Dead Snakemen remind me of slugs (homeless snails, had to look it up). Grose.

So finally I sort of run out of save spots to farm missions. I left 3 HQs in state ready to assault, but I've sort of didn't fell like to do them. So let's proceed with the final mission.

 

First let's look at our corpse count:

 

 

It sure is lots right?

 

Ok now let's look at the team. As usual it must be Strategy Core team to do the pleasure. Although I wasn't sure if everyone can make it, LW2 gives 12 slots so I had 1 slot open and that slot was used by the best PSI Ops I got and literally the best with best skills and highest PSI Offense.

 

 

And our guest of honor, the Dark Sith Lord himself:

 

 

 

This mission is only a formality and shouldn't pose any difficulties. So easy that even Mr. T had time for a selfie after killing Heavy MEC.

 

 

With next encounters we managed to acquire services of a Sectopod called Jim.

 

 

And a Muton Elite also called Jim.

 

 

Either aliens were in berserk frenzy or just panic swarming. Or maybe they want us to be even more easier.

 

 

Of course we also had to account the appearance of Cyberbal. SV was prepared but he goofed so hard I think I should fire him or better yet put him in front of firing squad. 96% to crit for Kubikir to 1 hit KO that ball of cyber irritation and HE FAILED!

 

 

Had to put entire team to wipe this one out or everyone would take a lot of damage.

 

Thankfully once we reached the final chamber, killing all the avatars was as easy as:

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

 

GG EZ.

 

 

Well that wraps up this one. So what do the stats say?

 

 

Lies, I haven't lost any mission, I don't know which one the game counts as lost. Maybe 2 faceless rendez-vous which I didn't do. Soldiers lost. Hmm I haven't lost anyone from the team recruited. I've lost few rebels and one would be rookie during prison break. Lies. Also 9400 aliens. I'm pretty sure I haven't killed that many. 1500-2500 maybe but not over 9000

 

 

The game also strangely counts rebels on missions and PSI Ops levels. 6 of 8 PSI ops I had were at the highest rank.

 

 

So right, see you in the Wizards of the Coast campaign.

HE HE HE, love Vader's cameo!

 

Only losing 6 soldiers is incredible for Legend Ironman. You are my XCOM hero! Getting me alive to the end just adds to the worship.

Reinstalled the game, by the insistance of Erazem. He wants to play the game but the learning process will be a LONG one, him being 7 and not understaning English.

 

Still don't understand how you managed to get these incredible results.

 

I went for veteran difficulty and managed to lose en entire squad almost instantly - due to not remembering that the turn timer has no 0... I'd actually replay that battle as it was a stupid mistake but ironman...

 

Then the mission for Spark came. I still don't understand how all my soldiers got out alive, seriously. All but the head engineer severely wounded. All healed several times, they's all be dead if there were no med packs and the engineer's abilities.

 

I'm not sure I'm timing my progress through the story correctly. I'm sure I was early for a mission of such difficulty. Any pro tips?

Pro tips? Git gud? Hard to say what could help you. Know what you can and what can't. Know how AI behaves. Go for flanks. From Monday I will be replaying Long War 2 on my YT channel.

Git gud... HOW! Flanks... I'll try to use that more. But the damn aliens seem to hit me in full cover all the time.

Well your not the only one, I've been crit stabbed, crit shot when the odds where like <10%

 

 

How much do you use the special grenades, like flashbang, smoke etc?

 

From strictly battle perspective, it is my perception I need to ensure three things first;

- larger squad,

- additional items carried,

- armour.

 

IMO I've been neglecting the special effects of the non-lethal items far too much, relying on brute force (which is not a very powerful one)... Is this line of thought correct?

At the beginning it's like I have flashbang on every person. It helps vs Sectoids, it helps clear overwatch and it helps with reducing AI accuracy. Until you have some other utilities that help with that and are more deadly. Smoke I use less often since it's only purpose is to help with defence, but when fighting vs snakes or sectoids it doesn't stop vs mind spin or poison spit.

AAAAHHAA, slowly I'm gonna bleed all your little secrets outa ya! Thanks, I see my tactics needs a rework.

DAAAAAMN....

 

You know, almost starting to feel good about the whole situation, perhaps the AVATAR clock a bit around my neck. All good though. But then a certain Muton/Mech godlike enemy comes into play and destroys my whole team in a minute. WHAT?!?!?11!!11?'1

 

How do you deal with these insanely powerful enemies with reaction to your every move? Do you just put everyone on overwatch and trigger its move by a bomb? This seems like a sound tactics, kinda late for my team and this playthrough.

Vs MECs gunners with Bluescreen rounds or emp grenades. With luck they will go disabled, alternatively it will help support for hack. I'm not sure we are talking LW2 specifically, but Mutons you can lock down in LW2 with Shinobi/gunner with combatives - though it's not foolproof plan, but it should work 90% of time. Otherwise in standard campaign - anything that reduces their aim - flashabng, poison rounds, suppression.

This is some of those King creatures, it had three rows of life and three armour add-ons. The King reaction meant that after each move (not turn, move!) I made it made one, too! Like the Viper King, but far more deadly...

 

BTW, do you go with slash or stealth abilities for your Rangers?

Both, but moslty stealth. I think from blade I only take bladestorm and reaper.

Any tip on that royal monstrosity? Does that queen react to overwatch, too?

Just do as massive damage as you can. The Vahlen monsters are broken mechanic.

Still haven't gathered the wits to start again... I'll NOT go with ironman, the game is simply not forgiving enough. This is by far the worse part of novel XCOMs, but XCOM2 especially - the progress of your soldiers makes such a huge difference and the game expects it far too much, so any losses have a huge impact. Not a good design IMO, not for X-COM.