Game is garbage without individual movement/marching order

[Shockwave]

It's that simple. if the game is stealth and tactics, the inability to choose which person does what removes about 80% of the tactics invovled.

I want to shoot an alien in stasis with my sniper, but I can't, because for some reason he's last in line and the only way to get him into line of sight is to put the rest of my team in line of sight first and get them detected before he can get into line of sight.

I want to lay a mine, but my mine layer is busy opening a crate that I wished someone else would have opened but I don't get to choose which team mate does what even if I click on them before selecting the action.

I have an alien in stasis with no way to get a sniper shot on him (he's in a corner) so I launch 3 grenades at him while the game is paused. but they don't fire at the same time so the first one wakes it up and I and detected...as if Marines can't figure out "Count of three... fire" against a sleeping target.

At least if I could order my team 1-4 (marching order) that I could change at any time that would be something but as it is now it is a tactical game that makes sure your team has an IQ of 50 and that just takes the wind out of this game's sails. The game mechanics don't let you execute what would be proper tactics.....

[IAmSquidget]

It's awkward but you CAN move just your sniper, and you can choose who opens a chest. (Or more importantly, who gets in a powerloader.) The means to do this are hacky, but work (on PC anyway, not sure about consoles)

For the sniper, order the squad to move then issue stop commands on everyone else.

For chests, terminals, powerloaders, and other such actions, start tapping tab after selecting the action but before the final mouse click. You'll be able to tab through your marines (highlighted at the bottom of the screen). When you have the desired marine selected, click and that marine will do the action.

It's janky, but it provides you the means to do what you want.

Synchronized grenade tossing isn't a thing, but thats NOT the ideal way to deal with sleepers anyway. I've beaten the game many times, and I've never seen a sleeper I couldn't either 1) snipe, 2) avoid or 3) lure into a sentry trap.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

It's awkward but you CAN move just your sniper, and you can choose who opens a chest. (Or more importantly, who gets in a powerloader.) The means to do this are hacky, but work (on PC anyway, not sure about consoles)

For the sniper, order the squad to move then issue stop commands on everyone else.

That sounds incredibly imprecise in a no pause game (or very limited). That seems too wonky to be that useful.

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

For chests, terminals, powerloaders, and other such actions, start tapping tab after selecting the action but before the final mouse click. You'll be able to tab through your marines (highlighted at the bottom of the screen). When you have the desired marine selected, click and that marine will do the action.

This I don't get at all... what "final click"? You see a chest on the map you click on it.... one click... one of your guys runs and opens it... ditto doors, consoles, etc. I've tried clicking on the marine on the bottom (making him blue) then clicking the chest but that doesn't work (or at least doesn't always work so far).

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

Synchronized grenade tossing isn't a thing, but thats NOT the ideal way to deal with sleepers anyway. I've beaten the game many times, and I've never seen a sleeper I couldn't either 1) snipe, 2) avoid or 3) lure into a sentry trap.

There is one in the bottom corner on Berkley right outside the queen room. Bottom right corner, can not be sniped and will activate if you activate the queen in the next room. Did not try to overload a tracker, didn't think that would activate sleepers.

[IAmSquidget]

Originally posted by Shockwave:

That sounds incredibly imprecise in a no pause game (or very limited). That seems too wonky to be that useful.

It works fine, I did several nightmare runs using that technique. Give it a try.

Originally posted by Shockwave:

This I don't get at all... what "final click"? You see a chest on the map you click on it.... one click... one of your guys runs and opens it... ditto doors, consoles, etc. I've tried clicking on the marine on the bottom (making him blue) then clicking the chest but that doesn't work (or at least doesn't always work so far).

Alas, I don't have the game installed anymore, since I pretty much exhausted the game weeks ago. But I swear I've done this. Sorry I can't remember the exact incantation of key presses. Maybe one of the other old-timers will chime in.

Originally posted by Shockwave:

There is one in the bottom corner on Berkley right outside the queen room. Bottom right corner, can not be sniped and will activate if you activate the queen in the next room. Did not try to overload a tracker, didn't think that would activate sleepers.

Not a tracker. Drone Lure. I actually rarely used Snipers on subsequent runs, I preferred to set up sentry traps and lure Sleepers and Facehuggers into them. And this included Docks Warehouse. Set up sentries in the hallway entrance of the warehouse. Put your squad outside next to the ARC. Send the drone in, use it's Lure to waken all the Sleepers (I think there are 4 or 5 total) and draw them back to the Sentries. Also, you want one sentry facing away from the sleepers (towards the warehouse entrance) because Drone Lure sometimes pulls roving aliens or cultists into the warehouse from outside.

This basic tactic of Drone Lure + Sentries is my go-to to deal with Sleepers and Eggs, I rarely use the Sniper anymore.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

This basic tactic of Drone Lure + Sentries is my go-to to deal with Sleepers and Eggs, I rarely use the Sniper anymore.

Ah, I don't have that class yet. I opted for Seargent over that one as my only choice on my original 4 marines so by mission two, no tek guy.

[Haggis MechHaggis]

Originally posted by Shockwave:

that sounds incredibly imprecise in a no pause game (or very limited). That seems too wonky to be that useful.

eh? you can completely pause if you prefer
the time slowdown thing can be changed in settings to completely pause the game so you can play as if its turn based

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by Haggis MechHaggis:

Originally posted by Shockwave:

that sounds incredibly imprecise in a no pause game (or very limited). That seems too wonky to be that useful.

eh? you can completely pause if you prefer
the time slowdown thing can be changed in settings to completely pause the game so you can play as if its turn based

well no, you can never play as if it were turn based. You can pause to give orders, but nobody shoots until you restart the time flow. That's not turn based, that's real time with pause.

[Haggis MechHaggis]

Originally posted by Shockwave:

Originally posted by Haggis MechHaggis:

eh? you can completely pause if you prefer
the time slowdown thing can be changed in settings to completely pause the game so you can play as if its turn based

well no, you can never play as if it were turn based. You can pause to give orders, but nobody shoots until you restart the time flow. That's not turn based, that's real time with pause.

potato potarto

you complained there's no pause
there's definitely pause. switch it on in settings and try it out

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by Haggis MechHaggis:

there's definitely pause. switch it on in settings and try it out

No, I clearly said limited pause. You can choose between the real setting (no pause) or you can opt for the very limited pause.

[IAmSquidget]

Originally posted by Shockwave:

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

This basic tactic of Drone Lure + Sentries is my go-to to deal with Sleepers and Eggs, I rarely use the Sniper anymore.

Ah, I don't have that class yet. I opted for Seargent over that one as my only choice on my original 4 marines so by mission two, no tek guy.

FWIW, as a meta campaign tip, you should have 4 promoted marines after finishing the first deployment, and DEFINITELY before hitting the Docks. They game is MUCH harder if you aren't powerleveling your "A" squad as fast as you can. You need the tools that the class abilities give you.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

Originally posted by Shockwave:

Ah, I don't have that class yet. I opted for Seargent over that one as my only choice on my original 4 marines so by mission two, no tek guy.

FWIW, as a meta campaign tip, you should have 4 promoted marines after finishing the first deployment, and DEFINITELY before hitting the Docks. They game is MUCH harder if you aren't powerleveling your "A" squad as fast as you can. You need the tools that the class abilities give you.

uh.. no kidding captain obvious.... Why would you respond to a post where I literally said I had 4 promoted marines with a post explaining you should have 4 promoted marines.....

[Narrowmind]

You know, instead of being an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, you could simply thank him for confirming you made the right decision. Nevertheless, you also make a good point - why the ♥♥♥♥ is he engaging or responding to you at all?

[RayThor]

Originally posted by Shockwave:

I want to shoot an alien in stasis with my sniper, but I can't, because for some reason he's last in line and the only way to get him into line of sight is to put the rest of my team in line of sight first and get them detected before he can get into line of sight.

I agree. It is frustrating.
Workarounds are possible but a hassle.

Originally posted by Shockwave:

I want to lay a mine, but my mine layer is busy opening a crate that I wished someone else would have opened but I don't get to choose which team mate does what even if I click on them before selecting the action.

Just hover the mouse over the object so the order box pops up, then use TAB button to toggle who interacts.

[IAmSquidget]

Originally posted by Shockwave:

uh.. no kidding captain obvious.... Why would you respond to a post where I literally said I had 4 promoted marines with a post explaining you should have 4 promoted marines.....

I interpreted your sentence as meaning you only had one promotion, aka only one leveled marine. I misunderstood, no need for you to be a such a ♥♥♥♥ about it.

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by IAmSquidget:

I interpreted your sentence as meaning you only had one promotion, aka only one leveled marine. I misunderstood, no need for you to be a such a ♥♥♥♥ about it.

hate to point it out but even if that were true... your response was not remotely an answer to the issue. The issue was simply... didn't have a tekker to bring on that mission. That's mission 3. Even if I leveled all 4 guys to the max (I did they are level 4) I chose not to take a tekker, that's my last class choice and you only get 4 guys. Second, even if I did like the tekker, the odds of my leveled tekker not being tired on that mission is pretty low. getting that one trait to get rid of tired is unlikely on all 4 marines by mission 3.

Simply saying "power level" as a response to a simple comment of ah, didn't bring a tekker on that mission smacks of a "git gud' response that is wildly out of place.

[IAmSquidget]

You seem to want to turn every comment into a fight, not sure why that is. I never ever say get gud to anyone ever. I've only been trying to help you out and explain how to work around the difficulties you are having.

And for the specific problem we are discussing, the answer IS to have a Tech. You made a strategic error by not promoting one. That's just the truth, not an insult. You described a problem, I gave you the solution.

If you choose to be insulted by well-intentioned advice, that's on you. You are seeing something that's not there.