Carapace or Beam Weapons first?

[maslada_]

So I'm thinking of starting an ironman impossible run again and was wondering which research path people tend to take first? Obviously Meld for early MEC is pretty much the best start but what after that? Should I research the foundry before I even start carapace or beam?

One of the things I hear is that you get free laser weapons fom EXALT but I was wondering what the timing of this is. In other words, if I go beam first will I be able to instantly take advantage of these free lasers? And if not is it still better to go lasers first anyway and just buy them normally? Most of the Ironman impossible runs I've looked at seem to go Beam before carapace, but wanted to see if there is much consensus here first.

[Tamiore]

You need at least heavy lasers research to bring down UFO larger than large scout. So beams go first.

[hghwolf]

Carapace isn`t really going to increase survivability much. Lasers will.

[red255]

Timing of EXALT? EXALT shows up month 3 with conventional weapons doesn't get lasers until month 4 or 5. no shotties.

they are useful if you want to give a laser to a second or third sniper or heavy. but certainly aren't useful for the early game.

Lasers vs armor. something of a conundrum.

Lasers requires: weapon fragments.(scope) -> beam weapons (rifles and pistols) -> Precision lasers (shotguns and lasers) + heavy lasers (heavy weapons, mec weapons, SHIV laser, air lasers)

whereas Carapace requires Alien materials (nano fiber vest) -> carapace armor -> (skeleton?)

Another thought is to stick in experimental warfare, a foundry and Tactical rigging ASAP.

Beam weapons + precision or beam weapons + Heavy weapons costs more research time than carapace (unless you stun a sectoid) vs unless you stun a floater.

But lasers from exalt won't help you much especially if you got progeny and slingshot going.

[hghwolf]

Originally posted by red255:

Lasers vs armor. something of a conundrum.

Conundrum nothing. Carapace won`t massively increase the chance of surviving a LPR hit for early soldiers on Classic and may as well not exist on Impossible, whereas lasers allow you to kill enemies with less soldier actions.

In a game such as XCOM, where the combat is based on preventing enemy attacks hitting you rather than living through them, damage is much more important than HP, and you get oneshot most of the time anyway on the higher difficulties.

Originally posted by red255:

But lasers from exalt won't help you much especially if you got progeny and slingshot going.

No kidding. You`re better off "rushing" alien grenades if you`re Slingshotting.

[Tamiore]

On a side note — while carapace IS, indeed, rather useless — skeleton is MUCH better.

Not due to HP, but due to movement bonus and the grappling hook.
But then again to make good use of those you need firepower — so beams still come ahead.

[red255]

Indeed, even more of an arguement to go for a foundry and some captures, maybe before even starting beams. I never have the money/power for containment though.

suppose I don't need containment for alien grenades.

[Stardustfire]

Simple answer, Beam first, Reason: Carapace dont protects mosttimes from onehitdeath, but a Beam onehitkilled Alien dont can kill u soldiers anymore.
For normal and below difficulty it dont matters, u win no matter what crap u do, because the game cheats for u.

[Jonasnee]

skeleton suit i find very useful, as for meld genetic modifications has always hit me as more useful than mecs unless dealing with extremly late and solo units (like sectopod and ethereals).

[Tamiore]

Originally posted by -IDE-jonasnee|BETA|:

skeleton suit i find very useful, as for meld genetic modifications has always hit me as more useful than mecs unless dealing with extremly late and solo units (like sectopod and ethereals).

What difficulty?

[Jonasnee]

Originally posted by st88:

Originally posted by -IDE-jonasnee|BETA|:

skeleton suit i find very useful, as for meld genetic modifications has always hit me as more useful than mecs unless dealing with extremly late and solo units (like sectopod and ethereals).

What difficulty?

classic with the no squad size upgrade (you can check my profile for the achievement) only think i got 1 or 2 mecs i just simply view the mobility and flexebility my normal soldeirs have as better.

[Stardustfire]

he only done classic as max difficulty, so he never meet the nice 6 HP Thins and Floaters that kill any early Gensoldier.....

[Jonasnee]

Originally posted by Stardustfire:

he only done classic as max difficulty, so he never meet the nice 6 HP Thins and Floaters that kill any early Gensoldier.....

i won classic never got beyond base mission in impossible.

[maslada_]

Pretty sure MEC by Progeny is too good to skip. Seems there is pretty much a consensus that beams should be gotten before carapace. Guess the difficulty is really where and when you fit in the foundry and capturing.

[Milk]

Just another thing to give skeleton: using the grapple doesn't proc overwatch.

[Tamiore]

Originally posted by Tacobandit:

Just another thing to give skeleton: using the grapple doesn't proc overwatch.

Neither does it trigger proximity mines.
Works wonders in MP, heh.