Infinite number of aliens in the Long War?

[Roundpixel]

On my third mission in the Long War, I had downed a large alien ship (probably a barge, but not sure), and I have been fighting an apparently infinite number of aliens. I have counted 4 Chrystalids, at least 12 sectoids, 12 floaters, and some drones, outsiders and seekers (not sure which are which) but no mutons. According to the Wiki, there are no Chrystalids in Battleships, large scouts or barges, so I am wondering what the heck is going on? The mission is "Secret Scepter". The ship is one with a large entrance in the front another one at the other end of a large room, and two small entrances on the sides. The door opposite to the entrance leads outside, then to some stairs that descend to a long corridor. There are outside corridors following the sides of the ship.

All my soldiers (mostly privates) were eventually killed after I killed about 8 Sectopids, about 8 floaters, and four Chrystalids , but I am wondering if this missikon is supposed to be impossible...

[asd]

Quote from Readme:
Q: A really big UFO just landed in my home country in March! How am I supposed to beat that?
A: Basically, you're not. (It's possible, though.) The aliens have an active strategy now, gathering resources and conducting research and going on other missions not directly related to XCOM's operations. They're going to do their thing, and sometimes you'll cross paths with them when they are doing something they feel is rather important and have brought along a massive force to defend it. The penalties for XCOM aborting that mission early on are usually small, so don't feel obligated to sacrifice your force to win that one.

I have tried to beat a mission like this just out of curiosity. Fought a pretty battle where I was cornered in one room, then eventually made it to the bridge just only to see an outsider boss with around 4 normal outsiders. My Rocketeer was out of rockets by then, used up my grenades, so I just wasted an hour.

I suggest reloading a save before you even called out the interceptors, you'll need them always and wasting all of them for one ship is not a good idea.

[Roundpixel]

Oh OK, thx for the information...

[Incunabulum]

The large UFO's all have, at a minimum, 36+ aliens - I've fought some in the low 50's.

[Halfinger]

I'm impressed with the progress you did make. I also think that if you do some progression on the map you still get some rewards but I am not sure of that, I saw it on a video play through.

[Warmonger]

I actually beat that mission, that was the hardest, bar none.

36 aliens, and yes, the last pod way back in the hold was one Outsider "Boss" and 4 normal ones (normal for LW, that is). All I had was one Sniper cpl and 5 rookies. I got veeeery lucky nd managed to kill the "Boss" on the first turn, and none of my guys were killed by the remaining outsiders on their turn.

Very hard mission.

[Nebhead]

I've got the Hyperwave Relay in my current game and these UFO's, called Transports, there seems to be a consistant 40+ Aliens in them - the command pod (Outsiders early game, with the Hyperwave Relay they become an Ethereal with at least 4 Heavy Floaters and/or Muton Elites) allways seems to be 5 Aliens.

When it comes to missions like these, a helpful thing I do is grab a note pad and write down my findings and observations whilst I'm doing the mission, for example:

Transport Landing

Noises: (I write down the sounds for things I hear during "Alien Activity", i.e Mutons, Mechs, Floaters etc)

When I encounter a pod, I take note of the composition and write it down as such, for example, 4 Sectoids and a Mechtoid:

Mechtoid O
Sectoid oooo

Then when I kill an Alien from that pod, I simply cross them out. I use a big circle to indicate tough aliens or boss aliens, like Mechtoids / giant enemies etc. and little circles to indicate smaller aliens or just regular enemies from that pod.

It helps to keep tabs on Aliens you kill, incase Aliens from that pod retreat and come back later, unless you like unwelcome surprises. Also, a hint regarding UFO landings in general, you'll need to have plenty of Battlescanners.

Without them, running into the Command pod is a death sentence, as apparently, when you encounter this pod on the ship, all other Alien pods converge on your position, like the ship's commander is calling for re-inforcements.

Battlescanners help you find them before you bump into them by accident, which is a disaster if you encounter them early.

In full, here's a example of a recent UFO raid attempt as listed in my notebook - had the Hyperwave Relay, hence the crew size and species detected:

Transport Landing

Species:
Ethereal
Heavy Floater
Muton Elite
Seeker
Drone
Mechtoid
Sectoid

Crew size: 41
|ooooo|ooooo|ooooo|ooooo|
|ooooo|ooooo|ooooo|ooooo|
|o

Drones - Oooooo (6)

Sectoids - Ooooo (5)

Ethereal - O
Heavy Floaters - ooo
Muton Elite - o (5)

Mechtoid - O
Sectoids - oooo
Drone - o (6)

Mechtoid - O
Sectoids - oooo
Drone - o (6)

Heavy Floater - ooooo
Floater - oo (7)

Seeker - Oooooo (6)

The numbers in brackets represent the total pod size.

But as you can see, it helps you be methodical in your approach, and lets you focus on strategy rather than constantly having to remember what's out there after you encounter a pod.

Just a quick note, the command pod is 3rd in the list, as although I took them on last, I revealed them with a distant Battlescanner from my Master Sergeant Engineer (god bless "Bombard" +50% thrown items range), so I did an about turn and went the other way, looking for the other pods first.

Having noted the crew size and added up how many aliens I had killed during the mission, I was able to know when only that pod remained, so took it from there.


Big of a long post, but I though I would share my approach.

[red255]

no, Beagle did one in his live and impossible series, frag;s finest.

these missions are typically 2-3 hours long, so I avoid doing them. but they are about taking good ground and holding it.

I like taking the bridge and squadsighting down the corridor, well I used to, but you get guys coming round the side alot and you can't see them and they can see you for some glitchy reason.

[Warmonger]

Escrito originalmente por red255:

these missions are typically 2-3 hours long, so I avoid doing them. but they are about taking good ground and holding it.

I like taking the bridge and squadsighting down the corridor...

Agree 100%.

I did every one - I don't know what the penalty is for ignoring missions, but I needed the 60-70 ellerium really badly.

[Nebhead]

I wouldn't recommend taking the bridge, or anywhere the command pod of the UFO is late game! Or this will be the result:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=300029162

Ok, so it's actually an early midish game picture, the point still stands. The picture requires a story, so here it is.

I took the bridge first as the Skyranger landed right in front of the Transport ship. I think I dealt with one pod outside on the way there, but all was good.

However, upon opening the door to the bridge, the Outsiders activated, and I had a small fight on my hands - managed to deal with them fine, but then I setup on each of the doors to the cockpit without opening them, waiting for the inevitable rush of Aliens coming to the aid of the Outsiders.... but not came.

So I waited and waited (on overwatch) and for about 10 turns, nothing happened.
Then during the Alien Activity on the next turn, I heard the grav-lift being used behind the door (thats the energy elevator thing that allows you to go up high ledges in UFO's).

So that turn, I decided to open the door, and that I was greeted with. Yep, every single pod came up the middle of the ship but got stuck by the grav lift, somehow.

So they all clumped up, and the Floaters just more or less overwatched all the time, in addition to doing some suppressing, Still did the mission, although in B14 I hear they have fixed the "Ugh!! I must overwatch!!" bug that the current B13 Floaters have. Currently, they are additcted to overwatching.

Oh and late game command pods often include a small group of Muton Elites and/or Heavy Floaters (between 3 and 4) in addition to an Ethereal leader, who is serious business.

[red255]

Escrito originalmente por Warmonger:

Escrito originalmente por red255:

these missions are typically 2-3 hours long, so I avoid doing them. but they are about taking good ground and holding it.

I like taking the bridge and squadsighting down the corridor...

Agree 100%.

I did every one - I don't know what the penalty is for ignoring missions, but I needed the 60-70 ellerium really badly.

The thing is the Alien base assault missions allow you to take 10 men and the aliens don't all charge you after you take the command pod. and give 80 elerium vs the supply ships 100. and 60 meld vs the supply ships.... 10-15.

the Supply ships are better for flight computers and thats it. the Penalty for ignoring them is a slight increase in panic, maybe research and alien resources.

you could ignore them and shoot down the assault carrier that goes for the terror mission later in the month, just move your firestorms over the country you know its going to hit, and get some aim modules. everything goes down to 2 hits of a fusion lance.

ignoring them, I'm just short of flight computers late game. still had enough to make 8 or so firestorms and 3 sat nexus and one blaster launcher of course. but relatively short.

thought the alien base dropped computers but apparently it does not. plenty of other pieces of equipment and I'd rather raid an alien base with 10 men and good cover over hitting a transport.

post hyperwave relay when I can tell whats in the troop transport and see if its only 40 guys vs 60 I might do a transport.