Concealment is a lie

[MobySlick]

Started a game on Legend, non-WOTC, after beating WOTC normal. Doing alright, the missions are tough because enemies almost never miss. But now I'm "stuck" on a landed UFO mission. The squad starts in concealment. I wanted to use that to sneak around the back of the UFO because the front approach is a no-go... turrets plus 3-4 enemy pods that are so close together I can't fight just one at a time. So I can sneak around no problem but no sooner did I break in and kill the enemy pod inside that all the other enemy groups walked in simultaneously. Sure I might be able to fight them using hacked mechs and tactical retreat but that would blow the mission timer.

So I started trying to find ways to pick off at least one exterior pod then rush the inside. NOPE... I've discovered that no matter where I go, all the exterior patrols will home in on me, even though I haven't broken concealment. I literally jammed all my troops into the remote corner of the map and watched as 4 enemy pods made a beeline to me. Reload, run around to the other side of the UFO and sure enough they casually stroll directly to me. WTF is this BS... so discouraging. I can't ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ fight off 12 enemies at once on Legend with my 5 soldiers, only on magnetic weapons and no ranks higher than Lt. Every enemy requires more than one hit (most 3+) to kill, and I can't hold up to that many enemies firing back on me as I slowly pick them off. Never mind that 6 turn mission timer that starts as soon as I engage... ♥♥♥♥ me sideways... so being "concealed" is a big fat lie since they obviously know my exact location at all times.

Hell, even when they physically couldn't possibly have LOS they can hit me... I broke concealment and ran out of the UFO, closed the doors behind me and ran to the side wall. I wanted to draw the enemies out... What do you know, a viper still inside the UFO poisons 4 of my squad THROUGH THE ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ WALL, jeezus. He couldn't know where I went after I was outside the UFO with the door shut so WTF, I mean what am I to do. I'm at my wit's end with this unreasonable garbage. No achievement is worth this abuse.

Rant over, game over.

[rzL]

unfortunately, unlike most random rants on here you are mostly correct
enemies will beeline for you even if concealed, not sure about the exact mechanics, time based or what, but it does happen

as for the no los thing, i think it's mostly a timing/coding error, as the ai knows where you are anyway, but it makes its moves in a certain order, and even if say the fifth enemy would walk up and see you, the third would aoe you before technically having los (might be wrong on this one)
better luck next time

p.s there might be a mod addressing the first issue, check out the workshop

[General Malaise]

I've tried before to avoid fighting on timed missions, and it's never worked.

I'd say it's unlucky to get a UFO mission so early. I did used to not like them, but don't have much trouble with them now.

I only take 1 Sharpshooter on UFO missions, instead of 2. An extra Grenadier or Ranger is better.

I would try scouting the first group, and engaging immediately(from out of the range of the turret for the rest of your squad). Timer doesn't start immediately, and you can normally take them out, then move right up close wth everyone, including Sharpshooter, cos they are always arranged to negaate them being used at distance. It's normally fairly easy to beat the pod inside, and there's normally a pod at the back, that won't even show when you knock out the distress beacon. You might have to work your way around the outside to take on them.

[Aranador]

It is almost like the enemy is part of a hive mind psionic entity that has precognitive ESP !!!

[Charmiskit]

Yeah, I didn't care about the "concealed" mechanic much, either. Since overwatch basically never hits (just me or did overwatch get nerfed in accuracy from the original?), I just went ahead and annihilated them normally anyways.

[Dragon32]

The first part of that is the line of play mechanic.

There're some mods which mess around with it, but I believe the idea of the mechanic is to make firefights happen rather than allow them to be avoided. Use concealment to set-up an ambush, not to avoid firefights at all.

XCOM 2 has a concealment mechanic but it's hardly a stealth game, the first few versions of LW 2 emphasised stealth missions. Then they de-emphasised it as XCOM 2 really wasn't built with a decent stealth system and it turned out to be a bit rubbish.

[The Captain]

Hmm several things lol. Firstly if there is a viper around, don't bunch up your soliders. Much like its almost guaranteed a muton will throw a grenade if it can hit at least two soldiers.
Sneaking around tends not to work, the ai does indeed cheat and will pursue you, and bunch up. I've seen it lots of times when the sitrep lets you see the whole map uncovered. Best to tackle a pod one at a time taking it from the front, use a concealed ranger then take out the turrets at range. Of course if the pods are truly bunched up, and not separating and thats the path you gotta take - or evac. You don't have to take it on, a few missions are unwinnable, or if you succeed you lose half your squad or more its not worth it! The missions to protect the device often bunch up a lot of enemies, with something like an Andrommedon/Sectopod/Gatekeeper all blasting away. You could throw your soldiers forward and beat it, but you'll pay the price.
The beacon in the UFO isn't so bad if you don't get it to it in time, it just means one reinforcement pod will arrive. You don't have to manually switch it off, an explosive to destroy it at distance will do the same job..

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Charmiskit:

Yeah, I didn't care about the "concealed" mechanic much, either. Since overwatch basically never hits (just me or did overwatch get nerfed in accuracy from the original?), I just went ahead and annihilated them normally anyways.

Overwatch has the same accuracy penalties as EW, which was an improvement over what EU used in most cases (I think?). There also isn't an overwatch aim penalty when it's triggered from concealment, though that isn't enough to make it not be a bad idea once you aren't rookies any more.

[Sir Prometeus]

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. First I was missing 3 60% and 1 70% consecutive shots against an enemy, and now this

Is there a mod to disable this behaviour?