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Anyone knows what decides the number of enemies in the Landed UFO mission? I intercepted a UFO coming to a Strenght 3 region, it came up with something like 6d 12h (don't they usually pop with +8h?). Mission info told me it was going to be Very Light, so I deployed a team suited for small encounters (Shinobi, DFA, Ranger, OW Spec, Sapper). Region was still at Strenght 3 and at 100% the mission was Moderate. So yeah, that team can hardly beat a pod of 5 in a turn, even less the pod of 8.

Does anyone know what determines UFO enemy count and what would trigger the sudden change in numbers?

EDIT: I loaded a previous save and it went from 80% light-moderate to 90% moderate.

You are the newest victim of the MEC pod bug. The mission should be Moderate, but when the game rolled for the 8-man command pod composition for the first time a MEC was chosen as the pod leader. The list of possible followers didn't include anything that can actually follow a MEC and the entire 8-man command pod ended up being replaced by a single MEC. With 7 enemies less than the normal amount the mission was reported as Very Light to you, but when you rolled again before going to the mission you got a non-bugged enemy count.

Non-bugged UFOs are never Very Light and always have one 8-man command pod, even at Strength 1, but unlike Supply Raid command pods there isn't a fixed composition. FYI a STR 1 or 2 UFO is Light, STR 3 is Light-Moderate, 4-5 Moderate, 6-7 Moderate-Heavy and so on. UFOs always have at least +1 Strength (+2 for Super UFOs).

Yeah, that must have been it. Anyway, I reloaded and it went back to Light... So my guess I got the bugged MEC pod in it, which is nice I guess. Gotta keep that in mind next time I suit up a deceptively easy UFO.

Thanks. Gonna see If I get a lone MEC pod.

Are you sure that Str 1 regions give Light UFO ?
It was is Heavy for me even on Veteran STR1 Force level 1 (+1 - maybe I must find those saves )

For me UFO Light is Heavy mission and goes up. Yes Heavy 24 -27 freaking Advent Snakes + Sectoids and Officers
I can't always roll MEC or 3x MEC.
It is full rocket carpet bombing mission or suicide. Never played below Heavy and +2 strength.
Maybe I detect only super UFOs ? Always?
I m on new campaign - so numbers can be off by +/- few but it is always 8 command pod + 3 or more big pods

SecureUFO_LW

Str1 FL 1
14 Advent 100% Light
14 Advent 100% Light
Crashed game - Mod Options Menu is culprit
14 Advent 100% Light
14 Advent 100% Light
14 Advent 102% Light

Force level 2 (or 3) is bugged. Mec can spawn on normal mission.

My post above - it was 8 man mission and I hit 73 % (judging by numbers). I did not hit moderate or moderate-heavy.I hit heavy with + RND Advent. Every time