Laser Pistol Gifts

This is about training your soldiers' reaction stats.

Right, first off, you have to know how to access alien's inventories.

Next, you need to get a mind-controlled alien to stand on a Laser Pistol, force him to drop everything else, and hold the pistol.

Now, WHY would you want him to do this? Well, laser pistols do a LOT less damage than Heavy Plasmas. Laser Pistols cannot penetrate the front armor of Power or Flying Suits (they can penetrate the back armor, so make sure all nearby soldiers are facing the alien).

Why would you want him having ANY weapon at all? Aliens often won't move when disarmed, and won't trigger reaction shots. An alien can safely be given a laser pistol to create one-sided firefights where your reaction stats go up ridiculously fast. At no danger to yourself.

Plus, it looks pretty.

I admit, I'm sadistic. And petty. I need vengeance for all those times I plinked uselessly away at a Sectopod's armor in Superhuman. (anyone have any good techniques to down those, BTW? Other than making it shoot itself with Psi.)

Note: THE fastest way to raise reactions is using normal Pistols, if you can be bothered to carry them into battle. AFAIK, pistol rounds bounce off even Personal Armor, and barely scratch Mutons. So, make a Muton armed with a pistol face off with a soldier in armor also using a pistol, and just keep hitting end turn. Racks up reaction fire experience like crazy. EVEN if the soldier had horrible reactions in the first place! This is THE method of choice when you hired a soldier based on his high Psi Strength or whatever and he happened to have horrible reactions (even a soldier with 20ish reactions can gain lightning reflexes this way).

Once you empty the pistol clip (12 shots), you will have maxed out that soldier's chance for Reaction gains during that mission. Reload the pistol and give it to another soldier whose reactions you want to train.