Post by pendell on May 9, 2014 16:18:32 GMT -5
So I've been playing on regular mode and I've reached some conclusions vis-a-vis the specialists. I present them here to see if other people have the same experience and, of course, to benefit them .
The three specialists are: Berserker, Hydra Flame Thrower, Neptune Heavy Repeater.
Berserker
Catch Phrase: YA HA CHOUHAHADA!!!
Schtick: Carries a big axe and a shield for additional protection; specializes in melee.
Pros: NEVER runs out of ammo. Also if you're going to do melee combat the big guy with the shield makes life much easier.
While I haven't used them yet I suspect the ability to add in ATRUS gadgets to the shield doesn't hurt either.
Cons: -1 AP for the shield and -AP for the better armor means that he's not very fast. Also, he can only attack in the square directly in front of him,
unliked the range combatants whose arc of fire is best described by a cone in the direction they are facing. There's also the tiny problem that ranged attackers
can stand outside his range and plink him to death.
Best Use: I've found the best use for the berserker is on a "gauntlet" type mission with xeno enemies. With your berserker up front and your captain on rear guard, they can cruise along at a good 2 squares a turn and still have AP left to squash bugs who get in their way. Your soldiers in the middle will get bored from having nothing to do, and you may be able to make it through with more than half your ammunition. Speed is life, and a berserker-led convoy can be quite speedy. It doesn't work nearly as well in wide-open spaces where the enemy can outflank him, however. Which is why the berserker is best backed up by a buddy with a projectile weapon who can cover his flanks.
Hydra Flame Specialist
Catch Phrase; F-LAMING DEATH!
Schtick: Carries a flame thrower which sets fire to the squares in front of the trooper and spreads out in a cone. The flame backwashes from the target point, so the target must be at least 3 squares away (4 squares for the plasma incinerator) or the hydra will be caught in his own fire. If additional troops are immediately behind the hydra,
they may also be caught in the fire. Finally, he can fire his flamethrower even at 0 AP
and he cannot miss, giving him a critical mobility advantage over other specialists.
Fires start at stage 2 (very hot), and degrade to stage 1 either with the passage of time (2-3 turns) or if a target is caught in the flames. A stage 1 fire will go completely out if it is degraded further, again by time or by contact with units.
Pros: So long as his ammunition holds out, the hydra is the best rear guard in the game. Simply turn around, leave a wall of fire behind you, then about face and run as fast as you can until the fire runs out. In this way a hydra-backed squad can be among the fastest in the game, because your rear is protected by fire.
The Hydra is also excellent in other defensive applications, in that it can deny terrain with walls of fire, shaping the battlefield and making everything easier. Finally, because fire is persistent, this means that enemies will continue to die from it even though you are doing nothing. Because of this the hydra consistently racks up the highest kill counts in my games. He's even useful against Boss-type enemies, if they are coming to you, as you can leave a welcoming carpet of fire for them to walk in on.
Cons: The hydra has limited utility on offense, because the fire he generates will block off the passage to you as well. Thus the hydra requires more careful thinking than any other specialist, as a mistake may cut off your goal with a wall of fire, or even burn your own troops. Also, while fire is persistent it is not a *guaranteed* kill. I have observed Xenos crawling through a full five squares of fire to attack the troopers on the other side. So the hydra isn't your man if you must have a guaranteed kill.
Also, as discussed, the Hydra is not a close-combat specialist. If a Xeno gets close his only option is to punch him out with a melee weapon, set fire to himself and the rest of the squad with his flamethrower, or simply take the hit. For this reason a hydra is best escorted by a projectile-throwing comrade who, again, can guard his flanks.
Best Use: As a "minelayer" to leave walls of flame across enemy avenues of approach. This will kill lots of opponents and provide a breathing space for the team to get away. Also terrific in defensive applications such as the Siege of Roavin, where your characters can hide behind a wall of flame and let the xenos march in to extinction.
Excels in wide-open areas in defense against a multiple-aspect attack.
Neptune Weapons Specialist
Catch Phrase: "Today's weather will be ... cloudy with a chance of MILLIONS OF BULLETS."
Schtick: Carries a repeating weapon with an outstanding ammunition load. Cannot move once he starts firing. Does not lose AP after firing if he hits with the weapon.
Cannot shoot through other players, unlike the soldier, scout, and captain.
Pros: Excellent on defense and on offense. Need to get into a bridge swarming with enemies? Put your Neptune up front and let him walk into the objective all guns blazing. Suddenly beset from behind on that same bridge? Put your Neptune at the choke point and have everyone else start a card game while he makes a Metal Storm in the corridor. Also, the Neptune is terrific as a boss-killer. If you see an enemy with >10 HP, put the Neptune in front of it at range and the Neptune will take it down long before it closes. Nearly as good on rear guard as the flame thrower and the berserker. Has a significant advantage of the flamethrower in that he is very likely to hit and the hit is guaranteed either to kill, or give the Neptune more AP to kill him with the next shot. So when it absolutely, positively, has to die this turn, call 1-800-NEPTUNE.
Cons: Slow. By Shai-Halud, slow. He's not fast to begin with, and the better armor takes him down as much as 2 AP. So a squad with a Neptune in it isn't going anywhere fast. Wasted on vanguard if there are not many enemies or a boss in front, and he can only back up so far a turn. So a Neptune squad moves one square -- fires -- more one square -- fires -- on and on and on. So the Neptune is not for you if speed is essential. Use a berserker to lead the way or a hydra to provide a fiery rear guard.
Best Use: I prefer them when advancing against large numbers of ranged fighters, since the Berserker would have to rush them and the hydra can't obstruct the squad's line of advance. Also can fill in for a hydra or berserker on defense, although somewhat slower than either.
Comparison of Neptune and Hydra:
Both are specialists, meaning they are critical in some situations and absolute rubbish in others. Still, if I had to choose ONLY ONE, I would take the hydra. This is because mobility is critical to my game. The hydra loses no AP and , in fact, can fire his flamethrower at 0 AP, while the Neptune must always cease movement to fire. Most situations a Neptune can handle a hydra can also, with the exception of requiring suppressing fire in an advance. So I choose the hydra for near-equivalent performance, better defensive capability, and better movement.
Be that as it may, there is a great deal of synergy when you have BOTH a Neptune and a Hydra, especially in a defensive role. When your back is to the wall, the hydra can lay down a fiery carpet and the Neptune can then shoot anything that comes through it. The hydra can then lay down fire again covering the Neptune's retreat. So, rather than choosing one or the other, the best choice in a defensive scenario is BOTH.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
The three specialists are: Berserker, Hydra Flame Thrower, Neptune Heavy Repeater.
Berserker
Catch Phrase: YA HA CHOUHAHADA!!!
Schtick: Carries a big axe and a shield for additional protection; specializes in melee.
Pros: NEVER runs out of ammo. Also if you're going to do melee combat the big guy with the shield makes life much easier.
While I haven't used them yet I suspect the ability to add in ATRUS gadgets to the shield doesn't hurt either.
Cons: -1 AP for the shield and -AP for the better armor means that he's not very fast. Also, he can only attack in the square directly in front of him,
unliked the range combatants whose arc of fire is best described by a cone in the direction they are facing. There's also the tiny problem that ranged attackers
can stand outside his range and plink him to death.
Best Use: I've found the best use for the berserker is on a "gauntlet" type mission with xeno enemies. With your berserker up front and your captain on rear guard, they can cruise along at a good 2 squares a turn and still have AP left to squash bugs who get in their way. Your soldiers in the middle will get bored from having nothing to do, and you may be able to make it through with more than half your ammunition. Speed is life, and a berserker-led convoy can be quite speedy. It doesn't work nearly as well in wide-open spaces where the enemy can outflank him, however. Which is why the berserker is best backed up by a buddy with a projectile weapon who can cover his flanks.
Hydra Flame Specialist
Catch Phrase; F-LAMING DEATH!
Schtick: Carries a flame thrower which sets fire to the squares in front of the trooper and spreads out in a cone. The flame backwashes from the target point, so the target must be at least 3 squares away (4 squares for the plasma incinerator) or the hydra will be caught in his own fire. If additional troops are immediately behind the hydra,
they may also be caught in the fire. Finally, he can fire his flamethrower even at 0 AP
and he cannot miss, giving him a critical mobility advantage over other specialists.
Fires start at stage 2 (very hot), and degrade to stage 1 either with the passage of time (2-3 turns) or if a target is caught in the flames. A stage 1 fire will go completely out if it is degraded further, again by time or by contact with units.
Pros: So long as his ammunition holds out, the hydra is the best rear guard in the game. Simply turn around, leave a wall of fire behind you, then about face and run as fast as you can until the fire runs out. In this way a hydra-backed squad can be among the fastest in the game, because your rear is protected by fire.
The Hydra is also excellent in other defensive applications, in that it can deny terrain with walls of fire, shaping the battlefield and making everything easier. Finally, because fire is persistent, this means that enemies will continue to die from it even though you are doing nothing. Because of this the hydra consistently racks up the highest kill counts in my games. He's even useful against Boss-type enemies, if they are coming to you, as you can leave a welcoming carpet of fire for them to walk in on.
Cons: The hydra has limited utility on offense, because the fire he generates will block off the passage to you as well. Thus the hydra requires more careful thinking than any other specialist, as a mistake may cut off your goal with a wall of fire, or even burn your own troops. Also, while fire is persistent it is not a *guaranteed* kill. I have observed Xenos crawling through a full five squares of fire to attack the troopers on the other side. So the hydra isn't your man if you must have a guaranteed kill.
Also, as discussed, the Hydra is not a close-combat specialist. If a Xeno gets close his only option is to punch him out with a melee weapon, set fire to himself and the rest of the squad with his flamethrower, or simply take the hit. For this reason a hydra is best escorted by a projectile-throwing comrade who, again, can guard his flanks.
Best Use: As a "minelayer" to leave walls of flame across enemy avenues of approach. This will kill lots of opponents and provide a breathing space for the team to get away. Also terrific in defensive applications such as the Siege of Roavin, where your characters can hide behind a wall of flame and let the xenos march in to extinction.
Excels in wide-open areas in defense against a multiple-aspect attack.
Neptune Weapons Specialist
Catch Phrase: "Today's weather will be ... cloudy with a chance of MILLIONS OF BULLETS."
Schtick: Carries a repeating weapon with an outstanding ammunition load. Cannot move once he starts firing. Does not lose AP after firing if he hits with the weapon.
Cannot shoot through other players, unlike the soldier, scout, and captain.
Pros: Excellent on defense and on offense. Need to get into a bridge swarming with enemies? Put your Neptune up front and let him walk into the objective all guns blazing. Suddenly beset from behind on that same bridge? Put your Neptune at the choke point and have everyone else start a card game while he makes a Metal Storm in the corridor. Also, the Neptune is terrific as a boss-killer. If you see an enemy with >10 HP, put the Neptune in front of it at range and the Neptune will take it down long before it closes. Nearly as good on rear guard as the flame thrower and the berserker. Has a significant advantage of the flamethrower in that he is very likely to hit and the hit is guaranteed either to kill, or give the Neptune more AP to kill him with the next shot. So when it absolutely, positively, has to die this turn, call 1-800-NEPTUNE.
Cons: Slow. By Shai-Halud, slow. He's not fast to begin with, and the better armor takes him down as much as 2 AP. So a squad with a Neptune in it isn't going anywhere fast. Wasted on vanguard if there are not many enemies or a boss in front, and he can only back up so far a turn. So a Neptune squad moves one square -- fires -- more one square -- fires -- on and on and on. So the Neptune is not for you if speed is essential. Use a berserker to lead the way or a hydra to provide a fiery rear guard.
Best Use: I prefer them when advancing against large numbers of ranged fighters, since the Berserker would have to rush them and the hydra can't obstruct the squad's line of advance. Also can fill in for a hydra or berserker on defense, although somewhat slower than either.
Comparison of Neptune and Hydra:
Both are specialists, meaning they are critical in some situations and absolute rubbish in others. Still, if I had to choose ONLY ONE, I would take the hydra. This is because mobility is critical to my game. The hydra loses no AP and , in fact, can fire his flamethrower at 0 AP, while the Neptune must always cease movement to fire. Most situations a Neptune can handle a hydra can also, with the exception of requiring suppressing fire in an advance. So I choose the hydra for near-equivalent performance, better defensive capability, and better movement.
Be that as it may, there is a great deal of synergy when you have BOTH a Neptune and a Hydra, especially in a defensive role. When your back is to the wall, the hydra can lay down a fiery carpet and the Neptune can then shoot anything that comes through it. The hydra can then lay down fire again covering the Neptune's retreat. So, rather than choosing one or the other, the best choice in a defensive scenario is BOTH.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
