Grim Horizon discussion

[learnedhand]

So I'm about 6 months into a grim horizon L/I campaign and I can say the challenge is still there. It's been touch and go the whole time and grim horizon adds another layer of stress and decision making. So far I have about 7-8 dark events active. I've thankfully countered the most difficult ones. I got the one where overwatches automatically miss but it doesn't seem too bad. However, last night I had the following guerrilla op with Barrier as the dark event (Advent Double defense against tech and psi-ops):

Protect the device
Very Difficult
Sitrep: Show of Force

My tech level is still mag weapons/plated though I got a couple of breakthroughs giving my weapons +2.

Do I take the mission or not, knowing I will likely fail? Barrier sounds like it could be real bad, basically denying me psi-ops dominate for the rest of the campaign. But if I try and fail, I'll be worse off than just doing an easier mission and I should get another shot at countering barrier before it goes active. (I chose to do a different GOps).

Thoughts? Anyone with experience with Barrier? Sometimes dark events sound worse than they really are in combat.

Anyway, I'm liking the extra strategic level offered by grim horizon.

[Darkrage_nl]

It depends a lot on your reaper and grenadiers/ heavy weapons IMHO. All pods rush toward the objective. So a well aimed upgraded claymore + another explosion can whip out most pods. However the device dies quickly so you need to move quickly.

[Black Raven]

I kinda wish for a Grim Horizons lite, something that kicks in later in game rather than from start, and something extra nasty that kicks in in late game

[theworld]

Got news for you m8. PSI don't make or break the Legend because they appear too late.

It's WAR Suits with Shredstorms/Blaster Launchers that do.

[Darkrage_nl]

You can obtain a functioning psi lab withinin 3 months on legend if the avenger rooms are in the right place.

7 days for first engineer.
30 days for 1 room down (non alloy).
30 days for power coil (requires 3 engineers)
20 days for a engineer boosted psi lab.

Even less if you scan at the skirmished Hq.

[theworld]

Good luck doing that and not losing while you get it.

[Tiasmoon]

Show of Force means you won't face Andromedons, Gatekeepers or Sectopods. So you should have more time to protect the device.

Barrier will only be a big issue if you plan on hacking or PsiOpsing. Not sure if Dark Events apply to the final mission tho. What are the other counter options? For Dark Events.

Originally posted by Darkrage_nl:

You can obtain a functioning psi lab withinin 3 months on legend if the avenger rooms are in the right place.

7 days for first engineer.
30 days for 1 room down (non alloy).
30 days for power coil (requires 3 engineers)
20 days for a engineer boosted psi lab.

Even less if you scan at the skirmished Hq.

If your rushing like that, why not just build an extra power relay and save the excavation time?

[Darkrage_nl]

Originally posted by KaneBlackHand:

Good luck doing that and not losing while you get it.

I delayed it by 20 days by building a workshop on the second layer first (lacked the 3rd engineer) and then succeeded after 107 days. This however made my second engineer available for clearing the rooms on the first layer for the GTS and power relay during the construction of the workshop.

Originally posted by Tiasmoon:

If your rushing like that, why not just build an extra power relay and save the excavation time?

You need to research psi first anyway. And you are trying not to cripple your campaign so you also need the ring and GTS what makes it 22 power total and the 10 power you pay up front for the psi lab a huge investment.

[anachoret]

What would you say is the next level of challenge after plain Commander? Beta Strike, Grim Horizon, or Legendary?

[theworld]

Workshop is a mistake, the math's been done a million times, so it's pointless to discuss this further.

[learnedhand]

@Kaneblackhand Yeah I've never relied too much on psiops, I just don't have the patience to train more than a couple of them, but they do give a nice cushion for the last mission. With all the new goodies, I figured barrier going active wouldn't be too bad.

@tiasmoon Good to know about show of force, I'll file that away for next time.

@anachoret beta strike just sounds too tedious to me. Its like those board games that sound epic on paper but you never finish them cuz they just take way too long. You should just try legendary->legendary ironman-> grim horizon L/I. If you haven't tried ironman, its a big adjustment but the journey is much more emotionally satisfying and maddening.

Update: I countered barrier in a different GOps although I had to sacrifice my reaper to beat the timer. Lol, I forgot shadow has a cooldown and she found herself surrounded by 4 pods.

[Longtoke]

Key thing with the dark event ...ADVENT ... the actual percentage of advent troopers to other types is fairly low, and the worst advent might throw at you is a an elite stun lancer or officer.

And if you like a challenge, try out beta strike, it changes the game more than you'd think

[anachoret]

Originally posted by learnedhand:

@anachoret beta strike just sounds too tedious to me. Its like those board games that sound epic on paper but you never finish them cuz they just take way too long. You should just try legendary->legendary ironman-> grim horizon L/I. If you haven't tried ironman, its a big adjustment but the journey is much more emotionally satisfying and maddening.

Thanks for the input. Was thinking Commander + Grim Horizon, but wonder if it just forces you to rush everything.