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Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:40 pm
by Antifringe
There are a lot of excellent players out there streaming or youtubing Longwar games. I am not an excellent player, but almost no one is submitting longform written summaries, so maybe I can be that guy. I've always enjoyed written AARs, and the format is more conducive to analysis and criticism.

I don't mind people offering critical feedback, but if you're going to insult me, at least remember to be funny.

I'm using too many QoL mods to list, but I am also using a few mods that have real gameplay effects. I'm listing these for transparency:

Peek from Concealment: This makes stealth more intuitive and less fidgety, but there is no denying that it also makes it more powerful. I like, and I don't want to play with out it. So there.

Advanced Modular Weapons: Removes the Armed to the Teeth continent bonus from the pool and replaces it with an expensive foundry project.

Commander's Choice: I'm not going to be abusing this. I'm going to aim for an even split across the classes, but certain soldiers in my character pool are destined to forever be a particular class, and this is my tool of choice for enforcing that.

LW2 PsiOp BugFix: More of a patch than a mod. Will be obsolete in 1.5, but right now, it's mandatory.

Reliable Ever Vigilant: Is it a buff or a bug fix? Only you can decide! I've decided that it is a bugfix.

LW2 Information Display: This lets you see the Vigilance numbers for all contacted regions. It has radical implications for the strategy layer. This is probably the highest-impact mod on my list.

I've also tweaked my inis a bit. The biggest change is that I've disabled the Black Market's "Very Interested" feature. It always felt too game-y, and could lead to some random and game changing windfalls. I set the multiplier to x1, effectively turning it off.


Strategy: When it comes to missions, I believe that more is more. I'm aiming to build a large barracks and to expand rapidly. I'll be doing some neat tricks to manipulate mission spawns, and I will be trying to keep my soldiers close to 100% busy for the first four months or so. Once your baseline rank is around TSGT or so, you can let off the gas a bit. I will be spending horrifying amounts of Intel on infiltration boosts.

Money will largely go towards science and basic upgrades to the Avenger. Tactical upgrades can be purchased instantly, but strategy stuff takes time. I've found that ballistics do just fine until June-ish. Instead of incremental things like lasers, I will be prioritizing "phase change" items like Incendiary Grenades, Gremlin Mk II, Exo Suits, and other items that give you powerful burst abilities. The incremental stuff can come later. That being said, I'm going to try to buy more weapons and armor than I did last time (last time I bought almost none until Coilgun).

I like to keep my barracks simple. I'll be aiming for 4 of each class, with some exceptions. I'll take on an extra Shinobi (I've renamed them Scouts in my game and I will be using that title from now on) and an extra Specialist. I will also train up two extra Rangers, to be groomed as Trial By Fire officers. "Den Mother" and "Cubmaster" will try to level up as fast as possible. Rangers are poor officers, but these guys aren't really officers, they're Trial By Fire delivery systems, and I want them to act as advisors when they're not taking the kids out on field trips. Rangers work fine in this role. My preferred officer class, the Specialist, is terrible as an advisor, hence the Rangers.

Den Mother and Cubmaster help a lot in making psionics viable, and also in letting wounded soldiers catch back up. They're very valuable, and need to not get wounded themselves.

Any extra soldiers will be brought up to SGT and then dumped into havens. I'll recruit them for missions as needed, but they are basically just spare parts and get bottom priority for gear. There's a limit to how many soldiers I'm willing to manage.

When I get psionics, I'll train up 6 psiops. You can definitely make more, but they start to logjam at the lab, and I get tired of managing much more than that. At least two of them will be trained as officers, with an eye towards making them my ace counterintelligence agents.

Funding for this comes from SELLING EVERYTHING. I'll keep weapon mods, and I'll hold on to a few corpses as needed, but elerium cores will be an autosell for a very long time. I'll get Vulture ASAP, because it makes mad bank once your mission counts reaches 15+ per month.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:56 pm
by Antifringe
Month 1

I'm hoping my format is intuitive. For missions, I list them as:

"Mission Type", Region (Baseline Activity): Rewards Days.Hours

Here's the raw log:

Gatecrasher: All corpses taken, 1 wound (27 days), terrible loot

Feb 28: Start scanning WestUS
March 4: Jailbreak, WestUS (EL): 3 Rebels 8.10
-Send 6 rookies

March 5: Blackmarket scan
March 5: Hack Workstation -Train, WestUS (EL): 32 Intel 4.18
-3 Sq 1 Rk

March 6: Resistance Comm -> Modular Weapons
March 6: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL): material 4.3
- 3 sq 1 Rk will spend Intel

March 6: Switch WestUS Haven to Recruit
March 7: Buy Scientist $110 Sell sectoid, PCS, 5 Troopers, Buy Engineer $100
March 7 Begin Contact Eastern US
March 8: Modular Weapons -> Basic Research (16 days)
March 10: Mission: Hack Workstation, Train
+32 Intel, +Lib , +Core, +Elite Auto-Loader !!! Wound (10 days)

March 10: Smash and Grab (spend Intel)
-25 Intel, +$54, +5 Alloy, +6 Elerium, +Core

March 10 Contact Eastern US
March 11 Switch WestUS Haven to Intel
March 11: Mission: Jailbreak
+3 Rebels, 1 Wound (14 days)

March 14: Switch scanning to EastUS
March 14 Rescue - Cell, WestUS (EL): +Scientist +PoI 10.1
- 7 Rk

March 15: Alien Debris Cleared+45 Supply
March 15: Sell 2 Cores
March 15: Start GTS
March 16: Extract VIP, WestUS (EL): Lib2, +Sq (Gunner) 4.10
-Ignore

March 16: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL): +27 Intel +PoI 7.6
- 4 Sq (can overinfiltrate to EL)

March 17:Smash and Grab, East US (VL): material
1 LCP 4 Sq (can overinfiltrate to EL)

March 17: Switch scanning to WestUs because of HighValue
March 19: Recover Item - Train: East US (VL): +27 Intel 2.11
-Ignore

Switch EastUS to recruit
March 19 Rescue - Vehicle (WestUS) (EL): +Engineer 5.10
-3 Sq 1 Rk

March 19: Switch WestUS to recruit
March 21: Mission: Destroy Relay, East US (EL)
+27 Intel +PoI (Stray Dogs: Intel)


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Discussion to follow shortly in another post!

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:20 pm
by Antifringe
Breakdown of my decisions/impressions (not comprehensive)

Gatecrasher: All corpses taken, 1 wound (27 days), terrible loot
>A good, but not great, Gatecrasher.

Feb 28: Start scanning WestUS
>Always do this

March 4: Jailbreak, WestUS (EL): 3 Rebels 8.10
-Send 6 rookies

> For long, easy missions, always send mass rookies. The low xp doesn't matter because Rookies autolevel anyway, and Rooks are actually competent in mass numbers. And then they stop being Rookies!

March 5: Blackmarket scan
> After four days of scanning, it's time to move on. You're spending Avenger resources chasing missions that have less and less time on them.

March 5: Hack Workstation -Train, WestUS (EL): 32 Intel 4.18
-3 Sq 1 Rk

>This is Liberation 1. You can tell because there's no Point of Interest. It could be a UFO, but not in the starting region on month 1.

March 6: Resistance Comm -> Modular Weapons
>Standard stuff

March 6: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL): material 4.3
- 3 sq 1 Rk will spend Intel

>I really want these resources and will spend Intel to get them. Plus, I also want the mission xp.

March 6: Switch WestUS Haven to Recruit
> I've found 2 GOps and the Liberation mission. There's nothing left to find, so it's best to squeeze in a few days of recruiting.

March 7: Buy Scientist $110 Sell sectoid, PCS, 5 Troopers, Buy Engineer $100
>I buy Scientists every month. I only buy an Engineer on month one, but I always do this. Buy the staff before starting on construction, because staff helps now, buildings help later.

March 8: Modular Weapons -> Basic Research (16 days)
>Part of the MOAR SCIENCE strategy. Resources are too low for any of the other techs to be exploitable right now, anyway.

March 10 Contact Eastern US
>This region has 3 Strength! I wasn't expecting that. Missions here will be harder, but If even one more point gets added, I can start getting valuable Troop Ambushes. This is good. Mostly.

March 10: Mission: Hack Workstation, Train
+32 Intel, +Lib , +Core, +Elite Auto-Loader !!! Wound (10 days)

>Lib2 can now spawn, but it takes a few days for it to start, so I can recruit for a little bit longer.

March 11 Switch WestUS Haven to Intel
>Missions are finishing up and new ones are starting to spawn. I squeezed in an extra rebel, so this was totally worth it.

March 11: Mission: Jailbreak
+3 Rebels, 1 Wound (14 days)

>Happy to get this mission on the first week, but it's guaranteed to spawn within the first month because of the way that the GOps work.

March 14: Switch scanning to EastUS
>East US needs it more. That being said, I know that the West US is guaranteed to have a ProtectData, A HighValue Prisoner, and a Lib2 Rescue mission, because those are the only ones left. That's two rescues and a 25% shot at getting a third. I will be scanning back in the west once the new haven has some Intel dumped into it.

March 14 Rescue - Cell, WestUS (EL): +Scientist +PoI 10.1
- 7 Rk


>More mass rookie strats.
This is a ProtectData. I can tell because it has a PoI. ProtectData usually give Intel, but this is the rare one that gives a VIP instead. This was lucky. There are two other rescue missions spawned in the WestUS, and I want to get them all. I will scan in the EastUS until I get a mission there, and then fly back west and and tease these other rescues out in the open.


March 15: Alien Debris Cleared+45 Supply
March 15: Sell 2 Cores
March 15: Start GTS
>I want to break ground on the GTS so that I can buy Vulture as soon as I get my first SGT.

March 16: Extract VIP, WestUS (EL): Lib2, +Sq (Gunner) 4.10
-Ignore

>Balls. The Lib2 rescue was a squaddie soldier. If this were a HighValuePrisoner mission, I might do it anyway, but because it is Lib2, I know it will just respawn and reroll the reward if I let it expire. It's not worth the opportunity cost of a potentially better Lib2, and it's definitely not worth the Intel I would need to make the timer manageable.

March 16: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL): +27 Intel +PoI 7.6
- 4 Sq (can overinfiltrate to EL)

March 17:Smash and Grab, East US (VL): material
1 LCP 4 Sq (can overinfiltrate to EL)

March 17: Switch scanning to WestUs because of HighValue
>Now that missions are coming in at the new haven, I fly back to the west, because I know that there is a HighValuePrisoner mission waiting to be found.

March 19: Recover Item - Train: East US (VL): +27 Intel 2.11
-Ignore, switch to recruit

Switch EastUS to recruit
> Lib1 with a crappy timer. This is probably the mission that spawned on the very first day, before I even contacted the region. It'll respawn once it expires, no need to spend Intel and risk on this.

I have a very short window during which there are no more missions in this region, so I'll squeeze in a little bit of Recruiting. As long as I can Recruit for 3 days, I at least gain something.


March 19 Rescue - Vehicle (WestUS) (EL): +Engineer 5.10
-3 Sq 1 Rk

March 19: Switch WestUS to recruit
>I told you that there was a HighValuePrisoner here. The west is tapped out, so it's time to go back east. Lib1 is probably ready to respawn by now.

I'll also do another round of Recruiting. I'll switch back to Intel after I get a recruit, which should only take a few days, since I have so many rebels now.

March 21: Mission: Destroy Relay, East US (EL)
+27 Intel +PoI (Stray Dogs: Intel)

>I really need Intel so that I can expand again. This is good.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:59 am
by Antifringe
The EastUS Haven has had a ProtectData and a Smash and Grab. That means that the two remaining missions in the pool must be a Jailbreak and a HighValuePrisoner, since that region doesn't have enough strength to qualify for a Troop Ambush. I don't want to miss either of those, so I will prioritize scanning in that region, even over making contact with a new region.

This is where things start to get rickety. Wounds are starting to pile up, I don't have ways to mitigate them. I'm starting to get some competent soldiers, but I'm not quite out of Rookie Hell yet. And even when I get out of there, I'll find myself trapped in Squaddie hell instead.

I'm used to finding more Elerium Cores and Datapads. I'm lower on supplies than normal because of this. Local strength is kind of high given how early it is in the game, but new regions will probably be quieter.

Part of the issue is that I just need to be doing more missions overall. I want to get a third region started, and I want to start climbing the liberation chains so I can start fishing for the +1 Contact mission that happens at Lib3. More regions (and quieter regions) will help. I also need to keep expanding my barracks. 32 soldiers by the end of the month is a good goal.

Here's the log:

March 22: Finish Stray dogs, have 104 Intel. I can make contact with New Mexico, but finding those good missions in EastUS takes priority.
March 22: Switch EastUS Haven to Intel
March 22: Rookie recruited from WestUS. Switch WestUS to Intel
March 23: Alien Debris cleared +46 Supply
March 23: Mission: Rescue - Cell, WestUS (EL)
+Scientist +PoI:Rumor from the Resistance (Alloy, Elerium)

March 24: Mission: Smash and Grab, EastUS (EL)
+82 Supply +5 Alloy (4 boxes) 1 Wound (21 days)

March 24: Mission: Rescue - Vehicle, WestUS
+Engineer +10 Alloy (hack) +Core

March 25: Basic Research -> Alien Biotech (3 days)
March 25: Extract VIP, EastUS (VL): Engineer 7.12
-1 CPL 1 LCPL 2 SQ (Denmother + Cubmaster) could have sent more

March 27: Extract VIP, WestUS (EL): LCPL Specialist + Lib2 3.10
-Ignore

March 27: Smash and Grab, WestUS (EL): Material 7.18
-1 RK (new hire) 4 SQ

March 27: Alien Biotech -> ADVENT Trooper Autopsy (4 days)
March 27: Jailbreak, WestUS (EL): +3 Rebels +1 Rookie 6.5
-1 RK (new hire) 4 SQ

March 30: GTS Finished, buy upgrade, train officer
March 30: Hack Workstation - Train, East US (VL) 2.10
-Ignore

March 30: SCREWUP!!! Mission: Extract VIP, EastUS (VL)
+Engineer +Core 2 Wounds (12/29)

March 30: Jailbreak, EastUS (VL): 3 Rebels + 1 Rookie 6.1
-2 CPL 2 LCPL (training mission for officers)

March 30: Scan the Resistance Rumors PoI (it was in danger of expiring)
March 31: ADVENT Trooper Autopsy -> Hybrid Materials (4 days)
April 1: Start Contacting New Mexico
April 2: Extract VIP, WEstUS (VL): Scientist +Lib2 6.1
-1 CPL + 3 LCPL (overinfiltrate to EL)

April 3:Mission: Jailbreak, WestUS (EL)
+3 Rebels +1 +Core Rookie 1 Wound (33 days) 1 KIA (SQ)

April 4: Smash and Grab, WestUS (EL)
+65 Supply +Core 1 Wound (10 days)

-First Viper and first Stunlancer sightings
April 4: Hybrid Materials -> Combat Armor (11 days)
April 4: New Mexico Contacted, also has 3 strength :/
April 4: Sell 4 Cores, start Proving Ground
April 4: Scan EastUS b/c New Mexico needs time
April 5: Hack workstation - Train, WestUS (VL): 30 Intel +PoI 7.15
-1 RK + 2 SQ +2 LCPL

April 5: Scan New Mexico
April 5: Rescue VIP from Cell, East US (VL): Scientist + PoI 6.1
-1 RK +4 LCPL can't overinfiltrate

April 5: Jailbreak, EastUS (VL) Fight whole map at once, almsot lose assault to viper
-3 Rebels + 1 Rookie +Core Denmother hits SGT 1 Wound (35 days)

April 7: Rookie recruit from advisor income
April 8: Extract VIP, WestUS (VL): Engineer +Lib2 10.15
-4 CPL + 1 LCP +1 RK

April 8: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL): Material 8.16
-zero soldiers available, will do later

April 8: Alien Machinery Cleared
+43 Supplies +12 Alloy

April 8: Mission: Extract VIP, WestUS (VL)
+Scientist +Datapad +Lib2 1 Wound (13 days)

April 8: Still don't have enough soldiers for the S&G, so I hire the last two Rookies
April 8: Sell cores, datapad, and a few alloys to hire the scientist
April 8: Deploy 3 CPL and 2 RK to the Smash and Grab. Can overinfiltrate to EL
April 9: Hack Workstation in Facility, East US (VL): 30 Intel
-Probably Lib1, ignore. Would take if had more soldiers


EDIT: Forgot the pictures!
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I want to be doing double this number of missions. Maybe next month?

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Clearing space for a Power Relay and digging down in general

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Wounds are starting to get under control. I have 31 soldiers, which is close to my goal of 32. After that, I want to get enough spares to push 40.

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O___O 32 points of strength, of which 13 are concentrated in the three regions that I have contact with. That means that the rest of the world has an average strength of 1.1875, but the area I happened to start in has an average of 4.67. Vigilance isn't even that high!

The good news is that all three regions now qualify for Troop Ambushes. I will get at least two next month, maybe three. That will solve my supply problems, and trim ADVENT back a bit. I can't wait to liberate one of these regions. Many legions will be destroyed during the revolt.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 5:29 am
by Antifringe
And the discussion:

March 23: Mission: Rescue - Cell, WestUS (EL)
+Scientist +PoI:Rumor from the Resistance (Alloy, Elerium)

>A good PoI. Those alloys will be useful later.

March 24: Mission: Rescue - Vehicle, WestUS
+Engineer +10 Alloy (hack) +Core

>Geez, finally an Elerium Core.

March 25: Basic Research -> Alien Biotech (3 days)
>I'm moving to unlock the Proving Ground

March 25: Extract VIP, EastUS (VL): Engineer 7.12
-1 CPL 1 LCPL 2 SQ (Den Mother + Cubmaster) could have sent more

>A risky move. I'm trying to concentrate xp onto Den Mother and Cubmaster. It's a reasonable tactic, but I screwed up here. More on this later.

This is the HighValuePrisoner mission that I was expecting, but there's still that Jailbreak, and I really need it for this region. It only has 4 rebels!

March 27: Extract VIP, WestUS (EL): LCPL Specialist + Lib2 3.10
-Ignore

>Another crappy Lib2 with a bad timer. The LCPL isn't stone cold terrible, but I'd have to burn Intel to get this mission. Pass.

March 27: Smash and Grab, WestUS (EL): Material 7.18
-1 RK (new hire) 4 SQ

>I'm starting to hire Rookies out of my recruit pool and and trickling them into existing squads

March 27: Alien Biotech -> ADVENT Trooper Autopsy (4 days)
>Mostly for the Proving Ground. I used to wait until I had 20 Troopers for the free autopsy, but I no longer advocate this.

March 27: Jailbreak, WestUS (EL): +3 Rebels +1 Rookie 6.5
-1 RK (new hire) 4 SQ

>A Jailbreak, but not the one I was looking for. WestUS already has 10 rebels, but 3 more are welcome. I'm not having the Avenger leave EastUS until I find that other Jailbreak.

March 30: GTS Finished, buy upgrade, train officer
>Promoting a random Specialist to 2nd Lt. If Den Mother hits SGT too early, this gal gets kicked out of the tube.

March 30: Hack Workstation - Train, East US (VL) 2.10
-Ignore

>Lib1 with a bad timer. I really want to start climbing the lib chain in EastUS, but I need more rebels to get better timers.

March 30: SCREWUP!!! Mission: Extract VIP, EastUS (VL)
+Engineer +Core 2 Wounds (12/29)

>Ugh. The Jailbreak I was waiting for showed up, but its icon was right on top of the Extract mission that I sent Den Mother and Cubmaster to, and I accidentally launched their mission early D:

I must have been high when I composed this squad. An Extract starts without concealment. You don't send 4 man squads on those, and you also remember to bring a Scout. Instead I brought a Technical (good), a Squaddie Sharpshooter (terrible, worse than a Rookie), and two proto-officers that are so valuable that I can't expose them to enemy fire. The Technical does some useful stuff, but then gets creamed by concentrated fire through high cover and starts bleeding out. It's a good thing I put him there instead of the proto-officers. The Sharpshooter has been nothing more than a loot caddie the whole mission, so I have him pick up the Tech and run for the Evac. We're almost out when Cubmaster gets mind controlled by the last Sectoid on the map and Den Mother has to go back and kill the Sectoid to save him. RNFs drop, and Den Mother has to eat an open cover shot, which luckily misses.

The Technical is the guy with the 29 day wound, and the Sharpshooter is the 12 day guy. The proto-officers were fine.

March 30: Jailbreak, EastUS (VL): 3 Rebels + 1 Rookie 6.1
-2 CPL 2 LCPL (training mission for officers)


The Jailbreak, for real this time. Since DM and CM are suddenly and unexpectedly available, I send them out again. I once again send a smaller squad for xp purposes, but this time I pay attention to composition. It's still a bit risky.

March 30: Scan the Resistance Rumors PoI (it was in danger of expiring)
>I wanted to start contacting New Mexico already, but I can't let this valuable PoI expire.

March 31: ADVENT Trooper Autopsy -> Hybrid Materials (4 days)
>Time to unlock Nanoweave Vests.

April 1: Start Contacting New Mexico
>Finally, geez.

April 3: Mission: Jailbreak, WestUS (EL)
+3 Rebels +1 +Core Rookie 1 Wound (33 days) 1 KIA (SQ)

>First KIA. Poor hero Technical missed the evac by 2 tiles. I put him in high cover and out of LoS, but two troopers moved up and nailed him with two consecutive 20% shots. It happens. I also took a bleeding wound on a Grenadier. She got one-shotted through high cover by a Gunner. Again, it happens. At least I got her out.

April 4: Smash and Grab, WestUS (EL)
+65 Supply +Core 1 Wound (10 days)

-First Viper and first Stunlancer sightings
>This went fine, but it bodes ill for future missions.

April 4: Hybrid Materials -> Combat Armor (11 days)
>I like Predator more than I like lasers. But I like Exo Suits even more :)

April 4: New Mexico Contacted, also has 3 strength :/
>Ugh, looks like I started out in ADVENT central. Unlucky.

April 4: Sell 4 Cores, start Proving Ground
>I admit that this is a non-traditional build order, but there are some seriously strong and economical options gated by this facility.

April 4: Scan EastUS b/c New Mexico needs time
>New regions need a day before missions can start spawning. No sense in scanning right now.

April 5: Rescue VIP from Cell, East US (VL): Scientist + PoI 6.1
-1 RK +4 LCPL can't overinfiltrate

>First mission where I'm forced to accept VL without an Intel boost. I couldn't do it even with a 4 man squad, so I threw in a bonus Rookie and accepted it.

April 5: Jailbreak, EastUS (VL) Fight whole map at once, almost lose assault to viper
-3 Rebels + 1 Rookie +Core Denmother hits SGT 1 Wound (35 days)

>It went rough, and my poor Assault almost died to a Viper bind, but these training missions have paid off. I have my first SGT. Vulture is now unlocked (but not quite affordable yet), and Den Mother can start training towards Trial By Fire. All these wounded soldiers will be able to catch up to rest once she finishes.

April 8: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL): Material 8.16
-zero soldiers available, will do later

>I've hit the saturation point. Too many wounded soldiers. I'm not giving up on this one, but I'll have to wait for another mission to complete. It has a long timer, so it will keep.

April 8: Mission: Extract VIP, WestUS (VL)
+Scientist +Datapad +Lib2 1 Wound (13 days)

>The wound is annoying, because I needed everyone I could get for that S&G.

April 8: Still don't have enough soldiers for the S&G, so I hire the last two Rookies
>I wanted that money to go towards Vulture, but I needed 2 more warm bodies to get that S&G. It's worth it.

April 8: Sell cores, datapad, and a few alloys to hire the scientist
>The scientist purchase is weird, but the supply month is about to end and I want to be as aggressive as possible about science hires. This delays Vulture by a few missions, but I'll live.

April 9: Hack Workstation in Facility, East US (VL): 30 Intel
-Probably Lib1, ignore. Would take if had more soldiers
[/quote]
I really want to start climbing the liberation chain in EastUS, but not under these conditions.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:40 pm
by Zyxpsilon
Impressive results.. keep going -- this will prove very interesting.

A few notes;

-- We can start with more than 20 soldiers by editing XComGameCore.INI (changed mine to 32 on the first day after LW2 release)
-- If you have access to a good spreadsheet program (OpenOffice is free!) .. i guess it would be worth designing a custom template where everything could be neatly assembled. These sort of detailed reports were heavily used by some streamers for XCom1/EU+EW.

Here's another snippet from LAByrinth that allowed me to extrapolate on the calendar principles while "explaining" the Resistance cycle in terms of important Events or some key storyline points..

Image

March & April are indeed busy months in XC2.. but LW2 expands MUCH further than that.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:56 pm
by Psieye
I'm certainly noticing the immense drain on my economy from buying lasers for everyone I care about (which is a lot now that I've learnt to squeeze in Recruit phases after spawning missions). My current campaign was 'cursed'/'blessed' with a large number of min/max'd NCE rookies just asking to be put in the GTS. Which meant I was weeks behind on sending some of these bodies out on missions just to guarantee they'd be in the classes I wanted them as. Maybe my initial rookies should be 'house ruled' out of the GTS, I need more slightly mis-fit bodies sooner than ideal bodies later.

I'm also impressed you squeezed in GTS in the 1st supply month despite buying the first 2 scientists and first engineer. I see what you mean about delaying lasers while you get EXOs and Incendiaries out. Do you go Needle Grenades to safely farm Vulture drops?

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:53 pm
by Antifringe
I have to wonder if the scientist was worth the opportunity cost of building 10 nanoscale vests. Wounds are becoming a problem. Still, I don't regret the purchase, since it provides grist for discussion and analysis.

I've been tracking which GOps have been spawning where. Here's the list of GOps that I've found since the beginning of April:

WestUS
ProtectData
Logistics

EastUS
ProtectData
Jailbreak

Mexico
Logistics

The two US regions are very likely to get Troop Columns this month. They might even have one spawned right now. Mexico is a wildcard. If I stay on top of my Intel I should get two, maybe three ambushes this month. That would help a lot.

Log:

April 12: Mission: Hack Workstaion on Train, WestUS (VL)
+30 Intel +Core PoI:Heat Signature: Rsistance Contact
Total grenade fest. Walked into drone on first move

April 12:Rendevous, WestUS Kitefest
+Corpses (Trooperx6 Facelessx2) no officer :(

April 12:Mission Rescue VIP from Facility (VL), EastUS
+Scientist +35 Supply (hack) +PoI:Fire Axis (scientist) 1 Wound (3 days)
First Faceless

April 12: Assign Scientist to WestUS
April 13: Protect Datatap, EastUS (L): Unhindered Operations 0.22
-send ten soldiers perfect timing
+75 Supply (hack) Combative Gunner Stun Lancer kills twice

April 13: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (VL): Contact +1 +30 Intel +Lib3 6.4
-LCPCL +4 CPL can overinfiltrate to EL

April 13: Extract VIP, New Mexico (L): Engineer 2.13
-Ignore

April 13: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (L): +29 Intel +PoI Counter DE: Laser Sight 18.7
-LACP +4 CPL can overinfiltrate to EL

April 13: Combat Armor->Battle Armor (8 Days)
April 13: Ambush Troop Column, EastUS (L): Material 3.10
-need troops

April 13: Jailbreak EastUS (VL): 2 Bebels +1 Rookie 11.3
-need troops

April 13: Abort Dark Event mission, send 2 LCPL 4 CPL, can only hit 77%, even with boost
April 15: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, New Mexico (VL): propaganda
-Ignore

April 16: Smash and Grab, WestUS (L): Material 6.4
-need to rush other missions for this

April16: Mission: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (EL) spend intel to boost up to 165%. Weak composition. Boost was totally needed.
+34 Supply +14 Alloy +7 Elerium 2 Wounds (18/13)

April 16: redeploy soldiers to Smash and Grab in WestUS
-Have two other high priority missions open, but this one has the shortest timer

April17: Mission Ambush Troop Column, EastUS (M) spend intel to reach 78%
+Corpses (Officerx1, Trooperx16, Stun Lancerx1, Sectoidx2) +2 Cores +4 Alloy +4Elerium +18 Supply -1 ADVENT Strength 3 Wounds (10/12/27)
-not enough soldiers for other missions yet too many wounds
-buy Vulture

April 17: Neutralize Target in Facility, EastUS (L): Propaganda
-Ignore

April 19: Mission: Extract VIP, WestUS (EL): Engineer
+Engineer

April 19: redeploy 4 soldiers to Jailbreak in EastUS
April 19: Strength in EastUS has gone down to 1 !!!
April 19: Mission: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (L) Spent Intel to bring to 155% 19 Aliens WTF
+30 Intel -25 Intel for rushing +1 Contact +Lib3 +Core +Datapad 1 Wound (9 days)
-Redeploy 5 soldiers to Dark Event

April 20: Flavor chunk of missions all at once:
April 20: Hack Workstation in Facility, New Mexico (L): 26 Intel (probably Lib1) 4.2
April 20: Jailbreak, New Mexico (L): 3 Rebels +1 Rookie 9.5
April 20: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Mexico (L): Engineer +PoI 7.21
April 20: Raid Troop Transport, WestUS (LM): Material 6.6
-I only have five soldiers :(

-Abort Smash and Grab in WestUS. Was probably too dangerous to try, anyway
-Send five soldiers on supply raid. Double Sharpshooter +Scout composition
-Send 4 soldiers on Rescue mission. Can overinfiltrate to EL

-Want Jailbreak, but will have to wait for other missions to complete
-Running low on Intel for rushing
April 20: Dark Event: Air Patrol
April 20: Recover Item from Vault, EastUS (EL):34 Intel 3.21
-Probably Lib1, not possible to do under current circumstances :(

April 20: Proving Ground finishes, start Alloy Plating
April 20: Switch EastUS and New Mexico to Recruit
April 20: Alien Machinery cleared +41 Supply +13 Alloy. Build Power Relay.
April 21: Battle Armor -> Officer Autopsy
April 22: Ambush Troop Column, WestUS (LM): Material 7.9
-will have to wait

April 23: Mission: Jailbreak, EastUS (EL)
+3 Rebels (got an extra from hack reward) +1 Rookie
+Very easy mission, only fought 2 sectoids.
-Redeploy 4 soldiers to Jailbreak in New Mexico

April 24: Destroy Relay, WestUS (L): 35 Intel Prevent Retaliation 6.7
April 25: Mission: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (VL) Spent Intel to boost to 150%
+20 Intel -25 Intel (boost) +Core +Elite X-Mag PoI:Stockade (Engineer) 1 Wound (24 days)
-Redeploy 5 soldiers to Troop Column Ambush in WestUS
Timing is tricky here, need these guys back for the retal

April 25: Recruit Rebel in WestUS and EAstUS. Switch EastUS and New Mexico to Intel
April 26: Dark Event Lightning Reflexes
April 26: Recruit Rebel at EastUS, switch to Intel
April 26: Rescue VIP, WestUS (L): Engineer
April 26: Smash and Grab, EastUS (EL): Material 4.21
April 26: Mission: Raid Troop Transport, WestUS (M)
+Corpses (Officerx1, Stun Lancerx1, Viperx4,Sectoidx5,Trooperx1, Shieldbearerx1, MECx1, Dronex2, Mutonx2) +3 Core +1 Datapad +9 alloy +8 elerium +42 supply -1ADVENT Strength 2 Wounds (11/11 days) 2 KIA

April 26: Officer Autopsy ->ADVENT Robotics
April 26: Extract VIP, WestUS (VL): Engineer +PoI 6.11
-Want it, but that retaliation is pending

April 27: Recruit rebel in WestUS, switch back to Intel
April 27: Smash and Grab, EastUS (VL): Material 2.3
-Skip

April 27: Mission: Rescue VIP, New MExico (EL): Engineer +PoI overinfiltrated to 150%
+Engineer +Core +1 Rebel (hack) +PoI: Special Forces (Soldier) 1 Wound (12 days)

April 28: ADVENT Robotics -> Laser Weapons (5 days)
April 28: Mission: Jailbreak, New Mexico (EL) spend Intel to boost to 150%, only have 4 soldiers
+3 Rebels +1 Rookie +2 Cores

April 30: Alloy Plating -> Incendiary Grenades
April 30: Retaliation, WestUS 1.1
-want to finish troop column first, run timer down, only 6%

April 30: Hack Workstation on Train, New Mexico (VL): 28 Intel +PoI +Counter DE: Shredder 9.7
-wait for retal first

April 30: Ambush Troop Column, WestUS (LM)
+Corpses (Sectoidx3, Trooperx7,Viperx4,Dronex1) +Elite X-Mag +3 Core +35 Suuply +5 Alloy +6 Elerium -1ADVENT strength

April 30: Sell some loot, build EXO Suit, 11 Alloy Plates, 8 Nanoscale Vests
April 30: Mission: Defend Haven, WestUS (VL) FOUR SCOUTS!!! 2 SHRED CANNONS!!!
+ 2 Rebels killed +Core + Elite Stock no faceless discovered

April 30: Network Tower, WestUS (LM): 29 Intel Lib4
-Send 5 Soldiers

April 30: Deploy 5 soldiers to the DE in New Mexico
April 30: Switch WestUS to Recruit
April 30: Scan New Mexico, suspect Troop Column
April 30: Hack Resistance Computer, East US (EL): 28 Intel (probably Lib1) 3.10
-Send 4 Soldiers +EXO Suit, will spend Intel (have actually 25)

April 30: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (VL): 32 INtel (probably UFO) 4.9
-Send 4 Soldiers will need to spend intel to bring to EL

April 30: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (L): Material 8.15
-Not enough soldiers to do a Light S&G :(

May 2: Power Relay finished

Image
I forgot that I had Commander's OCD installed. I shouldn't really have such a nice coil arrangement. As a penance, I'm not allowed to use those coils until I've cleared a room on the fourth floor.

Image
Project Den Mother is almost complete.

Image
I killed three legions, which helped. Check out how ADVENT shifted units from EastUS to help out WestUS. EastUS used to be the strongest region!

Image
15 missions. Much better

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:04 pm
by Antifringe
April 12: Mission: Hack Workstation on Train, WestUS (VL)
+30 Intel +Core PoI:Heat Signature: Resistance Contact
Total grenade fest. Walked into drone on first move


>Grenades are good. I had two Rookies here. I dealt with a bad start by using three grenades on the first turn.

April 12:Rendevous, WestUS Kitefest
+Corpses (Trooperx6 Facelessx2) no officer :(


>Beaglerushed the mobile patrol. The Scout advisor dealt with the troopers from the second pod while the rebels ran away from the two faceless. Once the Scout finished her work, she linked up with the rebels and we stomped the faceless. It probably would have been ugly if I had tried to fight them all at once.

April 12:Mission Rescue VIP from Facility (VL), EastUS
+Scientist +35 Supply (hack) +PoI:Fire Axis (scientist) 1 Wound (3 days)
First Faceless


>Uh-oh

April 12: Assign Scientist to WestUS

>I've got 11 rebels and a tower here, and they are reinforcing this region like crazy. I can probably get a supply convoy raid. I could use the corpses, and I also really want to control strength here. It's the only place I have any liberation progress in!

April 13: Protect Datatap, EastUS (L): Unhindered Operations 0.22
-send ten soldiers perfect timing
+75 Supply (hack) Combative Gunner Stun Lancer kills twice


>Excellent. This cropped up right as some other missions finished. I had 10 soldiers available, and I was able to stomp ADVENT. This would have been very disruptive if it had showed up just a few days earlier or later. ADVENT basically dumped their retal bucket for no reason. Check out the lucky hack reward. That's like a Smash and Grab, right there!

I happened to have Combative Gunner advisor, and he really came through. A Stun Lancer attacked him. The counterattack plus a Knife Fighter attack killed him, without the Gunner ever having to stop suppressing the other units. Amusingly, a sectoid rezzed the Stun Lancer, and the Gunner killed him again, using the exact same combo.

April 13: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (VL): Contact +1 +30 Intel +Lib3 6.4
-LCPCL +4 CPL can overinfiltrate to EL


Lib3, and the good one, the one the gives a contact! These are sometimes traps that have 5-6 "extra" faceless (they don't show up on the baseline strength), so I'm taking advantage of the timer and going for Extremely Light.

April 13: Extract VIP, New Mexico (L): Engineer 2.13
-Ignore

>Too short. I'm running out of uses for Engineers, anyway

April 13: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (L): +29 Intel +PoI Counter DE: Laser Sight 18.7
-LCLP +4 CPL can overinfiltrate to EL


>That scientist advisor is already paying off. These missions can also be Faceless traps, so I will definitely go for EL.


April 13: Ambush Troop Column, EastUS (L): Material 3.10
-need troops

April 13: Jailbreak EastUS (VL): 2 Rebels +1 Rookie 11.3
-need troops


>I want both of these, but I'm tapped out. I'll find a way.

April 13: Abort Dark Event mission, send 2 LCPL 4 CPL, can only hit 77%, even with boost

>I abort the Dark Event (it has over two weeks of time on it) and send those soldiers to catch the Troop Ambush.

April 16: Smash and Grab, WestUS (L): Material 6.4
-need to rush other missions for this

April16: Mission: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (EL) spend intel to boost up to 165%. Weak composition. Boost was totally needed.
+34 Supply +14 Alloy +7 Elerium 2 Wounds (18/13)


>This was a weak 5 man squad with 2 Rookies, and ADVENT strength went up between when I queued it and when it completed. I took it clean, but got out right as the timer expired. If I hadn't spent the Intel, I don't think I would have won.

April 16: redeploy soldiers to Smash and Grab in WestUS
-Have two other high priority missions open, but this one has the shortest timer


>A mistake as it turns out. Don't do S&Gs in a Strength 5 region unless you can send 6 soldiers.

April17: Mission Ambush Troop Column, EastUS (M) spend intel to reach 78%
+Corpses (Officerx1, Trooperx16, Stun Lancerx1, Sectoidx2) +2 Cores +4 Alloy +4Elerium +18 Supply -1 ADVENT Strength 3 Wounds (10/12/27)
-not enough soldiers for other missions yet too many wounds
-buy Vulture


>Beaglerushed the rainbow pod and squadsight abused the rest. Still took a lot of wounds. I really wanted those soldiers for the Jailbreak and the Dark Event. I'll have to wait some more.


April 19: redeploy 4 soldiers to Jailbreak in EastUS
April 19: Strength in EastUS has gone down to 1 !!!

> Wow. It looks like ADVENT moved some troops out right as I killed that column. I'm comfortable only sending 4 soldiers for this.

April 19: Mission: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (L) Spent Intel to bring to 155% 19 Aliens WTF
+30 Intel -25 Intel for rushing +1 Contact +Lib3 +Core +Datapad 1 Wound (9 days)
-Redeploy 5 soldiers to Dark Event


This is what I mean by these Dark VIP missions being traps. The briefing misreported it as Light (12-15 aliens).

April 20: Flavor chunk of missions all at once:
April 20: Hack Workstation in Facility, New Mexico (L): 26 Intel (probably Lib1) 4.2
April 20: Jailbreak, New Mexico (L): 3 Rebels +1 Rookie 9.5
April 20: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Mexico (L): Engineer +PoI 7.21
April 20: Raid Troop Transport, WestUS (LM): Material 6.6
-I only have five soldiers :(


> O___O

-Abort Smash and Grab in WestUS. Was probably too dangerous to try, anyway

> I shouldn;t have even tried this. That time would have been better spent on the Jailbreak.

-Send five soldiers on supply raid. Double Sharpshooter +Scout composition
-Send 4 soldiers on Rescue mission. Can overinfiltrate to EL


Some soldiers healed in time for me to send two squads. 5 men for a Moderate-Light supply raid is, uh, ambitious, but I have a plan.


-Want Jailbreak, but will have to wait for other missions to complete
-Running low on Intel for rushing

>Yeah

April 20: Dark Event: Air Patrol

>Whatever

April 20: Recover Item from Vault, EastUS (EL):34 Intel 3.21
-Probably Lib1, not possible to do under current circumstances :(


>Ugh, I hate skipping these.

April 20: Proving Ground finishes, start Alloy Plating

>An economical way to control wound time

April 20: Switch EastUS and New Mexico to Recruit

>These regions are saturated with missions.

April 20: Alien Machinery cleared +41 Supply +13 Alloy. Build Power Relay.

In anticipation of the AWC, which I want to start next month.

April 21: Battle Armor -> Officer Autopsy

Oh yes. IT BEGINS!

April 22: Ambush Troop Column, WestUS (LM): Material 7.9
-will have to wait


>So many missions. So few soldiers.

April 23: Mission: Jailbreak, EastUS (EL)
+3 Rebels (got an extra from hack reward) +1 Rookie
+Very easy mission, only fought 2 sectoids.
-Redeploy 4 soldiers to Jailbreak in New Mexico


First truly easy mission in a while.

April 24: Destroy Relay, WestUS (L): 35 Intel Prevent Retaliation 6.7

>I decide to ignore this. Many missions are finishing up, and the timing is such that I should be able to send 10 soldiers plus an advisor. I want to liberate this region soon, and a retal is a way to purge any faceless you might have. If it's an evac mission, I can possibly save all my rebels. If it's not, I'll lose 2-4. At any rate, I'm juggling too many missions right now, anyway.

April 25: Mission: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestUS (VL) Spent Intel to boost to 150%
+20 Intel -25 Intel (boost) +Core +Elite X-Mag PoI:Stockade (Engineer) +Lib3 1 Wound (24 days)


>The tower is vulnerable, but I can't do it while the retaliation is pending. I'll need those soldiers.

I have 2 extra contact slots now, but neither the Intel nor the Avenger time to use them. This happens when you are going for max missions. It's acceptable.

-Redeploy 5 soldiers to Troop Column Ambush in WestUS
Timing is tricky here, need these guys back for the retal


This will finish after the retal starts, but not before it expires. I should be able to do the column and just barely have these soldiers back for the defense mission. It will also lower ADVENT strength in the region, which will make the defense easier.

April 25: Recruit Rebel in WestUS and EAstUS. Switch EastUS and New Mexico to Intel

>GOps are probably spawning again.

April 26: Dark Event Lightning Reflexes

>Gross

April 26: Recruit Rebel at EastUS, switch to Intel
April 26: Rescue VIP, WestUS (L): Engineer

An okay mission, but Strength is high in that region, I need troops for the retal, and Engineers are getting to be kind of a marginal reward. Pass.

April 26: Smash and Grab, EastUS (EL): Material 4.21

>Would have been nice.

April 26: Mission: Raid Troop Transport, WestUS (M)
+Corpses (Officerx1, Stun Lancerx1, Viperx4,Sectoidx5,Trooperx1, Shieldbearerx1, MECx1, Dronex2, Mutonx2) +3 Core +1 Datapad +9 alloy +8 elerium +42 supply -1ADVENT Strength 2 Wounds (11/11 days) 2 KIA


So yeah, about that 5 man Moderate-Light supply raid. It worked, kind of. Scout + double Sharpshooter is strong if you can hole up in a corner. I really needed more than 2 other guys to hold the frontline. I used a few tricks to make this possible.

I put medkits on everyone. It's a static defense mission, you don't need the speed. What I do is group my soldiers up and laugh as the vipers waste turn after turn trying to poison me.

The mass sectoids were actually dangerous, but initiating on them at range helps thin them out. I had to reveal my Scout near the ned to gain the use of her sword. Didn't want to do that.

The command pod is about as dangerous as the whole map. Deal with it last. AP ammo on everyone helps a lot. The Specialist can stack up damage on the MECs from squadsight, and the Sharps kill the Shieldbearer and then whatever else from range. My poor, unconcealed Scout had to be the frontline spotter. She got Aid Protocol when she could, and I kept her out of grenade range. She stilled died when the Muton Centurion caught up to her. It would have been different if she had Combatives, but she didn't.

Lost a Sharpshooter to a plasma grenade from the same Centurion. Always control your Mutons, kids.

Worth it? Yeah. Project Den Mother is almost complete, and then replacing losses will be much easier.

April 26: Officer Autopsy ->ADVENT Robotics

Mark II Gremlins are so good. Double strength Combat Protocol and +25 hack? Yes please. The extra hack successes alone will eventually pay off the cost.

April 26: Extract VIP, WestUS (VL): Engineer +PoI 6.11
-Want it, but that retaliation is pending


>I end up skipping this. I actually want the PoI more than the Engineer.

April 27: Recruit rebel in WestUS, switch back to Intel

I forgot to mention this. When I decided to accept the retaliation, I quickly switched to Recruit. This way, any new hires will automatically get screened . I hit 13 rebels, so I switch back. I'd stay for more, but the retal is too close.

April 27: Mission: Rescue VIP, New Mexico (EL): Engineer +PoI overinfiltrated to 150%
+Engineer +Core +1 Rebel (hack) +PoI: Special Forces (Soldier) 1 Wound (12 days)


Strength is too high for 100% anymore unless the team is really strong.

April 28: ADVENT Robotics -> Laser Weapons (5 days)

> I'll getting lasers instead of Resistance Radio because RR costs 60 Intel and I don't have that. I could skip straight to Mag weapons, but lasers are more economical and the research cost isn't that high.

April 28: Mission: Jailbreak, New Mexico (EL) spend Intel to boost to 150%, only have 4 soldiers
+3 Rebels +1 Rookie +2 Cores


Getting way more cores now that I have Vulture. I need them too, with EXO Suits and specialty grenades getting unlocked.

April 30: Alloy Plating -> Incendiary Grenades

This plus the EXO Suits will mark a tide change in the current balance of power.

April 30: Retaliation, WestUS 1.1
-want to finish troop column first, run timer down, only 6%

April 30: Hack Workstation on Train, New Mexico (VL): 28 Intel +PoI +Counter DE: Shredder 9.7
-wait for retal first

April 30: Ambush Troop Column, WestUS (LM)
+Corpses (Sectoidx3, Trooperx7,Viperx4,Dronex1) +Elite X-Mag +3 Core +35 Suuply +5 Alloy +6 Elerium -1ADVENT strength

April 30: Sell some loot, build EXO Suit, 11 Alloy Plates, 8 Nanoscale Vests[/color]

>Squeeze in the troop ambush with hours to spare. Played it very slow and safe. I qualify for the free sectoid and viper autopsies. Looks like psionics and gas grenades will start up soon.

April 30: Mission: Defend Haven, WestUS (VL) FOUR SCOUTS!!! 2 SHRED CANNONS!!!
+ 2 Rebels killed +Core + Elite Stock no faceless discovered


I had my entire barracks available for this. I made sure I had a powerful advisor and then sent the blitz-iest team that I could make. Four Scouts is like cheating. Any pod that gets within dashing distance just dies. I had two shred cannon dudes and a sniper backing them up, plus some other people. I played aggressively and did not fear ADVENT. They didn't even shoot at me. They were spent their shots on rebels instead.

2 dead rebels is a good score. It turns out there were no faceless, so those guys died for nothing :D

Plus, I'll have to recruit two more rebels, and who knows if they'll be spies or not?

April 30: Network Tower, WestUS (LM): 29 Intel Lib4
-Send 5 Soldiers +EXO Suit


>I finally have time to do this. It's Light-Moderate, but I have 5 SGTs and an EXO Suit.

April 30: Deploy 5 soldiers to the DE in New Mexico

>It's still there, and still needs to be done.

April 30: Switch WestUS to Recruit

>Replace those rebels.

April 30: Scan New Mexico, suspect Troop Column

>I've been tracking GOps, and NM is up for a Troop ambush

April 30: Hack Resistance Computer, East US (EL): 28 Intel (probably Lib1) 3.10
-Send 4 Soldiers +EXO Suit, will spend Intel (have actually 25)

April 30: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (VL): 32 INtel (probably UFO) 4.9
-Send 4 Soldiers will need to spend intel to bring to EL


Oh my. Those can't both be Lib1. I have a UFO! It's probably the second one, since the strength is inexplicably higher. I'll have to rush both, but I only have the Intel for one. That means that I must win the first mission so that I can pay for the second one.

Getting a UFO is lucky, but I've also been doing all Intel all the time. You eventually start catching the little bastards.

April 30: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (L): Material 8.15
-Not enough soldiers to do a Light S&G :(


Activity is pretty high for a Smash and Grab, but the timer is good. Not enough soldiers, though :(

May 2: Power Relay finished

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:05 pm
by Antifringe
Psieye wrote:I'm certainly noticing the immense drain on my economy from buying lasers for everyone I care about (which is a lot now that I've learnt to squeeze in Recruit phases after spawning missions). My current campaign was 'cursed'/'blessed' with a large number of min/max'd NCE rookies just asking to be put in the GTS. Which meant I was weeks behind on sending some of these bodies out on missions just to guarantee they'd be in the classes I wanted them as. Maybe my initial rookies should be 'house ruled' out of the GTS, I need more slightly mis-fit bodies sooner than ideal bodies later.

I'm also impressed you squeezed in GTS in the 1st supply month despite buying the first 2 scientists and first engineer. I see what you mean about delaying lasers while you get EXOs and Incendiaries out. Do you go Needle Grenades to safely farm Vulture drops?
I make some Needle Grenade people, but mostly for full salvage missions, where they are very handy. They can be retrained late game, if desired.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 2:48 am
by Antifringe
Month 4

A very busy month indeed. Lots and lots of missions, not enough soldiers, not enough gear, not enough supplies, not enough intel. We manage to do a lot of damage to ADVENT, however.



May 3: Alien Debris cleared +20 Elerium
May 3: Recover Item from Vault, New Mexico (L): 28 Intel (probably Lib1) 1.21
-skip

May 3: Laser Weapons -> Sectoid Autopsy (free) -> ADVENT Datapad (2 days)
May 4: ADVENT Datapad ->Advanced Laser Weapons ( 5 days)
May 4: Protect Datatap, New Mexico (LM) 1.1
-not enough soldiers, but the two hack missions are finishing in a few hours

May 4: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer, EastUS (EL)
+32 Intel -25 Intel from rushing +Lib1 1 Wound (13 days unlucky yellow alert through high cover)

May 4: Incendiary Grenades -> Skulljack (4 days)
May 4: Mission: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (L) Don't know why this was L instead of VL
+28 -25 Intel from rush +UFO reveal 2 Wounds (24/27)
-quasi stealth, have to leave Scout in open to get the hack, end up hunkered against the whole map

May 4: UFO, EastUs (M): Material
-have to deal with retal first
-check later with console, was a SuperEmergencyOffworldReinforcements ship!!!

May 4: Mission: Datatap Defense, New Mexico (LM)
+4 Cores
-Shred cannon countered MEC, Sharpshooter had perfect position

May 4: Deploy 6 soldiers to UFO
May 4: Rescue VIP from Cell, EastUs (VL): Scientist 1.14
-skip

May 5: Recruit rebel to WestUS, at 13. Switch to Intel, install scientist advisor
May 5: Raid Convoy, New Mexico: Material 5.19
-have soldiers, but composition is bad. Do it anyway. Have to strip some grenades to fit within 100%. Don't want to spend more Intel

May 7: Mission: Network Tower, WestUS (LM): 28 Intel, Lib4
+28 Intel +Lib4 +Elite Stock +Core
-Easy. Scout gets in, command pod is on roof. Aliens never take a turn.

May 7: Have Intel for new region, but suspect Troop Column in New Mexico. Look for that first
May 8: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (LM): Material 3.17
-Well, I had Intel for Contact. Send five soldiers and will support with Intel

May 8: Rescue VIP, EastUS (VL): Engineer +PoI 2.4
-skip

May 8: Mission: Hack Workstation in Train, New Mexico (VL): 28 Intel +PoI +Counter DE: Shredder (overinfiltrated to 129%)
+28 Intel +Counter DE:Shredder +Core +PoI:Abandoned Colony (Rookies) 2 Wounds (9/16 days)

May 8: Have Intel again. Start Contact with New Australia
May 9: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, EastUS (VL): CPL Gunner +Lib2 6.7
-Send 5 Soldiers

May 9: Advanced Laser Weapons -> Psionics (6 days)
May 9: Skulljack ->Hazmat Vest (4 days) (only thing I can afford)
May 10: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL):Material 1.1
-nope

May 10: Power Coil shielded +70 supply
May 10: Recover Item from Vault, New Mexico (L): 35 Intel (probably Lib1) 5.3
-send 5 soldiers

May 11: Extract VIP, New Mexico (L): Engineer +PoI 12.6
-wait for other missions to clear

May 11: Mission: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (LM) spent Intel to reach 112%
+Corpses (Officerx1,Dronex1,Sectoidx6,trooperx6,Viperx1,MECx1) +core +6 Alloy +6 Elerium +38 Supply -1 ADVENT Strength
-Corner strats, Shredder Cannon, Squadsight, Scout swords

May 12: Dark Event :Alien Conditioning
MAy 12: Contact New AUS ADVENT Strength 3
May 12: Send 5 soldiers to Extract VIP in New Mexico, can overinfiltrate to EL
May 12: Mission UFO, EastUS (L)
+Corpses (MECx3,Viperx3,Stun Lancerx3,Dronex2,Trooperx9,Mutonx1) +3 Cores +Data Cache +26 alloy +16 elerium +75 Supply +1 Avenger Power 2 Wounds ( 14/27 days)
-Incendiary solves the Muton
-Viper autopsy for real this time
-MEC and STun Lancer autopsies are possible
-4 Legions stopped!!!

May 12: Start AWC (14 days)
May 12: Raid Convoy, New Mexico (LM)
+Corpses(Viperx4,Officerx1,Dronex1, Stun Lancerx1,Mutonx2,MECx1,Shieldbearerx1) +5 Cores +13 alloy +13 elerium +76 Supply 1 Wound (12 days)
-Was better prepared for the command pod this time. Shred cannon, Incendiary Grenade, MKII Gremlin, Combative Scout. Vulture is starting to come through. I'll maintain a stock of 10 cores. Everything else gets sold. This is will a major source of income from now on.

May 13: Hazmat Vest -> Talon Rounds (4 days)
-sell excess corpses, cores, suddenly have 350 supply
-Buy Scientist for a steep 130. AWC and psil are going to put stress on my science team
-Buy CPL Ranger for 45 (need more warm bodies)
-do my scanning in New AUS
May 14: Mission: Rescue VIP, EastUS (VL)
+CPL Gunner +3 Core +Lib2

May 14: HQ Assault, WestUS
-Send 6 soldiers, gear up, buy lots of armor/weapons

May 14: Rescue VIP from cell, New AUS (VL): Engineer, +PoI 8.5
-First Den Mother mission! Send DM plus 5 assorted LCPL and CPLs

May 14: Psionics -> Viper Autopsy (free) -> Magnetic Weapons (11 days)
May 14: Start Psilab (dip hard into inventory to fund this)
May 15: Mission: Recover Item from Vault, New Mexico (EL) Spend Intel to boost to 141%
+35 Intel -25 Intel for boost +Core +Sup. Speed PCS (hack) +Lib1

May 16: Extract VIP. New AUS (VL): Engineer 8.1
-Ugh, no more Engineers please. I do it anyway
-Send 5 Soldiers

May 16: Neutralize Target in Vheicle, New AUS: Propganda 7.4
-skip

May 16: Smash and Grab, EastUS (VL): Material 7.1
-out of soldiers, but will come back for

May 18: Talon Rounds -> Gas Grenades
-It's getting harder and harder to find things that I'm willing to sell to keep the PG running
May 18: Destroy Relay, New AUS (EL): 33 Intel +PoI +Counter DE:Tactical Sense 10.1
-Wow, very lucky find. This spawned when New Aus wasn't even contacted yet. I wasn't supposed to be able to find this, and Tac Sense is one of the worst DEs. Will come back for when soldiers are ready.

May 18: Destroy Relay, EastUS (L): 30 Intel +Lib3 6.10
-Not the good Lib3, but I still want it. The waiting list is getting long...

May 18: Extract VIP, New Mexico (VL)
+Engineer +2 Core +Data Cache PoI: Road Traffic (Loot) 2 Wounds (5/12)
-Armor is helping with wound timers. The Cache is excellent

May 18: Deploy soldiers to Lib3 mission in EastUS. Will boost to bring back down to VL
May 18: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL): Material 7.10
-no troops

May 18: Switch WestUS to Supply, assign Engineer as advisor
May 18: Protect Datatap, EastUS (VL) 1.2
-Ugh. Going to run the clock and then boost a mission.

May 18: Alien Debris cleared +72 Supply
May 19: Rescue VIP from cell, New AUS (VL) rushed with Intel to reach 100%
+Engineer +2 Core +PoI:Clinic (3 Avenger Power) Denmother mission: many promotions
-Three hours left on Retal, suddenly have lots of fresh SGTs and CPls

May 19: Mission Defend Datatap, EastUS (VL)
+Elite Stock +Core +many promotions 1 Wound (8 days)
-Ten soldiers +Advisor Send Den Mother plus remaining LCPLs and CPLs
-Advisor is a fuck up

May 19: Send soldiers to the Smash and Grab in WestUS
-going to take advantage of the liberation effect
-May as well send Den Mother along with the last available CPL

May 20: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (L): 27 Intel +UFO 6.1
-You're kidding
-Abort Smash and Grab, do this instead

May 20: Raid Train, WestUS: Material 2.1
-Don't bother, the legion will die in the revolution

May 21: Hack Resistance Computer, New AUS (VL): 21 Intel (probably Lib1) 4.10
-really want this but no soldiers, and not enough Intel left to rush anything

May 22: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (L): Material 8.16
-excellent. Will pick up later

May 23: Gas Grenade -> Skullmining (7 days)
-Expensive but worth it for the +20 hack

Image

Image
Look at all those SGTs

Image
13 missions. Could have done more, but we had manpower issues

Image
Just hours before liberation

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:19 am
by Antifringe
May 3: Laser Weapons -> Sectoid Autopsy (free) -> ADVENT Datapad (2 days)

>Researching Datapads is super bad, since it wastes both science and supply, but I need this.

May 4: ADVENT Datapad ->Advanced Laser Weapons ( 5 days)

>Sure, why not?


May 4: Protect Datatap, New Mexico (LM) 1.1
-not enough soldiers, but the two hack missions are finishing in a few hours


> An incredible amount of action happened during this tiny window of time

May 4: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer, EastUS (EL)
+32 Intel -25 Intel from rushing +Lib1 1 Wound (13 days unlucky yellow alert through high cover)


Had to rush to hit 100%, plus I need people for the pending datatap attack

May 4: Incendiary Grenades -> Skulljack (4 days)

>Skulljacks aren't great, but Skullmining is

May 4: Mission: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (L) Don't know why this was L instead of VL
+28 -25 Intel from rush +UFO reveal 2 Wounds (24/27)
-quasi stealth, have to leave Scout in open to get the hack, end up hunkered against the whole map


>This is the UFO mission. It was a real mess. Four soldiers can't fight 15 aliens when there's a timer. We actually got all the way into the objective room without being spotted. I flamethrowered the guards, but patrols outside starting spotting us through the window. My poor scout had to hack in the open . If I had waited, even more patrols would have showed up, and it would have been even more dangerous. My technical had to fight a delaying action while everyone else fled behind the building to wait out the evac timer. She really should have died. Took 6 35% shots while at 3 health and they all missed.

May 4: UFO, EastUs (M): Material
-have to deal with retal first
-check later with console, was a SuperEmergencyOffworldReinforcements ship!!!


>Wow. They only get one of these a month, and each one creates 4 legions. This is a huge deal.

May 4: Mission: Datatap Defense, New Mexico (LM)
+4 Cores
-Shred cannon countered MEC, Sharpshooter had perfect position


>Geez, finally. Check those cores. That's 80 supply right there.

May 4: Rescue VIP from Cell, EastUs (VL): Scientist 1.14
-skip


>Good mission, bad timer

May 5: Recruit rebel to WestUS, at 13. Switch to Intel, install scientist advisor

I've replaced the two dead rebels. The odds of them both being humans is 70%. I'm going to do Intel until right before liberation

May 5: Raid Convoy, New Mexico: Material 5.19
-have soldiers, but composition is bad. Do it anyway. Have to strip some grenades to fit within 100%. Don't want to spend more Intel


Didn't have a Sharpshooter. This is dangerous, but I want the corpses and the legion kill.

May 7: Mission: Network Tower, WestUS (LM): 28 Intel, Lib4
+28 Intel +Lib4 +Elite Stock +Core
-Easy. Scout gets in, command pod is on roof. Aliens never take a turn.


>Network towers do not deserve their reputation. Easiest mission type, IMO. There's no other mission where 5 soldiers can fight 16 aliens and not even get shot at.

May 7: Have Intel for new region, but suspect Troop Column in New Mexico. Look for that first

>I've been tracking the GOps, and NM is up for a Troop Column again. I'd rather scan for the column than start contact. Australia will still be there in a few days.

May 8: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (LM): Material 3.17
-Well, I had Intel for Contact. Send five soldiers and will support with Intel


>Called it. Now I need more Intel.


May 8: Mission: Hack Workstation in Train, New Mexico (VL): 28 Intel +PoI +Counter DE: Shredder (overinfiltrated to 129%)
+28 Intel +Counter DE:Shredder +Core +PoI:Abandoned Colony (Rookies) 2 Wounds (9/16 days)


>The Rookie PoI is actually kind of good, since psi is around the corner.

May 9: Advanced Laser Weapons -> Psionics (6 days)

>I like psionics. Don't judge me.

May 9: Skulljack ->Hazmat Vest (4 days) (only thing I can afford)

>Hazmat is good for certain mission types.


May 10: Recover Item from Vault, New Mexico (L): 35 Intel (probably Lib1) 5.3
-send 5 soldiers


Finally climbing the lib chain in Mexico.

May 11: Mission: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (LM) spent Intel to reach 112%
+Corpses (Officerx1,Dronex1,Sectoidx6,trooperx6,Viperx1,MECx1) +core +6 Alloy +6 Elerium +38 Supply -1 ADVENT Strength
-Corner strats, Shredder Cannon, Squadsight, Scout swords


>Gotta abuse those power tactics

May 12: Dark Event :Alien Conditioning

>Whatever

May 12: Contact New AUS ADVENT Strength 3 Vigilance 10

>Ugh. Moderate strength and vigilance is almost high enough to choke out GOps. Not the breakthrough into fresh territory I was hoping for.


May 12: Mission UFO, EastUS (L)
+Corpses (MECx3,Viperx3,Stun Lancerx3,Dronex2,Trooperx9,Mutonx1) +3 Cores +Data Cache +26 alloy +16 elerium +75 Supply +1 Avenger Power 2 Wounds ( 14/27 days)
-Incendiary solves the Muton
-MEC and Stun Lancer autopsies are possible
-4 Legions stopped!!!


>I always let the timer expire, since the "penalty" is that you get eight more corpses. MEC and SL stocks are getting high. I 'll probably be able to get the free autopsies at this rate.

May 12: Start AWC (14 days)

>I really need this.

May 12: Raid Convoy, New Mexico (LM)
+Corpses(Viperx4,Officerx1,Dronex1, Stun Lancerx1,Mutonx2,MECx1,Shieldbearerx1) +5 Cores +13 alloy +13 elerium +76 Supply 1 Wound (12 days)
-Was better prepared for the command pod this time. Shred cannon, Incendiary Grenade, MKII Gremlin, Combative Scout. Vulture is starting to come through. I'll maintain a stock of 10 cores. Everything else gets sold. This is will a major source of income from now on.


Harder without squadsight abuse, but the command units all have hard counters.

May 13: Hazmat Vest -> Talon Rounds (4 days)
-sell excess corpses, cores, suddenly have 350 supply
-Buy Scientist for a steep 130. AWC and psi are going to put stress on my science team
-Buy CPL Ranger for 45 (need more warm bodies)

>Spending spree. I just did a Troop Column, Supply Raid, and a UFO, after all.

-do my scanning in New AUS
May 14: Mission: Rescue VIP, EastUS (VL)
+CPL Gunner +3 Core +Lib2


Lame reward, but I wanted Lib2.

May 14: HQ Assault, WestUS
-Send 6 soldiers, gear up, buy lots of armor/weapons


I finally have enough free soldiers. Most of the rest of my supplies go towards gearing these soldiers out. This is my first major batch of lasers and Predator armor.

May 14: Psionics -> Viper Autopsy (free) -> Magnetic Weapons (11 days)
May 14: Start Psilab (dip hard into inventory to fund this)

>Yep


May 16: Extract VIP. New AUS (VL): Engineer 8.1
-Ugh, no more Engineers please. I do it anyway
-Send 5 Soldiers


>A silly decision. I have no use for more Engineers, and New AUS is getting close to the vigilance ceiling for GOps.


May 16: Smash and Grab, EastUS (VL): Material 7.1
-out of soldiers, but will come back for


>I don't actually come back for this :(

May 18: Destroy Relay, New AUS (EL): 33 Intel +PoI +Counter DE:Tactical Sense 10.1
-Wow, very lucky find. This spawned when New Aus wasn't even contacted yet. I wasn't supposed to be able to find this, and Tac Sense is one of the worst DEs. Will come back for when soldiers are ready.


>Yeah, great find.

May 18: Destroy Relay, EastUS (L): 30 Intel +Lib3 6.10
-Not the good Lib3, but I still want it. The waiting list is getting long...


>So many missions. I really want to reveal that network tower so that I can expand more.

May 18: Switch WestUS to Supply, assign Engineer as advisor

>No sense running Intel anymore. The Liberation mission is almost ready. Besides, I want to have some supply income on the books before the monthly review to see if I have a Faceless problem or not. Probably not. Remember, 70% chance that both of those guys were human.

May 18: Protect Datatap, EastUS (VL) 1.2
-Ugh. Going to run the clock and then boost a mission.


>Everything is happening at once. Need more soldiers

May 19: Rescue VIP from cell, New AUS (VL) rushed with Intel to reach 100%
+Engineer +2 Core +PoI:Clinic (3 Avenger Power) Den Mother mission: many promotions
-Three hours left on Retal, suddenly have lots of fresh SGTs and CPls


The Den Mother mission! Very satisfying.

May 19: Mission Defend Datatap, EastUS (VL)
+Elite Stock +Core +many promotions 1 Wound (8 days)
-Ten soldiers +Advisor Send Den Mother plus remaining LCPLs and CPLs
-Advisor is a fuck up


I get to do 2 Den Mother mission back to back!

The advisor was a Scout. She got revealed, and then panicked by a yellow alert Sectoid. The rebels had to protect her instead of the other way around. After the rebs flashbanged as many aliens as possible and dropped smoke on her, she get mindcontrolled. Rebels had to rescue her, again. Jesus.



May 20: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (L): 27 Intel +UFO 6.1
-You're kidding
-Abort Smash and Grab, do this instead


>So yeah, that's another UFO. In the same region. In the same month. Full Intel strats, kids. They're not bad.

May 20: Raid Train, WestUS: Material 2.1
-Don't bother, the legion will die in the revolution


>This will arrive slightly after the liberation mission hits 100%. If I wait, the legion will die in the revolution. Current strength is 4, supply mission brings it up to 5. Liberation sets strength to 1. It does this by killing 4 legions and moving the rest to adjacent regions. Strength 5 is the perfect number, because you get all four legion kills, but no spill over.


May 22: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (L): Material 8.16
-excellent. Will pick up later


>Wasn't expecting this.


Image

O___O Look at that supply loss. That's two faceless. Both of the new guys were spies! 3% odds. I'll have to yank the engineer advisor, install a soldier, and hope I get a Rendezvous, and then recruit two more guys. This was going to be the backbone of my economy, and now it's delayed by at least a month

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 10:52 am
by Psieye
I find it admirable you set aside someone to get Trial by Fire up and running by mid-May. My current (Veteran non-Ironman) campaign is around the same point and there's always another mission to send my healthy bodies to. Currently that means 5 simultaneous infiltrations (one for a Network tower). I only have a single officer (2nd Lt.) and a single EXO suit in exchange for lots of laser weapons and predator armours (all these tank shinobi need to dress up).

Oh and thanks for introducing me to Peek from Concealment - I subscribed to that following a rage-reload when a hole in the roof (S&G) made my stealth scout activate a pod I knew was there. "We saw your stealth guy for 1 tile and now we activate".

On the note of liberation-supply, I think I'd rather work with a <13 region that I know is free of spies than crank out 13 rebels with risk of faceless. At least until I have a 2nd liberated region. I say this while I have a Jailbreak mission about to fire right before the Supply Drop and the region's Network Tower hits 100%...

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 6:00 pm
by Antifringe
Psieye wrote:I find it admirable you set aside someone to get Trial by Fire up and running by mid-May. My current (Veteran non-Ironman) campaign is around the same point and there's always another mission to send my healthy bodies to. Currently that means 5 simultaneous infiltrations (one for a Network tower). I only have a single officer (2nd Lt.) and a single EXO suit in exchange for lots of laser weapons and predator armours (all these tank shinobi need to dress up).

Oh and thanks for introducing me to Peek from Concealment - I subscribed to that following a rage-reload when a hole in the roof (S&G) made my stealth scout activate a pod I knew was there. "We saw your stealth guy for 1 tile and now we activate".

On the note of liberation-supply, I think I'd rather work with a <13 region that I know is free of spies than crank out 13 rebels with risk of faceless. At least until I have a 2nd liberated region. I say this while I have a Jailbreak mission about to fire right before the Supply Drop and the region's Network Tower hits 100%...
Trial By Fire is a recent-ish discovery for me. I used to get officers much later, so when I saw this, I thought "Eh, I'll won't even have anyone that can benefit from that by the time I get it." But then I thought, "Maybe I should just get officers earlier."

It also helps a lot once you get psionics.

Settling for an 11 man haven probably is better but... the odds of getting two humans is 70% 8-)

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 7:17 pm
by Antifringe
EDIT: Due to copy/paste error, I left out the preamble:

My existing regions are starting to get "mined out." Most GOps stop spawning when vigilance hits 13 (you still get Smash and Grabs and Troop Columns). At vigilance 16, only the Smash and Grab remains. At this point, the region can only generate a single mission per month (roughly), and it's one of the harder mission types. The only reason to run Intel anymore is either 1) you still have liberation missions left or 2) you are fishing for rare missions (Supply, UFO, Dark Events). It's bad if all of your regions hit this threshold at once, because your mission density will suddenly tank. You need to expand to avoid this problem.

As for the regions themselves, there are a few things you can do with them:

1) If they have less than 13 rebels, go recruiting. You aren't going to find any more Jailbreaks, so this is the only reliable way to improve the haven now.

2) Liberate. You get a huge upfront resource chunk, and you get a region where you can run full supply "guilt free, " without worrying about missing potential missions. Liberation gives a x1.2 bonus to all resource collection, and you're already getting a x1.2 from the tower, and you should be getting another x1.2 from having an Engineer advisor, and these all stack multiplicatively, so this is very efficient. If it turns out that you have spies, stop and assign a solider to get rid of them. Each faceless is a -20% penalty, which is horrible.

3) Run Intel, possibly with a Scientist advisor. If strength is low and vigilance is high, you can get lots of UFOs and supply convoys. Look for regions that ADVENT seems to be specifically reinforcing, and start bleeding them out. The Scientist advisor is a very large opportunity cost for an unreliable (but powerful) benefit, so only do this if you are happy with your research progress already. The penalty for having spies is much lower for Intel (-5% on Commander), so purging the haven is not as important. You should do a test balloon where you run a rebel on supply for a few days, just to see how bad the situation is. This obviously only works if your other supply-producing havens are clean.

4) Run supply. I only do this after I have the network tower and an Engineer advisor. If I'm not high enough on the liberation chain to expose the tower, I will do Intel instead. Do not tolerate any faceless. If you have even one, you're probably better off running Intel and fishing for rare missions. Send in you best counterintelligence soldiers and find that spy.

4) Wait for vigilance to go back down. If it's almost at threshold, you can just do whatever it is you were doing, but ignore any missions that crop up (obviously do the really good ones, the point of cooking off vigilance is to find more missions, after all). If it's just a few points too high, you can put everyone in hiding, which will quickly reduce vigilance. This is a big opportunity cost, so don't do this is vigilance if extremely high. This can be very effective if strength is high enough to qualify for Troop Columns. Tweak vigilance back down to 15 and then then switch to Intel. You will probably find a Troop Column every month. Switch back to hiding periodically to control vigilance. This is a great way to control ADVENT strength, both locally and globally.


June 4: HQ Assault, WestUS (S)
+Corpses(Turretx4,Dronex6,Viperx4,Sectoidx8,Officerx2,Trooperx11,Stun Lancerx3,Mutonx1,MECx1) +20 alloy +27 elerium +135 Supply +6 Datapad +3 Core +Elite Laser Sight + Super Conditioning PCS +Liberation +PoI:Scorched Earth (Intel) +AVATAR revealed 1 Wound (10 days)

May 24: Switch EastUS to Recruit
May 24: Send soldiers to the Dark Event in New AUS
May 25: Rescue VIP from Vehilce, New Mexico: Engineer +Lib2 0.21
-nope

May 25: Mission: Extract VIP, New AUS (EL): Engineer (had overinfiltrated to 130%)
+Engineer +25 Intel (hack) Wounds (16/24 days)
-Starting to get not worth it. No more wonky compositions.

May 26: Psilab finished, buy upgrade
May 26: Alien Machinery cleared +68 supply +20 alloy
May 26: Build Lab on Power Coil (7 days with Engineer)
May 26: Hire Scientist for 116 supply Hire CPL Sharpshooter
May 26: So much for my inventory
May 26: Mission: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL) Spent Intel to bring to 147%
+27 Intel -25 Intel for rush +Core +Lib3

May 12: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (VL): 30 Intel Prevent Retal 1.12
-Not doable

May 26: Hack Hidden Resistance Computer, New AUS (EL): 36 Intel (probably Lib1) 1.2
-nope

May 26: Jailbreak, New AUS (EL): 3 Rebels 5.1
-Send 4 soldiers, should still have enough for the retal

May 26: Mission: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (EL) spent 25 Intel to reach 150%
+27 Intel -25 Intel for rush +2Core +UFO reveal
May 26: UFO, EastUS: Material 7.1
-Wow
-need to wait for retal

May 26: Mission: Defend Haven, New Mexico (VL)
-send full team. Have only one healthy scout :( Buy a few more weapons and armor
+2 Core -2 Rebels found one spy
haven down to 5
-hacked drone was MVP

May 26: Switch New Mexico to Recruit
-Vigliance is 15. There is probably a troop column here, but whatever

May 26: Send 5 soldiers to attack UFO, can't afford the Intel to send 6
May 26: AWC finished
May 26: Mag Weapons ->Stun Lancer Autopsy (free) -> Advanced Mag Weapons (12 days)
-Now that the SL autopsy is done, I can sell some of them. Had to afford the supply cost of the tech
May 26: Get a rare Engineer recruit from WestUS :/
May 28: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (L) 4.2
-that was lucky. Send 5 men, will use Intel -bad gear, no scout, not good composition

May 29: Mission: Destroy Relay, New AUS (EL)
+33 Intel +2 Core +PoI:Resource Cache (Supplies) +Counter DE: Tac Sense

May 30: Send team to attack Network Tower in EastUS (had to wait for right composition to emerge)
May 30: Skullmining -> Autoloaders
-Whatever, I'm just filling space with whatever I can afford
May 31: Mission: Jailbreak, New AUS (EL)
+3 Rebels +2 Rebels (hack) +Core 3 KIA
-Suffer not the weak and incompetent

May 31: Rendevous, New Mexico
-you're kidding
+Corpses (Officerx2,Trooperx4,Facelessx) +Elite Autoloader 1 Rebel KIA
-crit through high cover on yellow alert. It happens

May 31: Smash and Grab, New AUS (EL):material 5.2
-Send 5 soldiers, but vig is already at 10
-1st psi soldiers deployed, can't afford Neurowhips :(

June 1: Mission: Ambush Troop Column, Nex Mexico (VL) spent 25 Intel to bring to 124%
+Corpses(Viperx3,Sectoidx1,Trooperx4,Stun Lancerx1) -1 ADVENT Strength 1 Wound (17 days)
-Hardcore camping, no Scout, Ranger had SMG, Gas Grenade was the star

June 1: UFO, East US (L)
+Corpses(Mutonx1,Dronex2,Sectoidx4,MECx3,Stun Lancerx1,Officerx1) +23 Alloy +23 Elerium +68 Supply +2 Core +Datapd +1 Avenger Power
-Mindshield MVP
-Was a normal 2-legion UFO

June 1: Rendvous WestUS
+Corpses (Officerx,Trooperx3,Facelessx2) 2 Spies removed
-nice, Den Mother comes through
-DM qualifies for Lead By Example now

June 2: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL):Material 1.18
-the last gasp from the old intel in NM. Pass

June 2: WestUS reaches 13 strength, switch to supply, assign Engineer
-let's hope the new guys are legit this time

June 2: Recover Item from Train, New AUS (EL): 24 Intel +PoI 10.1
-Send 6 soldiers, including two Rookies

June 3: Autoloaders -> Venom Rounds (5 days)
June 3: Evac Resistance Recruiters, EastUS (VL): Unhindered Operations 1.1
-send full team. Den Mother takes along the last CPLs and some of the PsiOps
1 Wound (9 days)
-map is clear by turn 4, then just run
-light wound on the psiop due to blind angle yellow alert

June 3: Lab finished, buy all upgrades
June 4: Dark Event: Rural Checkpoints (hurts supply efficiency)
-oh come fucking on
-Switch WestUS to Recruit, assign soldier advisor
June 5: Recover Item, New AUS (EL):Intel 32 (probably Lib1) 1.7
-next time, for sure

June 6: Smash and Grab, New AUS (EL) had to spend intel to boost to 133%
+4 boxes (74 Supply +15 alloy + Core)

June 6:Mission: Network Tower, EastUS (LM)
+:27 Intel +2 Core +Lib4

June 6: Start Contacting WestEU
June 7: Advanced Mag Weapons -> MEC Breakdown (free) -> Mobile Armor (5 days)
June 7: Venom Rounds -> Bluescreen (2 days)
June 7: Rendezvous, EastUS
+Corpses(Trooperx1,Dronex2,Officerx1,Facelessx2) -2 spies Wound ( 9days)
-Advisor got hurt
-Haven down from 14 to 12

June 7: EastUS recruits a rebel, reaching 13, switch to Intel
June 9: Contact WestEU (S:2 V:3 Rebels:5)
-Set all to Intel

June 9: Mission: Recover Item from Vehicle, New AUS (EL)
+24 Intel +PoI: mass Grave (Alien Alloys)
-lots of Mk IIs, ballsitics are getting too weak

June 11: Hack Workstation on Train, New AUS (EL): 25 INtel (probably Lib1) 6.1
-send 5 soldiers
-gotcha this time

June 11: switch New AUS to hide
-vig at 12

June 11: Hack Workstation on Train, WestEU (EL):27 Intel, PoI 8.16
-1st mission in new region
-long timer, so I decide to use it for training. Buy up all the rookies in the recruit tab
-send 3 Rookies 2 Squaddies and a SGT chaperone
-no need for Den Mother, they'll all levelup no matter what

June 11: Alien Machinery cleared +28 elerium
June 11: Mobile Armor -> Resistance Radio (4 days)
-first time I've had the spare Intel
June 12: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL):Material 3.6
-ignore

June 12: Power Coil shielded +56 Supply +18 Alloy
June 14: Jailbreak, WestUE (EL): 6 Rebels 7.3
-Send 4 soldiers and a rookie
-jackpot mission


Image
So many Engineers, so little work for them

Image
The psychics have added some bulk to the roster. This point, I've hit my recruitment goals for each class. I still want 8-10 more soldiers as haven advisors and spare parts. Den Mother is a TSGT/Major now, and I gave her Lead By Example, which will be very helpful. She qualifies for Lt. Colonel, but her time is valuable right now. I'd probably take Fire Discipline over Defilade. Defilade is the better perk over all, but she is going to be doing a lot of Rendezvous and Extremely Light missions, and those are all about a single round of glorious overwatching.

Cubmaster also has Trail By Fire now. I made two TBF officers mostly as a hedge against disaster, but it'll be nice to have them both. It makes juggling the new psions a lot easier.

Image
EastUS has a delta of 21 points! That's adding 210 hours to the AVATAR timer, just right there. It is also going to be attracting UFOs and supply convoys like crazy. I'm going to bleed ADVENT for as long as I can, and then liberate when it gets unmanageable, which will kill yet again 4 more legions.

WestUS is doing something weird right now. I'll explain in the breakdown post.

Image

No supply, but for Reasons.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 8:04 pm
by Antifringe
June 4: HQ Assault, WestUS (S)
+Corpses(Turretx4,Dronex6,Viperx4,Sectoidx8,Officerx2,Trooperx11,Stun Lancerx3,Mutonx1,MECx1) +20 alloy +27 elerium +135 Supply +6 Datapad +3 Core +Elite Laser Sight + Super Conditioning PCS +Liberation +PoI:Scorched Earth (Intel) +AVATAR revealed 1 Wound (10 days)


>Glorious. Let me talk about HQ Assaults for a bit. You need a Scout, a Sharpshooter, a Specialist with Trojan Virus, enough soldiers to make Overwatch reliable, a way to shred armor, and a way to control the General.

The bulk of my squad hides in a corner and does not approach the buildings. I do not want them to engage the enemy at all right now. The Scout carefully probes the map, searching for drones and turrets. The Specialist moves along the edge of the map, jockeying for LoS on the mechanicals. Her job is to silently murder as many of them as possible using Trojan Virus. It's an uncharged cooldown ability, so take your time and be greedy. Preempt the turrets, and swat drones. There are always 2 pairs of Drones, so find them and kill them so that they don't annoy you during the real battle.

By now you should know where the pods are, so set up shop on top of a building with your squad. Look for pods that are 2-3 turns away, and kill the strongest alien with your Sharpshooter each turn. Do not activate more than one pod at a time this way. Only shoot at aliens that belong to the pod you just activated. The survivors will trickle in and die to your overwatch wall. Then do this to another pod.

Sometimes things go bad and you have to fight lots of aliens at once. Whatever, that's just a normal mission. Your squad should be strong enough to handle it. Once you've cleared the map, find the absolute farthest point your Sharp can stand and still see the command pod. it will probably be in a building, and you will probably have to be standing on ground level to get the angle right. The guy with the incendiary grenade should be placed forward, but in a way that LoS is completely blocked. His job is to pop out and burn the General. The MECs eat squadsight Trojan Virus if your hack is enough to get 100%, and Combat Protocols if it isn't. Pop a shred cannon or a HEAT grenade on the General so that you can finish him quickly.



May 24: Switch EastUS to Recruit

>This region is mined out. Time to recruit. I expect that I have spies, so I'm going to over recruit a bit.


May 25: Mission: Extract VIP, New AUS (EL): Engineer (had overinfiltrated to 130%)
+Engineer +25 Intel (hack) Wounds (16/24 days)
-Starting to get not worth it. No more wonky compositions.


Doing this mission was a bad call. I don't need the Engineer, and New AUS is getting close to being mined out. I also sent a weird collection of soldiers because I didn't have the right composition available. I now have two heavy wounds and any future composition problems will now be that much more complicated. I'm past the point where I need to be doing missions for the sake of doing missions.

>May 26 was a busy day:

May 26: Psilab finished, buy upgrade
May 26: Alien Machinery cleared +68 supply +20 alloy
May 26: Build Lab on Power Coil (7 days with Engineer)
May 26: Hire Scientist for 116 supply Hire CPL Sharpshooter
May 26: So much for my inventory
May 26: Mission: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL) Spent Intel to bring to 147%
+27 Intel -25 Intel for rush +Core +Lib3


I really want that network tower so that I can start expanding again. I absolutely don't have enough Intel to pay the remote contact penalty.

May 26: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (VL): 30 Intel Prevent Retal 1.12
-Not doable


Annoying. I'll have to make sure I have ten soldiers available when this pops.

May 26: Hack Hidden Resistance Computer, New AUS (EL): 36 Intel (probably Lib1) 1.2
-nope


>I really want the lib chain so I can start getting more towers, but this is not viable.

May 26: Jailbreak, New AUS (EL): 3 Rebels 5.1
-Send 4 soldiers, should still have enough for the retal


Oh man, I really want this one, and I have to do it now, but that retaliation is tomorrow. It's EL, so four soldiers might be enough. Their gear is horrible though.

May 26: Mission: Hack Workstation in Facility, EastUS (EL) spent 25 Intel to reach 150%
+27 Intel -25 Intel for rush +2Core +UFO reveal
May 26: UFO, EastUS: Material 7.1
-Wow
-need to wait for retal


>Yep, that was a UFO alright. Second one in a row. Gotta wait for that retal...

May 26: Mission: Defend Haven, New Mexico (VL)
-send full team. Have only one healthy scout :( Buy a few more weapons and armor
+2 Core -2 Rebels found one spy
haven down to 5
-hacked drone was MVP


>God, finally. A drone that I hacked on turn one ended up being a critical asset. It's good to have a suicide unit that can brashly scout and distract distant pods from killing your rebels.

May 26: Switch New Mexico to Recruit
-Vigliance is 15. There is probably a troop column here, but whatever


>New Mexico is in trouble. It only has 5 rebels now, and Vigilance is so high that Jailbreaks just aren't an option anymore. I have to recruit. Lib3 is so distant right now, and I might not make it before strength becomes untenable.

May 26: Send 5 soldiers to attack UFO, can't afford the Intel to send 6

>Five strong soldiers with good gear should be enough. I really wanted that sixth soldier, but I'm not going to underinfiltrate this, and there's not enough Intel to go around.

May 26: AWC finished

>Very helpful.

May 26: Mag Weapons ->Stun Lancer Autopsy (free) -> Advanced Mag Weapons (12 days)
-Now that the SL autopsy is done, I can sell some of them. Had to to afford the supply cost of the tech
May 26: Get a rare Engineer recruit from WestUS :/

>Lame. Worse than a rookie at this point. I wish there was more we could do with Engineers.

>Geez, that was all in one day.

May 28: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (L) 4.2
-that was lucky. Send 5 men, will use Intel -bad gear, no scout, not good composition


>Ha! Mexico isn't running Intel anymore. I got this with the leftover Intel that was already in the pool. I do not have the right team for this, and I am doing in anyway. New Mexico is in danger of being a failed haven, and setting back ADVENT strength might be the edge it needs.

May 29: Mission: Destroy Relay, New AUS (EL)
+33 Intel +2 Core +PoI:Resource Cache (Supplies) +Counter DE: Tac Sense


>Excellent pick up.

May 30: Send team to attack Network Tower in EastUS (had to wait for right composition to emerge)

>The tower will give me affordable contact with two more regions. It will also make Intel collection more efficient.

May 30: Skullmining -> Autoloaders
-Whatever, I'm just filling space with whatever I can afford

>There's an argument for just letting the PG go idle rather than do this project. I can't help myself.

May 31: Mission: Jailbreak, New AUS (EL)
+3 Rebels +2 Rebels (hack) +Core 3 KIA
-Suffer not the weak and incompetent


>So remember that Jailbreak that I had to send a weak team on? Yeah. At least I didn't lose any gear. The highest ranked soldier was a SGT, so this is replaceable. Don't feel too bad, science has demonstrated that soldiers can't feel pain or even experience emotions until at least TSGT.


May 31: Rendevous, New Mexico
-you're kidding
+Corpses (Officerx2,Trooperx4,Facelessx) +Elite Autoloader 1 Rebel KIA
-crit through high cover on yellow alert. It happens


New Mexico just went through a retaliation, so I know it was clean before I started recruiting. The very first new guy was a spy :/ And then I lost a rebel in the fighting. Ugh. Down to 4 rebels. Not good.


May 31: Smash and Grab, New AUS (EL):material 5.2
-Send 5 soldiers, but vig is already at 10
-1st psi soldiers deployed, can't afford Neurowhips :(


I kind of want to preserve vigilance so that I can shop for Jailbreaks and Scientist rescues, but a good Smash and Grab would help a lot. It;s just that S&Gs can spawn anywhere, and this is a region that is almost mined out.

June 1: Mission: Ambush Troop Column, New Mexico (VL) spent 25 Intel to bring to 124%
+Corpses(Viperx3,Sectoidx1,Trooperx4,Stun Lancerx1) -1 ADVENT Strength 1 Wound (17 days)
-Hardcore camping, no Scout, Ranger had SMG, Gas Grenade was the star


Man, what a weird comp. The Ranger accidentally got assigned an SMG, which sucked. The huge AoE on the Gas Grenade saved my bacon when an 8 man rainbow pod burst onto the scene.

June 1: UFO, East US (L)
+Corpses(Mutonx1,Dronex2,Sectoidx4,MECx3,Stun Lancerx1,Officerx1) +23 Alloy +23 Elerium +68 Supply +2 Core +Datapd +1 Avenger Power
-Mindshield MVP
-Was a normal 2-legion UFO


My Scout got spotted early (it happens). Hunker + Hazmat +Mindshield let her safely provide spotting info for the Sharpshooter without concealment. The Mindshield probably blocked six or seven psychic attacks, and the Hazmat blocked two poison attempts. You do have to watch out of explosives when you do this, so treat MECs with respect. Or with Trojan Virus :)

June 1: Rendezvous WestUS
+Corpses (Officerx,Trooperx3,Facelessx2) 2 Spies removed
-nice, Den Mother comes through
-DM qualifies for Lead By Example now


I had assigned DM to my liberated zone, hoping she would find the spies quickly. She did, as it turns out.

June 2: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL):Material 1.18
-the last gasp from the old intel in NM. Pass


Ha! That old Intel is still finding stuff. Barely.

June 2: WestUS reaches 13 strength, switch to supply, assign Engineer
-let's hope the new guys are legit this time


>I was encouraged by how quickly DM found the spies, so I'm willing to take this chance.

June 2: Recover Item from Train, New AUS (EL): 24 Intel +PoI 10.1
-Send 6 soldiers, including two Rookies


Time to start replacing all those dead soldiers.

June 3: Evac Resistance Recruiters, EastUS (VL): Unhindered Operations 1.1
-send full team. Den Mother takes along the last CPLs and some of the PsiOps
1 Wound (9 days)
-map is clear by turn 4, then just run
-light wound on the psiop due to blind angle yellow alert


The dreaded recruit retal, and it wasn't so bad. Don't try to race for the Evac, just try to clear the map, and THEN race for the Evac. You have 10 soldiers, plus maybe an advisor, so you have lots of powerful options.

June 3: Lab finished, buy all upgrades

>I needed this. AWC +Psilab hurts your science so bad.

June 4: Dark Event: Rural Checkpoints (hurts supply efficiency)
-oh come fucking on
-Switch WestUS to Recruit, assign soldier advisor

AAAAUUUUUGHHHHH! I finally get things set up, and then this happens. It's a 50% penalty to supply, which is awful. I decide to run full Recruit in WestUS. I'm going to deliberately over recruit and then just purge the inevitable spies. This will also generate lots of Rookies, which I legitimately need.

June 5: Recover Item, New AUS (EL):Intel 32 (probably Lib1) 1.7
-next time, for sure


>yeah, this happens a lot with young havens.

June 6: Smash and Grab, New AUS (EL) had to spend intel to boost to 133%
+4 boxes (74 Supply +15 alloy + Core)


>Helpful

June 6:Mission: Network Tower, EastUS (LM)
+:27 Intel +2 Core +Lib4

June 6: Start Contacting WestEU

Gotta get some fresh ground here. Everything is getting mined out.

June 7: Advanced Mag Weapons -> MEC Breakdown (free) -> Mobile Armor (5 days)

Oh cool, a free MEC autopsy. That's rare.

June 7: Rendezvous, EastUS
+Corpses(Trooperx1,Dronex2,Officerx1,Facelessx2) -2 spies Wound ( 9days)
-Advisor got hurt
-Haven down from 14 to 12


EastUS is probably clean. I'll replace one of the rebels and then go Intel. I'll leave a soldier advisor for a while, mostly because I can't afford to assign a Scientist.

June 7: EastUS recruits a rebel, reaching 13, switch to Intel

>yep

June 9: Contact WestEU (S:2 V:3 Rebels:5)
-Set all to Intel


>New region, and it isn't horrible.

June 9: Mission: Recover Item from Vehicle, New AUS (EL)
+24 Intel +PoI: mass Grave (Alien Alloys)
-lots of Mk IIs, ballsitics are getting too weak


>I finally need to start caring about the incremental upgrades.

June 11: Hack Workstation on Train, New AUS (EL): 25 INtel (probably Lib1) 6.1
-send 5 soldiers
-gotcha this time


>God, finally

June 11: switch New AUS to hide
-vig at 12


I'm doing Lib1, which will kick this up to 13. I'm going to do a controlled vigilance burn off. I'm fishing for either a Jailbreak or a Scientist rescue.

June 11: Hack Workstation on Train, WestEU (EL):27 Intel, PoI 8.16
-1st mission in new region
-long timer, so I decide to use it for training. Buy up all the rookies in the recruit tab
-send 3 Rookies 2 Squaddies and a SGT chaperone
-no need for Den Mother, they'll all levelup no matter what


The new region gives me opportunities to train the newbies.

June 11: Mobile Armor -> Resistance Radio (4 days)
-first time I've had the spare Intel

>Ever since 1.4, this tech has been low priority for me. The free network towers are amazing and aren't tech dependent. The only real benefit is that it unlocks continent bonuses, which you won't even qualify for until midgame.


June 14: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL): 6 Rebels 7.3
-Send 4 soldiers and a rookie
-jackpot mission


Excellent.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 11:39 pm
by Antifringe
My original plan was to liberate EastUs once strength hits 5, but I don't think that's a good idea. Vigilance is through the roof because of all of those UFOs I've caught there. Liberating it would zero out all of those points and significantly aid the AVATAR project. I think I'd prefer to double down on my current strat and assign a scientist advisor. High vigilance means more UFOs and supply convoys, which creates more vigilance, etc. At some point, strength will get too high. Vigilance is too high for Troop Columns (by a lot), so strength will never go down. At that point, I can either run Supply or even hide. With so much vigilance present, ADVENT will keep trying to cram more and ore legions into a region that I'm not even using anymore, which suits me fine. But in the meantime, I'm going to bleed them as much as I can. I've caught a UFO there every month so far.

I do want a second liberated region, but New Mexico or new Australia look like better candidates. Vigilance is in the teens, so the vig loss isn't so bad.



June 15: Hack Workstation in Facility, WestEU (EL):26 Intel (probably Lib1) 2.9
-Ignore. Will catch on the respawn

-Switch WestEU to recruit
June 15: Resistance Radio -> Elerium (8 days)
June 15: Recover Item from Vault, EastUS (L): 24 Intel 5.11
-haha no way
-send six veteran soldiers and will boost with Intel, I'm expecting trouble

June 16:Sabotage Monument, WestEU (EL): Propaganda
-no thanks

June 16: Hack Workstation, New AUS (EL):
+26 Intel +Elite Supressor +Lib1

June 19: Alien Debris cleared +90 Supply last room cleared
June 19: Extract VIP, New AUS (VL): Engineer +PoI 8.10
-no more Engineers please. I want to conserve vigilance in this region
-pass

June 20: Mission: Hack Workstation in Train, WestEU (EL) 27 Intel +
+27 Intel +Elite Autoloader +PoI:Service Depot (Supplies)
-promoted 2 Rookies and 2 Squaddies. Was maybe a little ambitious.

June 20: Rural Checkpoints expire, switch WestUS to Supply
June 21: Mission: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL)
+6 Rebels +Contact Cost Reduction (hack) +Core
-gunpowder not cutting the mustard here
-Vipers flee into locked cells O__O
-More like Run and Stungun, amirite?
-exciting chase to the evac

June 21: Mission: recover Item from Vault, EastUS (L) used Intel to reach 107%
+24 Intel -25 Intel for rush +Core +UFO reveal
-Dangerous mission. All troopers were Tier 2, and had first Tier 2 Viper

June 21: UFO, EastUS (M) 6.2
-Send 6 soldiers, all experienced, with best gear that I can manage, will have to boost with Intel to clear 100%

June 22: Extra VIP, WestEU (EL): Scientist +Facility Lead 1.0
-ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

June 22: Hire scientist for 107 supply. UFO will refilled my supply
June 23: Elerium -> Coilguns
June 23: Switch New AUS to Intel
-Vigilance down to 11

June 24: Destroy Relay, New AUS (VL): 29 Intel +Counter DE: Hidden 11.16
-Send Cubmaster +6 psions +1 LCPL

June 24: Supply Train, EastUS (EL):Materiel 2.21
-send 4 soldiers, will boost to 89%

June 26: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL):26 Intel +Stop Retaliation 5.9
-send 5 soldiers, will boost with Intel
-ugh, my poor Intel

June 27: Smash and Grab, New AUS (VL):Materiel 1.10
-nope

June 27: Hack Resistance Computer, WestEU (EL):30 Intel probably Lib1 2.15
-too bad

June 27: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, WestEU (EL): Scientist 5.19
-Send 4 soldiers +a Squaddie for training. Had to juggle gear a bit to get under the timer

June 28: Mission: Raid Train, EastUS (L) used Intel to reach 90%
-25 Intel for rush, no loot
-First pod is 3 Mutons, 2 Naja, Sidewinder, and Berserker
-Nope
-Evac

June 28: UFO, EastUS (M) use Intel to reach 123%
+Corpses(Viperx11, Trooperx11, MECx3, Officerx1, Shieldbearerx1, Dronex1) +2 Core +Elite Scope +26 Alloy +27 Elerium +100 Supply +1 Avenger Power 1 Wound (10 days)
-It's amazing what six TSGTs can accomplish

June 28: Start Resistance Communications (7 days)
June 29: Mission: Protect Datatap, New AUS (L) 1.1
+2 Core
-no need to wait, my barracks is largely idle

June 29: Smash and Grab, WestEU (EL):Materiel 5.21eggg
-Den Mother a CPL and 3 others. Have to fiddle with gear to get under the timer

June 29: New Mexico reaches 10 rebels, switch to Intel
-Vigilance is 13, strength is 4
-Assign EastUS a scientist advisor

June 30: Mission: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL) spent Intel to boost to 139%
+26 Intel -25 Intel for boost +4 Core +Retal prevented

July 1: Smash and Grab, EastUS (L): Materiel 9.3
-Send six strong soldiers
-Strength five region, not a fan of that, but that's a good timer

July 1: Ambush Troop Column, New AUS (L): Materiel 10.2e
-send six soldiers, one of whom is a squaddie

July 2: Mission: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, WestEU (EL)
+Scientist +Super Agility PCS +Datapad 1 Wound (4 days)

July 2: Supply Train, New AUS (LM):Materiel 4.1
-Send 5 soldiers, can barely boost to 100%
-unhappy about gear and composition. No specialist, few lasers. one Kevlar vest

July 3: Recover Item from Train, WestEU (EL)32 Intel (probably Lib1) 5.17
-Send soldiers. Have to juggle gear to make it work. Two of the soldiers are Squaddies. Hitting saturation again
July 3: Mission: Smash and Grab, WestEU (EL)
+4 Boxes (20 alloy +11 elerium +43 supply) +3 core

July 3: Hack Workstation in Facility, WestUE (EL):25 Intel +PoI 10.1
-send six soldiers, mostly kevlar and ballistics


Image
The Avenger is mostly done

Image

Image
So much vigilance in EastUS

Image
Sigh, still one spy left. I'll assign an officer and find it.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:00 am
by Antifringe
-Switch WestEU to recruit

>All its missions had spawned, so I did a quick recruit round

June 15: Resistance Radio -> Elerium (8 days)

Moving towards Coil Guns and Tier 2 psionics

June 15: Recover Item from Vault, EastUS (L): 24 Intel 5.11
-haha no way
-send six veteran soldiers and will boost with Intel, I'm expecting trouble


Another UFO. EastUS must be where the cheap space parking is.


June 19: Alien Debris cleared +90 Supply last room cleared

From now on, engineers are mostly pointless. I have more than enough to man all the stations and to act as advisors.

June 19: Extract VIP, New AUS (VL): Engineer +PoI 8.10
-no more Engineers please. I want to conserve vigilance in this region
-pass


As mentioned last time, New AUS is close to the vigilance cap for missions, and most of my other regions are mined out.


June 20: Mission: Hack Workstation in Train, WestEU (EL) 27 Intel +
+27 Intel +Elite Autoloader +PoI:Service Depot (Supplies)
-promoted 2 Rookies and 2 Squaddies. Was maybe a little ambitious.


This worked, but it will be the last time a send a squad with such a high proportion of low ranking soldiers. I had a stunned advanced officer, and it took four soldiers actions to kill him. At point blank range. What is this, a torture simulator?

June 20: Rural Checkpoints expire, switch WestUS to Supply

>God, finally. Too bad it turned out that there was a spy.

June 21: Mission: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL)
+6 Rebels +Contact Cost Reduction (hack) +Core
-gunpowder not cutting the mustard here
-Vipers flee into locked cells O__O
-More like Run and Stungun, amirite?
-exciting chase to the evac


>Still using mostly ballistics. The vipers in the jailroom actually scattered into the cells, which were locked :/ Total bullshit. Ballistic shotguns don't do enough damage anymore, even on crit. My assaults are using their R&G to use their stunguns, because at least those will work.

June 21: Mission: recover Item from Vault, EastUS (L) used Intel to reach 107%
+24 Intel -25 Intel for rush +Core +UFO reveal
-Dangerous mission. All troopers were Tier 2, and had first Tier 2 Viper


>This mission got higher priority for my good gear, so it was okay. But it was still dangerous.

June 21: UFO, EastUS (M) 6.2
-Send 6 soldiers, all experienced, with best gear that I can manage, will have to boost with Intel to clear 100%


>Taking this one seriously.

June 22: Extra VIP, WestEU (EL): Scientist +Facility Lead 1.0
-ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff


>Aww man, a facility lead, but no timer. Plus a Scientist!

June 22: Hire scientist for 107 supply. UFO will refill my supply

>Speaking of which...

June 23: Elerium -> Coilguns

>who knows, maybe I'll make some of these!

June 23: Switch New AUS to Intel
-Vigilance down to 11


New AUS was doing a hiding cycle to re-enable GOps.

June 24: Destroy Relay, New AUS (VL): 29 Intel +Counter DE: Hidden 11.16
-Send Cubmaster +6 psions +1 LCPL


>Big timer, time to do some hardcore bootcamp for the stragglers.

June 24: Supply Train, EastUS (EL):Materiel 2.21
-send 4 soldiers, will boost to 89%


>Very risky, but I want to control strength in EastUS because there's no longer a way to remove it once it gets there.

June 26: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL):26 Intel +Stop Retaliation 5.9
-send 5 soldiers, will boost with Intel
-ugh, my poor Intel


I>'m trying to bank Intel, but I have to stop this.

June 27: Hack Resistance Computer, WestEU (EL):30 Intel probably Lib1 2.15
-too bad


> More missed shots at Lib1. Maybe next time.

June 27: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, WestEU (EL): Scientist 5.19
-Send 4 soldiers +a Squaddie for training. Had to juggle gear a bit to get under the timer


I'm using the Extremely Lights to train Rookies and Squaddies, but only one at a time, now. LCP and CPL get sent on Den Mother or Cubmaster missions instead.

June 28: Mission: Raid Train, EastUS (L) used Intel to reach 90%
-25 Intel for rush, no loot
-First pod is 3 Mutons, 2 Naja, Sidewinder, and Berserker
-Nope
-Evac


Yeah, fuck that. Can't handle it with a four man unit. This would have been a wipe without the Scout, since I didn't have squad concealment. As it was, I was able to hide in a corner and evac without ADVENT ever even knowing we were here. I guess EastUS gets that strength point after all.


June 28: UFO, EastUS (M) use Intel to reach 123%
+Corpses(Viperx11, Trooperx11, MECx3, Officerx1, Shieldbearerx1, Dronex1) +2 Core +Elite Scope +26 Alloy +27 Elerium +100 Supply +1 Avenger Power 1 Wound (10 days)
-It's amazing what six TSGTs can accomplish


>Crazy battle against 12 aliens at a time. TSGTs have wildly powerful abilities.

June 28: Start Resistance Communications (7 days)

>Last major facility until the Shadow Chamber.

June 29: Mission: Protect Datatap, New AUS (L) 1.1
+2 Core
-no need to wait, my barracks is largely idle


>Swatted without incident.

June 29: Smash and Grab, WestEU (EL):Materiel 5.21eggg
-Den Mother a CPL and 3 others. Have to fiddle with gear to get under the timer


>Haven't had one of these in a while.

June 29: New Mexico reaches 10 rebels, switch to Intel
-Vigilance is 13, strength is 4
-Assign EastUS a scientist advisor


>New Mexico has recovered enough that it can start Intel again. Smash and Grab and Troop Columns are the only possible GOps, but that's pretty good. I also want more Lib chain missions here.

I also move a Scientist to EastUS to double down on the UFO/convoy hunting. Maybe I could have gotten that last convoy if I had had a Scientist helping out.


June 30: Mission: Destroy Relay, EastUS (VL) spent Intel to boost to 139%
+26 Intel -25 Intel for boost +4 Core +Retal prevented


>good

July 1: Smash and Grab, EastUS (L): Materiel 9.3
-Send six strong soldiers
-Strength five region, not a fan of that, but that's a good timer


>Smash and Grab is a difficult mission type, and Light is pushing it. But I had enough time to send a six man squad with good ranks, gear, and composition.

July 1: Ambush Troop Column, New AUS (L): Materiel 10.2
-send six soldiers, one of whom is a squaddie


>An easier mission, so I feel comfortable training a Squaddie with it. One squaddie.


July 2: Mission: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, WestEU (EL)
+Scientist +Super Agility PCS +Datapad 1 Wound (4 days)


Been hurting for Scientists.

July 2: Supply Train, New AUS (LM):Materiel 4.1
-Send 5 soldiers, can barely boost to 100%
-unhappy about gear and composition. No specialist, few lasers. one Kevlar vest


>Getting saturated, but these are important opportunities. I'll have concealment, so I can look before deciding to commit.

July 3: Recover Item from Train, WestEU (EL)32 Intel (probably Lib1) 5.17
-Send soldiers. Have to juggle gear to make it work. Two of the soldiers are Squaddies. Hitting saturation again


>This is pushing it. But I don't have anything else to send.

July 3: Mission: Smash and Grab, WestEU (EL)
+4 Boxes (20 alloy +11 elerium +43 supply) +3 core

>helpful

July 3: Hack Workstation in Facility, WestUE (EL):25 Intel +PoI 10.1
-send six soldiers, mostly kevlar and ballistics


>Mostly the spare SGTs from the Den Mother missions. It's what I have. And I need that Intel.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:58 am
by Psieye
Antifringe wrote:My original plan was to liberate EastUs once strength hits 5, but I don't think that's a good idea. Vigilance is through the roof because of all of those UFOs I've caught there. Liberating it would zero out all of those points and significantly aid the AVATAR project. I think I'd prefer to double down on my current strat and assign a scientist advisor. High vigilance means more UFOs and supply convoys, which creates more vigilance, etc. At some point, strength will get too high. Vigilance is too high for Troop Columns (by a lot), so strength will never go down. At that point, I can either run Supply or even hide. With so much vigilance present, ADVENT will keep trying to cram more and ore legions into a region that I'm not even using anymore, which suits me fine. But in the meantime, I'm going to bleed them as much as I can. I've caught a UFO there every month so far.
That's a point. My home region (EastUS) is at Str 5, with tower revealed and has 8 rebels after a retal and a rendezvous. I ponder if I should even attempt to liberate it anymore - troop columns and maybe UFOs (plus Intel from stopping DEs/retals) with AVATAR blocking vigilance seems more valuable than a liberated 8-rebel region. I'm about to liberate West Europe (infiltrating HQ now) and I need to fish for Lib3 in New Mexico.

Turns out Blacksite spawned on the opposite side of my expansion direction (i.e. in Australia with no path from South America), so now I have to give WestUS lots of lib attention. Knowing a newly contacted region has the possibility to start with 10 Vigilance does put a dampener, but I'm getting low-Vig GOps there for now.

Oh and I see why you prefer EXO rush to mass lasers now. Aborted stealth for Network Tower with a shred on 2 overlapping pods. Such ridiculous ease of wiping 2 pods in 1 turn.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:53 pm
by faket15
I like your ideas a lot and think this format is perfect. You know how to explain your decisions very well and I find myself wanting to start a new campaign just to test some of them myself (especially the early PG/delayed lasers and the combination of scientist advisor and full intel on high strength/high vigilance regions). Please, continue and maybe try a Legend campaign later. In my experience the combination of lower intel rewards and higher cost to contact regions makes intel boosting a lot harder to do.

I would also like to see your builds and typical loadouts with maybe some explanations about your choices.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2017 4:31 am
by Antifringe
Psieye wrote:Oh and I see why you prefer EXO rush to mass lasers now. Aborted stealth for Network Tower with a shred on 2 overlapping pods. Such ridiculous ease of wiping 2 pods in 1 turn.
I privately call it the "Balance Cannon," and every time I wipe a pod with it I shout "BALANCED!" That being said, it really is only out of line if you get it early, and that comes at the cost of lasers, so it's probably fine. Once Tier 2 aliens become common, it stops being a mass kill and becomes a nice AoE effect that you can bolt onto a class that normally doesn't have such an ability.
faket15 wrote:I like your ideas a lot and think this format is perfect. You know how to explain your decisions very well and I find myself wanting to start a new campaign just to test some of them myself (especially the early PG/delayed lasers and the combination of scientist advisor and full intel on high strength/high vigilance regions). Please, continue and maybe try a Legend campaign later. In my experience the combination of lower intel rewards and higher cost to contact regions makes intel boosting a lot harder to do.

I would also like to see your builds and typical loadouts with maybe some explanations about your choices.
Thanks. It's always good to hear that I'm not just writing to an empty room. Legend is... Legend. We'll see.

Truth be told, my soldier builds and loadouts aren't all that interesting or even well thought out. I rarely bother shifting gear between inactive and active soldiers, and I almost never custom tailor gear to a mission. I just can't stand the micomanagement. I'll do a little bit of tinkering for the really big missions, but that's about it.

I treat the game more as a strategic level game than most people. I win missions mostly by selecting missions that I know I can win, and then spending the resources to tilt the odds in my favor. Lots of people ragequit if they lose even a single soldier, and I've seen people catastrophize about how if a soldier dies then it's IMPOSSIBLE to win, and I'm like "Dude, I usually lose a couple of high level soldiers every month, it's totally not a big deal." It helps that I see the game more as a top down thing than as a bottom up thing. Soldiers are a resource, sometimes you "spend" them. ADVENT gets to win every now and then, it's no biggie.

A result of this attitude is that my soldiers aren't as customized as you might think. I've sent lots of soldiers out with ballistics and kevlar when better gear was available just because I didn't want to press the "strip gear" button and then have to reassign everything later.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 1:04 am
by Antifringe
Month 7 (I think)

I had a few reversals this month, but it's not like you have to win every mission. I'm starting to feel pressure for gear now. It sucks that my first liberated zone has been compromised for so long. Two separate batches of infiltrators and then an anti-supply Dark Event have really kept it on the back foot. I still have one spy in there, but Cubmaster and Den Mother are working as advisors whenever they can. Odds are good that they'll find the spy. Since I deliberately over recruited, I don't have to worry about replacing the traitor and then possibly getting yet another spy.

July 4: Mission: Destroy Relay, New AUS (VL)
+29 Intel +2 Core +Counter Hidden Dark Event
-mass psions are literally insane, even at low levels

July 4: Rescue VIP from cell, New Mexico (L):CPL Scout +Lib2 2.10
-want liberation, but bad timer plus bad reward = pass

July 4: Rescue VIP from vehicle, New AUS (L):Scientist +Lib2 3.12
-that's more like it
-Send four soldiers, have to yank advisors to do even that. Will have to Intel boost to hit 100%
-not happy about a Light 4-man mission. I'll see how it goes
-gear is still mediocre, this hit right before I could finish harvesting the supply drop :(

July 4: Rescue VIP from cell, WestEU (EL):Scientist +Facility Lead 6.0
-hello
-no soldiers, still don't have the supply drop
-will finish the drop and then rush another mission
-my poor Intel :(

July 4: Resistance Comms finished
July 4: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL) boosted with Intel to 103%
+5 boxes (12 alloy +129 supply) +Core 1 Wound (14 days) -25 Intel for rush
-was expecting this to be Light, not sure what happened

July 4: Hack Resistance Computer, EastUS (L):25 Intel +Totally another UFO 7.18
-haha the UFO parking lot strikes again
-no soldiers, have to rush a mission, again :(

July 4: Ambush Troop Column, New AUS (VL) boosted with Intel to 123%
+Corpses(Viperx2, Stun Lancer x2, Officerx1, Trooperx6) +Core +6 alloy +9 elerium +30 supply -1 ADVENT Strength

July 5: Send 5 soldiers to the UFO reveal mission
July 5: Mission: Supply Train, New AUS (H) was at 67% and I ran out of Intel to rush D:
+Corpses (MECx6, Officerx2, Trooperx6, Viperx4, Sectoidx2, Shieldbearerx2, Mutonx1, Berserkerx1, Turretx1) +11 alloy +13 elerium +70 supply +2 core -1 ADVENT Strength 4 wounds (4/11/24/24) 1 KIA
-lost a SSGT Grenadier, took 2 bleed-out wounds

July 7: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL):Materiel 10.11
-need soldiers. It'll keep

July 7: Coilguns -> Advanced Coilguns (13 days)
July 7: Advanced Modular Weapons (days)
-from the mod of the same name
-forgot all about the PG, don't know how long it's been idle

July 8: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL): 3 Rookies +2 Rebels 9.0
-need more soldiers

July 8: Extract VIP, New AUS (VL): SGT (Scout) +PoI
-no thanks

July 8: Mission: rescue VIP from Vehicle (VL) used Intel to reach 113%
+Scientist +2 Core +Elite Scope +10 Intel (hack) +Lib2 2 Wounds (2/17)
-hard with only 4 soldiers

July 8: send 5 soldiers to the Smash and Grab
July 8: Mission: Recover Item from Train, West EU (EL)
+32 Intel +10 alloy (hack) +Lib1

July 8: Mission: Jailbreak, westEU (EL)
-send Cumbaster plus several psions

July 9: Smash and Grab, New AUS (VL): Materiel 6.5
- no soldiers

July 9: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Mexico (L): Engineer +Lib2 7.3
-Don't like the Engineer, but liberation is a high priority
-have enough time to wait for other missions to finish

July 10: Mission: Rescue VIP from Cell, WestEU (VL) only hit 92%, accepted this
+Scientist +Facility Lead +Datapad +2 Core 1 Wound (4 days)

July 10: Send 5 soldiers to the New Mexico Lib2 mission will spend Intel to hit 100%
July 12: Hack Resistance Computer, EastUS (L)
+29 Intel +Elite X-mag + Core +UFO Reveal 1 Wound (8 days)

July 12: UFO, EastUS (MH):Materiel +1 Avenger Power 6.10
-Send five man unit with good (not perfect) gear

July 12: Recover Item from Facility, New Mexico (VL): 31 Intel + Counter Dark Event: Unknown 9.1
-no soldiers, but I'll pick this up soon

July 13: Mission: Hack Workstation, WestEU (EL)
+25 Intel +PoI:Black Smoke (Reduce Contact Cost)

July 14: Rescue VIP from cell, WestEU (EL): Engineer +Lib2 7.3
-send 5 soldiers
-also send 5 soldiers to the Dark Event mission

July 14:Protect Datatap, EastUS 1.1
-ugh, awkward timing. In 24 hours, some missions will finish and a few soldiers will heal/finish training. I'm going to cut this as close as possible

July 14: Mission: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL)
+1 box (41 supply ) 3 Wounds (4/18/19) 1 KIA
-pretty bad mission. Too many Tier 2 soldiers, all at once. Atleast I evaced with the dead Technical, so I kept her gear.

July 14: Neutralize Target, New AUS (LM):31 Intel Contact +1 +Lib3 4.9
-Ugh. Great mission, bad strength, mediocre duration, horrible circumstances.

July 15: Mission: Protect Datatap, EastUS
- Relay destroyed, but no rebels lost
- 9 soldiers. Advisor is a Scientist, so no help there
-total bullshit spawn
-2nd pod has two heavy rocketeers, rebels must abandon the relay
-almost save the relay
-switch EastUS to supply, assign engineer

July 14: Advanced Modular Weapons -> Bluescreen
-out of alloys
- buy some from the market. This will be SOP from now on

July 15: Mission: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL)
+3 Rebels (one from hack bonus) +2 Rookies +Core +Elite Laser Sight +Datapad 2 Wounds (10 days)
-Cubmaster got hurt, but we got 3 psion promotions out of it.
-WestEU is at 15 rebels. Wow, that was fast.

July 16: Start Contacting New Brazil
-geez, finally have the Intel to do this

July 17: Bluescreen Protocol ->Advanced Autoloaders
-never do this, this is just OCD on my part

July 17: Mission:Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Mexico (L)
+20 alloy (hack) +10 Intel (hack) +Core +Engineer +Lib2

July 18: Hack Resistance Computer, New Mexico (VL): 28 Intel +PoI 6.0
-send 5 soldiers

July 18 UFO, EastUS (MH)
+Corpses (Trooperx12, Officerx1, Stun Lancerx2, Mutonx2, Berserkerx1, Viperx6, Sectoidx3, Dronex2, MECx1, Chryssalidx1, Turretx1) +30 alloy +20 elerium +2Core +92 supply 1 Wound (9 days)

July 19: Advanced Coilguns -> Muton Autopsy (free) -> Powered Armor (11 days)
July 19: Destroy Relay, New AUS (L): 28 Intel +lib3 8.16
-send 6 soldiers
-switch New AUS to recruit

July 19: Mission: Rescue VIP from cell, WestEU (EL)
+datapad +Core +Engineer +Lib2

July 20: Smash and Grab, WestEU (VL):Material 8.10
-send six soldiers

July 20: Recover Item from Facility, New Mexico (VL) (counter unknown dark event)
-WTF was on on when I specced this mission out? And where can I get more of it?
-2 KIA (LCPL, CPL) have to evac no loot

July 20: Dark Event: Hunter UFO
July 20: Raid Troop Transport, WestEU:Material 1.11
-nope

July 20:Supply Train, New AUS 4.6
-wow double supply convoy
-don't have the right composition, should probably pass
-A 4 man team can hit light, going to try it

July 20: Contact New Brazil (S:4 V:3 Rebels:4)
July 20: liquidate some weapon mods, hire a scientist, a tech and a grenadier (SGTs)
July 20:Destroy Relay, New Mexico (L):24 Intel, prevent retaliation 0.5
-thanks for the warning, I guess

-July 22: Mission: Hack Hidden Resistance Computer, New Mexico (VL) boosted with Intel to 130%
+28 Intel -25 Intel for boost +Core +Super Psi PCS +25 Intel (hack) +PoI:Alien Wreckage (alloy+elerium)
-ugh. The whole point of this mission was to create more intel, but I need soldiers now for the retaliation. At least the hack reward came through.

July 22: Haven Evacuation New Mexico (VL)
+no loot, but no losses. Found and purged one spy

July 22: Hack Resistance Computer, WestEU (VL): 29 Intel +Facility Lead 7.11
-send 6 soldiers

July 24: Rendezvous: WestUS
+Corpses(Officerx1, Troperx3, Facelessx2) +Core -1 spy -1 Rebel
-A bit late, but I'll take it
-one of the faceless was just a normal ADVENT unit, not a spy. Lost a rebel, but still have 14 left.
-assign Engineer advisor to WestUS

July 24: Mission: Supply Train, New AUS (VL) boosted to 121%
+Corpses (Turretx2, Dronex1,Viperx4,Officerx1,Mutonx3) +5 Core +15 alloy +18 elerium +108 supply -1 ADVENT Strength
-went fine, in spite of the small 4 man team.

July 24: Notice that New Mexico and EastUS each gained a point strength. That means a UFO. It probably landed in New Mexico. Assign a Scientist to New Mexico.
July 24: Jailbreak, New Brazil (VL): +2 Rebels +3 Rookies 6.4
-send five soldiers
-so many rookies :(

July 24: Hack Workstation on Train, WestEU (VL):30 Intel +PoI 8.23
-send five soldiers

July 24: New Mexico, Ambush Troop Column (LM):Materiel 1.22
-would be nice, but if I liberate before a sixth legion arrives, it won't even matter much

July 24: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (LM): 28 Intel +Lib3 2.2
This is fine. I'll wait for it to expire, and then move the Avenger here to catch the respawn.


EDIT: Posted pictures from last month :/ fixed now

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I deleted the VO sound files so that Shen would shut up about idle Engineers. Coincidentally, it also prevents the Spokesman from yelling at me about this month. EastUS has some spies in it. I'll get into why I was running supply out of EastUS (the UFO parking lot region) in the breakdown post.

Image

Seriously, Engineers are an underdeveloped aspect of Longwar. What am I even going to do with these guys? Engineer rewards are now literally worse than Rookie rewards. Which is amazing.

Image

FYI, I'm going to retire the Barracks screen after this. Making this image takes way too much time and effort. I'll just post a quick summary from now on. I'm sure you'll find a way to cope.

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New Mexico is the perfect candidate for liberation right now. Five strength is ideal (you get all 4 possible legion kills, but no messy spillover either), and Vigilance isn't so high that I feel I'm wasting it. A UFO or a supply train might slip through and bump this number up, but I'm also just as likely to get a Troop Column to knock it back down. I'm going to transfer a Scientist here so that I can find Liberation 3 right away.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 2:22 am
by Antifringe
FYI: In case you haven't caught on, I don't comment on every event in these things. Some events won't show up here for the sake of brevity. If you need a comprehensive list, that's what the log is for.


July 4: Mission: Destroy Relay, New AUS (VL)
+29 Intel +2 Core +Counter Hidden Dark Event
-mass psions are literally insane, even at low levels


See, because they all have Insanity.

>But seriously, mass insanity is great. I had six psions spamming it every turn. And then Cubmaster gave them all promotions. Yay!

July 4: Rescue VIP from cell, New Mexico (L):CPL Scout +Lib2 2.10
-want liberation, but bad timer plus bad reward = pass


>If I wait two days it will respawn and I can try again.

July 4: Rescue VIP from vehicle, New AUS (L):Scientist +Lib2 3.12
-that's more like it
-Send four soldiers, have to yank advisors to do even that. Will have to Intel boost to hit 100%
-not happy about a Light 4-man mission. I'll see how it goes
-gear is still mediocre, this hit right before I could finish harvesting the supply drop :(


>I really want this, but the time of 4 man Light missions is past. Going to try it anyway. It sucks that I didn't get to finish harvesting the drop. I can't spare the 8 hours it would take to finish, and there are more ballistics and kevlar in this team than I like.

July 4: Rescue VIP from cell, WestEU (EL):Scientist +Facility Lead 6.0
-hello
-no soldiers, still don't have the supply drop
-will finish the drop and then rush another mission
-my poor Intel :(


Okay, this is a top tier mission. I'm saving up for a new contact, but I can't skip this. I'll have to rush another mission... and then probably rush this one too :(

July 4: Resistance Comms finished

>Will probably be the only one that I need

July 4: Smash and Grab, WestUS (VL) boosted with Intel to 103%
+5 boxes (12 alloy +129 supply) +Core 1 Wound (14 days) -25 Intel for rush
-was expecting this to be Light, not sure what happened


>Strength was lower than expected. Not complaining. Freed up five soldiers.


July 4: Hack Resistance Computer, EastUS (L):25 Intel +Totally another UFO 7.18
-haha the UFO parking lot strikes again
-no soldiers, have to rush a mission, again :(


>Christ. It's still the same day. Still, I can't complain that the "Free UFO Parking" scam is still working. The scam is that we offer free parking for your UFO, but then we murder you and take your UFO.

July 4: Ambush Troop Column, New AUS (VL) boosted with Intel to 123%
+Corpses(Viperx2, Stun Lancer x2, Officerx1, Trooperx6) +Core +6 alloy +9 elerium +30 supply -1 ADVENT Strength


>Another mission rushed that I didn't think would have to be. It's a middling haul, but controlling strength is something I value highly.

July 5: Send 5 soldiers to the UFO reveal mission

>No rest for my men.

July 5: Mission: Supply Train, New AUS (H) was at 67% and I ran out of Intel to rush D:
+Corpses (MECx6, Officerx2, Trooperx6, Viperx4, Sectoidx2, Shieldbearerx2, Mutonx1, Berserkerx1, Turretx1) +11 alloy +13 elerium +70 supply +2 core -1 ADVENT Strength 4 wounds (4/11/24/24) 1 KIA
-lost a SSGT Grenadier, took 2 bleed-out wounds


>Really rough mission. Did okay until the command pod, and then just barely won. My Scout had to evac early on, because she was at low health and was poisoned. Evac'ed at one health. Grenadier got blown up by massed MEC missiles. So did the Ranger, but he lived. Sharpshooter got melee'd by a Muton Centurian.


July 7: Coilguns -> Advanced Coilguns (13 days)

Coilguns are good enough to be endgame.


July 7: Advanced Modular Weapons (days)
-from the mod of the same name
-forgot all about the PG, don't know how long it's been idle


>whoops. It's not like I've had excess supplies, though.

July 8: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL): 3 Rookies +2 Rebels 9.0
-need more soldiers


>The queue deepens.

July 8: Extract VIP, New AUS (VL): SGT (Scout) +PoI
-no thanks


>Gross

July 8: Mission: rescue VIP from Vehicle (VL) used Intel to reach 113%
+Scientist +2 Core +Elite Scope +10 Intel (hack) +Lib2 2 Wounds (2/17)
-hard with only 4 soldiers


>No losses, but every move counted. Don't want to do this again.


July 8: Mission: Recover Item from Train, West EU (EL)
+32 Intel +10 alloy (hack) +Lib1


Not only does picking up Lib1 start the chain, it also makes it easy to spot UFOs.

July 8: Mission: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL)
-send Cubmaster plus several psions


>Training mission, basically.

July 9: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Mexico (L): Engineer +Lib2 7.3
-Don't like the Engineer, but liberation is a high priority
-have enough time to wait for other missions to finish


>really want Liberation for Mexico.


July 10: Mission: Rescue VIP from Cell, WestEU (VL) only hit 92%, accepted this
+Scientist +Facility Lead +Datapad +2 Core 1 Wound (4 days)


>Tired of burning Intel. My team was strong, and it worked. The Facility Lead will be important later.

July 10: Send 5 soldiers to the New Mexico Lib2 mission will spend Intel to hit 100%

>Repurposed those soldiers immediately


July 12: Hack Resistance Computer, EastUS (L)
+29 Intel +Elite X-mag + Core +UFO Reveal 1 Wound (8 days)


>I can't believe this is still working

July 12: UFO, EastUS (MH):Materiel +1 Avenger Power 6.10
-Send five man unit with good (not perfect) gear


>A few lasers, but no kevlar or gunpower (gunpowder SMGs don't count, since you rarely even use them).

July 12: Recover Item from Facility, New Mexico (VL): 31 Intel + Counter Dark Event: Unknown 9.1
-no soldiers, but I'll pick this up soon


>A good find

July 13: Mission: Hack Workstation, WestEU (EL)
+25 Intel +PoI:Black Smoke (Reduce Contact Cost)


>Finally, some positive Intel flow

July 14: Rescue VIP from cell, WestEU (EL): Engineer +Lib2 7.3
-send 5 soldiers
-also send 5 soldiers to the Dark Event mission


Enough troops clear up that I can field two missions. Kind of. Something goes very wrong later.

July 14:Protect Datatap, EastUS 1.1
-ugh, awkward timing. In 24 hours, some missions will finish and a few soldiers will heal/finish training. I'm going to cut this as close as possible


>barf

July 14: Mission: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (VL)
+1 box (41 supply ) 3 Wounds (4/18/19) 1 KIA
-pretty bad mission. Too many Tier 2 soldiers, all at once. At least I evaced with the dead Technical, so I kept her gear.


Not enough firepower, not enough armor. Lost a SSGT to a rocket plus mass fire.

July 14: Neutralize Target, New AUS (LM):31 Intel Contact +1 +Lib3 4.9
-Ugh. Great mission, bad strength, mediocre duration, horrible circumstances.


>I really wanted this, but the datatap attack is hanging over my head.

July 15: Mission: Protect Datatap, EastUS
- Relay destroyed, but no rebels lost
- 9 soldiers. Advisor is a Scientist, so no help there
-total bullshit spawn
-2nd pod has two heavy rocketeers, rebels must abandon the relay
-almost save the relay
-switch EastUS to supply, assign engineer


I don't normally complain about bad spawns, but this one is so bad I consider it to be a bug. A pod of aliens spawns in the same room as the rebels. A Chrysallid is actually standing right next to one of them! I don't mean that I moved and activated and then they scampered in, I mean they were there when the map generated.

Their beahvior was odd. They acted as if they were already activated, which is why this wasn't a wipe. The rebels managed to kill the pod, except for a drone. Next turn, another pod showed up, sporting two heavy rocketeers. The rebels can't fight that, so I had them flee. Meanwhile, my soldiers need 4 dashes to even establish LoS with the relay. I can't save it, but at least I cut my losses and didn't lose any rebels.

This definitively shuts down the UFO Parking Lot scam. I can't even run Intel any more. I switch to supply. As it turns out, we're badly infiltrated, so this isn't as helpful as I hoped it would be.


July 14: Advanced Modular Weapons -> Bluescreen
-out of alloys
- buy some from the market. This will be SOP from now on


Alloys are becoming limiting. Supply is limiting too, but I'm eventually going to break through that.

July 15: Mission: Jailbreak, WestEU (EL)
+3 Rebels (one from hack bonus) +2 Rookies +Core +Elite Laser Sight +Datapad 2 Wounds (10 days)
-Cubmaster got hurt, but we got 3 psion promotions out of it.
-WestEU is at 15 rebels. Wow, that was fast.


>didn't expect to get a maxed haven this fast. How many of them do you think are spies?

July 16: Start Contacting New Brazil
-geez, finally have the Intel to do this


>I'm hurting for new territory

July 17: Bluescreen Protocol ->Advanced Autoloaders
-never do this, this is just OCD on my part


Yeah, this is bad. These projects need adjusting, I think. This ended up putting me behind a bit.

July 17: Mission:Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Mexico (L)
+20 alloy (hack) +10 Intel (hack) +Core +Engineer +Lib2


>Getting there.

July 18 UFO, EastUS (MH)
+Corpses (Trooperx12, Officerx1, Stun Lancerx2, Mutonx2, Berserkerx1, Viperx6, Sectoidx3, Dronex2, MECx1, Chryssalidx1, Turretx1) +30 alloy +20 elerium +2Core +92 supply 1 Wound (9 days)


>Last UFO for EastUS :_(

July 19: Advanced Coilguns -> Muton Autopsy (free) -> Powered Armor (11 days)

>It's rare that I get the Muton autopsy for free.

July 19: Destroy Relay, New AUS (L): 28 Intel +lib3 8.16
-send 6 soldiers
-switch New AUS to recruit


>With Lib3 around the corner and vigilance near the cap, it makes sense to try to max this haven out. Or it would. I wrote down that I did this, but apparently I didn't. It ended up being a fortuitous mistake.

July 19: Mission: Rescue VIP from cell, WestEU (EL)
+datapad +Core +Engineer +Lib2


>More Lib2


July 20: Recover Item from Facility, New Mexico (VL) (counter unknown dark event)
-WTF was on on when I specced this mission out? And where can I get more of it?
-2 KIA (LCPL, CPL) have to evac no loot


>Apparently I sent a bunch of CPLs and LCPLs with no gear on a Very Light Dark Event mission. We run into 14 billion MECs on the second turn and just fucking die. At least I saved the psion (who I might add, was completely worthless against the robot apocalypse.


July 20: Dark Event: Hunter UFO

>Erg. I have too much going on to station soldiers for defense. I also never did the Turret Breakdown, so I have no Defense Matrix. I've heard that the UFO never attacks during the first ten days, so I'm going to test that theory.

July 20: Raid Troop Transport, WestEU:Material 1.11
-nope


>They can keep their stupid supplies.

July 20:Supply Train, New AUS 4.6
-wow double supply convoy
-don't have the right composition, should probably pass
-A 4 man team can hit light, going to try it


>Okay, but maybe not these stupid supplies. Light isn't completely crazy for a strong 4 man team with no timer. I have no Scout and no Sharpshooter, but a blitz comp of Ranger, Assault, Grenadier and Specialist should work.

July 20: Contact New Brazil (S:4 V:3 Rebels:4)

>Well below the Vigilance cap, and Strength is just high enough to generate Troop Columns. Good.

July 20: liquidate some weapon mods, hire a scientist, a tech and a grenadier (SGTs)

>Replacing losses

July 20:Destroy Relay, New Mexico (L):24 Intel, prevent retaliation 0.5
-thanks for the warning, I guess


>I make sure I have a powerful advisor and *sigh* rush some more missions.

-July 22: Mission: Hack Hidden Resistance Computer, New Mexico (VL) boosted with Intel to 130%
+28 Intel -25 Intel for boost +Core +Super Psi PCS +25 Intel (hack) +PoI:Alien Wreckage (alloy+elerium)
-ugh. The whole point of this mission was to create more intel, but I need soldiers now for the retaliation. At least the hack reward came through.


>The hack reward saves it.

July 22: Haven Evacuation New Mexico (VL)
+no loot, but no losses. Found and purged one spy


>Got the evac defense mission. Much easier. The assaults and scouts fan out to grab rebels and everyone else stomps the RNFs. We get everyone out and kill a faceless.

I just want to point out that this is the fourth (I think) retaliation, and so far I've lost a grand total of 4 rebels. Retals aren't that bad, guys. Don't stress about them so much. Between the faceless purges and the combat experience, they've been a net positive.

July 22: Hack Resistance Computer, WestEU (VL): 29 Intel +Facility Lead 7.11
-send 6 soldiers


>Another lead, and another Intel-positive mission

July 24: Rendezvous: WestUS
+Corpses(Officerx1, Troperx3, Facelessx2) +Core -1 spy -1 Rebel
-A bit late, but I'll take it
-one of the faceless was just a normal ADVENT unit, not a spy. Lost a rebel, but still have 14 left.
-assign Engineer advisor to WestUS


>Den Mother finally finds the spy in our HQ. Wish she found him earlier in the supply month, but no it's done. The dead rebel is meaningless, since I had an overstock.

July 24: Mission: Supply Train, New AUS (VL) boosted to 121%
+Corpses (Turretx2, Dronex1,Viperx4,Officerx1,Mutonx3) +5 Core +15 alloy +18 elerium +108 supply -1 ADVENT Strength
-went fine, in spite of the small 4 man team.


>I abuse Trojan Virus to silently destroy the turrets on the train, and then ambush the rainbow pod with a gas grenade, hitting all of them. The rest is mop up.

July 24: Notice that New Mexico and EastUS each gained a point strength. That means a UFO. It probably landed in New Mexico. Assign a Scientist to New Mexico.

I'm not assigning the scientist because of the UFO that got through. I'm doing that because I recently finished Lib2 and I really want Lib3 before New Mexico hits strength 6. It's just that the sudden spike in strength caused me to pay more attention to New Mexico than I had been before.

July 24: Jailbreak, New Brazil (VL): +2 Rebels +3 Rookies 6.4
-send five soldiers
-so many rookies :(


>2 rebels is poor, but that's still a +50% boost for New Brazil

July 24: Hack Workstation on Train, WestEU (VL):30 Intel +PoI 8.23
-send five soldiers


>Intel, please

July 24: New Mexico, Ambush Troop Column (LM):Materiel 1.22
-would be nice, but if I liberate before a sixth legion arrives, it won't even matter much


>Yeah. NM is at 5 now. This would give me some leeway, but it's just not happening.

July 24: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (LM): 28 Intel +Lib3 2.2
This is fine. I'll wait for it to expire, and then move the Avenger here to catch the respawn.

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:34 am
by Antifringe
Ugh, I accidentally deleted my posts O__O That's what I get for staying up late. I was able to partially save the breakdown post, but the formatting is gone. I don't have the energy to replace the raw log right now (I have the text file, but the formatting is a pain to do). I'll fix things later.

The breakdown is still readable, and I wrote a special post-breakdown breakdown, because this was a very, very long month.

EDIT: log is back up

July 25: Recover Item from Train, New Brazil (VL): 35 Intel +PoI +Counters Dark Event: Hard Target 8.17
-very lucky find, bad timing.
July 26: Mission: Smash and Grab, WestEU (VL)
+5 boxes (10 alloy +3 core +43 Supply +data cache)

-Den Mother mission, two more psion promotions
July 26: Mission: Destroy Relay, New AUS (L)
+28 Intel +Core +Elite Scope +Lib3

-Tower is revealed, but have to wait for the UFO
July 26: send 5 soldiers on the Dark Event mission in Brazil
-can spare a few and this is a top tier mission
July 26: Plasma Grenades (4 days)
-whoops. I had run out of supplies and then just forgot about the PG
July 27: Hack Resistance Computer, New Brazil (VL): 36 Intel (probably Lib1) 4.15
-send five soldiers, will boost
-worried about the UFO, but I can do this if I pull some advisors
July 27: Neutralize Target, New Brazil (L): Propaganda 3.3
-no
July 28: Recover Item from Facility (L):26 Intel +UFO 2.5
-send seven soldiers, will boost
-might be a super UFO, given the timing.
-am I bad enough dude to do a timed Swarming mission?
-with a Hunter UFO flying overhead?
July 28: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (LM): 33 Intel +Lib3
-not right now, please
July 29: Extract VIP, New Brazil (VL): Sharpshooter SGT, PoI 2.4
-terrible mission
July 29: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestEU (VL):36 Intel, +1 Contact +Lib3 0.7
-aww man, wish I could swap the timers on these two missions
July 29: UFO interception!!!
-oh god oh god oh god
-evaded
July 29: Hack Resistance Computer, New Mexico (L): 26 Intel (UFO) 4.0
-no way
-at least one of these is a super UFO
-time to rush missions to free up soldiers
July 29: Smash and Grab, New AUS (VL): Material 8.22
-geez, so many missions, all at once
July 29: Mission: Hack Workstation, westEU (EL) boosted to 133%
+35 Intel -25 from rush +10 from hack +Core +Data Cache +PoI:Air Strip (Resistance Contact) 1 Wound 22 days)

-the point of this mission was to get Intel, but I have other priorities now and I wanted the EL rating to avoid causalties
- the wound was on a LCPL, so I don't care
-excellent PoI
July 29: Buy Integrated Warfare, Wetwork, Vengeance (been behind on these)
July 29: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer (EL) boosted to 132%
+29 Intel -25 Intel for boost +2 Core +Facility Lead

July 29: Send five soldiers to the UFO mission in New Mexico, will boost back to 100%
July 29: send 6 soldiers to the Lib3 in Mexico
-switch New Mexico and New AUS to recruit
July 30: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (L): Materiel 7.13
-no one to send
July 30: Mission: Jailbreak, New Brazil (VL)
+3 Rebels (1 from hack) +3 Rookies +Core

July 30: Mission: Recover Item from Facility, New AUS (S)
+36 Intel +10 Intel (hack) +Elite Autoloader +UFO Reveal 1 Wound (10 days)

-XCOM IS TOTALLY BALANCED
July 30: UFO, New AUS (M) (console verifies that this was a super UFO) 6.6
-send five soldiers with good composition. Not intimidated at all after the prelude mission.
July 30: Send 5 soldiers to the Smash and Grab in New AUS
July 31: Supply Convoy, WestEU 0.22
-after that last mission, I'm considering it, but decline. Not enough soldiers, and low percent probably shoudn't be baselin eplay, anyway.
July 31: Plasma Grenade ->EMP Grenade (4 days)
July 31: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer, New Brazil (EL) boost to 121%
+36 Intel +20 alloy (hack) +Lib1

July 31: send five very strong soldiers to the Smash and Grab in New Mexico
July 31: Powered Armor -> Faceless Autopsy (free) -> Turret Breakdown (1 day)
August 1: Hack Workstation on Train, WestEU (VL)
+35 Intel +10 (skulljack) +1 Rebel (hack) +3 Core +PoI:Omninous Glow(Intel) Dark Event Countered: Hard Target -1 AVATAR (Codex kill) +Datapad 1 Wound (8 days)

-Finally remembered to skulljack an officer
-Outstanding mission
August 2: Supply Convoy, New Mexico (LM):Material 5.20
-lol I wasn't even running Intel anymore. Must have had enough left in the tank.
August 3: switch EastUS to Supply
-at 16 rebels now, still can't go Intel
August 3: Turret Breakdown -> Facility Lead (2 days)
August 3: Build Defense Matrix (7 days)
August 3: Extract VIP, New Brazil (VL):Scientist +PoI 8.9
-already running 6 missions, need to free up some soldiers, but very good mission
August 3: Hack Resistance Computer, New Mexico (L):26 Intel +UFO Reveal boost to 103%
+26 Intel +3 Core +UFO reveal 2 Wounds (11/14)

August 3: UFO, New Mexico (MH):Materiel 6.23
-send five soldiers
-team has poor stand off capability, but we'll make it work
August 3: Supply Retaliation, EastUS (Unknown) 0.22
-never seen Unknown as a baseline before. I guess that's a side effect of the lost relay?
-timing is horrible, I'll have to wait 20 hours and then rush several missions that didn't need rushing.
August 3: Mission: UFO, New AUS (H) accept underinfiltration at 70% because I'm in a rush
+Corpses (Mutonx3, Viperx1, Trooperx15, Shieldbearerx1, Dronex2, MECx8, Stun Lancerx2, Chryssalidx1,) +28 alloy +21 elerium +97 supply +5 Core 1 Wounds (16 days)

-goes fine. I approve of the newly minted plasma grenades
-still only recover 4 soldiers. Will need more
August 3: Mission: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (LM) boost to reach 101%
+33 Intel -25 Intel for boost +Lib3 4 Wounds (6/9/11/23)

-wanted to overinfilatrate, but needed to rush something and I needed a sharpshooter back
-well, uh, I got the sharpshooter back at least
August 3: Mission: Protect Supply Line, EastUS
-26 aliens. The only ones that survived the overwatch rounds were the ones with flat immunity to overwatch.
-I never even used the stupid sharpshooter :/
August: now I can afford to send soldiers to that extraction mission in New Brazil. Send four, will be able to overinfiltrate to EL
August 3: EastUS repairs their relay, switch them back to Intel, but they keep the soldier advisor until the spies are gone
August 3: Mission: Evac Resistance Recruiters, New Mexico (L): 0.22
-immediately abort the extraction so I can use those soldiers for this
+Core +Elite Laser Sight +Elite Autoloader 1 Wound (12 days)
-send soldiers back to the extraction

August 3: Destroy Relay, WestEU (L): 36 Intel +Lib3
-out of troops. I'm tempted to reroll this one. I'll see how things go.
August 4: Facility Lead -> Alien Encryption (2 days)
-find facility in New Arctic, same place where the Forge is
August 4: EMP Grenades -> Mechanized Warfare (6 days)
-also pick up Lightning Strike
August 5: Dark Event: Alien Adaptations
August 5: Alien Encryption -> Battlesuits (7 days)
August 5: Build Shadow Chamber (23 days)
August 5: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Brazil, (VL): Engineer +Lib2 4.16
August 5: Raid Convoy, New Brazil (VL):Materiel 3.23
-getting overwhelmed here. So many missions in so few days.
-better clear some missions
August 5: Mission: Smash and Grab, New AUS (EL) had overinfiltrated to 123%, no Intel spent
+5 Boxes (12 alloy +10 elerium +129 supply) +2 core +data cache

August 5: Mission: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (L)
+4 boxes(12 alloy +88 supply) +3 core 2 Wounds (5/17)

-considered boosting
-send five soldiers to get that supply raid. No sharpshooter, so I send in a blitz team of 3 assaults, a scout, and a specialist. Will boost to 100%
-need more soldiers
August 5: Mission: UFO, New Mexico (MH) boosted to 103%
+Corpses(Stun Lancerx4, Troperx11, MECx5, Berserkerx1, Mutonx2, Dronex3, Officerx2, Shieldbearerx1) +20 alloy +26 elerium +81 supply + 4 Core 2 Wounds (7/8)

-composition worked. Incoming saved my bacon
-need sectoids
-send five soldiers to the lib2 in Brazil. The Engineer is trash, but liberation progress is not. Yank an advisor
August 7:Mission: Raid Convoy, New Mexico (L)
+Corpses (Mutonx2, Viperx5, Berserkerx1, MECx1, Stun Lancerx2, Trooperx3, Dronex1) +Core +21 alloy +20 elerium +105 supply 1 Wound (8 days)

-that convoy came from New Brazil, which is now down to 1 point of strength
August 7:Troop Column Ambush, New Brazil (VL) 5.20
-only one strength in region, what happens?
-science time
-decide to skip
August 7: Network Tower, New Mexico (LM):35 Intel +Lib4
-send a team
-decide to let the Lib3 in WestEU go
August 8: Ambush Troop Column, WestEU (L): Material 5.8
-I was expecting this
-need soldiers, as usual
August 8: Hack Workstation in facility, New Brazil (EL): 29 Intel (UFO) 0.0
-wow
-would consider it if I had 8-10 soldiers
-expires, but strength doesn't go up. What was that?
-OMG, that was a force UFO!!!
Augst 8: Extract VIP, WestEU (VL):SGt (Assault) +PoI 9.15
-meh. The PoI might be good but extraction is a hard mission type and this isn't worth the risk, soldier time, or vigilance
August 8: Mission: Extract VIP, New Brazil (EL) boosted to 101% for speed
+Scientist +2 Core +PoI:Battlefield (Supplies)

-First Archon
-send five soldiers to the Troop Column in WestEU
-no sharpshooter, but it's only Light, I'll manage
August 9: Smash and Grab, EastUS (LM): Material 10.20
-no thanks. EastUS is at strength 7 now, I'm only here for rare events.
August 9: Protect Datatap, WestEU 1.0
-please stop burying me in urgent missions
-if I wait a day, one soldier will heal
August 9: Mission: Protect Datatap, WestEU
-only have 8 soldiers
+Core -1 Rebel (4% shot from flashbanged Archon into heavy cover plus smoke) 2 Wounds (4/11)
-had 3 extra rebels, so it's okay

August 9: switch New Mexico to Intel
-hit 13 rebels, time to stop recruiting.
-set one to supply to check for spies
August 9: Mission: Raid convoy, New Brazil (VL) boosted to 104%
+Corpses (MECx3, Dronex1, ARchonx1, Viperx1, Sectoidx2, Trooperx2) 18 alloy +17 elerium +108 supply +3 Core

-blitz team is going to blitz
-Archon was unexpected
-finally some sectoids
-got my first two GSGT Assaults
August 10: Defense Matrix finished
-upgrade it, because why not
August 10: Recover Item from Facility, New Brazil (EL): 25 Intel +Facility Lead 2.22
-send four soldiers, will boost back up to 100%
August 10: Switch New AUS to Intel
-hit 13 rebels
August 10: Mission: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Brazil (EL) boosted to 115%
+Engineer +Lib2 1 Wound (16 days)

August 11: Dark Event: Hunter UFO
-oh god, it's come back for me
-it wants to avenge all of its UFO friends
August 11: Network Tower, New AUS:29 Intel +Lib4
-been wanting to do this for a while
August 11: Mechanized Warfare -> Battlescanners
August 13: Mission: Ambush Troop Column, WestEU (L)
+Corpses (Viperx3, Trooperx8, Shieldbearerx2, Mutonx1, MECx1) 9 alloy +9 elerium +47 supply +3 Core +data cache 2 Wounds (3/6)
August 13: Mission: Haven Defense (evac), New Mexico (VL)

-1 Rebel 1 Faceless revealed haven back down to 11
-for once I'm not completely borked on manpower
-The SPARK's first mission!
-set New Mexico to Recruit
-the odds of two new recruits being human is 70% 8)
August 13: Mission: Recover Item from Facility, New Brazil (EL) boosted to reach 102%
+25 Intel +Facility Lead -25 Intel from boost +Elite Suppressor +Elite Scope +Core +10 Intel (hack) +10 alloy (hack) 1 Wound (4 days)

August 14: Destroy Relay, WestEU (L):32 Intel +Lib3
-send five soldiers, can overinfiltrate to EL if needed
-fine, I'll do it this time. I've gotten unlucky with my Lib3 missions
August 13: Switch WestEU to Hide
-vigilance is 13, want to manipulate it a bit now that Lib3 is revealed
August 13: Smash and Grab, New Brazil (EL):Material 6.21
-send 5 soldiers
August 13: Mission: Network Tower, New Mexico (LM)
+28 Intel +Lib4 +3 Core

- no composition for the HQ, but I will launch that ASAP
August 14: Hire a Scientist before the supply month ends. Go ahead and buy Tactical Infiltrations
August 14: Mission: Rendevous, New AUS
+Corpses (Facelessx2, Trooperx2, Stun Lancerx1, Officerx1) +caught 2 spies +1 Core +Elite Scope

-switch New AUS to Recruit. Replace the two spies. The odds of both recruits being human is 70% 8)

Re: Commander Level After Action Report

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2017 8:41 am
by Antifringe
I'm starting to get more and more top tier soldiers. Most classes have a rank or set of conditions where they "explode." Once you start getting whole teams of these, missions become a lot easier. The tipping point is subjective and depends on your builds, but here's my personal summary:

Assault: TSGT. Close Encounters (or Hit and Run, if that's your thing) turns Assault from suicide missiles into medium range skirmishers. This is when I start taking them on long untimed missions. They can pop out, shoot something approaching your front line, and then scurry back into cover. There's also the ever popular move-into-cover-and-shoot-two-things, as well.

GSGT makes this even better with Close Combat Specialist. You can use your CE move to flank and threaten another target and shoot it on ADVENT's turn, or just have it as a back up plan in case the initial attack failed. Remember to start equipping hair triggers on your shotguns.

Grenadier: It's mostly about having access to higher tier grenades. Incendiary and plasma are both major breakpoints. GSGT probably has the most generically powerful options.

Gunner: doesn't ever really explode. Suppression is great, and they get it right away. TSGT is when they can take Cool Under Pressure, which makes suppression less of a bluff and more of a real threat. Kill Zone allows for some truly crazy things at GSGT, but you can't reliably use it every mission.

Ranger: GSGT is when Rapid Reaction kicks in. Other than that Rangers are a fairly incremental class that need to keep stacking aim bonuses to be useful. But a good GSGT Ranger is probably twice as strong as a TSGT Ranger.

Sharpshooter: Another incremental class. They get the fundamentals early. What they really need is to stack aim and crit. There's kind of a phase change once you can reliably hit through high cover, and another phase change once crit chance gets into the 80+ band.

Scout: GSGT is when Whirlwind kicks in. It has a similar effect to TSGT for Assaults. You can now use your sword every turn without worrying about being stranded. If you have Bladestorm, you can even use your "defensive" move as an offensive weapon.

Specialist: For me, it's SGT, because Trojan enables all sorts of squadsight tricks. It's bugged right now and is far more powerful than it should be, but it'll be great even without the bugs. The other phase change is when hack gets high enough to 100% control drones. You get another moment when you can 100% shutdown MECs.

Technical: A bit more incremental. Burnout at SGT lets you be way more aggressive with your flamethrower. SSGT is when you've had a chance to stack all three of the initial defensive perks. TSGT does crazy things for your fire or rockets (I prefer Incinerator).

Psi Operatives: They start with good action economy. I really like Schism, and everyone knows how good Void Rift is (can't wait until it gets fixed). Bastion is a surprisingly powerful control ability and a bit of a game changer. You use it to bait the enemy into wasting their actions on explosives and venom blasts. It can be a massive tempo shift when facing multiple MECs.



July 25: Recover Item from Train, New Brazil (VL): 35 Intel +PoI +Counters Dark Event: Hard Target 8.17
-very lucky find, bad timing.

>Another mission that I wasn't supposed to find. I think this spawned before I had even contacted New Brazil.

July 26: Mission: Smash and Grab, WestEU (VL)
+5 boxes (10 alloy +3 core +43 Supply +data cache)
-Den Mother mission, two more psion promotions

>Loot looks poor, but some of those cores came from the boxes, and each one worth 20 supply.

July 26: Mission; Destroy Relay, New AUS (L)
+28 Intel +Core +Elite Scope +Lib3
-Tower is revealed, but have to wait for the UFO

>I want this tower so I can expand into Asia and chase the Black Site, but I end up having other priorities this month.


July 26: send 5 soldiers on the Dark Event mission in Brazil
-can spare a few and this is a top tier mission

>Not going to let that one go

July 27: Hack Resistance Computer, New Brazil (VL): 36 Intel (probably Lib1) 4.15
-send five soldiers, will boost
-worried about the UFO, but I can do this if I pull some advisors

>Remember that I'm doing all of this with an active hunter UFO chasing me. It started July 20, and I think that means that I have until at least July 30 before it can attack. I am being very greedy with my missions, I that's about it get even worse.

July 27: Neutralize Target, New Brazil (L): Propaganda 3.3
-no

>Not a good mission type, and not the time ot be wasting manpower, anyway

July 28: Recover Item from Facility (L):26 Intel +UFO 2.5
-send seven soldiers, will boost
-might be a super UFO, given the timing.
-am I bad enough dude to do a timed Swarming mission?
-with a Hunter UFO flying overhead?

>Let me break this down a bit. I know that a normal, 2-legion UFO landed in New Mexico last week. It's a little odd (but not impossible) for the next one to already be active. This could be the super UFO, the one that only arrives every 21 days and creates 4 legions. Catching those guys is one of the most damaging things you can do to ADVENT.

The timer is so short and the mission so hard that I just go full ham in send in 7 very powerful soldiers. This is a huge risk. For one, there's that Hunter UFO out here, and it's getting really close to July 30. Secondly, I could lose all of these soldiers trying to pull a stunt like this. I've reached the point where a lot of my soldiers have hit the major breakpoints, so this might work.


July 28: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (LM): 33 Intel +Lib3
-not right now, please

>I need this, but seriously, not right now.

July 29: Neutralize Target in Vehicle, WestEU (VL):36 Intel, +1 Contact +Lib3 0.7
-aww man, wish I could swap the timers on these two missions
July 29: UFO interception!!!
-oh god oh god oh god
-evaded

>A little earlier than expected. I would have been boned if that had caught me. There's mostly rookies on board right now. For those of you playing at home, don't do this

July 29: Hack Resistance Computer, New Mexico (L): 26 Intel (UFO) 4.0
-no way
-at least one of these is a super UFO
-time to rush missions to free up soldiers

>Okay, so this is the third UFO in just a few weeks. Guaranteed, one of these two is a Super UFO.

July 29: Smash and Grab, New AUS (VL): Material 8.22
-geez, so many missions, all at once

>Get some serious chunking here.

July 29: Mission: Hack Workstation, westEU (EL) boosted to 133%
+35 Intel -25 from rush +10 from hack +Core +Data Cache +PoI:Air Strip (Resistance Contact) 1 Wound 22 days)
-the point of this mission was to get Intel, but I have other priorities now and I wanted the EL rating to avoid casualties
- the wound was on a LCPL, so I don't care
-excellent PoI

>Reeling soldiers back in

July 29: Buy Integrated Warfare, Wetwork, Vengeance (been behind on these)

>IW in particular is something I should have gotten earlier. I'm prioritizing it because it's a way of supporting the Swarming mission that I've already committed to.

July 29: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer (EL) boosted to 132%
+29 Intel -25 Intel for boost +2 Core +Facility Lead

>More emergency soldier retrevial

July 29: Send five soldiers to the UFO mission in New Mexico, will boost back to 100%
July 29: send 6 soldiers to the Lib3 in Mexico

>Putting those soldiers to use.

-switch New Mexico and New AUS to recruit

Once I catch those two UFOs, these two regions will have too much vigilance to spawn GOps anymore. NUS already has an expose tower and Mexico is in the process of getting its tower exposed, so there' isn't much to find right now. I'd like to use this time to max out these havens so that I can either gather more suppl yo catch more rare events in the future.

July 30: Mission: Jailbreak, New Brazil (VL)
+3 Rebels (1 from hack) +3 Rookies +Core

>remember when this was how you got all of our rebels?

July 30: Recover Item from Facility, New AUS (S)
+36 Intel +10 Intel (hack) +Elite Autoloader +UFO Reveal 1 Wound (10 days)
-XCOM IS TOTALLY BALANCED

>Oh man, what a mission. Everyone was a hero. The Grenadier opened with a gas grenade on a rooftop rainbow pod, hitting all of them. The Scout Used Whrilwind +Bladestorm to flit from target to target. When the mutons showed up, the two psions scored two consecutive Mind controls with their Insanity power, totally reversing the flow of battle. Six MECS showed up, but I just charged my mutons into the fray, clearing all of the overwatches and then shredded the MECs with their grenades. The MECs responded with mass missile fire, but I had positioned the Mutons in the middle of the enemy formation, so friendly fire losses were catastrophic. One psion scored a THIRD mind control, this time on a Berserker, and the Specialist captured a Hunter Drone, causing another massive tempo shift.

The Scout controlled an entire flank by herself. She charged and killed a Faceless, and then positioned herself next to the Muton to exploit Bladestorm +Combatives. She killed the muton on its turn, and had to eat an attack from another Faceless (she dodged, so it wasn't bad). While doing this she also was distracting two sectoids who though they saw a chance to nail an isolated XCOM unit. Too bad so had a Mindshield. Next turn, she Fleched a sectoid, and Whirlwinded onto the second one, ignoring the Faceless that had just attacked her. The sectoid died to a Bladestorm attack on his own turn, and the Faceless had to double move to reach her, eating another Bladestorm and then dying next turn to an ordinary slash.

The Sharpshooter just did what Sharps do. She shot and killed a dangerous alien every single turn.

An exciting mission, the most fun I've had in a while. I might do a few more swarming missions in the future. Or maybe not. Lot of things could have gone wrong.

It turned out this the UFO that ADVENT was guarding was indeed the super UFO.

July 30: UFO, New AUS (M) (console verifies that this was a super UFO) 6.6
-send five soldiers with good composition. Not intimidated at all after the prelude mission.

The UFO itself will be easy compared to the reveal mission.

July 30: Send 5 soldiers to the Smash and Grab in New AUS

So many missions

July 31: Supply Convoy, WestEU 0.22
-after that last mission, I'm considering it, but decline. Not enough soldiers, and low percent probably shouldn't be baseline play, anyway.

>Let's not push it

July 31: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer, New Brazil (EL) boost to 121%
+36 Intel +20 alloy (hack) +Lib1

I'm pursuing liberation missions for the towers, mostly. I don't actually want to liberate most of these regions.

July 31: Powered Armor -> Faceless Autopsy (free) -> Turret Breakdown (1 day)

For the Defense Matrix.

August 1: Mission: Hack Workstation on Train, WestEU (VL)
+35 Intel +10 (skulljack) +1 Rebel (hack) +3 Core +PoI:Omninous Glow(Intel) Dark Event Countered: Hard Target -1 AVATAR (Codex kill) +Datapad 1 Wound (8 days)
-Finally remembered to skulljack an officer
-Outstanding mission

>Great mission. Was the one I wasn't even supposed to be able to find.

August 2: Supply Convoy, New Mexico (LM):Material 5.20
-lol I wasn't even running Intel anymore. Must have had enough left in the tank.

>Remember that I switched NM to recruit a few days ago. This was an important find, because New Mexico was already at 5, and I want to keep it there so that the liberation doesn't cause spillover.

August 3: switch EastUS to Supply
-at 16 rebels now, still can't go Intel

>Still hurting from failed Protect Datatap mission. I wasn't eager to do this, because I took a 40% loss last time from spies, but it's better than nothing. Still trying to find those spies.

August 3: Turret Breakdown -> Facility Lead (2 days)

>Time to start caring about this, I guess.

August 3: Build Defense Matrix (7 days)

>It's a bit late, but maybe there'll be another UFO

August 3: Extract VIP, New Brazil (VL):Scientist +PoI 8.9
-already running 6 missions, need to free up some soldiers, but very good mission

>excellent mission, not going to waste it

August 3: Mission: Hack Resistance Computer, New Mexico (L):26 Intel +UFO Reveal boost to 103%
+26 Intel +3 Core +UFO reveal 2 Wounds (11/14)
August 3: UFO, New Mexico (MH):Materiel 6.23
-send five soldiers
-team has poor stand off capability, but we'll make it work

>revealing and then attacking the UFO in New Mrxico.

August 3: Supply Retaliation, EastUS (Unknown) 0.22
-never seen Unknown as a baseline before. I guess that's a side effect of the lost relay?
-timing is horrible, I'll have to wait 20 hours and then rush several missions that didn't need rushing.

>Ugh

August 3: Mission: UFO, New AUS (H) accept underinfiltration at 70% because I'm in a rush
+Corpses (Mutonx3, Viperx1, Trooperx15, Shieldbearerx1, Dronex2, MECx8, Stun Lancerx2, Chryssalidx1,) +28 alloy +21 elerium +97 supply +5 Core 1 Wounds (16 days)
-goes fine. I approve of the newly minted plasma grenades
-still only recover 4 soldiers. Will need more

>Had a nice plateau that I was able to hold. I played "high ground sniper" when I could, and then retreated from the edge and played "overwatch king of the hill" when I couldn't.

That was the super UFO. Devastating loss for ADVENT.

August 3: Mission: Destroy Relay, New Mexico (LM) boost to reach 101%
+33 Intel -25 Intel for boost +Lib3 4 Wounds (6/9/11/23)
-wanted to overinfiltrate, but needed to rush something and I needed a sharpshooter back
-well, uh, I got the sharpshooter back at least

>Still trying to clear manpower for the suppl defense. Went badly and took lots of wounds

August 3: Mission: Protect Supply Line, EastUS
-26 aliens. The only ones that survived the overwatch rounds were the ones with flat immunity to overwatch.
-I never even used the stupid sharpshooter :/

>Oh, right. Supply defense missions are easy as balls. I forgot.

August 3: now I can afford to send soldiers to that extraction mission in New Brazil. Send four, will be able to overinfiltrate to EL

>Finally going down the queue of missions.

August 3: EastUS repairs their relay, switch them back to Intel, but they keep the soldier advisor until the spies are gone

EastU is getting to the point where I probably coudln't catch any UFOs, even if I spot them, but maybe one more time or old time's sake. Besides, with at least two spies hiding there, doing supply doesn't make much sense.

August 3: Mission: Evac Resistance Recruiters, New Mexico (L): 0.22
-immediately abort the extraction so I can use those soldiers for this
+Core +Elite Laser Sight +Elite Autoloader 1 Wound (12 days)
-send soldiers back to the extraction

>OMG SHTAP

August 3: Destroy Relay, WestEU (L): 36 Intel +Lib3
-out of troops. I'm tempted to reroll this one. I'll see how things go.

WestEU isn't as urgent, since the Blacksite is in Asia, and New AUS is the fastest way to get there. I still want the tower, but I've got a lot of other missions that need filling and this is the weak Lib3 reward, so I might let it expire and reroll.

August 4: Facility Lead -> Alien Encryption (2 days)
-find facility in New Arctic, same place where the Forge is

>It turns out the facility is in Asia also. Need to start pushing there. The AUS tower is revealed, but I haven't had spare soldiers in weeks. I also know that there is a facility in New India, from watching the AVATAR flyover messages, so that's even more reason to start pushing west.

August 4: EMP Grenades -> Mechanized Warfare (6 days)
-also pick up Lightning Strike

>I'd like one SPARK, just for fun. They're actually nice on missions where you want to activate pods, retaliations msotly.

August 5: Dark Event: Alien Adaptations

>Whatever. They kind of need this to stay interesting


August 5: Alien Encryption -> Battlesuits (7 days)
August 5: Build Shadow Chamber (23 days)

>May as well start pushing the Golden Path.

August 5: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Brazil, (VL): Engineer +Lib2 4.16

>Junk reward, but I want Liberation progress

August 5: Raid Convoy, New Brazil (VL):Materiel 3.23
-getting overwhelmed here. So many missions in so few days.
-better clear some missions

>New Brazil is down to two points. It has been the source of New Mexico's reinforcements. Stopping strength here is tantamount to stopping strength in Mexico.

August 5: Mission: Smash and Grab, New AUS (EL) had overinfiltrated to 123%, no Intel spent
+5 Boxes (12 alloy +10 elerium +129 supply) +2 core +data cache
August 5: Mission: Smash and Grab, New Mexico (L)
+4 boxes(12 alloy +88 supply) +3 core 2 Wounds (5/17)
-considered boosting
-send five soldiers to get that supply raid. No sharpshooter, so I send in a blitz team of 3 assaults, a scout, and a specialist. Will boost to 100%
-need more soldiers

>Some missions clear naturally, and just in time. The resources help a lot.

August 5: Mission: UFO, New Mexico (MH) boosted to 103%
+Corpses(Stun Lancerx4, Troperx11, MECx5, Berserkerx1, Mutonx2, Dronex3, Officerx2, Shieldbearerx1) +20 alloy +26 elerium +81 supply + 4 Core 2 Wounds (7/8)
-composition worked. Incoming saved my bacon
-need sectoids

>I haven't been able to buy Advanced Amps for all six of my psions, and I want more Talon rounds. I used to have piles of sectoids and needed up selling most of them. A mistake as it turns out, because they're suddenly rare again.

>Mexico is held at strength five, and with New Brazil being cut off, it will stay there unless a UFO shows up. But they just spent their UFOs, so I think I have a wide enough window to liberate.

August 7: Raid Convoy, New Mexico (L)
+Corpses (Mutonx2, Viperx5, Berserkerx1, MECx1, Stun Lancerx2, Trooperx3, Dronex1) +Core +21 alloy +20 elerium +105 supply 1 Wound (8 days)
-that convoy came from New Brazil, which is now down to 1 point of strength

>I'd like to cultivate this as a low strength region. I'll have to manipulate vigilance a bit.

August 7:Troop Column Ambush, New Brazil (VL) 5.20
-only one strength in region, what happens?
-science time
-decide to skip

>This is weird. The Troop Column must have spawned right as New Brazil was divesting itself of all of its legions. What happens if you clear a Troop Column in a strength one region? I save, and do a quick test, using KillAllAIs. The answer is, nothing special. You still ge tthe resouces and all, but strength doesn't go down to zero or anything weird like that.

I can do this mission, or I can get that damned tower in Mexico already. I decide to get the tower.

August 7: Network Tower, New Mexico (LM):35 Intel +Lib4
-send a team
-decide to let the Lib3 in WestEU go

>Liberation in Mexico is a high priority right now, and building towers in WestEU is not.

August 8: Ambush Troop Column, WestEU (L): Material 5.8
-I was expecting this
-need soldiers, as usual

Hadn't gotten on in this region yet, and the pool of possible missions was getting pretty slim. I was even scanning with my Avenger, looking for it.

August 8: Hack Workstation in facility, New Brazil (EL): 29 Intel (UFO) 0.0
-wow
-would consider it if I had 8-10 soldiers
-expires, but strength doesn't go up. What was that?
-OMG, that was a force UFO!!!

Weird to see a 0.0 mission. I couldn't figure out what the hell this was at first. I thought for sure that they were out of UFOs, and then that happens. But when in expires, it doesn't make any new legions. I finally realize that this was the force UFO. Seeing one is very, very rare. They try to land in the safest region possible. It probably spawned before I had done anything in New Brazil. Catching it would have been incredible, but it just wasn't possible. I can't zero percent a timed mission with mostly rookies. Aborting other missions wasn't even an option, since the Skyranger takes about an hour to retrieve people.

August 8: Mission: Extract VIP, New Brazil (EL) boosted to 101% for speed
+Scientist +2 Core +PoI:Battlefield (Supplies)
-First Archon

>Always glad to see Scientists, less thrilled to see Archons. It makes sense, they just landed a force UFO.

-send five soldiers to the Troop Column in WestEU
-no sharpshooter, but it's only Light, I'll manage

>Controlling strength is a high priority

August 9: Smash and Grab, EastUS (LM): Material 10.20
-no thanks. EastUS is at strength 7 now, I'm only here for rare events.

>Smash and Grab is a dangerous mission type and you should think carefully before accepting it

August 9: Protect Datatap, WestEU 1.0
-please stop burying me in urgent missions
-if I wait a day, one soldier will heal
August 9: Mission: Protect Datatap, WestEU
-only have 8 soldiers
+Core -1 Rebel (4% shot from flashbanged Archon into heavy cover plus smoke) 2 Wounds (4/11)
-had 3 extra rebels, so it's okay

>All three mini-retals. Wanna bet a full retal is coming?

August 9: switch New Mexico to Intel
-hit 13 rebels, time to stop recruiting.
-set one to supply to check for spies

>How many were spies? New Mexico got purged of faceless during the last retal, so I know for certain that ten of them are legit.

August 9: Mission: Raid convoy, New Brazil (VL) boosted to 104%
+Corpses (MECx3, Dronex1, ARchonx1, Viperx1, Sectoidx2, Trooperx2) 18 alloy +17 elerium +108 supply +3 Core
-blitz team is going to blitz
-Archon was unexpected
-finally some sectoids
-got my first two GSGT Assaults

>No sharpshooter, so I sent in a team of 3 Assaults (TSGT or better) a Scout (GSGT, and a Specialist for control options. Some many moves, every turn. Move in with an Assault, break overwatch with Lightning Reflexes, kill with shotgun, reposition with Close Encounters, kill again with CCS. Every turn. With all three Assaults. And then the Scout does something similar with Whirlwind, Comabtives, and Bladestorm. Activate a pod from concealment, killing the biggest alien. Kill one more as he scampers past you. Use Whirlwind to catch up to the Muton Centurion and kill him next turn with Bladestorm +Combative. The Drone tries to move in for a stun, but eats a Bladestorm instead. Repeat as needed. The Specialist tosses out Aid Protocols as needed, a a few timely Commands (she's an officer) keeps the tempo somewhere between "fast" and "hellish."

August 10: Defense Matrix finished
-upgrade it, because why not

>Maybe I'll need this later.

August 10: Recover Item from Facility, New Brazil (EL): 25 Intel +Facility Lead 2.22
-send four soldiers, will boost back up to 100%

>oh hey, my third lead

August 10: Switch New AUS to Intel
-hit 13 rebels

>New AUS will probably become another trap region, like EastUS

August 10: Mission: Rescue VIP from Vehicle, New Brazil (EL) boosted to 115%
+Engineer +Lib2 1 Wound (16 days)

Liberation chain stuff

August 11: Dark Event: Hunter UFO
-oh god, it's come back for me
-it wants to avenge all of its UFO friends

>So, about that Defense Matrix.

I've killed so many UFO this game, I understand why it's angry.

August 11: Network Tower, New AUS:29 Intel +Lib4
-been wanting to do this for a while

>God, finally. I'll have the soldiers back before the Hunter finds me. Right?


August 11: Mechanized Warfare -> Battlescanners

.Man, I didn't have Battlescanners? WTF?

August 13: Mission: Ambush Troop Column, WestEU (L)
+Corpses (Viperx3, Trooperx8, Shieldbearerx2, Mutonx1, MECx1) 9 alloy +9 elerium +47 supply +3 Core +data cache 2 Wounds (3/6)

>NINE POINTS OF ADVENT STRENGTH KILLED THIS MONTH

August 13: Mission: Haven Defense (evac), New Mexico (VL)
-1 Rebel 1 Faceless revealed haven back down to 11
-for once I'm not completely borked on manpower
-The SPARK's first mission!

>Lost one rebel, purged a spy.

-set New Mexico to Recruit
-the odds of two new recruits being human is 70% 8)

Is it better to just be content at 11 rebels? But the odds of getting real humans is so good...

August 13: Mission: Recover Item from Facility, New Brazil (EL) boosted to reach 102%
+25 Intel +Facility Lead -25 Intel from boost +Elite Suppressor +Elite Scope +Core +10 Intel (hack) +10 alloy (hack) 1 Wound (4 days)

Got that lead. I have two sitting on Tygan's desk now.

August 14: Destroy Relay, WestEU (L):32 Intel +Lib3
-send five soldiers, can overinfiltrate to EL if needed
-fine, I'll do it this time. I've gotten unlucky with my Lib3 missions

>The reroll didn't work. Best to just do it while it's possible.

August 13: Switch WestEU to Hide
-vigilance is 13, want to manipulate it a bit now that Lib3 is revealed

>What I really care about is keeping vigilance below 15, so I can keep whacking Troop Columns every month. I want a little breathing space, and this is the time to do it, since the last hidden lib chain mission is on the map, and strength is too low right now to support another Troop Column (it's at 3).

August 13: Smash and Grab, New Brazil (EL):Material 6.21
-send 5 soldiers

>Easiest S&G I'm going to get. Brazil is at one point, remember.

August 13: Mission: Network Tower, New Mexico (LM)
+28 Intel +Lib4 +3 Core
- no composition for the HQ, but I will launch that ASAP

>Got the tower, need to do the HQ. Don't have the right mix, and I also have that annoying Hunter UFO buzzing around.

August 14: Hire a Scientist before the supply month ends. Go ahead and buy Tactical Infiltrations
August 14: Mission: Rendevous, New AUS
+Corpses (Facelessx2, Trooperx2, Stun Lancerx1, Officerx1) +caught 2 spies +1 Core +Elite Scope
-switch New AUS to Recruit. Replace the two spies. The odds of both recruits being human is 70% 8)


Last minute purge in New AUS. There might be even more spies. we've never purged AUS before. I'm sure the new guys will be just fine...
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