When players start an XCOM game they only have a handful of fresh soldiers who feel unprepared for the mission ahead of them. As a player progresses through the game it seems like every advance in technology or newly available resource is countered by some new weapon in the alien’s arse
The game even gives players the gear from fallen soldiers back, so they’ll be able to give the replacement soldier the dead soldier’s great armor or weapons straight away. This only works for random recruits though, letting one of the main characters die in battle will result in a game o
In the modern XCOM games, soldiers get new abilities when they advance in level (rank). This “perk” system works well, but characters can go from weak to overpowered after advancing only one rank. Gears Tactics uses a similar system, but the number of perks is greatly increased over what XCOM offers. The perks in Gears Tactics are not only more numerous, they also allow for more varied Tactical Gameplay Innovation options on the battlefield. This helps soldiers seem more unique and allows players to make soldiers more suited to a specific task or tac
Gears Tactics isn’t rogue-like the same way XCOM is, so there’s a more narrative-driven campaign. While there’s perma-death for random soldiers, that’s not the case for the main cast (Gabe, Sid, and Mikay
Yes, bullets really can pass through enemies in Gears Tactics . What this means for the player is that some of their shots can hit more than one enemy at a time, especially if they can arrange their sightlines so that two of them over
In addition to these universal options, players can effectively use skills to boost and stretch skill points. Each of the five classes have skills that add much-needed action points. For example, the Sniper’s chain Shot skill will award the shooter AP for hits; the Support can use Empower to grant bonus points to a squad-mate get their own points for reviving a friend with the Encourage passive ability; and the Vanguard’s Breach skill gives a point to any soldier canny enough to bring down a breached enemy. Spend some time exploring the skill trees to suss out what options will generate the most action points without costing on combat skills, and think about this when setting up team composition – it may be worth having a Support who, while not a damage dealer on their own, can keep every other soldier firing that bit longer with bonus AP. More points means more gunfire – keep the heat up and the battle is the player’s to
For instance, all the customization options are gender-neutral. The player can also color each piece of armor however they want. And let’s not forget the plethora of neon options to make each fighter stand out. Basically, players can make their units as flamboyant, macho or ridiculous as they w
If using Gift Bags, Indomitable can be a great Talent at second level to reduce the duration of nasty status effects. This can be further paired with Walk It Off , though this second ability also reduces beneficial stats as well. Bigger and Better and All Skilled Up are also always good Talent options for more combat skills and Civil Abilit
XCOM has more than a little tension since players have to make the most of their few turns, which often has drastic effects. If one makes a wrong move, it could come at the cost of a character they have spent hours upgrading. But with Gears Tactics , the tension is hardly there since the players’ soldiers get an extra action per turn when one of them performs an execution. The weapons in Gears Tactics are also powerful—especially those overpowered sniper rifles—so the soldiers are unlikely to
Weapons in the XCOM games are odd in that they are important, but also don’t really add anything to the game. They have names that reflect their purpose; Sniper Rifle, Grenade Launcher, and Sword are just a few examples. The weapons in Gears Tactics have names with a little more flare to them, like the Hammer of Dawn weapon that calls down a strike from a satellite. Gears Tactics has fewer weapons, but the weapons have more variety via the game’s modding system. Armor can be modded in Gears Tactics also- unlike in the XCOM ga
For starting stats go with +3 in either Strength or Finesse, +1 Warfare, +1 Scoundrel, and a Civil Ability that fits your character, like Thievery for Fane or Persuasion for Red Prince. Initial skills should include Crippling Blow for strong close-range damage, Battle Stomp to clear out areas and knockdown enemies, and Adrenaline to get bonus AP on your first action. Because the main Knight weapon is two-handed, they will have access to All In, which deals additional damage for 3 AP. If playing a human Knight, use Encourage at the start of a turn before attacks, not after as a means of spending unused AP. The same should be done for elf Knights and Flesh Sacrif
Combat ability-wise, Warfare should be taken first to boost Physical damage by a multiplicative amount. Two-Handed will be next as it grants additive damage (of all elements), and as previously mentioned also boosts the critical multiplier. Once those are maxed, consider putting a few points into Scoundrel for even more critical damage, Polymorph for more stat points, and Perseverance to restore ar