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Ian
23-11-2015, 07:43 PM
Forgot we didn't have a thread. Inspired by RPS posting some screenies.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/11/23/xcom-2-wilderness-screenshots

Looks lovely. Want it very much. I'd love it if the different weather played a part.

Andrew
23-11-2015, 09:40 PM
Loved the original X com on the PS1 so fingers crossed for this.

Ian
10-12-2015, 07:13 PM
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/12/10/xcom-2-preview/

So much to like there. I'm glad it's not just "Enemy Unknown but you're nominally the aggressor."

Ian
12-12-2015, 10:32 AM
More stuff:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/12/11/xcom-2-combat-preview/

That should be a good change. As said in there, it was frustrating in EU/EW when you'd painstakingly haul your team across however many yards of cover and short hops only to suddenly have a swarm of mutons suddenly know you're there and swoop down on you. That was part of what made the mechs and MELD so satisfying in EW, gave you more of a feeling that you were actually the aggressor for a change.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/12/11/xcom-2-character-customisation/

I'm going to spend way too much time farting about in that. But the thing I really liked in that article is:

The terrain and buildings react to damage far more this time round and I actually managed to destroy a third turret that was firing down on my squad from a rooftop by blowing the roof out from beneath it. The device fell right through and shattered into pieces on the floor.

Ian
07-01-2016, 04:51 PM
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/01/07/xcom-2-preview-2/

A month left. :drool:

Ian
09-01-2016, 02:19 PM
And a more in-depth video showing the customisation options.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cBdCpfNfn8

Swords! I'd forgotten there were swords.

Ian
01-02-2016, 07:39 PM
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/01/xcom2-review/

Phew.

Want.

hfswjyr
01-02-2016, 10:59 PM
My laptop is JUST short of the minimum requirements. I'll be damned if I don't try it anyway.

Ian
01-02-2016, 11:44 PM
The concealment stuff just sounds so good, for two reasons. Of course for being the aggressor but also for the "Oh FUUUUUCK" moments when all your careful minutes of planning immediately unravel.

I'm also going to enjoy the soldier dress-up far, far too much. Think I'll name all my dudes and dudettes after TTHers.

ItalAussie
01-02-2016, 11:50 PM
I think I'm due another play of the original game.

Ian
02-02-2016, 01:10 PM
Didn't realise it was out on Friday. Shiiiiii. My weekend sorted.

Ian
04-02-2016, 11:35 PM
Bought and installing. :drool:

Ian
05-02-2016, 07:48 AM
If the post-work pub-chat is shit today it's definitely getting sacked off for this.

Ian
06-02-2016, 01:33 PM
So, as well as two I've already taken on missions so I won't be renaming I have four TTH recruits ready to go on my next mission. The four who've posted in this thread: Ian Welby, Ital Aussie, Hfs Wjyr (no New Zealand nationality :( ) and Andrew Thirdhalf (anybody with a name less easily split up will be from the Thirdhalf clan.) Appearances will be semi randomised, as will nationalities if I don't know where you're actually from, ethnicities, etc.

They'll be rolling out (without any experienced soldiers due to injuries....) for the first time later this afternoon.

I've only done the tutorial and the first scripted mission so far which didn't throw up anything exciting but I can say the concealment stuff is really cool and I'm definitely going to spend far too much time dressing my soldiers up.

Cord
06-02-2016, 01:48 PM
I'm about to give this a first go.

My mate claims they've made this harder than the last one, which is worrying as I was fairly bad at that. They've apparently made the snipers worse, and they were pretty much 100% of my strategy.

Still, at least I get to give everyone a pink hat now.

Disco
06-02-2016, 02:49 PM
This does look rather good, shame I'll have to get around to playing the previous one first.

Ian
06-02-2016, 03:43 PM
https://i.imgur.com/bJWIvAo.jpg

The Lads. :cool:

If any of you even look vaguely similar to real life then that's purely by chance. If anybody has posted mugshots on here before and wants to link it in here so I can get you a bit more accurate for when I report your pitiful death feel free.

We all look a bit similar gear-wise just now because I tend to colour-code by squads by soldier class (might change that in this one with so many more options) and I used to keep rookies in white in EU so I could immediately spot them if I wanted to protect or sacrifice them.

Ian
06-02-2016, 03:44 PM
I also appear to have forgotten to give the rest of you helmets. Favouritism, clearly.

EDIT: Technically I was the first TTH casualty but I failed the mission and it made me replay it, so a reprieve.

Ian
06-02-2016, 05:07 PM
Finished it at the second attempt without a casualty. Ital took a pasting though.

Promotions all round.

Ian Welby - Promoted to sharpshooter. :cool:
Ital Aussie - Promoted to grenadier, so he gets a BFG and a grenade launcher.
Hfs Wyjr - Promoted to Specialist, so he gets a little flying droid thing that I can use to turn him into either a "combat hacker" or a specialist medic type. Which at this point I'll probably do when I get the chance.
Andrew - Also a grenadier.

I have also recruited Cord Uroy, and styled him as a cheesy action movie star as we share a liking for crap action films. Had I been making it how I imagine him to look he'd probably have had a big beard.
http://i.imgur.com/ge0R4a7.jpg

EDIT: Cord promoted to Ranger, so he'll be cutting fools up.

Also, I'm going to get annoyed if every bloody mission has a timer on it.

Cord
06-02-2016, 06:28 PM
The swarthy complexion on that :drool:

I'm being fairly rubbish at this, and it keeps giving me completely bald Frenchwomen as new recruits. Other than that, I'm enjoying it.

Patje
06-02-2016, 07:36 PM
I will be getting this at some point.

Keep me posted on the dressing up part. Somehow I always end up spending to much time on those parts of games.

Disco
06-02-2016, 07:55 PM
I swear at least half of the original game was spent on inventory management.

Ian
06-02-2016, 08:04 PM
New recruits!

S.Disco, a man the randomiser has given a very large forehead indeed:
http://i.imgur.com/4k6to1Q.jpg

Pat Patje, who's black because the randomiser values racial diversity in my otherwise caucasian sausage-fest.
http://i.imgur.com/RLsBXge.jpg

And Ma How, who had a beard in that mugshot, right?
http://i.imgur.com/WsEeqJd.jpg

Mike
06-02-2016, 11:20 PM
I downloaded this earlier. Never played the last one, will that matter?

P_3
06-02-2016, 11:55 PM
Sign me up Ian. I'll be happy enough to polish the boots and do the laundry. I'll leave the fighting to the big boys.

Baz
06-02-2016, 11:55 PM
You haven't downloaded it really, have you? You just want to be on Ian's game. :D

(I'm looking forward to seeing my likeness. If you can be arsed chasing up a mugshot, base it on Leighton Baines)

Sir Andy Mahowry
06-02-2016, 11:58 PM
You haven't downloaded it really, have you? You just want to be on Ian's game. :D

:D

I've never played an Xcom game and I'm thinking of getting it purely based on Ian's 'team'.

Mike
06-02-2016, 11:58 PM
Ha, I have actually. Though it's the main reason I asked my question, much like why you've replied. ;)

Ian
07-02-2016, 12:21 AM
It's not necessary to have played Enemy Unknown, the story isn't very deep.

Disco gets promoted on his debut mission, he's a sharpshooter now.

Ian
07-02-2016, 01:09 AM
Patje..... Patje's gone, lads. :cry:

Killed two aliens in his first mission before being shot in the back while heroically running away from some others in fear.

Sir Andy Mahowry
07-02-2016, 01:12 AM
Typical Dutchie.

Disco
07-02-2016, 01:15 AM
Firaxis not pulling the punches, my hairline isn't quite that bad...yet. Although in for a penny and all that, give him a huge flapping combover.

Ian
07-02-2016, 01:49 AM
Cord has expressed his utter regret at stopping Mahow being constricted to death by a big alien megasnake.

Mahow has been promoted to specialist.

I really need to work on unlocking more spaces in my on-mission squads.

Sir Andy Mahowry
07-02-2016, 02:04 AM
Specialist :cool:

Clearly they know what they're talking about.

Byron
07-02-2016, 08:56 AM
Get me involved Ian, I'd like to see if I can survive more than a few seconds.

Shindig
07-02-2016, 09:10 AM
I downloaded this earlier. Never played the last one, will that matter?

No. This game implies that Earth lost the last game.

Andrew
07-02-2016, 09:21 AM
Tempted to run out and get this, loved the original game on the PS1?!?!?

The Third Half massive are humanity's last and only hope!!!!

Patje
07-02-2016, 09:29 AM
Patje..... Patje's gone, lads. :cry:

Killed two aliens in his first mission before being shot in the back while heroically running away from some others in fear.

Sounds like me. Tell me you recovered the marvelous sunglasses.

Ian
07-02-2016, 10:57 AM
Thirdhalf Mike has volunteered to join the crew and has already got sufficient skills that he will immediately become a Corporal in the ranger (sword-dude) class.

EDIT: New picture, partly because I've researched some new armor to show off. Mostly because I've taken Mike's bandana off and learned that the game has given him a sweet 'tache.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861619690441/239BF06276F1EDF58988FF5D4B7383755CB648C9/

Ian
07-02-2016, 01:06 PM
It's really shit that the game lies to you about how good you're going to be at hacking a turret or mec and then punishes you when you fail. All the time.

Mike
07-02-2016, 01:12 PM
That picture of me could easily be a photo. Its uncanny.

phonics
07-02-2016, 01:52 PM
I want to get in on this game so bad.

Ian
07-02-2016, 02:09 PM
Experienced grenadier, Sergeant Pee "P_3" Three, has joined the ranks.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620243223/735EF65743F93AC46163F283F9C4AEA3B397B877/

You're a big, cigar-chomping black dude, right?

phonics
07-02-2016, 02:12 PM
He looks high af.

Ian
07-02-2016, 02:25 PM
Yeah, I noticed after I posted it that I've somewhat caught him blinking.

Or high. :uhoh:

EDIT:
I'm going to do a proper rundown of what all the TTHers look like, are up to, etc. later this afternoon but he's a sneak preview of 80s action b-movie star Cord Uroy brooding on the title screen:

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620421808/E67D52D66D5FA4F2715653201381AA662D4C8ADA/

phonics
07-02-2016, 03:17 PM
696347626283859969

So you don't have to edit them in after.

Ian
07-02-2016, 04:36 PM
Yeah, I need to go and delete the ones I have and save them back in again because I've saved some duplicates and I can't be arsed working out what's what.

Anyway, a roundup of where the TTH gang are so far.

There would have been more dead but my only actual deaths have come in missions it made me replay. Lucky.
The Dead
Pat "Patje" Je.
Likes Sunglasses, not being dead.
Dislikes Being dead, being brutally shot in the back whilst fleeing like a coward.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620633972/F5B631D3A0F916039E8CB8BE0238CE55BB47F18B/

The Team
Corporal Ma How 2 missions, 1 kill
Has a gun called... 1-0 (was nearly Ronaldo 1-0 but stuck with 1-0.)
Likes His little robot friend, the array of new and exciting cuisines introduced by our alien overlords
Dislikes Killing aliens by the looks of it
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620634517/3C33B6EE67EF8E60DC1633E56D0F98A9D3C0CA20/

Corporal Mike 1 mission, 3 kills
Likes The 'tache
Dislikes That shitty helmet I've given him
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620634343/AB4B8852300A6891C00D74575363E5A4E83F7ABA/

Sergeant Ian "Old Man" Welby 5 missions, 11 kills
Has a gun called... Betsy (named after the vulture from Robin Hood's crossbow.)
Likes Not getting anywhere close to danger if he can possibly avoid it, accountancy if his appearance is anything to go by
Dislikes Looking like an account who's wandered into the XCOM recruitment centre by mistake but is too embarrassed to admit it
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620634692/D3CA02466CB23F20FCDAA2AEC5F7058E4D251577/

Sergeant S. "Sergeant" Disco 4 missions, 11 kills
Likes Covering the laughable hairline the randomiser gave him with a sweet hat, murdering things from a long way away,
Dislikes The aforementioned hairline
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620634867/42F2043C1A3471334051C57EC081D0C9647AFC26/

Sergeant Pee "P_3" Three 1 mission, 2 kills
Likes That his presence deflects accusations of XCOM recruiters being racists
Dislikes That his name is also his nickname
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620635000/8030FDFBA7A401437134B324CDB3CD6630D24A1D/

Lieutenant Ital "Girl" Aussie 5 missions, 12 kills
Has a gun called... "Science." Because science.
Likes Repeating my orders back to me but making them sound like questions?
Dislikes The nickname, possibly.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620635153/ECF86288CA40043314776920E011319A44F2F8D4/

Lieutenant Hfs "Vowels" Wjyr 6 missions, 10 kills
Likes Consonants, panicking every single fucking time he gets hit
Dislikes Vowels.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620635281/A27346401E041246E1E24DE351BBCBEFD7E09C5B/

Lieutenant "All In" Andrew 6 missions, 13 kills
Likes Murdering aliens with quiet efficiency because I didn't think he had as many kills as he does.
Dislikes That nickname, it's the only one I haven't changd because I have no idea what to change it to.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620635530/70BBB0F5A964FA2332A248098D6FC7BFD29C0712/

Lieutenant Cord "Crod" Uroy 4 missions, 15 kills
Has a gun called... "The Dog." In tribute.
Likes Dogs, murdering shit with his sword, the works of Michael Biehn
Dislikes Problems that can't be solved by killing it with a sword
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861620635677/D22418A5FB9E082F727FB6B61044B5F0A8D580E7/

The Alien Murder Premier League
1 - Lt. Cord - 15 kills (4 missions.)
2 - Lt. Andrew - 13 kills (6 missions)
3 - Lt. Aussie - 12 kills (5 missions)

Cord
07-02-2016, 05:58 PM
While I am obviously the best there, I am slightly worried by the sword specialisation.

The amount of 90%+ sword hits I've missed leading to my ranger sat directly in front of an enemy just waiting to get murdered. I suspect it's a short but glorious existence twatting giant carniverous ray-gun toting aliens with a sword.

Ian
07-02-2016, 06:13 PM
The only time the sword has proven to be an error in judgement so far was when I tried it on a completely healthy muton, who'd have laughed in my pathetic face were it not for the fact that they're bred only for violence and rage.

Andrew
07-02-2016, 08:23 PM
2nd place....

Story of my life so far.😢

hfswjyr
07-02-2016, 08:47 PM
This is brilliant "Old Man" Welby. And you've clearly got it spot on, I am obviously a nerdy looking black man.

Hoping to get playing this soon. Praying my laptop will run it.

Cord
07-02-2016, 09:10 PM
I have to say it is quite performance issue-y. Playable on my very low end of the specs laptop, but the frame rate can be a problem and the loading times can be excessive.

Hopefully they can improve that in a patch, because otherwise this is top stuff.

Ian
07-02-2016, 09:14 PM
The loading times are pretty shit even on my fairly swish machine. Though oddly the only issues I have performance-wise are on the loading screen, oddly, when it pans in to those otherwise really cool menu screens. Otherwise I'm fine. The camera is wonky as fuck sometimes, panning through walls during "dramatic" mid-level cut-scenes and the like.

Anyway, Vowels, see what CanYouRunIt says:
http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri

Ian
08-02-2016, 02:02 AM
Incidentally it says a lot that a few of you are right into this and I'm not even really reporting on missions much, let alone posting video AARs or anything. Just dressing up avatars with your names who don't look especially like you. :D

ItalAussie
08-02-2016, 02:46 AM
1 - Lt. Cord - 15 kills (4 missions.)
2 - Lt. Andrew - 13 kills (6 missions)
3 - Lt. Aussie - 12 kills (5 missions)
Kickin' ass. Takin' names.

ItalAussie
08-02-2016, 02:48 AM
If I owned a gun, I would 100% name it "Science". Not even a joke.

Disco
08-02-2016, 12:22 PM
Incidentally it says a lot that a few of you are right into this and I'm not even really reporting on missions much, let alone posting video AARs or anything. Just dressing up avatars with your names who don't look especially like you. :D

If I ever get my shit together enough to record gameplay/audio at an acceptable level then a UFO/Xcom playthrough with TTH named soldiers is one of the first things I'll do (along with another CK2 game).

Ian
08-02-2016, 12:47 PM
I just can't be bothered putting up whole missions, I should be doing more mini-AARs and amusing anecdotes though.

For example, in a mission I played there was a train carriage made up of some sort of explosive container which I had the option to shoot and blow up, but didn't. I forgot this was basically a giant explosive barrel until I had Mahow perched atop it, with about four aliens drawing beads on him.... :rosebud:

Disco
08-02-2016, 12:54 PM
Yeah, select missions is the way to go, I intended to do highlights depending on how much interesting stuff happened. Same with CK2, roundup videos would be the way to go as there would be massive amounts of tedious footage.

Ian
08-02-2016, 03:27 PM
So I decided that since I'm recruting pre-levelled people sometimes anyway I might as well transform these two gimps I've had with me since the start into TTHers.

Firstly is the story of an Irish bird called Jane Kelly, who it turns out had been a man masquerading as a woman all along. But thankfully the XCOM doctors have managed to solve her identity crisis and revealed "his" true persona...

Lt. "Banned" Baz, who for the purposes of this photoshoot is also modelling my new "EXO" armor, which includes a wrist-mounted rocket launcher and is the business.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861624759793/1B29E29C91D76269C83BA0843779909DC0D59C57/

Be thankful you're here, Baz. Mahow had to carry your previous, womanly incarnation through basically an entire mission after you immediately got knocked unconscious by a muton. This probably also means he copped a feel while you were knocked out.

Similarly, what was previously thought to be a small Polish woman named Lena has in fact transpired to be a large, ginger man with a ridiculous haircut/face/fashion sense by the name of:
Lt. Slaven "Hammer" Byron, who calls his rifle Big Sam.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861624760101/9474F9598034469C9B921A607E153129BF58CDDB/

Shindig
08-02-2016, 06:24 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCgTKv7NHLc

Fred Dineage, its good to see you.

Mike
08-02-2016, 07:44 PM
Time for the Akehurst Boys to mess some shit up!

Andrew
08-02-2016, 07:58 PM
Love the mullet on Baz!!

Ian
08-02-2016, 08:29 PM
For anybody who played Enemy Unknown it's worth pointing out that they've done wonders with the procedurally generated maps in this. No more rocking up to the exact same petrol station for the 43rd time. You'll obviously get some where they're based on being the same sort of area but they've generally mixed them up really well.

Raoul Duke
08-02-2016, 09:30 PM
Can I be in this?!

Ian
08-02-2016, 10:12 PM
Anybody who posts in here will get a shot as I recruit more soldiers. Currently Shinners and Phonics are ahead of you but there'll be plenty of death to come, no doubt. Might actually buy some recruits, I could probably do with them.

hfswjyr
08-02-2016, 11:11 PM
I've got this running. It's amazing.

Where are you up to Ian? I'm just past the black market and starting to figure out the comm links.

Had one mission where all but 1 rookie died. The last rookie took out 4 alien scum by herself and finished the mission with 2 bars of life. By far the most intense and closest XCOM win I've had. She looked fucking sad and alone on the Skyranger trip home too. Really short of leaders in my team at the moment, just hanging on with squaddies.

Cord
09-02-2016, 12:52 AM
I just had a nice and useful bug where the enemies stopped moving or attacking me.

Still only completed the mission on the last turn :face:

I think this save is ballsed, possibly due to the bug, and also because I've now got only 3 Avatar project bar things to go. All I'll say to people is build a comms room thing early. The game doesn't tell you that, but you're screwed if you don't, as far as I can tell.

Ian
09-02-2016, 07:53 AM
I've taken my first Black Site and have built a comms room so I can head to Australia for the next one because my Advent bar is looking worrying. Got magnetic rifles and shotguns, plated armour, that EXO armour I showed off and now a set of Spider armor which will be for the use of snipers. Mostly through luck I think I'm in slightly better nick than Cord.

phonics
09-02-2016, 11:10 AM
I've taken 2 Black Sites and am aiming for a third but I have almost no upgrades or supplies so I think I've fucked this run tbh.

Cord
09-02-2016, 01:46 PM
One thing the developers have done very well on (being massive bastards), is that unlike Enemy Unknown, there are now absolutely no enemy types that I'm happy to see appear. On EU, there'd always be a sigh of relief if you saw some Sectoids or Thin Men taking up some of the enemy force, whereas on this every enemy type has some sort of unique ability that makes them troublesome.

Sectoids basically have the same abilities as the bosses from EU and since the ADVENT troopers on mine have gained the heavy armour with the deeply, deeply irritating ability to give everyone around them an armour boost, they've gone straight up in my estimation from the mookiest mook to ever mook to the ones I look to kill ASAP.

Ian
09-02-2016, 06:01 PM
Yeah, I think as I went through EU I had a pretty firm hierarchy of what had to die first in a given group of enemies (FUCK YOU, CHRYSSALIDS) but now it's way more situational.

Ian
09-02-2016, 09:47 PM
And the second TTH death is............

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861630094701/CB62016884D9B0DD0D5134DA265A7E3A8EECDEAC/

And here's what happened.

Tasked with destroying a transmitter so as to disrupt the aliens' network and slow down their progress on the "Avatar Project", I had snuck through a run-down urban area and set up the perfect ambush. Spotting a trio of armored infantry patrolling on an overpass, the squad carefully scaled the pillars ("Old Man" Welby grappling his way up courtesy of his new Spider armor) and set up the perfect ambush of the three. And it worked. But A touch too much caution meant that by the time the armored soldiers were dealt with (two dead, one had fled half-dead) there were only moments to spare to take out the transmitter before they completed their transmission and the moment had passed. The two specialists, Corporal Mahow and Lieutenant Byron, rushed to the edge of the overpass to get line of sight on the transmitter. Between them and their shiny new magnetic assault rifles they took it down, but not without drawing the attention of two snakemen, a codex, a muton and three new armored infantry brought in by dropship as reinforcements.

Realising that we were never going to kill them all without taking serious hurt, the Avenger was called in to provide an emergency evac from the overpass.... but just as the squad were making their way to safety Mahow was tongue-grabbed and hauled down to surface-level, far out of reach of his comrades, to die in the coils of an 'orrible snake twat. Whilst also being shot by the other aliens. Ouch.

RIP, Mahow.

Sir Andy Mahowry
09-02-2016, 09:59 PM
Fuck :(

Ian
09-02-2016, 10:04 PM
But despite, or possibly even because of, Mahow's gruesome death XCOM continues to recruit.

Shindig, a rookie sharpshooter has joined the ranks with his porno tache and a braided ponytail I forgot to include in this shot. He is also wearing the Spider armor, for showing-off purposes.

Also in is MF Phonics, who will be sent for further training before he goes out on any missions as a medic and specialist to fill Mahow's gamer chair in the mess.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861630155389/E2A6F9347730BF5B65AB8762EAD4D80723D02A3B/

phonics
09-02-2016, 10:41 PM
I'm wearing a hat so that's my character nailed.

Shindig
09-02-2016, 10:42 PM
Relax, Ian. I've done Movember so I know what I look like with a suspect mustache. Ponytail, though. Those days are long gone. :(

Disco
09-02-2016, 10:43 PM
But despite, or possibly even because of, Mahow's gruesome death XCOM continues to recruit.

Shindig, a rookie sharpshooter has joined the ranks with his porno tache and a braided ponytail I forgot to include in this shot. He is also wearing the Spider armor, for showing-off purposes.

Also in is MF Phonics, who will be sent for further training before he goes out on any missions as a medic and specialist to fill Mahow's gamer chair in the mess.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861630155389/E2A6F9347730BF5B65AB8762EAD4D80723D02A3B/

Coming to airport security near you...

Ian
09-02-2016, 10:44 PM
Forgot to post Shinners:
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320122861630155229/17138BA610001E5E4A54DF462490A9311A7A7F99/

Also just hit a bug Cord mentioned where the enemies randomly stop moving or attacking you, which made my first encounter with the new (fucking huge) berserker an anti-climax.

Still, Vowels and Cord became the joint-first Captains among my ranks, meaning I can start taking six people at a time as soon as I have ANY MONEY.

phonics
09-02-2016, 11:58 PM
Just quit after some massive bullshit. Ran into yet another group of 4 people activating them as usual. They all ran past the guy who activated them, slid across the entire map (I assume it was a bug) and killed 3 people in one turn. I quit.

hfswjyr
10-02-2016, 11:37 PM
I think I've lost this save. Advent bar is about 70% full, and I've only just got enough soldiers to make a squad. Worried about taking the Black Site, and have just failed to stop a Dark Event (missed it by 1 turn!).

I've only reloaded once when I completely failed the mission. I'm going to carry on until I lose, but after that I'm not sure if I should go back to a previous save point, or restart altogether.

Ian
11-02-2016, 08:42 PM
I've got two or three Advent bars left but I've now also upgraded my heavy cannon things, I'm up to 6 chaps per mission and another set of EXO armor so somebody else gets a) a free rocket-launch per mission and a bit more armor. I've also got access to a Black Site in Australia so hopefully I'm on the road to bringing it back a bit.

On the flipside I've now encountered archons and muton berserkers so shit's getting real. :(

Some RPS XCOM diaries:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/10/xcom-2-diary/
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/11/xcom-2-ironman/

For players having performances issues (#oioi). Mine's actually running fine 95% of the time so I'm loathe to fiddle with it. But here it is:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/11/xcom-2-performance-fix/

And some stats:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/11/xcom2-stats/

Me and Cord were discussing the slight rubbishness of grenadiers before I then totted up the stats and learned that two of my biggest hitters are grenadiers. I think in part this is because they have more armour and are thus able to take more hits and be in more missions, etc. but still, I think they're better than they actually seem early doors. I know that now a well-placed grenade can make or break an engagement with a group of enemies, whether it be shredding armor or destroy cover for the other lads to take their shot.

hfswjyr
11-02-2016, 11:34 PM
Oh, and what's the deal with hacking? I haven't done it since basically the first 2 missions. Am I missing something in the environment? When do you get the chance to hack (other than mission objectives obviously).

phonics
11-02-2016, 11:36 PM
I haven't found anything to hack outside of the surveillance towers if you don't have the Combat Protocol Perk.

Ian
12-02-2016, 12:17 AM
There are mission-specific chests and things as well. The game suggests there will be other supply chests and things but I don't know.

The game also lies even more about your chances of hacing success than it does about shooting, Lies to you and then punishes you when you fail.

Byron
13-02-2016, 07:12 AM
I think I need a moment to celebrate just how fucking mad my hair is. How the aliens won't spot me a mile off I've no clue.

Cord
13-02-2016, 08:57 AM
You get to hack robotic enemies as well, either to disable them or sometimes to take control completely. I'm quite a big fan of my techie fella.

I'm going to have to start again though, which I'm slightly struggling to find the enthusiasm for at the moment, despite really enjoying the first go.

Byron
13-02-2016, 12:50 PM
Well this has convinced me to break out the copy of XCOM Enemy Unknown I got as a gift for Christmas.

Ian
13-02-2016, 01:06 PM
You should definitely do that. It's still ace. Even if, given you got it for free, it ends up as you deciding to jump up to XCOM2 when we tell you about some of the EU gripes which have been fixed.

Ian
13-02-2016, 02:56 PM
A satisfyingly flawless (and therefore slightly anticlimactic) sabotage mission to an alien facility sees me knock them off their stride for the Avatar project and no less than FOUR promotions for the six soldiers who completed it.

Specialist Vowels becomes Major, Byron makes Captain along with my best sharpshooter, Disco. Rastafarian grenadier P_3 becomes Lieutenant.

hfswjyr
13-02-2016, 03:13 PM
Major. I like it.

What difficulty are you playing on? I'm about to turn mine down to easy - I'm really struggling to keep my team alive.

P_3
13-02-2016, 03:32 PM
This thread has made me dust off Enemy Unknown. Disappointingly I never finished a run I had back in 2014 and haven't a clue what I'm doing.

Ian
13-02-2016, 03:53 PM
Just on normal, Vowels. I've been fortunate in that my biggest losses were in early missions where it made me replay them because absolutely everybody died. I've been uber-cautious quite a lot of the time.

Anyway, welcome to the newest recruit. Raoul Duke, who has been trained in grenading things and terrorist headscarf-wearing skills.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123098196560367/766DABA760CBE88F45A5285BFBA74F186A7057A3/

Ian
13-02-2016, 06:47 PM
And more news! I had a mission where

your ship is hunted by a UFO and then shot down, and you get to use more than your max squad to defend against presumably endless waves of enemies while you disable some equipment they've used to keep the ship grounded and defend the ship from aliens trying to board it.

The hero of the hour was Baz, who was able to remain concealed, snuck through the enemy defences and took it out while the rest of the squad drew aliens away from it.

Picked up a few injuries but everybody lived. I rode my luck hard early on and now my squad is really very handy.

For their heroics, there were promotions:
Slaven Byron who becomes a Major.
Cord also makes Major
ItalAussie makes Captain
As does Andrew

Also introducing a new recruit and first psi ops soldier Laurent Robert, who will of course be nicknamed Samadini once he's progressed enough for a nickname to be available. He currently has the ability to put enemies briefly in stasis but I'm going to keep training him and have him able to mind-control aliens as well. :cool:
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123098197104116/C5E7DB8717D497715265BC79598101F1463154A0/

Samadini
13-02-2016, 07:17 PM
And more news! I had a mission where

your ship is hunted by a UFO and then shot down, and you get to use more than your max squad to defend against presumably endless waves of enemies while you disable some equipment they've used to keep the ship grounded and defend the ship from aliens trying to board it.

The hero of the hour was Baz, who was able to remain concealed, snuck through the enemy defences and took it out while the rest of the squad drew aliens away from it.

Picked up a few injuries but everybody lived. I rode my luck hard early on and now my squad is really very handy.

For their heroics, there were promotions:
Slaven Byron who becomes a Major.
Cord also makes Major
ItalAussie makes Captain
As does Andrew

Also introducing a new recruit and first psi ops soldier Laurent Robert, who will of course be nicknamed Samadini once he's progressed enough for a nickname to be available. He currently has the ability to put enemies briefly in stasis but I'm going to keep training him and have him able to mind-control aliens as well. :cool:
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123098197104116/C5E7DB8717D497715265BC79598101F1463154A0/

Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Raoul Duke
13-02-2016, 08:47 PM
Aww yiss. I look fucking badass :drool:

Ian
13-02-2016, 11:45 PM
You actually do. That pose looked better than I thought. I just got bored of waiting for you to look at the camera and took the shot.

Me and Cord tried a multiplayer game there. It went... hm. So it took us ages to a) fix our voice chat (team speak and in-game clashing) and b) disconnects. We eventually got in and got started and it was fun and tense and all that and then.... yeah, it disconnected. Dunno if the issue was at one of our ends or if it's the game.

We'd also done a bit of a shit job at making the most of our aliens. I couldn't work out how to get my berserker to hit anything, neither of us made the most of our snakeman skills, Cord had started to abuse his sectoid before I ran it through with a sword.

My Codex was doing quite nicely and ruining Cord's day but then the game dropped. I think we'd both got three soldiers left at that point.

Baz
14-02-2016, 09:09 AM
Hero of the hour but no promotion.

Ian
14-02-2016, 09:52 AM
As far as I can tell you only get promotions for killing aliens. You didn't do much of that. Which is a bit wank, really, I'd say anything that's a mission objective should get you XP.

The game clearly thinks your luxuriant barnet is it's own reward.

ItalAussie
14-02-2016, 09:54 AM
El Capitano. :cool:

Baz
14-02-2016, 09:59 AM
The game clearly thinks your luxuriant barnet is it's own reward.Much like real life.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GCzwXkhPbw

Ian
14-02-2016, 11:42 AM
More promotions!
Old Man Welby and Mike promoted to Captain, Phonics to Sergeant, Duke to Corporal.

And because I've got the AWC some of those got extra free skills that aren't normally part of their class. :cool:

Something else worth noting that the game doesn't make clear, you can "fail" a guerrilla mission and still stop the Dark Event you were setting out to stop, or so it seems to me. So you might fail because you evac because you don't want to risk your squad trying to kill the remaining enemies BUT if you complete the primary objective and then fuck off you'll fail the mission but stop the Dark Event from happening. It means you won't get loot or the main mission reward but it'll help your overall progress.

EDIT: Got your promotion, Baz, by cutting an alien's face off with a sword. :cool:

Shinners up to Lieutenant as well.

P_3
14-02-2016, 01:06 PM
Sure, this is XCOM EU, but I've just discovered you can switch weapons mid-battle. I was pleasantly surprised when I pressed square (PS3) whilst planning an attack with a heavy only for him to pull out a great big bazooka. :drool:

Also I'm sure I've asked this on the old board, but is there anything stopping me from collecting lots of money and whooping the occasional UFO before progressing with the story? I have to build a skeleton key and I'm just putting it off in pursuit of maxing my squad. Is that alright?

Ian
14-02-2016, 03:59 PM
You want a bigger squad but you also want satellites before it all comes crumbling down.

Anyway, TTH Alien Force updates. First up MORE promotions.

Cord becomes a Colonel, Disco a Major and Phonics a Lieutenant.

I've also done some videos!

First up, Disco showing off the grappling capabilities of the spider armour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmLsnX0zZBA

Cord executing a fellow he'd just stunned with his electro-sword:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA2Q6-xSAEw

Cord again, this time just hacking a dude to death:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqMmVzDty5k

And finally Sama showing off his psi-ops skills:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p59_SHgeWpc

The guy who panics at the end of that last one went on the shoot one of his own alien chums in fear. Sama then mind-controlled another who and used his abilities to give Team TTH shields. Sama. :cool:

Ian
16-02-2016, 09:51 PM
Mods!
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/16/best-xcom-2-mods/

I would consider the True Concealment one on a future playthrough.

Also the explanation doesn't stop this amusing me:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/16/why-does-caps-lock-make-xcom-2-load-faster/

tl;dr version is that people found that hitting caps lock during the lengthy loads would finish the game loading things much quicker.

EDIT: Lads. Lads. :(

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123574749407137/F9999F4CB0269E6411D6C8B217FA61B6309D246C/
ItalAussie

:(

Went from "These grenadiers are a bit meh" to one of the most important guys on the roster. You shall be sorely missed my antipodean chum.

And with the sad news above, I needed to bolster the ranks. Welcome randomlegend to the ranks, who becomes our second psi-ops chap. He is also showing off the new power armor we've developed in a lovely shade of psi-ops purple.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123574749454699/2133D0326D1DA686D33D00B38FC1AFF2DBCEC9C7/

randomlegend
17-02-2016, 12:10 AM
A big gay man (presumably to drive a big gay van) :cool:

Ian
17-02-2016, 12:19 AM
Sadly we travel about the place in a shitty futuristic plane but rest assured, for any ground infiltrations the van will be a large, gay Rocket League van.

Last update of the night, we've made a set of armour called the WAR suit. Modelled here by Andrew, it has swish armor stats and for the forthcoming mission I shall be mounting a flamethrower to it. There shall be videos of things coming once I get chance to play the next mission.

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123574749503540/5D23D9DA9CF45F4BAAC470D449C75106C1DDB12E/

Unlike the power armor showed off by Randrew above, this one isn't a general upgrade it's a special individual suit. Andrew shall be setting fire to many an alien, I hope.

ItalAussie
17-02-2016, 01:08 AM
No.

This is totally unacceptable. I was raised fighting Australian wildlife just to get to grenadier school. No sectopod is going to kill me where emus, stingrays and snakes failed. Dammit.

hfswjyr
17-02-2016, 06:07 PM
Am I the highest ranking officer? What're my abilities?

Gotta say, going out to a sectopod is a bit of an anti-climax.

Scratch that. I thought it was a sectoid. Sectopod death is worthy.

Andrew
17-02-2016, 08:51 PM
I shall reign fire upon the alien scum, in memory of the fallen Ital!!!!!

Ian
17-02-2016, 10:39 PM
I had left Ital in a somewhat compromised position because I needed to use his attack to ensure that not everybody else died because he knocked a massive hole in the sectopod's armour. In hindsight I could perhaps have used my two specialists a bit more aggresively with Vowels stopping the alien SOS transmission remotely and Byron hacking the sectopod (which he did, to temporarily shut it down, the turn after it wasted Ital.) I thought Ital would be safe to survive one attack before we hit the sectopod again next turn. :(


Am I the highest ranking officer? What're my abilities?

If you're not highest you're joint-highest. And you are a healing machine. You can do a bit of hacking with your GREMLIN bot but not enemy robots. You're geared towards keeping everybody else alive, though you do a fair bit of damage yourself. Your final skill-up gave you the ability to send your bot round healing, reviving and removing debuffs from the whole party, though I assume it is either a one-off or has a killer cooldown.

ItalAussie
17-02-2016, 11:31 PM
I died so that my team would live? I'll cop to that.

http://www.quotehd.com/imagequotes/authors73/tmb/franco-frattini-quote-he-died-a-hero.jpg

The bards will write songs of my sacrifice. Don't let this be in vain, you lot.

Ian
20-02-2016, 05:25 PM
I didn't realise that you could recover a dead soldier's fallen weapon (with it's name and upgrades kept in tact) so...


I shall reign fire upon the alien scum, in memory of the fallen Ital!!!!!

Andrew is now using "Science", Ital's mag cannon, in his honour.

Ian
21-02-2016, 09:37 AM
So it wasn't a good mission for sharpshooter Ian "Old Man" Welby. Tasked with extracting a VIP we were warned in advance that it was going to be a strong alien force standing in our way, including a Gatekeeper. An enemy I encountered briefly on the last mission right before I called in an emergency evac and escaped an ambush before I could find out what it actually does.

So things were off to a hectic but manageable start, right up until an archon brought down half of the roof of a building we were perched on. Everybody escaped both the blast and the fall but it left Welby in a bit of a sticky position. After a grappling-hook powered escape to a slightly less precarious foothold he was shot at from afar by ANOTHER archon.... which sent him flying off the building. He survived the fall but would bleed out if not attended to pronto. While the rest of the squad fended off the surviving enemies, Captain MF "Admin" phonics sent his Gremlin droid over to stabilise Welby. And then Colonel Slaven Byron, fresh off executing the Gatekeeper (he has a 5% chance to one-shot an enemy) carried my useless arse to the evac (only briefly dropping me to disable an enemy MEC droid.)

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320123842404924545/841B60EB5EBE3BC0A75D6C2F4F23E92DC3C6E908/

:wub:

P_3
21-02-2016, 11:45 AM
How much progress have you made, do you feel? What are the maps like? Mainly city ones or are there plenty of wide open areas like in EU? How bad are my 'nade-cooking skills?

I've finally completed EU. Thought I was a don ensuring everyone survived to the end, but turned out I was playing on Easy the whole time. Just started again on Impossible and am getting my ass handed to me in the introductory mission. I miss my Plasma weapons and Titan Armour. :(

Ian
21-02-2016, 02:42 PM
The Avatar bar is constantly hovering around the "nearly full" mark because I keep dithering for supply drops and letting research and stuff finish but I'm about ready to start hitting black sites and story missions harder and more regularly to start pushing back against the aliens a bit. And I've got a lot of good gear. One thing I would like to get if I can build up the supplies is the alien psi-amp because I'm enjoying my psi ops dudes very much (@randomlegend's guy has the ability to detonate any grenades or whatever that an enemy might have on them, or lingering on the corpse of a dead enemy amongst other things) and that'd give them an extra boost.

I'm running out of things to research though so unless there are more enemies to come I must be at such a point where I'll end up pushing through the story stuff now.

Map-wise it's a vast, vast improvement on Enemy Unknown. There are four or five base types of map, randomly generated, and some of them can have different weather effects and stuff as well. In EU you'd find yourself on identikit maps but while you'll encounter ones on this which are thematically similar I don't recall hitting one and finding it to be basically the same as one I'd done previously.

Byron
21-02-2016, 02:50 PM
I'm a fucking boss evidently.

Ian
21-02-2016, 05:10 PM
You are a bit. With the "bluescreen" rounds which fuck up robots' defenses your guy is now pretty swish at hacking the buggers once somebody's shot them when those bullets. Trying to take control of them is still a gamble but disabling them for a few turns is now a safe-ish bet.

Sama is a bit of a hero as well. Psi ops guys are so good.

Ian
24-02-2016, 07:40 PM
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/24/xcom-2-best-class-tips/

There's no particular eye-openers in here if you've played a fair bit already but if you're starting and like hints and tips there'll be some good stuff in here.

EDIT: Disco makes Colonel. :cool:

phonics
25-02-2016, 12:18 PM
I'm starting to think Overwatch is actually awful. It always misses.

hfswjyr
25-02-2016, 03:55 PM
My specialists are pretty much the overwatchers of my team. They get that +10 aim when they take a shot from overwatch.

Ian
25-02-2016, 06:13 PM
Overwatch is a reduced aim shot so on average I think you're down to a60% or so chance, not counting your skills or enemies which are harder to hit. I've taken to moving everybody once then going round the squad and moving a guy or two further forward so if enemies are nearby I can take some proper shots.

Risky but if you're cautious and don't stretch too far it can work a treat.

Byron
26-02-2016, 03:18 PM
I've taken the plunge lads. What mods are worth it and do I start on Hard from the off?

phonics
26-02-2016, 03:23 PM
Go on the one above easy. This games so hard you might end up turning it down anyway.

Get the 'Stop Wasting My Time' mod and you're fine.

Byron
26-02-2016, 08:01 PM
Putting this on Hard mode may have been a mistake. Can't even get past the first proper mission, on account of that generator being on a fucking timer.

Ian
26-02-2016, 08:23 PM
So move it down to normal. They've said themselves that they feel they made an error in calling the lowest level Rookie.

My top tip for the timers, by the way, is not to try and use them as an invite to stealth the game. You WILL die. Use them as a means of setting up your first encounter(s) as well for yourself as you can.

Byron
27-02-2016, 06:42 AM
There is no greater feeling than this;

https://gyazo.com/17577d501f0ec78b98896a75886dc119.png

That said, it took some serious badassery from Jane Kelly, who not only killed an officer on Overwatch but had to run into range of a burning building, knowing that if she failed to kill the Sectoid, she would be torn apart by the reanimated soldier and the mind-controlled Astrid. She fucking donned it however :cool:

Byron
27-02-2016, 09:07 AM
And just had my first :( moment.

Simple enough mission, move forward to a vehicle, extract the VIP and EVAC via the rooftop. Charlie's Angels (as all my recruits thus far have been women due to RNGesus) moved forward, quickly dispatching enemy forces and without Jane who was gravely wounded in the last mission. All looking good until I rescue the VIP and realise I'm going to be very tight to make it in time.

My Belgian demo expert moves through, dodging Overwatch fire, and my British rookie follows, with the Swedish specialist not far behind.

I then realise my clutch soldier for the mission, Cpl. Hughes was only one square from the EVAC zone but obviously couldn't make it. I like to think she fought off the Advent scum long enough for others to escape, but I'll miss her and her brilliant sniper rifle :(

Hughes captures, and Taylor also gravely wounded. I'm burning through rookies at this rate.

hfswjyr
27-02-2016, 10:03 AM
RIP my Jane Kelly. Killed in the 3rd mission.

The difficulty levels make a HUGE difference. Too much in my opinion (i.e I was finding normal too hard, but easy too easy).

Ian
27-02-2016, 10:46 AM
Some more tips, that I shall spoiler because they are a little spoilery not of the story but of your build order.

When it asks you to there's no need to build the Shadow Chamber right away.

Guerrilla Tactics School is something I'll be aiming for much earlier in future playthroughs. As well as increasing squad size it also gives you the chance to buy a thing which gives your guys a few extra moves during missions with timers.

ItalAussie
27-02-2016, 01:05 PM
I just want the squad to know I believe in them. :nodd:

Byron
27-02-2016, 01:22 PM
Well new game required. Turns out my PC had been running slowly, and my old man figured out it was because my laptop wasn't using the Radeon, but Windows 10 wouldn't allow you to switch from the onboard Intel card. Basically I've had to reset to Factory settings and fuck Windows 10 in the ass.

Ian
27-02-2016, 01:49 PM
I just want the squad to know I believe in them. :nodd:

Andrew may have a new, fancier cannon but he's named it 'Science' in your memory.

Just had a good mission going into a downed UFO. randomlegend is now an ample alternative to Sama when I want some psi-ops action. He just loves exploding grenades in alien pockets.

I'll let you decide if that's a euphemism.

Byron
28-02-2016, 09:14 AM
So new game started and I've lost 4 people so far, with my Sniper Suleiman and Ranger Kelly both dying when we tried to rescue civilians from an Advent attack, only for a fucking Faceless to ambush us. We killed it eventually, but because Sniper Kobayashi missed the shot, neither could retreat and they ended up dying in a hail of crossfire in order to kill the Faceless.

Still, got a halfway decent crew coming on. Got my Medic/Specialist, Sophie 'Pincushion' Neumann, named as she gets shot up in every fucking mission and then a Ukranian mad fucker, who has twice charged into enemy ranks in an effort to sacrifice himself to buy time, and survived both times, the mad bastard. The second time was amusing, as he was a Ranger and rushed into a burning building to stick his sword into a Sectoids face, only to be rounded on by two troopers outside the walls and survive. Finally I have two Grenadiers, one reserved and one with the full on sleeveless Aviators and cigar look.

I fucking love the Grenade Launcher as well, nothing more satisfying than setting up 3 lads on Overwatch, lobbing a Grenade in the start the party and then bringing everything else down.

Ian
28-02-2016, 08:32 PM
Phonics gets himself into a spot of bother:
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320124788919659125/7CA3A1B7738729F600A11C85132C14559042E73A/

Luckily the team, and Disco in particular, we able to help him get out of that mess of enraged alien muscle unscathed.

And now I head into the final mission, with these guys being the team who are going to do the necessary.
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320124788919659478/BDEC59F0CDF970EACF2CDE9309BF1C3A76AF080D/

Colonel "Sergeant" Disco - My best sniper, who now 48 kills from 16 missions and has an ability that can see him get multiple kills per turn.
Magus "Sama" - A very handy psi-ops chap. Can detonate enemy explosives, send them into mad panics, mind-control aliens, the works.
Colonel Cord Uroy - A whopping 64 kills from the 19 missions he's taken part in. A one-man alienophobic killing spree.
Major Pee Three - Andrew would have had this spot but got injured on the penultimate mission. Will be in charge of exploding the shit out of things.
Colonel "Vowels" - Healing machine.
Colonel Phonics - Has only over the last few missions ousted Byron from the starting VI with his superior hacking skills.

Let's go.

Samadini
28-02-2016, 08:39 PM
I look like an old woman :cool:

hfswjyr
28-02-2016, 08:41 PM
Godspeed gentlemen. See you on the other side.

Andrew
28-02-2016, 09:18 PM
Go on lads you can do it!!!

Disco
28-02-2016, 09:26 PM
That's uncanny because I do often wear a skull mask and orange wraparound shades.

Ian
28-02-2016, 11:06 PM
You're not wearing any shades, that's just a combination of your tan and the shadow from your hat.

You look like this:
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/320124788920149462/094B3C35F9BED03AF6B27604450CFD270ACE4968/

Anyway, chaps. We only went and made it. :cool: The last mission gets a bit hectic at times but it's actually not as bad as it looks as long as you don't do anything daft.

Luckily Phonics and Vowels kept up the heals to tide us over.

P_3
28-02-2016, 11:10 PM
Were you playing on Normal? Are you going to attempt the hardest difficulty?

Being part of the game-winning team. :cool:

Ian
28-02-2016, 11:20 PM
Just normal. I may play harder difficulty at some point but I dunno, I reckon I'd enjoy it more on a harder level than I did with EU because this doesn't have the satellite rush bullshit. That said, there's DLC to come in a few months so I'll probably wait for that first anyway.

ItalAussie
29-02-2016, 01:25 AM
Do it for the fallen.

Byron
29-02-2016, 08:16 AM
Right, getting the hang of this now. I got my A-Team (well 3 members), comprised of Finn 'Cowboy' Olsen, Manuel 'Wildman' Rivera and 'Duchess' who is a not totally racist Asian with the sword and various stabby perks.

Without wanting to copy Ian, might bring some TTH'ers in to give that true 'NOOOOOOO' experience when Ital dies again.

Ian
03-03-2016, 06:22 PM
Incidentally if anybody fancies the multiplayer speak up.

Cord and I's game disconnected but I'd like to try again.

Sir Andy Mahowry
07-03-2016, 12:50 AM
Decided to try out the game before buying it, played the tutorial level as well as the first level.

Surprised by how much I actually like it so I'm going to buy it now.

Ian
07-03-2016, 07:31 PM
Undecided whether to get into another save on XCOM 2, finally get back to Phantom Pain (didn't stop enjoying it, just went away for over a week and never started up again when I got back) or make a start on Pillars of Eternity.

Tempted to crack on with this new XCOM 2 save because I've gone for the AWC early and fancy the chance of extra skills on weird classes.

hfswjyr
07-03-2016, 08:36 PM
I turned my game back up to normal difficulty, and the avatar bar went up 4 blocks in 2 days... I then got my entire A-squad wounded/gravely wounded (but no one died - hey!).

Back to easy for me.

Sir Andy Mahowry
08-03-2016, 01:37 AM
Third mission (well second excluding the tutorial) and I've had one killed and two mortally wounded :moop:

Gordon Ross bossed it with 4 kills in his first mission though with my useless sharpshooter missing two enemies that had over a 70% chance of getting hit.

Nice one.

Edit: Gordon Ross dies in the next level :( Thankfully the aptly named Scottie Hunter from Scotland killed 5 people in his first mission.

Sir Andy Mahowry
08-03-2016, 05:45 PM
Failed my first mission :(

Galina 'Butcher' Zinchenko put up a valiant effort as she was the only soldier left facing 3 enemies. She killed them all but that bastarding snake type thing poisoned her when she had just 2 health. The turn after she killed the snake she also perished :(

Sir Andy Mahowry
08-03-2016, 09:18 PM
0 soldiers with fuck all intel or supplies :uhoh:

This hasn't been a good day.

Aliens won, fuck sake. Time to start again, shit.

Sir Andy Mahowry
09-03-2016, 08:14 PM
Was all going quite well until the aliens targeted the ship.

Spent far too fucking long killing enemies rather than attacking the pylon thing.

Had 3 active soldiers left and 1 who was unconscious. I sent one to the ship (she had 1 health), one was sent to pick up the unconscious guy and bring him back (he was halfway there and I used an aid droid to give him more defence) and the other was in enemy territory so I decided to let her die.

The wankers took the bait and the guy who was carrying someone so I had to leave the unconscious one (he was a Polish grenadier too :() one behind.

Edit: Aliens win again, ffs.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 12:23 AM
http://i.imgur.com/7xj7No9.png

My greatest achievement in gaming (probably life too as that is so fucking huge) by far. Putting my whole team in overwatch the turn before reinforcements arrived was the most satisfying thing I've ever seen. Three troops land, move away and they get absolutely fucked over by my 4 man team. The fist pumps were aplenty.

Only on easy and it's one of the first missions on my third attempt but my word, what a feat.

Decided to go aggressive in building this time. The first go round I didn't build a GTS, the second time it was my fourth building but the third I fucked the proving ground for later. GTS first and I've got Advanced Warfare centre building now with a power relay and finally the proving ground fourth. Haven't lost a single person yet having gotten in five people quick sharp and have managed to get quite a few engineers and a shit ton of rookies.

Edit: A second flawless, I AM GOD.

Ian
10-03-2016, 07:43 AM
Yeah, GTS and AWC early are crucial. Not quite so much AWC but the extra skills and healing speed are really handy.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 05:42 PM
Finally managed to do a fucking blacksite, 3 killed though including my favourite ranger Ryo Ito :(

hfswjyr
10-03-2016, 06:17 PM
Most hated aliens?

Spoilered for Mahow.

Codex, followed by the ball thing and the big metal knobhead thing. Stun lancers were also a bitch when they first appeared.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 06:34 PM
I don't think I've taken on a ball thing or a big metal knobhead but codex's are indeed absolute cunts.

'Oh they've just taken my ammo, reload, shoot. Ha, eat that dickheads. Oh fuck every single person who was inside that purple shit is dead :\'

And yes stun lancers are annoying as fuck, especially when it's on the medic/the medic is fucked/not on the mission and you have to carry them around :(

Oh wait, are the big metal knobheads those that have guns on their shoulders? I've been fucked a few times by those grenades they fire :(

Tried a blacksite one time when I was on the roof and it took 3 people out with it by demolishing the roof.

Ian
10-03-2016, 08:15 PM
I somewhat inadvertently took the roof out from under an enemy once and was very pleased with the results. Once you know it's a very nifty tactic.

Me and Cord were discussing one day that unlike Enemy Unknown there aren't really any enemies in this that you can totally disregard other than perhaps the basic trooper.

Gatekeepers are probably the biggest pain in the arse because even early doors you should have enough grenades to deal with your weapons being disabled by a codex if you're in a bit of a pinch. Of course the answer is to spread out as much as you can without exposing anybody as soon as you see one of the fuckers.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 08:24 PM
Yep, I found out about it a few missions before being on the wrong end of it.

The joy at seeing those psi wankers be flung down and losing extra health was amazing.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 09:21 PM
Still need to build armour but the mag/gauss weapons are so good.

I can't decide which is my favourite though, the shard gun or the mag cannon.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 09:50 PM
http://i.imgur.com/aJQm6KK.jpg

I think that's probably my favourite rookie ever.

Raoul Duke
10-03-2016, 10:17 PM
He's a Taz/Mert hybrid

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 10:42 PM
RIP in pieces to the wonderful Taz/Mert hybrid.

Died really fucking early in his first mission :(

Raoul Duke
10-03-2016, 10:56 PM
Suicide vest?

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 11:00 PM
Indeed, he was meant to go in and blow some aliens with him.

Sadly he got distracted by a female with low self esteem and accidentally pulled the trigger.

Sir Andy Mahowry
10-03-2016, 11:35 PM
Taking down a big facility :drool:

Only lost 1 person, got my first captain (a sharpshooter), 2 avatar blocks removed and just a general all round great feeling.

6 in my squad now, woof. Well I will when I have the supplies, most of my squad was injured so had to recruit more for the facility. Have to take 4 on my next mission too :\

Oh and I met a new enemy:

An Archon which initially scared the crap out of me as it looked so imposing and then did it's move. Wasn't shit though.

Edit: Hacked a heavy mec in a mission :drool: Christ that's fun.

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 12:59 AM
http://i.imgur.com/WdyYsGH.jpg?1
Pepe when he gets his green card.

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 01:29 AM
Just failed a mission because one of my team got EVAC'd on the last turn, fuck off.

Edit: Skulljacking a codex, jesus fucking christ.

Pepe
11-03-2016, 04:25 AM
Wish I could grow a mustache like that. :(

Ian
11-03-2016, 07:43 AM
Archons are a pain more because of their mobility. Their blazing pinions move when your team are huddled on a roof can see things get a bit hairy as well.

Byron
11-03-2016, 12:39 PM
Came across a Beserker for the first time. Or more appropriately;

WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? KILL IT KILL IT KILL IT.

Also, is the Avatar meter meant to rise that fast? I'm scraping to remove it as fast as I can but I can't help shake the feeling that I'm doing something wrong.

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 02:28 PM
I let mine rise quite a bit (I think it was 3 or 4 bars from completion) whilst training my squad up by doing little missions etc. Started hitting it hard by going after the blacksites and I've got it to under half now.

Sometimes the dark events make it inevitable that it's going to up.

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 04:25 PM
One dickhead gets panicked and decides the best course of action is to throw a fucking incendiary grenade not at aliens but at two on his own team.

WHAT THE FUCK.

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 05:26 PM
Met that ball thing.

Fucking hell :\

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 06:32 PM
The stupidity of the team sometimes, fucking hell.

UFO finally caught up to us (about a day before I had built the defence thing :moop:), wasn't going too badly.

Had everyone pulled back to the ship (the last one went to the area on their last turn), an alien shot at us. Most of the squad got panicked, one ran away from the ship and another decided the best course of action was to lob a grenade. Where do you ask? Right to the feet of four of his 'friends'.

Because of this the squad is shit on health and I had to leave the gimp behind as she was panicked and didn't have a specialist to comfort her. Well played love, I hope your panicked arse gets plenty of joy by being fucked by a shit tonne of aliens.

One of those that was killed (2 in the main party and 1 left behind of the reserves) was a major that I just rescued the mission before.

I know what the big metal dickhead thing is now :\

Edit: And now I've actually found the ball things :(

Oh my fucking lord, put a ranger on overwatch to end a turn, those massive metal dickheads popped up. The ranger shot him and got an execution on him :drool: Repeater, I love thee.

hfswjyr
11-03-2016, 10:38 PM
Just failed a mission because one of my team got EVAC'd on the last turn, fuck off.

Edit: Skulljacking a codex, jesus fucking christ.

Ah, I remember that. I was on the verge of losing that mission BEFORE I even skulljacked the Codex. After the skulljacking, well... it was a massacre.


Didn't even think you could execute those big machines. Might try that a bit more, looking for a lucky shot.

Sir Andy Mahowry
11-03-2016, 11:31 PM
Ah, I remember that. I was on the verge of losing that mission BEFORE I even skulljacked the Codex. After the skulljacking, well... it was a massacre.


Didn't even think you could execute those big machines. Might try that a bit more, looking for a lucky shot.
I did it right at the start and it fucked me over, I've decided not to do it until I'm further along and have an actual shot at defeating it.

I didn't either, it was fucking glorious though.

Edit: Finally got a colonel and it's a specialist too (thank you council for allowing me to hire him) and the restoration skill? So damn good.

Byron
12-03-2016, 07:56 AM
Finally did some of the Shadow Chamber stuff and unlocked the Psi Ops. Problem is that they're only 3 bars away from the Avatar Project and I need to save up enough Intel to make contact with the Forge region (as I stupidly ignored a supply raid meaning the contact was lost)

Also lost my main Grenadier in the last mission, which sucks. I replaced her from Resistance HQ but still.

Ian
12-03-2016, 11:31 AM
Missed the news that mimic beacons have been weakened a bit.
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/03/10/xcom-2-performance-patch-mimic-beacon-nerf/

Probably the right move, but still... :uhoh:

Sir Andy Mahowry
12-03-2016, 03:17 PM
Finally did some of the Shadow Chamber stuff and unlocked the Psi Ops. Problem is that they're only 3 bars away from the Avatar Project and I need to save up enough Intel to make contact with the Forge region (as I stupidly ignored a supply raid meaning the contact was lost)

Also lost my main Grenadier in the last mission, which sucks. I replaced her from Resistance HQ but still.

I waited until mine was filled up yesterday as I had a bad run and had no intel or supplies (I needed my drop), got them and then took on a facility and destroyed it.

I almost cried when I lost my main sharpshooter the other day, 18 missions she went on.

http://i.imgur.com/ABJfgBN.png

She was a proper hero.

Sir Andy Mahowry
12-03-2016, 05:58 PM
http://i.imgur.com/mAOXx9G.png

Got lucky but that's the first alien site I've done without losing someone.

Took one of the round metal things in one turn (a colonel grenadier with rupture and blue rounds absolutely fucking dicked it) and it was surprisingly swift. Grenaded the crap out of the building so I was even able to call the EVAC inside the joint.

Edit: The most annoying thing in the game? Hunting a rogue chryssalid.

Stop burrowing away you twat.

Ian
12-03-2016, 07:36 PM
Chryssalids aren't the horror that they were in Enemy Unknown.

Cunts.

Sir Andy Mahowry
12-03-2016, 07:44 PM
Chryssalids aren't the horror that they were in Enemy Unknown.

Cunts.
It seems that every mission I have now I have to hunt one down across half the fucking map though, they don't do any damage to my team but I take out what seems to be every single person on the map and then realise there's one burrowing away across the other side. It's really fucking annoying, the last level I did I spent 3 or 4 turns just moving along to get close to it.

P_3
12-03-2016, 08:15 PM
I hated them in EU. They were particularly frustrating on the save the civilians missions. They would ignore my troops and run around turning all the civilians into zombies. Cunts.

Sir Andy Mahowry
12-03-2016, 10:35 PM
Serial with free reloads on a sharpshooter almost feels like cheating.

And, I haven't tried it yet but one of my grenadiers got serial too. That's going to be fucking bonkers.

Sir Andy Mahowry
12-03-2016, 11:17 PM
Ah, I remember that. I was on the verge of losing that mission BEFORE I even skulljacked the Codex. After the skulljacking, well... it was a massacre.


Didn't even think you could execute those big machines. Might try that a bit more, looking for a lucky shot.
Did the skulljack successfully.

Was on a retaliation mission with a specialist (with the upgraded medkits and restoration skill), two rangers including one who I've trained to be a sword wielding maniac, a beast of a sharpshooter, a grenadier and a brand new psi operative.

Killed all enemies bar one codex, then shoved a skulljack in it, almost killed it that turn (two people missed) and it only had time to mind control one person but went down before it could hurt us.

Sir Andy Mahowry
12-03-2016, 11:51 PM
Here are my sergeants or better:

http://i.imgur.com/pC1AQFK.png

Might as well just call ourselves 'Team Asia' :cool:

I'd actually cry if I lost Ma Dong.

Executed a gatekeeper now :drool: Best thing that's ever happened.

Ian
13-03-2016, 08:16 AM
I think it was Colonel Byron who executed a gatekeeper in one of my missions and it was perfectly timed as well becauseit was in position to do some serious damage.

You had much fun with the psi ops yet?

EDIT:

I hated them in EU. They were particularly frustrating on the save the civilians missions. They would ignore my troops and run around turning all the civilians into zombies. Cunts.

Even outside those they were awful though. They were, for me, a proper "Drop everything and kill that RIGHT NOW" enemy.

Sir Andy Mahowry
13-03-2016, 01:27 PM
Yep, they're brilliant fun.

Sir Andy Mahowry
13-03-2016, 06:09 PM
Playing the last mission, got lost, went the wrong way and in my attempt to find aliens I pushed one up so far that he was alone with 3 trooper people. Sadly he didn't 'bleed out' :(

Took fucking ages to traverse the fucking map and I ended up going right round the whole thing, somehow missing those troopers and I'm guessing others :\ Have to wait a few hours before I keep playing now :(

Sir Andy Mahowry
13-03-2016, 09:00 PM
I'm done, it flies onto my 'favourite games of all time' list too. I fucking loved it, I'm not sure if it's genuinely brilliant though or not because I don't usually do turn based games. I'd like some recommendations to similar games though.

50 hours in under a week though, fucking hell and only about 3 or 4 of those were me just leaving the game open.

Ended the last mission in beastly fashion with an execution of a full healthed avatar :cool:

Ian
13-03-2016, 10:32 PM
My recommendation would be to buy Enemy Unknown and Enemy Within (dunno how cheap they are as a pack, might be better waiting for a sale.)

It'll definitely show some flaws given you've started with XCOM 2 BUT by getting it with Enemy Within and playing that way you get:

- MECs (http://ufopaedia.org/images/c/cc/MEC_Squad_%28EU2012%29.png)
- Gene mods (for example, you can give a soldier the ability to jump onto rooftops)
- Some more scripted missions (the fishing village :drool:)
- And I stress again: MECs.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHmpEDCjW8

Kinetic strike. :drool:

Sir Andy Mahowry
13-03-2016, 10:38 PM
£25 for the pack, think I'll hold out until a sale.

Ian
13-03-2016, 10:43 PM
Yeah, there's no need to be spending that on it.

As for others, Invisible, Inc. is somewhat different but also a good game. Jagged Alliance 2 is, I think, the other famous non-XCOM one in the genre though I didn't really get on with it.

Sir Andy Mahowry
13-03-2016, 10:45 PM
http://www.dlgamer.co.uk/download-xcom_enemy_unknown_the_complete-pc_games-p-22836.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAvJS3BRDd44fjndyii6MBEiQAN 4EkPcPyb7kqcBW9_PHF0GPzt4a8kPK-DLtGWaNDfkjsSuoaAvZY8P8HAQ

£5 on DLGamer but it's out or

http://www.kinguin.net/category/6491/xcom-enemy-unknown-the-complete-edition-steam-key/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAvJS3BRDd44fjndyii6MBEiQAN4EkPSbCSI-yTEImKcVGIVQCYTeApMhvJUZciLGM_SjIvOYaAgQ48P8HAQ

£6.15 on Kinguin who I've never heard of.

Ian
13-03-2016, 11:29 PM
It's a pity I'll probably never play Enemy Within again (unless I just go in for an afternoon) because smashing a chryssalid through a wall simply never got old.

Ian
17-03-2016, 08:29 PM
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/03/17/xcom-2-anarchys-children-dlc-out-today/

I do like a bit of gaming dress-up but... nah.

Sir Andy Mahowry
17-03-2016, 08:33 PM
I saw that and was instantly glad I didn't buy the deluxe edition with all future DLC.

£3.99 alone too, proper lol and that's coming from a person who spent £1.59 to drive the batmobile around a rocket league pitch about 4 times.

Ian
13-05-2016, 04:16 PM
DLC adding what might as well be called ragequit monsters because they sound fucking horrible.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/12/xcom-2-alien-hunters-dlc-released/

Sir Andy Mahowry
13-05-2016, 04:24 PM
Christ alive, whoever thought of those is seriously depraved.

Townsend
22-05-2016, 07:44 PM
I've just got this, very impressed with how much more moddable the game is than the EU. So far I've got mods that add more voices and a plethora of new nations.

Anyone got any other mods they recommend? I'm hoping to find something that lengthens the time I can get away with using ballistic weapons and kevlar armour as I don't like the plasma tech and sleek armour.

Ian
06-08-2016, 09:53 AM
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/08/05/xcom-2-long-war-alien-pack-mod/

This appeals to me more than the super alien ruler bastard things in that official DLC.

Shindig
06-08-2016, 07:34 PM
Well, now I know how terror missions work. A complete impossibility but it happens to my most wealth nation. Funding and man power decimated so fucking this game clean off.

Ian
24-02-2017, 06:21 PM
I think the heroic bots bumped this to save me having to find it for this story.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/23/best-long-war-2-mods/

I'll be getting some of these when I eventually try Long War 2.

WWE squad icons. :drool:

Haystacks Horace
23-06-2017, 08:33 PM
Anyone currently/still playing Long War 2?

Also an old school expansion "War Of The Chosen" has been announced for release in August. Looks superb.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/06/20/xcom-2-war-of-the-chosen-preview/

Ian
23-06-2017, 11:05 PM
I'll be using Long War2 when I eventually start another save. And the expansion does indeed look pretty swish. May need to bust out the TTH lads again for a second crack at the alien menace. :cool:

This time you're seeing it through to the finish, ItalAussie.

...,maybe.

Pleb
23-06-2017, 11:07 PM
I'm willing to join the cause...

...and get killed turn one...

:cry:

Sir Andy Mahowry
23-06-2017, 11:29 PM
I'll play.

Christ knows where my microphone is though.

ItalAussie
24-06-2017, 02:31 AM
I'll be using Long War2 when I eventually start another save. And the expansion does indeed look pretty swish. May need to bust out the TTH lads again for a second crack at the alien menace. :cool:

This time you're seeing it through to the finish, ItalAussie.

...,maybe.

I've learned my lessons from my past life. I'm good for it this time.

Ian
24-06-2017, 07:30 AM
If that lesson is "Don't take on the giant alien deathbot by yourself" then I'd say that's a sensible policy.

Haystacks Horace
24-06-2017, 07:59 AM
Can recommend some good mods if your getting back into it. I've subbed out the LW2 classes in my game and replaced them with the Field Medic, Tank, Jackal, Operator, Spec Ops and the Shadow Ops Hunter, Combat Engineer and Dragoon.

You might not want to replace the lot if it's your first save with LW2 but I'd give the ones I've named a look to see if you fancy adding them in, Field Medic is probably the highlight.

Haystacks Horace
08-07-2017, 08:49 AM
Got the new Jaeger soldier class on the go. Goes well.

Any other bros hyped for War of the chosen?

Ian
08-07-2017, 09:18 AM
I shall certainly be getting it. Can get the TTH squad back out to murdlerise some more aliens. :cool:

Ian
15-07-2017, 05:39 PM
I've installed Long War 2, I've bought Shen's Last Gift. My TTH squad will soon ride again in XCOM2.

Undecided yet whether to try and give people the same / similar classes and appearances as they had last time. I didn't save them to the character pool so I'll need to redo the appearances anyway.

Pleb
15-07-2017, 06:06 PM
:wave:

Sir Andy Mahowry
15-07-2017, 07:20 PM
:wave:
The mong who always dies first.

Ian
15-07-2017, 09:10 PM
So, with new classes and stuff and it giving you shitloads of rookies at the start putting the squad together has taken me a while. Fortunately I love dress-up in video games.

Here's the gang.

Ital "Girl" Aussie ItalAussie
In an alternate XCOM 2 reality he died a hero to save his teammates from a giant robot. He's BACK! Complete with nerdy glasses and shit nickname. This time he's a new Long War 2 class, the "Technical", who come with a thingy that gives them both a rocket to fire and a flamethrower to wield.
https://image.ibb.co/ddXBCv/xcom23_3.jpg

Ma "Claw" How Sir Andy Mahowry
He's an "Assault" in this run, which means he's a bit shotgunny and has a stun gun thing too. Adorned in bright yellow to reflect his co-op gaming subtlety, and with a shaved head to celebret his home-barbering skills.
https://image.ibb.co/fSknkF/xcom23_1.jpg

"Runner-Up" Andrew Andrew
In the interests of racial diversity and given I have no clue what he looks like, Andrew (nicknamed "Runner Up" for his being second only to Cord on the alien murder league table in the first run) has been reborn as a man of uncertain racial heritage. With mutton chops! He is a "Gunner", which means like last time he gets to carry a BFG. And in Long War 2 also a big-ass knife fer stabbin' stuff.
https://image.ibb.co/bs3Jsv/Xcom2.jpg

Ian "Old Man" Welby
The sharpshooter/account is back, baby! This time with a "holotargeter", which lets his chums get an easier shot at an enemy because of science reasons.
https://image.ibb.co/kD1hKa/xcom23_2.jpg

Cord Uroy Cord
The first playthrough's 80s action star and one-man alien genocide is a sword-wielding nutjob once again, in Long War's "Shinobi" class, which also allows him to use a SMG this time round.
https://image.ibb.co/dgwhKa/xcom23_4.jpg

"Slaven" Byron Byron
He's back, and he's brought his amazing hairdo with him. This time he's a Ranger. Which means rifles, but also a nifty sawed-off shotgun for close-ranger messes.
https://image.ibb.co/natjXv/xcom23_5.jpg

Hfs "Vowels" Wjr hfswjyr
Once again cast in the role of nerdy tech dude, with a little robot buddy who can heal and hack and stuff.
https://image.ibb.co/diFbea/xcom23_6.jpg

Rookies - More info to come with promotions
MF "Admin" Phonics phonics
In this incarnation he is a totally different person. This time he wears his baseball cap backwards, the mad bastard.
https://image.ibb.co/nbQL5F/xcom23_7.jpg

"Sergeant" Disco Disco
Goodness me, I decided before I looked at this rookie that this one would be Disco and the game has once again given him an unfortunate hairline.
https://image.ibb.co/iem4Xv/xcom23_8.jpg

Pea "P_3" Three P_3
Disgusted by TTH XCOM recruitment still being far too caucasian-centric, the first save's blackest, dreadlockiest, cigar-chompingest soldier has jumped through a rip in space-time to join the new team. But it turned his hair white. Blimey.
https://image.ibb.co/h2jrCv/xcom23_9.jpg

Pleb Roll Pleb
A mysterious, unknowable lunatic, the greatest fear of the alien overlords now ruling Earth is this strange individual and the rumours that he has an unstoppable weapon, known in the hushed conversations inside rebel enclaves as the "Pleb Roll"
https://image.ibb.co/gnyjXv/xcom23_10.jpg

Haystacks Horace Haystacks Horace
A new recruit. Denying any accusations that he isn't who he claims to be.
https://image.ibb.co/gwDJsv/xcom23_11.jpg

Shin "Shinners" Dig Shindig
Now with 100% less ponytail, 100% more ginger but the same amount of iffy facial hair.
https://image.ibb.co/iWKrCv/xcom23_12.jpg

Raoul Duke Raoul Duke
Was justifiably pleased with how cool he looked in his previous life, the cruel lottery of reincarnation (i.e. me) has made him look a right dweeb this time.
https://image.ibb.co/kpFnkF/xcom23_13.jpg

Mike Mike
Contributing some much-needed sideburns to the resistance effort.
https://image.ibb.co/hc705F/xcom23_14.jpg

Baz Baz
Once again bringing some seriously well-looked-after hair to the table.
https://image.ibb.co/jjjDQF/xcom23_15.jpg

Patje Patje
After a shambolic early death last time out, Patje is trying to garner some good karma by representing the ladies in this second XCOM2 playthrough. Still has the orange shades, mind.
https://image.ibb.co/n6urCv/xcom23_16.jpg

Laurent "Samadini" Robert
Decked out in orange, as a tribute to the all the fires he so loved starting in Left 4 Dead.
https://image.ibb.co/dMyUza/xcom22.jpg

Random Legend Migraine
Covered in scars that he claims are from a life-or-death battle with a nasty alien but were actually caused by his mum twatting him with a ladle.
https://image.ibb.co/fUz2Ka/xcom21.jpg

Ian
15-07-2017, 09:16 PM
Fuck's sake, got Vowels' name wrong. Will have to fix that.

Also this time I'm planning to get more videos and stuff done to show the glory / disaster.

Sir Andy Mahowry
15-07-2017, 09:34 PM
My guy :cool:

Loving Pleb and Randrew.

Sir Andy Mahowry
15-07-2017, 09:35 PM
Also you're making me want to fire the game back up.

Shindig
15-07-2017, 10:04 PM
Mine looks like a roided caricature of local radio personality Alan Robson.

Ian
15-07-2017, 10:12 PM
Mine looks like a roided caricature of local radio personality Alan Robson.

http://i1.chroniclelive.co.uk/incoming/article7883472.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/JS33958588.jpg

Hah. :D

Disco
15-07-2017, 10:13 PM
I feel like I should lodge a complaint.

Raoul Duke
15-07-2017, 11:02 PM
Mine looks like a mid-life crisis

Sir Andy Mahowry
15-07-2017, 11:06 PM
So fairly accurate then?

Raoul Duke
15-07-2017, 11:23 PM
Alright radical cleric, wind it in

Ian
15-07-2017, 11:37 PM
Save the fighting for the aliens, lads. :(

Cord
15-07-2017, 11:49 PM
That's a conclusive coolness win for me and my eyepatch.

Ergo I get to use the others as a human shield.

Disco
16-07-2017, 12:07 AM
I look like some kind of Space-Costanza, I'm pretty sure I'm fucked.

Mike
16-07-2017, 07:37 AM
I'm deffo growing sideburns

hfswjyr
16-07-2017, 08:01 AM
Fuck's sake, got Vowels' name wrong. Will have to fix that.

Also this time I'm planning to get more videos and stuff done to show the glory / disaster.

Shocking. Alien scum can't pronounce vowels anyway.

Baz
16-07-2017, 08:02 AM
Pleb looks amazing. :D

I look like a photo of me; good job.

Patje
16-07-2017, 08:34 AM
Let's hope my shades protect me this time.

Pleb
16-07-2017, 09:55 AM
I'm plebrolling these aliens lads.

Believe.

randomlegend
16-07-2017, 09:56 AM
I look how I imagine Pavel looks.

Pleb
16-07-2017, 12:17 PM
Pleb looks amazing. :D
The mask is pretty accurate to be honest. I'm not sure about the pink attire though :sherlock:

Ian
16-07-2017, 01:43 PM
Pleb died on the very first mission. :face: Despite Baz and Vowels attempting to drag his sorry carcass out of there. However there are things that either the mod doesn't explain very well or I've just failed to understand that made the first mission harder than it needed to be so Pleb may saved yet as I may go back to when I had to do my "infiltration" bit and start that again so I'm better prepped for the mission.

The thing about infiltration being that I totally didin't fucking understand it and sent my squad in on a hiding to nothing and then had to sit and wait for the counter to go down wondering how much the error was going to cost me.

So yeah, I think I'm going to treat that one as a practice run and reload from after I'd finished creating everybody and try that once more.

Sir Andy Mahowry
16-07-2017, 02:17 PM
Pre-ordered War of the Chosen for £25.82.

Fuck you, Ian.

Ian
16-07-2017, 02:37 PM
Pre-ordering. :sick:

Disco
16-07-2017, 03:58 PM
Send Mahow in first. :nodd:

Sir Andy Mahowry
16-07-2017, 04:11 PM
Says the one whose hairline is running firmly away from the battles.

Disco
16-07-2017, 04:15 PM
What would you know about running?

Sir Andy Mahowry
16-07-2017, 04:19 PM
I did it once.

Shindig
16-07-2017, 04:35 PM
Phonics will be the one tweeting out randomly to win 'hearts and minds'.

Sir Andy Mahowry
16-07-2017, 04:36 PM
I'm sure his 4 followers will appreciate it.

Shindig
16-07-2017, 04:48 PM
Meanwhile Magic will be watching our demise on liveleak.

Ian
16-07-2017, 04:51 PM
Only if the aliens rape the corpses.

Ian
16-07-2017, 08:18 PM
Right, did a new first mission and now that I know how I'm meant to prep for it it went a bit better!

No deaths, certainly.
Cord is promoted to Lance Corporal, and obviously I improve his sword skills. He is also wounded and will be out of action for about 10 days. Byron and Andrew also make Lance Corporal and some nice skill boosts.

Phonics is promoted from being a rookie and becomes a grenadier, which... is hopefully pretty self explanatory. Disco, full of admiration for Phonics (or possibly just his hat) follows suit.

P_3 goes into the assault class, Pleb becomes a Ranger and Raoul Duke becomes a sharpshooter.

Hooray!

Sir Andy Mahowry
16-07-2017, 08:35 PM
Where was I? :(

Cord
16-07-2017, 08:55 PM
Somebody has to hold our jackets, presumably.