I've been trying to get a live sectoid leader or etheral for ages now, I just can't do it, i've got guys with small launchers and stun bombs strapped to every availiable part of their armour and I still can't get a live one!

I MC them . For some reason Ethereals seem to stun a lot if you shoot them with two laser rifle shots. Thats how i get MC. After that its all MC and stun rods. For the non PSY GUYS (or those that just don't have my ungoddly luck with laser stunning) use small launchers. Arm your troops with small launchers, 4 guys in the back with mind probes to see if the bugger is worth the stun. (keep a laser rifle or plasma rifle just in case you run into some trouble) I say wait untill you encounter Ethereals before trying to get MC (unless you like a good challange). Key to stunning (aginst ethereals anyway) is only try this on medium or small scouts (min difficulty). For the average ethereal you need two direct shots with a stun bomb to knock one out. After taking it down you should grab the K.O.ed psi monkey and hit the road. Also try shooting it once with a laser rifle then stun it. This is the PSY GUY's class on "stun for fun". Don't get hurt. (I know I know its Apoc but hey its my school)

-PSY GUY-

thats the prob, i've never caught a live sectoid leader or an ehteral, so I have no psi-stuff

For leaders, go for some of the bigger sectoid ships, like the terror ship, abductor, and most definitely, the supply ship. You should be able to get at least one in the large scouts, but I'd place my money on the supply ship.

If you want a commander, which can kill multiple birds with one stone if you haven't yet captured a leader, attack battleships or alien bases.

A mind probe is invaluable. Have one or two soldiers safely tucked away in the Skyranger probe any alien you spot before you decide what to do with them.

Psi-amps will do, but seeing as you don't have psionics yet, mind probes are the next best thing although they are pretty expensive to use and the user needs to be facing in the right direction.

If all you want is to get psi and you still haven't got it after facing etherials, just capture any live ethereal and you'll do fine. What I do when I'm unsure of my psi-defense capabilities, or even when I know very well what they are (which is usually bad), is to touch down at an ethereal UFO wreckage or base, send a tank out as a spotter and look for the nearest ethereal. I then stun it and have a soldier rush out, pick it up and bring it back to the exit pads or skyranger, then perfrom a tactical retreat.

Alternately, just stun everything you see, stand on top of them and pick them up to check their rank. If it's a non-leader you might want to dispose of the body somehow. You really don't want those soldiers to start piling up in containment lest you find a commander.

- NKF

I usually just get an etherial. But thats just me.

I have this thing with stun bombs......they hate me, I hate them. My men always tend to get shot in the back with one either friend or foe. But, stun bombs are still the best way to bring 'em down. UNLESS you don't want to use stun bombs, get the ol' trusty stun rod, mind control a alien, make him drop his gear (YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW HOW TO ACCESS ALIEN INVENTORY BY NOW!) then the alien is free sport.

I actually caught my leader and commander at exactly the same time. The first superhuman alien base I ever did. They were floaters and I caught three of them in the control room stunned all of them with a single stun bomb. Then I did another base and caught another commander. And I even found a third on a battleship... I didn't think that was possible...

I don't believe it!!! i finally get an etheral at great cost to my strike team, and the next 3 missions i capture 2 ehteral soldiers and an etheral commander, without trying!! :hmmm: