Difference between revisions of "Brainsucker (Apocalypse)"

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(quick tests shows thru-wall detection, not 100% sure on its detection range, but 5 cells was the usually limit to activate.)
 
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{{Ref Open | title = Brainsucker}}[[Image:Brainsucker_(Alive).jpg|right]]
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The life span of a Brainsucker is very short, eight hours at most. It has no reproduction or feeding system. Instead it attacks human victims by grasping the head with its claws and inserting its proboscis into the victims throat. The Brainsucker dies immediately after a successful attack, but our tests reveal that the victim is subsequently transformed into an Alien controlled entity. We will not understand the mechanism which causes this until we have completed studies on the full Alien life cycle.
 
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{{Ref Close | source = X-COM Apocalypse Ufopedia}}
 
  
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{{Ref Open | title = Brainsucker Autopsy}}[[Image:Brainsucker_Autopsy.jpg|right]]
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Combat tactics = how IT fights, not how X-Com should fight it.
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This life form appears to have a simple structure with no distinguishable organs apart from an efficient heart and cardiovascular system. There appears to be no means of ingesting food or separate brain structure rendering it immune from Psionic influence. It seems that this creature has little purpose in life except that it is known to attack humans and seems to be designed to do only that. Its complex organic structure may be useful for developing toxins to counter any threat to our race.
 
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{{Ref Close | source = X-COM Apocalypse Ufopedia}}
 
  
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-->
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[[Image:Life-Pedia-BrainLV2-(Apocalypse).png|right]]
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The life span of a Brainsucker is very short, eight hours at most. It has no reproduction or feeding system. Instead it attacks human victims by grasping the head with its claws and inserting its proboscis into the victims throat. The Brainsucker dies immediately after a successful attack, but our tests reveal that the victim is subsequently transformed into an Alien controlled entity. We will not understand the mechanism which causes this until we have completed studies on the full Alien life cycle.  ''From: Apocalypse Ufopaedia''
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'''Brainsucker'''
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<table><tr><td>[[Image:Life-Isom-BrainSuck-(Apocalypse).png|left]]</td><td>
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* Grown-In Weapon = special
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* Health = 20
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* Speed / Time Units = 90
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* Accuracy = 100
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* Reactions = 5
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* Stamina = 70
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* Strength = 10
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* Bravery = 100
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* Armour&sup1;: 5/5/5/5/5/5
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* Psi Energy = 0
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* Psi Attack = 0
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* Psi Defense = 100
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* Size = small
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* Inventory = no
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* Movement = ground
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* Infiltration Influence = weak
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* Score = 4</td></tr></table>
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&sup1; armour values : Head/Body/Left Arm/Right Arm/Legs/Under (approximately)<br>
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''Image, top to bottom'': Pod, Alive, Unconscious, Dead.
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<br clear=all>
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[[Image:Life-Pedia-BrainA-(Apocalypse).png|right]]
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This life form appears to have a simple structure with no distinguishable organs apart from an efficient heart and cardiovascular system. There appears to be no means of ingesting food or separate brain structure rendering it immune from Psionic influence. It seems that this creature has little purpose in life except that it is known to attack humans and seems to be designed to do only that. Its complex organic structure may be useful for developing toxins to counter any threat to our race.  ''From: Apocalypse Ufopaedia''
  
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The Brainsucker will often be the first alien creature you ever see in combat. They resemble a small orange ball with eyes, thin appendages and a large proboscis. They are very weak but make up for this by being fast and can jump very high. They have no ranged weaponry, but have a lethal one-off close combat attack. Their primary means of attack is the element of surprise and carelessness.  
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A quick, small orange ball with protruding legs and a thick, short proboscis.
  
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Their sole purpose in combat is to jump on and attach itself to the head of an [[Agents (Apocalypse)|X-COM agent]] and inject [[Micronoid Aggregate (Apocalypse) | Micronoids]]. This seizes permanent control of the host's brain. The Brainsucker will immediately die after this procedure. There is a small chance that this attempt may fail.  
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A Brainsucker appears when it hatches from a Brainsucker Pod.
  
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Be aware that [[Personal Disruptor Shield|shields]], the agent's psionic defense and helmet type do not play a part in defending against a Brainsucker attack. Androids can be brainsucked, but are effectively immune because Brainsuckers will not actively target them.  
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'''Infiltration'''<br>
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An alien infestation spreading across the city from the initially infested building will have loose brainsuckers only early on, since their lifespan is very short. Brainsucker Pods will provide more brainsuckers when needed when fired from a Brainsucker Launcher during a battlescape mission. A launcher will be always be used in every encounter with aliens when fighting Anthropods or Skeletoids.<br>
  
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Brainsuckers are carried into combat as [[Brainsucker Pod|Brainsucker Pods]] and are launched from a [[Brainsucker Launcher]]. The pods will only hatch if it is on the ground. If agents quickly scoop up and store the pod in their backpack, the pods will remain inert. This is a most effective strategy for agents to control the propagation of new brainsuckers. An agent can later thrown the pods out one at at time to safely dispose of the brainsuckers. Recovering the pods also allow ull access to all biochemistry topics on the Brainsucker.
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'''Combat'''<br>
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[[Image:Life-EquipIcon-BrainSuck-(Apocalypse).png|frame|Unit|left]] A Brainsucker is immune to psionics.
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[[Image:Brainsuck-Action-(Apocalypse).png|frame|right|Brainsuck<br>Action]]
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A Brainsucker is an extreme threat since it relies on surprise and can jump upwards to four levels high when trying to grab the head of a victim to attempt a brainsuck. Brainsucker Pods on the battlescape may break open (hatch) when detecting a suitable victim nearby. Many hatching at once can overwhelm a small X-Com squad.<br>
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Brainsuckers do not have any grown-in offensive weaponry of any kind but have a special ability of being able to permanently make human or hybrid X-Com agents 'change sides' and fight with the aliens against X-Com. A successful conversion is not always the outcome since a brainsuck action may fail randomly, irrelevant of headwear worn by the victim. If a brainsuck attempt succeeds or ends in failure after successfully grabbing and holding the head, it is always fatal to the brainsucker. <br>
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A Brainsucker does not actually 'suck brains'. It attacks the throat.<!--avoid saying why--> A brainsucker cannot grab onto a victim's head if there is not enough room to do so (eg: an overhead structure, doorway, a flying agent directly under an overhang, etc.) or if the potential victim is too high off the terrain. Access to the throat area is not possible if an agent is laying on the ground since the Brainsucker's proboscis is too short to reach. If any attempt is made and it cannot grasp the head, the brainsucker may briefly fall unconscious. If it cannot successfully latch onto a victim's head (eg: the victim is running or weaving through obstacles) it will expend all its stamina from chasing and jumping many times.<br>
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Android agents are not targeted by brainsuckers or detected by pods whereas civilians, defence forces and mind controlled aliens may be detected however, they will not be targeted for a brainsuck.<br>
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A loose Brainsucker Pod will instantly hatch a single Brainsucker if any human or hybrid is detected typically within a five-cell radius on the same level. Detection works through walls.
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<br clear=all>
  
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The threat from Brainsuckers varies wildly depending on the game mode. In Real Time focus fire and grenades on a charging Brainsucker will almost always deal with it. In Turn Based however Brainsuckers are a major threat because they can easily charge from outside your vision right up to an agent in one turn. Advancing slowly so that you have TUs left for large amounts of reaction fire can deal with them. Autocannons with HE ammo are very effective against Brainsuckers in both modes, since their low HP means a HE blast anywhere near them will usually kill them, but their ability to reaction fire with explosives really shines in TB. Proximity bombs (available from Week 2) can be a very effective way of dealing with Brainsuckers if you suspect they're around. Depending on terrain, you can use Androids to block doors and corridors to protect your human agents. Scouting with Androids is recommended so that you don't have a vulnerable agent ahead of your main force. If you kill an alien with a brainsucker launcher be sure to grenade the corpse or pick up the pods before you end turn, since they will hatch at the start of the alien turn.
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'''Resistance'''<br>
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Brainsuckers are resistant to stun gas and stun grapples.
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Brainsucker research is a critical step for understanding alien infiltration.  
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[[Multiworm_Egg_(Apocalypse)|Next: Multiworm Egg]]<br>
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[[Alien_Life_Forms_(Apocalypse)|Return To Start]]
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<br clear=all>
  
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== Notes ==
 
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* An agent in mid-suck cannot access his or her inventory directly. To get around this, access the inventory of another agent and click on the victims portrait to access the inventory screen. 
 
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* In RT the best way to defend against a Brainsucker in mid-suck is to have all nearby companions shoot the brainsucker off ''post-haste''! 
 
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** Another option when wearing a full suit of armor is to get the victim to use a light explosive. Either by way of an AP grenade or firing an HE Autocannon shell at the adjacent tile or wall.
 
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* In TB brainsuckers are significantly more dangerous. They can be dealt with with copious amounts of reaction fire or proximity bombs.
 
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** Autocannons with HE ammo are extremely useful for dealing with Brainsuckers, since they can reaction fire and Brainsuckers' low HP means you only need to hit somewhere close.
 
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* Brainsuckers always stun themselves silly when they attempt to jump onto an agent that is lying prone. This works in both RT and TB combat.
 
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* Brainsuckers may have trouble jumping on agents in low doorways.
 
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* On maps with very high elevations, flying can put agents out of the reach of brainsuckers. They can still jump fairly high, so fly as high as the map will allow.
 
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* As mentioned in the description, brainsucker pods will not hatch if held.
 
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**The battlescape trick of combining clips can be used to create a composite pod out of many for easier storage in case your agent does not have enough room.
 
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***Note that as with the clip combination trick, you will still be carrying the same amount of weight as the number of pods you've combined. They only take up less inventory space. 
 
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***Empty (0 ammo) pods won't hatch, but to be safe you can make them vanish by loading them into a brainsucker launcher.
 
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
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* [[Aliens (Apocalypse)|Aliens]]
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* [[Engaging_the_Enemy_(Apocalypse)#Aliens_With_Grown-In_Weapons|Anti-Alien Combat Tactics]]
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* [[Alien Life Forms (Apocalypse)|Alien Life Forms]]
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* [[Unit_Stats_(Apocalypse)|Unit Attributes]]
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* [[Brainsucker Launcher]]
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* [[Biochemistry|Research]]
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** [[Brainsucker Pod]]
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* [[Innate_Weapons_(Apocalypse)|Grown-In Weapons]]
  
  
 
{{Unit Navbar (Apocalypse)}}
 
{{Unit Navbar (Apocalypse)}}
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[[Category: Apocalypse]]
 
[[Category: Apocalypse]]
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[[Category: Aliens (Apocalypse)]]
 
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[[Category: Research (Apocalypse)]]
 

Latest revision as of 17:16, 29 October 2023

Life-Pedia-BrainLV2-(Apocalypse).png
The life span of a Brainsucker is very short, eight hours at most. It has no reproduction or feeding system. Instead it attacks human victims by grasping the head with its claws and inserting its proboscis into the victims throat. The Brainsucker dies immediately after a successful attack, but our tests reveal that the victim is subsequently transformed into an Alien controlled entity. We will not understand the mechanism which causes this until we have completed studies on the full Alien life cycle.  From: Apocalypse Ufopaedia

Brainsucker

Life-Isom-BrainSuck-(Apocalypse).png
  • Grown-In Weapon = special
  • Health = 20
  • Speed / Time Units = 90
  • Accuracy = 100
  • Reactions = 5
  • Stamina = 70
  • Strength = 10
  • Bravery = 100
  • Armour¹: 5/5/5/5/5/5
  • Psi Energy = 0
  • Psi Attack = 0
  • Psi Defense = 100
  • Size = small
  • Inventory = no
  • Movement = ground
  • Infiltration Influence = weak
  • Score = 4

¹ armour values : Head/Body/Left Arm/Right Arm/Legs/Under (approximately)
Image, top to bottom: Pod, Alive, Unconscious, Dead.

Life-Pedia-BrainA-(Apocalypse).png
This life form appears to have a simple structure with no distinguishable organs apart from an efficient heart and cardiovascular system. There appears to be no means of ingesting food or separate brain structure rendering it immune from Psionic influence. It seems that this creature has little purpose in life except that it is known to attack humans and seems to be designed to do only that. Its complex organic structure may be useful for developing toxins to counter any threat to our race.  From: Apocalypse Ufopaedia

A quick, small orange ball with protruding legs and a thick, short proboscis.

A Brainsucker appears when it hatches from a Brainsucker Pod.

Infiltration
An alien infestation spreading across the city from the initially infested building will have loose brainsuckers only early on, since their lifespan is very short. Brainsucker Pods will provide more brainsuckers when needed when fired from a Brainsucker Launcher during a battlescape mission. A launcher will be always be used in every encounter with aliens when fighting Anthropods or Skeletoids.

Combat

Unit

A Brainsucker is immune to psionics.

Brainsuck
Action

A Brainsucker is an extreme threat since it relies on surprise and can jump upwards to four levels high when trying to grab the head of a victim to attempt a brainsuck. Brainsucker Pods on the battlescape may break open (hatch) when detecting a suitable victim nearby. Many hatching at once can overwhelm a small X-Com squad.
Brainsuckers do not have any grown-in offensive weaponry of any kind but have a special ability of being able to permanently make human or hybrid X-Com agents 'change sides' and fight with the aliens against X-Com. A successful conversion is not always the outcome since a brainsuck action may fail randomly, irrelevant of headwear worn by the victim. If a brainsuck attempt succeeds or ends in failure after successfully grabbing and holding the head, it is always fatal to the brainsucker.
A Brainsucker does not actually 'suck brains'. It attacks the throat. A brainsucker cannot grab onto a victim's head if there is not enough room to do so (eg: an overhead structure, doorway, a flying agent directly under an overhang, etc.) or if the potential victim is too high off the terrain. Access to the throat area is not possible if an agent is laying on the ground since the Brainsucker's proboscis is too short to reach. If any attempt is made and it cannot grasp the head, the brainsucker may briefly fall unconscious. If it cannot successfully latch onto a victim's head (eg: the victim is running or weaving through obstacles) it will expend all its stamina from chasing and jumping many times.
Android agents are not targeted by brainsuckers or detected by pods whereas civilians, defence forces and mind controlled aliens may be detected however, they will not be targeted for a brainsuck.
A loose Brainsucker Pod will instantly hatch a single Brainsucker if any human or hybrid is detected typically within a five-cell radius on the same level. Detection works through walls.

Resistance
Brainsuckers are resistant to stun gas and stun grapples.

Brainsucker research is a critical step for understanding alien infiltration.


Next: Multiworm Egg
Return To Start


See Also


Apocalypse InsigniaX-COM: Apocalypse All Units
X-Com: Agents • Technical Personnel
Aliens

Brainsucker • Multiworm Egg • Multiworm • Hyperworm • Chrysalis • Anthropod • Spitter • Popper • Skeletoid • Micronoid Aggregate • Megaspawn • Psimorph • Queenspawn • Overspawn •

Population Police • Cultist • Gangsters • Building Security • Corporate Hood • Civilians
Others Sectoid
Reference Attributes Of All Units
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