Post by algesan on Jun 21, 2016 10:19:42 GMT -5
Okay, I'm playing through again after having to clear the virus Amazon called their new OS off my Kindle, which cost me all my TB saved games. (Side Note: I no longer care if TB creates a way to save stuff to the Amazon Cloud, I've bought my last piece of Amazon electronics.) This is more directed towards the higher difficulty levels as will be seen below.
Since it has been a while, I once again am going through with a Normal squad (to see the scenario layout) leading the way for an Ironman squad. Although it isn't so apparent on the lower difficulties, there is a limit to how many Templars you can reasonably keep leveled up without relying on the Captain dragging them along. Differences in scenario deployments ensure that you really cannot level too many and, for the most part, hanging around in longer levels to pull out more Templars amounts to a waste of time. After all, after that big climactic multiple TP battle there come several small ones, usually with a closed or two, that levels up your Captain and reduces all the work you did getting extra XP for anything past 4-5 Templars (including the Captain) good for fun only. If the Captain levels up twice, those fifth or later Templars end up being part of the mass XP drag again. Part of the issue comes from having to deal with the substandard Paladin storyline character Nyra sucking up space in some missions. I figure that is because she spent her Lineage points on intel gathering, history, mentoring and sticking her nose in combat whenever her rank lets her force her way into a squad spot.
The only way to keep up with levels remains to deploy as often as possible and level up Templars with the Captain without relying on his ability to give XP to new recruits. Pretty much, you get your initial Soldier, an Engineer, a secondary Soldier (or Scout) and then some Specialist (Berserk/Hydra/Neptune/Paladin). That's it. So, you need some kind of AE control specialist to round out the group and since walking out of walls of promethium is cool, you get a storyline squad member, the Hydra.
Now I'm at the Artifact vaults (18 of 34(?) missions, 17 complete, so about halfway) and this struck me. Here is my normal squad: Captain 14th, Soldier 14th, Soldier 12th, Neptune 12th, Engineer 11th (+53XP), Scout 11th (+53XP), the rest are bare minimum 11th levels. Sure, I'd like a Berserk in that crew, but it is only Normal and only 4 of the Templars are above the cut (6 counting the two with extra XP over 1 into 11th level). Sure, Normal, it doesn't really matter, have fun because your squad never gets left too far behind as time goes on.
Ironman squad: Captain 16th, Soldier 16th, Soldier 14th, Engineer 14th, Paladin 11th, Berserker/Hydra/Scout 10th (all +139 XP), everyone else 10th. Two dead Scouts from earlier. Now, good Talent and Gear choices can mitigate the much larger level gap, especially in support roles. This one has 5 of the Templars above the cut (8 with extra XP guys), but the extra XP guys will probably fade away as the Captain is sure to level this time, except the Hydra because I need AE control and he is it. Unfortunately, I cannot always pull him out because of the lower deployment points in Ironman and the need for a Templar right now usually gets the second Soldier pulled in and damage being done means the Paladin.
What is boils down to, no matter your preference, the Hydra is the way to go. I'd prefer a Neptune all day long...but unless I want him to be bog standard squad recruit mostly and then have to deal with a bog standard Hydra instead of an experienced one when the story says you have to have one. So, take the Hydra, build him up to be as useful as he can be and rely more on your regulars, because one Specialist is pretty much all you can afford to have.
Since it has been a while, I once again am going through with a Normal squad (to see the scenario layout) leading the way for an Ironman squad. Although it isn't so apparent on the lower difficulties, there is a limit to how many Templars you can reasonably keep leveled up without relying on the Captain dragging them along. Differences in scenario deployments ensure that you really cannot level too many and, for the most part, hanging around in longer levels to pull out more Templars amounts to a waste of time. After all, after that big climactic multiple TP battle there come several small ones, usually with a closed or two, that levels up your Captain and reduces all the work you did getting extra XP for anything past 4-5 Templars (including the Captain) good for fun only. If the Captain levels up twice, those fifth or later Templars end up being part of the mass XP drag again. Part of the issue comes from having to deal with the substandard Paladin storyline character Nyra sucking up space in some missions. I figure that is because she spent her Lineage points on intel gathering, history, mentoring and sticking her nose in combat whenever her rank lets her force her way into a squad spot.
The only way to keep up with levels remains to deploy as often as possible and level up Templars with the Captain without relying on his ability to give XP to new recruits. Pretty much, you get your initial Soldier, an Engineer, a secondary Soldier (or Scout) and then some Specialist (Berserk/Hydra/Neptune/Paladin). That's it. So, you need some kind of AE control specialist to round out the group and since walking out of walls of promethium is cool, you get a storyline squad member, the Hydra.
Now I'm at the Artifact vaults (18 of 34(?) missions, 17 complete, so about halfway) and this struck me. Here is my normal squad: Captain 14th, Soldier 14th, Soldier 12th, Neptune 12th, Engineer 11th (+53XP), Scout 11th (+53XP), the rest are bare minimum 11th levels. Sure, I'd like a Berserk in that crew, but it is only Normal and only 4 of the Templars are above the cut (6 counting the two with extra XP over 1 into 11th level). Sure, Normal, it doesn't really matter, have fun because your squad never gets left too far behind as time goes on.
Ironman squad: Captain 16th, Soldier 16th, Soldier 14th, Engineer 14th, Paladin 11th, Berserker/Hydra/Scout 10th (all +139 XP), everyone else 10th. Two dead Scouts from earlier. Now, good Talent and Gear choices can mitigate the much larger level gap, especially in support roles. This one has 5 of the Templars above the cut (8 with extra XP guys), but the extra XP guys will probably fade away as the Captain is sure to level this time, except the Hydra because I need AE control and he is it. Unfortunately, I cannot always pull him out because of the lower deployment points in Ironman and the need for a Templar right now usually gets the second Soldier pulled in and damage being done means the Paladin.
What is boils down to, no matter your preference, the Hydra is the way to go. I'd prefer a Neptune all day long...but unless I want him to be bog standard squad recruit mostly and then have to deal with a bog standard Hydra instead of an experienced one when the story says you have to have one. So, take the Hydra, build him up to be as useful as he can be and rely more on your regulars, because one Specialist is pretty much all you can afford to have.
