Questions for mid-late game (Post 1999 and open invasion)

[The Doer of Stuff]

Long time lurker, first time poster, great and in depth mod, especially with how it really forces you to stop and think as to whether or not you want to take a mission instead of going after everything as per the default strategy in vanilla X-Com.

But while I can usually find answers to my questions either by just searching the UfoPaedia or occasionally browsing the threads, I did have a few questions that I couldn't figure out answers to.

1) What exactly gets the Syndicate arc rolling at least insofar as you start fighting Syndicate people? I don't seem to have gotten the later MAGMA missions which is what I thought triggered them directly, which I suppose I could backtrack the question to what triggers those MAGMA outbreaks? I know i got it in some previous games that I restarted much earlier, but this current game (in May of 1999), and I don't seem to be able to get them rolling.

2)What are the requirements for Helix Psion? It doesn't mention it in the UFOPaedia entries the way it does for Bio-enhancement or TNI or things like Sectoid Legacy. In the same vein, what does it actually do? I don't have that many hybrid soldiers, and none of them have hit the requirements yet.

3) Speaking of Hybrid soldiers, if you recruit one, you're basically paying a bit more than double to have a guy with a purple shield, right? Are there any other differences between a human soldier and a hybrid recruit?

4) I got a cake from the Dreamscape mission. Eating it, except in the case of naturally super-strong psionics, yields 7 psi-strength permanantly. However, it contains some drawbacks, the thing projects occasional losses to psi-skill, reactions, accuracy, TU, stamina, etc. It is not consistent across agents that I could give it to. How does that actually work?

5) For undercover missions, do you ever get a suit of armor better than the bulletproof coat? (Which isn't all that bulletproof, really, but still better than nothing)

6) Last (for now) and most important to me, what exactly are the "Other" pre-reqs for the trio of Aliens Plot research, the one for clones, mind control, and hybrids all lead back to "other". I've managed to acquire a key and the Alien Embassy both researched, but that doesn't seem to be enough to let me attack the alien embassy on the maps. What do I need to be doing to knock them out and hopefully pull China back into the fight?


Thanks to everyone, and my apologies if these are questions that are too easily answered. I did try to search the forum posts before putting this up, but I didn't look at every single post, if something was buried somewhere, I might have missed it.


EDIT: One more question I forgot to ask. What exactly do you bring SMGs for? They aren't one handed like pistols, they have short range, and they don't have the raw power of machine guns. They seem to fall into the same sort of category (to me anyway) as shotguns, as simply not being as good as machine guns, rifles, and pistols for people you want having a backup gun if their primary weapon is grenades or psionics or something. I was wondering if anyone had just good old fashioned tactical advice.

EDIT #2: For the record, I am currently playing version 1.2 Some of my abandoned plays were on earlier versions, although I don't entirely remember which ones.

[vadracas]

To answer your SMG's question: They are fantastic for reactions training or for armored vest guys with a shield as the one-handed penalty isn't all that bad.

[Solarius Scorch]

Long time lurker, first time poster, great and in depth mod, especially with how it really forces you to stop and think as to whether or not you want to take a mission instead of going after everything as per the default strategy in vanilla X-Com.

Thank you very much!

Warning: spoilers ahead.

But while I can usually find answers to my questions either by just searching the UfoPaedia or occasionally browsing the threads, I did have a few questions that I couldn't figure out answers to.

I appreciate the effort nonetheless.

1) What exactly gets the Syndicate arc rolling at least insofar as you start fighting Syndicate people? I don't seem to have gotten the later MAGMA missions which is what I thought triggered them directly, which I suppose I could backtrack the question to what triggers those MAGMA outbreaks? I know i got it in some previous games that I restarted much earlier, but this current game (in May of 1999), and I don't seem to be able to get them rolling.

To start the M.A.G.M.A. thread, you need to find and research the Light Cannon, commonly used by high tier Red Dawn operatives. Other than that, you can find them in some crates.

2)What are the requirements for Helix Psion? It doesn't mention it in the UFOPaedia entries the way it does for Bio-enhancement or TNI or things like Sectoid Legacy. In the same vein, what does it actually do? I don't have that many hybrid soldiers, and none of them have hit the requirements yet.

The hybrid must have: Sectoid Legacy, TNI, Combat Pilot Training and Martial Arts Training.

3) Speaking of Hybrid soldiers, if you recruit one, you're basically paying a bit more than double to have a guy with a purple shield, right? Are there any other differences between a human soldier and a hybrid recruit?

They also have a built-in Psi-Amp (weaker but free), Psi Vision 1 (weak on paper but tremendously useful) and a slightly different stat maxima.

4) I got a cake from the Dreamscape mission. Eating it, except in the case of naturally super-strong psionics, yields 7 psi-strength permanantly. However, it contains some drawbacks, the thing projects occasional losses to psi-skill, reactions, accuracy, TU, stamina, etc. It is not consistent across agents that I could give it to. How does that actually work?

This is more of an engine limitation than actual design decision, but it's generally worth it, as you can regain these stats but you can't increase the Psi Strength any other way.

5) For undercover missions, do you ever get a suit of armor better than the bulletproof coat? (Which isn't all that bulletproof, really, but still better than nothing)

No, that's the best you get.

6) Last (for now) and most important to me, what exactly are the "Other" pre-reqs for the trio of Aliens Plot research, the one for clones, mind control, and hybrids all lead back to "other". I've managed to acquire a key and the Alien Embassy both researched, but that doesn't seem to be enough to let me attack the alien embassy on the maps. What do I need to be doing to knock them out and hopefully pull China back into the fight?

You need to decrypt the key. It's kinda complex and will change a bit in the upcoming release, so I won't get into details here.

Thanks to everyone, and my apologies if these are questions that are too easily answered. I did try to search the forum posts before putting this up, but I didn't look at every single post, if something was buried somewhere, I might have missed it.

You're very welcome.

[The Doer of Stuff]

Oh, hello SolariusScorch. I didn't realize I'd get this quick a reply, and by such a senior figure here. If you don't mind me taking up a bit more of your time, I'd like to ask a few more follow up questions to what you said.

To start the M.A.G.M.A. thread, you need to find and research the Light Cannon, commonly used by high tier Red Dawn operatives. Other than that, you can find them in some crates.

My apologies if I wasn't clear. I've had light cannon for a while, and I even got Message from M.A.G.M.A  1 and 2, but no further, and I had the mission where the zombie troopers break out from the M.A.G.M.A lab and run amok and we had to put them down.. I did those a while back, like an in-game year I think, but it's never gone further than that. Is there anything else I'm missing, or am I just taking the roll of the dice the way that I also haven't seen much from the subterranean fellows in this game.

The hybrid must have: Sectoid Legacy, TNI, Combat Pilot Training and Martial Arts Training.

Oh, so it's only something for Hybrid soldiers? Did not realize. Thank you for the information.

They also have a built-in Psi-Amp (weaker but free), Psi Vision 1 (weak on paper but tremendously useful) and a slightly different stat maxima.

I had known but forgotten about the built in panic attack, did not notice the psi vision, but the different stat maximums, combined with an extra transformation or two not normally accessible, does make them more attractive. Maybe next game I'll get more.

This is more of an engine limitation than actual design decision, but it's generally worth it, as you can regain these stats but you can't increase the Psi Strength any other way.

Pardon me if I wasn't clear with the thrust of my cake question. I was really more asking why some soldiers get penalties to TU and others got penalties to firing accuracy and still others to stamina or whatever. As far as I can tell (but this is just glancing at it when I try to select soldiers to feed my one cake to), it seems to set you to certain pre-set minimums, like a health of 45, which makes the ideal candidate for a cake a rookie soldier with a high psi strength fresh off the recruitment bus. Is that an accurate assessment?

You need to decrypt the key. It's kinda complex and will change a bit in the upcoming release, so I won't get into details here.

Okay, cool. I'll wait and kick in other heads while it cooks. Great job you're doing here, just wanted to reiterate that.

[Solarius Scorch]

My apologies if I wasn't clear. I've had light cannon for a while, and I even got Message from M.A.G.M.A  1 and 2, but no further, and I had the mission where the zombie troopers break out from the M.A.G.M.A lab and run amok and we had to put them down.. I did those a while back, like an in-game year I think, but it's never gone further than that. Is there anything else I'm missing, or am I just taking the roll of the dice the way that I also haven't seen much from the subterranean fellows in this game.

Oh, right, sorry. Umm, I'm not sure where exactly you are in the M.A.G.M.A. arc, but perhaps you need to do the Zombie Implant Investigation?

Oh, so it's only something for Hybrid soldiers? Did not realize. Thank you for the information.

Yes, they have Helix Psion, while humans have Helix Knight.

Pardon me if I wasn't clear with the thrust of my cake question. I was really more asking why some soldiers get penalties to TU and others got penalties to firing accuracy and still others to stamina or whatever. As far as I can tell (but this is just glancing at it when I try to select soldiers to feed my one cake to), it seems to set you to certain pre-set minimums, like a health of 45, which makes the ideal candidate for a cake a rookie soldier with a high psi strength fresh off the recruitment bus. Is that an accurate assessment?

Yes, exactly, or at least something very similar.

Okay, cool. I'll wait and kick in other heads while it cooks. Great job you're doing here, just wanted to reiterate that.

Thanks, it feels good to be praised this much!

Version 1.3 will be released tonight, unless heaven falls on our heads.

[LuigiWhatif]

The way I always started fighting the syndicate was after learning about them from an osiron boss.  If there are other ways, then I always triggered them after interrogating the boss.