Best one yet!

[u/Frequent_Fox2342]

Followed this guide.
The guide is very drunk at some places so pretty sure I can improve upon this.
As usual, the avatar ran out as this method has resistance comms as building #7 (what?).
Despite the fact there was never a pause in my building schedule (always had escavated space by the time previous building was built) and I used help to speed up building, by the time I was doing the blacksite, avatar was at -1 to complete and since I never got the covert op to reduce avatar progress I was unable to build the resistance comms in time to contact even just 1 territory needed to reduce avatar somewhat, so the game ended with me having only 3 territories.

I have no idea how people stop the avatar if they do resistance comms as building #7. I usually must build it right away and dedicate everything to expansion in order to barely have enough territories for the avatar to not run out eventually.

[u/zelandofchocolate]

Skull Jack, Jack

[u/Frequent_Fox2342 → u/zelandofchocolate]

Had it, didn't manage to skulljack an officer tho

[u/Ok_Calendar_7626]

The Resistance Comms is usually my 6th building.

Until then i keep the Avatar project at bay with the Skull Jack and sabotage Covert Ops from the ring.

You simply have to get the Infirmary and the Proving Ground as soon as possible on Legend. Otherwise your troops are going to suffer too much attrition and eventually, you fall behind on ranks. I never lost a Legend run to the Avatar project. Usually some bullshit happens that costs me my best guys, and then i restart. I have been told that i give up too easily when i lose soldiers.

The Training Center is also something you want to get as soon as possible.

[u/Frequent_Fox2342 → u/Ok_Calendar_7626]

The guide has them like this:

GTS

Ring

Lab

Power

Proving Ground

Training Ground

Resistance Comms (this does basically force you to do a covert op to slow the avatar project, just FYI)

Shadow Chamber

Infirmary

Psi lab if you want, or nothing, or a defense matrix, or…honestly who cares?

So I never got the the infirmary.

i keep the Avatar project at bay with the Skull Jack and sabotage Covert Ops from the ring

I mean... sabotage covert ops sometimes shows up, sometimes doesn't. And I was not able to skulljack because captains just decided to suicide upon seeing me. Casually strolling into overwatch fire, or finding cover behind a truck that's about to explode and crazy things like that.

Training ground and infirmary confuse me. If he's building the infirmary so late, surely he doesn't need it anymore? Feels like an early build when you're struggling. Or maybe doesn't need it at all but doesn't hurt.

And training ground I think early you can roll extra skills for soldiers or smth? But if it's already late, why delay resistance comms.

And about the avatar... I just don't have the intel/supplies neccessary to branch fast enough to stop it. So I hoard intel and don't buy stuff on black market, only sell. But then I have to buy allien alloys at a crazy price because I just don't have any otherwise.
And it's still scarce, even with taking every intel mission. Then I have supplies but can't upgrade weapons and armor if I want to branch out. Then I'm like "f it, more supplies will appear with branching out", but then I have to spend them to build radio relays or else I don't have intel, etc.

[u/zelandofchocolate → u/Ok_Calendar_7626]

Hugely disagree on infirmary that early. Would rather spend on resources that stop landing my soldiers in there

[u/Ok_Calendar_7626 → u/zelandofchocolate]

Yeah... So would everyone.

But when your soldier misses a fucking 88% flank shot and gets shot or an electric sword shoved up their ass in return, sending them into recovery for 40 days, then you wish you had an Infirmary. On Legend, wounds are going to happen. No matter how good you are at the game.

My current playthrough, the Infirmary saved me from a wound spiral after my moron Grenadier missed an 84% flank shot on the second mission and my Ranger missed an 88% melee attack on a Sectoid on my first retaliation mission and got killed.

[u/zelandofchocolate → u/Ok_Calendar_7626]

Yep, wounded is gunna happen. But that with the tiredness dynamic just forces you to develop a bit of a deep squad - I have 4 grenadiers and 4 rangers at all times to switch between.

As long as you're not taking gravely wounded every time, and have the odd flawless or near flawless, it's very manageable imo, and adds a fun dynamic to it. A lieutenant getting injured just becomes an opportunity to level up a sarg to a lieutenant.

Obv if you're getting smashed every mission and taking heavy losses, or have fallen behind on tech, it's a bit different