Popper (Apocalypse)

Popper

The Popper runs at high speed towards its victim and explodes when within a range of about fifteen feet. If the Popper is attacked with armor piercing, incendiary or explosive ammunition then the explosive effect is likely to be triggered. We recommend that other forms of weaponry be used against this creature in most combat situations.

Source: X-COM Apocalypse Ufopedia

Popper Autopsy

The Popper is little more than a walking bomb. Its simple brain structure means that Psionic attacks have a very low chance of success. Its body contains no obvious explosive device, although there are several chemicals mixed into the creatures stomach creating a highly unstable explosive compound.

Source: X-COM Apocalypse Ufopedia

The Popper is an extremely dangerous enemy that is functionally a homing missile with legs. Poppers are weak, but they move very fast and leave a smoke trail behind them. They have no weapons, but if they come in close proximity with any X-COM Agent, they will self destruct and cause a wide area explosion. Poppers cannot jump, but their explosions are often large enough to damage hovering units flying low.

Poppers will explode if they are killed with armor piercing or high explosive weapons. They will also explode if they bleed to death. Beam and gas weapons will kill or disable them without causing an explosion.

Like the Brainsucker, their main strength lies in the element of surprise. To defend against them, a combination of vigilance and good reactions are required. If motion scanners are available, Poppers can be easily be detected by their movement pattern. This is often a rapid straight line.

Capture

Real-Time

Capturing Poppers in RT is risky but not too hard as long as you are aware of their approach, and have the appropriate weapons and equipment.

If a Popper is a long distance away, prepare a stun gas cloud by throwing stun grenades ahead.

If the gas cloud does not work or the you spot the Popper when it is very close, a Stun grapple will knock it out in one hit. Hope that it does not miss.

Turn-Based

In TB capture is very hard, and you have to be able to see them first, or be lucky that one runs out of time units before reaching your agents. You then need a unit in range with a stun grapple. Stunning them with gas is very dangerous because you have to end turn for it to take effect, and if the popper makes it out of the cloud then you will not be able to counter it

In either mode, if a popper is chasing after a flying agent that is well out of its detonation range, it can be easily captured by dropping a stun grenade and waiting for it to fall unconscious.

See Also

• Aliens
• Alien Life Forms
• Innate Weapons