New Melee Squad

[havnor]

I would like to share how i feel abut new melee updates, they are AWESOME !
After latest patch i started new squad with idea to get most melee templars for every mission from start.
For most levels it was basically Captain(Shield and sword), Paladin(Hammer) and some scouts and/or soldiers...
It strated to be even more fun when i get chance to deploy one or two zerkers(of course dual-axe both) then it looks like
we are BADASS templars and we just walk through xeno hordes all day long for example no death 110 kills and 37 turns for Kaldun: Factory Core South and i even cant say how traitor bunker was easy, tutorial was harder.
Everything is very easy even on ironman run because no melee specialist died during my campaign (im just in Mok Prrime now  )...
For me deflection captain debuff, warding fire, and all AOE melee attacks (unbalancing blows for zerkers) was everything needed, many times i send my scouts or soldiers on suicide mission and play just with captain,paladin and sometimes zerker... I have heaviest armor (Slayer-core) and deflection shield for captain and max warrior and fortitude so he soaked all possible hits often zero dmg... and zerkers with that new defensive dual axes buff ,glance field ,adept-proc could tank also very good but wasnt avaible all the time... And staggering blows is really best talent... not op, but very balanced. However i now cant play other then full melee squad, another nice update thank you very much guys 

[Cory Trese]

Maybe we'll give the scout a Sword option. Stay tuned, tell your friends to buy a copy so we can stay in business

[fallen]

havnor - thanks for the post! What melee specialists build are you finding to be the best? Are they filling different roles?

[havnor]

To Cory :I have Star traders, Star traders 4X, Heroes of Steel, Templar Battleforce all bought and and with most iap ;-)

to fallen :Paladin is slightly better and with this new hammer he is fitting main, major and biggest dmg dealer role. I have only two points into single heal. So he is just crushing everything with that hammer-relic. But zerkers as debuffer/tanks are too good but I have less games with them, because I use paladin every time I can. Unbalancing blows are so strong.

However I would say the combination of Staggering Blows, Unbalancing Blows and Bladeweave with high autoblock, armor/deflection is what makes melee squad superior because you end with few templars per level but they can handle themselves alone very well.

And also I don't know if xenos use theirs brainz or what because many times happens to me that around my templars was horde of 10-20 xenos but only one or two came to attack me. Are they scared of attacking melee specialist, because it looks like they are.

[fallen]

havnor - thanks for the feedback and sharing your experience. The AI may choose to hold back different forces on some turns, definitely.

Sounds like we may need to add more enemy powers and specialists to keep up with the new Templar powers!

[Vae Victus]

Sept 22, 2016 12:12:32 GMT -5 fallen said:

havnor - thanks for the feedback and sharing your experience. The AI may choose to hold back different forces on some turns, definitely.

Sounds like we may need to add more enemy powers and specialists to keep up with the new Templar powers!

>>The AI may choose to hold back different forces on some turns, definitely.

I had been wondering about that. Is it always tied to the stealth talent of the Templar or is it sometimes an independent decision on the part of the xenos?

[fallen]

Vae Victus - Stealth can certainly be a big factor. But, the AI planner will sometimes hold back for any number of reasons, including the current AI state (massing, etc).

[Cory Trese]

The AI is trying to win, and the strategy it uses often results it a period of massing strength, and then striking.

This is similar to how BF players operate -- if you are going to bring out 3 more Templars, you don't send the first three on a suicide mission while you save up SP to bring out your heavies.

[Vae Victus]

Thank you for the explanation.