Shields and Grenades

[Amaror]

So i watched a few Let's Plays of the new Xenonauts builds recently and they got me back into the game.

What i noticed was that nearly everyone thought that shields and grenades were pretty useless. I then tried them in my game. And... Man They're Amazing!

Expecially the Shield/Grenades Combo is fantastic. I can't tell you how many times this made an otherwise unwinnable battle into a piece of cake.

I usually have 2 Snipers, 4 riflemen, and 2 assaults with pistol and shield combo combined with a shotgun and stunrod in the backpack to storm ships and in case the enemy gets too close up.

And it works beautifully. Every time the enemy gets all hunkered up, with few cover for me to use i just get an assault with shield and a riflemen hiding behind him, slowly creeping towards the enemy. Since the Shield is absolutly amazing, my soldiers nearly get no damage this way and once they are in range, i just throw grenades at the enemy and they're toast. At least i didn't encounter an enemy that can withstand two alenium grenades yet.

So:

What's your opinion on grenades and shields?

[CheftonUTD]

Yeah I use grenades and shields as a large part of my tactics, my squad is 2 Assault (shields), 4 Riflemen, 1 Machine Gunner and a Sniper. Everyone gets at least one of each type of grenade and the Riflemen get C4 too (recently found using it as a grenade can work quite well).

I'm a bit undecided on the gas grenades, sometimes they've been great and other times they seem to do nothing at all.

[Akrakorn]

I'll just say that the Commander (from the first batch of soldiers) with the highest kills is the guy who uses shield + baton/grenades. Yeah, it's wicked.

[Xintrosi]

I usually use a "Combat Scout" class that is equipped with a shield/pistol combo with plenty of grenades on hand. He even carries a second shield in his pack in case the first one is too trashed to continue. 2 Combat Scouts, 1 Heavy, 1 Rocketeer, 2 Snipers and 2 Riflemen. Riflemen get a bunch of grenades and c4 (to be lobbed as grenades). All classes except rocketeer get some grenades, and as it currently stands I'm considering turning the rocketeer into another rifleman for more grenade action.

[MellowJello]

Shield/pistol all the way. There's an exploit to save TUs that involves dropping the pistol, throwing a grenade, then picking up the pistol. Saves 9 TUs if I remember right, compared to throwing it with gun in hand.

The thing that people hate about shields and grenades is how underwhelming they seem to be. Shields sometimes let a plasma shot through, which always means plenty of pain for the guy behind it, while regular (non-alenium) grenades don't blow up cover well and don't guarantee a kill.

[Ol' Stinky]

You know that frag/alenium grenades destroy equipment, right? Personally, I don't use frag/al rockets and grenades for that reason. I hate blowing up money.

Shields are still good, though, it's just that I have shieldbearers use flashbangs and smokes, and give them a stun baton to boot. I wouldn't try an alien base without a couple of shieldbearers, that's for sure.

[TrashMan]

My shieldbearers carry lots of smoke and flashbangs + a regular grenade or two and a stun batton.

Smoke is your friend. Nothing ensure safe deployment from a Chinnok or safe approach better than a smoke grenade.

As a general rule, If there is a tough enemy, I will weaken him with a greande, but I refrain from actually killing with a grenade unless I REALLY have to.

Money is tight. Very tight.

[Sentelin]

I do exactly as Ol'stinky.Only flashbangs and smoke grenades and in just extreme situation i use frag/alenium or rockets (well i usually use rockets to blow heave cover and hopefully suppress aliens behind it)shields are great but i don't have more than one shield barrier at my squad.

[Amaror]

You know that frag/alenium grenades destroy equipment' date=' right? Personally, I don't use frag/al rockets and grenades for that reason. I hate blowing up money.

Shields are still good, though, it's just that I have shieldbearers use flashbangs and smokes, and give them a stun baton to boot. I wouldn't try an alien base without a couple of shieldbearers, that's for sure.[/quote']

yeah i know that it destroys equipment, but as i said i just use this tactic just in otherwise nearly impossible situations, were i would loose at least one xenonauts without the grenades. And a couple of bucks it not worth an experienced badass xenonaut

Edited September 11, 2013 by Amaror

[Akrakorn]

A shieldbearer/heavy machine gun combo is also very deadly. Just use the shieldbearer as a human cover and let the guy behind him spray hell on your enemies. Make sure to give the shieldbearer at least a Wolf armor, though. Shields aren't reliable 100%.