[MSTed] An XCOM 2 Faq [4/5]
JoeyLemur
[SOL Bridge]
[Mike, Crow and Tom are all sitting at the desk, with steaming coffee
mugs.
We can only assume that Crow and Tom's have hot 10w40 in theirs.]
CROW: Mike, mind if I ask you something?
MIKE: Go right ahead, Crow.
CROW: Why do people always simply assume that aliens that visit their
planet
are there to burn the landscape, take their water, eat people, and
stare luridly at their daughters? Has it ever occured to them that
they might just be peaceful observers?
MIKE: Well, I think it has to do with the fact that humans are, by
nature,
frightened with things that they don't know about or don't
understand.
TOM: (looking past Mike) Uh...does that include you, Mike?
MIKE: I suppose it does. It's part of human instinct.
TOM: Well then don't turn around.
MIKE: Why?
[As Mike turns around, Cambot pulls back to reveal the Hexfield
viewscreen.
It is displaying a green-brown mass of...stuff. In the background are
flashing lights and oddly-shaped machinery.]
MIKE: (startled) AH!
ALIEN: (nasally, in broken English) Greetings.
TOM: Uhhh...hi!
ALIEN: We would like to know what planet it is you are orbiting, and what
is
the name of the dominant species.
MIKE: Well, this is the planet Earth, and the inhabitants are called
humans.
ALIEN: Are you one of them, a...human?
MIKE: I certainly hope so.
ALIEN: And those two next to you?
TOM: I'm Tom Servo.
CROW: I'm Crow T. Robot. We are robots.
TOM: You know, automatons.
CROW: Men of metal.
ALIEN: [stares blankly for a second] Whatever. Thank you, earthbeing.
CROW: Wait! Before you go, can I ask you a question?
ALIEN: Of course.
CROW: Are you just intergalactic scientists, cataloguing the inhabited
planets of this part of the galaxy?
ALIEN: No. We are the advance invasion scout for the mighty Zxleb
empire. Your planet is being earmarked for landscape immolation,
water extraction, food harvesting, and leering at your daughters.
[Hexfield closes. A second of silence. Commercial sign light flashes.]
MIKE: That was weird. Are all visiting aliens like that?
TOM: Mostly.
[Mike taps the button.]
[Commercial]
[Theater]
[Mike carries Tom in. Crow slides into his seat.]
>6. GENERAL TECHNOLOGIES
MIKE: (Deep announcer voice) General Technologies...the only corporation
that would dare stand up to RapperTech Ltd's plans for world
domination!
TOM: I think you're confusing RapperTech with Microsoft.
MIKE: Oh. Right.
>
> General Technologies includes Alien Sub Construction, Alien
>Technologies, Alien Ships
CROW: Alien Waterwings...
TOM: Alien watersports...
MIKE: Alien swimwear...
> and the few X-Com technologies that don't go
above.
TOM: Above WHAT???
>Some of these technologies are the hardest to come by because you require
a
>live alien.
>
>X-Com Technology-
>
>Plastic Aqua Armour- This is the first armour that you get. It does a
decent
>job but isn't that great.
MIKE: Wow...he changes his mind awfully fast.
> You get this after the Deep one
ALL: (sings) Deep Ones...yeah, there the Deep Ones...
> is resurched
then
>the Alien platics are resurched.
>
>Ion Armour- This is souped up version of platics armour.
>
>Magnetic Ion Armour- This is more powerfull than Ion but it also
includes
>the ability to swim underwater. (fly in first game)
CROW: (Witch) Fly, my sea monkeys! Fly!
>
>Medi Kit- This is usefull if one man is wounded. You can heal him.
>
>Chemical Flare- This item will light up dark territories.
>
>Alien Technologies-
> I am not including descriptions for the rest of the Technologies,
ALL: (cheering)
>
just
>the name. I am doing this so that you will read them as they are to
> interesting for me to ruin with a short description.
TOM: So he's only listing the names...because they are more interesting
than the descriptions?
CROW: The only word I got out of that statement was 'ruin', which he is
doing quite well.
> These are all found
>by resurching leaders.
>
>Alien Origins---The Ultimate Threat
MIKE: Insert your own political joke here. We're getting tired of making
them.
> ---Alien Probe---Alien Interditction
>Alien Resource Raid---Alien Infiltration---Alien Colony Expansion
CROW: Alien Kegger?
ALL: Whoooo! Yeah! Party! (etc.)
>Alien Surface Attack---Alien Floating Base Attack---Alien Colony Supply
>
>ALIEN SHIP TECHNOLGIES-
>
>Ion Beam Accelerater, Magnetic Navigation, Sub Construction, Cryogenics,
>Alien Learning Arrays,
TOM: I found that learning arrays is the most difficult part of learning
any
computer language.
> Alien Cloning, Alien Sub Plastics, Zerbite,
>Re-animatione Zone.
>
>ALIEN SHIP TYPES-
> Found by resurching technicians.
>
>Survey, Cruiser, Hunter, Battleship, Dreadnought.
>
> There are a few more things to resurch but I will leave something
for
>you.
MIKE: Gee. Thanks.
>
>
>B. GENERAL STRATEGIES
>
>
>1. BASE PLACEMENT AND BUILDING
>
> The X-Com base is the most important aspect of the game. With
out a
>well placed
CROW: ...knee to the groin...
> and thought out base, FORGET IT. BURN THE GAME.
TOM: (British) She's a game...may we burn her?
> YOU WILL
NEVER
>WIN!!!!!!!!!
CROW: !!!!!!!!!!!!
MIKE: How _do_ you say that?
TOM: It's sorta a higher-pitched 'RRRRRRRRRR!'
MIKE: !!!?
CROW: There you go!
>
> The below says where to put the bases and how to build them.
>
>PLACEMENT-
> Command Bases
> The first base you get should be placed in the middle of the
Atlantic
>or about 2" ( when you are zoomed out all the way) right of the U.S.,
Canada
>border (find where you think this is).
MIKE: Fifty-Four Forty or fight!
> Since this is your first base, it
will
>contain many things for you. Give this base a name.
TOM: SeaQuest DSV?
CROW: Moonbase Alpha?
MIKE: Deep Star Six?
> I call mine Mercury
so I
>know it is the first base. You should not worry about where you place
thing
>in this base since it is allready built. You could destroy all the
buildings
>and rebuild later in the game if you want.
CROW: Or not. See if I care.
> The first thing you should add is 2 more general stores, 2 more
living
>quarters, Wide Array Sonar, Alien Containment.
MIKE: ...and a patio.
> Later add M.C Lab and more
>workshops, labs.
> This base is one of the 2 bases you will have Aquanauts,
Scientists,
>and Technicians.
TOM: (Swanky British) Technishern...
>
> The Second Comand Base should go in the North Pacific. It should
>contain. sub pens, labs, living quarters, workshops, alien containment,
sonar,
>M.C lab and general stores and transmission resolver. You can add things
> later.
CROW: Oh, may I?
> Build it like this
>
> |SUB PEN | SUB PEN | SUB PEN| GNST-genral st
> | | TR-Transmission Resolver
> |Air| E | E | E | E |E |WS=Work shop LVQ-living
> |SNR|LVQ |GNST|GNST |GNST|AC |MC-mc.lab E-Empty
> |LVQ|LVQ |MC |WS |LAB |TR
ALL: ASCII art??? AAAUUUGHHHH!!!
> Add whatever else, but the empty places must stay empty
>The Airlock is the only thing that should be conected to any sub pens.
And
>only one thing should touch the Air Lock.
ALL: <clear throats>
> This is for defencive reasons.
>
>
>
>
>INTERCEPTION AND SONAR(LISTENING) POSTS-
> These base should be built all as Sonar aka- Listening Posts then
be
>converted to Interception posts. They should be built at these locations
>South Atlantic--South Pacific
MIKE: (singing) Bali Hai...
> --Below New Zealand--- Indian Ocean---North
Pole
>and South Pole. This will give you world coverage.
> The base should start out with Sonar and then have Subs and
general
>stores added, also add the transmission resolver. It is a good idea to
> include 6 men at each base incase of Alien attack.
> Use base diagram below
TOM: Brace yourself, guys...
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>|SUB PEN|SUB PEN|Sub Pen|
>| | | |
>|Air LCK
CROW: Air lick?
> |EMPTY |Empty |
>|SONAR |Empty |Empty |
>|Gnrl St|Gnrl St|
>|lvng Qr|TransR | |
>
>The Comand centers should include 100 scientist, 50 workers or more. 18
>soldiers(4 extra for wounded ) 2 baracudas
MIKE: A couple of dolphins, maybe some salmon...
> and 1 triton.
TOM: How the heck are they supposed to fit a large moon into an
underwater
base?
>
>Interception centers should have no scientists or workers. 6 soldiers,
and 2
>baracudas.
>
>
> The Command Centers should be used to do the missions with.
Since
>they are the only ones that have a triton. They should also be put to
use
>resurching things. More later.
CROW: Kiss kiss, love, Bunny.
>
>
>2. RESURCH AND TECHNOLOGY
> One of the funest aspects of the game
TOM: (gasping) Grammar...flamer...sorter...dumper...aaaaiiighhh...
> is Resurch and Technology.
The
>whole game clings to the idea of suspense, or what am I going to learn or
make
>next. Without a great deal of resurch and the building of new
technologies,
>you are a sitting duck for the Aliens.
ALL: <start quacking>
> This next section gives a brief
>description of the best way to resurch and build new technologies so that
the aliens don't
>have the edge.
>
>RESURCH-
> When you first start the game you have 10 scientists.
MIKE: Use them, take advantage of them, then feed them to the fish.
> You
should
>imidiatly build living quarters so that you can buy 40-50 more of them.
Yes,
CROW: ...I really don't know how to spell anything.
>it is expensive, but when it takes one day to resurch the Sonic Cannon
>instead of 10, it helps. When you get more money, 100-130 scientists is
>better until most stuff is resurched then dump them.
TOM: The laidoff scientists deeply resent their former employers, and
return
later, brandishing Uzis and shotguns.
MIKE: Whoa, Tom...they're scientists, not postal workers.
> Scientist should concentrate on building gauss technology first.
Once
>they have the Gauss Rifle,
TOM: They are to be considered armed and dangerous.
MIKE: Tom!
TOM: Sorry.
> put them to start with the MediKit. Resurch
the
>Sonic Pulser as soon as you get it. A good strategy is to resurch the
>weapons first, and then resurch the Aliens, and other stuff in between
times
>that you don't have a weapon to resurch.
[Mike, Tom, and Crow start drifting off to sleep]
> When you resurch your way up to Sonic Cannon, (skip the sonic
pistol)
>start resurching the Deep One if you have one. It gives you Alien
Plastics
>which gives armour. Also you should resurch a live Aquatoid and Tasoth
as
>fast as possible. They will give you M.C technologies.
MIKE: <Snores>
TOM: <Whistling breathing out>
CROW: Wubwubwubwubwub...
> It is a good idea to not resurch Leaders, Medics and Technicians if
you
>have better things to resurch like the Sonic Pulser. You will have to
resurch
>them later on. Also YOU MUST RESURCH THE LOBSTERMAN COMMANDER
ALL: <waking up startled> AAAAAHHH!!!
> AND
NAVIGATER
>TO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
>TECHNOLOGY-
> You only need about 25-30 technics for the first while.
CROW: Car stereos?
> Keep them
>building things at all times and sell it for the profit. You won't make
much,
>but it pays
TOM: ...to enroll at DeVry institute!
> there wages. Use common cense for what things you need to
build.
MIKE: And also use common sense.
>
>
>3. BUDGET: HOW TO MAKE MONEY OR NOT LOOSE TO MUCH OF IT
>
> Money makes the world go round.
CROW: (sarcastic) <chuckle> Well said my friend...
> And X-Com is no exception. With
no
>money, you can't buy weapons or resurch items. You loose more points at
end
>of month and you get totally screwed playing the game. The next section
>deals with how to make it and keep it.
>
>CLEAN YOUR STORES-
TOM: ...for crying out loud, this place is a mess!
> The first thing you should do is check your stores. See the dart
guns?
MIKE: See the dart guns run. Run, dart guns, run!
>Sell them and everything else you don't need, wich is mostly everything.
The
>techs can build the good stuff later, but a dart gun doesn't work well so
>don't keep it.
CROW: Sell them to Bart Simpson clones.
> Every time you come back from an alien attack mission, sell all
the
>stuff. Keep one of every alien, all ammo until your stock pile builds
up,
>sell some of the weapons(sell the Sonic Pistol but keep about 20 canons
TOM: Cameras?
>
or
>Rifles, depending on what you are using), keep 30 sonic pulser in stores,
>sell all the other stuff except for one of everything if you havn't
resurched
>it yet. KEEP ALL ZORBITE and most of the platics. If you do this, the
>aliens will give you lots of money, weapons and ammo.
MIKE: For what? As storage fees?
>
>BATTLE-
> Every time you toss a second sonic pulser at a area with a dead
alien,
>you loose about $200,000 due to destroyed weapons and bodies. Shoot
aliens
>instead.
CROW: Shoot them now. Shoot to kill.
> At the end of every mission, have your soldiers remove the clips
>from the guns so that you don't loose the clip.
>
>BASES-
> When you have 2 command bases, send the techs and scientists to
the
>other base at the end of the month. Make sure that they are traveling
when
>the end of month score appears. If you do this, you don't get charged
for
>that person.
TOM: That's good...tell us about a bug that's bound to be fixed in the
next
release.
>
> This can save upto $3,000,000 a month if you have lots of staff.
> Make the techs build gauss rifles and then sell them off. This
make
>you lots of money if used with the moving at the end of month tactic.
MIKE: Remember, it is fun and profitable to work in the illegal arms
trade.
>
>
>4. COMBAT STRATEGIES
>
>
> One of the most important parts of the game is COMBAT.
CROW: (sarcastic) Noooo...really? I thought we were just supposed to
invite
them over for tea parties!
> If you
arn't
>good at fighting, or seem to loose half your squad durring a mission,
TOM: Which would lead you to believe that you aren't good at fighting...
>
then
>this section is for you.
> These are fairly brief tactics,
ALL: <cheering>
> designed primarily to be used with
the
>SAVE feature when you play a level to keep you from having to abort and
then
>reload the mission. But even if you save at the beggining of each turn
and
>reload if a person dies, there is still places that need strategy so that
>your squaddies dont die. Nothing is worse than having to
CROW: ...read a really bad text file.
> reload 50 times
per
>mission.
>
>General Strategies-
>
>Begining Group-(early in game)
> The first thing to do is
MIKE: (British) ...kill all the lawyers!
> equip your soldiers before you start the
>mission. Assuming you are just starting and have managed to resurch and
make
>at least 6 Gauss rifles. Take 10 of your now edited group of aquanats on
the
>triton.(you shouldn't have anybody with stats less than described
above)Take
>all gauss rifles and use harpoons for the rest of the people if needed.
Take
>5 grenades and 5 Disturbance grenades with you. If you have medikits,
take
>2 of them.
TOM: Take two medikits and call me when the invasion's over.
>
>Advanced Group-
> Take 8-14 Aquanauts to every mission, look with the transmission
>decoder to see what types of aliens and kind of UFO.
>Equip 6-8 with sonic canons.
CROW: And maybe a Pentax...a few Olympuses...and just maybe a Polaroid or
two.
> 2 with Thermal Shock Launchers if planing
on
>taking live aliens. 4 people with M.C Disrupters for every mission.
Every
>one should need one sonic pulser and 1 medikit per 2 people. If a
Activity
>or base mission. Take a Disrupter pulse launcher.
MIKE: And shove it.
BOTS: Ooooo...
...to be continued...
Ed Powell, MSTie #27968, and proud Mac user
http://user.aol.com/joeylemur/
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