Why there is no psy-attack and no Ethereals?

[RYSHER]

Hello!
I've been playing openXcom game for two months. For some reason there is no psy-attack on my soldiers when I fight with sectoids. Also, there is no Ethereals in my game. I am at the late stage where all I need to do is go to Cydonia, but I haven't met any single Ethereal. I wonder why?

[Xilmi]

Only sectoid leaders or higher use psi-attacks.
Ethereals even after they get unlocked are quite rare. So you have to be "lucky" to encounter them.
Except for the final mission, where they are a given.

[RYSHER]

Thank you very much for the reply!

[RYSHER]

Ethereals even after they get unlocked are quite rare.

How do they get unlocked by the way?

[Juku121]

For vanilla, mostly month 6+, i.e. from July 1999. They'll have a spike and then reduce their activities a bit in another 3 months, i.e. from October. Base assaults are an exception, but I imagine you haven't had too many of these.

[RYSHER]

Thank you! Still find it weird that I haven't met them at the late stage of the game. Whatever, then.

[Xilmi]

For vanilla, mostly month 6+, i.e. from July 1999. They'll have a spike and then reduce their activities a bit in another 3 months, i.e. from October. Base assaults are an exception, but I imagine you haven't had too many of these.

In my last play-through I encountered them twice. First was a small UFO-landing where they killed 10 of my people in one turn by using psi and second time when they attacked my main-base shortly thereafter.