XCOM Long War b15 - Orientation and Tips

[@Savior20061]

It's perfectly okay to cheese the enemies. They've got no problem cheesing you with panic-fail-trains when a berzerker is close enough to your units to brush their teeth for them.

[@uznnal]

ONE OF THE KEY REASONS Why players take a hard tumble into rock bottom/ rage quit territory (which he kinda left out or didn't emphasis enough) is when players failed to invest on their interceptors at the beginning of the game and gets annihilated by somewhere around the summer months or the mid part of the game. During this time LW will spam more UFO invasion force to hog up your recovery time of interceptors Failure to deal with said UFOs, a snowballing "oh shit" effect starts where; the player can't shoot down the Alien ships thus can't enable infantry battles = resources vital to growing the war effort/upgrades/research. And whats worst, with every Alien ship that goes uncontested the enemy A.I. will continue to get more upgrades outpacing the player entirely. My first few LW normal campaign run was this scenario playing out. I wasn't keeping a better tabs on my aerial supremacy and things just falls apart. So although you should be avoiding a UFO battle here and there, you shouldn't however, be ignoring the small to medium sized space ships as they're the 'bread and butter' to your income. Take note: certain air armaments does better than others, so it's best to keep a mix of weapons and take the appropriate ones to battle. Don't be mistaken and believe 1 Gun fits all. LW is tailored so that, most of those pewpew air guns stays valid throughout the entire game. If you're interested in reading more, google -In depth guide for winning the air game /r/joinrbs. Just field alot of interceptors, move them around so there's at least a few ships available for battle and pace your aerial upgrades well with the enemy A.I. They get their upgrades roughly every 1 month. Lastly, put a Satellite in China asap. It's "Xenological Remedies" gives 34% more $$$ from Alien Corpses and Wreck Sales. It's a 1 country Satellite Investment that helps en par with, "Wealth of Nation" - Russ, UK, Germ, and Fran for 20% more monthly income, or "Air Superiority" - All of North America for cheaper costs and upkeep of interceptors.

[@realmush6794]

The air game of xcom is really brutal. It's not even fun. There's close to zero tactics, it's basically. Let me spam interceptors and hope all my shots hit. And even then most of them don't. The air game in xcom failed. Long war just made it more brutal. It's rough. Idk why I replied to you tho. Just felt like ranting :C

[@stormcrow7878]

Yes. He totally undersold the air game. Don't wait to buy 2 extra interceptors until the second month. But them on day one. You can get 13 or 14 total missions in month one with the ability to shoot down more scouts and fighters, which gives you more alloys (which, if you aren't playing with Slingshot on, you will be starved for by the time you hit Carapace armor) meld, elerium, damaged power sources and flight computers you can sell with no trade off, and help you get lots of XP for your troops in the first month. Until you have two continents covered with laser cannon planes, and several backups on a third continent to roatate in, the air game should always be your priority. Advanced Aerospace Concepts is possibly the most important tech in the entire game. This is all preference from here on, but my feelings is you should not bother researching armor until you have a full laser kit for your squads. Phalanx Armor offers a miniscule upgrade over base armor, whereas lasers offer higher damage and a huge boost to aim. If you're having trouble keeping soldiers alive, weapons help more than armor.

[@moonlordmeow3431]

Thanks, this happened to me and I never got to far because of it.

[@BloodRavans]

The air game is more like resource game that you need to pay hard and earn harder. After finish basic equipment for your troops (Laser/Phalanx) you should focus research on aerospace and do some foundy project about it soon. For me on my playthough , I usually skip laser cannon and just use phoenix cannons for all my aircraft due to cheep cost and better than laser when fight with Fighter or Raid Alien aircraft. And this cannons also have upgrade on Foundy project that make this cannon can carry your mid to late airgame and earn more profit.

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

"A short overview" - over 27 minutes long, and at the end you say "that should cover the basics". I guess that says everything about Long War, really.

[@tjking9969]

Well it’s not called the short war

[@RoastedPheasant]

Holy shit THANK YOU. My Long War streams have been a NIGHTMARE because I didn't grasp how important many of these systems are to the game. I am referring to this as my bible and am 100% shouting you out next time I go live with it.

[@chungyanwong7293]

Actually, to clarify at 14:24, if you play on impossible difficulty, you DON'T get a landed large UFO for free in the first month. That large UFO (whether abductor, transport, or terror ship, etc.) will actually try to infiltrate multiple countries and make multiple alien bases early in the game to gather as much resources and to try to tactically screw XCOM up as aliens level up faster. However, here's the interesting part: despite that you only have avalanche or stingray missiles in your interceptors at that time, you can use multiple interceptors to damage the large UFO enough to force it to land. The mission will be even harder than what AbeClancy had described (There will be more than 26 aliens and have at least 35 aliens to fight). If you want to delay the aliens to gather tons of resources and to get an early advantage in both ground and air war, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you to win this mission and don't give up on it. Otherwise, you will see the same rapid council panic scenario in the first month like XCOM Enemy Within Vanilla impossible Sources: The most recent b15 mod, save scumming, and experimenting with all possible outcomes

[@jimmyb5987]

What has worked for me as a beginning strategy is creating 2 fire teams (3x3) with a Team A and B. Team A is meant for luring, distracting, suppressing and overwatching the aliens. They are usually in front of them in full cover, while Team B is meant for flanking, flashbanging, destroying cover and actually killing the aleins. Team A should have higher hp, ceramic armor, smoke grenades, assault rifles, carbines and medkits, while Team B has higher mobility, aim, grenades, a medkit, smgs, carbines and assault rifles. This works well with rookies as well. Assaults, Scouts and Engineers make good Team B units while Gunners and Rocketeers should be Team A units. Medics and Infantry work well anywhere. Snipers I'm still trying to figure out. If you guys try it let me know how it works for you.

[@RMG50cal]

+Jimmy B Might work at the start like you said, but later on you need like 60 people on your roster, also wounded people take so long to heal.

[@BloodRavans]

Maybe just for me , I usually not flanking them much dua to risk activate another alien pod and make situation go worse. I use to stay and break there cover. lf that cover cannot break , i will use suppress fire or flashbang than focus fire again.

[@RaskaTheFurry]

Perfect information... You miss 94% ... But alien hits 4%... Twice in a row So then you can rip your hair, knowing how unlucky you are

[@Timo4eus]

My "record" is a miss of two 96% shots in a row.

[@atermondyolamda6971]

What is mentioned here about the HQ placement in Russia could also backfire if not careful. Satellite presence requires interceptor coverage, so spreading too many sats while having too few planes is not advisable in my experience. Moreover, almost every country gives more than one option if one picks it as HQ, but only one bonus when a sat is placed later on. Some of them are the same, only (quite a bit) weaker in comparison. For example, China gives 100% from sales as HQ and only 34% as satellite coverage, or USA gives 75% and 25% reduction in interrogation and autopsy time respectively. Yet some are totally unrelated, Russia an example of this. So one must also be wary what bonus to give up permanently with choosing a specific country. Russia gives the satellite bonus as HQ (or an interceptor to hit bonus as a second option) but removes the +1HP bonus to every new Assault or Infantry Specialist, which is quite handy too. Therefore, weigh carefully. I find I personally quite like the Nigerian, Egyptian, Argentinian or Japanese bonuses that don't sacrifice quite that much, or I see the Australian, SA and UK bonuses as a fair trade. I wouldn't touch Mexico unless choosing the upgraded +20% (instead of +10%) to psi chances version and Russia's +1HP bonus, but perhaps it is due to play style, investing heavily in (psionic) Assault and Infantry soldiers is something that appeals to me quite a bit. Otherwise, the video is quite informative and as someone that started playing LW1 AFTER LW2 was out (talk about late) I express my thanks for your help.

[@Ralli08]

For the Outsiders : I always camp on the roof, let one squaddie lure them above and overwatch them down. But that sometimes results in a load&save game :D

[@robob4465]

My usual squad on terror missions is 3 assaults with shotguns (basically shreds any chryssalids) 2 infantry with rifles (chews through floaters if they have laser rifles) 1 medic (a medic is pretty much necessary on every mission) sometimes i grab an extra medic/infantry instead of the assault

[@adamwilson495]

i know this an old vid but found it super useful thanks

[@MischaESC2]

Wow, that is a lot of info! Well done! Just one question: Is this by any chance available written down somewhere for later reference? Cheers!

[@supersparky1013]

I'm already seeing things I should have done but its too late to do .-.

[@petarmilic9729]

two more thing: steady weapon is preferable to overwatch on snipers and rocketeers, and supression on shivs and gunners, when there are enemies visible

[@KilaBOK]

Many thanks for this video! :D "If this your first time attempting such a mission, i have a suggestion AND a challenge for you. Make a hard save, and try to win it." Oh man, let me tell you how this show of fecal variety went. Tried this mod now, on brutal. No Imposible + Iron Man though. I know how insufferable AI can be when """""""""chance to hit""""""""" is involved. Beginning of this mission - NONE of my leveled team is up. Ether wounded or fatigued. Memorial is empty though. So, six rookies is up to fight alien menace today. ALL have starting weapons/armor. Addons are Laser Sights and a HE grenade. Sounds about right. Against them was: 4 Mutons, 3 Outsides, 4 Chryssalids, 6 Seekers, and a 1(one) Thin man. By the saving grace of Full Cover, Steadied Weapon and Save Cheese, they pull through. I end up with only 2 wounded, one of with was Kazumi Tanaka. Funny thing about her - she get Strangled twice, and shot once by Seekers. So i nicknamed her Magic Girl XD

[@wom1320]

I know this is a very old video, but why does no one seem to recommend flashbangs for crysalids? buys you a 2nd turn with how they tend to cluster up. Hell why don't they recommend flashbangs much period.

[@TimCherminGames]

this will help me alot thx

[@HotaruZoku]

When did Long war gain all these new features?

[@radoslawmazurekwaw]

I don't agree that high survivability is needed for officer. I prefer to have medics as officers, with smoke granade skills. Almost always eqipping them with light armor and smg weapons. They almost never fight with enemy unless in critical situation that they can help (like 1 HP sectopod or so) but are extremly usefull as support units. I would love to have psionic officers but unfortunatelly it's impossible in version 1.0 (someone knows how to change it in config files?).

[@stormcrow7878]

Radosław Mazurek That's why I still use Infantry as officers. Engineers and Medics in my squads all go into Psi training. They have the most turns where their other abilities aren't needed, so you can use those psi abilities. I like to have as many sources of psi panic as possible when heavy floaters come around.

[@sirloinofchateaumarinade9312]

(24:21) I think I read somewhere psyonics can't be officers, did I read that right?

[@AbeClancy]

It's been awhile, but that sounds correct! Maybe the XCOM officers don't trust people with psionic abilities?

[@sirloinofchateaumarinade9312]

Ah yes I found it on the officer page of the long war wiki, I've also watched your video again and I was mistaken, I though you said to make assault officer psyonics, but it was actually an alternative, good officer or psyonics. Either way thanks for your reply and even more for your video.

[@colossus715]

Why was my comment with the troop characteristics deleted?

[@giraldiego]

Soldier Classes - 22:54

[@nathanbuster8428]

what about cybernetic and genetics

[@janmoravek820]

seriously? 1:28 just rewriting the files... thats a cheating to me, no thanks :D wait wait wait.. first encounter and having emp grenades, etc etc? What expansion is this op dlc

[@bobbyapplepants5144]

Very useful. Many thanks. This is gonna help me stop blundering around with a motley, tired troop of saved scummers.