Ok, so this game is harder than the first one.
I dislike playing games on the easiest difficulties, because I feel like I am cheating.
I dislike playing games on the hardest difficulties usually, because I feel like the AI is cheating.
So, I decided to go for a veteran run.
I am doing well, several missions in. I finally manage to research mag weapons and I am so glad for it. Just in time for a mission with mutons who have lots of health and armour. Unfortunately, I end up triggering two groups of aliens and lose one of the most experienced members of my team.
I tell myself, it's ok. I can still do this. Two minutes later, I miss a shot on the muton and the muton grenades my team. So I lose a second member. I tell myself, I can still do this. I kill the muton and move forward to the last alien group.
Another muton. I grenade the muton and then with my super-strong (but wounded) sword-wielder, I go in for the kill.
Well, I learned that mutons can deflect melee attacks and he pulverised my ranger. Two units left in the mission, one wounded.
I kill them muton, expecting the mission successful screen. Instead a faceless appears and runs towards me. I need four shots to kill it of 3-4 damage each, otherwise I am dead.
First shot. 4 damage ! I am ecstatic.
Second shot. 3 damage. I think I'm ok.
Faceless regenerates 2 damage and I think; "What the fuck ?!"
Third shot. Missed! Well, fuck!
Fourth shot. 4 damage.
Faceless regens and 4th soldier dies.
Fifth soldier dies.
Ok, all of my best troops are dead. I am restarting my campaign.
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Second try.
I play a few missions and all goes well, not one casualty and only one wounded soldier.
I start a new mission and notice the objective is far out with only an 8 turn timer, so I ask myself, can I reach it without alerting anyone ? Does hacking a system remove concealment ? I don't know. I need to try, otherwise I will fail the mission.
Ok, first move, there's a turret, so I need to take a longer route even.
I get all the way to the objective with 3 turns remaining in concealment.
I hack the objective. And lo and behold, hacking does remove concealment.
Not one, not two but all three alien groups attack me at the same time.
I knew it was over but I still fought to see how much I could do. I ended up beating all the aliens except for a sectoid, his psi zombie and the turret.
All good fun.
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I think the conclusion is that I either need to use the mod that adds four turns to all timed missions, or the mod that stops timers from starting until concealment is over.
What do you guys think ?