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I was in a mission and had only one soldier with moves left and a berserker. Since I couldn't kill it with just one shot I mind controlled it. Then on the next 4 turns I got stuck with it, waiting for the mind control to wear off so I could kill it.

And when the mind control wears off, the alien gets one turn to act before I can kill it, when it can hurt me.

Is there a way to make a mind controlled alien to commit suicide or kill it while it's under my control without the use of explosives, and without rushing it head first to the enemy lines?

The reason for the limitations are:

  • that weapon fragments are hard to find, and I don't want to waste them by killing it with explosives.
  • Explosives can run out.
  • Happened several times that the controlled alien is the last alien alive, and until it's dead the mission will not finish.
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  • For the specific example you gave explosives would be fine (assuming you brought any) since Bersekers don't have weapons and thus you would not be losing any precious weapon fragments.
    – AdamP
    Commented Nov 5, 2012 at 17:49
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    @AdamP, Berserkers have a claw like weapon that turns into weapon fragments.
    – SIMEL
    Commented Nov 5, 2012 at 17:53
  • I don't know if the current XCOM has stun weapons but with the original you could stun the guy.
    – Loren Pechtel
    Commented Apr 20, 2013 at 16:41
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    With a bezerker, just move it far away! This is much easier to deal with than a ranged enemy :-)
    – Flyto
    Commented Jan 9, 2014 at 15:01

2 Answers 2

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No, you can't directly attack mind-controlled aliens without explosives. You can try and move out of range so that it will have to spend its turn closing in on you, giving you a free shot, or putting it into a disadvantageous position, such as being out in the open while surrounded by several of your operatives in high cover on overwatch). If there is fire on the map you may try to roast it alive, but it probably won't contirbute significant damage.

Note that a mind-controlled alien dying, explosives* or not, will result in its equipment being given to you at the end of mission, as if it was actually part of your squad. Also, higher-end enemies tend to have grenades or, in the case of Ethereals, an AOE psi attack, so you don't have to waste your own explosives killing them. For example, 3 perfectly healthy Elite Mutons under mind control can be made to kill themselves by having them huddle together and throw grenades at their own feet.

*In Enemy Within, explosives will destroy the equipment of mind-controlled aliens if they kill the alien (but not if they only wound it).

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    I tend to put the mind controlled alien in the middle of several of my squad members. The alien is in the open and flanked, with several of the squad on Overwatch and under as much cover as possible, and at least a full movement length, plus a step, away. This I do at the last turn, so when it wears off, one or more of my guys fires and kills it as it is running "away".
    – Vanzanz
    Commented Oct 14, 2013 at 1:13
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You can use area of effect (AoE) attacks like grenades, rockets, Mind Rift (Ethereal ability), make the mind controlled enemy step into Poison Cloud or be poisoned by Chryssalid's bite. If you can't make anything of listed above, you can make this enemy unit skip his turn when the Mind Control wears off. To do so, in the last turn, just before you lose control of the enemy, place at least one of your warriors nearby this enemy, but behind the cover (partial or full - does not seem to matter). Make this warrior Overwatch. Enemy will try using his special ability which directly harms warrior (e.g. Thin Man will try to poison your warrior, Muton and Muton Elite will try using grenade, Ethereal will use Mind Control, Mind Blast or even Mind Rift).

This is in details described on XCom Wiki.

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