r/Xenonauts

A question for those more steeped in the history/mechanics of this game than I:

I'm aware you need to leave enough TUs to shoot when you end your turn in order to have the chance to take an overwatch shot during the opposition's turn. Each weapon usually features multiple different shot types with different TU requirements to use. Such as Snapshot, Regular, Aimed and 3-round Burst Fire for the rifle-class weapons. So my question:

How do you know which shot type will be used during overwatch? Or is it always the lowest TU cost shot (usually Snapshot) only?

I'm always really hyped to start a new campaign, either in Xeno2 or X-COM, XCOM1/2 or other turn based games, imagining all the combos and what not, but after completing a certain amount of missions, all of these games just feel like a grind. I'd like to rewire the way I look at this genre after hundreds of hours, but no matter what I always end up skipping tons of missions and missing out on goodies or even dropping the game for the time being. I don't know why I do this, as I do want to play the game, so why am i skipping the gameplay!? If you had similar experience and solved it, please let me know. I'm always in awe when I see a youtube playlist or something, where somebody plays a mod or even a vanilla campaign for hundreds of hours perfectly.

I just wrapped up a playthrough and I guess I just wanted to vaguely poll this sub against my vibe-based opinion of the endgame.

Through most of the playthrough, it felt like enemy lethality was in a good spot- until all the enemies start rocking fusion. Suddenly, my heavy armored, high health shotgun breacher is 30/70 getting 1 tapped by a koolaid-man android, even the heavy power armor that prevents me using anything but a machine gun and restricts reflexes and vision can only tank like a single hit from them.

Idk it feels like it sorta forces a playstyle that invalidates some really expensive research and engineering projects. Thoughts?

https://preview.redd.it/wee2vmscowjh1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=277e4b4c8c7268cd248a23614c730675506a6d66

First part:

Put base around Egypt so it covers Africa, Europe, Soviet Union and Western China

Build generators, hospital, living quarters

Base Assault: Do it as normal, be sure to capture the general and a cleaner for OP

OP: buy a security supporter that gives -1 doomsday per day to save you a headache, after that then focus on removing infiltrators

Initially all the aliens will fly are probes which are defeated easily by a lone interceptor, so you can focus on getting MARS and warden armor which will make the first part much easier as cleaner guns do next to nothing against them and a MARS will crush Symbiotes without too much TU usage.

Alien abductions: Don't go crazy with saving lives. Keep your guys together to support each other. Saving 5 should be enough. Otherwise play it normally with liberal use of smoke, c4 and stun grenades.

Cleaner convoy ambush: Don't bother with prisoners, the MARS can take a lot of punishment while you pick the rest off. Don't damage the trucks for greater rewards.

Cleaner Data Centre: Use lots of C4 and run through the place fast. Hopefully you have warden armor and a MARS to soak up the damage.

Cleaner leader: Split 2-3 guys to attack the smaller buildings on the right to hack computers while the rest go for the leader. You can capture the leader by hitting him with C4 once and then smoke/stunguns/stun batons

VIP: Fairly simple. Keep your guys together.

While it's all going on get aerial weapons unlocked, another hanger and interceptor, radar arrays and alenium generators ASAP. Money is a big bottleneck and don't be afraid to sell spare alloys, alenium if you can afford to.

Skip accelerated weapons for lasers.

Mid to end game:

Don't go crazy with the second base until you are ready. Security supporters can reduce panic until you are ready for another one.

Build 3 missile defenses, 3 planes, 3 radar arrays, the training room, second workshop.

I built 5 hangars so that I'd always have 3 planes ready at the main base while building another for the new base.

Focus on the air war. You can rebound from losing all your soldiers but losing all your interceptors at once may be a deathblow.

If a mission is going badly just retreat. You can always shoot down a different UFO. It's worth waiting for the next tech upgrade, engineering project to finish. Time is on your side. Never fight at a disadvantage.

Cleaner base: If you have lasers and warden armor this should be easy.

Alien UFOs: For small UFOs, arrange a firing squad outside the door. Open and chuck a smoke grenade, maybe a stun grenade if you're cautious and break line of sight. Repeat until the aliens rush out and die to reaction fire or are unconscious. You can speed up the process with regular grenades.

For big UFOs, after you breach, don't be shy with the C4. Stun grenade anything that can be stunned. Machineguns and shotguns are king here.

For Alien bases: focus on finding the command center. Teleporting into a room with Sebillians it' going to be a bloodbath. If one unit has to be sacrificed while messing with teleporters, use the MARS as they won't be suppressed. Shoot, leave, and repeat with the whole squad.

Terror missions: If you have breathing room to take the panic penalty and not do them just do that. Otherwise its going to be ugly.

I just find this late but that regenerating ammo is god like on machine gun, just blasting everything every turn. Why gauss and fusion doesnt have regenerating research? Or i miss out on something?

You'd think "The Eternal Empire" would have a step up on "The joining of materials", but hey.

Base attack, not single shoot was shoot that day.

I kinda doing this every mission now... stun grenade, smoke for block or force reposition and then army of assaults with sticks. 😂 Snipers using basically only stun guns. Mostly you dont need shoot at all (except when you get in akward situation). Good money from this (I think 2x worth of dead body). Only problem is you get shoot a lot often.

Do you go for capturing always too?