Any tips on terror missions?

[FrozenMoonsoul]

I'm playing the game for the first time and on Normal, having lost but one soldier up until now. However, the game now throws the first terror mission at me, and.. honestly, I have no idea how I'm supposed to do these.
The aliens have a bigger movement radius than my soldiers, usually spawn near civilians which I can't even see two turns later and one type of them - no idea what they're called yet, they're melee ones though - deals a whopping 7 damage plus poison on every hit.
From the mission's wording, it seems to imply that I'm pretty much screwed if too many civilians die, but if I rush through to prevent that, my soldiers die instead..
If anyone could give me tips on how to do that, I'd be very thanksful.

[Mistakes]

Well, my memories on these missions were than I always used to move slowy and send one or two soldiers ahead... But I always left the rest of my squad on Overwatch, taking dem Chrisalyds (Or whateter they're called) like flies.

I think than the best approach is to get some decent tech and put most on Overwatch as soon as possible + Approach the civs when most of them are on it.

[IamKnight]

You have to save atleast on person I think, and you can't really save them all usually.

[jagaricosalad]

Well having one or two snipers (squadsight or snap shot) on constant overwatch helps. Equipping Chitin Plating on your Assaults also help considerably. Skeleton Armor (Grappling Hook + 3 movement) is also very good.

For terror missions prepare to let your guys get wounded; share some of the heat to them so not too many civilians die.

[Kobi Blade]

You don't have to save them all, just playing normally I been able to save more than half of the civilians.

[0ne_eyed_jack1]

If you prioritize the enemies and kill them all any remaining civilians are saved automatically. I usually just try to clear the map as quickly as I can and save people if their on the way.

[grauf]

If you really have problems with Cryssalids try taking a SHIV with you. They're bulky, hit hard, move fast, tend to draw aggro and can't be poisoned. Not to mention hover SHIVs can just float above Cryssalids.

[FrozenMoonsoul]

Thank you, everyone. I finally got through the mission and your tips really helped a lot!

[CachoTognax]

this made me think about the first x-com first terror mission, not even save scumming can let you even exit the craft(yup no fancy ropes) because a disk was just beyond your soldiers' nigt vision, able to kill 3 of your 10 squad while the others had no idea where it was, i usualy end up retrating on thoose, you just can't save everyone, and at the beginning with peashooters in the hands of no-skilled rookies there was nothing you could do. Kinda realistic if you let me ise the term

[Danny]

Originally posted by CachoTognax:

this made me think about the first x-com first terror mission, not even save scumming can let you even exit the craft(yup no fancy ropes) because a disk was just beyond your soldiers' nigt vision, able to kill 3 of your 10 squad while the others had no idea where it was, i usualy end up retrating on thoose, you just can't save everyone, and at the beginning with peashooters in the hands of no-skilled rookies there was nothing you could do. Kinda realistic if you let me ise the term

Try getting a blasterlauncher into the skyranger on the aliens first turn, I had barely taken anyone out yet... XD

[red255]

On terror missions you only need to save 1 or 2 civs to stop losing the country but you should save as many as possible for the panic reduction reward, 12 is a good run.

of course you'd rather the aliens eat the civs over your own guys.

first terror mission its not too bad if you haven't messed up your build.

you should have taken scientists first abduction and a solder second abduction to buy the squad size upgrade and research things like MELD for a MEC soldier. who with a kinetic strike module can punch a variety of things dead in a single punch.

I don't really know whats going on with you, but terror missions are generally easier than abductions. since the aliens attack civs instead of your toons.

Don't worry about saving civs unless they are by a good cover move just focus on killing the aliens. use extreme prejudice.

First terror mission should be cake.

[Bullett00th]

The funny and a tad ridiculous thing about terror missions is that you lose LESS civilians when less pods are activated.
Once you activate a pod, every single alien in it is guaranteed to take the opportunity and shoot and a civie if possible.


So you counter-intuitively have to take it slow and try to dispose of enemy pods asap after activation.

[Bullett00th]

The funny and a tad ridiculous thing about terror missions is that you lose LESS civilians when less pods are activated.
Once you activate a pod, every single alien in it is guaranteed to take the opportunity and shoot and a civie if possible.


So you counter-intuitively have to take it slow and try to dispose of enemy pods asap after activation.

[red255]

the civs die if you can't see them from frigging heart attacks though. just kil all the aliens.

[Bullett00th]

Well for some reason they die in smaller quantities when the pods aren't activated.
It's like the aliens wait out to be seen and then go 'LOOK WHAT WE WILL DO TO YOUR FELLOW HUMANS NOW'

[CachoTognax]

you could explain that by thinking: if the aliens know they are undisturbed they take their time to study and maybe abduct intresting subjects, but if they hear your advance they start killing, mut maybe is mostly a gameplay choice: more [stuff from the pods] or less panic?