What facilities should i build ASAP?

[captclaw]

So my first run which i lost, it seemed like i built things in the wrong order. The power relay was important so that i built first, then a lab and a proving ground. But then it seems i made a mistake with building a workshop instead of a Advanced Warfare center cause while i got weapons and goodies progression, was a bit slow.

So if there are some tips on what to build when i am open to suggestions..

[K. the Land-Surveyor]

I usually go Guerilla Tactics School, Proving Ground, Power Relay, Workshop, Resistance Comms, then whatever after that. I like to get Psi Lab and Shadow Chamber as quick as possible, but I don't sacrifice tech progression to make it happen.

[Flyboy Connor]

Guerilla Tactics School and Proving Ground should be your first two rooms. If you are lucky, you get an Avenger Power upgrade, and you can also build an Advanced Warfare Center and a Workshop before you need to build a Power Relay. Otherwise, Power Relay is next, preferably on an Exposed Power Coil. Usually I put the GTS and PG on the first level, with the PG in the column which has a Power Coil on the third level. Then I dig down there, leaving a room empty on the second level where I will build a Workshop. So you have the PG above the Workshop, the Power Relay below it, and I put a Resistance Comms next to the Workshop.

[Numbers]

I go for GTS then AWC then power. I don't use retroactive AWC so I get it ASAP for hidden perks.

[Casual Sun]

Your soldiers will miss out on hidden skills, and will be objectively worse if you don't build the AWC early. At least in vanilla.

[x-the-Andy-x]

i always go for AWC, GTS & then power. followed by proving ground.

[KRON]

Originally posted by Casual Sun:

Your soldiers will miss out on hidden skills, and will be objectively worse if you don't build the AWC early. At least in vanilla.

It's not like they ALL will recieve it. I built AWC pretty early (was my 4th or 5th building) and very few got those abilities, and some of them got exactly the same abilities(for example, my the only two snipers who got AWC ability, both recieved Run and Gun). The other were a grenadier who got Deadeye and a specialist who got Serial. And thats pretty much it. I have like 20-25 soldiers, and only one of them is rookie(1 major, 6 psi magus, the others are already colonels)

[Dire Wombat]

Guerrilla Tactics School first is completely non-negotiable. It's so important that your first engineer should be speeding it up instead of excavating. Once it's finished, a Rookie should be in there training at all times, until you're out of rookies. (As for which classes to pick, start by training at least a couple grenadiers, then you can start training whatever classes you're short on)

This is probably the most important strategic decision you can make to make the early game easier.

For the second building, the Advanced Warfare Center is the usual choice, to provide the best chance at more bonus abilities and to speed up healing on important soldiers. I can see arguments for other choices, but the AWC is the most immediately useful choice for a second building.

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by KRON:

It's not like they ALL will recieve it.

Yes, they will. Every soldier has an AWC ability and a rank that they get it at. If they are past that rank when you get the AWC, then they don't get the ability. Which is why you need it asap.
Well, that and the double healing rate when staffed. Because that's hella important too.


To the OP: GTS first, then AWC. Power Relay, Resistance Comms, Proving Grounds.
Only build Workshop if you are wallowing in engineer-less misery. Don't build it as a matter of course. If you find yourself staffing engineers in power relays then you would've been better off putting in an extra relay instead of the Workshop.

[KRON]

Originally posted by gimmethegepgun:

Originally posted by KRON:

It's not like they ALL will recieve it.

Yes, they will. Every soldier has an AWC ability and a rank that they get it at. If they are past that rank when you get the AWC, then they don't get the ability. Which is why you need it asap.
Well, that and the double healing rate when staffed. Because that's hella important too.


To the OP: GTS first, then AWC. Power Relay, Resistance Comms, Proving Grounds.
Only build Workshop if you are wallowing in engineer-less misery. Don't build it as a matter of course. If you find yourself staffing engineers in power relays then you would've been better off putting in an extra relay instead of the Workshop.

I don't know. I had plenty of rookies after i built AWC. And i know for a fact that psi-ops are able to recieve AWC abiltys. But still none of my Psi magus have them.

[Razzle Dazzle]

Guerrilla tactics, medbay for chance for special abilities, then (depending on power requirements) either power or communications. Gotta make that money.

[Wintermute]

AWC first, to shrug off those wounds. Guerrilla when you decide to increase your squad size. Proving grounds. Radio and power station. Also, try to get Psi-lab as soon as possible - it will still be somewhere in midgame, but the sooner the better.

[red255]

Originally posted by captclaw:

So my first run which i lost, it seemed like i built things in the wrong order. The power relay was important so that i built first, then a lab and a proving ground. But then it seems i made a mistake with building a workshop instead of a Advanced Warfare center cause while i got weapons and goodies progression, was a bit slow.

So if there are some tips on what to build when i am open to suggestions..

never build a workshop or a lab.

well if you want the shen achieve i guess you could use it to fill the place out. but on Commander with like 5 scientists I researched everything before getting the resources to build a lab (which is just 2 more scientists if you upgrade it fully.

waste of power.

similiar with the workshop. workshop is +2 engineers if you upgrade it fully. but well, you can buy engineers from the place for around 200 a month. the workshop costs like 125+30 month upkeep and the gremlins can only be used in adjacent places. and it uses power. all in all its a PRETTY bad buy. because the power it uses is going to cost you a third engineer. so ... just buy engineers.

allright so..

first thing: GTS.
second thing: Resistance comms.

you'll want power and an AWCs and proving ground at some point but not urgent. you really just want to get the map under your control. more areas under control more money each month, and more ability to counter the alien facilities and whatnot. also the continent bonuses.

[Dire Wombat]

BTW, the reason you want to build the GTS immediately even though you can't use it to buy the squad size upgrade until you have a sergeant is for the training ability.

Ideally, you'd never take a single Rookie on a mission (after the first one, obviously). You can rarely actually achieve that of course, but to get close you need the GTS up and running as fast as you can.

The reason you never want to take a rookie on a mission is twofold:

1 - Rookies suck. They have bad aim, health, and will, and no abilities or special weapons. Not only are they more likely to die, you're more likely to have someone else injured or killed when there's a rookie dragging down the squad.

2 - Wasted experience. Every mission represents a fixed amount of XP for the soldiers that go on it. Every time some of that XP goes to a Rookie to level them up to Squaddie, that XP is being wasted because you could have gotten that promotion for free from GTS training. You want rookies training in the GTS and all the mission XP going to leveled soldiers, who can't get free XP like rookies can.

[Panfilo]

I didn't build an additional resistancs comms until later, and I kind of regret it because it really slowed down my income and progression. I probably didn't need to build a Workshop so soon either; Proving Ground could've let me use those resources I had piling up.

I think if I ever do another playthrough definitely guerilla warfare school like I did, but then an Advanced weapons facility ASAP because healing faster pays off early game when your guys are getting gravely wounded all the damn time.

[Eggy]

GTS first, then AWC. Power Relay(on a power node if you can), Resistance Comms, Proving Grounds.