05-02-2018, 12:26 PM
So I've calmed down now... still mad, but it's a calm mad...
The entire squad got wiped out. Worst. Mission. Ever.
Basically, I'd split the troops into two fire teams [screw up number one: don't split the squad]. Team one spotted the MEC, Lancer and Shieldbearer and had good position. Team two spotted two Codex'es and an Archon and had terrible position. I (mistakenly) opted to break concealment by engaging with team one before I had team two in good position [screw up number two: the second enemy patrol was the real threat, but my focus was on the MEC/Lancer/Sheildbearer]. And finally, I was tired and couldn't see this mission driving off a cliff, and by the time I decided to pull the plug it was already too late. [screw up number three: playing while tired... why, oh why does that one keep coming back to bite me in the ass?].
So I engaged the first guys with a rocket attack, shredding armour and destroying the building the patrol was on... instantly killed the Lancer and Sheildbearer, but the MEC just went into overwatch... the remaining two troopers I had on that ambush just sat there doing nothing. And because the other fire team had lousy position, the Codex's and Archon mopped the floor with them... The Archon is too mobile / tough... I cannot rely on a single solider's reaction fire to take it out, and the damned Codex's just kept using that "jam weapon" ability to render half the squad inert. I definitely chose the wrong patrol for my first target... so I continued to keep my myopic focus on the Alien artefact I needed to destroy, but all that did was aggro the third squad and then things really went to poop. Again, by the time I even attempted to bug-out, the survivors were all wounded, panicking and without good cover. The last-ditch effort to get the sole survivor to the dust-off point ended with him in a hail of overwatch fire. At least it was quick... (read: I was on tilt and just reacting to my enemy without any cohesive plan).
The bus went home empty that day.
The entire squad got wiped out. Worst. Mission. Ever.
Basically, I'd split the troops into two fire teams [screw up number one: don't split the squad]. Team one spotted the MEC, Lancer and Shieldbearer and had good position. Team two spotted two Codex'es and an Archon and had terrible position. I (mistakenly) opted to break concealment by engaging with team one before I had team two in good position [screw up number two: the second enemy patrol was the real threat, but my focus was on the MEC/Lancer/Sheildbearer]. And finally, I was tired and couldn't see this mission driving off a cliff, and by the time I decided to pull the plug it was already too late. [screw up number three: playing while tired... why, oh why does that one keep coming back to bite me in the ass?].
So I engaged the first guys with a rocket attack, shredding armour and destroying the building the patrol was on... instantly killed the Lancer and Sheildbearer, but the MEC just went into overwatch... the remaining two troopers I had on that ambush just sat there doing nothing. And because the other fire team had lousy position, the Codex's and Archon mopped the floor with them... The Archon is too mobile / tough... I cannot rely on a single solider's reaction fire to take it out, and the damned Codex's just kept using that "jam weapon" ability to render half the squad inert. I definitely chose the wrong patrol for my first target... so I continued to keep my myopic focus on the Alien artefact I needed to destroy, but all that did was aggro the third squad and then things really went to poop. Again, by the time I even attempted to bug-out, the survivors were all wounded, panicking and without good cover. The last-ditch effort to get the sole survivor to the dust-off point ended with him in a hail of overwatch fire. At least it was quick... (read: I was on tilt and just reacting to my enemy without any cohesive plan).
The bus went home empty that day.
They say Hitler loved dogs; that doesn't mean I want to travel back in time and discuss the merits of the Border Collie with the guy. He's still an a-hole.