Terror Unit association...

[magic9mushroom]

I've only played through TFTD on Beginner, and I'm not sure about the terror unit assignment to alien races, since I didn't see quite a few of the combinations.

 

I know that:

 

AQUATOIDS have Calcinites on land and Hallucinoids at sea.

GILL-MEN have Deep Ones on land and Xarquids at sea.

LOBSTERMEN have Bio-Drones on land.

 

But I don't know the Lobsterman sea terror unit, or either of the Tasoth ones.

 

The UFOpaedia wiki says that Tasoths have Triscenes and Bio-Drones, but this doesn't make any sense as I know Bio-Drones are land units and from what I've read Triscenes are also land terror units.

 

What are the land terror units for Tasoths and the sea ones for Lobstermen and Tasoths?

[NKF]

Bio Drones are actually a shared land terror unit. Used by Lobstermen, Tasoth and the Mixed Crew on land attacks.

 

Triscene are used by Tasoth on land attacks as well as land attacks conducted by a Mixed Crew.

 

Not entirely sure about the sea replacements, but you could check via shooting down a terror ship or dreadnaught. I have a feeling they both employ tentaculats. But don't take my word for that as I'll need to double check as well.

 

Mixed Crew actually throws a few spanners into the works and even introduce Xarquids on the first level of shipping lane missions. Madness.

 

- NKF

[magic9mushroom]

Bio Drones are actually a shared land terror unit. Used by Lobstermen, Tasoth and the Mixed Crew on land attacks.

 

Triscene are used by Tasoth on land attacks as well as land attacks conducted by a Mixed Crew.

 

Not entirely sure about the sea replacements, but you could check via shooting down a terror ship or dreadnaught. I have a feeling they both employ tentaculats. But don't take my word for that as I'll need to double check as well.

 

Mixed Crew actually throws a few spanners into the works and even introduce Xarquids on the first level of shipping lane missions. Madness.

 

- NKF

 

I am having problems trying to start my Superhuman playthrough. Like, every time I get to my first mission I remember why I quit the last time.

 

EDIT: If they both use tentaculats, that goes well with the fact that Tasoths are always found with tentaculats in bases and artifact sites.

[NKF]

Colonies have their own crew rules and they generate Tasoth/Aquatoids with Tentaculat/Hallucinoids on the top-side portion of the colony. Same goes for the second part where the rules are a selection of (I think exactly 3) lobsterman commanders, followed by some lobstermen and tentaculats.

 

Superhuman's a real mess if you're not accustomed to it, but you will get used to it if you persevere. If little else, you'll come off better for it. Things tend to to level off a bit once you've picked up a few good technologies like pulsers, Ion Armor and the MC lab for screening, but nothing helps better than combing them with good strategy and tactics.

 

- NKF

[magic9mushroom]

Colonies have their own crew rules and they generate Tasoth/Aquatoids with Tentaculat/Hallucinoids on the top-side portion of the colony. Same goes for the second part where the rules are a selection of (I think exactly 3) lobsterman commanders, followed by some lobstermen and tentaculats.

 

Superhuman's a real mess if you're not accustomed to it, but you will get used to it if you persevere. If little else, you'll come off better for it. Things tend to to level off a bit once you've picked up a few good technologies like pulsers, Ion Armor and the MC lab for screening, but nothing helps better than combing them with good strategy and tactics.

 

- NKF

 

I've beaten Enemy Unknown on superhuman, though I didn't get into any of the masochistic restrictions. But I do need to learn to use grenades more.

 

I know colonies have their own rules, but it'd make sense that races spawn with their own terror units.

[NKF]

Indeed, you'd expect them to have their respective terror units. One other place that breaks the rules is T'Leth level 2. That's the only place you get to see a Deep One underwater. The green trail that green energy bolts (sonic) leave behind underwater look rather neat with the arcing attack - you don't see this on land.

 

By the way, TFTD super human is a actually few notches higher than UFO superhuman for some peculiar reason.

 

- NKF

[magic9mushroom]

Indeed, you'd expect them to have their respective terror units. One other place that breaks the rules is T'Leth level 2. That's the only place you get to see a Deep One underwater. The green trail that green energy bolts (sonic) leave behind underwater look rather neat with the arcing attack - you don't see this on land.

 

By the way, TFTD super human is a actually few notches higher than UFO superhuman for some peculiar reason.

 

- NKF

 

T'leth level 3 also has Deep Ones. I'll note that T'leth isn't actually underwater.

 

And I know that TFTD superhuman is a few notches higher.

 

It's funny, I was just trying to test the terror units, and while I didn't find any Tasoth or Lobsterman Battleships in a couple of months, I did find out the mission types associated with Heavy Cruisers and Hunters. Silver linings much?

[NKF]

T'leth level 3 also has Deep Ones. I'll note that T'leth isn't actually underwater.

 

Oh yeah, forgot about level 3. I suppose you could say T'Leth is floating above sea level at this point but still flooded.

 

I sometimes wonder if Deep Ones were meant to be mainly above-water enemies or if it just turned out that way? Either way it's a pity they weren't utilized more.

 

 

And I know that TFTD superhuman is a few notches higher.

 

And a good thing too. Makes a return to UFO on superhuman feel relaxing.

 

It's funny, I was just trying to test the terror units, and while I didn't find any Tasoth or Lobsterman Battleships in a couple of months, I did find out the mission types associated with Heavy Cruisers and Hunters. Silver linings much?

 

Definitely. Like their counterparts, they were rather specialized.

 

How about any Dreadnaught sightings? Next best thing to the Battleships.

 

On wildly off-tangent note, has anyone mapped out a complete list of what abstract representations of sea creatures the various USO layouts are meant to represent yet?

 

- NKF

[magic9mushroom]

Oh yeah, forgot about level 3. I suppose you could say T'Leth is floating above sea level at this point but still flooded.

 

I sometimes wonder if Deep Ones were meant to be mainly above-water enemies or if it just turned out that way? Either way it's a pity they weren't utilized more.

 

Agreed.

 

Definitely. Like their counterparts, they were rather specialized.

 

Yeah. I never actually caught a Hunter on my first playthrough. This test was the first time I've done it.

 

Extremely odd that the Heavy Cruiser, despite its UFOpaedia entry, is NOT part of a Resource Raid mission.

 

How about any Dreadnaught sightings? Next best thing to the Battleships.

 

I looked out for them, but only found Aquatoid and Gillmen ones.

 

EDIT: I tested again, and this time I caught a Tasoth Dreadnaught.

 

Our worst fears are realised, they do use Tentaculats underwater...

[Spec]

I recently came back to this game and love that others have as well.

 

Don't give up playing the game through superhuman difficulty...

The first mission w/ gas cannons and/or harpoons will be your most difficult.

Night missions are borderline suicide w/out ion/mag ion armor.

 

Are you familiar w/ the research bugs??

It's far too easy to make a game unwinnable.

[magic9mushroom]

I recently came back to this game and love that others have as well.

 

Don't give up playing the game through superhuman difficulty...

The first mission w/ gas cannons and/or harpoons will be your most difficult.

Night missions are borderline suicide w/out ion/mag ion armor.

 

Are you familiar w/ the research bugs??

It's far too easy to make a game unwinnable.

 

I'm familiar enough with the research tree and its bugs to note the mistakes in online printouts.

 

There's only a few main ones, and they're easy to get around. All you have to do is avoid selling items that you need, like Alien Sub Construction or the MC Reader, and only research a Deep One after IBA and Plastic Aqua Armour (which you'd be rushing anyway). The Tasoth Commander was removed as a legal alien to research IIRC (not that I'd be trying).

[NKF]

I have recollections of the Tasoth commander back in ye olde days when I was using the floppy diskette version of the game (and ruining the end-game research), but since haven't been able to prove they exist with my current copy of the cd dos edition of the game. Lately I'm wondering if it was an XComutil related anomaly. Oh well, I doubt anyone will face it with any of the more recent copies of the game so it's not a worry. Just concentrate on the issue related to the Deep One after IBA and securing at least one sub construction/MC Reader sample. DPLs have the same issue, but they also have a failsafe.

 

I wouldn't worry about night missions too much since most of the recovery/assault missions will be played at such depths that pretty much turn day into night (and gets worse the deeper you go). You soon learn to adapt and move more carefully. Terror missions on the other hand benefit heaps from landing during daylight hours, so enjoy what you can. In the mean time, get used to chem. flare leap-frogging.

 

Beyond going-slow and using the sniper/scout strategy, the best tip I can probably suggest for getting through the early stages in superhuman is: When all else fails, use more firepower. Hey, it lacks finesse, but it works.

 

- NKF