laclongquan

I gave up. I tried to prolong for fun but come to a point of too much like work. After three Beastmen area was completely done for 3 rescue captured alien missions, they are completely contained in the key gate and fortress area. respawn an invasion mission for every two cycle of gate opens, I think. The gate defense and that, occupy most of our production's demand. Anytime we can use TNT and captured weapons, we got some spare time for workshops to produce somethign else. Thus we have incentive to make use of what we have on hands. The martian emp rifle is okay, and so is the human emp rifle. The latter can be a part of EMP close combat arsenal: Equip magnetic enhancer, martian lightning sword, and human emp rifle. can shoot at medium-close range, and smack things at melee range. The martian plasma gun is bleh because too slow in aiming and shoot, too slow in ball travelling. The human lightning balls is even more bleh because it require tech with driving training. Who would have spare time to get out of workshop, I ask you? Maybe the rare Cydonia gate missions. So I made one as trophy gun and untouched. The human plasma gun (annihilator) is actually better than expected. it shoot a straight line of fire in the way of warp cannon but better because most of time wasting in readying gun. The actual time shoot is equal to a rifle (1.5-2 sec) and we can shoot thrice (standard battery) or 6 (advanced) before reloading and therefore waste time to readying gun again. All that and gatling dont have any accessory, so it's abig minus. I use a lot of stimulants to supplement combat capability. Ramirezol and marthamphetamine and reticulin for shooters. Marthamphetamine only, for melee fighter. So major medicine solsci has plenty of use. --------- So because I gave up, I attack Zephyria main fortress before even the primary key gate which is one complete hard battle the last game I run to this way. The two stage battle is meh, I say. Easier than primary key gate mission, because that one has a pretty flat terrain, no where to set up defensive formation. This one? Slap in marthamphetamine plus powershield and you can use one soldier to test the minefield. All the rest? NOthing before the power of 7 chem-up shooters in defensive corner. The amount of hostiles are laughable. I consider this mission is a failure of design. As a FINAL BATTLE which win the game even if you leave several zones left in alien hands, it's too few hostiles.

*Comment on Impossible pacing* In comparison with its two sisters, UFO Afterlight is a step back from UFO Aftershock and return to Aftermath. + The devs did try with terraform-->end game BUT losing territories to flood. Yet, the loss only really matter in 75-80, which is a long way from the first loss at 40. +++++They really should spread it out right after 40 to increase the sense of urgency. + The FINAL battle, really end the game, is the final assault on Zephyria main fortress. Even if you have other gates left, it end. Even if you still havent close Primary Key Gate it still end. YET, the number of enemies in that 2stage mission is too low, much less than UFOAS. +++++They should have linkage with other gates: the more gates left unclosed, the more enemy squad will appear on the maps. Just a way to increase difficulty.

Lightning Balls. This late game plasma weapon is designed specifically for Driving Technician just so they can "drive" the plasma balls toward enemies. Problems are three-fold. - It's a late game so in most case it's of very limited use. - Due to the high demand and low number of soldier technicians, it's rare for them to appear on battle maps, other than the homebase attacked, 1st moon mission, and maybe Cydonia gate mission. So overall, this weapon will see even less chance to be used. - Even if it's in non-soltec hand and be used, plasma ball speed is too slow and damage too small for that timeframe to be effective. In the time the ball arrive at target, a sniper can shoot 3-4 shots, heavy weapon can shoot a warp cannon once, and dual pistol users can pump ten rounds into target. Over all a bad design in case of this weapon. A modder can arrange for one of this weapon on Earth reinforcement's 1st flight should be a good case, a contrast to Warp Cannon: directed balls vs straight shot, battery charge versus free, unlimited bullet (as long as carry enough battery on hand and in UFO) versus 12 per battle.

On research. Frankly speaking, you dont want Impossible research speed. It's damned slow, even if you leave aside unnecessary ones like Drone related, autopsies etc... Remember the horrifying research incident at the end of Aftermath? IT's nearly that bad, as in you can just research essential ones, and give up twenty item of researchs (drones, some planetology, heavy suits line, etc) And even so it's still bloody slow. What limit us is the speed of production, for that Impossible production is fine. But for research, really should have kept it at Normal rate. With impossible rate, you just dont have time to do anything else. Even time to train Science is barely squeezed out

I think Matriarch armed with Martian Plasma Cannon is the ultimate step on Beastmen threat scale. Unfortunately they are not as fearsome as matriarchs with big rifles (and drugged). Because the plasma balls are too slow, so easy to evade even by slowass snipers. The most fearsome would be Matriarch with status ammo, particularly Paralyzing ammo. One, two bullets hit you and you become stationary target practice. Luckily this only become common at highest tier of alien threat. The counter to such usually is Sniper with aimed shot stay in formation (to avoid Matriarchs run through). So if they are a mixed squad that include alchemist (or other types) with grenade launchers, you will get hit continuously and have to keep eating explosions, because it is not as bad as a paralyzing ammo to the face. Also the frequence of Matriarchs mean the rising importance of laser weapons. My dual pistol guys now sporting ret laser pistol instead of beastman version.

One effect of Long War is some very not seen before combination: Matriarch armed with Big Rifle and scarily long range. We are talking about shooting from one corner of the map to nearly another, though thank god not at the level of diagonal distance. To describe in term of level skill, I guess it's higher than Ultra Divine aiming, which only possible if we use high level stimulants on a supernatural Aiming soldier. Chief armed with grenade launcher. It's not very strange to normal eyes, just feel their range of grenade is longer, and they are more resistant than Alchemist.

The key to Long War is to NOT do the research Hyperspace Gates. That one will turn every gate-area mission into Destroy Object one. After that success the areas would turn into normal areas. So, by not research it, we can have an invasion mission every few days for each owned gate area. A familiar mission with familiar enemies, familiar terrain, is a good farming mission. I am planning to see if I can see the game fail due to running out of time. OTOH, it could be troublesome when we want to research Written language of Martians. It require 3 artifacts, and we most likely have only two. More artifacts gather from excavation sites which are not always gate sites. So this require both checking Overview tabs, then check global world map. And double clicking on site name on Overview does not jump us to that area (a long time bug I think).

Every 2-3 years I have a serious case of blue balls about tactical combat, inventory loot management, gun management, troop management RPG. And I would run with Fallout Tactics -- Silent Storm -- Silent Storm Sentinels - Hammer & Sickle -- UFO Aftershock --- UFO Afterlight (not in that particular order). This run is nearly to its end. I basically restart UFOAL right before the Primary Key Gate battle just so I can have Zamyatin's Grave and get Olga early. And I am estimating if I will try Xenonauts or XCOM EU. Possibly Xenonauts~ Or maybe a change of speed and try Dungeon Rats. I dunno. I dont feel the blue balls fading. Or maaaaaaybe a 90o turn and try Front Mission 4 or Valkyria Chronicles, though turnbased tactical jRPG is a bit ...

*Comment on class* Scientist can be brought to battles as Medic. Healing provide science xp and just negate the wounding from environmental hazard. Extra buffs from Ramirezol and more can be very beneficial to fighters and the only way to push Supernatural skills to Divine (Extra, Ultra) level. Aside from 6 pure soldiers, you have one extra space and this slot usually seat a soldier/scientist. Technicians are really in heavy use that we rarely can take one to battle beyond early stage where single workshop occupy half of them. Also, Impossible pace of production means it's not economical to use drones, thus even less reason to bring them. Mine dismantling can be done by throwing a bunch of grenades on target grounds. Environmental hazard can be counter by healing. The last use is Minor Driving technician using homing missiles are wayyyyy late game that doubtful any players use it.

*Comment on production speed* A good veteran players can do the early battles on TNT alone, so the production is the sole limiting factor on how many can you do daily (early). Currently it's one. Certainly, it's a good limiting factor because that means we can not expand like mad like in UFO Aftershock, or even UFOAL in Hard and lower difficulty. Buuuuuuuut it's annoying as all hell

I stress again the need to exchange Harald for Olga early. In my next Impossible game several years later, I leave him alive so he accumulate a serious 3 digit kill count, AND the game was late enough that Olga wont have enough time to of use. So over all it's a net loss. Harald Last Stand should be as early as possible, if necessary even before the 1st alliance. In which case we would have Olga and the twin for his death. The second dead guy in my inactive column is a worthy price. Note: Harald death does not activate the twin. So Tab's in for 3rd slot.

After a long period I return to the game again. The Expedition bases (asscrea) hit me with mind controlling ret on top and our team on the tunnel... cant figure out a way to get past, because they are spawned near the edge of the map. Their range cover our running radius so running doesnt escape... I figure we meet this mission too early. I dont have psi absorber, also doesnt research battle drones yet. So I reload earlier save and not headbutt this mission yet. EDIT: I leave the Asscrea get conquered by Beastmen and reconquer it, therefore avoiding tough battle with Expedition. Unfortunately, later on Asscrea still get attacked by EXP. This time it's a platoon of rocket launchers and mind controllers. I count at least 15. I blame that on my team of 7 with average level too high. And still forget to activate psi absorber tech... :scratch head: The combo of RL and mind control is a tough one to break. EDIT: A semi-counter is terrain and grenades. This time Asscrea is a big hill map. So we stuck 5 guys with full inventory of grenade on the other side of the hill crest, with a Major Leadership Supernatural charisma on this and a spare on this side to act as spotter AND bait. When we discover any in range we throw grenades at that target. Pity the explosions destroy quite a few item like rockets. Reference: average level of active squad is 17.5. Reticulan corpses are 21.

Note that Cultist will recapture 3 areas if we capture their final base. The best way to clean them up is to capture their final base and IMMEDIATELY press the Moon Mission button without letting time pass. Gamey exploit but what the heck~ ===== Moon Mission appear after we finish research Putting the Pieces Together... There's no assemble craft. You just click on button to send a squad to the Moon. No stores, no reserve, what you see is what you have. It's recommended to bring 100% of your capacity full of ammo. Enemies: the top two map is alien Reticulans. Third map has new, unique enemy First map: Moon surface. Move to the green zone of portal to transport to next area. There's one troop of 4 aliens in full shielded armor equipped with warp weaponry patrol the area. As warp rifles are slow, you can afford to shoot them with heavy machinegun and sniper rifles to death before they can fire off one round. Second map, Moon underground base. Find the three red marker structures and shoot them. This base has plenty of aliens moving around, equipped with reticulan laser/warp rifle, plasma cannon. You can shrug off laser and shoot to death the rest with just a plasma shotgun. HMG and snipers inside this base are too restricted (but overkilled). You can use the looted weapons to shoot the structures (as of patch 1.3 under the markers quite a bit, not exactly where they are. 1.2 and previous is right where the markers are ) to save ammo. However when the third structure is destroyed, you are immediately teleported to the third map. Third map: alien cavern. Move to the green zone of end game movie. The unique enemy of this map: Myrmecol Octopus and Angel. They can dive through the wall and ground to approach our soldiers. Octopus can shoot bright laser the like of Flatster. Note that end game movie condition trigger by step on the green zone, if you are out of ammo and just dont want to fight anymore, you can send your fastest soldier through and activate it without cleaning up all the rest. Comparison: this 3 stage battle is not as hard as the Assault Spaceship of Wargot. That one was a series of at least 8 battles and as long as 12, with no time to heal for such long fights. MOD IDEA: if you want the mission harder, pack the aliens full of armor and plasma cannon in those platforms near the 3 markers. In final area, increase amount of octopus and angels to 20, especially the mouth of cavern corridor lead to green zone. Make us fight through. gawd darn it~

My recomendation this year is not to update to patch 1.3 (well, okay, it has some ease-of-use like school has no need for library) It has some messing around the code that can fuck your game up. The things that I dont remember happening to me back in the day of my last run, before patch 1.3 is out. I refer specifically to React missions (defend against invasion) that has a pipeline control tower, 2-story building. This bug doesnt seem to happen in early-middle stage but it rear its ugly bug head in late mission . Normal, early to middle mission this has options of where to land for us (mostly because we are the invaders). In late mission we are the defenders (against Cultist, mostly). So we are spawned inside that building with one guy stuck in the damn corner, behind some machine and between some column/pipe. Possibly, if you are good, let's hope you can win the mission with the rest without that soldier. Because there's no getting that one out. No way. It's annoying as heck.

On Psionics. Due to their too small inventory, their utility is really limited. Best use is Medic level 3 ASAP. After that, change to Scout so that they can have some utility in battles. Leader 3 then switch to Psi Power weapons like Ret Blaster or projector is a possibility but seriously, you have going to more use for scouts than a Leader psionic. While Ranger enable them to double wield, their range is still too limited (because non-Leader psi power is weak, and other Close Range weapon like HK Colt is really weak). On Cyborgs. They have two great duo combi for them. + Commando/Stalker using Katana, and later on can switch to plasma shotguns. This one need no other training, so it go well with Cyborg 3 (For +Str, +Agi implants, and +Close Range). For nonCyborg, can add Gunman to allow for heavy armor. + Technician/Gunman using heavy machinegun (PKM). Gunman has several helpful ability to help this one survive serious wounds, which are not that in need because Cyborgs are magician with MG. They can max Dexterity, then use +2 DEX implants to have superheroic +2 DEX, then increase a little bit here and there to push Mechanical to SH+2. It's like they can cut down any target in sight (or not in sight). They have 3k HP, so in 1vs3 they still can win handily because targets can not disable him in time (Gunman abilities) to save themselves. I dont feel Sniper goes that well with both races. It goes poorly with Psionic due to weak strength, and it goes so-so with Cyborg, because it need Cy3 and several high class implants to make the investment worth the trouble