Asking for Advice & Discussion: Tactics

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SoundOfRain
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:33 am

Asking for Advice & Discussion: Tactics

Post by SoundOfRain »

Hello,

as I mentioned in my other thread, I abandoned a Commander Ironman campaign of LW2 around October, when I was overwhelmed by the high-damage HP-bags known as Advanced Officers and Muton Centurions.

This is the thread for tactics:

1) How do you people use technicals? I have never found a niche for the middle tree (Rifle suppression + shredder), maybe I should go for that?
Generally what I do is: FireInTheHole, because I want my rockets to have decent accuracy + Napalm-X, because when I use the flame I want a Crowd-Control, one way or another + Burnout, to finally give them some survivability.

2) The Specialists' dilemma: Sentinel & Overwatch vs. Combat Protocol vs. Revival Protocol.
I think a couple of proper Medics with Revival protocol are good to have, especially when people get knocked unconscious by Stun Lancers.
I do not think Combat protocol is worth it - only 2 or 3 charges? oh come on - but I was surprised to find that Xwynn sometimes uses it

3) The Gunner's dilemma: Combatives vs. Grazing Fire.
Being impervious to any melee, from StunLancers to Mutons to Bersekers Vs. Being able to hit things and do damage to suppression-runners

4) I rarely, if ever, use Sharpshooters - only on big missions, or on missions with long infiltration times and 6 or 7 people, that do not mind a useless soldier that tags along to get 1 level.

5) Number of people on missions.
I need 5 people. 6 is nice if you have the space, so you have some safety margin and more people get XP, but that's it.
I can *never* get missions with only 4 people to work. Stealth gets busted at some point, and then you have to fight 1 pod, that usually becomes 2 pods quickly - and then you are in numerical inferiority, and *any* MK2 Advent (Advanced Officer, Muton, Rocketeer) that is not CC'ed will destroy someone on the team - making the situation even more dire, etc.
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SoundOfRain
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:33 am

Re: Asking for Advice & Discussion: Tactics

Post by SoundOfRain »

I found an answer to some of my own questions:
2) In my opinion (it would be nice to get someone else's) Revival Protocol is the best: it means that Stun Lancer stun and Sectoid panic do not knock out a solider for a turn.
You got unlucky and got an Unconscious KO in a long HQ mission? No problem.

You lose a bit in offensive power. However:
Sentinel is nice, but I have found I prefer to be active during my turn rather than reactive- and any overwatch is reactive, and if a Viper moves it's wasted.
Combat protocol has only 2or3 charges.

3) Combatives is better than Grazing Fire. Muton nearby? StunLancer charge? No problem, you even continue the suppression.
Mind you, this way a low-aim gunner has no chance to hit - but I found I use Rangers and Tecnichals for damage, the Gunners' main purpose is Control.


Added question: what do you do with low-mobility soldiers that do not have sniper-level aim?
Dwarfling
Posts: 524
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 12:16 pm

Re: Asking for Advice & Discussion: Tactics

Post by Dwarfling »

Heh, sorry if I'm anwering late but I do yearly comebacks to LW2 and well, 'tis the season.

1. If you want a build you can check out the ones I use on a guide I wrote last year. If you want to know how I use them, well, I bring them to deal AoE and destroy cover, mostly for the short missions (which is like 90% of LW2 I guess). Biggest issue Technicals face tho is that the T3 Gauntlet requires Muton Elite bodies and those not only super rare, they compete for them with Dragon Rounds (and Carapace Plating). So you'll reach a point when you're facing T3 enemies on every mission and your T2 flamethrower and rocket barely scratches anything.

2. There's no dilemma, you either get a Specialist with high aim and give it Sentinel, or one with low aim and give them Combat Protocol. You're not giving Combat Protocol its proper merit, it might only have 2 charges, but it always does the damage and it has infinite range (squad sight). How many times have you had an enemy remain with 2-4hp behind high cover and nobody has a good shot? Zap em with Combat Protocol. Drones got you down? Zap em.

3. I always take Combatives just so I won't get confused about who has it or not. Combatives have saved me countless times vs Mutons and Archons. Stunlancers are still a bit too unpredictable tho (they tend to go for lowest defense in dash range and that might not be your gunner).

4. You can use Snap Shot Sharpshooters in any mission, preferably with a Shinobi, to activate pods from afar. AI can act very stupid when you're outside their view range and dash into the open. DFA Sharpshooters work better on the long missions but I also bring them to Smash & Grab and Destroy the Relay missions where you got enough turns to afford having them static.

5. Normal is 5, more when you can afford it, mostly to rack up experience. 4 man I only attempt on XL missions and only on the very important ones (VIP rescue) or when my team of 4 is overpowered at the time of the mission, like say, early game SPARK or when you just got a new weapon tech.

Added question: Grenadiers. Low mobility low aim usually means high HP or high defense, which lets you ditch ablative for a grenade. And they should be using a SMG anyways.
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