Island Attack

This is one of the two map types for "standard" terror missions. Aliens have landed on/near an island resort and are attacking the residents, and your job is to kill/capture all aliens on site. Expect terror units and some higher classes of soldiers. This is the easiest way to start nearly all research in the game, as Deep Ones are abundant early on and you might encounter a Calcinite if you're lucky.

The main terrain type consists of rolling hills and buildings. A large hotel will almost always be featured. Remember to check the basement area near the dining room and the roof for any enemies. You might also want to keep a melee weapon handy, as the tunnels are very narrow and have sharp turns. Trust me, even a stun rod and a harpoon gun will see you through if you aren't facing Lobstermen or Tasoths, and by then you should have either Gauss, Sonic, or Drill weapons. Another tactic is to use a sonic pulser to level a building or clear out a hallway. Be careful with friendly fire in tunnels or an accidental civilian kill, as many have encountered these mistakes in judgment.

Other structures you'll encounter are two-floor chalets. Watch for snipers on the veranda on them and particularly the hotel.

Bomb shelter bunkers are also a prominent feature that will always appear in island attack. A large bunker will always appear on the southern shore of the map, underneath a hill with Easter Island heads. Drills and effect weapons are recommended, as the tunnel leading to the bunker is twisty, making it ripe for corner ambushes. There may also be occasional small pyramid shaped hills scattered around the map with bunkers in the shape of a spiral tunnel. Be careful of using area effect weapons in the spiral tunnels as the walls may not block the blast.

Note that the Easter Island heads will appear on any island no matter what part of the world you are in, not just on Easter Island.