Re: The X-Com Files - 3.5: Whispers In The Dark

[SBBurzmali]

I will say that the game's ending is very drawn out, probably excessively so. From what I can tell, I have one mission left in the Apocalypse folks, one or two in the undead chain and three or four left on the aliens. With the average rate of story creation, I'm looking at over a year of just downing UFOs and waiting as the rest of the planet is pacified.

I think the issue is that early chains made it clear that advancing too many chains too quickly leaves you strained to handle the dozen or more high level missions that spawn each month, but if you are too selective with research, you end up in a scenario where the end game drags on forever.

[Solarius Scorch]

I know! Work's been slow, though.

[amokk_gw]

Kults are throwing grenades in turn 1 despite the vanilla difficulty file saying turnAIUseGrenade: 3
Does anyone know whether the mod overwrites this or why this could happen?

Also there are frequent occurences of UFOs spawning and try to intercept my craft. If the craft is too slow it's guaranteed destruction. Does anyone know how to deal with those?

[Akamashi]

Kults are throwing grenades in turn 1 despite the vanilla difficulty file saying turnAIUseGrenade: 3
Does anyone know whether the mod overwrites this or why this could happen?

Also there are frequent occurences of UFOs spawning and try to intercept my craft. If the craft is too slow it's guaranteed destruction. Does anyone know how to deal with those?

Oh, if you only knew how many of my carriers were destroyed in 5 years of Ironman... This is a game moment. The enemies are not whipping boys, they also resist. If you want this not to happen, look for enemy bases with interceptors every new month.

[The Martian]

Kults are throwing grenades in turn 1 despite the vanilla difficulty file saying turnAIUseGrenade: 3
Does anyone know whether the mod overwrites this or why this could happen?

In the folder /Ruleset/ open the file vars_XCOMFILES.rul and search for the turnAIUseGrenade: variable to learn the exact number of turns until the AI can throw grenades.

The X-Com Files V2.7B turnAIUseGrenade: is setup with this value:

Spoiler:

turnAIUseGrenade: 1

[amokk_gw]

If you want this not to happen, look for enemy bases with interceptors every new month.

That's a good idea, except I don't have any interceptors. I have a Little Bird craft, but it just gets oneshot before it's able to do anything. Maybe I've missed something but it looks like Interceptors are locked behind Promotion III.

In the folder /Ruleset/ open the file vars_XCOMFILES.rul and search for the turnAIUseGrenade: variable to learn the exact number of turns until the AI can

Thanks a lot, I found it.

[Stone Lake]

That's a good idea, except I don't have any interceptors. I have a Little Bird craft, but it just gets oneshot before it's able to do anything.

You can stack multiple little birds with HMGs (shift-click in intercept menu) to get rid of even strongest manor guards. Could lose some of them though, but you won't lose pilots if approach the manor itself instead of UFOs.

[amokk_gw]

You can stack multiple little birds with HMGs (shift-click in intercept menu) to get rid of even strongest manor guards. Could lose some of them though, but you won't lose pilots if approach the manor itself instead of UFOs.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I currently only have 1 little bird cause it felt useless, but I'll try it with some more. But they don't guard any manors (at least I don't see them). I see them around normal cult missions like Assassinations and Outposts among others.

[Akamashi]

That's a good idea, except I don't have any interceptors. I have a Little Bird craft, but it just gets oneshot before it's able to do anything. Maybe I've missed something but it looks like Interceptors are locked behind Promotion III.
Thanks a lot, I found it.

Well, then purposefully go to the third promotion. The game doesn't have to be easy. If I could on Ironman, you can for sure.

[Stone Lake]

But they don't guard any manors (at least I don't see them). I see them around normal cult missions like Assassinations and Outposts among others.

These missions are frequently generated by manors, though - it spawns an UFO that rides to a particular point and creates a mission site. If your craft is flying somewhere and is suddenly intercepted by 2+ ufos then you probably flown over a manor. You need to detect it first by patrolling, like classic alien base.

For a better interceptor I recommend going straight for thunderstorms. It's possible if you beat at least one downed or landed alien UFO. The intermediate stuff feels mostly like a waste of money.

Also don't forget good, possibly best pilots.

[amokk_gw]

Well, then purposefully go to the third promotion. The game doesn't have to be easy. If I could on Ironman, you can for sure.

Well I feel like I'm a long way away from that. The gap between promotion II and III seems really large and there is so much research to be done and to be honest even by looking at the "tech tree", it's unclear to me how I get to that point. It looks like I have to finish the cult off, but I don't know how to get to there.

These missions are frequently generated by manors, though - it spawns an UFO that rides to a particular point and creates a mission site. If your craft is flying somewhere and is suddenly intercepted by 2+ ufos then you probably flown over a manor. You need to detect it first by patrolling, like classic alien base.

For a better interceptor I recommend going straight for thunderstorms. It's possible if you beat at least one downed or landed alien UFO. The intermediate stuff feels mostly like a waste of money.

Also don't forget good, possibly best pilots.

I can't patrol over the manor because I don't have any interceptors that don't die in 1 shot. And looking at the tech tree thunderstorms seem to be even further away than normal interceptors.

[vadracas]

Well I feel like I'm a long way away from that. The gap between promotion II and III seems really large and there is so much research to be done and to be honest even by looking at the "tech tree", it's unclear to me how I get to that point. It looks like I have to finish the cult off, but I don't know how to get to there.

Just keep capturing up the ranks of whichever cult you want to end. Without being too specific, to get to the HQ you need to capture an individual of particular note in one of the cult forward bases.

[amokk_gw]

Just keep capturing up the ranks of whichever cult you want to end. Without being too specific, to get to the HQ you need to capture an individual of particular note in one of the cult forward bases.

I'll get to it eventually, it's just that in the meantime I always have to reload whenever my dragonfly gets intercepted by one of the spawning ufos. It's a lot of trial and error and save scumming and it feels like I've missed something..

[SBBurzmali]

I'll get to it eventually, it's just that in the meantime I always have to reload whenever my dragonfly gets intercepted by one of the spawning ufos. It's a lot of trial and error and save scumming and it feels like I've missed something..

If you have anything that can outrun those interceptors, you can bait them away with that and attack the base. The interceptors always spawn from the base so it should be easy to find.

[amokk_gw]

Okay, because this drove me crazy, I did some experiments in the game and research in the mod files.

So it turns out:

Spoiler:

The "ufos" that are spawning aren't actually ufos. They're just labeled as such (probably a limitation of the game).
Anyway what spawns are a mix between Mi-24 Helicopters (I think I can deal with those), MiG-29 and Angel Fighters. The later 2 are just oneshotting everything I have and are also faster than anything I have.

Looking at the x-com options I think the game expects me to have Arrows or MiG-31. The later however is also locked behind Promotion III. And the Arrow seems to only be available randomly by secret files, VIPs and some high level EXALT.

I find the MiG-31s placement in the tech tree quite awkward, because it comes right before the vanilla interceptor which seems to be superior by every metric. So I'll probably move the MiG to an earlier place in the tech tree as it doesn't really make sense to me that cultists have soviet cold war fighters, but XCOM don't have access to similar fighter jets.