S.H.I.V. (EU2012)

Models

All S.H.I.V.s come with a chaingun by default. The weapon is automatically upgraded to the best available based on Foundry research.

S.H.I.V.

HP	10
Will	0
Defense	20
Aim	70+25

Alloy S.H.I.V.

The Alloy S.H.I.V. is an upgraded model that can be used as a portable low Cover by XCOM soldiers.

HP	18
Will	0
Defense	20+10
Aim	70+25

Hover S.H.I.V.

The Hover S.H.I.V. is capable of limited flight similar to the Arch Angel armor.

HP	18
Will	0
Defense	20+20
Aim	70+25
Flight Time	?

Foundry Upgrades

• S.H.I.V. Suppression
• S.H.I.V. Laser
• S.H.I.V. Plasma
• S.H.I.V. Repair
• Advanced Repair
• Advanced Flight

Advanced Construction (unknown)

Bugs and Work-arounds:

(10/16/12): This section won't go into the use or types of SHIVs, only explanations of the various bugs that they currently have. However, please keep this in should someone get around to writing in-game information about them and they still haven't been fixed.

Despite being extremely useful, SHIVs are VERY broken. Almost to the point where I would suggest not using them AT ALL, but we'll get into that later. Other than the SHIVs having numerous, minor, in-battle bugs, the game seems to have trouble keeping track of how many there actually ARE. The first bug is the "normal" bug: no matter what you do when you return from a mission with a SHIV you will find an extra one in your barracks with the same name as the one you brought on the mission. However, there will be something strange about one of them (for example: one will be under repair even if the SHIV took no damage and it will not say when the repairs will be done); this is the easiest bug to fix: just dismantle the bugged out one because bringing it into a battle will cause unpredictable bugs, even bringing in the non-bugged one into a battle could cause problems just because of the mere existence of the other. The next bug involves a SHIV taking ANY damage during a battle; basically when a SHIV takes damage the game will create a copy of the SHIV at the end of the battle: one will be the non-bugged, damaged SHIV and the other will be a bugged, undamaged SHIV. This may not seem like a problem at first, just dismantle the bugged SHIV, right? Wrong. See, when you take six units into battle (including the SHIV) you can only take six home and with the normal bug this isn't a problem because the bugged SHIV is not counted on the units that you take home. However, when damage occurs both SHIVs are counted in the units you take home and if your squad is already full one of your soldiers will disappear. Poof, gone. Abducted by the aliens maybe. From what I can tell it's ALWAYS your highest ranking soldier. You can still recover the SHIV by deleting the bugged one as normal, however I have been unable to retrieve lost soldiers in anyway. The only work-arounds I have been able to find are to a) not bring a SHIV, their not much better than your average soldier and at this point need to much care to not lose a soldier, or b) leave a squad slot open. This may have been a bugged attempt by the developers to make SHIVs count as two units, not really sure at this time. Also, you could technically plan on having a rookie or other worthless soldier die in the battle in order to maximize firepower in the battle if your desperate; however this will get expensive after a while and lower the moral of your soldiers which could get more than one killed. I personally suggest leaving SHIVs out entirely until they're fixed as the the risk of forgetting to do all of the special treatment for them will likely be too great for many and losing an experienced soldier is worse. Leaving a squad slot empty isn't a bad choice either if you're not one to forget. --Absle 22:37, 16 October 2012 (EDT)

I don't find much use for the SHIVs anyway. Even if you've got all Rookies, you want to be gaining XP to get their abilities. At best, a SHIV can suppress, maybe with advanced weapons that require dedicated research, and maybe either contribute as mobile cover or as a flying scout both with many hit points. Frankly, I built one in my first game just to see what they're like and haven't bothered again since. Robbx213 23:23, 16 October 2012 (EDT)

Early in the game I like to bring one along, because at that point in the game most of your soldiers don't make good scouts. Plus, their mobile cover ability makes them awesome for when you just don't have the best armor developed yet. Also, early in the game your soldiers just don't have the damage to handle surprise Muton attacks quickly. But yeah, late-game they're hardly indispensable or anything. --Absle 14:00, 17 October 2012 (EDT)

Early on, I used an Alloy SHIV as a "cheap" scout unit and to provide cover for the rookies, Assault soldiers when moving into position. ~ Drakalu 20:38, 17 October 2012 (EDT)

See Also

• Foundry