Promotion II in 1.7

[akk1990]

Hi, just got into this mod and openxcom yesterday and I just want to ask for a bit of advice.

I am in august-september 1997 so far in my game and I am still just using kevlar vests and MP5s. Not sure if I should be using anything better at this point.

However the issue I am experiencing is that I cant get Promotion II to unlock.

I have run out of tech to research. The only thing I need to unlock the XCOM report #2 is the Chief Engineer, but for that I need the 'Cool Alien Gadget' tech to unlock.

Now, ever since I managed to kidnap a sectoid during a 'local military shoots down UFO' mission I have had a plasma caster and a plasma caster clip sat in my stores, however I cant research 'cool alien gadget'.

I cant research it because I need an improved lab, which I cant get without getting Promotion III, which requires Promotion II.

So I am stuck in a research loop.

Am I missing something? What else can I find that can unlock everything I need for Promotion II that can be researched using a standard Lab?

[Solarius Scorch]

Greetings!

While there are other options, the easiest alien gadget to find is the Psiclone. It's commonly found against the EXALT members.

[akk1990]

Greetings!

While there are other options, the easiest alien gadget to find is the Psiclone. It's commonly found against the EXALT members.

Thanks for the reply!

I wasnt lucky enough to find Psiclone, but you know what is really funny?

Right after I posted this thread I loaded into my game and immediately got a Hybrid Farm mission.

Managed to kidnap a hybrid and a chempistol, which got me Promotion II.

Sods law and all that.

[Solarius Scorch]

Haha, yeah... Well, congrats and enjoy!

You'll get a lot more research opportunities now.

[Empiro]

I feel like "Cool Alien Gadget" is kind of problematic. You're really at the mercy of RNG on whether or not you can pick up a PsiClone relatively early on. In my game, I found a Flame Glove, but couldn't research it at all (it relies on you having a Chief Engineer, which requires Cool Alien Gadget). The other items on the list seem even less likely to get and research. All the other requirements for Promotion II gets filled relatively quickly and at around the same time except for this one.

It would be nice if when you get your hands on any of the items in "Cool Alien Gadget", it should let you research the topic "Cool Alien Gadget" that basically generates an entry that says "whelp, this thing is neat but we have no idea how it works. Better get a specialist to take a look." I'm guessing that it's impossible for the tech tree to work like this (a topic that requires any one of many items).