Background
Game Design notes
Published in 1994 by Microprose, developed by Mythos Games, chief designers the Gollop brothers.
Mythos preceded X-COM with Laser Squad and have recently produced Laser Squad Nemesis.
An Official Strategy Guide was published - details?
Backstory
Real life equivalents
Equivalents surmised by JellyfishGreen 11:54, 25 Apr 2005 (BST)