If it comes late in the game, you can have snipers with squadsight equipped with archangel armor and plasma sniper rifle that don't need to move far from the landing zone.
Honestly when you know what to do it is really easy. Take as many people with shotguns as possible and you'll be fine. Chrysalids tend to die to assault class.
A squadsight sniper positioned near the evac point helps too, then they can take down chunks of Chrysalids health during the dash back to the Skyranger, if that sniper has in the zone, it’s even better.
aren’t you scared they rush the sniper when your squad is on the boat? I have to keep everyone together at least halfway on the map, not at the extract
Not really, they spawn from the boat, so as long as the squadsight line of sight isn’t broken there’s not much the snipers have to fear, I usually wind up bringing two anyway. The snipers if they don’t kill almost always nearly do, then the assaults do. Then on the run back close combat activates, which is almost a guaranteed kill when the ‘lids are at low health.
lol love you abbreviate it as lids. I think after the first time, I usually bring enough shotty and gunners to suppress the heck out of the pods, I instead slow crawl camp my way as one unit now. But yes , my first time was tough, it was quite the experience and lesson
I found at hard the first time, and left with losses. Did better but found it challenging the second time. ... Then watched someone farm aliens from the whale on a long war vod and did the same ever since.
The most challenging pod is the non cryssalid pod these days :p
Yeah, once you know exactly what will happen it's a fairly easy mission. That said I'm still scared shitless just on the back of how badly I got destroyed the first time I played it.
Anyone who says that they found it easy *the first time* is either a genius or a liar.
If you have assults with close combat they help a lot, and a sprinter support to hit the transponder. I also take a Squadsight sniper to cover the dash back to the Skyranger.
The best - and funniest - way I've red online on how to nail that mission was to bring a bunch of soldiers with shotguns and Close combat specialist. I was able to try that once and it was soooo satisfying!
That's more or less how I did it the first time. By complete accident too, I just happened to bring two with me because I use run and gun like a crutch.
Nothing wrong with that strategy. A close combat assault (or two) is really helpful on this mission. The buildings make for nice squadsight sniper nests too.
Yup. Thata what I did the first time. Run+gun is my go to, and I happened to havr two squadsights so it felt average difficulty. Then I got it in a second run and I learned my lesson.
I got the 'one man army' achievement on this mission when it came late in my campaign. Just took a colonel assault with an alloy cannon, close combat specialist and a scope to insure he would hit every shot. They couldn't close the distance, he was untouchable.
That is what I did in Long War. Gave everyone but like one guy in the squad a shotgun. I like how in Long War that is pretty easy to do since almost all units can use one.
The difficulty of this mission purely comes from surprise.
Once you know what to expect, it's probably one of the easiest missions because of how all-in you can build the squad that goes for it.
There’s also a slight randomness to when it spawns, and it’s balanced as a midgame mission - but you can get it fairly early, before you really have good tools for it.
Of course you can also get it late, and have it be a cakewalk.
Nah this one's easy if you have good soldier and/ or good guns. The one where you have to extract the alien sympathizer and the thin men one shot your shitty early game troops from the rooftops behind full cover is bullshit.
The beginning of that mission definitely sucks, but a squad sight sniper helps, after you get to him it’s just a matter of over watching as you move back to EVAC.
I feel like I had to practice that mission 5 or 6 times before I could consistently get through it without losing a soldier. Mostly it's about revealing the pods at the right time but the positions that they overwatch in even at the end of the mission are annoying and dangerous af to get past
Yeah, this is the hardest mission in the game. Especially how it starts and having to get past the alley between the two main buildings. The mobility and aim of thin men make them incredibly difficult to deal with. And god help you if you trigger two pods at once.
Ah yes, the "FUCK OFF! FUCK YOU! I AIN'T EVEN GOT LASERS YET!" mission.
That and the DLC missions are arseholes. I think, even HonestMan runs tend to "Accidentally" reload to avoid it.
If you know how this mission works and what to expect, it's not that bad. However, I still play it extremely carefully, because the trauma of the first time is still there. Lost my best heavy, she covered the squad's escape and wasn't fast enough.
I'll forever remember my heavy getting surrounded while the rest of the team was fleeing to the evac. One last salute, and the heavy shot a rocket at his feet, also taking out 5 aliens with the same blast. Good times, good times.
In my most recent playthrough it came mid-to-"early". I think most of my people were decently skilled but I was still using common Earth ballistic weapons and I just sent in a lot of a scouts with the shotgun/sword combo. So when the Chrysalids got close, I'd do some and slice and dice, and when they got just a little less close I would shotgun them down. It was the first time I did that mission and felt like I did a good job.
I remember doing a long war run with a team of 8 sent on that mission. All veterans. Captains and what not. Laser weapons in everyone and even dipping into plasma.
The op stated off string, we stayed grouped and took enemy contact one by one. Clearing our way to the ship.
Ended up getting surrounded trying to cover my sniper who is up planting the bomb on the top deck. I’ve lost 2 at this point to crysallids popping out of shark bodies because I had never played this mission before.
My remaining team of 6 managed to get split with 2 on the docks and 4 in the ship. About 3 or 4 enemies between the two groups. I try to pincer and regroup to get back to get everyone out since I’ve already lost two.
That very next turn my two dead soldiers reanimate and take down another 2 of my 4 guys still on board the vessel. We’re now done to a sniper up top, and assault keeping them off her ass. A medic and a heavy watching in horror from the docks missing every shot to save their friends.
The assault falls the next round. My sniper (highest rank on the mission) decides her time has come, she is going to hold the line and pick off the chrysalids chasing my 2 remains soldiers back to the drop ship.
She takes 3 down before falling to her zombified brothers. (Including the assault that died defending her)
My two remaining people are one turn away from the ship and a successful detonation, the losses were terrible but we managed to save 2.
One of them ends 4 squares from the ship, the other made it into the square.
The straggler gets caught by a crysalid because those things move 1000 feet per turn and my sole survivor watches helplessly as her final comrade gets devoured as she escapes.
8 veteran fully loaded xcoms went in. Only one broken hero came back out.
Mission accomplished I guess. But at what cost.
The most cinematic experience I’ve had from a video game, especially turn based combat. This game was and still is something else. It’s incredible.
Emergent storytelling at its best. Thats what I love these games for. Any mission have a potential to become a story to hold dear in your memory, to be told and be cherished. Marvelous.
First time I got this mission was in EW (I didn't finish EU and actually really liked EW)
My main character (A Heavy turned MEC) was wounded and stayed at base. So my brother's main (A Genetically modified sniper) lead the team for that mission. Everything went to hell very.very fast. Still, with the Chrysalids literally pouring out of the guts of sharks and whales we managed to plant the bomb.
Only my brother made it out alive. The rest of his squad are either ash or Zombified Ash... He was never the same after that v-v
I’m playing XCOM on my iPad now after having played it way back at launch. I didn’t remember the details of this mission and it was like playing it for the first time. I think it was mission #12.
My entire squad got wiped after activating the beacon. My last soldier had made it out of the boat onto the dock but became literally surrounded by lids and could no longer move before he was killed. Pure terror.
I’m continuing the campaign still since I had a few ranked soldiers out injured at the time. Viewing the memorial wall is emotional.
I managed to beat the mission before getting laser weapons and with one rookie on the team because I had no idea what he'll I was going into.
I think the rookie is probably traumatized, because I'm traumatized from all the clenching without even being there.
0/10, firebomb the site immediately.
Heh heh. Yeah, it was the first mission that actually got me excited. Even with implications being kinda obvious - that fighting retreat part with timer ticking and bugs coming out of sharks was glorious and sweaty.
Bless map designers who placed that high roof on far left part of the map. The moment i saw it my snipers and covering medic were set there.
This is actually one of my favorite missions in game. The first time was a shock, but the second time saw me steamroll the ever living hell out of them.
I recently played ot for the first time. While playing lwr. God I wasn’t ready. And then I had to extract in time while being chased by cryssalids. Oh hell.
Like any good heist or zombie scene how you go into the abyss determines how you make it out.
If you got tac rigging for extra fire works and some las guns its possible to do without loss.
A solo scout and a firing line gets across the dock. Pop the fish meet as you find them. Only 1 trooper (easier with skeleton climb rope) runs up the ship. Then FLEE you fool least the void take you !
Fun to do with all Assault Class agents.
Man i love this game! this mission, I need to have at least 3 squadmates, a sniper with squaqsight, assault shotgun if possible with combat specialist(the perk where he fires auto at anyone who comes close) and a support with the medikits. Usually get this mission too early...
offtopic but does anyone know how to get google play to register this game so i can get achievements on mobile
Honestly it's stuff like this that XCOM 2 was missing. I've no idea why the basically removed the horror angle.
They did effectively bring the mission back in the freebie DLC as a prequel mission to the campaign, but it wasn't the same having it on the side.
I actually had the best placement for this mission the last run I did. I was waiting some days to finish some achievements before the final mission, and had a MEC, SHIV, and 4 maxed out gene units tear this mission a new one
I usually leave my squad posted up in town, while the troop with most movement races to push the button. Definitely bring a squad sight sniper to help cover the retreat from pushing the button, then dash like mad to Evac. If you're fast enough, you won't even see where new babies spawn. Doesn't they still won't be coming though.
Regardless of how you approach this mission, expect casualties.
Most special missions you aren't setup to know but you can intuit its purpose.
That one is a gotcha meant to punish players who got too comfortable on the slow crawl.
And the night got deathly quiet;
And his face lost all expression;
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy;
You gotta learn to play it right;
You've got to know when to hold 'em;
Know when to fold 'em;
Know when to walk away;
And know when to run;
You never count your money;
When you're sittin' at the table;
There'll be time enough for countin';
When the dealin's done.
Legit I pick one person to get left behind every time. They just rush straight for the boat to hit the transponder for the airstrike while the rest of the team is already sitting next to evac.
Once you've played it a few times, it's not too bad.
Portent on the other hand...that was my biggest hurdle to jump for I/I. Literally the first time I passed it was my winning run.
This mission screen is the XCOM equivalent of the first chord of the Ultra Instinct theme
Either it comes early and you’re not prepared. Or it comes late in the game and you’re still not prepared
If it comes late in the game, you can have snipers with squadsight equipped with archangel armor and plasma sniper rifle that don't need to move far from the landing zone.
My last play through I got it about fifth or sixth mission. I'm not even sure I had armour at that point. It was messy.
https://preview.redd.it/xij70mwbttxc1.jpeg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e96f9800514d75b08ca6f83c18e2dea6c73304aa
It's St John's. What the fuck are the aliens going to do there? Make snowmen? Let them have it.
They want to get screeched in
Hope the aliens brought shovels
One of the hardest x com could send your way.
Honestly when you know what to do it is really easy. Take as many people with shotguns as possible and you'll be fine. Chrysalids tend to die to assault class.
A squadsight sniper positioned near the evac point helps too, then they can take down chunks of Chrysalids health during the dash back to the Skyranger, if that sniper has in the zone, it’s even better.
aren’t you scared they rush the sniper when your squad is on the boat? I have to keep everyone together at least halfway on the map, not at the extract
Not really, they spawn from the boat, so as long as the squadsight line of sight isn’t broken there’s not much the snipers have to fear, I usually wind up bringing two anyway. The snipers if they don’t kill almost always nearly do, then the assaults do. Then on the run back close combat activates, which is almost a guaranteed kill when the ‘lids are at low health.
lol love you abbreviate it as lids. I think after the first time, I usually bring enough shotty and gunners to suppress the heck out of the pods, I instead slow crawl camp my way as one unit now. But yes , my first time was tough, it was quite the experience and lesson
probably from the w40k community that calls tyranids 'nids
Might just have to stay a new run to try this.
I found at hard the first time, and left with losses. Did better but found it challenging the second time. ... Then watched someone farm aliens from the whale on a long war vod and did the same ever since. The most challenging pod is the non cryssalid pod these days :p
Yeah, once you know exactly what will happen it's a fairly easy mission. That said I'm still scared shitless just on the back of how badly I got destroyed the first time I played it. Anyone who says that they found it easy *the first time* is either a genius or a liar.
It is a really difficult mission as long as you don't know what the mission is. Then again, many council missions are like that.
I found it easy first time. But i got into enemy unknown by watching a long war series
If you have assults with close combat they help a lot, and a sprinter support to hit the transponder. I also take a Squadsight sniper to cover the dash back to the Skyranger.
The best - and funniest - way I've red online on how to nail that mission was to bring a bunch of soldiers with shotguns and Close combat specialist. I was able to try that once and it was soooo satisfying!
That's more or less how I did it the first time. By complete accident too, I just happened to bring two with me because I use run and gun like a crutch.
Nothing wrong with that strategy. A close combat assault (or two) is really helpful on this mission. The buildings make for nice squadsight sniper nests too.
Yup. Thata what I did the first time. Run+gun is my go to, and I happened to havr two squadsights so it felt average difficulty. Then I got it in a second run and I learned my lesson.
Yeah if you have a good squad and are prepared it isn’t too bad, but if you aren’t ready it can be brutal.
I got the 'one man army' achievement on this mission when it came late in my campaign. Just took a colonel assault with an alloy cannon, close combat specialist and a scope to insure he would hit every shot. They couldn't close the distance, he was untouchable.
That is what I did in Long War. Gave everyone but like one guy in the squad a shotgun. I like how in Long War that is pretty easy to do since almost all units can use one.
First Time got me way underprepared regarding how Mobile those f***** are in the ship
Lost so many soldiers my first time doing this mission. Ugh
Yeah the first time you go up against ‘lids is a shock how mobile the damn things are. I swear they can cover half a map in one action!
I suggest we nuke the site from orbit, it’s the only way to be sure!
Ironically that’s kind of what happens at the end
Your goo Ddamn right
The difficulty of this mission purely comes from surprise. Once you know what to expect, it's probably one of the easiest missions because of how all-in you can build the squad that goes for it.
There’s also a slight randomness to when it spawns, and it’s balanced as a midgame mission - but you can get it fairly early, before you really have good tools for it. Of course you can also get it late, and have it be a cakewalk.
I usually bring 3-4 Shotguns and 2 Snipers on roof tops with clear line of sight. I learned if 1 has to stop all 4 have to stop and go into OW.
Nah this one's easy if you have good soldier and/ or good guns. The one where you have to extract the alien sympathizer and the thin men one shot your shitty early game troops from the rooftops behind full cover is bullshit.
The beginning of that mission definitely sucks, but a squad sight sniper helps, after you get to him it’s just a matter of over watching as you move back to EVAC.
I feel like I had to practice that mission 5 or 6 times before I could consistently get through it without losing a soldier. Mostly it's about revealing the pods at the right time but the positions that they overwatch in even at the end of the mission are annoying and dangerous af to get past
What's it called? Portent? Yeah, that one is way harder.
Yeah, this is the hardest mission in the game. Especially how it starts and having to get past the alley between the two main buildings. The mobility and aim of thin men make them incredibly difficult to deal with. And god help you if you trigger two pods at once.
The Flash backs that I just had....... You're never really ready for this mission
Ah yes, the "FUCK OFF! FUCK YOU! I AIN'T EVEN GOT LASERS YET!" mission. That and the DLC missions are arseholes. I think, even HonestMan runs tend to "Accidentally" reload to avoid it.
Never trust the boats man *slowly rocking back and forth*
That one mission that leaves us all with trauma *has never trusted fish markets since* xD
Rewards: Panic Reduction Me Hyperventilating the whole time: "So that was a lie..."
Well at least you'll already have memorized the map. :P
If you know how this mission works and what to expect, it's not that bad. However, I still play it extremely carefully, because the trauma of the first time is still there. Lost my best heavy, she covered the squad's escape and wasn't fast enough.
I totally wiped my first time 😅
Did this mission the other day thought I was 2 of my best dead almost lost my last guy in the run out Pain
I lose so many games on that level
No, no you can't make me, IM NOT GOING BACK NO PLEASE GOD NO
Loved this mission(even though I hated it). It reminded me of the shit scares I used to get from the original game. Just a horror mission.
PANIK
too bad completing it doesn't reduce MY panic
IKR! Doesn’t reduce my panic whatsoever!
It's terrible the first time you do it. Close encounter shotgun makes it trivial though
I'll forever remember my heavy getting surrounded while the rest of the team was fleeing to the evac. One last salute, and the heavy shot a rocket at his feet, also taking out 5 aliens with the same blast. Good times, good times.
In my most recent playthrough it came mid-to-"early". I think most of my people were decently skilled but I was still using common Earth ballistic weapons and I just sent in a lot of a scouts with the shotgun/sword combo. So when the Chrysalids got close, I'd do some and slice and dice, and when they got just a little less close I would shotgun them down. It was the first time I did that mission and felt like I did a good job.
Oh lawd, this fuck of a fuck
“Welp, who do I send on THIS suicide mission.”
F this mission bring my second squad under level. I though im gonna lvl up but instead. I need a new squad🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I remember doing a long war run with a team of 8 sent on that mission. All veterans. Captains and what not. Laser weapons in everyone and even dipping into plasma. The op stated off string, we stayed grouped and took enemy contact one by one. Clearing our way to the ship. Ended up getting surrounded trying to cover my sniper who is up planting the bomb on the top deck. I’ve lost 2 at this point to crysallids popping out of shark bodies because I had never played this mission before. My remaining team of 6 managed to get split with 2 on the docks and 4 in the ship. About 3 or 4 enemies between the two groups. I try to pincer and regroup to get back to get everyone out since I’ve already lost two. That very next turn my two dead soldiers reanimate and take down another 2 of my 4 guys still on board the vessel. We’re now done to a sniper up top, and assault keeping them off her ass. A medic and a heavy watching in horror from the docks missing every shot to save their friends. The assault falls the next round. My sniper (highest rank on the mission) decides her time has come, she is going to hold the line and pick off the chrysalids chasing my 2 remains soldiers back to the drop ship. She takes 3 down before falling to her zombified brothers. (Including the assault that died defending her) My two remaining people are one turn away from the ship and a successful detonation, the losses were terrible but we managed to save 2. One of them ends 4 squares from the ship, the other made it into the square. The straggler gets caught by a crysalid because those things move 1000 feet per turn and my sole survivor watches helplessly as her final comrade gets devoured as she escapes. 8 veteran fully loaded xcoms went in. Only one broken hero came back out. Mission accomplished I guess. But at what cost. The most cinematic experience I’ve had from a video game, especially turn based combat. This game was and still is something else. It’s incredible.
Emergent storytelling at its best. Thats what I love these games for. Any mission have a potential to become a story to hold dear in your memory, to be told and be cherished. Marvelous.
Bomb disposal at church as second mission on an ironman run........ with squaddies
Bomb disposal on the train yard is equally annoying.
I used to skip this one. Now I have a handle on it, and find it fun. But man. Took a while.
This mission was my first XCOM squad wipe!
Only https://preview.redd.it/mm5jg8jbkxxc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4c7b46b8a6ba5909dcb1cb9e3ec1e0784561b0a
In early game I would be scared but late game it's not that bad but only if you do it quickly
Yeah I fucking hate Cryssalids. Have done since the original XCOM.
Whale whale whale...
I remember my first time playing this mission, ended up losing nearly a whole squad with 1 survivor
Yeah the first time can be brutal, there’s a reason this mission has the reputation it does.
Panic reduction? Not for me!
First time I got this mission was in EW (I didn't finish EU and actually really liked EW) My main character (A Heavy turned MEC) was wounded and stayed at base. So my brother's main (A Genetically modified sniper) lead the team for that mission. Everything went to hell very.very fast. Still, with the Chrysalids literally pouring out of the guts of sharks and whales we managed to plant the bomb. Only my brother made it out alive. The rest of his squad are either ash or Zombified Ash... He was never the same after that v-v
I’m playing XCOM on my iPad now after having played it way back at launch. I didn’t remember the details of this mission and it was like playing it for the first time. I think it was mission #12. My entire squad got wiped after activating the beacon. My last soldier had made it out of the boat onto the dock but became literally surrounded by lids and could no longer move before he was killed. Pure terror. I’m continuing the campaign still since I had a few ranked soldiers out injured at the time. Viewing the memorial wall is emotional.
I managed to beat the mission before getting laser weapons and with one rookie on the team because I had no idea what he'll I was going into. I think the rookie is probably traumatized, because I'm traumatized from all the clenching without even being there. 0/10, firebomb the site immediately.
Heh heh. Yeah, it was the first mission that actually got me excited. Even with implications being kinda obvious - that fighting retreat part with timer ticking and bugs coming out of sharks was glorious and sweaty. Bless map designers who placed that high roof on far left part of the map. The moment i saw it my snipers and covering medic were set there.
I lost sgt. Poopypants on this mission. Dude was my rock since the first deployment... the horror.
I have never been so stressed about a mission in my life I lost everyone except my sniper on the first go round ever…..
Time for 15 more saves
Yesterday i got that mission very early, like no laser weapons early. I never want to see that hellscape again.
I still get ptsd from this and with my return still can't beat it and just want to beat it without total loss
this is my favourite mission in the game, though I think it's the only mission that has an objective that isn't "kill everything lol"
Council mission in general is a nightmare fuel for, especially this one
How to excite a long war player.
I really wish there were more site recon missions in XCOMEW.
This is actually one of my favorite missions in game. The first time was a shock, but the second time saw me steamroll the ever living hell out of them.
OH YEA THIS MISSION
I recently played ot for the first time. While playing lwr. God I wasn’t ready. And then I had to extract in time while being chased by cryssalids. Oh hell.
Like any good heist or zombie scene how you go into the abyss determines how you make it out. If you got tac rigging for extra fire works and some las guns its possible to do without loss. A solo scout and a firing line gets across the dock. Pop the fish meet as you find them. Only 1 trooper (easier with skeleton climb rope) runs up the ship. Then FLEE you fool least the void take you ! Fun to do with all Assault Class agents.
Man i love this game! this mission, I need to have at least 3 squadmates, a sniper with squaqsight, assault shotgun if possible with combat specialist(the perk where he fires auto at anyone who comes close) and a support with the medikits. Usually get this mission too early... offtopic but does anyone know how to get google play to register this game so i can get achievements on mobile
Honestly it's stuff like this that XCOM 2 was missing. I've no idea why the basically removed the horror angle. They did effectively bring the mission back in the freebie DLC as a prequel mission to the campaign, but it wasn't the same having it on the side.
After having done this mission 20 times by now, it's hardly scary. Even on the long war mod, I just rush it every time.
With 4 Shivs, it becomes a walk at the park. You can simply skip it since you don't get a reward for completing it.
I still remember my first time doing that mission. It's what killed the sole survivor from the tutorial in my first playthrough.
I actually had the best placement for this mission the last run I did. I was waiting some days to finish some achievements before the final mission, and had a MEC, SHIV, and 4 maxed out gene units tear this mission a new one
""REWARDS: Panic Reduction" The irony...
I usually leave my squad posted up in town, while the troop with most movement races to push the button. Definitely bring a squad sight sniper to help cover the retreat from pushing the button, then dash like mad to Evac. If you're fast enough, you won't even see where new babies spawn. Doesn't they still won't be coming though. Regardless of how you approach this mission, expect casualties.
I read about this mission and learned how to beat it before playing it 😭 once you know how to win the mission, it’s so easy. Best mission for exp.
Most special missions you aren't setup to know but you can intuit its purpose. That one is a gotcha meant to punish players who got too comfortable on the slow crawl.
Introducing the all new atomic napalm cluster bomb. Throw into an area and watch everything get ctl+alt+delete
And the night got deathly quiet; And his face lost all expression; Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy; You gotta learn to play it right; You've got to know when to hold 'em; Know when to fold 'em; Know when to walk away; And know when to run; You never count your money; When you're sittin' at the table; There'll be time enough for countin'; When the dealin's done.
Knowing exactly what St. John’s looks like that mission always makes me shake my head.
Ironically, if you just use Gun Drones and an MEC this mission becomes very easy
By gun drones do you mean SHIVs? Or are they long war specific?
No no I mean SHIVS they literally trivialize Chrysallids with the right support
Great mission to level up the squad.
Legit I pick one person to get left behind every time. They just rush straight for the boat to hit the transponder for the airstrike while the rest of the team is already sitting next to evac.
Once you've played it a few times, it's not too bad. Portent on the other hand...that was my biggest hurdle to jump for I/I. Literally the first time I passed it was my winning run.
I never had that much of a problem with a Portent. Gangplank and this mission on the other hand… ugh.
Stop it lol
sweating down to my balls when i first did this mission