Managed to progress in the storyline a bit more last weekend. While I still like the game, the rules and missions require more and more work and personal rulings from my POV. Anyway, after having now six crewmembers available, we effect the assault team rules, which slows down progression significantly, since usually we seldom come away from a mission without consequences... Further, do the two new guys start with one specialisation as well? Or do they start from scratch? Anyway, can someone enlight me, how to achive the 1 intelpack reward for getting to Phase 2, without raising the alarm? Even as we ruled, that Uma using a silenced pistol from hidden state does not raise the alarm, if her target is killed, I still can't imagine, that you will be able to achive this. Comments are welcome. We had Trisha in the mission, so Cadin berserker charging was out, the only other possibility I can see to take the Cadmuses out of the game in one activation. Trisha and Duchess are golden for this one by the way. The two lugged all six powercells onto the stalker on their own.
When does Phase 2 even begin? As far as I can see there are no trigger for it. I assume it's supposed to be when you open Security Door 1. But yeah you have to kill one in a single activation while staying out of LoF from the others using either CC or silenced weapon (or hacking but these calibans are not hackable until they morphscan). She doesn't actually need to be in Hidden state, just use silenced weapon (but you probably want to due to the 2 extra hits). I think you can avoid killing at least one of them, maybe even 2 by staying out of LoF, but you will need to kill at least one (either center or right side).
Oh btw, you don't actually need to kill in one activation. Is not until an enemy finishes its activation alive that the alert is raised so theoretically you could bring it down to 1 hp and finish it off in the ftf when it attacks back. Not something to count on but worth keeping in mind.
Phase 2 beginns, when you open the security door one. If I am not mistaken. As far as I can see, you will need to kill the two Cadmus outside of the purple building, otherwise someone will spot Jazz or Billy on the way to consol one. Optimum move would be in my opinion, to rush with Uma in hidden state to the Cadmus guarding the building with the consol and leave Cadin in waiting and striking distance to the Cadmus outside near the deployment zone. Then Uma kills the first guard out of sight of the DZ guard and Cadin rushes in and rips the other one apart. Then the hacking team can rush to the consol and next turn both assasin can eliminate the guard in the building. Last part might not be neccessarry, depending on how you read the rules. RAW you only check if you are in LOS at the end of characters activation, if I am not mistaken. Only dependent on the right dicerolls.... We were missing Cadin in our mission and Uma failed to kill the first target near the deployment zone, so everything fell back to plan B...
Our current party doesn't have a CC beast like Cadin, but it looks like "no raising alarm" is doable with just Jazz and Billie alone: - Synchronized Rem always activates immediately before or after controller. - Enemy gets an AI card and initiative if it has LOF in 1-8 range at the end of character activation (synchronized rems are considered characters) - Alert level rises only after the end of ENEMY activation. So: 1. Billie just runs into a bush on B05 (just have to stand as far away from Jayth as possible since he has a Visor, edge of the bush is exactly 9 tiles from him) 2. on turn 2 stands next to a console 3. Jayth sees him and gets AI card and Initiative, but he CANNOT activate yet since controller ALWAYS activates before or after sync rem 4. Jazz hacks console, getting AA guns offline and opening the door 5. Jayth activates and kills Billie 6. Alert goes off. The only downsides would be - Jazz is stunned and all 3 Cadmuses will most likely get to morphoscan.
If you ask me, it's a trap. We tried to, used heavy meta-gaming and managed to pull it off (though because of the CB-like rules, I am not sure, if we played every bit correctly). But ... and that's the part because of which I think, it's a trap ... you loose one "Drop Alarm Level by 1". At least if I remember it correctly. So, if you pull it off and get the Intel Pack, the Alarm level will eventually reach max level and you have to face red Enemies. If you skip this one goal and forgo the Intel Pack, the Alarm level never reaches max and you can fight blue Enemies. So if you ask me ... Skip this goal.
