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[masterkajo]

I beat EU I/I a month ago, but started a C/I run for EW to learn the quirks of the new features, and it's been a breeze so far. I'd say you can probably jump right into I/I.

The difficulty curve has been really altered on Classic and Impossible. You think May is a bit much on Normal? It's even worse on Classic. Didn't think Impossible was hard enough? The developers heard that and decided to really make it impossible to beat.

Thanks, guys. I think I will try it. I need that challange and I need some of my soldiers to die and make the occasinoal tactical retreat. This adds so much to my personal narrative. Also, just found out you can disable enemy health bars. Will gladly do that and play in the dark. I don't even know the new enemies. Maybe I record my run and will upload it to youtube if I manage to stay alive long enough or maybe even stand a chance to beat it.

Impossible Ironman?

Does that mean the hardest difficulty with no saves at all and if you make a single mistake, it is game over? Damn, way too hard for me.

After having finished the main game on Classic pretty soon and figured out all base building stuff I only play Ironman Impossible. It is the only game mode that still poses a challange at least at the beginning months.

 

[Mupod]

Holy crap at that fishing village mission ! O_O"

Guess it's easier if you have a genetically modified soldier with the jump ability ready

my spider sense started tingling when I saw the mission description and I was like...that's it? I'm so used to council missions being a joke that I tend to use them as rookie practice missions, but I forgot to bring trainees that time. Thank god.

 

[goldsoundz]

I was gonna try to hold off a little longer since Zelda is coming out this Friday, but I couldn't resist $22.50 at GMG. So ready to play XCOM again.

 

[Vaporak]

I really like the new second wave option that randomizes abilities. Except for the fact that the medic abilities are not considered core abilities on the support. I've gotten the triple medkit ability exactly once on my games so far, on my assault. >.>

 

[MrCompletely]

I really like the new second wave option that randomizes abilities. Except for the fact that the medic abilities are not considered core abilities on the support. I've gotten the triple medkit ability exactly once on my games so far, on my assault. >.>

holy crap, i didnt realize it randomizes abilities among classes, i thought it only randomized the order that abilities unlock per class!! that does sound super interesting. This game NEEDS workshop support.

 

[Vaporak]

holy crap, i didnt realize it randomizes abilities among classes, i thought it only randomized the order that abilities unlock per class!! that does sound super interesting. This game NEEDS workshop support.

It is, it makes you're troops FAR more unique. Makes you really attached to them since they can't be replaced by just another leveled up guy of the same class. And I managed to get another triple medkit on my newest game, on a heavy. Too bad that the country panic system bugged out and randomly shot every north American country up to 5 panic after the first abduction, on top of the normal panic increases. Don't think I can recover from a start like that on Impossible...

 

[huxley00]

I loved loved loved the remake of XCom, I played the old version about a dozen times over or so. I read the reviews for the expansion and picked it up today. Playing it and loving it. So rare to get a game that really makes you feel like you may actually lose. Feels like there is some actual risk and consequence to every action you take.

 

[Boss Riovane]

Couple things of note. Mind controlling a beserker is way more fun then it should be. Chitin Plating stops strangulation with the added bonus of having mimetic skin on a sniper is so good.

 

[Leunam]

I really like the new second wave option that randomizes abilities. Except for the fact that the medic abilities are not considered core abilities on the support. I've gotten the triple medkit ability exactly once on my games so far, on my assault. >.>

Whoa, I thought the abilities stayed within each class. This is pretty awesome.

 

[Fragamemnon]

Wrapping up my Impossible game. Didn't go ironman because bugs, but was sure to only reload when something really buggy or completely unexpected occurred (once in base defense mission, three times during abductions on new maps where the terrain was kind of weird and I wasn't used to it. Slingshot but no Progeny.

My takes on the expansion:

- EXALT is tedious. It's never a threat but the missions take time to slog through so you can play your little Carmen Sandiego subgame. Missions are very easy, even on Impossible.
- Meld , MECs, and Gene upgrades work well. Plenty of interesting builds in the game depending on how you want to use your first meld. I found MEC troopers to be very valuable for most of the game as fogclearing units when paired with squadsight snipers.
- The base defense mission really is something you want to get done sooner than latter, but not TOO soon-I had to do it ten days into Month 3 and it was very hard without laser weapons. Lost a Captain on that mission.
- SHIVs are still complete all-stars in the game. They let you reliably get through missions after you "desk" your Colonels when you just have medium rank troops to work with. If they get blown up, not a big deal. Easy to replace and cheap by midgame to do so, especially for Alloy SHIVs.
- Asian starts for cheaper OTS and Fast Foundry for cheaper Tactical Rigging is IMO the safest way to play Impossible. You can then go into a 2nd sat nexus/3 more sats in month 2 and do the alien base at the end of month 3. Panic should be very manageable with this arrangement. You can choose to go beams or carapace but IMO carapace is safer, as you get Alloy SHIVs, which are tremendously powerful when acquired early.
- Starts in other countries are IMO more risky/less good. EU starts can get a really fast MEC out instead of going into a Foundry, but that early MEC is still super vulnerable to Thin Men Bullshit.

So kind of a mixed bag. I am thinking I would have rather had Steam Workshop support and a map editor over the entire EXALT implementation given the choice.

 

[Jintor]

Yeah, I'm still kind of unsure as to what EXALT really adds to the game. They're so partitioned off into their own little section of the game, and they only really exist during the mid-game, too. I guess some extra ways to manage panic?

 

[Jintor]

GET DA MELDDDDDDD

 

[Fragamemnon]

They were supposed to add more pressure to the player and some tough choices into the midgame (in exchange for some minor panic management and income), but it's just a sideshow that doesn't have as much impact as it should on the overall game.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

After months of constantly losing high ranked soldiers, C/I has finally started getting easy once I got Alien Grenades and Tactical Rigging. Ghost Grenades were so expensive that I ignored them for the longest time, but they're perfect get-out-of-jail-free cards. Activated too many enemies/untimely mind control? Just dash everybody to the Ghost Grenade guy and cloak your entire squad.

I find it hard to justify using the other grenades through. By the time you get needle grenades you should also be getting Alien Grenades, and I can't think of a single reason to ever use a Gas Grenade. Anybody have any thoughts on the Mimic Beacon? Not exactly sure how useful that one would be.

 

[Boss Riovane]

Personally I like the EXALT missions. Used it to level characters. I was just disappointed with the final EXALT mission though.

 

[firehawk12]

Anyone know how to unlock the

Spoiler

Defender's Medal

? I looked around and it says that you can get it if you

Spoiler

stabilize a fallen soldier during a mission or let someone die... well, I just stabilized a soldier but didn't get the medal after coming back, and I kind of don't want to redshirt guys on purpose just to get a medal...

 

[Jintor]

Anyone know how to unlock the

Spoiler

Defender's Medal

? I looked around and it says that you can get it if you

Spoiler

stabilize a fallen soldier during a mission or let someone die... well, I just stabilized a soldier but didn't get the medal after coming back, and I kind of don't want to redshirt guys on purpose just to get a medal...

As far as I understand it, there's no actual trigger requirements for medals, since Ananda didn't want people to change their gameplay styles to try and get medals. Not confirmed though

 

[firehawk12]

As far as I understand it, there's no actual trigger requirements for medals, since Ananda didn't want people to change their gameplay styles to try and get medals. Not confirmed though

Oh, so it's still random then, even after you hit a condition?

Well... I dunno, either way I'm going to have to change my style in order to get this particular medal because of what you need to do to get it. lol

 

[Boss Riovane]

Throughout my playthru so far I have only gotten one leadership medal. But a lot of defense medals though.

 

[firehawk12]

Throughout my playthru so far I have only gotten one leadership medal. But a lot of defense medals though.

I've gotten the max of the others, but haven't gotten the Defense one. I mean, I'm playing on Normal, so it's pretty hard to "get" it, but still... I just tried to get it on purpose and nothing. lol

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I have all but the fourth medal, which I'm assuming is triggered by Act 2 or something.

 

[milkham]

for the achievment:

Guardian of Earth​

Designate a highly decorated soldier as the Volunteer​

Does the guy you send in have to have every medal on him? i maxed at 4 on one of my guys who can do it, didn't give her the medal for getting through the base assault. I actually tried killing the soldier i did give the star of terra to hoping i could reassign it but nada.

 

[firehawk12]

for the achievment:

Guardian of Earth​

Designate a highly decorated soldier as the Volunteer​

Does the guy you send in have to have every medal on him? i maxed at 4 on one of my guys who can do it, didn't give her the medal for getting through the base assault. I actually tried killing the soldier i did give the star of terra to hoping i could reassign it but nada.

That's what I'm going for as well, and I assume one soldier needs to have all the medals.

 

[MrCompletely]

It is, it makes you're troops FAR more unique. Makes you really attached to them since they can't be replaced by just another leveled up guy of the same class. And I managed to get another triple medkit on my newest game, on a heavy. Too bad that the country panic system bugged out and randomly shot every north American country up to 5 panic after the first abduction, on top of the normal panic increases. Don't think I can recover from a start like that on Impossible...

How does it work for weapon specific abilities? For example, squad site, headshot, etc seems like it would be useless without a sniper rifle.

 

[The Stig]

im playing my first game since finishing I/I. I'm playing Classic non ironman. I'm in it for "fun"

Ive enabled all DLC (even slingshot) and I've just been hit with Gangplank. I am woefully underequipped. no weapons or armor to speak of. I didn't put much thought into my base building.

how long can you put of gangplank? and does it come around again

 

[Jintor]

gangplank is not actually that hard on classic. Just a shitload of skinnies, one cyberdisk, and a muton. You'll need laser weaponry and a mec though so you don't have to rush into idiotic situations.

 

[Danj]

Bleh, I'm getting the freezing on load thing again guess I didn't fix it after all

 

[MrCompletely]

I'm on my fourth fresh start of classic ironman after wiping my best soldiers 4 times in a row on the first Operation Progeny mission. I've rushed to OTS and have 5 squaddies this time. Also rushed to beam weapons, but lack enough engineers to build them (by1!).

I can feel it - this is going to be the one, gonna take it super slow, keep em all together.

edit: I failed it again, thin men are somehow way OP with their aiming in this mission

 

[mullet2000]

Hey guys, how is the PS3 version of this? How's the framerate compare to Enemy Unknown?

 

[boinx]

So how do you upgrade your mecs? I can see what abilities the higher lvl mecs have but when i try to choose either of their abilities, nothing happens.

 

[The Stig]

so I just built my first MEC and used him in base assault.

his flamethrower made 2 chryssalids panick!

now that is gratifying

 

[CloudWolf]

Just finished the game on Normal Ironman. I really like the expansion and the subtle increase in difficulty, but God, they made the Sectopods even scarier than they used to be. I actually had to cheat Ironman mode by closing out my game midturn in the Temple Ship mission because a Sectopod wiped out half my squad, including the Volunteer, with one rocket barrage. Not to mention the fact that those things basically have 60 health now because all incoming damage is halved. Jesus Christ, Firaxis...

 

[Boss Riovane]

Hey guys, how is the PS3 version of this? How's the framerate compare to Enemy Unknown?

I answered this on the previous page. Its a very nice improvement.

And I like mecs a hell of a lot more then genes. But nothing like having a fully upgraded psychic with all 5 gen levels.

 

[Uriah]

Goddamit I just deleted a bunch of game saves. Anyway to recover these?

 

[ixix]

So how do you upgrade your mecs? I can see what abilities the higher lvl mecs have but when i try to choose either of their abilities, nothing happens.

Are you talking about the MEC suits or the MEC soldiers? The actual suits unlock upgrades through research, which you then apply through Engineering by paying money and Meld. The soldiers upgrade the same as any other soldier: through promotions by getting kills in combat.

I answered this on the previous page. Its a very nice improvement.

And I like mecs a hell of a lot more then genes. But nothing like having a fully upgraded psychic with all 5 gen levels.

I kinda wish that the Second Wave option to make genetic modification and psionics mutually exclusive was the standard arrangement. Gene modded Psi troopers are a bit ridonk.

Plus it would be a good excuse to have unmodded troopers so you could avoid having everybody wearing the uggo sleeveless armors.

 

[Vaporak]

Goddamit I just deleted a bunch of game saves. Anyway to recover these?

I doubt it's different than any other file recovery really. Unhook the harddrive immediately and go get some file recovery program and then pray.

 

[Uriah]

Damn. I can find enemy unknown files but no enemy within. Guess I have to start over

 

[Firebrand]

I need a difficulty level between Normal and Classic... Classic is apparantely too hard for me (I ran out of soldiers, except that one guy who arrived late!), but Normal doesn't have that tension. I recall doing fairly okay on Classic in vanilla, but now I got utterly destroyed.

 

[Boss Riovane]

I personally hate the sleeveless design. But I have a lot of "normal" soldiers. And the only Psy soldiers I have are the "story" soldiers.

 

[Mupod]

gangplank is not actually that hard on classic. Just a shitload of skinnies, one cyberdisk, and a muton. You'll need laser weaponry and a mec though so you don't have to rush into idiotic situations.

I skipped gangplank because I was in a similar situation to him and I was a couple days from my light plasma research which would have been a huge upgrade from my conventional weapons. I was told the mission would come up again, but I'm near endgame now and I've yet to see it a second time. Maybe Enemy Within made it so it doesn't come back? That sucks.

 

[Lime]

I personally hate the sleeveless design. But I have a lot of "normal" soldiers. And the only Psy soldiers I have are the "story" soldiers.

There's a mod for replacing the sleeveless designs.

 

[milkham]

anyone try getting the army of four achievement yet?

 

[Boss Riovane]

There's a mod for replacing the sleeveless designs.

Unfortunately playing on the PS3.

 

[huxley00]

I'm finding classic to be significantly tougher this time around. I've pretty much lost two Ironman games so far. I'm not used to the new tech either, I may have to read up a bit to see what upgrade paths are out there. In my last game, I remember having four man squad with two SHIVs and kicking a lot of ass, not this time though . Oh well, love the game, its tough and that makes it fun. I just have to step up my strategy a bit!

I've been learning to just blow up aliens if I am in any question. Better to grenade the hell out of half the enemies rather than taking back a ship full of body bags.

 

[Uriah]

Decided to start again. Hopefully I make some good choices because my last run was going really well

 

[huxley00]

Good luck, just keep on moving along, there is almost always hope of some kind. I had 6 countries in the red, remember, you can only lose a maximum of 3 in one month. Focus on engineers over cash IMO, the building discounts are great and many projects require a certain amount of engineers.

 

[Remachinate]

When do the later Progeny missions appear? I completed Portent in April, but now it's August and still no Deluge. Do I need to discover a psi gifted soldier first (so that Annette doesn't make the Psi Chamber redundant)?

 

[Jintor]

When do the later Progeny missions appear? I completed Portent in April, but now it's August and still no Deluge. Do I need to discover a psi gifted soldier first (so that Annette doesn't make the Psi Chamber redundant)?

I think you need to at least unlock the psi chamber though

 

[Boss Riovane]

The next council mission l recieved after building the psy chamber was deluge. I had had Annette for a month or so....

 

[Danj]

Damn. I can find enemy unknown files but no enemy within. Guess I have to start over

If you're on PC then GameSave Manager is your friend for keeping your saves backed up and whatnot.