I would like to see all of the original aliens in the game but I would like to some minor changes to them to make each one a little more unique. Some of this is already in the old game in some form, some is not.
• Sectoid
I see Sectoids as easy kills that killed a lot of my guys on my turn by catching them by surprise with reflex. One of the 2 Psi races, but lesser Psi strength. Instead of mind control I invasion them has having an awareness that gives them initiative. They are the closest thing in strength to humans but there real danger comes from their abilities to get the first shot off more than not.
- Week even fragile enemy, no armor = very easy to kill
- Moves slow and cautious, weak and only carries light gear = very easy to hunt down
- High reflex with only standard accuracy, likes to hide and ambush = They will likely fire first
- Ability 1: Night vision. Darkness does not reduce line of site or provide cover
- Ability 2: Psychic Perception. allows them to sense nearby enemies through terrain and behind walls. (That cannot cause reflex, but can allow them to shoot through a wall on their turn.)
• Cyberdisc (Support Unit)
I see Cyberdiscs as natural compliments to sectoids. They are stronge, fast moving and accurate weapons platforms that close quickly and drive enemies to seek cover… where the sectoids are hiding. I imagine them closing fast and firing a beam weapon like star trek phasers or masseffect reapers that tracks after a single target in as sweeping weapon that hones in on a target until it is destroyed. The Cyberdisc is a hunter that tends to attack only one target ignoring others until that target is destroyed or out of site. (hints you running inside)
- Light armor but shielded, hard to kill, but susceptible to critical hits = hard to kill, but you could get lucky.
- Move very fast and very direct, has a medium weapon mounted. mix of firepower and reduced weight for speed
- No reflex. But fires very deliberately and very accurately = Enemies may fire first and they better make it count.
- Ability 1: flight. They are airborne making them excellent scouts and search and destroy support units
- Ability 2: Shields. While not as effective as actual armor, shields recharge while armor does not so if it takes damage and survives you may have to start all over. Also shields are much lighter and do not reduce movement.
• Floater
I see Floaters much like sectoids, but where sectoids hide in cover and are “aware of the enemy”, Floaters cautiously scout out the enemy and attack from unusual or elevated locations. Imagine them clearing a warehouse by floating over instead of searching the isles, they look for hard to reach sniper spots that provide cover and line of site without a natural entry point by foot, and float over entryways where you might not see them when you enter.
- Week even fragile enemy, no armor = very easy to kill
- Moves slow and cautious, weak and only carries light gear = slow but maneuverable
- Medium reflex with only standard accuracy, search from high places or perch in hard to reach places = they will hunt you and be hard to find.
- Ability 1: flight. They are airborne making for a very different plan off attack
- Ability 2: Sniper shot. Normally not very good shoots, but don’t give them too much of an opportunity. (holds fire one turn to increase accuracy the second.)
• Reaper (Support Unit)
I see Reapers as another good off set. Perfectly complement floaters ranged attacks from the air by making you look close at the ground. Like a small T-REX these monsters run in quickly and bite you in half. (Idea credit to Wuzzell) Suggested that they be more narrow and hunt in packs like raptors more than T-Rex.
- Very durable but not by armor or shields… there just that tough. = Most health of all the aliens. No criticals, because there is no chance of finding a hole in none existent armor.
- Moves fast and direct, has no weapons but the mouth. = Yep like a T-Rex
- No reflex because it has no range. High accuracy. = the best defense is distance.
- Ability 1: Pack mentality. Causes Reapers to hunt together giving a small speed boost of frensy when persuing the same target as another reaper (Idea credit to Wuzzell)
• Snakeman
I see as perhaps the best shot of the standard soldiers because their movement does not move there torso so they maintain steady aim at all times as if they are a living tripod. It also allows the support of formidable armor. However the stability comes at a price as well. They lack of legs makes stairs and especially ladders more difficult.
- Moderately Tough with Medium armor = Significantly tougher then sectoids and floaters
- Medium speed, medium weapons = well rounded speed and fire power
- Medium reflex, High accuracy. = best shots of standard forces but ethereals, very direct assults
- Ability 1: Mobil assault. Fire while moving (move, fire, move in any order with no accuracy loss)
• Chryssalid (Support Unit)
I see these like fast moving armored zombies! Lol, Joy of joys! Run little soldiers RUN!!
Snake men are traditional paired with these but they are really good with anything but Sectoids. Being that the last place you want to be is in a building with Chryssalid and Sectoids so you would tend to stand outside and just blow the buildings up with grenades and rockets rather than go inside. Chryssalids are like zombies they just run around killing anything human and making more. Your soldiers are no more or less a target than civilians and if you map runs long you can be overrun quickly. They are widely considered the scariest support unit unless you can fly.
• Tough with Heavy exoskeleton (armor) = you will need firepower to take them down not just a built to the head.
• Very fast! lethal weapons = one tough and your gone
• No reflex because of no range, 100% accuracy. = don’t let them touch you at all cost
• Ability 1: Spawn. Infect an adjacent human turning it into an easily killed slow moving “zombie” which is immune to stun or capture until killed. When killed it becomes a Chryssalid unless killed with fire of some sort.
• Muton
I see Mutons as the true back bone of the Alien assault force. They are tough fast and heavily armed with no real weakness. Not particularly smart but known to received tactical assistance from Etherreals by psychic connection.
- Tough with heavy Armor = second highest health and defense of standard force units
- Moves Fast, strong and carries heavy weapons = super human strength and endurance
- medium reflex, medium accuracy = They varied tactics
- Ability 1: Superior Resistance. Armor piercing and incendiary effects are voided (meaning that most attacks with Armor piercing and incendiary would do less damage than normal attacks after bonus is lost!)
• Celatid and Silacoid
Celatid is an acid sniper worm and Silacoid is target practice. I would remove them both in support of using other more interesting aliens. I would consider Thin man as Muton primary support or allow any other primary to support Mutons.
• Ethereal
I see Ethereals as floating death. They are the height of alien dominance and undisputed leader of their forces. They have extremely strong mental power that makes many of their offensive and defensive abilities impossible to copy.
- Very tough and strong mental shields = highest health and defense of standard force units
- Moves Fastest standard unit, they levitate heavy weapons with them.
- Very High reflex, Very High accuracy = they lethal with weapons too.
- Ability 1: Psychic Vision. Allows them to sense enemies without regard to light, through terrain, and behind walls even at a distance. (This ability cannot cause reflex, but can allow them to shoot through a wall on their turn. Does not allow for mind control)
- Ability 2: Telepathic levitation. allows it to move without being hindered by anything less than full cover terrain when moving and can fire while moving (move, fire, move in any order with no accuracy loss because they support the weapon with their mind)
- Ability 3: Mental Shields. Due to their mental strength they are capable of creating mental shields that are superior to actual armor, mental shields recharge whenever the ethereal is not stranded by combat (attack or defense, so keep on them)
- Ability 4: Mind control. Your unit is theirs for a turn; a failed attempt may still cause the unit to panic.
• Sectopod (Support Unit)
An alien tank/walker usually used to support Ethereals. It’s what you would expect but really if you have ethereals in number this unit can be removed. It might actually make more since to put 4 mutons instead so the player has a chance as sectopods are sniper tanks and really anything but Chryssalids would be a downgrade that would help the players already hurting against ethereals.
---- New Units ----
• Thin Man
I see the Than Man as another Sectoid hide and surprise unit. But unlike Sectoids they would appear as civilians until you got up close or they fired, then when you lose sight of them would appear as civilians again. These would make them really good support units for terror missions because they can hide in plan site. Good support for any primary unit and would give a very different dynamic once in a while.
• Muton Berserker
I see the Muton Berserkers as slow Reapers and a way to putt more Muton in the game.Good support for Muton and Floaters.
Any idea or thoughts? Units you would like to see?
Edit: Changed Cyberdisc to from hover to flight it would mean it would be possible to have and all air assault if floaters are in the game, which would be interesting. On top of that I believe it has been confirmed they fly but this post is a wish list so that is not really as strict concern.
Edit: Changed Reaper notes per some of Wuzzell's suggestions I agree this would make them alot scarier. ( I played the original X-com last night and it was to easy to kill them with heavy plasma and hiding just inside doorways.)
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Originally Posted by IrishSamurai
And since it's a genetically modified species, we can expect to see the native reptilian species.
A few of those drop and BAM 1/2 your team turns into alien sock puppets. Along the same lines as your idea the eggs can lay snakes that spit the same venom as the Thin Men.
