Campaign rush, worth?

[Zoinho1]

I'm attempting complete the game achievements and i trying beat my first classic run.
For my next campaigns (ironman and impossible), is a good idea to always do campaign objectives first? Because tougher enemies are locked on late months, or some tougher enemies are actually locked on some specific missions?
Like fight a sectopod with ballistic weapons, RIP.

[Amanoob105]

The harder enemys start to appear as more time goes on, with one technical exception they are not linked with any set missions.
That exception being chrysalids which only start showing up on and after your first terror mission, though even that type of mission is set to happen after a set amount of time has passed.

[Ohio9]

Originally posted by Zoinho1:

Like fight a sectopod with ballistic weapons, RIP.

Sectopods don't show up until September. You should make it your goal to get plasma weaponry and titan armor before then.

I find the best way to deal with them on ironman classic is with multiple fully upgraded hover SHIVs (ideally 3) One suppresses while the others guns it down. Everyone else stays out of its visual range. The Hover SHIVs high defense combined with suppression means the Sectopod will miss most of its shots, and the damage from the times it does hit can be repaired with sentinel drone before it hits the same one again.

I have never taken any casualties using this method.

[red255]

i use a MEC with EMP pulse and a sniper with disable shot for sectopods.

Sniper uses disable, and headshot. mech charges in EMP pulses, next turn which is like turn three, it delivers two punches and the thing is dead.

suppression gives the thing a chance to fire, but if all you have at risk is SHIV you are probably fine, I'd probably run a pair of snipers with squadsight backing them up while the shivs breach and clear.

would work fine except vs Seekers.

[Ohio9]

Originally posted by red255:

i use a MEC with EMP pulse and a sniper with disable shot for sectopods.

Sniper uses disable, and headshot. mech charges in EMP pulses, next turn which is like turn three, it delivers two punches and the thing is dead.

suppression gives the thing a chance to fire, but if all you have at risk is SHIV you are probably fine, I'd probably run a pair of snipers with squadsight backing them up while the shivs breach and clear.

would work fine except vs Seekers.

Obviously a sniper with disabling shot is a great thing. The problem is there is always a chance he will miss. As for EMP, that's great too, but you have to get dangerously close to use it, and if you are early in the mission, there is a chance running up to the Sectopod will aggro hidden enemies behind it.

This is why I find the 3 Hover SHIV tactic to be the BEST method for killing Sectopods. Not the only method, but the best one. With suppression you don't have to worry about missing. The suppression will always work, and it takes place from long range. Even if the other SHIVS constantly miss their shots, it doesn't matter, because as long as the Sectopod is suppressed, he will miss most of his, and the hits he does score can be repaired with sentinel drone. So you can keep up with the Sectopod for however long it takes to kill him. Even if you have a ridiculous string of bad luck and miss like 10 shots in a row, you'll still do fine, because the Sectopod simply won't hit your own hover SHIVs constantly enough to kill them. Also I found that even if your 3 Hover SHIVs are grouped together tightly, the Sectopod will never used rocket barrage against them. Apparently he doesn't like using his rockets against non-human targets.

There was one time in a terror mission where I ran into a Sectopod after the first turn. This was before I had encountered any other enemies. As a result, tons of additional enemies joined the fight while I was battling the Sectopod, but I still managed to win the day without any casualties. I simply had the other SHIVs and my other troops blast away at the oncoming enemies, while one SHIV kept the Sectopod suppressed. As long as all troops other than SHIVs are outside the Sectopods visual range, the Sectopod is effectively nullified by suppression, due to the Hover SHIVs high defense.

[red255]

you have a 6 man squad, its late game, they are colonel, even if you do manage to trigger additional enemies you got your other guys to handle it.

I use 2 snipers because they are wearing medals that provide +20 to aim. there isnt much chance they'll miss particularly if they are elevated, no the issue is they don't have line of sight, which is again why I have 2 snipers.

you seem to be full of fear. fear is the mind killer. the only one at RISK is the MEC, and the MEC can take 3 shots before even having a chance at dying with absorption fields. so even if he does activate an enemy pod of 3 aliens they cant KILL him. Snipers covering him make them more trival.

[Ohio9]

Originally posted by red255:

you have a 6 man squad, its late game, they are colonel, even if you do manage to trigger additional enemies you got your other guys to handle it.

They can, but you certainly don't want too. Why add Muton elites or heavy floaters or a Ethereal into a Sectopod fight when it's not necessary? Sectopods are miserable enough on their own.

Again we're talking about the BEST method here. By best, I mean safest. The one that works with the least amount of risk to your own team. I think it's very clear the 3 Hover SHIV method is the best. Now if you want to bring along two snipers with squadsight to help them, sure that would make it even better. But it doesn't change the fact that using three 3 hover SHIVs is the core strategy that works the best, regardless of who is supporting.

Have you ever actually tried this 3 Hover SHIV method before? It doesn't seem like you have. Try it some time and I think you might end up agreeing.

Originally posted by red255:

you seem to be full of fear. fear is the mind killer. the only one at RISK is the MEC, and the MEC can take 3 shots before even having a chance at dying with absorption fields

The fear in this case is quite reasonable. The Sectopod is the most deadly enemy in the game, and having reasonable fear of it is the key to coming up with the best strategy to beat it.

Originally posted by red255:

the only one at RISK is the MEC, and the MEC can take 3 shots before even having a chance at dying with absorption fields

Okay, but why risk having your MEC take 3 shots when it's not necessary? Why not just use the 3 SHIV method, in which the only risk are highly expendable SHIVs and their chances of death are almost nill since a Suppressed Sectopod will rarely hit them, and the hits that do land will be repaired for free with sentinel drone?

Like I said, you can still support your SHIVs with squadsight snipers. That tactic isn't any less viable with SHIVs then it is with a MEC. The only difference is using SHIVs is a lot safer then using a MEC due to the hover SHIVs high defense and limitless repairs from sentinel drone.

Again, the issue at hand is what method is best method for taking down a Sectopod. The fact that there are other good alternatives does not change the fact that the 3 SHIV method is still the best one.

Can you explain why any of the things you reccommended are better (IE safer) then the 3 SHIV method? I don't see how they are.

[Traul]

There is no reason to rush the Overseer. The only thing it unlocks for you is Mind Shield, and unless you are going for the Xavier achievement, the only Mind Shield you need is for your Volunteer. Get your plasmas and Ghost Armor, then take down the Overseer when you are ready to finish the game.

The real question is when to attack the alien base. I would do it as early as reasonably possible because the earlier you do it, the easier the Xcom base defense will be. However, to unlock the alien base you need to capture aliens. That requires research time for the arc thrower, resources for the alien containment and it adds tactical risk to your missions. It is up to you to decide when you are comfortable with starting captures, but your first priority should always be to bring everyone back home, and to give them the tools to do so.

[Zoinho1]

Attack the alien base and xcom base defense those are the missions that concern more, fight 3 cyberdisc with those base rookiez is a nightmare (im serious, that was my base defense).

Originally posted by Ohio9:

hover SHIVs (ideally 3) One suppresses

That work quite good, though 3 seem too much i can take down sectopod easily with 2 SHIV.

[Ohio9]

Originally posted by Zoinho1:

That work quite good, though 3 seem too much i can take down sectopod easily with 2 SHIV.

It can work with 2, but 3 is better in case you have bad luck and constantly miss. You don't want to be in a spot where both run out of ammo. With 3 you can ensure you'll always have at least one gun up for suppression.