Complete Levels Fast or Grind? Secondary Objectives?

[tenbsmith]

I'm on my first play through, trying to complete levels as fast as possible, NOT grinding for experience or exploring every nook and cranny of the map. This is the opposite of how I usually play RPGs. The game has made me feel like getting through quicker means less Xeno spawn and, therefore, less chance of losing a Templar. Playing like this is fun, I feel more in touch with the story because good military commanders should try to end things quickly to save their troops lives. It's fun being into the game like that.

One thing I do NOT like about many RPGs is when in-game dialogue tells you to hurry, but there are no negative consequences for taking your time, exploring every part of a level and getting all the loot. This disconnect between story and game mechanics takes you out of the game.

BF has gotten me to hurry by setting the turn goal for each level, and giving me bonus EXP for beating the goal. Other bonuses also seem to have a quickness element. If I recall correctly, you’re rewarded for Xeno killed per turn, not total kill count. Nice.

Another thing that got me wanting to move quickly was the sense of urgency on the early level where the high-level-commander-dude, (the one who doesn’t show up on your Veterans list), says he’s going to stand by the gates until you close them. For tactical reasons, I moved him closer to my core group over a couple of turns and then he proclaimed he would stay by the gates and moved himself back to the gates. Another good example of matching dialogue and game mechanics, forcing the player to take dialogue seriously. Not wanting that Templar to die, I abandoned any thought of exploration and went full speed ahead for the switch to close the gates.

I’ve completed 6 levels to date, and so far only gotten the secondary objective bonus on 1 or 2. Do most levels have secondary objectives? How are others coping with speed versus completeness?

[jknut]

I usually go for speed and try to get secondary objectives when possible. Typically, I get 15-20% bonus for speed at the end of each level.

I'm curious about the trade-off between secondary objectives bonus and speed bonus.

Or... you could play the level slow and map everything out... then don't accept the win and try to get secondary objectives + speed.

[tenbsmith]

Thanks. I'm sticking with speed for my first play through. This seems to give deepest immersion in the game.

Roughly what proportion of levels contain secondary objectives? How are they uncovered?

[ntsheep]

tenbsmith, check out my guide here and on Steam for tips on how to get the best time bonus and secondary objectives. On most of the levels that have secondary objectives, you don't really waste any time going for them if you know where they are and in some cases you don't lose any time searching for ones. You can safely send someone off to just look around while the main group completes the task at hand.

[tenbsmith]

Thanks ntsheep, I've looked at some of your guide, it was helpful. I'm avoiding spoilers on my first play through, so I won't read level specific stuff for now.

I like the tip to send individuals off to look around a bit when things seem in control. I've already done that some, but now I'll do it systematically.

Another score booster is to kill any near-by Xeno before making a move likely to end a level (e.g., moving the bomb next to the hole on Level 6: Alien Vessel: Bomb Escort).


I still want to know what proportion of levels have secondary objectives? This seems like the sort of general scuttlebutt one might pick up in the barracks or mess hall; thus, not a spoiler.

[ntsheep]

I always figured it pretty obvious to kill all xeno before ending a level but I'll include that in the next guide update. I'm not really sure what the actual percentage is. I might be able to figure that out or the TB's can answer that. As an old gamer I've had this rule that I should always try to beat a game without using any guides or cheat codes the first time. There are times though I've made an exception. It seems like some modern games are purposely made hard just to sell game guides.


EDIT: just did a quick count, there are 22 levels I know of that half at least one secondary objective in then. Many have more than one.

[CdrPlatypus]

tenbsmith
Secondary objectives will generally net you more bonus XP if you keep under the turn par rather then going straight for the 20% super speed bonus especially early in the game. If you have a deep-op-scout and a melee tank cpt and already know where the secondary objectives you can get the best of both worlds with careful planning. Recently completed seige of tundeer on ironman with all four secondary objectives, 15% bonus for speed, and 4% bonus for kills. Also some secondary objectives come with very nice bonuses, medtechs, +supply (there is one on mok prime for +400. I love that one), napalm resupply (worth 200 SP)

On the other hand Speed runs will get you more bonus RP because secondary objectives do not grant +RP. So getting that 20% bonus for speed will get you the best results for extra RP. 

Most of the time I try to grab secondary objectives just because I want too. I figure it makes my squad the go to guys. We accomplish the most on each run.

[Cory Trese]

Mathematically that is true -- Secondary objectives will net you more. In combination, they'll net max.

Secondary objectives are riskier than the bonus objectives, and therefore bring more rewards.