On the aircrafts what is better: PEM cannon or Plasma cannon ?

[Drcipres]

Asking to know if it is worth it to get closer to the enemy for just dont destroy the inside of the UFO, and also want to know what is better for killing

[Clueless]

The EMP cannon is the 2nd strongest weapon in the game, but the best part of it is that you don't cause damage to the UFO with it, meaning if you send in a squad to clean up you will come back with a lot of intact power cores and flight computers.

[Drcipres]

Originally posted by Noob™:

The EMP cannon is the 2nd strongest weapon in the game, but the best part of it is that you don't cause damage to the UFO with it, meaning if you send in a squad to clean up you will come back with a lot of intact power cores and flight computers.

Then, which is the strongest weapon in the game ?

[Androgynous]

taken from wiki
Plasma Cannon: 85% hit chance, 100 range, 800 dmg on easy + normal, 700 on classic + impossible. 48 armour penetration on easy + normal, 33 armour penetration on classic + impossible

EMP Cannon: 100% hit chance, 85 range, 1200 damage all difficulties, 44 armour penetration all difficulties

Armour penetration just results in more damage, as far as I'm aware it doesn't affect the chance of components being damaged, seeing as EMP cannons have higher penetration and leave stuff intact.

The good thing about EMP cannon is that it does not damage ship components, so you don't get any damaged UFO flight computers or power sources. Damaged components are only good for being sold on the gray market, while unbroken ones can be used in research and sold for a higher price too.

While EMP cannon does do more damage and has a higher chance to hit, you'll spend about 2 extra seconds getting closer to the enemy ship before you can use it, where you would have gotten 1 or 2 Plasma cannon shots off.

If you're playing easy or normal, it doesn't really matter which you choose, the game's easy enough to win even without extra stuff from UFOs.

on classic or impossible it could make a difference if you're low on resources, the EMP cannon is more expensive but you'll be getting more UFO components and things like weapon fragments + alien alloys to make up for the cost. Also if the ship is not damaged, I believe there tends to be more aliens on board, but I could be wrong about that. If I'm not though, more enemies also means more loot.

[Androgynous]

The strongest weapon is the Fusion Lance which cannot be used by Interceptors, it can only be used by Firestorms.

[Drcipres]

Originally posted by Androgynous:

The strongest weapon is the Fusion Lance which cannot be used by Interceptors, it can only be used by Firestorms.

Im building Firestorms so Im interested in this stuff, how you get these ?

[Clueless]

You can only get Fusion Cores (I think they're called) from downed Battleships. The last UFO type you meet (unless you play badly, then you meet them very early on and get stomped0

You don't actually need the cores to build the Fusion Lance, you only need 1 to research it.

EDIT: You also get early fusion cores with the Slingshot DLC if memory serves.

[Androgynous]

you first have to unlock the research, and then you buy them from engineering. to unlock the research, you need to unlock the fusion core research, which requires fusion cores, which are found on battleship-class UFOs.

battleships first appear on the 6th month, but it is possible to get one earlier if you have the Slingshot DLC and you have done the Gangplank mission, where you raid an alien battleship.

[red255]

its possible to get them earlier if you don't research stealth satellights and let a scout escape.

the battleship should be along presently.

[characters]

Originally posted by Noob™:

The EMP cannon is the 2nd strongest weapon in the game, but the best part of it is that you don't cause damage to the UFO with it, meaning if you send in a squad to clean up you will come back with a lot of intact power cores and flight computers.

That's also a bad part. I think causing no damage leave you less weapon fragments and less alloys. So you want to select EMP if you don't want fragments and alloys and you want Flight Computers and Power sources.

[Clueless]

^ It gets you more Elerium which you need tons more of, though. Late game you will have thousands upon thousands of fragments you can't use because you don't have any Elerium, however I agree that it's up to taste and what you'd like in the end!

[Stardustfire]

fafased i think u logic goes astray with that. the UFO goes down more intact, so u get more of all what u can get from the UFO because it is INTACT. weapon fragments u get from alien weapons, not UFOs, and hey because the UFO is more intact u get more ALIVE aliens as well, so u get more enemys that can drop weapon fragments....
Alloy u only get from intact UFO parts, so yes, more of that too....