Alien Life Forms (EU2012)

There are a number of Alien Life Forms to be encountered during the First Alien War, each with a unique set of strengths, weaknesses and abilities. Know your enemy; your soldiers' lives depend on it.

Chryssalid

Chryssalids are fast melee units. Their Implant attack is particularly dangerous.

• Poisonous Claws: "Poison enemies wounded by a melee attack."
• Implant: "Victims are implanted with a Chryssalid egg if they are killed by the attack." A successful implant converts the victim into a zombie that eventually hatches into another Chryssalid a couple turns later.

Cyberdisc

Cyberdiscs are strong flying robotic units with a ranged attack. They take significantly less damage in their closed disc form. Accompanying drones can repair them during combat. They are immune to psionic mind control.

• Can throw a grenade.
• Cyberdiscs automatically 'close-up' into their disc form after being attacked.
• Death Blossom: An area of effect attack dealing high damage to enemy units (friendly fire?) within a few spaces in all directions.
• Cyberdiscs explode upon death dealing damage to all units within a small radius.

Cyberdisc - open assault form

Cyberdisc - closed disc form

Drone

Drones are weak flying robotic units with a weak ranged attack. Their purpose is to repair accompanying Cyberdiscs and Sectopods during combat.

Ethereal

Physically weak, slow units with high health and powerful psionic attacks.

• Mindrift, offensive psionic ability that causes damage and lowers will.
• Directly psionically attacks for serious damage.
• Can mind control.
• Can drain life from friendlies, including units it is mind-controlling.
• Rift, a power AoE attack.
• Chance to reflect physical projectiles.
• High will; resistant to psionic attacks.

Uber Ethereal

Same as the Ethereal, but with larger stats and a higher projectile reflection chance.

Floater

A fast, aggressive flying unit with stronger ranged attack than a Sectoid.

• Launch: The Floater can launch to any point on the map (ends its turn).

Heavy Floater

A tougher version of the regular Floater with more hit points and higher damage dealing.

Muton

Mutons are very strong units with a ranged attack, though they are susceptible to psionics. Wounding a Muton without killing it can intimidate your soldiers and lower their Will.

• Blood Call: Buffs other Mutons.

Muton Berserker

Muton Berskers are extremely strong melee units. Berserkers are susceptible to their own bloodlust; they have a habit of chasing after whichever unit damaged them last (uncontrollable in multiplayer?).

• Bull Rush: Attacks an enemy unit's cover and can cause damage to the (formerly) covered unit.

Outsider

Outsiders are relatively fragile alien units that are only encountered on UFO missions. They will not spawn until an XCOM soldier generally enters a certain portion of the UFO and usually try to hang around and snipe at any soldiers near their spawn point.

Sectoid

Sectoids are a basic, weak unit with an average ranged attack. They are capable of some psionics. Killing a unit that is performing Mind Merge will also kill the unit receiving the merge.

• Mind Merge: the merged ally receives +1 hit points, increased accuracy, & increased critical hit chance. Has anyone seen a Sectoid merge with anything other than another Sectoid? I haven't. Off the Rails 18:28, 15 October 2012 (EDT)

Sectoid Commander

The Sectoid Commander is a slightly stronger Sectoid with more psionic capabilities.

• Mind Control: Takes control of the target. Robotic units are immune to Mind Control.

Sectopod

An extremely strong robotic unit that can use both its turn moves for attacking.

• Has a plasma weapon that seems to be on constant Overwatch even when the Sectopod has fired twice
• Has a high-powered beam weapon
• Has a broad-range AoE missile barrage
• Seems to have a longer range of vision than most units
• Note: Due to its superior firepower, use of suppression may be necessary to render its attacks far less dangerous. Do not stack units in range or they will still be hit by AoE. Using Plasma / Heavy weapons or Mind-controlled cannon-fodder against this unit is also recommended.

Thin Man

Thin Men are weak, highly mobile units with average ranged attack.

• Poison Spit: Causes damage each turn for up to 3 turns to any unit poisoned by the cloud of spit.
• Thin Men explode into a cloud of poison upon death.
• Leap: Allows the Thin Man to jump vertically up onto high ground (e.g., roof tops).
• Note: Units carrying a medikit or titan armor are immune to the Thin Man's poison.
• Trivia: The Thin Man's face is a caricature of Sid Meier, boss of Firaxis. Sid's face has a habit of popping up in his games.