Quick questions about troop armor...

[SalsaDoom]

Hey fellas.

I haven't really found any place that shows the actual stats (weight, protection, etc) of the soldier armors, but I did search In my game, I just got the sentinel armor, and boy is it super cool. I have been assuming its better than the wolf armor in terms of protection, since... its newer. But I so far have no idea. If it is better, it kind of feels like I'm missing a suit of armor that would be jumpless, but between the sentinel and the predator in terms of protection.

So question 1: Does the sentinel have more protection than the wolf armor?

and

question 2: Anyone else feel like having nearly a whole troop of flying guys seems a bit excessive and would like a ground-based option? That's assuming the sentinel is actually superior to the wolf in terms of protection anyway.

[ViniJones]

I dont use sentinels much, I go Predator+wolf. Mind you this versions(19.7) increased damage ranges, make armor secondary at best. I buy predators so my heavies can run n gun, it increases their survival SOMEWHAT, thats true, but nothing is certain right now.

So dont go with the jumpers if you dont want to, I dont and have no problems. If a wolf get hit by heavy plasma, hes dead, so is sentinel.

Edit: In case someone actually reads this, the heavy plasma research report says something along the lines of.

"A soldier wearing jackal hit by it, might aswell not be wearing any armor at all"

This is true for any weapon the aliens use, of course the damage is random, Ive seen a soldier in jackal survive a shot from plasma pistol... from a long range once or twice. But a regular plasma rifle one-shots a jackal across the map, same as an unarmored(may not hit for 108, but 80 is pretty much the same outcome).

Edited August 27, 2013 by ViniJones

[SalsaDoom]

You playing on veteran (or above)? On normal armor is fairly effective...

I'm still pretty curious about the actual protection values though.

[SalsaDoom]

I'm going to answer my own question since it just now occurred to me that I could look in the xml files.

kinetic/energy/chemical/incendiary

Basic is 0/0/0/0

Jackal is 35/35/0/35

Wolf is 65/65/0/65

Buzzard is 50/50/0/50

Predator is 100/100/100/100

Sentinel is 80/80/100/80

So... chemical weapons? Are those in the game? (yet?)

There isn't a lot of wiggle room for a new suit of armor, although I wish there was one.

[GizmoGomez]

Why would you use wolf over sentinel?

It gives you a rebreather, meaning that you don't take damage from stun clouds, smoke, or toxin grenades (coming soon... be afraid...). It also boosts your sight range. Also, you have the option to use the jump jets should you so wish, though you're not required to.

There really are no pros to using the wolf over the sentinel (unless you're strapped for cash, in which case it's perfectly understandable).

[ViniJones]

Im playing on insane. Not many bragging rights yet though, it only increases the enemy hp in ground combat, not their damage(thank god).

All in all I stand by what I said though, Jackal doesnt stop jack shit.

The tab you show seems pretty accurate to me. Wolf stops the first shot, unless its heavy plasma that penetrates anything. Predator does offer some protection, but in a base assault scenario, that armor goes down mighty fast.

[ViniJones]

Why would you use wolf over sentinel?

It gives you a rebreather, meaning that you don't take damage from stun clouds, smoke, or toxin grenades (coming soon... be afraid...). It also boosts your sight range. Also, you have the option to use the jump jets should you so wish, though you're not required to.

There really are no pros to using the wolf over the sentinel (unless you're strapped for cash, in which case it's perfectly understandable).

All of those things are true, there is no rational reason to use wolf over sentinel. And when chemical does come along, ill use sentinel. Yes sight range is cool, but not required. Yes Im not swimming in cash as I was in 19.6. (loot price nerf sucks and so do the research times). Theres also a nasty graphic glitch I encountered with jumper armors, no crash or anything, just a BIG sprite instead of a small one.

[GizmoGomez]

Like I said; strapped for cash, perfectly understandable. It just sounded as if you wanted to use wolf over sentinel just for kicks, which I was confused about.

[ViniJones]

I wouldnt say strapped for cash, my reasons are more of time and priority, predators are there to take damage, wolves are there to survive a stray shot, 15 bonus armor from sentinel, is not worth the time spent to build(especially when you got 10 riflemen per squad or something), id much rather have more predators and plasma casters soaking the damage, while wolves stand behind them.

Im merely admitting I dont have 2,5milion bank floating around, like I did in 19.6, so I cant just build another base with 4 workshops to make sentinels and predator/plasma casters simultaneously.

[Chris]

Bear in mind the entire armour stuff got a rebalance about two weeks ago with a major boost to armour degradation, so this is most likely not the final balance of the game.

[SalsaDoom]

Well, the values aren't the issue really, more like it seems strange to me that there isn't an improved wolf armor. I'd call it Bear armor or something

It might just be my particular way of equipping troops in three broad categories of Infantry, Scouts, and Heavy Weapons. Other people might not categorize their troops that way which is why I find it missing something.

[GizmoGomez]

I see it as three tiers of armor, with a light and heavy armor in each tier.

Basic and Jackal

Buzzard and Wolf

Sentinel and Predator

[Chris]

Yes, that's correct - there are light and heavy versions of the three tiers. The upgraded Wolf is the Predator.