38||0|3457|0|
0|0|0|||1||Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||19:20:59|08/03/2013|So there%27s this random mission that comes along in %5Bi%5DXCOM%3A Enemy Unknown%5B%2Fi%5D where your squad has to go and rescue a woman who has somehow managed to escape from Alien Captivity.  I did the mission the other day%2C and when the Skyranger got back to base%2C I got to thinking.%0D%0A%0D%0AThen I went into my troop roster and found a high-Will rookie from the same country that I%27d just done that mission in%2C changed her name to that of the rescuee%2C and started sending her on missions.  She%27s now a major%2C one of my four go-to squad leaders %28I run them like a starting-pitcher rotation%29%2C and my ace sniper.  Codename%3A %22Payback%22.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis makes me obscurely happy.  Despite the customization options for the troopers%2C %5Bi%5DXCOM%5B%2Fi%5D is pretty clearly not %5Bi%5Ddesigned%5B%2Fi%5D to be any kind of roleplaying game%2C but%2C well.  I think this is the same creative impulse that makes discarded appliance boxes the best toys ever for some elementary-age children. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Mercutio||22:21:41|08/03/2013|I used to have all kinds of fun using the squad customization options to assemble a squad I could tell a little story about.%0D%0A%0D%0AThen I started trying to beat the game on Classic Ironman and Impossible. I learned very%2C very quickly that that was... way to depressing. Think %22the memorial wall has about twenty-five names on it as of mid-June%22 depressing.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat doesn%27t mean I don%27t still tell stories about my squad%2C of course%2C but I let them evolve more organically. On Impossible this involves imagining a lot of self-medication going on among the two or three people who actually live long enough level up.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||23:01:03|08/03/2013|%3EThink %22the memorial wall has about twenty-five names on it %0D%0A%3Eas of mid-June%22 depressing.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere should come a point where nobody on Earth who is still alive is daft enough to sign up%2C and you just have to make do with entire squads of armed Hazbots. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22This looks like a job for GOLIATH-1 through GOLIATH-6%21%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
3|3|2|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Mercutio||23:41:15|08/03/2013|This is%2C no fooling%2C a viable strategy. One of the best ways to beat Impossible%2C or so I%27m told.%0D%0A%0D%0AHover Plasma SHIVs have a base accuracy of 95%2C %2B20 more from altitude %28flying%29%2C 50 defense when flying. Nearly as defensive as an assault in ghost armor in full cover%2C nearly as accurate as a squadsight sniper%2C with better movement and flanking abilities than either. More HP too. And best of all%2C expendable. A dead SHIV is much less painful than a dead Captain. %0D%0A%0D%0ALater on in the game a SHIV should replace one of your assaults as your designated point man%2C and they can actually duel with Sectopods on even terms and come out of it in one piece.%0D%0A%0D%0AYou can%27t assault the base early%2C or do battleships%2C with the ground-bound SHIVs%3B they have clipping issues with doorways that Firaxis is either unable or unwilling to address%2C at least on the PC. But minigun alloy SHIVs are the ultimate terror mission clearers on higher difficulty settings. They have 18 HP%2C which means they can%27t be one-shot%2C and they chew through Chryssalids and zombies like they%27re nothing.%0D%0A%0D%0AFiraxis is actually a little bit unhappy with how underutilized SHIVs are%3B you have to make the deliberate choice to develop and deploy them%2C and for most people when given the choice between the Foundry and building a satellite net choose the satellite net. They%27re very much a niche strategy.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
4|4|3|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Verbena||00:15:05|08/04/2013|I admit I%27ve only beaten this game on normal%2C and that%27s all I care to play it on.%0D%0A%0D%0ABut from where I%27m sitting%2C any choice where one side is %27build satellites%27 isn%27t a choice at all. That%27s your income. Without that you can%27t build much of anything else%2C never mind the effect on country morale.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat said%2C making the rescuee a soldier is absolutely awesome. I didn%27t think of that%2C though in my current playthrough my base is in Japan...and my top sniper%2C top squad leader is a Japanese woman I had from the very first mission. %28Nothing like sweeping a whole room clear in one action with In The Zone.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A--------%0D%0A%0D%0Athis world created by the %0D%0Ahands of the gods%0D%0Aeverything is false%0D%0Aeverything is a LIE%0D%0Athe final days have come%0D%0Anow%0D%0Alet everything be destroyed%0D%0A%0D%0A--mu
38|4|3|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|BZArcher||19:11:30|02/15/2014|I decided to get the %22Rise of the Machines%22 achievement the other night%2C so I loaded up an old save and dumped %24500 into making a squad of flying plasma and alloy plasma SHIVs%2C plus one MEC tropper just so I could claim someone was nominally in charge. %0D%0A%0D%0ADear god%2C it was almost scary how effective they were.
5|1|0|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||21:35:04|08/16/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Aug-16-13 AT 11:04 PM (EDT)]In case you needed any further proof that I am a cheez pirate%2C here is the roster of my current A-team%2C who get called on for all the really tough missions.  Let the rookies go and rescue the Council%27s pet politicians and consolidate the capture of shot-down scout UFOs.  These ladies get the call when it%27s time to assault the alien base or raid a battleship that%27s been caught parking in the peculiarly-desert-like%2A Siberian wilderness.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btt%5DKUZNETSOVA%2C Irina%0D%0A%22Cherno%22%0D%0ARussian Federation%0D%0A%0D%0ACLASS%3A Heavy%0D%0ANOTES%3A Personally confirmed Dr. Shen%27s suspicion that UFO Power Source pylons might be unstable%3B thinks she might have latent superpowers now%2C after all that radiation exposure.  Believes suppressive fire is for cowards.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0Ad%27ANGERS%2C Jenny%0D%0A%22Gipsy%22%0D%0AUnited States of America%0D%0A%0D%0ACLASS%3A Assault%0D%0ANOTES%3A Carbineer%3B Arc Thrower specialist.  Likes to operate at the edge of the envelope.  Once passed up an obvious piece of cover just to get behind a Muton Berserker and shoot him in the back of the head.%2A%2A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AWALKER%2C Zo%C3%AB%0D%0A%22Striker%22%0D%0AAustralia%0D%0A%0D%0ACLASS%3A Assault%0D%0ANOTES%3A Close combat specialist.  Of no use as Arc Thrower operator%2C because she automatically kills anything that gets within AT range%2C a habit which has been impossible for her to shed %28not that she%27s tried very hard%29.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0ASHEN Ping%0D%0A%22Typhoon%22%0D%0APeople%27s Republic of China%0D%0A%0D%0ACLASS%3A Sniper%0D%0ANOTES%3A High-speed%2C low-drag opportunist.  Once spent the first turn of a mission getting to the corner of an observatory roof and then never bothered moving again%2C accumulating four kills in the course of the day - including a Sectoid who really should have known better than to try and ambush an ambush predator.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AKATO%2C Kazumi%0D%0A%22Coyote%22%0D%0AJapan%0D%0A%0D%0ACLASS%3A Support%0D%0ANOTES%3A Medic%2Fgrenadier%2C also known as %22the Pharmacist%22.  Such a good judge of distances she once cleared enemy units off Gipsy%27s position with a grenade%2C %5Bu%5Dwithout%5B%2Fu%5D blowing Gipsy up in the process.  A handful of shrapnel makes the medicine go down.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AKATO%2C Hitomi%0D%0A%22Tacit Ronin%22%0D%0AJapan%0D%0A%0D%0ACLASS%3A Support%0D%0ANOTES%3A Coyote%27s younger sister%3B our best hand with a rifle and by far the fastest runner in the squad.  Probably could%27ve been a sniper%2C but lacks patience.  Never says one word when none will do.%5B%2Ftt%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso of note%2C serving in the B-squads%2C are the aforementioned Anna %22Payback%22 Sing%2C who is the squadleader for B-squad Alpha%2C and her sidekick%2C Fabricio %22Fiasco%22 Russo%2C who is notable in the annals of XCOM for having once cleared an entire abductions mission singlehandedly... by accident.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn fairness%2C though%2C that Sectoid should totally have known not to try and hide from a guy with a rocket launcher behind a %5Bi%5Dgas pump%5B%2Fi%5D.  Don%27t they brief these guys on what Earth stuff is before they send them down%3F  Anyway%2C it%27s a good thing Central Officer Bradford mentioned before the mission that collateral damage wasn%27t a concern%2C because%2C um%2C there was some.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%2A In hindsight%2C random mission map selection might not have been the best design from an immersion standpoint.%0D%0A%2A%2A To be fair%2C this was an accident.  I %5Bi%5Dmeant%5B%2Fi%5D to have her go to that cover%2C I just... missed it.  Fortunately%2C she didn%27t miss the Berserker%2C or one imagines she%27d have missed the next mission instead.%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
6|2|5|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|BeardedFerret||22:03:14|08/16/2013|I sense a pattern%2C and that pattern has a strong resemblance to THE BEST MOVIE IN THE WORLD.%0D%0A%0D%0AI like it.
10|3|6|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|twipper||23:20:23|08/16/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Aug-16-13 AT 11:21 PM (EDT)]Not sure if you play the game%2C but a successful all-gal mission earns you the Ride of the Valkyrie achievement.%0D%0A%0D%0APut all those ladies in Titan armor%2C paint %27em black and Skuld has a new squad. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian%0D%0A
12|4|10|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||00:32:58|08/17/2013|%3ENot sure if you play the game%2C but a successful all-gal mission earns %0D%0A%3Eyou the Ride of the Valkyrie achievement. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EPut all those ladies in Titan armor%2C paint %27em black and Skuld has a %0D%0A%3Enew squad. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AOK%2C now I want to go twiddle the squad-generation RNG settings so it creates nothing but Norwegian and Swedish lady troopers.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
7|2|5|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Matrix Dragon||22:37:16|08/16/2013|%2ABows to Gryph%2A Well played sir. Well played indeed.%0D%0A%0D%0AMatrix Dragon%2C J. Random Nutter
8|2|5|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Mercutio||22:55:39|08/16/2013|%3EIn case you needed any further proof that I am a cheez pirate%2C here is %0D%0A%3Ethe roster of my current A-team%2C who get called on for all the really %0D%0A%3Etough missions.  Let the rookies go and rescue the Council%27s pet %0D%0A%3Epoliticians and consolidate the capture of shot-down scout UFOs.%0D%0A%0D%0AHey%2C in fairness to SEELE%2C there%27s only one mission where they send you to save a politico%2C and Thomas Hutch seems like a stand-up guy. Everything else is people like Anna Sing and General Van Doorn.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28The General is a class act. I%27d have given him a laser pistol and a flak jacket and invited him to join in if the mission had allowed it.%29%0D%0A  %0D%0A%3EThese ladies get the call when it%27s time to assault the alien base or %0D%0A%3Eraid a battleship that%27s been caught parking in the %0D%0A%3Epeculiarly-desert-like%2A Siberian wilderness. %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m assuming all Colonels%2C yes%3F By the time May or June rolls around%2C I usually have six people who I want to get up to Colonel ASAP and will be going on every single mission barring being laid up.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe two Supports are an interesting choice%2C especially the Grenadier%2C who I%27m assuming runs Medpack%2FGrenade%2C yeah%3F The grenades are amazing early in the game%2C but I%27ve found by July at the latest even alien grenades no longer cut the mustard%3B sure%2C AOE guaranteed five damage is nice%2C but when half the guys in any given UFO are Muton Elites%2C that just doesn%27t cut it%3B the plasma rifle can do a lot more than that%2C albeit just to one target. I%27d rather have Chitin Plating in that slot%2C to cope with those damned heavy plasmas those guys sling around. %28I run everyone with Chitin except my Heavies%2C who are in dire need of SCOPEs usually.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AMyself%2C I go Assault%2FAssault%2FHeavy%2FSniper%2FSupport%2FOther%2C or by the end of the game Hover Plasma SHIV%2FAssault%2FHeavy%2FSniper%2FOther. A Support with all the trimmings can heal 30 HP worth of damage%2C and if guys are getting put down it means I%27m fucking up a lot anyway. The two Assaults carry Rifles%2C not shotties%3B the shotty is just awful no matter the map and should never be taken%2C in my opinion. I can make it work on normal%2C but on Classic and higher you just do not ever want to be that close to x-rays on purpose.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat %22other%22 is almost always a second sniper. Two snipers with appropriate skills can damn near clear a whole abduction site by themselves. I once beat the game by cracking open the last room in the Temple Ship and sending in a single assault guy. Revealed three Ethereals and their bodyguards... all of whom died as the result of the six precision plasma rounds that hit them over the course of the next single turn. My psionicist never even got in the room.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%5Btt%5DKUZNETSOVA%2C Irina %0D%0A%3E%22Cherno%22 %0D%0A%3ERussian Federation %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ECLASS%3A Heavy %0D%0A%3ENOTES%3A Personally confirmed Dr. Shen%27s suspicion that UFO Power Source %0D%0A%3Epylons might be unstable%3B thinks she might have latent superpowers %0D%0A%3Enow%2C after all that radiation exposure.  Believes suppressive fire is %0D%0A%3Efor cowards. %5B%2Ftt%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AShe%27s Doctor Vahlen%27s favorite%21 No%2C wait... not favorite. The other thing.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%5Btt%5DSHEN%2C Ping %0D%0A%3E%22Typhoon%22 %0D%0A%3EPeople%27s Republic of China %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ECLASS%3A Sniper %0D%0A%3ENOTES%3A High-speed%2C low-drag opportunist.  Once spent the first turn of %0D%0A%3Ea mission getting to the corner of an observatory roof and then never %0D%0A%3Ebothered moving again%2C accumulating four kills in the course of the %0D%0A%3Eday - including a Sectoid who really should have known better than to %0D%0A%3Etry and ambush an ambush predator. %5B%2Ftt%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AThat map is the bane of my existence.%0D%0A%0D%0AFirst time I pulled it%2C I sent my sniper dashing up the ladder to get in position on that observatory roof. Of course%2C INSIDE the observatory%2C which I did not know at the time had an inside on the second story%2C were three Sectoids. He did not make it back from that one.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe next three times I pulled it%2C I sent whatever sniper was around up the ladder very%2C very carefully%2C with an Assault escort. Of course%2C all three of those times%3F Roof has been deserted. Meanwhile%2C every single x-ray on the map was just... hurling themselves headlong into the killzone I had set up at ground level. We%27re talking Mutons and Heavy Floaters just... charging with wild abandon. So all three times%2C I get my sniper set up... and the mission ends. Can%27t argue with success%2C but...%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%5Bsmall%5D%2A In hindsight%2C random mission map selection might not have %0D%0A%3Ebeen the best design from an immersion standpoint.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s also the fact that%2C while the game tries to avoid it%2C it%27s possible to touchdown in Japan at four in the afternoon in the middle of summer%2C and walk out the Skyranger into pitch black night.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%2A%2A To be fair%2C this was an accident.  I %5Bi%5Dmeant%5B%2Fi%5D to have her go to %0D%0A%3Ethat cover%2C I just... missed it.  Fortunately%2C she didn%27t miss the %0D%0A%3EBerserker%2C or one imagines she%27d have missed the next mission %0D%0A%3Einstead.%5B%2Fsmall%5D %0D%0A%0D%0AYou%27d be surprised. A Chitin-wearing Colonel Assault in Carapace armor can take a Berserker hit and not even qualify as Gravely Wounded. In Titan Armor%2C they can take that hit and possibly not even end up on the Wounded list after the mission.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28I%27m a big fan of Chitin%2C if you can%27t tell. I will actively root for Terror Sites to show up just so I can harvest Chryssalids for their delicious armor.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
9|3|8|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||23:03:31|08/16/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Aug-16-13 AT 11:03 PM (EDT)]%3Ethe shotty is just awful no %0D%0A%3Ematter the map and should never be taken%2C in my opinion.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bi%5DLiar%21%5B%2Fi%5D  The Alloy Cannon is your best friend%21  %5Bi%5DIt is your %5Bb%5Donly%5B%2Fb%5D friend%21%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
11|4|9|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Mercutio||23:29:17|08/16/2013|The Alloy Cannon is waiting to betray you and steal your girlfriend%2C man. It happened to me. %5Bb%5DIt%27ll happen to you.%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
15|5|11|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Verbena||02:34:54|08/17/2013|The Alloy Cannon is badass. Have you seen what happens when you put an Assault with that and the skill that auto-shoots anyone in range behind cover%2C then snipe the Berserker%3F -Hamburger-.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThe Alloy Cannon is waiting to betray you and steal your girlfriend%2C %0D%0A%3Eman. It happened to me. %5Bb%5DIt%27ll happen to you.%5B%2Fb%5D %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E-Merc %0D%0A%3EKeep Rat %0D%0A%0D%0A--------%0D%0A%0D%0Athis world created by the %0D%0Ahands of the gods%0D%0Aeverything is false%0D%0Aeverything is a LIE%0D%0Athe final days have come%0D%0Anow%0D%0Alet everything be destroyed%0D%0A%0D%0A--mu
16|6|15|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Mercutio||08:15:02|08/17/2013|Well%2C to be all serious about it%2C the question isn%27t %22is the Alloy Cannon amazing at what it does.%22 The answer to that is clearly %22yes.%22 The question is %22are there better choices%3F%22 And I think the answer to that is also %22yes%22%2C although less clearly%3B the calculus behind the Alloy Cannon specifically is%2C I will admit%2C somewhat different than the calculus behind the shotgun class of weapons in general.%0D%0A%0D%0AOn Normal difficulty%2C it doesn%27t really matter%2C use what you like. What I%27m about to say mostly applies to Classic and higher.%0D%0A%0D%0AGenerally speaking%2C in order to maximize your chances of everybody not dying%2C especially during the critical March-June window where the game is the hardest%2C you do NOT want to be getting up close and personal with aliens. You want your guys hiding behind full cover if at all possible%2C slowly flushing the x-rays out one group at a time and using overwatch to blow them away when they come at you. If the x-rays themselves set up in good cover%2C you probably want to pull back and%2For flank around the sides. In that critical window that shows up in May-June%2C when Mutons begin showing up but you maybe don%27t have a full set of Carapace and Laser weapons yet%2C it%27s even more important not to engage closely. Using run-and-gun to charge up close and deliver your shotgun payloads will work%2C but it%27s also a great way to unexpectedly activate yet another group of x-rays you didn%27t know were out there%2C who turn your Assault into hamburger.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s also the fact that the Scatter Laser and Alloy Cannon involve extra research%2C which means in any game there%27ll generally always be a window where your assaults will be carrying standard rifles anyway.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C once you%27ve completed your long slow crawl up the tech tree to the point where you%27re going against the x-rays on far superior terms before%3F Okay. Things change a little bit. A fully promoted Colonel Assault with Ghost and%2For Titan Armor who is optimized for survivability and%2For big hits is very%2C very not-squishy%2C and the Alloy Cannon specifically has a better range envelope than its predecessors. At that point the extra damage might be worth it%2C especially if your snipers and supports are up to snuff%3B being able to run-and-gun and damn near one-shot a Sectopod is pretty awesome. And a specifically designed %22Stealth Assault%22 guy is totally viable and will definitely want that Alloy Cannon%2C since firing out of the Ghost suits stealth mode guarantees a crit and you can scout with impunity. %0D%0A%0D%0ABut it%27s still inordinately risky%2C especially up on Impossible%3B enemy density on Impossible is so high that moving forward and revealing tiles during a firefight is nearly always a bad move.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s also the question of map layout. There%27s a few maps where you%27ll be in tight%2C shotgun-friendly quarters. The small construction yard is hugely shotgun oriented. The interior of the Medium Scout UFOs. A couple of the Terror Mission maps. But the Supply Barge%3F The Battleship%2C the Temple Ship%3F Most of the abduction map pool%3F Long%2C long lines of sight%2C often combined with long stretches of not-so-hot cover.  Better to have the versatility of the rifle in-hand. You can%27t do damage if you don%27t hit the x-rays%2C and hitting them at range with any of the shotguns can often be an exercise in frustration.%0D%0A%0D%0AI just think the rifle is almost always a better choice%2C and is %5Bb%5Dalways%5B%2Fb%5D a better choice until Alloy Cannon.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
14|3|8|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Sofaspud||02:18:51|08/17/2013|%0D%0A%3EYou%27d be surprised. A Chitin-wearing Colonel Assault in Carapace armor %0D%0A%3Ecan take a Berserker hit and not even qualify as Gravely Wounded. In %0D%0A%3ETitan Armor%2C they can take that hit and possibly not even end up on %0D%0A%3Ethe Wounded list after the mission. %0D%0A%0D%0AI read that as %22Colonial Assault%22 and had a brief%2C highly entertaining mental image of an X-COM squad storming a Cylon Basestar.%0D%0A%0D%0AThank you%21 %3AD%0D%0A%0D%0A--sofaspud%0D%0A--
17|2|5|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||20:48:48|08/18/2013|Somehow%2C it doesn%27t surprise me that Gipsy and Coyote are psionic%2C and Cherno and Striker are not.%0D%0A%0D%0ANo word yet on Typhoon or Tacit Ronin.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
25|2|5|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||02:02:39|08/23/2013|Aw%2C man%2C Cherno got killed by a Berserker.  I suppose I should have expected that.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
26|3|25|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|BeardedFerret||02:47:57|08/23/2013|Cue funeral Russian-sounding music.
28|4|26|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|laudre||09:53:19|08/25/2013|%3ECue funeral Russian-sounding music. %0D%0A%0D%0AReportedly%2C one of the redeeming qualities of the novelization is a scene where Sasha and Aleksis are jamming out to Ukrainian house music%2C to the annoyance of the triplets.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Mathematics brought rigor to economics. Unfortunately%2C it also brought mortis.%22%0D%0A - Kenneth Boulding
29|5|28|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||01:14:21|08/26/2013|%3E%3ECue funeral Russian-sounding music. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EReportedly%2C one of the redeeming qualities of the novelization is a %0D%0A%3Escene where Sasha and Aleksis are jamming out to Ukrainian house %0D%0A%3Emusic%2C to the annoyance of the triplets. %0D%0A%0D%0AIf you have problem with Ukrainian hard house%2C you have problem with life.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
27|3|25|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|The Traitor||13:34:47|08/24/2013|We will bury her with full military honours%2C in one of the surprisingly numerous instances here at X-COM where the bravery medals outmass what we could find of the corpse.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22Look%2C Darren%2C I know you%27re being respectful of the dead%2C but did you %5Bi%5Dhave%5B%2Fi%5D to use the best biscuit tin%3F It%27s not like she%27ll know-%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It%27s Irina. She%27ll know.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D
13|1|0|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Bad Moon||01:22:21|08/17/2013|It%27s true.  Before every mission I would say %22Mr. Presidents%2C we have a mission for you.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AThe League of Extraordinary Ex-Presidents saved the world countless times%2C and nobody would ever know.%0D%0A%0D%0A------%0D%0AJon Helscher%0D%0A%0D%0AOh God%2C it was me.  I was the grognard all along.
18|1|0|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|twipper||16:03:18|08/21/2013|Hmm%2C looks like not all is well  with the Council...%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fscreencrush.com%2Fxcom-enemy-within-trailer-expanding-on-the-unknown%2F
19|2|18|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||16:11:49|08/21/2013|%3EHmm%2C looks like not all is well  with the Council... %0D%0A%3Ehttp%3A%2F%2Fscreencrush.com%2Fxcom-enemy-within-trailer-expanding-on-the-unknown%2F %0D%0A%0D%0ASubtitle%27s kind of a giveaway.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
22|3|19|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|BeardedFerret||21:53:08|08/21/2013|%3E%3EHmm%2C looks like not all is well  with the Council... %0D%0A%3E%3Ehttp%3A%2F%2Fscreencrush.com%2Fxcom-enemy-within-trailer-expanding-on-the-unknown%2F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESubtitle%27s kind of a giveaway. %0D%0A%0D%0AChrysalids. Chrysalids -everywhere-. 
20|2|18|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Mercutio||16:35:44|08/21/2013|Gosh%21 Something is %5Bb%5Drotten%5B%2Fb%5D inside of SEELE%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m shocked. Shocked and appalled. How could this have happened%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
21|3|20|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|twipper||17:12:13|08/21/2013|I blame the lack of sunlight.  Would it kill their architects to add a few windows to their secret lair%3F  %0D%0A%0D%0ABrian
23|4|21|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Star Ranger4||10:24:02|08/22/2013|%3EI blame the lack of sunlight.  Would it kill their architects to add a %0D%0A%3Efew windows to their secret lair%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ABut%2C if you can see in from the outside%2C is it really secret%3F
24|5|23|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|MuninsFire||12:57:57|08/22/2013|There%27s ways to fix that.  You can have the windows facing what amounts to a wall inside%2C with a light gap such that indirect daylight can get into the secured enclave.  So long as there%27s no direct line of sight%2C access from the outside%2C nor reflective surfaces%2C you ought to be able to get the governing authority to sign off on it as suitable for a secured enclave--provided that it%27s not open-storage%2C anyway.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor a proper SCIF%2C though%2C you are correct in that no windows are allowed.
30|1|0|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||21:00:34|02/11/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-14 AT 09:01 PM (EST)]I wish you could promote the random security guards from the base defense mission into your squad afterward.  I had one a bit ago who was a god damn rock star during that operation.  I guess I%27ll have to hire a bunch of rookies and sort through the box when Amazon delivers them in hopes that I got a Japanese lady I can rename%2C then fake it %28like I did with Payback Sing%29.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
31|2|30|||||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|BZArcher||00:05:51|02/12/2014|Yeah%2C I had a Brazllian rookie who earned a promotion AND put the coup de grace on a Cyberdisc. Far as I%27m concerned that deserves a promotion up from AAA.
32|3|31|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Verbena||09:17:19|02/12/2014|So did I. And she was Japanese. Hm%2C sensing a pattern here.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A--------%0D%0A%0D%0Athis world created by the %0D%0Ahands of the gods%0D%0Aeverything is false%0D%0Aeverything is a LIE%0D%0Athe final days have come%0D%0Anow%0D%0Alet everything be destroyed%0D%0A%0D%0A--mu
35|4|32|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||11:58:17|02/12/2014|%3ESo did I. And she was Japanese. Hm%2C sensing a pattern here. %0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C everyone knows Japanese women are natural badasses.%0D%0A%0D%0AHeck%2C mine was even named Mori.  %28Hiromi%2C but still.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
33|1|0|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|ebony14||09:19:19|02/12/2014|I ended up with a trooper on my first run-through of the game who got the call-sign%2C %22Mr. Clean.%22 In a fit of whimsy%2C I went into the Barracks after the mission and edited his appearance so that he was completely bald. I figured that%2C if the grunts were gonna call their Sergeant %22Mr. Clean%2C%22 he better look the part. I left his eyebrows as they were%2C because they gave his face some contrast.%0D%0A%0D%0AFast forward through several months of in-game play%2C and the Psi-Lab testing starts up. The then-Captain is one of the first to be tested%2C and is the first to come up positive. So%2C my first psychic soldier in the Invisible War is a slim%2C bald fellow%2C with impressive eyebrows.%0D%0A%0D%0ASadly%2C neither %22Charles%22 nor %22Xavier%22 featured in his name%2C but the synchronicity was amusing.%0D%0A%0D%0AEbony the Black Dragon%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Life is like an anole. Sometimes it%27s green. Sometimes it%27s brown. But it%27s always a small Caribbean lizard.%22
34|2|33|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Gryphon||11:57:28|02/12/2014|%3ESadly%2C neither %22Charles%22 nor %22Xavier%22 featured in his name%2C but the %0D%0A%3Esynchronicity was amusing. %0D%0A%0D%0AMemo to self%3A Someone has to refer to UF-universe Professor X as %22Mr. Clean%22 at some point.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
36|3|34|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|ebony14||13:53:25|02/12/2014|%3E%3ESadly%2C neither %22Charles%22 nor %22Xavier%22 featured in his name%2C but the %0D%0A%3E%3Esynchronicity was amusing. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EMemo to self%3A Someone has to refer to UF-universe Professor X as %22Mr. %0D%0A%3EClean%22 at some point. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AI nominate Rose %22Rosie the Ravager%22 Wilson. %0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5DNow that%27s a fanart commission I%27d like to George Perez do%3A Ravager flexing a bicep with %22We Can Kill It%21%22 underneath.%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AEbony the Black Dragon%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Life is like an anole. Sometimes it%27s green. Sometimes it%27s brown. But it%27s always a small Caribbean lizard.%22
37|4|36|||1||RE%3A Proof You Can Roleplay in Almost Anything|Peter Eng||13:51:34|02/13/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Feb-13-14 AT 01:51 PM (EST)]%3E%0D%0A%3E%5Bsmall%5DNow that%27s a fanart commission I%27d like to George Perez do%3A %0D%0A%3ERavager flexing a bicep with %22We Can Kill It%21%22 underneath.%5B%2Fsmall%5D %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EEbony the Black Dragon %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Rose%2C I don%27t care how good it sounds.  Take it off the website before the %27Bob the Builder%27 people sue.%22%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0A%22Can we kill it%3F  YES WE CAN%21%22