Combination of classes

[laclongquan]

I find no thread dedicated to this particular topic, so I decide to make one.

 

The most convenient is Psionic, and CyborgWe can hire level4 Psionic and Cyborg at level2 respective class, the best you can get at that particular threshold. They are also availble early. Using them as template we can develop new combination *relatively* easy.

 

Ranger is a pretty hard class to combine with other. Best is prolly 2Ranger-1Commando for dualwielder.

 

At later time, when we get human relation up to max, either by doing mission or send materials to bribe them, we can get a level 10 with 3000 low tech materials. Hefty price but he (mostly he) fully trained in one class. This is one quick way to get a medic3, or leader3, as it's possible we dont train one yet. They are pretty much noncombatants, considering the way stats are pushing up non-combat skills.

 

Sniper is also pretty hard to combo. With pure sniper, you want stalker to boost stealth a bit. And the int requirement of stalker will boost enemy stat, which is nice complement. And go from pure scout to dual scout/sniper is better than the other way around.

[laclongquan]

It does seem to be Leader is a natural combination with Psionic. After getting Leader 3 I am not sure which class to get more.

 

A full Psionic3 can move to Sniper, but the gun is limited and not as accurate as ret blaster, considering the difference between psi power and long range. Careful consideration of the candicate in question before move into that direction.

 

Currently the obvious pair is

 

Sniper/Stalker for maxed Stealth and ease of upgrade. You dont want your sniper get detected by enemy and get counter-sniped. Close security you have the below for.

 

Leader/Medic for ease of use. The leader and medic both need to be close to others for benefits, and both are just too low in combat capabilities to stand toe to toe with enemies up close. Sporting a pistol or a knife, the advanced medkit in other hand, the dual move slowly before the snipers but after the scouts.

[laclongquan]

Cyborg Commando Stalker make for a fine speedy scout who can chop enemies to pieces with Katana

 

Psionic Sniper Stalker make for dangerous sniper, long range and high damage. Though they are extremely slow, lugging the Barrets

[ERISS]

Psionic Sniper are extremely slow, lugging the Barrets

Yup, the barret is rather for Cybor snipers (IIRC they can have an eye patched to aim with), the Psionic are faster using the others snipes'.

[silencer_pl]

Call me different, but if I ever use psionic is more for medical abilities. I really don't like bald women - sorry - it just doesn't cut in into my appeal. Cyborgs if I use them they are heavy troopers since they are more tougher than humans so they can go with M60 / Rocket launchers. I know that RPK has better fiewpower but the accuracy difference between those too is huge - same goes for XM8 vs M4 vs AK... I don't know why but XM8 is god like assault rifle here

 

I don't remember much from Aftershock but I think that I always combined

 

Leader/Rifleman/Gunman(?) Can't remember that third slot - it always was human. For medic it also was with Rifleman - I think that rifleman boosted accuracy and damage with assault rifles if not it was the other skill.

 

Also the Barret sniper rifle isn't that super duper - sure the damage is very high and all, but you don't have to use it on all snipers. Headshoting with PSG also does high damage

[laclongquan]

PSG is nice but the key thing about barrets is their huge range, not damage.

 

I consistently use at least one psionic, upto 4 as snipers. Their high enemy damage plus other gears make for a very hardpunching force.

 

Cyborg sniper? I find that waste their innate talent for scouting or close quarter combat.

 

my medics are mostly leaders or scout. one hand with kits, another with handguns or ret blaster. Some even toting grenades, though i find it too slow.

[silencer_pl]

Human sniper can also 1 shot kill wargot with barret (except the mech one or maybe he can it's been so long) on the impossible so the psionic boost don't talk money to me as sniper.

[ERISS]

Cyborg sniper? I find that waste their innate talent for scouting or close quarter combat.

Like Psionic sniper, being afar, is a waste of their innate talent for scouting or improving/helping near mates.

I like both snipers, despite these wastes.

[laclongquan]

Building one up from the grounds, we can get a psionic sniper stalker at level 11 or 12. easiest combo, evah~

 

And no it's not wasteful. Their investment on intelligence hence enemy skill is of use. And psionic headgears mean we can provide sniper group wit some benefits: An ultrasonic sniper can provide HP with lifedrain/life sink, as an rare example, beside the others.

 

I dont particularly want to send the fragile body of psionic to the front, scouting. no matter that they are stealthy and psi-vision, they will die if they get attacked.

[laclongquan]

Gunman is a pretty weakening skill in that its stat requirement doesnt lend itself well to supporting its weapon group, which is heavyequipment-class machinegun. It's really necessary to dual Gunman-Technician for goodish level of mechanical. Though it is a worthy investment, as a heroic machinegunner can stop a trio cold.

[laclongquan]

At superhero difficulty, I find using more rifles and machinguns than close combat weapons or snipers. At least, for pre-Wargot missions. The bloated HP require more bullets to take down each hostile, and longer, so close combat is risky and sniper is slow.

 

Which is why Trooper level 3 show itself as the most useful training group skill. A Trooper level 3 can bring you to heroic rifle. And heroic throwing, but it's of narrow interest, for rocket launcher enthusiasts.

 

Gunman is not too good, as a Gunman level 3 got so so mechanical skill. For machingunner, a technician level 3 is a better investment.

 

And it's one hell of a lot faster to improve relation then hire a top-offering recruit with level 3 medic. Training is just too slow to waste time for medic training.

[laclongquan]

At harder difficulties like superhero, the power of dualing pale before the HP bloat. You cant kill a target fast enough, and 9mm is too light to cause it to stumble and ruining aims. About the only viable one is a pair of psi Blaster, which will stun a target prrrrrrretty damn fast at early -middle stages. Late stage, might as well change to plasma shotgun for the win. So Ranger is of limited utility in those situations.

 

Close Combat has its use: early with shotgun and late with plasma. And if your Throwing is reasonable you can slap on an underbarrel launcher to pound a roomful of entrenching enemies, like those underground map full of Wargot. But Close Combat Melee doesnt do the job at Superhero because it's very risky.

 

Leader Sniper is a combination I find that work well. Many times the sniper group stay far from the advance group, so if leader is in the latter, the snipers are out of luck. Another factor is that Strength requirement of Leader class ensure the snipers can bring the heaviest gun, and armors, making them not so squishy against some wandering flanking hostiles. As such LeaScoSni and LeaStaSni are my entirety of sniper squad.

[laclongquan]

I divide trainings into major groups: Weapon class and Support class

 

Weapon classes are trainings that will provide immediate usable combat power, AKA you can just throw soldiers with them into battle right out of hiring. They include

• Technician (mechanical), Using heavy machinegun and rocket launcher at tier 2 (patch 1.3)
  
• Trooper (rifle), using rifle, but can use RPG right off the bat (but badly skilled).
  
• Commando/Stalker (close combat) Can use commando weapon like katana, blow pipe, shuriken, throwing knife. Katana provide best combo power (rapid attack from C3, and extra crit from S3). Also extra speed so very nice for speedy recon.
  
• Ranger (close combat) can use pistol/SMG weapons. Especially with dual wield ability, it lengthen the useability of these weapons at middle to late game. And if you find damage can not keep up with extra HP bloat, switch to ret blaster.
  
• Leader (Psi Power) is only useable when you can get Ret Blaster and research specific weapon research to use them. STUN damage only but with great amount. Also can use some projectors but its effect is iffy. Combo well with Ranger to double Stun damage. Note that outside of Psi Power, Leaders dont provide other useful combat skills.
  
• Sniper (Sniper) Only training can use sniper rifle. even with S1 they can shoot well using laser sniper rifle. At higher skill and tier, they can provide deadly cover fire from triple the distance. Sniping and Counter Sniping is a deadly game for BOTH sides.
  
• (Throwing)
  

I dont detail specifically Throwing there because I still have to think about it. Will add later.

 

Support group are groups that provide some extra abilities but not necesary immediate combat power. Invest in them will reduce your useable manpower.

• Medic. This class is very necessary (at least ONE tier 3 Medic per game) but they just have no effective influence on battlefield. Combo well with Trooper so can use Rifle, in which case they have trouble switching between rifles and medkit. Not recommended for Cyborg despite their natural increase in medicpower due to Cyborg's tight belt.
  
• Gunman. This class provide abilities to wear heavy armor at 1st tier, and TWO powerful abilities to stay alive. BUT no combat power at all. A G3 just have Verygood Mechanical at best, which is not very useful. It's a good option to keep a soldier alive on battlefield, but NO immediate offensive ability. Gunman/Trooper provide a walking tank
  

Specifically powerful combo

 

Commando3/Stalker3 with a Katana. high speed movement and attack. Good for recon in force. NOT combo well with Ranger because double browning knife doesnt receive bonus from C3/S3.

 

Leader3/Ranger3 with a pair of Reticulan Blaster. Very high stunning damage. NOT work with other pistol/SMG because their damage can not keep up with extra HP in Superhero difficulty. Certainly, this is not a good killer, but it disable oh so very well. it's a bit of a iffy combo, but a good use out of Leader 3 OR Ranger 3.

[laclongquan]

On Psionics. Due to their too small inventory, their utility is really limited. Best use is Medic level 3 ASAP. After that, change to Scout so that they can have some utility in battles. Leader 3 then switch to Psi Power weapons like Ret Blaster or projector is a possibility but seriously, you have going to more use for scouts than a Leader psionic. While Ranger enable them to double wield, their range is still too limited (because non-Leader psi power is weak, and other Close Range weapon like HK Colt is really weak).

 

On Cyborgs. They have two great duo combi for them.

+ Commando/Stalker using Katana, and later on can switch to plasma shotguns. This one need no other training, so it go well with Cyborg 3 (For +Str, +Agi implants, and +Close Range). For nonCyborg, can add Gunman to allow for heavy armor.

+ Technician/Gunman using heavy machinegun (PKM). Gunman has several helpful ability to help this one survive serious wounds, which are not that in need because Cyborgs are magician with MG. They can max Dexterity, then use +2 DEX implants to have superheroic +2 DEX, then increase a little bit here and there to push Mechanical to SH+2. It's like they can cut down any target in sight (or not in sight). They have 3k HP, so in 1vs3 they still can win handily because targets can not disable him in time (Gunman abilities) to save themselves.

 

I dont feel Sniper goes that well with both races. It goes poorly with Psionic due to weak strength, and it goes so-so with Cyborg, because it need Cy3 and several high class implants to make the investment worth the trouble