make these.
3) Chemweapons
These are short range chemical weapons, they absolutely anhilate humanoids, but they are fairly innacurate and short ranged, they also melt armor and can cause panic on targets (or stun them), they also let your soldier get the Chemist award, which increases sanity. Eventually, once you unlock the next laboratory, you can research how to make and use the Canister Gun, which is advanced medium ranged chemical rifle that hits hard as a truck (easily one taps alot of enemies), you do have one of these in your stock so you just need better lab to inspect it, you do alredy have it qued in your research (Science laboratory) so just finish it and unlock next batch of research topids.
4) Alien biology
Lets you research the alien contaiment facility, so you have somewhere to actually keep alive aliens after mission
5) Getting to promotion 3 ASAP
There are 4 ways you can get here
A) Integoriating a alien with rank of Leader
Might be the hardest one, given Sectoids are the same visual wise and without mind probe you cant discover who is a leader and who isnt, Snakemen though, those with red shell on their back are leaders, engineers are green (engineers are also super valuable) + the whole gameplay with aliens and their one shot full HP plasma weapons even in the...gifted armor you recieved.
B) Deep one communities
This is the underwater arc, by capturing a live Deep One.
C) Into the Dark
This one is easiest difficulty wise, but has harsh difficulty of random number generation, you need motion scanners, in to the dark and Hidden Caves, which requires UFO signiature science tech (alien comunicator) + you need to study a living spider AND shambler.
D) Cyberweb portal
Requires cyberweb story line progression, together with capturing live aliens, these two are the hardest one, combat difficulty wise because Cyberweb has some really massive maps, somewhat durable enemies and they hit quite hard, though having the six outfits i gave you might change that drastically, esp the blue version can facetank alot of their weapons.
Those are commanders (not leaders), that are required for other end game stuff and i only ever manage to get one of these during a base defence, but its nice that they are, unlike their common counterparts actually marked as "Do not kill this one".I forgot that Solarius is stingy with the circlets. Have been using those for leaders as well for almost forever.
TBH, I have no idea if XCF is the same as FMP (Sectoid commanders with gold headbands). And to be even more honest, in the dark, I imagine it's nearly impossible to see that headband.XCF does have them, you can middle-click them to see the circlets up close, and they're not that invisible (or maybe they are with the XCF palette, IDK):
XCF does have them, you can middle-click them to see the circlets up close, and they're not that invisible (or maybe they are with the XCF palette, IDK):
And to be even more honest, in the dark, I imagine it's nearly impossible to see that headband.
[/spoiler ]
I just don't have the fire power to take those out yet. Need to focus now on taking out that mansion.
Turrets hit insanely hard, but they are static objects, meaning its possible to get an angle from which you can lob explosives and still hit them with splash, just set the timer to 2 on something like a high explosive or dynamite, toss it as close (but without getting to LOS) to the turret and run.
The second, is more viable in places where you can actually flank them, but turrets can be defeated by agents in close quater combat, not sure how but i always picture it as agents riding on top of the turret while trying to bash its control panel with the melee weapon.
Turret itself is midly armoured, but a chunky melee weapon hit from the rear could easily destroy it in one swing, Tritanium Sword for example has the potential to one shot it when it hits but if you have something like bardiche it could do the same.
I would try the ship again, if you can get the leader, you will get the promotion 3 right there and get better gear (mainly, you will be able to mass produce the heavy tactical suit, which is almost bulletproof and will make manors much easier).
During a night mission, try pressing Ctrl+End; it cycles between normal, half-light and full light display.
Mind that the half-light and the full light displays only affect visual representation and have no influence on the game mechanics (units don't see better).
I personally prefer the half-light mode over the night vision mode, as it's easier on the eyes.
The second, is more viable in places where you can actually flank them, but turrets can be defeated by agents in close quater combat, not sure how but i always picture it as agents riding on top of the turret while trying to bash its control panel with the melee weapon.
This is awesome. I had no idea about this. super helpful tip. big thanks.
I'm not sure if this feature is supposed to be "official" or more like dev tool, but if it's the former, I wish it was more well known. Even though it competes with the night vision feature, which in itself is very nice and I'm kind of sad for its sake. ;)They're usable without a keyboard (like on Android) too if you go into the advanced game options and turn on "extended links." That adds buttons to the UI which let you access both, among other things. (The in-game tech tree accessible from the geoscape is also quite useful)
... Once you get behind that, things will slowly start rolling downhill...for aliens.
I never understood if "downhill" is a good or a bad thing.Once you start rolling downhill and start picking up velocity, its going to be harder and harder to stop.
Obviously uphill is always struggle... Especially if you are trying to skate.
You're welcome!
I'm not sure if this feature is supposed to be "official" or more like dev tool, but if it's the former, I wish it was more well known. Even though it competes with the night vision feature, which in itself is very nice and I'm kind of sad for its sake. ;)
So how does the rest of your tech tree doing now ?
Got Dragonfly already ?
Did the heavy armor proved its worth ? With promotion 3, you will be able to mass make them yourself in workshop, even better, given you captures a ship, that means you got alien alloy, which means you will be able to make the blue version.
Now, given you dont have it unlocked (you cannot inspect its stats yet), take a look at the shopping list of resistances on this thing and why you want it ASAP:
Dont get comfortable, you are still against the time, the aliens are quite lenient at the start of the invasion. Once you get promotion 3, you should wrestle the control of the skies and map out where all the cult mannors are (And also you should take out all the remaining cults)so you can actually "save them up" as "emergency food" when something awful happens and you cant do anything about it, like terror mission, that if you were to attend, everyone you send would get slaughtered by enemies way ahead of what you can chew off.
So when you are negative 1500 points in debt, you still have missions where you can make it all back and keep going.
Getting to promotion 3 (by getting a leader, deep one, cyberweb portal or hidden caves) is pretty much THE test for XCOM. Once you get behind that, things will slowly start rolling downhill...for aliens.
I did get the dragonfly. Love it. Gives some cover for missions vs standing outside a helicopter waiting to be picked off.
You can usually gun down everyone close up on the first turn.
One oddity is if using Scroll lock for night missions, you can save that setting in Missions saves (It reloads with night vision on).There's a setting (https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,10629.msg147482.html#msg147482)for that. But if you use that, you need to remove persistent night vision. Took me a while to figure that out.
However CNTL+End does not remain saved when reloading mission saves.
You can usually gun down everyone close up on the first turn.In my experience, you shoot (or move, or whatever) and the enemies shoot you right back, unless you luck out and they're facing the wrong way, get killed right off the bat, or some other lucky event. You need smoke to evade this, and that tanks your chance to hit.
Unless alien reaction shot is at an all time high.Alien reaction fire is always at an all time high. :P
Alien reaction fire is always at an all time high. :P
A lot of them already do. Likely a majority, even. Since there are so many and there's only so much art effort to go around, which ones in particular bother you?Sectoids.
I mean, aren't the Sectoids the posterSame as the leaders only the headband is green.boysaliens of the extraterrestrial clone army? Them looking like they're all brothers is a feature... :D
Anyhow, what do your Sectoid engineers look like?