[LP]Hardmode Expansion - Glory or death! (Likely much of both)

[Lion66six]

Right next 2 episodes are officially released.

[LP]Hardmode Expansion [EP19] - Thailand Thunder - https://youtu.be/51QiAlmOl80
[LP]Hardmode Expansion [EP20] - Decisions to be made - https://youtu.be/NKGURD1jYgA

I have already taken onboard some of the comments and feedback in this thread. Some may have already seen EP19 when I uploaded it as it was accidentally set to public rather than private. It can now be officially discussed :-)

I'm looking at recording a fresh episode or two over the weekend, so any additional comments regarding EP19 + 20, make them in the next few days. Lets see if we can get it done!

[hellrazor]

Use military tactics You are fighting a enemy that outnumbers you.

To sweep a base:
 - establish a perimeter with your men
 - expand area under your control from one map end to another, so you have one line which you systematically move forward
 - never leave a area behind you unchecked, if in doubt mine a entrance/exit with a Proximity Grenade
 - use Motion Scanners before entering some were, there might still be aliens inside not moving so caution
 - Soldiers left alone will die, teamwork prevails

Fire from Incendiary Grenades burns 2 turn even on Alloy Ground, if the fire blocks the entire pathway aliens will move around (optimally in a set reaction ambush)
Auto Cannons and or Heavy Cannons might prove very useful, Autocanons have a bigger clip size and autofire, even though i personally mostly use the Snap shot on them.
Having researched the Alien Grenade is helpful, since you can pick those up from dead aliens in case a soldier runs out of ammo.

The rest is up to you.
One last tip -> Make a "New Battle" and use the advanced option "Confirm Fire Mode", it helps a lot figuring out were your soldier can move and what he can do.

Streamline your equipment a little bit, you lost a huge pile of stuff being stored at the skyranger.

EDIT: I give you a example what i mean with streamlining, check out the Inventory of Skyranger-1 in the attached savegame.

[hellrazor]

Lion66six, there are two weapons in the following month i strongly recommend you get.
 - Elerium Rocket
 - Scatter Lasers

Or else:

[Zyzyfer]

Oh LOLLOLOLOLOL!!!!..... That Alien Base mission was disaster (wont spoil it for anyone that hasn't seen ep19).

I think you need better teamwork/gear. For example you send Zyzyfer to area around Alien control room (which probable see's most activity), by himself- pew pew... his dead

Teamwork, you need to work in pears as a minimum (use leap-frog tactic if needed). Speaking of teamwork you need bigger team, personally I wouldn't attack alien base without at least 14 elite troops  in power armour- but in order to get elite troops you will need to stop them from dying, did I say POWER ARMOUR!!!
This is why I don't use tanks- personally only leave tanks lying around for base defense missions, any tank in a team means you aren't getting exp. for up to 1-4 rookies who have potential to be pro one day. (later use Avenger which gives much more troop slots to attack alien bases- this is where you can employ some tanks if u want as there is plenty of room).

Did I mention PA- I don't bother attacking Alien Bases without it- I'll just make do with hunting UFO's/doing terror missions (you need to increase scientist to at least 150 by now- what are you in March/April i think!?), you need science for better equipment- You're lucky it wasn't a Muton/Ethereal base.

Your overall wearing scrubs just wont cut it, you could attack the base again but expect heavy casualties. Train up 14 elite troops get PA. Then take down Alien bases. In the mean time milk the supply ships for resources.
I personally rush PA- with PA I'd say about 2/3-3/4 shots (in front armour), wont end in a death particularly as your troops get a bit of health (any serious wounds are healed with medi-kits), the soldier is restrained to the sickbay for a few days-weeks (but is not killed and his exp. continues to grow).
Of course the whole point is not to get your guys shot in first place- but sometimes no matter how careful one plays an ailen still gets through- so its nice relief when the guy in PA survives with some wounds (even better if unscratched).

[hellrazor]

Power Armor needs Alien Engineers to be unlocked. Two of them need to be interrogated, to be precise.

He is forced to successfully attack the base, or his research can not approach further at a specific point.
The Alien Base holds the Alien Reproduction, which is needed for the Alien Containment.

So no Power Armor for him. Alloy Vests are available to him.

[Zyzyfer]

I usually follow the very large UFO with skyranger then take it out when it lands. I seem to find everything except Commanders on the larger UFOs (but I am playing a different mod- so this could be mod specific).
Albeit, I seem to remember doing same on vanilla (the only rank that was only found in Alien Basses was Commander).
I would imagine Alien Bases being a nightmare without PA.

edit: actually now you mentioned I think i too had to attack alien base with personal Armour for the alien reproduction for alien containment. I think i found food and entertainment on larger ufos but i still had to go in without PA for the containment prereq's
Yeah... suffered a few casualties...nightmare without PA.

[Lion66six]

Aye that mission was a bit of a disaster.

You haven't take consideration of the research tree within the mod being played. With this mod you have to raid an alien base to get a particular research item, which then will allow you to unlock armour higher than alloy vests (aka personal armour / power armour etc). As a result I have to raid their base with either standard coveralls or alloy vests (30 armour at front).

I do agree that working in pairs of soldiers is the best way forward, I didn't do that so much on that game. Will take that onboard.

I'm starting to agree about the tanks, I might attack next time without the scouts. They are quite useful but then I can only take 12 men, so i have reduced firepower.

One of the other issues regarding the research tree is that I need the base item for laser weapons. I know there will be nasties arriving in the next few months that require lasers to be effectively taken down, as a result I really need that base in this month so I have research and manufacturing time for the next wave.

I agree about the scientists however I am keeping them low until the next tier of research is available, then I will get many more of them :-)

I'm considering going for the base tonight since my lady is out drinking with friends, will have the house to myself for a few hours.

[Zyzyfer]

Aye that mission was a bit of a disaster.

You haven't take consideration of the research tree within the mod being played. With this mod you have to raid an alien base to get a particular research item, which then will allow you to unlock armour higher than alloy vests (aka personal armour / power armour etc). As a result I have to raid their base with either standard coveralls or alloy vests (30 armour at front).

I do agree that working in pairs of soldiers is the best way forward, I didn't do that so much on that game. Will take that onboard.

I'm starting to agree about the tanks, I might attack next time without the scouts. They are quite useful but then I can only take 12 men, so i have reduced firepower.

One of the other issues regarding the research tree is that I need the base item for laser weapons. I know there will be nasties arriving in the next few months that require lasers to be effectively taken down, as a result I really need that base in this month so I have research and manufacturing time for the next wave.

I agree about the scientists however I am keeping them low until the next tier of research is available, then I will get many more of them :-)

I'm considering going for the base tonight since my lady is out drinking with friends, will have the house to myself for a few hours.

I'd get the alloy vests then, seems at this point pillaging an alien base is in order. Alloy vests might mean the difference that a soldier gets badly wounded or is killed. Just have some medi-kits available to heal fatal wounds and the soldier can keep fighting.
Albeit some time spend in sickbay will be needed ( from memory i think the accuracy of wounded soldiers can drop to max of 25% so you can ignore the accuracy descriptors they are inaccurate), wounded soldiers are still good to go.

I can't wait too see your second attempt at raiding the base XDDD

[Lion66six]

I can't wait too see your second attempt at raiding the base XDDD

Lets hope its less lol and more pew pew, but only time will tell.

The other thing is I have 11 days left of March, I need that time to get the vests sorted so the second alien base attack is unlikely to happen in Episode 21 as I'm guessing there will be other stuff kicking off between now and then. I highly doubt it will be quiet on the UFO front. See what happens.

[Lion66six]

Episode 21 is now up.

[LP]Hardmode Expansion [EP21] - We March Onwards - https://youtu.be/NRZkq9HSL5s

[hellrazor]

Episode 21 is now up.

[LP]Hardmode Expansion [EP21] - We March Onwards - https://youtu.be/NRZkq9HSL5s

Tips for Terrorsites:
 - Do not let a Alien alive which has seen any of our units during debarking or psi attacks will happen
 - Reorder Your Mens position in the craft, Sniper in the back, Shotguns Rifle in the front or whatever you prefer.
 - Streamline equipment into role specific item sets.
 - Take additional Rocket Launchers, loaded with Large Rockets, can be used as 1 Shot - Drop Off, if you have Rookie soldiers, do not equip them with them, let them pic them up for 8 TU, you also need 2 TU to drop the empty launcher, but nearly any Rookie should be able to grab the loaded RL, run outside, kneel down, fire snapshot and drop empty RL. Make sure nothing is in his way while shooting though.
 - later ingame exchange Large Rockets against stronger Versions to wreak more havoc on turn 2

[Lion66six]

Tips for Terrorsites:
 - Do not let a Alien alive which has seen any of our units during debarking or psi attacks will happen
 - Reorder Your Mens position in the craft, Sniper in the back, Shotguns Rifle in the front or whatever you prefer.
 - Streamline equipment into role specific item sets.
 - Take additional Rocket Launchers, loaded with Large Rockets, can be used as 1 Shot - Drop Off, if you have Rookie soldiers, do not equip them with them, let them pic them up for 8 TU, you also need 2 TU to drop the empty launcher, but nearly any Rookie should be able to grab the loaded RL, run outside, kneel down, fire snapshot and drop empty RL. Make sure nothing is in his way while shooting though.
 - later ingame exchange Large Rockets against stronger Versions to wreak more havoc on turn 2

Thanks mate, thats some useful info. Will try that on the next terror mission and hopefully not get PSI attacked in the first turn! Strangely that guy has 6 kills now, was 2 of them his own colleagues? haha.

[Lion66six]

Do you not worry about killing civies with such a rocket approach?

[ohartenstein23]

If you take the snapshot from on the ramp and aim it at the ground just in front of the target, you can worry a tiny bit less about the rocket flying off into a crowd of civvies.  Or, since cyberdisks often float off the ground, the height lessens the blast at ground zero.  Even if you do catch a civvie in the blast, a dead cyberdisk is better than a live one flying off to kill more innocent bystanders or one exploding right next to a crowd after taking it down by armor piercing rounds.

[hellrazor]

Do you not worry about killing civies with such a rocket approach?

What is more important your soldiers or civies?

I prefer my soldiers