Too keep things tidy on this board and not swamp it in my newb question topics, I have created this. If there are other people with questions like myself, please come here. Those of you more experienced, please share the knowledge.

So, here is my first question. How many people in your unit get heavy weapons, specificly rocket launchers? I'm just starting to experiment with those and they seem like an awesome bargain. So good, in fact, that I'm thinking of giving one to every man able to carry it along with his rifle. This will, of course, eliminate the need for grenades, except proximity grenades, entirely.

Does anyone do that and if not, why not?

well, (since i never use rocket launchers, i can't really say, but here's my opinion) it seems like a very inefficient way to go, giving someone a rocket launcher and a rifle, because the rocket launcher takes up six slots on the backpack, if i remember correctly,and if you store it in the backpack, then you can only have one extra shot, and for the time unit cost to be runing around with a rifle, clips for that, a proxy mine, and a rocket launcher + ammo for that as well, you would hardly ever be able to shoot... i dunno though, since i never arm my men with more than one weapon, if it's working for you, go for it

maybe if you try equipping half your squad with rifles and rocket launchers, and the other half with just rifles and one or two heavy weapons support units, and operate them as different squads during combat, and see what configuration you like better...

My two cents:

1. A soldier loaded down with a rocket launcher and three rockets will move slower than a soldier with a rifle, due to encumbrance vs. energy rules. Because of this, I often have a dedicated ammo-carrier follow the rocket launcher soldier.

2. Grenades support indirect fire - ie they can be thrown over things, into areas you can't see. Rocket launchers are direct fire with a blast radius. Each has its uses.

Yes, rocket launchers are nice, but they are not appropiate for every troop because they are quite heavy and more expensive than rifles... I usually use 2 of my guys as dedicated rocket launcher troops.

BTW, if you use 2 weapons, 1 with each hand, you'll have an accuracy penalty because both the rifle and rocket launcher are two-hand weapons.

I only use Rocket Launchers in the early months of a game. Even then, out of a squad of 8-10, I only have one Rocket Launcher soldier.

As others have said, the weight of the launcher plus ammo plus trying to carry a rifle would just limit your troops ability to move. And as mentioned already, rockets are direct fire. In many situations, grenades are much more suitable. By the time I have researched alien grenades and heavy plasma, I no longer carry a rocket launcher.

The rocket launcher is also a risky thing to give to rookies, whose psi strength is generally unknown. A panicked soldier can make the inside of your skyranger look like a Steven King movie.

They're also bulky, heavy, and require lots of TU's and reloading. I use one per squad now and then, but I prefer the autocannon.

Looks like most people are squarely against making RLs standard issue. But at a risk of sounding annoying and obnoxious I beg to differ I just tried it out and it worked fine. Granted a few soldiers got a bit more winded than usual, but non of them lost any TUs as a result of it. The experiment was a bit of a cheat because I only had soldiers with strength over 40 in the squad. Nonetheless, if not everyone, but at least those qualified for HW in my squad will now carry the RLs.

I guess it depends on each player's style if this will work well or not. I personally fight more defensively, securing the perimeter and slowly expanding it, so my soldiers, with the excepton of scouts, don't move all that much. I guess for someone who likes running around the map a lot, the extra weight might be a bit of a bother.

So, sure, some of my soldiers might get a bit more winded, but at least any of them has the ability to blow away a small barn, half of a house or one of those annoying orchards all from a safe distance.

hehe, i just thought of somehting else...

do you still use rocket launchers when you go to terror sites? cause i would love to see you try that and still get a positive score

*tries to imagine the carnage* :devil: Actually, I've never had a terror mission since I tried out the RLs. I used explosives in the cities, though. Of course, I have to be much more conservative, which takes away most of the fun, but there is a use.

I find that usually about the only civvies I can save are the ones not far from my LZ because I eliminate the aliens faster than they can find and kill the civvies. In the far corners of the map civvies are pretty much doomed as they will die within the first four turns or so. So, at about turn five and up I should be able to use missiles at far corners of the map without worrying much. Also, maybe it's just a coincidence, but it seems like civvies start off in or nearby their houses/businesses/whatever and generally stay there, so it should be safe to level half of the park, especially if I'm taking fire from its direction.

lol, well, after trying it out, i must admit, it is pretty fun to have a loadout of all RLs...

"hmm, an alien just walked through the door, three guys took reaction fire, effectively leveling the whole building in two seconds flat..."

it's really satisfying when you level a whole building just because the wrong type of unit walked out the door

I've used the RL once. Thought it was crap, used the rifles over every other early weapon game since then.

Ah, the rocket launcher. A great weapon. It's one of the two most powerful earth based weapons that can be obtained that do not need research or elerium. The other being the high explosives.

Granted, it is hard to use, heavy, slow and very dangerous when in hands of the mentally unsound. Nevertheless, when used right, the results speak volumes, which more than make up for the RL's disadvantages.

If you want a sidearm, a rifle is definitely not the way to go. I'd recommand a pistol since it can fit in your side pockets. Laser or plasma pistols are good choices. Sure they're not as good as the heavy plasma or laser rifle, but they are still formidable weapons that'll let you survive long enough to scavenge a heavy plasma off a dead alien.

As for using it in terror sites - why not? Yes, there are civilians, but it's not as if they're standing next to every alien. With careful application, you can get very effective results. Large rockets are particularly useful early in the game when you're up against cyberdiscs - especially on superhuman levels where your rifles have absolutely no effect on them. Large rockets can often kill a cyberdisc with one hit, whereas the HWP rockets need at least three or more to down a cyberdisc.

If you find the rockets too heavy then you should consider using the small rockets for a while. They're not as effective as the large rockets, but they won't weigh you down too much.

- NKF

Well hey! another RL supporter besides me.

I don't know how well it'll work to use RLs as primary weapons, since they are so slow. That's why I usually keep them in backpacks and only take it out when there's a good target, like a group of aliens or some obstacles that need clearing out. I still keep the rifles for regular shoot-up-alien-in-the-open or inside UFO combat.

I thought about using sidearms instead of rifles, but ultimately decided against it. Regular pistols are too weak, even against the poorest aliens, let alone Mutons. Laser pistols have a knack for hitting anything but the target and don't do all that much damage either. Plasma pistols are a charm, but they are so rare that I would have to manufacture ammo, spending precious Elerium, if I have a lot of people using them. So, I decided on the laser rifle instead.

Now for the next newbie question. Is it just me or is everyone always short on Elerium? :unsure: It seems like only one of five or ten UFOs has any undamaged power plants when it crashes and then it's usually only one plant giving me a tiny 50 of Elerium. :hmmm:

It's not that I'm using it overly zealously. In fact, I cut down on anything that might use Elerium and now about the only things in my arsenal need it are blaster bombs and armor suits. Right now, I can live with it. However, battleships began appearing lately and I already learned through hard experience that a human Interceptor just doesn't cut it, even when armed with Plasma Cannons. So, I'm building two Firestorms, but I'm afraid they will quickly drain my modest stores with their 20 fuel capacity. I've already decided to keep the Interceptors around, sending them against what they can handle and reserving Firestorms for enemy battleships or other threats Interceptors can't handle.

Still, I'd much rather solve the problem by getting my hands on a good source of this vital material than by cutting down on its use and praying that the next downed ship will bring more.

What the pistols lack in strength and accuracy, they make up for with speed and convenience. Besides, as I said, you only need to use them long enough to get yourself something better. But don't mind me, I have this abnormal liking for the pistol class weapons.

As for using rockets as primary weapons -- well, it's possible. I once attempted a campaign with nothing but rocket launchers. It does work, but you're going to have to be very careful with your rocket supply, as they tend to get used very quickly. Had to make a few 'strategic' retreats since I'd wasted all my rockets. The only enemy you really need to watch out for is the sectopod, which can take quite a beating even with the large rockets.

---

For your elerium woes: Well, the best solution besides cutting down elerium usage is to just let either the floaters or snakemen build a base or two near one of your own, and then raid the supply ships that land there. The mission score always offsets the activity score generated by the base. Soon you'll have so much elerium that you won't know what to do with it all.

- NKF

Why a snakeman base? They have chryssalids, and in close quarters that is a bad thing.(At least in my opinion ) I'd suggest using a muton base, their terror units *really* suck.

or floaters, both them and their terror beasts are pathetically weak...


unless they get really close to you...

No one said you had to attack the base. Goodness no! Yes, snakemen do have chryssalids, but supply ships do not carry terror units. Joy!

Compared with floaters, the snakemen are easier to deal with, since they do not have the advantage of flight.

- NKF

Hmm, thanks for the advice. I just happen to have a Muton base in Saudi Arabia and a Snakemen one in Peru. I'm never able to catch a supply ship because they speed right towards their destination without slowing down like other ships and my interceptors simply can't keep up. I'll have to see how well the Firestorms will work. They do have twice the interceptors' speed.

Here's another thing I'd like to know. Is it possible to make a very psychicly weak soldier sufficiently resistant to enemy psy attacks just by training up his skill? I have a couple of men who have p.strength under 30. Three very good soldiers have it below 10 even. Still, they are good fighters with 15+ kills and I'd like to keep them if they can be made psy-resistant. I guess I'd keep them either way, just not take them along on missions against etherals or sectoids.

Privateer,

No no, don't shoot down the supply ships. Just wait for them to land on top of the base and then send in your skyranger. That way you can capture the ship and it's entire elerium supply. You can also try allowing battleships to land. If they do, and you take it out, that's a good 200 elerium right there.

No to resisting psionics. If his/her Psi strength is low, psi skill won't help him resist. Here's a tactic that works very well. If you know who has low Psi strength (you'll know since they are the ones always picked on), the next time you go into battle against Psi wielding aliens, don't arm or minimally arm your Psi weak troops. The lowest one or two will basically act as a sponge, drawing Psi attacks to themselves and away from others. If they aren't armed, then they can't inflict any direct damage back to you. Some people suggest stun rods. I prefer simply arming them with motion detectors and medikits. That way they can be out scouting and using the detector and if he gets mind controlled, no biggie.

:o :o :o Are you serious?! :o :o :o I can't believe it! I saw those darn supply ships land at bases countless times, but I always assumed that once they are actually at the base I'd have to attack the whole base to get them. Well, now!


:devil: :devil: Little green buggers, here I come!

Thank you so much, Squaddie!