How to get my squad stronger?

[Googley Eye'd Bastard]

At this point I basically have all the important research done except most of the robotic limbs but I've pillaged all the labs outside of the ashlands. I figured I would try to get the peeler blueprint so I can start replacing my squads limbs and checking if the skin skeletons had any ai cores.

Even with my 16 squad of shek and grasslanders all with at least 50 attack, 40 defense, 50-60 strength and toughness, and 40 dex equipped with specialist and mastercrafted samurai + Turtleneck + paladin cross's still lose against them.

Im guessing my squad's still not strong enough travel the ashlands, what should I do to train them, I was thinking of possibly attacking the holy nation and taking narko's trap's goodies.

[jacobellinger]

just go into cannibal territory and kill cannibals all day.
you can also just get someone who is really fast and sneaky and steal the blueprint...

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Keep fighting. Any battle you lose, but don't have anyone actually die in, is a good battle to skill up on. Limp back to base, lick your wounds, and try again.

You should also consider mixing your weapons up a little bit, spamming 1 weapon type is not a good idea (Heavy weapons are probably the one exception). It will create what we would call "Trading Blows" style battles, which in situations where you are probably outnumbered, will kill you.

You want a few really strong tanks, your best armor, good defense, set them to taunt mode. You can also mix in a few saber tanks, which focus on parrying defense.

Some crowd controllers, which tend to use fast and strong polearms, and/or Heavy weapons. Polearms are better at actually stunlocking, but heavies are better at simply killing the enemy outright. Mix and match. Use the Polearm, not Naginata.

A line of ranged attackers is nice too, but you need to train them well to avoid friendly fire. 2-4 Eagle's cross or Old World MK2 bow users is a good ratio.

[Googley Eye'd Bastard]

Originally posted by jacobellinger:

just go into cannibal territory and kill cannibals all day.
you can also just get someone who is really fast and sneaky and steal the blueprint...

Ok but don't I get a huge exp penalty for fighting lower skilled enemies? Canibals only seem to have 20-30 of each state.

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

Keep fighting. Any battle you lose, but don't have anyone actually die in, is a good battle to skill up on. Limp back to base, lick your wounds, and try again.

You should also consider mixing your weapons up a little bit, spamming 1 weapon type is not a good idea (Heavy weapons are probably the one exception). It will create what we would call "Trading Blows" style battles, which in situations where you are probably outnumbered, will kill you.

You want a few really strong tanks, your best armor, good defense, set them to taunt mode. You can also mix in a few saber tanks, which focus on parrying defense.

Some crowd controllers, which tend to use fast and strong polearms, and/or Heavy weapons. Polearms are better at actually stunlocking, but heavies are better at simply killing the enemy outright. Mix and match. Use the Polearm, not Naginata.

A line of ranged attackers is nice too, but you need to train them well to avoid friendly fire. 2-4 Eagle's cross or Old World MK2 bow users is a good ratio.

Ok my current combat squad is 16 but I can probably increase that now that I have hydroponics and a huge stock of food. How many thanks should I have for say 26 or 20? Should only the tanks be wearing heavy armor and the fighters medium-light?

[Singrave]

my "expedition" squad contains only 14 ppl and not all of them has even 40+ att\def\str\dex
but i faceroll skin bandits
you doing something wrong

[sf]

if you don't mind ammo management, try crossbow + martial arts squad (I picked martial arts mainly to avoid troubles of upgrading melee weapons). I find that ranged weapon often allows me to take on higher level enemies much earlier than if I use melee. You will need a healthy economy to keep your ammo stock re-supplied though.

Ranged combat allows you to gang up on opponents that melee combat don't (without mods). With a large enough squad, you will probably do dps much more efficiently (plus range attack stagger some opponents). Only issue is friendly fire, where you can choose to position your squad members strategically, or just let them train up precision... ahem... naturally. Better add bandages to the shopping list too ;)

[Googley Eye'd Bastard]

Originally posted by lameover:

my "expedition" squad contains only 14 ppl and not all of them has even 40+ att\def\str\dex
but i faceroll skin bandits
you doing something wrong

Im guessing its might be because I just equipped them all with samurai armor and paladin crosses.

[Googley Eye'd Bastard]

Originally posted by sf:

if you don't mind ammo management, try crossbow + martial arts squad (I picked martial arts mainly to avoid troubles of upgrading melee weapons). I find that ranged weapon often allows me to take on higher level enemies much earlier than if I use melee. You will need a healthy economy to keep your ammo stock re-supplied though.

Ranged combat allows you to gang up on opponents that melee combat don't (without mods). With a large enough squad, you will probably do dps much more efficiently (plus range attack stagger some opponents). Only issue is friendly fire, where you can choose to position your squad members strategically, or just let them train up precision... ahem... naturally. Better add bandages to the shopping list too ;)

Well I think what I am going to do now is get all my characters equipped with a more diverse loadout and build a mini base just outside the cannibals area and train them there.

[Brewdu]

make multiple squads?

[Stanley]

My a team consists of 10 people with stats around 70-80 four of which are around 85-90. Only possible through training against top level prisoners and it takes a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ looooooot of time.

PS: dust king is by now a 94MA / 95 MD monster.

[Goat Walrus]

Consider downloading a mod that lets you continue getting XP against weaker enemies.

At a certain point, you stop getting XP from killing bandits if you're a certain amount of levels higher than the person you're fighting.

[done87]

solo a nest of beak things

[Frozeniceberg]

Get this mod if you are struggling to find stronger enemies
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=705105311

[Valar Morghulis]

Originally posted by jacobellinger:

just go into cannibal territory and kill cannibals all day.
you can also just get someone who is really fast and sneaky and steal the blueprint...

This is a terrible suggestion. His group us way to powerful to profit from cannibals.

To level up your guys you have to fight stronger opponents. Keep in mind that to train your skills the same skill of your opponent must be higher than yours.

E.g. to train offense your opponent must have higher offense, to train defense your opponent must have a higher defense.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Originally posted by Goat Walrus:

Consider downloading a mod that lets you continue getting XP against weaker enemies.

At a certain point, you stop getting XP from killing bandits if you're a certain amount of levels higher than the person you're fighting.

Depends on their attack level. You can reach 100 (Mastery) on anything with at least 50 attack and defense, but over 70 takes AGES to progress. Leviathans make it tolerable simply because they have tons of HP.

Black Gorillos are excellent, you can get up to 80 reasonably fast, though 70 is more feasible unless you are really power training.

If you're training against bandits like Skin Bandits, you should not be using strong weaponry, consider Refitted weapons, so you don't faceroll them fast. Obviously Rusty blade will be better for skilling, but more dangerous. And you can't smith your own rusted blades without tedious micro, which is why I prefer refitted.

[Vara]

I have one word for you, "Robotics." Why spend all that time training your strength and dexterity when you can cut those useless limbs off and replace them with advance robotics? Speed, dexterity, strength. When you become more machine than man, you will dominate. Robotic limbs turns a simple soldier into a super soldier, a true weapon that'll destroy anything they go up against.

Scout legs (Masterwork) themselves give a +38% to Athletics and it stacks. Two scout legs, both Masterwork, give you a grant total of +76% Athletics (I believe). Industrial lifer arms (Even just Specialist) give +20% (Or +23% for Masterwork) strength (Or +40% / +46%).

Get that peeler machine and remove all your limbs and replace them with robotics. You'll find being machine than man is often the best thing to do when you want to conquer the world of Kenshi.