I agree with that, too tedious, too many steps and you can complete the game without DLC 2 that is for sure.
I have played Legacy of the Ancients since internal builds, and after release, intensively.
I have found many flaws, Saving Helena mission is not even necessary, sure , you get 900 points for researchs, but you can skip it too and get Arch. Labs and Probes and collections locations, to me it doesn’t make sense.
I think devs wanted tough battles with Ancient site missions and big rewards completing LotA content, but at the end implementation is not great. Yes, it fulfills wet dreams of players looking for OP Combos and weapons, terminator squads.
Right now you build Archaelogy labs starting February or end January, you start launching probes when you have 2 or 3 due to cost. Excavations: 3 days is a lot waiting, and after you get those 6 required ancient sites under PX control you have to send manned aircrafts…
If devs targeted those players wanting desperately OP Combos they failed because for them the steps are too many, too complicated.
In order to have a meaningful role for our succesive campaigns, the process should be changed. I would like excavations time reduced, manned aircraft not a requirement mining, OP enemies where you can use Ancient tech weapons without feeling yourself cheating, and factions want your sites, so you can trade or allow access in exchange of resources/armors… at the same time havens around increases defense force thanks to the deal.
And different missions recovering schemata, I can get in 2, 3 or 4 turns, every blueprint for new weapons using a vehicle, plus 50 SP per mission = 300 SP. It is too easy.
this is just an example:
and this is what happens when you put on pause your self restrictions, going multiclass + Ancient tech weapons, because Shard gun, Rebuke, Scyther and Scorpion are actually OP
Right now I play ancient sites against Guardians, because I love the maps, the concept, with corridors, ground elevation, the mood and the music, level designer did a great work, but I don’t manufacture weapons anymore, just Guardians if necessary.