Overwatch-specific builds

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cerebrawl
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2017 10:41 am

Re: Overwatch-specific builds

Post by cerebrawl »

Tuhalu wrote:Kill Zone is situationally useful.

Rapid Reaction can give 3 overwatch shots, but only if the first 2 actually hit. If there are enemies with Lightning Reflexes, you would be better off using Kill Zone since you'll take 1 shot at every target in the AOE (until you run out of bullets). Not only could you get more than 3 shots given enough targets, having a single Lightning Reflexes enemy run your overwatch won't wreck it.
That's one of several reasons why I recommend PCS: Fire Control(75) for anyone with Rapid Reaction.

Btw the Kill Zone covering fire trick had my sniper wipe the control room pod on a network tower mission once. :)
*enemy sticks to window, lines up a shot* *nope, dead*
*enemy sticks to window, lines up a shot* *nope, dead*
*enemy sticks to window, lines up a shot* *nope, dead*
*enemy sticks to window, lines up a shot* *nope, dead*
*enemy sticks to window, lines up a shot* *nope, dead*
trihero
Posts: 1099
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2017 7:01 am

Re: Overwatch-specific builds

Post by trihero »

That's one of several reasons why I recommend PCS: Fire Control(75) for anyone with Rapid Reaction.
Oh, that's really interesting I hadn't thought of this. Does fire control "know" to avoid hitting lighting reflexes units??? Like does it take lightning reflexes into account when checking overwatch %, or maybe it doesn't? I would love to know.

In that case, I would use fire control (25) to avoid those 0% lightning reflex hits. 75 seems too restricting since I'm totally ok with taking like 50-70 shots, especially with grazing fire.
Is it worth taking Killzone on either Rangers or Specialists? I find it very hard to set up a pod to stumble over the XCOM squad with any regularity. Being situational and not even certain in that situation, should such a high-rank perk choice be allocated to Killzone? There's always soldiers who get it via the AWC.

Or does Killzone ignore Concealment and just fire on enemy whether concealed or not?
Specialists I would take kill zone if you take cool under pressure. The other abilities in that tier are not good to me (threat assessment raises the cooldown of protocol which is not good; one of the best uses of the specialists is to add defense to someone every other turn but now you're going to 1/3 turns; scanning protocol is more or less unnecessary if you scout well and if you know how to play around faceless/lids). Ranger I like rupture and combat fitness.

I think killzone respect concealment; i.e. if your guy is concealed it won't fire. This is why it's best used if you know the enemy will walk into you and reveal you so you get a bunch of killzone shots.
KevlinTallfellow
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:01 am

Re: Overwatch-specific builds

Post by KevlinTallfellow »

I've had some success with a specialized squad that focuses on having attacks available after spending all action points on movement. It was Homeguard, my QRF squad. They were the guys that I sent to defend against haven retaliations, or help out those rebels that got caught hacking datataps or recruiting more rebels.

The primary role of this squad was to move as far as possible, as quickly as possible, and still be able to attack the enemy after the end of their movement.

Rangers (usually 2) and Specialists (usually 1) with Ever Vigilant and the appropriate overwatch perks, fitted with mobility armor, could dash really far, using the grapple for even more distance, and once they got where they were going, they would set up on overwatch with the potential for a lot of fire during the enemy turn, and with Dragon Rounds, a lot of control as well.

An overwatch SPARK with Bulwark is very useful to provide some cover on demand, so your shooters can worry more about how far they can move than what cover they can move to.

The Specialist gives you access to the Gremlin for hacking things if you need to, and taking the perk for defensive protocol lets you do things like end your Ranger's turn reloading and then put them back on overwatch, or drop it on the SPARK after it dashes up to provide cover for your guys so the SPARK can add to the volume of fire. Having access to a couple of plasma grenades can help a lot too.

A CCS Assault is useful as well, since they can use RnG to dash up and shoot, and if you can see where reinforcements will be dropping, they can park right next to the portal with a shotgun ready to go.

I would typically take a Blade Storm Shinobi, who would do a lot of the running around to gather up the rebels, as well as waiting for ADVENT to drop from the sky onto their sword. If groups of Chrysalids start teleporting in, Iron Skin PCS and Hellweave vests can really make these guys shine for defending your herd of rebels.

My personal preference was for the remaining two squad members to be a medical Specialist officer and a support Grenadier for when things start going badly, like when the portals start spitting out hugh HP sponges like Sectopods and Chrysalid Queens that can allow some of the enemies to survive long enough for the next portal to start actually building up their forces.
trihero
Posts: 1099
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2017 7:01 am

Re: Overwatch-specific builds

Post by trihero »

I totes agree, ever vigiliant mobile overwatch is incredibly good on retals/miniretals. It's beautiful : )
Whizbang
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 4:10 pm

Re: Overwatch-specific builds

Post by Whizbang »

I use rangers, it's my favorite. I hope they add realistic flashlight modding just like a Fenix UC35 pistol flashlight, it would be awesome.
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