Beginners Tips

[Grunt]

Ive actually had this game for like 10 years now but ive never had a good time with it. One reason i get scared. Ok maybe not scared. Im too much of a perfectionist, if i lose one soldier during a battle i tend to give up.

 

Ive just had my first game in years today. I lost a few soliders no biggie, it was early in the game so i can just build up others and buy new ones. Then i got a terror mission and there are plenty of aliens roaming the streets. Almost all of my men died. Only weapon i had researched and manufactured at this point was the laser pistol. Dont have any armour. Those caped aliens keep ganging up on me and those massive two legged things take ages to kill.

 

what am i doing wrong ? should i ignore terror missions this early on in the game. If i ignore im likely to lose funding right ?

[kafros]

Ive actually had this game for like 10 years now but ive never had a good time with it.  One reason i get scared.  Ok maybe not scared.  Im too much of a perfectionist, if i lose one soldier during a battle i tend to give up.

 

Ive just had my first game in years today.  I lost a few soliders no biggie, it was early in the game so i can just build up others and buy new ones.  Then i got a terror mission and there are plenty of aliens roaming the streets.  Almost all of my men died.  Only weapon i had researched and manufactured at this point was the laser pistol.  Dont have any armour.  Those caped aliens keep ganging up on me and those massive two legged things take ages to kill.

 

what am i doing wrong ? should i ignore terror missions this early on in the game.  If i ignore im likely to lose funding right ?

The very first thing you should do:

1)***Research the "Laser Rifle"***

2)Attack all scouts and complete the missions.

3)Only fight during the day, night missions are quite difficult

 

Very basic, but always works for me ^^

[Moriarty]

also, if you don't have the laser rifle yet, don't bother bringing the laser pistol, because rifles and grenades are much better.

especially grenades. in the beginning, never underestimate their power. okay, in terror missions you have to be careful where to use them, to avoid killing civilians, but still.

[Mzuz]

Laser pistols rock! c'mon. They are stronger in power then the rifle Rifle = 30 Laser Pistol = 46. Plus you can hold a grenade in your other hand, that ready for throwing whenever! I know I know...the accuracy isn't as good, but you also get more shots per turn with the pistol. I wouldn't discount it so quickly.

[[Blehm 98]]

all laser weapons are extremely useful, not using all of them is a bad mistake to make. I use all three of them, because even a "crappy" laser pistol can take a chunk out of a cyberdisk as long as it doesn't react

[[stewart]]

Ive actually had this game for like 10 years now but ive never had a good time with it.  One reason i get scared.  Ok maybe not scared.  Im too much of a perfectionist, if i lose one soldier during a battle i tend to give up.

 

Ive just had my first game in years today.  I lost a few soliders no biggie, it was early in the game so i can just build up others and buy new ones.  Then i got a terror mission and there are plenty of aliens roaming the streets.  Almost all of my men died.  Only weapon i had researched and manufactured at this point was the laser pistol.  Dont have any armour.  Those caped aliens keep ganging up on me and those massive two legged things take ages to kill.

 

what am i doing wrong ? should i ignore terror missions this early on in the game.  If i ignore im likely to lose funding right ?

 

Furry massive two-legged things or metalic massive two-legged things?

[Grunt]

Furry massive two-legged things or metalic massive two-legged things?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Furry i think, well its brown. But its most definately scary !

 

So in terror missions do you bring all your guys out ? what exactly do you equip them with early on, just rifles and grnades ? How many soldiers is an ok loss ?

 

I tried researching the Laser Rifile but it keeps saying progress is unknown or poor.

[[stewart]]

Yer fighting floaters. Fighting floaters is a gift. Forget the laser stuff, load up on the autocannons with HE ammo and have a field day. Refer to the surveys forums and ranking of the difficulties of the various extraterrestrial races.

[Guest Azrael]

Yep, fighting Floaters is fun Maybe you should get more scientists?

[Krysia's Krusader]

Ive actually had this game for like 10 years now but ive never had a good time with it.  One reason i get scared.  Ok maybe not scared.  Im too much of a perfectionist, if i lose one soldier during a battle i tend to give up.

 

I'm pretty new, too.

Difference between you and me is; that I've been wanting to play this game for 10 years.

 

I get scared often! When everything is so quite - then a shot explodes from the dark - and zings past my soldier's head!

Makes me jump in my chair, all the time.

 

 

 

Ive just had my first game in years today.  I lost a few soliders no biggie, it was early in the game so i can just build up others and buy new ones.  Then i got a terror mission and there are plenty of aliens roaming the streets.  Almost all of my men died.  Only weapon i had researched and manufactured at this point was the laser pistol.  Dont have any armour.  Those caped aliens keep ganging up on me and those massive two legged things take ages to kill.

 

Well. I'm a perfectionist too. However, you'll have to accept losses, until you improve your tactics. I rotate between 20 soldiers, right at the begining, and then 30+, when I have more money. That way, they're all about the same level, and if (when) some die, then I have ready available replacements, without suffering in quality too much.

 

Those are "Floaters" (caped), and "Reapers" (furry big things). Try grenades; both regular and proximity, in conjunction with your laser pistols. High explosive charges, will also work wonders on the Reapers. The auto-cannon with HE magazines, and especially the rocket launcher, are good heavy duty weapons. Generally, I try and kill everything from a distance. Much safer than charging forward.

I don't know how to get armor myself, so your ahead of me there, when you get it.

 

what am i doing wrong ?

 

I think it's just your tactics. Here's what I do, and it works fine - unless your on a terror mission and encouter Sectoids and Cyberdiscs. I'll tell you what I do there, in another post, if you want to know.

 

- First thing; you need is patience.

- All soldiers have a medikit, regular grenade, and proximity genade, as standard equipment.

- My number 1, 2, 3, and 4 soldiers, have a high explosive demo charge, in their belt, before I start the mission.

- My number 3, 4, 5, and 6 soldiers, have a smoke grenade equiped before I start the mission.

- My number 3, 4, 13, and 14 soldiers, have a motion detector equiped.

- Soldiers #13, and #14, pivot towards the out side of the Skyranger, 180 degrees, and expose the general lay of the battlefield.

- Soldiers #1, and #2, kneel and pivot. The one on the left pivots right, and the one on the right, pivots left. This gives me a full arc of fire, if an alien comes along and peeks in. Plus soldiers #3, and #4 can shoot over the first two. So I usually have three soldiers that will get opportunity fire, for the first few turns.

- Soldier #3 or, #4, depending on where I think the nearest map edge is, primes and throws the smoke grenade, over the first soldiers head and down the ramp.

 

- End turn. Aliens get hidden movement.

 

- Now I start checking the motion detectors for a few turns. I try to ascertain a sense, and feel for what's out there.

- If it's just one or two little blips, and near the back of the Skyranger, I'll either throw out a proximity grenade, or regular one, pending on wether I can get it near enough to the blip.

- If there's a large blip, or many blips all around - then the satchel charges go out the back of the Skyranger. (much satisfaction when you hear lots of alien death screams, and no more blips on the motion detector next turn.)

- When I think the time is right, soldier #3 (or #4, depending on who has one left), throws out another smoke grenade.

- Now I exit with only two - to four soldiers. Spread out some - while staying in the smoke - and recenoiter the immediate area.

- Then a couple more guys will exit, sometimes with primed grenades at the ready - of movement has been detected. The guys in the front of the Skyranger, are still checking the motion detectors every turn. The #3, and #4 soldiers (who have the motion detectors), will go and hug a wall of a building, if in my smoke, and see if anything is coming from around corners.

- Don't bunch your soldiers together- learn this now. Aliens will shoot, and if miss their target, hit the soldier behind, or next to him/her. Later on, they'll throw grenades at you.

- I then take control of one piece of the map. Preferably a corner, so that I only have to worry about the aliens coming at me from two directions - instead of four.

- Once established. I then fan out - slowly - and take the battlescape - one section at a time. If I'm in the open - or have to croos open terrain - I'll lob smoke again.

- I take only a few steps, with a few soldiers, and look all arond me. You would be amazed, at how often you'll spot an alian at a wierd angle.

- Any suspect building, orchard, whaetfield, rooftop, etc, will get a grenade, or satchel charge, or rocket, or HE bursts from an auto-cannon, before I move in. I got fed up with losing soldiers trying to clear them out room-by-room. Now the whole building goes in one shot. No more needless casualtier - for me that is.

- I use cover, and obstacles. I move from cover to cover, if possible. I'm not afraid to use smoke. I've seen aliens walk right past me in smoke - on several occaisions!

- I look - a lot. I look in all directions. If I can't see where I'm going beforehand - I don't move till I can.

- Once a target is spotted and identified - everybody opens up on it. If not enough soldiers have movement left, in case I need to kill another another newly spotted target, I stop and end the turn.

 

That should get you going, for now.

 

 

should i ignore terror missions this early on in the game.  If i ignore im likely to lose funding right ?

 

No. Not at all. Only time I now sometimes avoide them, is if there are several Cyberdiscs that start in sight of the exit ramp of the Skyranger. I'll dust off, and cut my loses. Save my soldiers to fight another terror mission, at another location, at another time.

 

I don't know how the funding work. Probably have to do with the amount of points at the end of the month, and which countries you failed missions in.

 

 

Furry i think, well its brown.  But its most definately scary ! 

 

 

I hear you. But if you maintain your distance, they'll charge, and feint away. Then you nail them.

 

 

( Wait till you meet Crysalides.)

 

 

So in terror missions do you bring all your guys out ? what exactly do you equip them with early on, just rifles and grnades ? 

 

I gave you a general idea above.

I'll use rifles, till I get the laser pistol. I equipe my officers (captain rank and above) with pistols - but that's just me.

My two strongest soldiers (lately females) get an auto-cannon (2x HE, 1x AP, 1x IC magazines).

Once I have some money, I'll buy 20 rocket launchers with all types of rockets. This works great on the rural landscape.

 

 

How many soldiers is an ok loss ?

 

I never like losing soldiers. But the alien menace means I'll have to accept whatever losses, as the price to ensure their eventual destruction. I never reload from saved game files, just because things don't go the way I want.

 

 

I tried researching the Laser Rifile but it keeps saying progress is unknown or poor.

 

Wait. It will come. Put all your scientists on it.

Then put all your engineers to manufactur some.

 

 

Good luck.

[[NKF]]

I think one of the most useful of strategies that I've ever learnt is that an alien cannot shoot you if it cannot see you while you can shoot it if someone else sees it.

 

The bane of your soldiers often comes from the alien's reaction shots. The aliens always react when they have enough TUs to fire their weapon and when they have the higher reaction score and they can see you (within 20 tiles in front of them). The reaction score for any unit is determined by taking the unit's reaction stat and multiplying it by current TUs and divided by Max TUs. If your reaction score is higher than the alien's, you don't attract reaction shots. If your score is lower, and the alien can shoot, it shoots. So you can probably see why soldiers on the front line suffer from reactions quite badly! (basically, reactions and TUs are a vital defense mechanism)

 

Also, aliens cannot shoot you if you are well beyond their visibility range (20-21 tiles, at all light levels). On the other hand, you can shoot your weapons from anywhere as there is a clear line of fire. You can target an alien as long as it has been revealed on the map.

 

Therefore, the ideal method of dealing with aliens is to have a slow moving high TU and high reaction soldier scout ahead (or just use a tank - they're expendable) to spot the aliens (i.e. the spotter). Then have a horde of soldiers flanking the spotter (all spread out, as common sense dictates) open fire on any target the spotter locates.

 

You can also extend this idea to a front line attacker. If you know the alien that you're looking at is exactly on the edge of your vision (20 tiles), take a step or two back before you open fire. Add 4 or 5 more steps if it's dark, as you get a visibility penalty in low light conditions while the aliens don't.

 

-

 

If you like to use grenades, teach yourself the grenade relay.

 

Have soldiers at the rear prime the grenade, then toss forward to one soldier who then passes it along to the next soldier who then does the same until the grenade reaches its intended destination on the front lines. Yes, at heart, it's a game of pass the parcel.

 

Priming any grenade is time consuming. It uses 50% of your total TUs and throw itself costs 25%, not to mention moving the grenade into your hand costs between 3 - 4 TUs depending on location. This is a major blow to your reaction level and is not good at all for a front line soldier that's possibly being observed by any number of aliens. Picking up and throwing an already primed grenade on the other hand is much cheaper, and only uses 8+ 25% of your TUs. This allows you to make the grenadier have sufficient reactions and TUs to retreat, and it gives your rear soldiers something to do. Yes, it does involve spending overall more TUs than a simple prime and throw, but it's much safer because the person that actually sets the grenade is in a much more secure area, and those that are on the front lines will not have to spend too many TUs to place the grenade.

 

You can use the same system to quickly relay a medikit to the front lines if you find yourself without one.

 

-

 

One other piece of advice I'd like to impart is to give one or two of your reserve troops in the ship the task of operating a mind probe. It doesn't require any psi skill and it provides vital information about any foe you're fighting. I'm referring to the current TU level of the aliens. If they have no TUs, they won't be able to fight back during the remainder of your turn.

 

 

- NKF

Edited October 5, 2005 by NKF

[[stewart]]

Yep, plant your "artillery squad" away from the action (on a roof if you can). Send out a scout who doesnt actually shoot.

 

On the roof is good because:

1 ) You can shoot over a lot of obstructions

2 ) When using HE ammo, since your bullet path is downwards if you miss the alien you'll hit the ground beside it and tag the blighter anyway.

[[Blehm 98]]

IC ammo is good too, if you can get it in a good place

 

 

also, just to let you know, go to a terror site and dust off, 200-450 points is better than the 1000 you get for ignoring the terror site

[Grunt]

Wow thanks for the tips guys. Gonna have a play tomorrow,will certainly keep what you lot said in mind. Looks like i have to dish out some more weaponary, i never used grenades and hardly use auto-cannons, but will now, espeically for terror sites.

[[dipstick]]

Another possible idea for terror site evasion, is to land, STAY in the skyranger - get the first two men to kneel and fire (preferable with some area effect weapons) then, get the next two to fire, and then dust off. Do this esp if you have a couple of aliens in view (but NOT if you have something like cyberdisks, because that is suicide.... hehe

[Selmak]

I think one of the most effective strategies is to reserve TUs for reaction fire. The more you leave, the more chance you have to react during the alien turn. Of course, that's not much good unless you find a good position to shoot from. In situations where I know an alien is going to pop out of cover but I can't be sure of getting a shot in before he does, a prox grenade is a safe bet. I've nailed lots of aliens simply because they have a fascination for running around corners or out of doors

[Grunt]

this game isnt like a remmeber.

 

Im sure i used to detect more UFOs around my base. My base is setup in central europe pretty much the best starting position ?

 

Now ive only detected, shot down one UFO and landed there with troops. After that i get a few terror sites and loads of days go by without activity. Is it supposed to be like this ? did they change the collectors edition. Is it because im playing on a newer spec computer ? Im playing on beginner by the way.

[[Blehm 98]]

the game will be funny sometimes

 

i've gone throw several months with a UFO and terror site drought before, so if you get unlucky you won't get any good fights for a while

[Grunt]

Woohoo completed my first ever Terror Mission !

 

Only lost 1 man and so proud

 

And Laser Rifles rule ! Shame my men cant aim for sh** yet.

 

And my new best friend is the smoke grenade ! Provides nice cover for those open areas.

 

Now, i came up to my 2nd terror site. And then these badass saucers appeared, when they die they blow my men to pieces. But not too worried, ill just shoot from long distance. Now the big bitch - Mind Control ! I guess it better to move all my men out otherwise a bit of mutiny on the ship is gonna take place right ?

 

I aksed this question already, but shold i ignore large ufos at this stage ? Do you guys normally accept any mission that comes to you during the beginning stages - any size ufos, terror sites etc ?

[[dipstick]]

Large UFOs could be supply ships, which especially if landed, provide a GREAT deal of goodies. If you get lucky and get floaters etc, you will be laughing! I can't remember if supply ships have terror units - but even if they do, what are the reapers gonna do? Stare you to death??

[Selmak]

In the first month, even if you build in Antarctica, UFOs can still buzz around near your base. I think the idea here is so that even on Superhuman you have a chance at getting the essential goodies that you need.

 

The aliens tend to change the focus of their activity from month to month so extending your radar coverage early on is crucial if you want to have a chance of consistently detecting and intercepting them. The one exception are UFOs on an Alien Retaliation mission, which will always pass close to the base they are trying to find.... still, usually they can be detected further away by another base's radar giving you some advance warning.

[Zombie]

First, Supply Ships do not have terrorists aboard. This is what makes Supply Ships so nice to assault on a regular basis (besides the goodies you get).

 

I aksed this question already, but should I ignore large ufos at this stage ? Do you guys normally accept any mission that comes to you during the beginning stages - any size ufos, terror sites etc ?

I usually visit any and all UFOs at the start of a mission. I think it is important to remember that the Medium, Large and Very Large alien craft provides more than the smaller craft do. As for aliens, not only do they have the usual Engineers and Navigators, but some craft also have Medics, Leaders and Commanders. Combine this with recovering a Blaster Launcher (from a Battleship or alien base) and excess loot, the larger UFOs really have a lot to offer.

 

But as with anything, you have to balance this against the sheer number of and type of enemy units. The more aliens you have, the tougher the mission is. And if Ethereals are prevalent during the early part of a game, skipping some missions may be the way to go.

 

- Zombie