Psi Weapons

Although the Reticulans have a limited inherent psionic ability, they need mechanical devices to enhance and focus this ability in combat. Some of these devices are extremely powerful when properly used. Your soldiers can learn to utilise their dormant psionic abilities to turn these devices against the invaders.

All psionic weapons utilise the psionics skill.

Before you can use psionic weapons, you need to capture at least one psionic weapon from the Reticulans and then research psi weapon operation. All psionic weapons utilise the psionic skill in their operation. When your soldiers level up, it is a good idea to concentrate on developing the psionic skills of one or two soldiers.

No transgenant species possesses a higher nervous system. This means that the humanoid transgenants cannot use psionic weapons. It also means that all transgenant species are immune to mind control attacks using the psi projector, although other psionic weapons work against them.

All psionic weapons use an integral power cell that cannot be replaced or recharged during the course of a mission. They are automatically recharged when your squad returns to a base. It is a good idea for a soldier equipped with a psionic weapon to carry one or two spare psionic weapons in his backpack.

Psionic helmets give good protection against psionic attack, however there are two drawbacks. A psionic helmet cannot be used in combination with heavy armour or with the hybrid version of any of the alien armour systems in the game. Also, psionic helmets do not give any protection against other forms of attack. This means that a soldier equipped with a psionic helmet is more vulnerable to most weapons in the game. Psionic helmets should therefore only be used in missions against the Biomass transgenants.

Alien Psi Stinger

Weight: 1.0 kg
Ammo capacity: 50 shots before power cell depletion
Damage type: paralyse

Aimed mode
Max range: 12 metres
Damage: 50
Rate of fire: 0.3 rounds per second

The psi stinger is a small alien weapon that works by temporarily paralysing its target for a few moments. Other than that, the target is unharmed. In practice, it is identical to the integral weapon used by a chrysalis, except that the range is lower.

The range of a psi stinger depends on the psionic skills of the operator and the amount of time a target remains paralysed depends on its willpower.

There is one circuimstance in which the psi stinger is highly useful; the interior of a UFO is often very small. The entire crew will rush your squad, and the mission will often be decided in a matter of seconds. In these circumstances, a soldier equipped with a psi stinger can earn his pay by temporarily paralysing any Reticulan with an area effect weapon.

Alien Psi Blaster

Weight: 5.0 kg
Ammo capacity: 50 shots before power cell depletion
Damage type: exception

Aimed mode
Max range: 35 metres
Damage: 50
Rate of fire: 0.5 rounds per second

Burst mode
Max range: 30 metres
Damage: 50
Rate of fire: 0.7 rounds per second

This is effectively an alien assault rifle that utilises the psionic skills of its operator to inflict physical damage to a target. The Reticulans first use it when the Area-51 mission appears on the map.

There is no true burst fire mode with a psi blaster. When a soldier is ordered to use burst mode, he will fire the psi blaster more quickly by spending less time aiming it.

This is one of the weakest weapons the Reticulans have. Range barely matches that of the weaker human assault rifles, and the damage potential is somewhat less. It is not worth equipping any of your soldiers with this weapon.

Psionic Crusher

Weight: 1.0 kg
Ammo capacity: 50 shots before power cell depletion
Damage type: exception

Aimed mode
Max range: 30 metres
Damage: 120
Rate of fire: 0.5 rounds per second

This is the only human made psionic weapon in the game. Like the alien psi blaster, it harnesses the psionic skills of its operator to inflict physical damage to a target. In order to build a psi crusher, you must research psi principles, which becomes available once you have researched psi weapon operation.

The psi crusher has slightly lower range than its alien equivalent, but it inflicts considerably more damage and it is much lighter.

The psi crusher is sometimes useful in missions against the Biomass transgenants, but there are far better weapons for missions against the other transgenants and the Reticulans.

Alien Psi Projector

Weight: 2.0 kg
Ammo capacity: 10 shots before power cell depletion
Damage type: paralyse

Aimed mode
Max range: 30 metres
Damage: 30
Rate of fire: 0.4 rounds per second

NB: Psi projectors do not work on transgenants.

This is the ultimate psionic weapon in the game. It is designed by the Reticulans to allow its operator to temporarily gain complete control of the mind of a human soldier. Once you can get some psi projectors from the Reticulans, you can turn the tables on them. Ordering a Reticulan soldier with a microslug accelerator to turn on his comrades is one of the highlights of the game.

While you have control over a Reticulan soldier, his comrades will regard him as hostile. They will fire at him on sight, sometimes in preference to firing at your soldiers.

If any of your soldiers are firing at a Reticulan when you take over his mind, they will continue to fire at him unless you cancel their orders.

Psi projectors are among the equipment that the Reticulans start using when the Kasputin Yar mission appears. Although they are rare at first, they become more commonly available as the game progresses. At first the only place where you can pick up a psi projector is in the interior of an alien base. Losing a couple of experienced soldiers in return for your first psi projector is usually a good exchange.

The range of a psi projector depends on the psionic skills of the operator. How long the target remains under control depends on the willpower of the target.

If one of your soldiers manages to take control of a Reticulan then his mind is entirely focussed on controlling the Reticulan until it breaks free. He will not even notice any other Reticulans in his vicinity. This means that the soldier will need to be protected. The upside is this applies to the Reticulans, so if a Reticulan takes control of a soldier's mind, your other soldiers can sneak up on it.

If you have patched UFO: Aftermath up to versions 1.3 or 1.4, you can cancel the mind control of an enemy unit by using the Ctrl+C command.

The psi projector is one of the few weapons that works through walls. This means you can use scouts to find a Reticulan, while your well protected psi projector operator takes control of its mind.

If one of your soldiers falls under alien mind control, he will immediately look for your other soldiers and attack them. There are several options for dealing with this problem:

• - Use a psi projector on your soldier. If successful, he will immediately regain control of his mind. Sometimes the aliens will launch another mind control attack on your soldier, and an odd kind of duel will develop.
• - Find the Reticulan operating the psi projector and kill or disable him before your soldier does too much damage. He will be too busy controlling his victim to notice that he is under attack.
• - Get away from your soldier until he comes to his senses. Unfortunately, the aliens will usually just mind control him again.
• - Order the rest of your squad to attack the errant soldier until he loses consciousness. This is rather hard hearted and leaves you with one less soldier to fight the Reticulans, but it might be your only choice if you don't have any psi projectors and the soldier under mind control has a powerful weapon. If you have a medic on standby, your downed soldier will be able to return to the fight under your orders.
• - Abort the mission. This is an extreme option as you will lose the soldier under mind control, as well as the chance to capture a psi projector. A good strategist knows when to cut and run in order to keep the majority of his soldiers alive. Nobody said the good guys have to win them all.

Fans of the X-Com series will probably recognize the similarities between the psi projector and the X-Com psi-amp. The psi projector is nowhere near as powerful as the war winning psi-amp of X-Com Enemy Unknown. It is more like the watered down psi-amp of X-Com Apocalypse; a powerful weapon when used carefully, but not one that will practically guarantee victory.