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2-Player Co-op Rule Set [WOTC]

It is merely a series of configuration edits to better support 2-player "Couch Co-op" - which is when you have 2 people playing on the same machine, each person taking turns controlling their own soldier. This unofficial co-op experience works out better when the 2nd person plugs in a 2nd USB keyboard and mouse - then you can play side by side without sharing the same hardware.

Enable the mod prior to a co-op game (which will make a lot of changes), and disable it anytime to return your game to normal.

This ruleset is for a 2-soldier squad (each person controlling 1 soldier). You could also solo a 2-soldier campaign. If you run a 3-player game with these rules, I recommend increasing the difficulty.

These changes are an attempt to consolidate the combat effectiveness of 3 soldiers into 1 soldier.

This mod converts my Shield Vest (Series 1 variant) into "2-Player Co-op Vests". Each soldier is supposed to use 1 vest at all times, so be sure to equip them before missions (or you will get your asses kicked). You will have an infinite supply (they cost $1 -- go to Engineering to get some).

The vest adds steep bonuses to compensate for having only 2 soldiers instead of 6:
+ 10 HP
+ 2 Armor
+ 5 regenerating Shield
+ 100 Will - to better resist mind control (which steals half of your team)
+ 50 Hack - so that you don't always have to bring a Specialist on Hack missions
+ Marauder Ability - multiple attacks, to compensate for having less total attacks per turn.
+ Reactive Armor Generation (requires the mod "Bio Beasts" or "Bio Division")
+ Squadsight -- You can shoot any target the squad can see (as long as you have Line of Sight)
+ Sustain -- automatic stasis field kicks in when you die, keeping you at 1 HP (but skips 1 turn)
+ Salvo -- can use grenades as a single action and does not end your turn
+ Quickdraw -- can shoot your pistol as a single action and does not end your turn

+ SPARKS will get 1 utility slot so you can equip the vest. (Don't try to use anything else like grenades or skulljack, the game doesn't know how to handle those animations on a MEC and gets stuck mid-mission)
+ If you get mind-controlled, it will only last 1 turn now (instead of 2).
+ Mind-control abilities used by the enemy will have 3x cooldown
+ If you are using ABA (which disables down-throttling), this mod re-enables it.
+ Soldiers get 4 utility item slots now (one for the Co-op Vest which is a freebie, then 3 slots that 3 soldiers would have had - I recommend you enable Grenades Unlimited so that your soldiers can bring 3 frags)
+ Codex Psi-Bomb has increased cooldown and reduced blast radius (doesn't work)
+ Enemy stun abilities have -66% reduced stun duration. (Please report mod-enemies that still have a full stun)
+ Spectre Shadowbind has 3x cooldown
+ Ammo Magazines for weapons have been tripled to account for total extra ammo that missing soldiers would have had. (this might not work on WOTC weapons due to base-game bug)
+ Soldiers are immune to Viper Bind (doesn't work) and Unconscious (does not prevent knockout from Spectre Shadowbind)
+ Not required, but I recommend Overwatch Lost Headshots and Melee Lost Headshots to help deal with swarms of Lost.
+ If you have Alien Hunters DLC, I recommend using Alien Rulers LITE, so they don't kick your asses.
+ Sniper Rifles still cost 2 actions (this is not something I can change yet), so to compensate for this weakness, sniper rifles will deal x1.75 damage than before.
+ If you are using the "Beatdown Skill" mod, it's damage has been doubled.


All of this stuff can be configured in the INIs. Let me know if you think there should be additional tweaks.

If you find that the Co-op game is still too hard (or just want a laid-back experience), try enabling Passive HP Regen which synergizes well with the Shields.