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3rd Legendary Full Rapid Expansion AAR

Posted: Sun May 06, 2018 11:16 pm
by SonnyWiFiHr
Introduction: Did not like Super UFO hunt on previous campaign. I did detected almost every in April , March and June. Cost was - no equipment and plenty of intel raids. Had to fight with ETC weapons. Research time is as Laser for +1 dmg over Ballistic tier. They delay Magnetic for month and you can't research Mags without them.

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/fil ... =731859374

Realistic Panic behavior is gone - my panicked Assault was clearing 6 OW and activated whole map can't even imagine what will happen to other classes.

Important Mods:
Peek from concealment (default +1 or +2 detection range - it is fine) ,
Perfect information for LW2,
Gotcha Again (turned on Advent spotted VIP indicator for famous "luring") - I don't like counting tiles
LW2 Information Display - to track Vigilance on map ( calculating this is just not working)
Make Psi Ops Great Again - PSI is OP so why not. Let's my PSI pick up loot
Metal Over Flesh - SPARK Overhaul . Just to play with them and every buff is halved or non researched. Otherwise they are just rusting metal, not worth even leveling up. ( I was dragging one trough few mission and it ended rusting in barracks and you can't sold them even to Advent))
ABBA guest enemies ( A better Advent Long war 2) with More ABA Guest Enemies (add-on).
Bio Troops
Ashlynnes LW2 Alien Pack famous Warlock and Flaming Vipers
Celatid Alien LW2
EXALT back in action - this one is game changer , nothing have that much of any Stats
LW2 Compatible ADVENT - all of them including Sniper and SPARK prototype (MEC is a baby)
Additional Mission Types LW2 Edition
Expanded Enemy Reinforcements LW2 - this one hurts

Other mods like Battle rifle, Axe and Katana pack are in but I can't remember actually using them or they are cosmetic .
Battle rifle is fine but only after March. I had tweaked ini on my other thread.
Tactical Repeaters - will keep them but they are just trouble (tweaked ini) LW2 have better ammo for that
AP Grenade - stays but I don't think that they are good with normal blast radius
All this are in because I tweaked them for balance (not sure that Repeaters can be balanced)
Grimmy loot mod is in - I like to collect them, will not sell one item or use it. I m curious about what they do. Some of them are quite nice.

Re: 3rd Legendary Full Rapid Expansion AAR

Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 12:02 am
by SonnyWiFiHr
Strategy
Day 0 - Collect Officers and Drones. Rush Robotics and hack. Build GTS and train only Specialists . This will include hard enemy materiel in March only if Force Level is 1. In April Heavy Supply Raid must be avoided (had one and it was almost lost).
Day 0 - Research Resistance Comms and contact second region ASAP. After reading uc. files expansion will be delayed to fulfill three objectives.
Objective A - intercept UFO with tower (starting region) at that time I will search for 3rd set of mission and probably infiltrate Supply Raid
Objective B - Destroy all 3 Dark Events (Str 3+ regions with Vigilance 3+). One region must have Strength 3 and Strategic (non -permanent) event can even spawn in home region if other regions do no meet conditions. They should spawn in adjencet regions
RegionStatus.bAllowInContactedOrAdjacentToContacted=true;
Objective C - manage vigilance below 8 for recruits and below 15 to get every reinforcements in region before expansion
March 14 - if I can get another Advent datapad it is best to sell it. Increased research is huge and game will spawn more Datapads if you have 0 Datapad (0.5 per mission is average and researching Datapad removes Datapad from inventory). Datapad driven economy is best thing for now.

March 22 . Quit campaign. Load earlier save (I like map and Barracks). Dark events can't be countered (rolled low timer ones) and they will obliterate my 23 strong barracks. UFO chase will destroy my progression because I was too tall and weak (and can't use 1/3 of my barracks). Destroyed my research with expensive intel research (3rd will cost me more than basic research). Watch list gave me region with no Vigilance and 25 Intel was better choice (Dark Event Hunt is impossible). There is no excuse to not contact 2nd region by March 11. More supply , rebels , everything - this will make stronger "Rebellion" in April and cumulative effect on Strategy layer is huge. There is no rapid strong expansion if you are waiting, only one thing will happen - Force Level will raise and your flawless (needed) mission are gone. Then you can play only Golden Path in str 8 regions. You can't swing Strength with only one region and Strategy in that case is gone. Good start was destroyed by waiting and bad roll of Dark Events. UFO hunt (min roll) should not be enabled for 1st month and even in June this event can destroy Avenger . I can't play 2 mission per month campaign - this is all that was left on map + 12 Dark Events Active in May and all active after June. Balance is gone. Super Veteran Vipers vs Ballistic Squads. I had that and cost was huge with Laser squads. With Ballistic this will clear your barracks and only 8 man left must guard Avenger and then you will lose Avenger ( early Avenger Defense is game over by itself , late Avenger Defense is game over with 50% chance ). 1 HP super veteran Viper after Red Fog still have 50+ aim and 8 man squad can't kill it
Nice way to waste your time.
I managed to fulfill Objective A and C. Objective A is random if you only had 3 missions by March 22 and Objective C can be done with full haven if you only had 3 missions on map. 100% infiltration with full squad (more than 6) do not require Strategy or Tactics (18+ Equipment on map). There is no next move or pushing your luck to the limit.


Reserarch
March 1 - Resistance Comms
March 7 - Modular weapons
March 10 - Alien Biotech (paused after few hours - Researching Advent Datapad)
March 14 - 30 intel from Advent Datapad. So max is 30 not 29. Researching another Advent Datapad

Events
March 6 - Contacted Black Market and spend 120 on Scientist
March 7 - Contacting East Europe. Planed contact March 21
March 10 - Should rush 2nd mission to buy Engineer. This will allow Scientist to spawn (even double). Decided that I need another Engineer because if I roll other crap rewards like soldier I m better with 100% Engineer. It can dig and I can't buy or use researched stuff. Rushing research is just waste of Scientist anyway - they should always detect +20% is huge boost.
March 10 - Contacting East Europe is on pause. (1h of scan or more )
March 13 - Buying Engineer (110 ยง) to get Scientist or Soldier. Scientist wan't spawn if you have 0 Engineers
***************************************************************************************************
--- East Africa --- Strength 2, 6 Rebels>11
***************************************************************************************************

Day 0 --- Op. Gatecrasher --- [100% | Very Light] Enemy (10/10) Turns 99
Flawless after 99 turns. This one is longest Flawless attempt in my life. Rooftops and low cover is just that - 99 turns of waiting and tactical retreating . If Advent spots you on roof, you should run away because this mission must kill one rookie. Luring with rookie is dead rookie - learned that after 3rd attempt to play Long War 2. First bomb will deal minimal damage (I think that this is my 100th gatecrasher) your first shot will miss or graze and Advent can't miss, not before you get crit. This should stop after 3rd mission but you never know.

About mission from one roof to another. Good ambush cleared 1st pod including Drone (close range). My luck is gone on second pod. Long tall building had wrong ladders had to cross half of map to climb it. Spotted 2nd pod and they all run at basement. Gunner in basement (guy that one shot kill) is overwatch for ever. Did not even try to move. Sectoid pod was crazy - running in circles in high cover vs my low cover (another building). Off course they spotted me but my flashbang cleared OW. Bombing never stopped until I was on Point Blank range with 6 rookies. Should take picture of my Storm Troopers storming single Sectoid (he still had half of HP). Done that because Gas Station was on fire. Could lost all eight of my rookies. Burning Gatecrasher
Loot: AE Magazine, 2x Lockbox , Suppressor, Stock, Psionic Inhibitor (it boost will - yeah).
Corpses: Officer, 7x trooper, Drone, Sectoid, Allos 3, Crystals 3, Supplies 25.

Detected March 2 2:21 PM -- Op. Rogue Banana -- Jailbreak 3x Rebels (8d 0h / Ext. Light) - will see how many actual rebels will get.
Squad: Spec, Assa, 4x rookies (No - full rookie squad , I m building tall in first month so I can afford to put escort)

March 10 2:00+ AM -- Op. Rogue Banana -- Jailbreak 3x Rebels (100% / Ext. Light) 9 starting enemies (15/18 - final coundown) - Had to climb building with windows. Never like that and I spotted Drone. Drone is going away and it was not worth of hack. Sentry and Trooper come in my visual range when I was climbing another "too many windows" building. Had high ground for OW execution and hack 24% for Superior PCS (alerting another pod will be good reward in any case). Moved Assault to Grab loot and picked up Officer and 2x Drone. Hacked far away Drone and Assault had no trouble of quieting closest one. This activated 3rd solo drone and I had to shot at it for minor damage. Dashed one rookie to make flank on Officer rest of squad was on OW (like they can hit). Another turn damaged drone was dead , Officer stunned and like always that drone "not worth of hacking" is flanking me. Cleared that and hacked (53%) 2x rebels. Last pod of Sentry and Trooper on roof was surprise. Sentry was dead on the spot and Trooper locked himself in cell few tiles from my Specialist. Good bye Trooper even with ballistic you are dead. Killed RNF-s for fun.
Loot: Advanced Hacking (+12). Hacking (+8), Super Conditioning, Advent Datapad, Agility (8). Will not sell good stuff

Detected March 3 2:11 PM -- Op. Slagheap Lagoon -- S&G (Ext. Light/ 8d 8h) - both of my missions get 48 h reduction, judging by starting times . Just 6 man for that timer is crime
Squad: Shin, Gunn, 4x rookies
March 11 5:00 AM -- Op. Slagheap Lagoon -- S&G (Ext. Light/ 100%) Starting Advent 9 (12/15) . Started in river bed. Had bad OW on Officer, Engineer and Trooper. Ballistic are showing their teeth (or lack of it). But they was in range of my grenade. They lost second move because Shinobi is spotting and putting my squad further away is not big problem. This is only Tactics that I need or have - Advent double move. Had lucky shot (tried for loot) so no bombing. Spotted another pod Officer , Trooper and Drone but I moved in to building knowing that 3rd pod is guarding the loot. After picking up high cover - engaged Officer pod. Drone was hard to kill but Officer was flanked (from rooftop) and Trooper died in low cover. Shinobi spotted Sectoid and 2x Trooper in big room. First bomb than easy flanks. Risky move but fight in low cover vs two pod is more like suicide - in high cover I have chance (if I engaged Officer pod Sectoid pod will be in high cover and possible on my flank). Hate early S&G - Advent is in high cover and on high ground. I have only BB gun for lucky shot. Slow mobility Soldiers can't keep up and squad needs to regroup - wasting fighting turns
Loot: 131 Supply, Alloys 5, Adv. Auto-Load, PCS , Advent Datapad. No crystals or cores.

Detected March 11 8:14 AM -- Op. Arbiter of the Aunt -- Rescue VIP from cell, Engineer FaL (Ext. Light/ 12d 3h) - huge difference in detection. Avenger was parked at Black Market (buying ENG to get SCI) and fly by detection of this magnitude is rare
Squad: Shin, Assa, Spec, 5x rookies (this will produce huge drag and cost me two missions but I need few perks for hard Lib 1 mission)

20 March 1:17 PM -- Op. Orphan Robin -- Rendezvous , Faceless x2 (7/7)
Squad: Gunner, SMG, SMG, SMG, Rifle , Shotgun - nice squad max possible output is 2+1+1+1+2+miss or two Faceless in your face.65 turns. 65 turns watching Advent moves and making trap. It was Flawless.
Reward : Bug. This mission resets my Avenger clearing room operation. Timer is 14 days and I spend 8 days already digging. Now I m back on 14. Tried that with normal mission and digging clock is not resetting. I got Elite Expanded Magazine and my Gunner is alive. Why this mission is resetting my digging ? Only this one and only if it is done first . My research is resetting also. Loading earlier save - you must have saves with this game

20 March 1:17 PM -- Op. Arbiter of the Aunt -- Rescue VIP from cell, Engineer FaL (Very Light/ 84%) 12 staring Advent (14 killed/ 17) - This was not planned. 5x rookies needs Ext. Light Mission. My bug with Rendezvous forced me to risk 8 man squad and probably whole campaign. 2 days is needed for big Jailbreak (after monthly report Jailbreak should be bigger)
Started on rooftop and dashed to another rooftop. Placed Squad in low cover on rooftop for OW ambush. Could not move for optimal range to closest pod (Sentry, Celatid , Drone) and 2x Trooper pod is far away. Managed to kill 19 HP of pod with use of bomb and OW. Two Troopers are shooting at me. Miss and miss vs rookie and Assault (10 defense and dodge), they had better targets but I will not complain. Then I had to move trough low cover and spotted Drone with my Shinobi. Specialist could hack it from sniper range. Three turns Drone was stunning Advent and Assault is clearing the map , rest of squad is on OW duty and very close. Watch list vs Large Intel cash. Small hack on Watch list (saved 34 Intel). RNFs are dropping out of LoS so it is time to get out.
Loot: 10 intel from lampost, Adv Suppressor and garbage (PCS)

20 March 1:17 PM -- Op. Orphan Robin -- Rendezvous , Faceless x2 (7/7) 50 turns - reloading save solved problem
Squad Gunner, 3x below 60 aim Rifle, no mobility Shotgun, SMG (slow)
It takes few turns to find ambush spot. Pods are always patrolling on same route. With Ballistic you can't attack Faceless and not having squad wipe. Not with rebels. First pod was done on high ground and Faceless x2 is done with SMG "luring" for activation. Officer committed suicide after luring because my squad was one blue move behind his LoS. I m doing that everywhere but this time weakened Advent could not hit me - they tried and failed. Perfect Flawless again - LoS activation is working with rebels and only one in danger was SMG runner (he must run to high cover in direction of my squad or duck)
Loot: Scope x2, Hacking +7, Laser Sight, Adv. Exp. Magazine. Two loots are nice but rest will not help much

Detected March 13 x:yy AM -- Op. Narcissistic Majesty -- Rescue VIP from cell, Scientist- Elvis (Ext. Light/ 10d 22h)
Squad: Shin, Snip, Snip, Gunn, Rang, Gren, Spec, Rook - huge drag for minor perks but I need Phantom on my snipers ASAP. I m bringing back ELVIS - crazy lady was right. He is an Alien.