Weapons by Role
Rather than deciding which is the absolute 'best' weapon overall at each level of technology, it is often helpful to think about different roles for different weapons.
Scouting
For forward troops who use a lot of their TUs in movement. Where possible, alien units they detect will be engaged by other troops to their rear ("scout/sniper tactics"). However this is not always possible, so scout troops need to be armed with weapons that are still effective with small numbers of TUs remaining.
Suggested sequence:
- Pistol or Rifle
- Laser Pistol or Laser Rifle
Standard
General purpose standard weapon for ordinary troops with no specialised role. The main desirable traits for the standard weapon are firepower, a degree of versatility, good ammo endurance, reasonably low collateral damage. HE weapons are generally unsuitable due to the collateral damage problem - even if friendly troops are wearing heavy armour, loot can be destroyed and civilians killed.
Example:
- Rifle
- Auto Cannon
- Heavy Cannon
- Laser Rifle
- Heavy Plasma
Multi Role
Different from a general purpose weapon, a weapon that can perform a variety of specialised roles. Typically these are multi-ammunition weapons or combinations of weapons and tools.
Example:
- Heavy Cannon
- Auto Cannon
- Grenadier/Medic/Engineer armed with pistol or laser pistol
Sniper
A weapon that can engage effectively at medium to long range. Lethality and TU-efficiency are important. First shot (or first burst) killing power is important in order to deny the target the opportunity of reaction fire.
Example:
- Rifle
- Heavy Cannon
- Rocket Launcher
- Laser Rifle
- Heavy Laser
- Plasma Rifle
- Heavy Plasma
Safe Sniper
Similar to a sniper weapon but where it is important to avoid nearby targets (such as friendly troops or civilians). In addition to the criteria for a sniper weapon, the most important criteria is the minimum number of misses per kill, and the minimum damage for those misses. Again, for this reasons HE weapons are inappropriate for this role.
Example:
- Rifle
- Heavy Cannon
- Laser Rifle
- Heavy Laser
- Plasma Rifle
- Heavy Plasma
Assault
These are for close range and/or offensive operations and prioritise nothing more than raw firepower, though some element of (forward) mobility is also important.
Example:
- Rifle
- Auto Cannon
- Laser Rifle
- Heavy Plasma
Indirect Fire
For attacking targets where there is no line of sight from the attacker to the target. At the tactical level of this game, this means grenades or other thrown explosives.
Example:
- Grenade
- High Explosive
- Alien Grenade
Area Interdiction
Similar to indirect fire, using direct fire area weapons to attack an area where there are possible but unsighted enemy. HE, incendiary and automatic weapons are suited for this role.
Example:
- Auto Cannon HE/IN
- Rocket Launcher
- Small Launcher
- Blaster Launcher
Heavy Weapon
For attacking hard targets that cannot be effectively engaged with standard weapons. Heavy weapons may have comparatively poor mobility, weight, ammunition and rate of fire.
Example:
- Heavy Cannon AP/HE
- Rocket Launcher
- Heavy Laser
- Small Launcher
- Blaster Launcher
Terrain Clearing
Clearing away cover and concealment to enable spotting of the enemy and to prevent ambushes. Lasers are ideal terrain clearing weapons due to not having any ammo restrictions, while area effect weapons provide the fastest means of clearing large amounts of terrain instantly.
Example:
- Laser Rifle
- Auto Cannon HE/IN
- Rocket Launcher
- High Explosive
Obstacle Clearing
Point removal of specific hard terrain features to enable easier tactical maneuver around the battlefield.
Example:
- Heavy Cannon AP/HE
- Laser Pistol
- Laser Rifle
- Heavy Laser
- Heavy Plasma
Anti-Terrorist
Specific weapons for tackling alien terrorist units. In conventional warfare these would be the "anti armour" weapons, though specifics vary with the kind of terrorist.
- Reaper
- Grenade
- Alien Grenade
- High Explosive
- Auto Cannon or Heavy Cannon HE
- Rocket Launcher HE
- Small Launcher
- Cyberdisk
- Rocket Launcher HE Lg
- Laser Rifle
- Heavy Laser
- High Explosive
- Small Launcher
- Chryssalid
- Laser Rifle
- Rocket Launcher HE Lg
- High Explosive
- Heavy Plasma
- Celatid
- Silacoid
- Auto Cannon HE or Heavy Cannon HE
- Rocket Launcher HE Lg
- Sectopod
- Laser Rifle (on easier levels)
- Heavy Laser
- Heavy Plasma
- Blaster Launcher
- High Explosive
- Small Launcher