Man O War

Attack

Men-O-War use their psionic abilities to direct a bolt of electricity at a target without the electricity earthing.

Range: 20 metres
Damage: 250
Damage type: laser

Defence

Soft: 0%
Universal: 25%
Hard: 50%
Burn: 10%
Laser: 70%
Plasma: 50%
Warp: 70%
Paralyse: 0%

Health: 1,200 hit points

Distribution

Men-O-War are spawned by the Biomass, where they are quite common, so you are unlikely to encounter them before the Biomass establishes itself. Despite what the in-game glossary says, they are quite capable of leaving the territory controlled by the Biomass, and they are often encountered in missions a long way from the Biomass. Because of their size, they are not encountered in the second stage of an establish base mission.

Tactical notes

Men-O-War have a limited psionic ability, which they use to float through the air and to direct an electrical charge towards a target. They are unable to launch a direct psionic attack and they are immune to mind control. As with all species that float through the air, men-o-war cannot float over obstacles such as cars and walls.

Their weapons have limited power and range, so they are only likely to pose a threat to your squad if your helicopter pilot sets you down in the middle of a group of transgenants or if you are attacked en-masse. The weapons used by men-o-war inflict laser damage, so the armour your scientists and engineers develop as the game progresses will give your soldiers good protection against them.

Men-O-War have good protection against weapons that inflict hard, laser, plasma and warp damage, but they are relatively delicate for transgenants. You will not find them hard to kill.

Men-O-War cannot be captured alive under any circumstances, and their bodies are too big to carry.