Mec or Super-Soldier?

[Saucy Stan]

I haven't decided yet which one to go for. I might have started a new game more than a few times because of my indecision. What do you suggest. Mec? Super-Soldier? Mix of both? What starting base is best for each type?

[Garatgh Deloi]

Most people mix them (The facilites to make mechs or genemods are rather cheap, if you have 2 slots free its not hard to get both, and its not hard to afford both a mech and some cheap gene-mods after a couple of missions).

Its having "endgame mechs" or "endgame gene-mods" that is the real chooice (Endgame gene-mods become aloot more expensive, and mark III mechs are also very expensive).

What you wish to start with is another question. I would suggest mech's simply becuse they are "all new toys" while gene-mods are just "new painjobs on old toys". xD

[Johnny316]

A mech early on in the game (classic/ironman) is a bad idea. Imagine having a rookie running around in the open with titan armor and bad aim. Flamethrower is good, but the lack of cover, low armor, and bad initial aim of the Warden makes early mechs a liability on the battlefield. When facing thinmen, that Warden may easily become a sitting duck

[Saucy Stan]

But how would a Supersoldier fare in the same situation?

[Blitzer81]

Early on you don't have access to all that many gene mods so a modded soldier isn't going to have much of an edge. During May if you have the gene lab and have done all the autopsies you will have most of the mods but as Garatgh Deloi said above; they get pretty pricey.

My first play through was on Normal so I could play with the new toys; had two fully upgraded mecs and numerous gene modded soldiers. My next play through will be on classic and I am only planning for one mec. To fully upgrade one is 200 meld(40 intial cost + 60 tier 2 + 100 tier 3) not counting pilots and I have no illusions of my ability to grab all the meld.

[Mister Veeg]

Originally posted by Cynic:

A mech early on in the game (classic/ironman) is a bad idea. Imagine having a rookie running around in the open with titan armor and bad aim. Flamethrower is good, but the lack of cover, low armor, and bad initial aim of the Warden makes early mechs a liability on the battlefield. When facing thinmen, that Warden may easily become a sitting duck

an early MEC can employ flamer/kinetic strike/collateral damage. None of which can miss.

[sharonian32]

Mechs are awesome but only when you can use at least 2 mk3s with restorative mist

[sakolnliza]

For fun mechs all the way. Mixed with some heavies, can lead to map demolishment where only mailbox would be left. Also the chuch norris punch never ever ever ever ever gets old.

But for my serious games, i tend to lean towards genetic. And, jumping around as thin men is so cool:)

[Deskath]

MECs kill all, i made an all MEC squad and they raped everything even without all upgrades :D
Tho i farmed meld for a Looooooooooooooooooooong time :D just dont push story missions, perfect is i think the time before alien base assult. One just need to work on satelite coverage and then farming spree ensures :D Crysalids can eat ♥♥♥♥ when facing MECs and all other enemies dont have the power to waste one (maybe add one support with a medkit, just to be sure :P) Best flamer hit was when i torched 3 Chryssalids at once :D

[Tripas]

The problem with going with early MECs is that, by the time they get to Colonel rank, they'll have way worse stats than they would if there were converted to MECs at max rank.

For instance, ALL MEC troopers who started out as Squaddies will have +10 Aim when they get promoted to Colonel, but a Colonel Sniper that gets CONVERTED into a MEC at that rank will have the +40 Aim that he had as a Colonel Sniper. Also, MEC troopers rank up significantly slower than non-MECs and can never be tested for Psionic abilities

In comparison, Gene Mods are ALWAYS a positive change, they'll benefit anyone regardless of rank, they can still be psi-tested, they don't give you any kind of progression penalty and you can always replace one gene mod for another of the same slot as long as you can cover the cost.

Please do bear in mind that I'm not saying that MECs are useless or anything. They're not only a great asset in the battlefield but they're also IMMENSLY satisfying to use against anything you might face. There's nothing a Gene modded soldier can do that can compare to the joy of LITERALLY punching an EXALT member through a freaking WALL . And the sound that some of their guns make when you blast the Aliens into dust sounds like your throwing Mjolnir itself at their faces . I'm just saying that, if you're playing early in the game and you have to pick between either Gene Mods or MECS, then I'd personally recommend that you go with the former. But you'll also want to get some MECs in there as soon as you can. Because you'll love them when you do .

[NeerPS]

Originally posted by Cynic:

A mech early on in the game (classic/ironman) is a bad idea. Imagine having a rookie running around in the open with titan armor and bad aim. Flamethrower is good, but the lack of cover, low armor, and bad initial aim of the Warden makes early mechs a liability on the battlefield. When facing thinmen, that Warden may easily become a sitting duck

You can make MEC from experienced soldiers. so they will have good stats and lot of skills. When Major Sniper goes into MEC, he gains Platfrom Stability and Overdrive, so you can shoot twice and have bonus. MEC's made from Heavys or Assaults have Body Shield or Shock Absorbent Armor, so you can add to that some defensive abilities and get a nice damage sponge (for limited amount of shots, though :) ).

I suggest mix of both: two MECs with Kinetic Strike and EMP really help with Sectopods, while gmod soldiers can deal with psionics thanks to Neural Feedback.

[ARi0S]

I personally recommend end game mix, but start with two MECs, if you only have one, the enemies will always shoot at that one. But with two, they'll split their fire.

MECs also have native defense to begin with so not every shot is going to hit them.

Cynic is right, MECs don't have that great of aim. But then again, they have the exact same aim as Heavies and a have lower damage, reloadable rocket (collateral damage). And their secondary abilities (which are the main draw) are one hit kills on early game enemies.

MECs just require a different playstyle because they can't take cover, so LoS is more important to them then your soldiers in high cover.

Edit: You can also start with MEC troopers and once someone in their class (except for heavy, stats are 1 aim different) reaches colonel, make the colonel a MEC trooper, only costs an additional 10 credits and MELD.

[Mal]

Something that is of value from the mid-game all the way to the end.

Two Words...

Mimetic Skin :D

[Asaghon]

Yea, Gene mods are probably better early game. MEC's are quite vulnerable early on. They can die in 2 hits and with no cover that happens fairly easily. Late game with some damage reducing abilities they are quite tanky. I only get 1 though since the upgrades are quite expensive.

[Nu-men von Kryt !!XD]

Well i play classic ironman and here is my point of view to the whole MEC vs Gene mods debacle.

First MEC

Pros:
- starting MELD cost isn't that big actually 50 MELD for trooper and mec suit
- high firepower even from starting minigun
- good hp amount for starting mec suit
- gets a passive ability from previous soldier class and the same rank meaning they will get to pick skills(which is extra convienent if training roulette screw you over)
- immune to poison/strangle/fire also hardened
- even squadie rank mec is good on mid-late battlefield...

Cons:
- ... but it takes quite a lot of resources and time to make needed research and foundy projects to unlock MEC to their fullest potential asside experience of soldier.
- pathetic defense capabiliteis on sq. rank only 10 DEF
- bullet magnet = they will die a lot or be gravely wounded
- very limited ammo amount for primary weapon
- t2 and t3 meld costs very high - 160 MELD for one mec trooper
- in late game only tactical substems give them edge in comparison to other classes and shivs
- cam be atacked by psionics.

Now Gene Mods

Pros:
- relatively low meld costs on all levels unlike the MEC trooper
- can be used on a Psionic soldier
- gives some advantages very early on like healing factor that stacks with rapid recovery
- works as suplement to the classes
- not restricted to the soldier rank past sq. level
- can fix any weakness of a soldier or just create super soldiers
- makes Titan armor more usefull in comparison to the enemy unknown

Cons:
- you need autopsy to get gene mods(bit a problem when you start in SA or covered it in sometime)
- it take 3 days per gene mod to implemented to a soldier(so for 5 mods you need 15 days)
- only 3 soldiers can be gene modded at the same time
- does not give that raw edge of a bonus to the team like addition of a MEC trooper early game.
- make some armor pointless in using those armors are "skeleton and ghost armor" since leap jump nullifies need for grapple while mimetic skin disable ghost mode in ghost armor.

Also personal note mimetic skin is almost useless(unlike bioelectric skin) in mid late game since by that time we encounter alien types which can detect cloaked units. From my obserwations heres the list:

Seeker (from the autopsy and on the battlefield)
Sectoid commander (advanced psionic)
Ethernal (advanced psionic)
Chryssalid (Autopsy, battlefield and gene mod - yep they give you bioelectic skin)

[Tripas]

Originally posted by Nu-men von Kryt !!XD:

Also personal note mimetic skin is almost useless(unlike bioelectric skin) in mid late game since by that time we encounter alien types which can detect cloaked units. From my obserwations heres the list:

Seeker (from the autopsy and on the battlefield)
Sectoid commander (advanced psionic)
Ethernal (advanced psionic)
Chryssalid (Autopsy, battlefield and gene mod - yep they give you bioelectic skin)

Actually, I dont' think that any aliens are supposed to have the ability to spot you, that sounds more like a bug than an actual intended feature. I've also had my issues with units auto-decloaking at the beggining of their turns when near a Sectopod, or having Sectopods and Crysallids being really confused on whether or not they should be able to spot my units (sometimes wasting one move to get into melee range of my invis unit and then just STARE at them), but those sound more like the AI being a bit glitchy than an actua ability to spot invisible units.