Electro-flare
The electro-flare is a light 'grenade' that provides illumination under any low light conditions.
Unlike conventional phosphor flares, the electro-flare is not chemical, but electronic. The electronics are encased in a light but durable shell that, while unable to survive the shockwave of an explosion, will protect the delicate circuitry from being damaged when thrown against hard surfaces.
The batteries used in the flares provide many hours of continuous illumination, making it a viable strategy for X-Com field personnel to retrieve and re-deploy the flares as many times as necessary.
To use it, a soldier only has to throw it to its destination, and the flare automatically activates once it lands.
This item appears in UFO: Enemy Unknown. For the Terror from the Deep equivalent, refer to the Chemical-flare.
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Hints and tips
- Incendiary munitions and flares should be brought along on any Night Missions or Alien Base Assaults. Incendiary ammo provides a compact but limited light source that can be deployed anywhere in the field as long as there's a clear path. Especially effective in wilderness missions. The electro-flares provide long-lasting, redeployable, recoverable and non-lethal lighting solutions. This makes them ideal for urban missions or in situations where fire would only hinder your progress.
- Remember: electro-flares can be recovered. While it would be ideal to give everyone a flare, or two, it is not practical and is a waste of equipment space on the troop transport. Be smart. Recover the flares as soon as you are able to win more ground. One other good strategy is to use a leapfrogging system. When approaching a flare that you wish to recover, deploy another flare further ahead so that any aliens shrouded in the darkness are not hidden from view. Then move in, recover the flare, then repeat the process.
- If you cannot decide which to bring, consider this: throwing flares increases throwing accuracy, shooting off IN rounds from an Auto-Cannon doesn't increase firing accuracy at all.
- Electro-flares are not battle scanners: If thrown beyond visual range, don't be surprised the area stays pitch-black.
