Mastering Chemical Warfare: A Guide to Gas Grenades in XCOM 2 (and How to Get More)
Introduction
Think about this: Your squad is pinned down. A Chryssalid lurks simply out of sight, able to pounce. A Sectopod looms, its cannon primed. Hope appears misplaced. However then, a well-placed Fuel Grenade billows out, engulfing your enemies in a cloud of noxious fumes. The Chryssalid is weakened, the Sectopod distracted, and your troopers have an opportunity to breathe. That is the ability of the Fuel Grenade in XCOM and this information will make it easier to grasp its use.
Fuel Grenades are an often-overlooked however extremely priceless device within the XCOM arsenal. They provide strategic benefits that may flip the tide of battle in opposition to even probably the most formidable alien forces. They aren’t only for dealing injury; they’re about management, manipulation, and creating alternatives to your squad to thrive. This information will discover the ins and outs of Fuel Grenades, overlaying their advantages, tactical functions, and, crucially, the best way to bolster your provide by means of typical means and, if vital, the console command.
Understanding Fuel Grenades in XCOM
Let’s delve into the specifics of what makes Fuel Grenades so efficient. In essence, these grenades ship a cloud of toxic fuel that lingers for a number of turns. This cloud inflicts poison injury to enemies caught inside its space of impact on the finish of every flip. The preliminary burst of fuel additionally has an opportunity to disorient and weaken enemies.
One of the vital vital points of their effectiveness is knowing their affect on totally different enemy sorts. Whereas the essential fuel impact can impression most natural enemies, some, like robots or these with pure resistance, can be far much less affected. Realizing your enemy is essential to deciding whether or not a fuel grenade is one of the best plan of action.
Think about, too, how environmental components affect Fuel Grenade effectiveness. Like several projectile weapon, Fuel Grenades can be affected by cowl. A grenade thrown behind full cowl could have minimal impression, because the cloud can be dispersed or blocked. Nevertheless, throwing them to flank or clear enemies hunkered down behind low cowl will show considerably more practical.
Benefits of Utilizing Fuel Grenades
The actual power of Fuel Grenades lies of their versatility. They provide a spread of tactical benefits, together with:
Crowd Management: When confronted with a cluster of weaker enemies, reminiscent of Creation Troopers or Drones, a single Fuel Grenade can disrupt their formation and considerably scale back their fight effectiveness. The poison injury whittles down their well being whereas the prospect to disorient can forestall them from taking correct pictures or utilizing particular talents.
Disabling: One of the vital vital results of fuel publicity is the weakening debuff. This debuff reduces an enemy’s goal and mobility, making them simpler to hit and fewer more likely to flank your troopers. This may be invaluable when coping with high-threat targets like Mutons or Andromedon.
Space Denial: Fuel Grenades are wonderful for controlling the battlefield. By throwing one right into a doorway or choke level, you’ll be able to drive enemies to maneuver into much less advantageous positions or delay their advance, giving your squad time to reposition or arrange ambushes.
Strategic Synergies: Fuel Grenades work exceptionally effectively together with different talents and tools. For instance, following up a fuel grenade with an explosive can create a devastating chain response, because the enemies are already weakened and disoriented. Pairing them with flashbangs can additional incapacitate enemies, rendering them nearly innocent for a flip or two.
Disadvantages and Issues
Whereas Fuel Grenades provide vital benefits, they aren’t with out their drawbacks. Cautious planning and consciousness are important to keep away from unintended penalties.
Pleasant Fireplace: The obvious threat is the potential to hurt your individual troops. The fuel cloud impacts everybody inside its radius, no matter allegiance. Keep away from throwing them into areas the place your troopers are more likely to be caught within the blast or transfer into the cloud.
Enemy Resistances: As talked about earlier, some enemies are resistant or resistant to poison injury. Robots, closely armored items, and a few alien creatures will shrug off the results of Fuel Grenades.
Restricted Provide: Fuel Grenades are a restricted useful resource. You may’t merely spam them in each encounter. Managing your stock and prioritizing their use in probably the most vital conditions is essential.
Tactical Use of Fuel Grenades
Efficient use of Fuel Grenades requires cautious consideration of the battlefield, enemy positions, and your squad’s capabilities. Listed below are some key eventualities the place Fuel Grenades can shine:
Finest Eventualities for Deployment
In opposition to Teams of Weaker Enemies: Fuel Grenades are perfect for coping with clusters of low-health enemies, reminiscent of Creation Troopers, Sectoids, or Drones. The poison injury and disorientation can shortly get rid of or incapacitate these threats.
To Flush Enemies Out of Cowl: Enemies hunkered down behind cowl are tough to hit. A Fuel Grenade can drive them to maneuver, exposing them to your troopers’ hearth.
To Debuff Sturdy Enemies Earlier than Participating: Earlier than participating a high-threat goal like a Muton or Sectopod, a Fuel Grenade can weaken them, decreasing their goal and mobility, making them simpler to deal with.
In opposition to Stationary Targets: Turrets and different stationary targets are notably susceptible to Fuel Grenades. The lingering poison injury can shortly destroy them with out exposing your troopers to direct hearth.
Positioning and Timing
The place to Throw Them for Most Impact: Goal for areas the place the fuel cloud will cowl probably the most enemies or drive them to maneuver into uncovered positions. Think about using excessive floor to extend the vary and protection of the grenade.
When to Use Them within the Flip Order: It is typically finest to make use of Fuel Grenades early within the flip, earlier than your troopers transfer into place. This lets you management the battlefield and drive enemies to react to the fuel cloud.
How one can Predict Enemy Motion: Attempt to anticipate the place enemies will transfer and throw the Fuel Grenade accordingly. For instance, if you recognize an enemy is more likely to flank, throw the grenade of their path to disrupt their motion.
Group Composition Synergies
Courses that Profit: Grenadiers are the obvious alternative for utilizing Fuel Grenades, as they will carry a number of grenades and have talents that improve their effectiveness. Specialists can even profit from utilizing Fuel Grenades, as they will use their hacking talents to weaken enemies earlier than throwing the grenade.
Skills that Complement: Skills that present further debuffs, such because the Ranger’s “Venom Rounds” or the Sharpshooter’s “Lightning Arms,” can amplify the results of Fuel Grenades.
Frequent Errors to Keep away from
Throwing them Blindly: Do not throw Fuel Grenades with out figuring out what’s on the opposite facet. This may result in pleasant hearth or wasted grenades.
Forgetting About Pleasant Fireplace: At all times concentrate on your troopers’ positions and keep away from throwing Fuel Grenades into areas the place they’re more likely to be caught within the blast.
Losing them on Resistant Enemies: Do not waste Fuel Grenades on enemies which might be resistant or resistant to poison injury. Give attention to utilizing them in opposition to susceptible targets.
Acquiring Fuel Grenades: Strategies and Methods
Buying a gradual provide of Fuel Grenades requires a multi-faceted strategy:
Typical Strategies
Buying from the Black Market: The Black Market sometimes sells Fuel Grenades. Examine the stock repeatedly and fill up when they’re accessible.
Crafting within the Proving Floor: The Proving Floor permits you to craft Fuel Grenades. That is probably the most dependable option to receive them, nevertheless it requires assets and time.
Looting from Missions: You may typically discover Fuel Grenades as loot throughout missions. Hold a watch out for provide crates and enemy corpses.
Managing Assets to Purchase Grenades
Prioritizing Proving Floor Initiatives: Give attention to researching and constructing the Proving Floor as early as attainable. This may will let you begin crafting Fuel Grenades and different priceless objects.
Investing in Related Analysis: Researching applied sciences that enhance grenade effectiveness, reminiscent of “Alien Biotech,” could make your Fuel Grenades stronger.
The “additem” Console Command: (for whenever you’re in a pinch!)
Warning: Bear in mind that utilizing console instructions may be thought-about a type of dishonest and will diminish your total gaming expertise. Proceed with warning.
Enabling the Console: To make use of console instructions, you might must allow the console within the sport settings or by means of a configuration file. The precise technique varies relying on the model of XCOM you might be enjoying.
The Actual Command: So as to add Fuel Grenades to your stock, open the console and kind: additem gas_grenade x changing “x” with the amount of grenades you want to obtain.
Understanding the Syntax: The command additem tells the sport you need to add an merchandise. “gas_grenade” is the merchandise code for Fuel Grenades. The quantity specifies what number of you need to add to your stock.
Modding for Fuel Grenades (Optionally available)
The XCOM group is extremely inventive and has developed quite a few mods that improve and broaden the sport’s options, together with Fuel Grenades.
Mods that Improve
New Forms of Fuel Grenades: Some mods introduce new kinds of Fuel Grenades with totally different results, reminiscent of stun fuel or acid fuel.
Modifying the Results: Others tweak the present Fuel Grenades, altering their injury, vary, or length.
The place to Discover Respected Mods
Steam Workshop: The Steam Workshop is probably the most handy place to search out mods for XCOM. You may simply browse, subscribe, and set up mods with a couple of clicks.
Nexus Mods: Nexus Mods is one other widespread supply for XCOM mods. It provides a wider choice of mods, however requires handbook set up.
How one can Set up Safely
At all times learn the mod descriptions rigorously earlier than putting in them. Be certain the mod is appropriate together with your sport model and that it would not battle with different mods. Again up your save information earlier than putting in any mods, simply in case one thing goes fallacious.
Conclusion
Fuel Grenades are a flexible and highly effective device in XCOM. They provide a spread of tactical benefits, together with crowd management, disabling, and space denial. By understanding their mechanics, strengths, and weaknesses, you need to use them to show the tide of battle in opposition to even probably the most formidable alien forces. Whether or not you select to accumulate them by means of typical means or resort to the console command, mastering using Fuel Grenades will considerably enhance your possibilities of success in XCOM. Experiment, adapt, and discover the methods that work finest for you. Good luck, Commander.
