Sebilian hunting & feeding methods, Melee Attack of Opportunity mechanic, Tenacious Melee feat

[gG-Unknown]

This article mostly suits to the Milestone 5 Feedback thread, but it introduces new mechanics, so it is asked by Chris, : "for new mechanics make other thread".

1. Sebilian Hunting methods

Sebilians shooting and sight is tragic, but  they adapted their hunting methods to their skills.

Sebilians often use ranged burst fire. Main purpose of ranged combat is not to kill a target (they like eat their food alive) but suppress the prey.

Sebilians use Alien flash-bang grenade (blast radius 1,5 ; Stun dmg 15 ) to suppress the prey. (every second Sebilian has one Alien flash-bang grenade)    ( The NEW Alien flash-bang grenade replaces the Alien Toxic gas grenade. Sebilians do not use Toxic gas grenades, it would spoil the food !)

Once prey is suppressed they go in and Attack Close  range.

First Succefull Sebilian's melee attack in a turn provide a healing equals to Natural Regen per turn. ( This way Sebilian can get  two healing per  turn, one from melee attack, second from Natural Regen)

2. Sebillian Feeding methods

Sebilians love live food more than anything. They do not risk kill food, prematurely. Sebilians do no shoot unarmed civilians or use precious grenade. Sebilian enjoy hunt those yummy humies in melee. Ranged combat for suppressing prey is used  only  on armed prey (armed civilians or Xenonuts). When prey is killed in melee, Sebilian could continue feeding on warm fresh corpse. (Eating a cold corpse is considered awful, so they dont do that. When there is no other armed prey in sight, Sebilian always fully eat his current warm prey. Eating is the highest  purpose of Sebilian life, so he is focused to his task. When devouring a warm prey Sebilian sight range is reduced by 6 AND cone of view is reduced by 40Degree. ) Eating action takes 40% of TU. Each eating action makes  one healing equals to a Natural Regen per turn. ( Bonus healing can be combined, so Sebilian can get  up to three healing per  turn. e.i. One  by first melee attack inn a turn, Second by eating warm fresh corpse,Third Natural Healing ). Body of prey is consumed  after two Sebilian feeding actions. Consumed Body is turned  into pulp and is not revivable in Hospital. Soldiers who are eaten has their status "eaten" in Cemetery. Sebilian can do feeding action on a corpse killed by someone else. Corpse have to die in the same or previous turn, otherwise it  is considered cold - not edible.

3. Melee Attack of Opportunity mechanic

- all characters in game, (soldiers, aliens, robots, civilans,..) get Melee Attack of Opportunity (MAO)

- any form of Unsuccessful close range attack   provoke Melee Attack of Opportunity (MAO)

Consequences: Attack which produce no damage is considered as Unsuccessful - (burst shot where at least one bullet hit for one HP is successful; armor dmg  do not count towards Successful attack - Only real HP dmg; shooting a weapon in close range and miss, provoke MAO; If the unit has no melee weapon then he has no MAO; MAO do not provoke another MAO as response)

- Melee Attack of Opportunity costs half TU of a regular melee attack

 ( Consequences: Successful Melee defender can get DOUBLE melee attacks per turn. )

- Suppressed unit loose Melee Attack of Opportunity mechanic unless they have Tenacious Melee feat

 Consequences: Sebilians and Reapers have Tenacious Melee feat.

 

4. Tenacious Melee Feat:

feat provides several bonuses which creates fearsome melee opponent

- unit  can do MAO even suppressed

- unit can do first MAO per turn for zero TU cost

- unit can do first Melee Attack per turn for zero TU cost

- unit can get up to 2 zero cost melee attacks per full turn. One as regular attack in own part of turn, second as MAO in opponent part of turn.

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Consequences: Execute capture by melee weapon of ( suppressed ) Sebilian or Reaper is dangerous. Player will try avoid any personal contact with those  melee specialists. When Melee Specialist reach the  Xenonaut he always attack at least once, player  usual response should be back pedal and try shoot from distance.

Consequences2: For balance purpose, Sebilians and Reapers gets their base TU slashed  by 10%.

Edited April 8, 2025 by gG-Unknown

[skaianDestiny]

Not gonna comment on the other stuff for now, but I do really like the idea of Sebilians having flashbang grenades or the equivalents. Suggesting in addition they should start with "Alien Flashbang Grenades" and then the tougher and more elite Sebilians have "Alien Electroshock Grenades" (going off your stats, the alien electroshock grenades would have 25 Stun and 35 EMP). This makes a similar progression and escalation to the player's tech and keeps the grenades a threat to your higher HP units and mechanical units.

[gG-Unknown]

1 hour ago, skaianDestiny said:

I do really like the idea of Sebilians having flashbang grenades

 more elite Sebilians have "Alien Electroshock Grenades" (going off your stats, the alien electroshock grenades would have 25 Stun and 35 EMP).

Why do you like the Idea ? Is it the fact that always-hungry-Sebilians would not spoil the food sound funny ?

Higher level of  alien Flash-bang tech is possible, Yes. However, add EMP damage is nonsence. Would Sebilian hunt robots to eat them ?

Edited April 8, 2025 by gG-Unknown

[skaianDestiny]

12 minutes ago, gG-Unknown said:

However, add EMP damage is nonsence. Would Sebilian hunt robots to eat them ?

Because it's an electroshock grenade and electroshock weapons deal EMP damage in addition to Stun damage? I didn't think it was that hard to understand.

[gG-Unknown]

31 minutes ago, skaianDestiny said:

Because it's an electroshock grenade and electroshock weapons deal EMP damage in addition to Stun damage? I didn't think it was that hard to understand.

I would rather keep the original idea. >> Grenades designed for hunt live food. So regarding naming lineup, I could do totally dull. Something generic like : Alien flash-bang grenade upgraded OR Alien flash-bang grenade lvl 2

Do you offer some fancy naming lineup, which do not mangle the purpose ?

Edited April 8, 2025 by gG-Unknown

[Berserk]

Personally, I prefer the idea of poisoned grenades. Who said that such grenades would render the prey inedible? There are hunting techniques in parts of Africa and South America where poison is used for hunting. Flash grenades are not a bad idea either, but I favor the concept of hunting with poison. <3

Exemple : suppress fire> bounding/flanking> throw poison nade> make hooman go sleepy sleepy> enjoy !

Edited April 9, 2025 by Berserk

[gG-Unknown]

5 hours ago, Berserk said:

Exemple : suppress fire> bounding/flanking> throw poison nade> make hooman go sleepy sleepy> enjoy !

Well, "a poison cloud" which makes you sleep is simple smoke. It makes stun dmg so victim fall unconscious, ready to be eaten.

Do you recommend a poison cloud which is a smoke with other colour ?

[Berserk]

23 minutes ago, gG-Unknown said:

Well, "a poison cloud" which makes you sleep is simple smoke. It makes stun dmg so victim fall unconscious, ready to be eaten.

Do you recommend a poison cloud which is a smoke with other colour ?

Yeah why not, make multiple tools for the snake BOIS like green poison with health damage (the one we already have) , another one like blue or purple to make hoomans go sleep sleep, flash bangs  and catch nets !

Edited April 9, 2025 by Berserk