I've tried this mission three separate times, each generating a new map. I've even changed my team composition from stealthy to hard-hitting. But it's straight up impossible mid to early late game. This wouldn't be a big issue if the mission didn't spawn on a light-RNG factor (getting the appropriate liberation missions to spawn in reasonable timers in the same region enough to trigger the damn network mission early game) or if it didn't prevent you from getting access to missions to lower the Avatar project.

For a mission that should be a mid-game mission, the difficulty ramps up way too damn much.

Why I say this: at advent strength 3 in Sep/October using 150%-200% infiltration (which doesn't decrease enemy activity so it's permanently on ''light''), my five Tech Sargeant ranked soldiers with exo-suits, predator armor, highly customized coil-weapons and the best utility items the game are forced to fight 4-5 pods in all close proximity to each other (because the map is WAY too small for that many enemies) with ♥♥♥♥♥♥ cover.

The only way to NOT get flanked by the pods, because of their absurd proximity to each other and how noise mechanics work, is by fighting at the very beginning or very end. Which either forces you into an absurdly drawn out battle due to reinforcements, which would require being lucky enough to cut through 3-4 pods (because noise attracting them), or for you to be at the end of the map to funnel the enemies towards the last building.

BUT you can't do the latter because of the stupid turret that seems to always spawn over the doorways and knocking them out with a specialist for a turn doesn't make it too feasible either with the patrols inevitably flanking you.

But that's not the real reason why it's impossible mid-late game: the enemies are WAY too powerful for that map. EVERY time I've ran it there is always absurdly powerful enemies there in large numbers. Enemies I don't see anywhere else even in the same region. I think I read somewhere that the enemies are a little stronger around the base/network tower but considering that you get only 5 units in a small map, the network tower SHOULDN'T get that buff. I shouldn't be seeing 24HP, 4 armor Andromedon + 2 Muton Elites with 28 HP and 3 armor, every advent soldier averaging 17 +/- HP with 2-3 armor each, typically being the more high-tier soldiers, with lots of MECs.

The amount of sheer fire-power and durability far outclasses what coil-guns and Tech Sergeants can bring. Not when you're basically forced to fight 3-4 pods at once. Not when 2 pod fights seem to be the minimum.

The map either needs to be changed so it generates a larger tower (maybe with multiple levels) which would allow the game to ramp up the number of pods without it feeling unfair, or allow more soldiers to be taken on the mission. 5 soldiers is just NOT enough. I love hard games, Long War 2 has been good so far, it's taken me a while to get the hang of it and it's been good.

But there's a difference between hard and unfair: and this one mission is out-right unfair.