Great. So 30 tiles max per turn OK for you?
This max is capped how? No matter what, no rapid clearance, no rally, no frenzy� One unit cannot move more than 30 tiles period, no jet packs and other combos? Just trying to figure out how the cap is being made.
Well, if you like to ride on bicycle with one wheel - itâs your choice. But I donât think that game balance must count such play style.
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Well, letâs start just with all running movement for 4APs. So includes Dash, Frenzy & Bloodlust (letâs leave the how of it all to later), but not jetpacking (given that the jet jump is 20 tiles for 3AP, itâs not a big deal). Also excludes AP refunds from Rally the Troops and Rapid Clearance.
A heavy/assault combo will get one past 30 with jetpack.
As I said, itâs not a big deal - it would be under + 10 (maybe under + 5, depending on how the cap is put). When you consider that current mobility is 150+, itâs peanuts.
The point is not what kind of adjustments need to be done. Iâm trying to understand what kind of mobility you want in the game, as an approximate, nice, round number.
A 30 cap is pretty hefty since this is only +5 to maximum speed. This basically nerfs all skills that allow for more movement. What about a +percentage (50%?) of the current speed of the unit.
Simple answer: both. The game is currently overbalanced in favour of the Pandas in mid-game and (by Volandâs reckoning) in favour of the players by endgame. The argument has always been that you canât have one without the other. Yes, players need âget out of jail freeâ abilities to deal with Chiron bombardments etc - but atmo, the lack of limitations on these skills ends up turning them from situational âget out of jail freeâ cards into âend game on Turn 1â cards, if you know how and opt to use them that way.
Because thatâs precisely the problem. I quote from the original post:
So @VOLAND is specifically saying that the game works fine (within his own personal limitations) until the endgame, when the way itâs designed makes FTS spamming almost inevitable.
That chimes with the experience of many others - thereâs a chorus of voices out there all saying how much they enjoy the early to mid-game, when the Pandas arenât mega-souped and you donât need FTS capabilities to deal with them: just the occasional âget out of jail freeâ play.
No-oneâs arguing that the ability of the Squad to Dash for cover or mount a limited alpha-strike against that dangerous Siren thatâs just popped up should be nerfed. The argument is and always has been that a lack of limitation on those âget out of jail freeâ abilities means that - if you allow them to - the skills and Panda ramping simply take over the game and turn it into a race towards mutually assured destruction.
Personally, I keep suggesting to the Devs that they should reconfigure the Difficulty settings and have a Superman Mode and a Tactical Mode - one without skill limitations and one with. And they should balance it for the latter, making the Pandas less âalphaâ, because the people who want to play with Supermen clearly donât mind being able to wipe an entire map in a couple of turns, so it doesnât matter to them if the Pandas are easier to kill. That way, everyone would get the game they want, and (almost) everyone would be happy.
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As I said, as a first step, the mechanics of how max mobility is established, are not that important. The max speed attribute can be reduced (it will be, actually, itâs already marked as in progress) so that skills that grant additional movement stay relevant.
And it doesnât have to be an actual cap, it can be achieved through individual tinkering with max stats, armor/augmentations bonuses and penalties, skills.
The situation is: currently a soldier can move up to 150+ tiles per turn. Does that sound right to you, or do think it should be a different number? And if the latter, what approximate, round number it would be?
Definitely anything close to across the map and back again, with even another jump across the map, is not ârightâ. Since there are major changes ahead, I donât have a number (round or square) in mind. Let me see how things shake out after the changes roll out.
Better think about some value, as when they will ask question, what would you prefer as desired speed value, you will have an answer to share in feedback. 
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If and when that happens, I hope that I will be given some information to base a value upon. Until then, I have no desire to hazard to base a value based on ether.
So, in conclusion:
- You donât agree that the current mobility is right
- You donât rely on extreme mobility yourself:
- And it turns out you donât even have an opinion on how fast soldiers should be.
What about how much damage should a soldier be able to inflict? Should the buffs allow the damage per projectile to increase 50% or less, + 100%, +200%, or >+350%? Currently itâs the last one. Is that a reasonable number, in your opinion?
I donât think itâs right to have different game mechanics for Superman and Tactic. Mechanic must be just one as Tactic.
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Well, first theyâre not different mechanics. Theyâre simply the same mechanic with skill limits enabled or disabled. So itâs essentially the same as ticking âNot Created Equalâ on XCOM2âs Second Wave Options - âDo you want Rookies created randomly or not: Yes or No?â - except in this case itâs âDo you want Skills to be limited or not: Yes or No?â
And secondly, would you rather that 30% of PPâs potential player base walks away and plays something else? Because thatâs whatâs ultimately going to happen if they donât give players such an option. Doesnât matter which end of the spectrum you opt for, the feel of the game is fundamentally different if you play with Unlimited Skill Uses as opposed to Limited Skill Uses.
But itâs actually pretty easy to set the game up so that both ends of the spectrum are satisfied. Balance it for Tactical Difficulty, so that players using Limited Skill Uses donât get crucified by the Pandas, but enable players to take the Limiter off if they like Skill Spamming. That way, I get the tight, tactical challenge Iâm looking for and Spagman gets the Superman skillfest he was so pleased to learn about:
Same game: different difficulty. Everyoneâs happy. Otherwise, either one of me or Spagetman ultimately walks away.
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BINGO! There is in my view a matter of scale and pacing that conflict with the abitions of the game. The problems with the tactical layer- IE Alpha strikeing or FTS being a MUST is reflected, i feel in the strategy layer. Itâs all too rushed and doesnât allow for the lovely bits to breathe. Like Panda evolution for example. Even if your lucky and they start with say claw and shield, i see very little experimental pandas. I see basic panda then heavy crabbie with RF H machine gun and acid launchers, spity head and a foot of armour. And in my view itâs because the time scale for the armageddon is far too short the globe too small, too few havens able to defend themselves despite their tech, resourse and manpower superiority over PP. It sometimes feels like youâre playing the tutorial before getting down to the proper game sometimes.
Turns out you are wrong, I do have an opinion. Iâm just not sharing it with anyone at the moment.
Okay, I will nibble on your baitâŚ
Care to share with us this magic bullet combo? Since I donât spend my time pencil and papering to death every conceivable combo. I play by the seat of my pants, based on past experience. And of course I am not building a blitzkrieg squad. I basically use a mix of units and builds to get me through most situations (with an odd man or two out to mix in when the need arises).
Sorry, I donât have the time or the energy for this.
Please donât get into politics?
EDIT: that last part is a plea.
EDIT2: apologies though, I mixed up my numbers - itâs increase damage per projectile to (not by) >250% (not 350%). Thatâs, for example, Reckless (+30%) + Strongman (+30%) + Sneak Attack (+100%) = 260%.
Having said that, damage per AP can be increased much, much further, especially when combined with increased damage per projectile/strike.
Mardukâs Fist: base damage per AP of weapon: 160/2= 80.
With bionic melee torso on a heavy/infiltrator with Brawler (+50%) Reckless (+30%) and Close Quarters Specialist (20%): 160 + 160 * (50%+20%+30%+100%) = 480.
480 vs 80: thatâs 6 times the base damage of the base weapon.
And you can do the same exercise with Quick Aim, Rage Burst, Adrenaline Rush. Or not.
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I can share it even when Iâm actually not playing, pure theoretical and only for science, I never did such a build:
Berserk / Infiltrator with Sneak Attack, Bloodlust, Strongman and Reckless, additionally a Sniper who do Mark for Death on the Target.
+100% from Sneak Attack
+50% from Bloodlust (maximum)
+30% from Strongman
+30% from Reckless
= +210%
= 310% overall
310% x 1,5 from MfD = 465% overall
= +365%
Edit: Ok, @Voland mixed also some numbers 
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Lol, you are right 
I remember getting the +>350% some time ago but couldnât figure it out now.
I actually forgot about Blood Lust and Mark for Death 
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