Skitso's balance proposals for MS6

[Skitso]

• I really like the smaller teams! Gameplay is quicker and nothing is lost.
• With fewer units, scout and destroyer crash site maps should be a tad smaller. (You did the same with X1 back in the days)
• Scout crash sites are too easy compared to abductions and cleaner missions before.
• Observer crash sites provide too much alloys (6). Should be 2 or 3. Game still gives way too much alloys early on in general. Now that the teams are smaller, I need to craft fewer armour and weapons and the over abundance of alien materials issue is even worse than before.
• Doomsday is too static and too easy to get it into daily +0 state with no pressure.
• Averting doomsday should give player a reward. Like 2OP per 1% below 100% when it ends, or money, just something to make it feel like a small victory and give a reason to try to keep doomsday levels as low as possible.
• Still too easy to shoot down everything and complete every mission. Reduce angel range, reduce radar range, make missions despawn quicker, make the mission despawn while enroute a difficulty toggle.
• VIP elimination was one of the more tougher missions in older builds, but now it has become too easy with too much time. VIP also ran out of the "command room" for an easy kill.
• Destroyer crash sites are too easy compared to cleaner missions before it. Also, the first destroyer wasn't sebillian crew. If I remember correctly, it should always be?
  • Destroyer crash sites feel too easy even after Phase 2 starts. Crash site missions should have more enemies as you are not pressured by time limits.
• It's annoying to spend research time to autopsies when you get nothing out of it. Yeah, you get the engineering project, but it feels unsatisfying to complete a project just to get another one.
• I get operation points too fast. On day 83 I'm getting +14 each day and I already have 8 recruited supporters, doomsday is at 8 with +0 daily gain
• Laser air defense battery upgrade doesn't require alien materials (laser lance is 25/25 in comparison)
• I feel like I shouldn't be able to escape fighters in air combat.
• Raiding a delegated UFO with less than 100OP shouldn't be possible or alternatively cause panic damage if you can't pay the bill. (panic damage should have a text popup so player understands the cost)
• UFO interior walls should be significantly more sturdier. At least 2 demolition charges so you can't level the whole UFO so easily.
• Cleaner HQ was a total walkthrough! It's a mission I can prepare properly for, wait for my best units to be fully healed and research proper gear for them. The mission itself isn't time pressured like abductions or many cleaner missions so I can proceed with caution, making it just way too easy. 
  • I've had 7 casualties until day 34 and after that, none until day 110 (after cleaner base). This, for me, tells that the difficulty curve is off. As the crash sites are too easy, I can easily get into a positive spiral where my units just get better and better. 
• Cleaner HQ should do more panic damage than 1 per week. Make it 0.5 per day maybe to pressure people clearing it more quickly.

More to come..

Edited September 1 by Skitso

[Skitso]

• Landed UFO's should leave to orbit as soon as they lift off so you can't just wait for it to lift off to create a crash site instead.
• Defender UFO's feel too powerful or they arrive too soon

Edited September 1 by Skitso

[ih8california]

Adding my thoughts in RED:

On 8/30/2025 at 6:25 AM, Skitso said:

• I really like the smaller teams! Gameplay is quicker and nothing is lost.
  • Agree, so far no issues with smaller team sizes except on timed Cleaner missions
• With fewer units, scout and destroyer crash site maps should be a tad smaller. (You did the same with X1 back in the days)
• Scout crash sites are too easy compared to abductions and cleaner missions before.
  • I don't see the issue with this, scouts should be relatively easy.
• Observer crash sites provide too much alloys (6). Should be 2 or 3. Game still gives way too much alloys early on in general. Now that the teams are smaller, I need to craft fewer armour and weapons and the over abundance of alien materials issue is even worse than before.
  • I just disagree with this overall. Yes, its easy to stockpile alloys/alenium early since there isn't much use for it. but once advanced equipment gets online it is really at a premium (especially with the change to UFO delegation)
• Doomsday is too static and too easy to get it into daily +0 state with no pressure.
  • Yes, but it requires optimal play (capturing general, cleaner agent & cleaner soldier) to max OP and good rng with isolated supporters. Doomsday is a tricky thing since it either is easy to mis-manage and you get in a loop that is impossible to stop or how you describe. See comment below regarding Cleaner HQ.
• Averting doomsday should give player a reward. Like 2OP per 1% below 100% when it ends, or money, just something to make it feel like a small victory and give a reason to try to keep doomsday levels as low as possible.
• Still too easy to shoot down everything and complete every mission. Reduce angel range, reduce radar range, make missions despawn quicker, make the mission despawn while enroute a difficulty toggle.
  • I agree with this only in the context that I think there should be more ufos (especially post invasion).
• VIP elimination was one of the more tougher missions in older builds, but now it has become too easy with too much time. VIP also ran out of the "command room" for an easy kill.
• Destroyer crash sites are too easy compared to cleaner missions before it. Also, the first destroyer wasn't sebillian crew. If I remember correctly, it should always be?
  • Destroyer crash sites feel too easy even after Phase 2 starts. Crash site missions should have more enemies as you are not pressured by time limits.
  • I thought I read in M6 patch notes that sebillians first appear on 1st terror site, but I could be imagining that.
• It's annoying to spend research time to autopsies when you get nothing out of it. Yeah, you get the engineering project, but it feels unsatisfying to complete a project just to get another one.
  • Agreed, I would like to see autopsies unlock non-mandatory tech (*cough* my combat drugs suggestion *cough)
• I get operation points too fast. On day 83 I'm getting +14 each day and I already have 8 recruited supporters, doomsday is at 8 with +0 daily gain
  • Again this requires super optimal play and good RNG, but also see comment below about CleanerHQ.
• Laser air defense battery upgrade doesn't require alien materials (laser lance is 25/25 in comparison)
• I feel like I shouldn't be able to escape fighters in air combat.
  • I get where this is coming from, but there needs to be some sort of retreat mechanic, so disagree.
• Raiding a delegated UFO with less than 100OP shouldn't be possible or alternatively cause panic damage if you can't pay the bill. (panic damage should have a text popup so player understands the cost)
  • Perhaps you could get the option to either (a) spend 100 OPs or (b) permanetly reduce funding by $XX,XXX (scaling by UFO type)
• UFO interior walls should be significantly more sturdier. At least 2 demolition charges so you can't level the whole UFO so easily.
  • Yeah probably a nice QoL, but not a deal breaker.
• Cleaner HQ was a total walkthrough! It's a mission I can prepare properly for, wait for my best units to be fully healed and research proper gear for them. The mission itself isn't time pressured like abductions or many cleaner missions so I can proceed with caution, making it just way too easy. 
  • Agreed. Lore and gameplay wise P2 "The invasion" should come after you dispatch the cleaner HQ. Perhaps instead of the invasion phase starting at a fixed time, the cleaner base appears around the time that P2 starts currently does (~day 87??) and instead of generating panic, generates a fixed +5 doomsday / day (or something to that effect to prevent you from endlessly delaying). Also this solves your comment from above  
• I've had 7 casualties until day 34 and after that, none until day 110 (after cleaner base). This, for me, tells that the difficulty curve is off. As the crash sites are too easy, I can easily get into a positive spiral where my units just get better and better. 
  • I don't necessarily see anything wrong with this. The game is supposed to be competing power spikes between you and the aliens.
• Cleaner HQ should do more panic damage than 1 per week. Make it 0.5 per day maybe to pressure people clearing it more quickly.
  • See my suggestion above regarding cleaner HQ

More to come..

 

11 hours ago, Skitso said:

• Landed UFO's should leave to orbit as soon as they lift off so you can't just wait for it to lift off to create a crash site instead.
  • I'm okay with this so long as you get a (very) brief opportunity to camp a landed ufo to kill it before it goes to orbit.
• Defender UFO's feel too powerful or they arrive too soon
  • Agree with this. either delay their appearance or nerf slightly

 

[Skitso]

2 hours ago, ih8california said:

Adding my thoughts in RED:

 

My thoughts on difficulty levels are relative, so me saying for example that scout crash sites are too easy means in relation to other missions at that point of the game. Of course it should be easy as it's the first UFO, but it should be about as tough as the abduction mission just before it. Makes sense?

[ih8california]

9 hours ago, Skitso said:

My thoughts on difficulty levels are relative, so me saying for example that scout crash sites are too easy means in relation to other missions at that point of the game. Of course it should be easy as it's the first UFO, but it should be about as tough as the abduction mission just before it. Makes sense?

IMO, if anything, that's evidence to make the first abduction mission easier, since (a) it's the first mission with aliens, and (b) it's the first timed mission.

[Skitso]

1 hour ago, ih8california said:

IMO, if anything, that's evidence to make the first abduction mission easier, since (a) it's the first mission with aliens, and (b) it's the first timed mission.

Yeah, well the first abduction isn't that bad, but the second one was tough. If feel some of the first cleaner missions are relatively really tough compared to any crash site missions in phase one or two. I can just out pace alien tech too quickly and if I can just keep my troops alive, they get really good too fast.

Ideally I think veteran difficulty (the one Chris said he balances the base difficulty for) should provide a challenging but manageable experience for someone like me. (Experienced player who doesn't want to micro manage or min-max) Currently it starts just right, but gets quickly way too easy.

Edited September 2 by Skitso

[ih8california]

Honestly I feel the opposite, the 1st abduction is harder than the 2nd.

[Skitso]

24 minutes ago, ih8california said:

Honestly I feel the opposite, the 1st abduction is harder than the 2nd.

Yeah, I've noticed that the map you get has a significant impact on the difficulty level especially on abduction missions

[Skitso]

• recent sniper changes don't gel with me so well. Having a more severe movement penalty differentiated the weapon from others nicely. All snipers needed was more range, and better damage/penetration.
• Shotgun changes were not good either. You should remove/reduce penetration so it's deadly to unarmored targets but not nearly as effective to targets with armor
• I still don't like how automed works. Healing 3HP/turn means you need 10 turns to for it to make any meaningful difference at all. Maybe make it cure bleeding/stun only?
• I still don't like how Mind Shield module works either. Buffing bravery just isn't doing it for me. Change it to work like firstaid kit so you can manually break mind control.

Edited September 4 by Skitso

[Skitso]

• Just a small flavor thing, but why wouldn't Cleaner data raid mission be set to persistent? Like, it's not going anywhere, is it?
• It's too easy to collect 150-200OP in data raid missions. (At least with some maps). Maybe reduce it to 5OP per item or reduce the amount of desks?
• I'm really lacking money the first 60 days. I would push the ambush mission earlier in the campaign and move Cleaner VIP later instead.
• Snipers definitely need damage/penetration evaluation. Ballistic sniper has only 6dmg more than rifle. And with rifle you can shoot up to 3 bullets a turn. I would want to one shot human enemies semi-reliably with snipers.  
• Researches need to take longer to compensate automatic autopsies.
• UFO doors/walls shouldn't be crushable. Or is it too big issue that a lone MARS might get stuck in the UFO?

Edited September 6 by Skitso

[ih8california]

On 9/4/2025 at 4:24 AM, Skitso said:

• recent sniper changes don't gel with me so well. Having a more severe movement penalty differentiated the weapon from others nicely. All snipers needed was more range, and better damage/penetration.
• Shotgun changes were not good either. You should remove/reduce penetration so it's deadly to unarmored targets but not nearly as effective to targets with armor
  • I think the shotgun is fine honestly and don't care if it is a bit strong, since to you use it you often have to put your assault up close and personal and in harms way.
• I still don't like how automed works. Healing 3HP/turn means you need 10 turns to for it to make any meaningful difference at all. Maybe make it cure bleeding/stun only?
  • Actually I agree with this; if the intent is for it to be complementary to the med pack, I'd say:
    • (a) remove the healing entirely (just heals bleeding and stun)
    • (b) reduce weight & cost
• I still don't like how Mind Shield module works either. Buffing bravery just isn't doing it for me. Change it to work like firstaid kit so you can manually break mind control.
  • Agree. But I'd go so far to say that it should be both.

 

8 hours ago, Skitso said:

• Just a small flavor thing, but why wouldn't Cleaner data raid mission be set to persistent? Like, it's not going anywhere, is it?
• It's too easy to collect 150-200OP in data raid missions. (At least with some maps). Maybe reduce it to 5OP per item or reduce the amount of desks?
  • If we're doing this then the number of enemies needs to be toned down. Getting 10 workstations on commander usually involves yoloing 1-2 of your soldiers due to 15 agents & only five turns.
• I'm really lacking money the first 60 days. I would push the ambush mission earlier in the campaign and move Cleaner VIP later instead.
  • Yeah I agree with this, Order of missions should be something like:
    • Soldier rescue
    • Convoy ambush
    • VIP extract
    • Cleaner data raid
    • Cleaner leader elimination
    • Cleaner HQ assault
  • This makes much more sense from a story and progression standpoint.
• Snipers definitely need damage/penetration evaluation. Ballistic sniper has only 6dmg more than rifle. And with rifle you can shoot up to 3 bullets a turn. I would want to one shot human enemies semi-reliably with snipers.  
• Researches need to take longer to compensate automatic autopsies.
  • Maybe the observation should take slightly longer, but if you're talking about an increase to ALL research, hard disagree.
• UFO doors/walls shouldn't be crushable. Or is it too big issue that a lone MARS might get stuck in the UFO?

 

[Skitso]

• I really think the first destroyers should have a guaranteed sebillian crew. It's a perfect moment to introduce a new alien race and give the game a breath of fresh air. Having to fight against the same psyon/secton crew for the first three months gets stale. (and a few mantids). 
• At day 130, I still haven't seen a single sebillian. (EDIT: day 160, still no sebillian, I reported this as a bug.)
• First terror site difficulty is now just right. (Psyon/Andron)
• Angel engine update is too expensive.
• Exotic material abundance is only first 90 days. After that, it seems quite ok or evwn a bit tight. Money is still way too tight.
• Founding a new base is too expensive. Do we even need a full size bases other than the main base? Outposts could be half the cost with one third of the grid size.

Edited September 7 by Skitso

[ih8california]

On 9/7/2025 at 1:11 AM, Skitso said:

• I really think the first destroyers should have a guaranteed sebillian crew. It's a perfect moment to introduce a new alien race and give the game a breath of fresh air. Having to fight against the same psyon/secton crew for the first three months gets stale. (and a few mantids). 
  • Yeah it is very random, my current playthrough got them on 1st or 2nd destroyer; but on a previous it was the 1st terror site
• At day 130, I still haven't seen a single sebillian. (EDIT: day 160, still no sebillian, I reported this as a bug.)
• First terror site difficulty is now just right. (Psyon/Andron)
• Angel engine update is too expensive.
  • Honestly I think angels are too expensive in general, i think they should be ~250k.
• Exotic material abundance is only first 90 days. After that, it seems quite ok or evwn a bit tight. Money is still way too tight.
  • Money was almost always an issue in my current playthrough, i was good on resources until mid-late game and then i was running out of alloys of all things.
• Founding a new base is too expensive. Do we even need a full size bases other than the main base? Outposts could be half the cost with one third of the grid size.
  • Agreed. Especially since angels are 500k each and hangars are 200k each. Either reduce cost of those or a new base comes with: radar & 1 hangar.

 

[Skitso]

• Psyon/secton crews are still way overpresented. I have had one or two sebillian crews but just way too few. Also, got my first Wraith crew day ~250 when I shot the fist Cruiser down.
  • The game has to manage the crews better to provide better variety.
  • It seems the game has issues with crews as I've had odd race compositions lately. I've seen Reapers and Andron mixed in with Psyon crew which shouldn't happen I think?
• Reduce Panic operation functionality is a bit counter intuitive as you need to select the region by clicking the map. I always try to click the Supporter UI where the panic progress bar is, which currently does nothing.
• New hover SFX for Cyberdrone and Servitor is too loud and grating.
• Angels cost too much, Dragonfly is too cheap. When Phantoms become available, there's too little alien materials available.

Edited September 14 by Skitso

[Grobobobo]

On 9/4/2025 at 10:24 AM, Skitso said:

• recent sniper changes don't gel with me so well. Having a more severe movement penalty differentiated the weapon from others nicely. All snipers needed was more range, and better damage/penetration.
• Shotgun changes were not good either. You should remove/reduce penetration so it's deadly to unarmored targets but not nearly as effective to targets with armor

In general I'm really suprised that sniper rifles were buffed and shotguns nerfed. I play on commander, and the higher you go in difficulty, the worse shotguns get and the better sniper rifles get (though shotguns still had a niche during ufo sieges). That's mostly due to increased enemy health, invisible enemy hp, and increased enemy accuracy, as the riskyness of close range combat gets worse and worse, and the relative safety of snipers get more and more appealing. However, on lower difficulties i imagine this is flipped and sniper rifles just kind of become unnecessary. I wish we had the reflex modifiers for weapons again like in x1 so shotguns could be more resistant to enemy counterfire at least, but i can kinda see why that was removed. Still, ufo sites were a breeze with sniper teams on commander before the buff, i imagine they're gonna be even easier now, even accounting for the reduced squad size.
Still, I wonder if there is a way to balance these weapons even accounting for difficulty, because as is the weapon balance on commander got a lot worse lol

Edited September 14 by Grobobobo

[Bookshelf11]

On 9/14/2025 at 11:20 AM, Grobobobo said:

In general I'm really suprised that sniper rifles were buffed and shotguns nerfed. I play on commander, and the higher you go in difficulty, the worse shotguns get and the better sniper rifles get (though shotguns still had a niche during ufo sieges). That's mostly due to increased enemy health, invisible enemy hp, and increased enemy accuracy, as the riskyness of close range combat gets worse and worse, and the relative safety of snipers get more and more appealing. However, on lower difficulties i imagine this is flipped and sniper rifles just kind of become unnecessary. I wish we had the reflex modifiers for weapons again like in x1 so shotguns could be more resistant to enemy counterfire at least, but i can kinda see why that was removed. Still, ufo sites were a breeze with sniper teams on commander before the buff, i imagine they're gonna be even easier now, even accounting for the reduced squad size.
Still, I wonder if there is a way to balance these weapons even accounting for difficulty, because as is the weapon balance on commander got a lot worse lol

I actually slept on snipers quite a bit until they got buffed. Most of the game is close quarters door kicking aside from terror missions and abductions so I always found a rifle better. Shotguns need much more support though, I run a shield for every shotgun and heavily rely on suppression to get in close. I mostly run a single sniper simply to help take out priority threats. 

Snipers also have theoretical less max killing ability, you can only really hit one target per turn and it might not be a kill shot or even supress vs a rifle or shotgun who can supress multiple targets or outright kill multiple. Machineguns have a similar problem BUT they get the benefit of being really good at laying into heavy targets or supressing whole groups while being useable by a walking talk. Also the buff to the exo armour is incredible and took it from a skipped research option to instant take, being unable to be suppressed is great for a point man who can breach alongside MARS.