🚀 go-pugleaf

Ian's observations match with my own regarding the way TFTD plays.

I tried a different approach recently to my game and the results were fairly
good.  Instead of researching Sonic weapons, I left these as along as
possible before researching them.  Only when large USO's started waxing my
'Cuda's did I consider research, just to get the Sonic Oscillator.

The first priority, I feel, is getting a live Deep One.  This means your
base should have at least 12 nauts from the start of the game, ready for the
Terror Mission.  Thermal Tazers are standard kit for the whole squad, as
well as at least 4 PD sensors.  Ideally, kill off any other aliens found on
the mission - they will hamper your progress.  Use grenades sparingly, as
you may end up killing any Deep Ones in the area.  You should have a large
majority of nauts running around with PD sensors and Tazers, covered by the
rest of the squad with guns, just incase a Gillman should pop into view to
take a shot at your scouts.  Since on terror missions large buildings always
have aliens inside them, consider these structures as the target, with Deep
One retrieval as the objective.  It's up to you how many casualties you are
willing to take, but after 50%, I'd say cut your losses.
    The 'bodysnatching' approach is the best way to deal with the terror
mission mentioned above. Get in, grab alien, get out.  Try throwing the
unconscious alien around instead of carrying it, since they tend to wake up
and wax the naut holding it.  A couple of nauts in a leap frog motion is
useful, but be sure they are covered from reprisals.

The reasoning for getting the Deep One is simple - it leads to Ion Armour,
as a partial component, as also gives the MC Lab early in the game.  These
two items are priorities since you survive longer with Ion armour, as well
as the MC Lab training and finding out nauts who are susceptible to MC
attacks - your so say performers you come to rely on may in fact be fish
food for the aliens when they continually panic, or worse, get controlled
and drop a Sonic Pulser in the Triton...

Overall, the effect this had on the game meant that since I was using Gauss
and Hvy Wpns, the aliens I met were mostly Gillmen and Aquatoids.  Gauss may
be inferior to sonic weapons, but it does double damage of Harpoon rifles,
so should you meet any Lobstermen, it could save your troops.  This forced
the game to stick with low end aliens, using sonic pistols, maybe rifles on
occasion, and limited grenade usage.  The benefits for me were, my troops
had decent armour and I had weeded out MC attack prone nauts and ditched
them, irrespective if they were excellent in all other area's.  Once this
was in place, I researched furiously into Thermal Shock Launcher, then
sonics lastly.  By the time I had the TSL, I could practically walk most
missions, until the advent of DPL's and MC disruptors, which then made the
game a cake walk.


Ian York & Robert Bohnenberger wrote...


>: I just went back to ufo & got creamed.  I think there's a slightly
>: different style of play...


snip

>Hmm, just started two concurrent games of UFO to test this:
>
>Game One: using the saved/reload method to get through ocmbat missions
>I successfully cleared out 2 Terror Sites & 6 UFOs with minimal
>casualties. End of January: excellent score, big boost in funding.
>In February, though, the shit hits the fan as Mutons dominate the
>UFO missions (built those Lasers just in time!), and psionic
>Sectoids with Cyberdiscs carry out Terror Missions. It's tough
>already.
>
>Game Two: minimal saves. Similar number of missions, but high
>casualties, including backing out of a Terror Site that had
>turned nasty (Floater snipers everywhere!). End of January:
>average score, small increase in funding. In February, less
>Terror Sites than in Game One, & they are still Floaters plus
>Reavers. No sign of Mutons or psi-aliens yet.
>
>Research may also play an important part: if your guys are
>running around in Power Suits armed with Laser Rifles or
>better, you don't encounter Floaters armed only with
>Plasma pistols! The enemy aliens get tougher (Mutons),
>better armed (Heavy Plasma, Blasters), & better supported
>(choose any from: Cyberdiscs, Sectopods, Crysalids &
>psi-leasres!).
>
>--
>IY.