Bases (Apocalypse)

Bases are the most important asset that a commander of X-COM can possess. Bases are where extra weapons, ammunition and armor are stored for your troops. It's also where captured aliens and artifacts recovered from crashed UFOs are researched to allow new and deadly forms of warfare. It's where ships that were damaged in the battles with the alien space ships are repaired and equipped. It is also where you construct monstrous ships of awe-inspiring power and create armor of startling strength.

Base Layout

The bases in Apocalypse have predefined areas where it is possible to build new facilities, all linked by corridors. It is impossible to expand the base more than the already excavated areas, which can limit the usefulness of a base.

The game starts with X-COM already in possession of a randomly selected base, and if needed, the Government can be contacted to give additional base(s), provided the funds are available. The layout of those new bases can vary, so it is prudent to examine the layouts before making the purchase.

Buying A New Base

There are 4 factors to consider when buying a new base: Cost, Layout, Building Type and Location. A complete list of all the buildings and their characteristics can be found at Base Locations and a detailed analysis of their layouts at Base Layouts.

Another important factor when buying a new base is the number of aircraft launch tubes present at the building. The more it has, the faster multiple X-COM craft can scramble to intercept enemy craft, although this can also be achieved by parking aircraft into the buildings of other Organizations, especially the Space Port.

Base Location and Type

Since X-COM will mostly be employing air vehicles the location of the base isn't that important since aircraft can be strategically docked anywhere in the city that allows them quick access to any part of Mega-Primus.

Of more importance is the type of building where the base is located. All bases are either Warehouses or Slums. While this has no effect during Base Defense missions since they will be fought using the base layout, it is of extreme importance during Cityscape battles.

Warehouse exteriors can sustain more damage than Slums and their lower profiles make it harder for stray shots to hit them.

Slums cost about the same as Warehouses but the structural integrity of these badly unmaintained structures is questionable. Their taller structures are easy to hit, and when hit they crumble easily. In addition to that, large adjacent sections of the building will collapse with it - often resulting in a chain reaction that levels the entire slum, and maybe adjacent slums if connected. Slums are usually the only kind of buildings purchasable in remote areas of the city.

For either type of building, if the square containing the craft/agents is hit and it falls down all of the agents present at that base will be killed, and any craft present will be destroyed. This risk is greater with slums.

Base Design

Bases with large layouts are able to have more facilities constructed in them, and can make good all-purpose bases. Bases with limited space need to be specialized as a specific type of base, such as one which only repairs your vehicles, or only researches Quantum Physics or Biochemistry, or only contains Workshops.

Every base needs a few Living Quarters and a Stores module. If a base is attacked by an organization, it is necessary to have at least one soldier at the base otherwise X-COM's opponents will destroy the base without opposition. In additions, any [[Workshop (Apocalypse)|Workshops] will at least require at least one storage module to store the newly manufactured items.

When planning your base, it should be noted that Repair Bays and Access Lifts are able to be infiltrated by hostile forces. If X-COM bases ever come under attack, these are the areas where the enemy will enter from. To counter this, it can help to cordon off these sections with a small string of Security Stations. This usually means that the enemy will take heavy casualties before defending agents run into them, and, in case the stations fall, the enemy will be down most of its assault force.

Finally, it is possible to transfer people between bases. If all the scientists and men are present in one base, it is very likely that one well-placed missile or beam can completely annihilate an entire platoon of troops and all your researchers, which would be a catastrophe. For this to happen a piece of building needs to falls on top of the bay through which X-COM agents enter and leave via car. Otherwise, the aliens can destroy the entire base without any casualties.

See Also

• Base Locations
• Base Layouts
• Base Facilities