Revision as of 23:30, 19 June 2022

The best use and brief strategies on attitude, movement, shooting style and damage types which govern the actions of your X-Com agents on the battlescape.

Attitude

X-Com agents on the battlescape are controlled by an Attitude system (similiar to craft attitude) which, depending on the level of autonomy, may perform actions without direct input from the player. The colour matching the selected attitude is displayed above the unit (or grouping of units) in isometric view of the battlescape.

If an agent who is unarmed or has no ammo for the weapon they are carrying is given a new destination to move to on the battlescape, the agent will always run when they see a hostile unit, then resume their original command once visual contact is lost.
An agent within fire or stun gas will immediately try to escape by running (regardless of movement or attitude settings). When the area is safe, they will automatically return to their original position.

Safe Mode

Blue
The agent with a Safe attitude will seek cover from a hostile as first preference, may break visual contact in doing so, and then may engage in combat. This is similar to how a panicking hostile acts. As avoidance is paramount, this mode may be unhelpful because your agent may ignore your movement commands (ducking into cover before reaching their given destination, and staying there).
This mode is primarily used if you want your unit to avoid hostiles.

Cautious Mode

Green
The agent with a Cautious attitude will engage a hostile unit, will try to find cover when under fire and then return fire when the incoming attack ceases. When seeking cover behind an object such as a wall, the cautious agent will side-step (strafe) to face the enemy and fire, quickly moving back to avoid incoming fire. Your agent remains aware of enemy positions by trying not to break visual contact for too long.
This mode is primarily used if you want your unit to engage a difficult enemy.

Aggressive Mode

Red
The agent with an Aggressive attitude will not seek cover and will fire towards hostiles disregarding any civilians and neutrals in the way.
This mode is primarily used if you want your unit to obey your command.

In General

Offence is the best defence.
A grenade being thrown may prompt safe and cautious agents run from it. This is dangerous if they run from a Boomeroid.
If agents are in position to attack hostiles at a choke point, safe and cautious agents may start moving about to get to cover once the hostiles are engaged. This is dangerous since weapons aren't being fired when Brainsuckers and Poppers are near. Don't do the blue chicken dance.

Movement

An agent who has stopped moving will replenish Stamina at maximum rate.

Run

The most common movement method for most of the game. A white arrow appears above units who are forced to run, and will expend Stamina until almost empty, then will walk.

Quickly scout the battlescape.
Move rapidly to cover.
Escape dangerous environs.
Cannot fire weapons when running.

Walk

An armed agent is able to fire a weapon when moving, but at reduced accuracy. Stamina is neither drained or replenished.

Fire as soon as a hostile is spotted.
A hostile may seek cover instead of returning fire as your attacking agent moves closer (typical known as "Suppressing Fire").
An over-encumbered or tired unit.

Crawl

An agent crawling (moving) or prone (not moving) presents the smallest target for enemy fire. Space is needed to lay down (two tiles).

Very slow movement.
Accuracy is increased considerably when prone.
A brainsucker stuns themselves when trying to attach to the head.
An agent may not resume crawling in certain situations.

Note An agent will momentarily kneel to face a new direction, exposing themselves to the brainsucker threat.

Kneel

An agent will drop down on one knee.

Accuracy is improved.
Slight delay before being ready to fire, after moving.
Needs to stand first, then will move.
Turns on the spot to face a new direction.
A unit waiting for another to move out of the way will not kneel.
The kneel command may over-ride the selected movement command (crawling) when an agent is stationary.

Jump

An agent may automatically jump when moving, or forced to via J+LMB.

Path decision when moving throughout the battlescape may be 'optimised' by any entity, automatically.
An X-Com agent commonly vaults, climbs, shuffles over furniture on the same level if it is quicker (a shortcut).
Any unit with bi-pedal legs may jump over a one-cell hole, if running, if the other side is on the same level.
A human (specifically not an Alien lifeform) may jump across a two-cell hole on the same level, if running in a straight line and of high speed, falling unconscious briefly when landing on the other side.
Jumping down one level is not an option when an X-Com unit optimises their movement automatically, however, all others (except X-Com) may do so if faced with an enemy, as a means of escape.
When jumping off a building onto the ground below, the unit usually drifts away from the building one cell 'further' per five levels dropped. The emcumbrance or the movement setting is irrelevant.

Falling

Entities may jump off anything if forced to, disregarding their own safety. Any railing will be vaulted over if present.
Chest armor protects against falling damage, not legs.
Injury may result when landing if any X-Com agent has jumped off from a height of more then three levels difference.
Fatal injury or death is common when landing, if the height difference is typically five or more levels.
Removing Marsec Armor chest piece when an agent is airbourne will cause the agent to fall to the ground.

Note: Manipulating the chest armor for any reason in the equip screen will cause the airbourne user to fall (when returning the battlescape screen). Nothing can change this outcome.

Stun (gas, grapple, smoke or mind-games) may disable a flying the unit, which then falls to the ground.
Shielded units may jump off full height structures (being nine levels maximum) without injury.
Mind controlled units will obey!
Any entity will be knocked unconscious briefly if they landed onto, or fallen into, the space occupied by another unit. No injury will result to either!

Note: Jumping off, or out of, a building irrelevant of height and landing on another is a quick and very easy way to escape. Moving the other unit off the unconscisous entity will allow the 'jumper' to awaken, without injury!

Throwing

All items on the battlescape may be thrown. Distance only depends on the thrower's strength.

Size of the item is irrelevant, only weight matters.
Any object readied to be thrown does not need to 'targeted at the impact zone' since it may be thrown just by LMB clicking in the air somewhere above and beyond the agent. The impact zone does not need to be in-view, or even known, but accuracy may suffer due to these 'blind' throws.
Accuracy of the throw will be improved if the impact zone is known and 'targeted' by placing the impact point exactly where the thrown object should impact.
Grenades with an active, but short, timer may air-burst before impact.
Thrown active mines will not activate their proximity trigger or timer until impact with something (not necessarily the ground).
The furthest distance which any object may be thrown not only depends on its weight and the thrower's strength, but the height difference of the thrower to the ground. The optimal height for long distance is at level seven with items landing at level one.

Note: Trajectory will limit distance if thrown from a battlescape height higher than level seven due to an invisible ceiling at level nine ^*.

Any explosive device may be thrown to explode-on-impact by RMB clicking on the image in the agent's hand.

* Battlescape levels are ten levels maximum but only nine levels are accessible, usually.

Formations

The two Formations control how groups of agents move in the battlescape.

Group Formation

The default selection. Agents will move to new destination and position themselves in a chequer-board formation.

Agents move their maximum allowable speed.
Automatically spaced apart relevant to the obstructions at the destination.

Single File

Note: single file does not work well. See discussion page.

Agents used in single file formation do not have any icon to denote that they are a member of such grouping.
If another unit that was not part of the orginal single-file formation is selected, the button remains 'on' and will confuse that group that was supposed to stay as single-file.
Single file grouping does not deferentiate between 'yellow border' leader and 'orange border' passive members as it does with vehicle groups. The member who is closest to the destination when moving becomes the 'leader'.
Single file formation will try maintain a four-cell distance between agents when moving. If the moving ceases, the agents will try to keep a one-cell distance from each other.
Dynamic adjustment of speed of the 'leader' to obey the four-cell distance (from a very slow walk to bursts of speed faster than "Run") completely ignores the selected movement command for any member of that grouping.

...however, this works.

Small target cross-section when moving forwards.
A group moving at an angle (flanking) to a hostile will allow all agents to fire without accidently shooting the one directly in front.

Shooting Style

Armed X-Com agents have one of four shot types available. Any firing mode can be used for any weapon!
Note: All weapons have different firing ranges and rates of fire. An agent's own attributes (Accuracy) wll determine a successful hit. Use the best weapon for the task. (eg: a Law Pistol is useless at very long range).
Weapons which track their target disregard the accuracy skill of the firing unit.
Weapons which track will be fired more often if using less accurate fire modes.

None

Weapons are "Hold Fire". Prevents the agent from firing any weapon:

Prevent injury to alien lifeforms which are to be captured.
Unloaded weapons in the agent's hands will be 'safe' after picking up its ammunition.
No firing of weapons other than when allowed, via forced fire.

Aimed-Shot

The slowest and most accurate of the Shot Types. When using this, units will (take a longer time to) aim carefully at the selected target to have the best chance to hit. Aimed-Shot is typically used from long distance to the target with a suitable weapon. (eg: laser)

Snap-Shot

The standard Shot Type. The middle ground between Aimed Shot and Auto-Shot in regards to the agent's time-to-aim before firing the weapon. Snap-Shot is usually used at medium distance to a target when using a suitable weapon (eg: autocannon)

Auto-Shot

The least time-to-aim and least accurate of the Shot Types. When using this, units will shoot almost constantly at the target to deliver the most impacts from a preferably shorter range (eg: M4000).

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-X-COM agents can be controlled somewhat automatically in their actions and reactions to hostiles depending on the settings you choose. To see what each button does, please consult your manual.
+The best use and brief strategies on attitude, movement, shooting style and damage types which govern the actions of your X-Com agents on the battlescape.
-==Agent Attitude Settings and Tactics ==
+=Attitude=
-'''Safe Mode = Blue'''
+X-Com agents on the battlescape are controlled by an Attitude system (similiar to [[Alien_Ship_Combat_(Apocalypse)|craft]] attitude) which, depending on the level of autonomy, may perform actions without direct input from the player. The colour matching the selected attitude is displayed above the unit (or grouping of units) in isometric view of the battlescape.<br>
+* If an agent who is unarmed or has no ammo for the weapon they are carrying is given a new destination to move to on the battlescape, the agent will <u>always</u> run when they see a hostile unit, then resume their original command once visual contact is lost.
+* An agent within fire or stun gas will immediately try to escape by running (regardless of movement or attitude settings). When the area is safe, they will automatically return to their original position.
-The agent will seek cover first (even so far as to break line of sight with the foe) then engage in combat sporadically. This is a very similar attitude when panicking. Avoidance is paramount. This mode can sometimes be unhelpful because they will ignore your movement commands.
+===Safe Mode===
+<span style="color:#0000FF">'''Blue'''</span><br>
+The agent with a '''Safe''' attitude will seek cover from a hostile as first preference, may break visual contact in doing so, and then may engage in combat. This is similar to how a panicking hostile acts. As avoidance is paramount, this mode may be unhelpful because your agent may ignore your movement commands (ducking into cover before reaching their given destination, and staying there).<br>
+This mode is primarily used if you want your unit to avoid hostiles.
-This mode is primarily used if you want the unit to avoid combat. This mode may not be used often with agents, and is quite redundant even with non-combat units under your control.
+===Cautious Mode===
+<span style="color:#00FF00">'''Green'''</span><br>
+The agent with a '''Cautious''' attitude will engage a hostile unit, will try to find cover when under fire and then return fire when the incoming attack ceases. When seeking cover behind an object such as a wall, the cautious agent will side-step (strafe) to face the enemy and fire, quickly moving back to avoid incoming fire. Your agent remains aware of enemy positions by trying not to break visual contact for too long.<br>
+This mode is primarily used if you want your unit to engage a difficult enemy.
-'''Cautious Mode = Green'''
+===Aggressive Mode===
+<span style="color:#FF0000">'''Red'''</span><br>
+The agent with an '''Aggressive''' attitude will not seek cover and will fire towards hostiles disregarding any civilians and neutrals in the way.<br>
+This mode is primarily used if you want your unit to obey your command.
-The agent will position themselves behind an object, if one is available, and start firing if allowed to do so. They will sometimes run from an explosive (which is VERY BAD if a Boomeroid is close by). Your agents are aware of enemy positions as they shuffle for a position to fire, but they won't try to break line of sight. The best aspect of using this mode is that its an equal balance of avoidance and offence.
+===In General===
+* Offence is the best defence.
+* A grenade being thrown may prompt ''safe'' and ''cautious'' agents run from it. This is dangerous if they run from a [[Boomeroid]].
+* If agents are in position to attack hostiles at a choke point, ''safe'' and ''cautious'' agents may start moving about to get to cover once the hostiles are engaged. This is dangerous since weapons aren't being fired when Brainsuckers and Poppers are near. Don't do the [[Popper (Apocalypse)|blue chicken]] dance.
-In real-time combat, if the agent is next to a corner and is under fire from an enemy, the agent will perform an automatic strafing manoeuvre. The agent will sidestep behind the wall for cover, and then sidestep out again every so often and return fire. This is extremely useful in places like wide doorways or when you are near any pillars.
+=Movement=
+An agent who has stopped moving will replenish [[Agents_Stats_(Apocalypse)|Stamina]] at maximum rate.<br>
-This mode is a good all-rounder that is probably used mainly for its real-time combat sidestepping feature near corners.
-'''Agressive Mode = Red''''
-Your agents will not seek cover or from grenades, your agents will fire towards hostiles even though there might be neutral security forces in the vicinity, your agents will happily run through a swarm of gunfire. In short, they obey your every command.
-This is most common option which is used when fighting against enemy forces. You do not want your soldiers to stop firing when stationary. Offence is the best defence. If you have a defensive line outside the Alien craft on either side of the door, the last thing you want is for your Agents to get up and shuffle around for a position as the aliens bear down on them. This delay will get them killed. DON'T do the blue chicken dance.
-The only time your agents will move of their own will is to escape fire or stun gas, but will shortly return to their original positions as soon as the gas or fire has cleared. It may help to move your troops to defensive positions manually instead of relying on the computer to do it for you.
-This mode is best used when you want full control over the units you're currently controlling. It is by far the most popular and most players select it automatically and do not change it for the rest of the battle.
-== Agent Speed Settings and Tactics ==
-Note: If set to walk or crawl, an agent that has no weapons will run if they see an enemy, but resume walking/crawling once any visual contact is lost.
+===Run===
+The most common movement method for most of the game. A white arrow appears above units who are forced to run, and will expend Stamina until almost empty, then will walk.
+* Quickly scout the battlescape.
+* Move rapidly to cover.
+* Escape dangerous environs.
+* Cannot fire weapons when running.
+===Walk===
+An armed agent is able to fire a weapon when moving, but at reduced accuracy. Stamina is neither drained or replenished.
+* Fire as soon as a hostile is spotted.
+* A hostile may seek cover instead of returning fire as your attacking agent moves closer (typical known as "Suppressing Fire").
+* An over-encumbered or tired unit.
 ===Crawl===
-The agent will drop to the ground and will start to crawl. You need at least 2 free tiles in order to crawl. If in a confined situation, the soldier will stand instead.
+An agent crawling (moving) or prone (not moving) presents the smallest target for enemy fire. Space is needed to lay down (two tiles).
+* Very slow movement.
-Going prone reduces your size as a target and improves your weapon accuracy considerably. However you will move very slowly, and you will not be able to look over small obstacles like low walls.
+* Accuracy is increased considerably when prone.
+* A brainsucker stuns themselves when trying to attach to the head.
-In Turn based, TU movement consumption will be at its highest.
+* An agent may not resume crawling in certain situations.
+'''Note''' An agent will momentarily kneel to face a new direction, exposing themselves to the brainsucker threat.
-===Walk===
-The agent will walk to your way point, or walk (usually, but will run sometimes) to a position when seeking cover. An agent is able to fire a weapon when walking but at reduced accuracy. Stamina drain and recovery is equal, so stamina is not consumed nor recovered while walking.
-The only two reasons to walk is to fire on the move and to conserve stamina.
-Your walking speed will vary depending on your speed and encumbrance levels. Single file formation and some disposition settings will override the walk and make the agent sprint in short bursts.
-In Turn based, TU consumption and Stamina are consumed at the normal rate.
-===Run===
-The agent will run until tired. Your soldier cannot fire their weapons when moving. Running is very dependant on Stamina. The more your Agent has, the longer they can run. Once they run out of stamina, they will default to walking until they regain some stamina.
-In Turn Based, the TU consumption is reduced, while Stamina consumption is increased.
 ===Kneel===
-When ordered to kneel, agents will drop to a kneeling position as soon as they have no movement orders. Kneeling makes an agent a smaller target like crawling, but not as much and agents can peek over low objects with minimal exposure. Kneeling also makes aiming more steady so that agents get an accuracy bonus when kneeling, but again, not as much as when crawling.
+An agent will drop down on one knee.
+* Accuracy is improved.
-Agents cannot move when kneeling and any movement orders will make them stand up and kneel again when the orders have been finished or cleared. Turning is still allowed. Agents will keep kneeling ( and standing up when moving ) for as long as the kneeling button is active.
+* Slight delay before being ready to fire, after moving.
+* Needs to stand first, then will move.
-In Turn Based, TU's are consumed whenever an agent has to stand up and kneel back down, so careless use can waste a lot of TU's as the agent kneels up and down between movement orders.
+* Turns on the spot to face a new direction.
+* A unit waiting for another to move out of the way will not kneel.
-== Formations ==
+* The kneel command may over-ride the selected movement command (crawling) when an agent is stationary.
-There are two squad formations that you can use. Single file or Formation.
-===Formation===
-Formation is the default setting and positions your troops in a chequered pattern.
-==Single File==
-Single File is a very interesting formation mode that is rarely used by most players due to a small loss in control that it has over the squad.
-It causes a team of agents to dynamically coordinate amongst themselves, no matter how disarrayed they may seem, to fluidly form a single file formation, with the leader or point man always being the agent nearest the way point you specify. This restructuring of the single file chain always happens when you move the team as a group.
-Once a single file chain is set up, each agent will have a buddy that they'll always follow. If you were to deselect the team and select the current leader, all of the other agents will automatically wander after the leader. If you were to break the chain and pick an agent in the middle, that agent becomes the leader of his or her own smaller single file chain. All of the chained agents will keep following their lead unit until they are issued a move order.
-This chaining can be used on soldiers in other teams. With clever use of chaining small single-file formations of agents from others squads together, you could move two squads about the field by only controlling one squad in formation, with each agent in a secondary squad attached to an agent in the first squad.
-Chains of agents have an irregular movement pattern. See the next section for details. This irregularity affects any agent that is part of a chain. Even if the lead unit is walking in Formation mode, this movement irregularity continues to hold true until the agent is removed from a Single File chain.
-While a very clever walking mode, this movement irregularity causes a small loss in control, thus making it less generally desirable to use.
-===Walking and running in Single File ===
-When walking in the single file mode, the agents may, for reasons unknown, vary their movement from a sluggish walk that is slower than the normal walk or may even sprint towards the nearest agent or (for the leading agent) way point in varying bursts. This is frustrating, therefore you cannot rely on them to walk or run normally when in single file.
-If you must rush everyone to a particular location in a hurry, break out of single file and go to formation, and either move in formation or manually order your troops one at a time.
-==Formation and Single File Squad movement modes==
-The formations control how groups of agents move in the battlescape. There are only two modes, formation and single file.
-===Formation===
+===Jump===
+An agent may automatically jump when moving, or forced to via J+LMB.
+* Path decision when moving throughout the battlescape may be 'optimised' by any entity, automatically.
+* An X-Com agent commonly vaults, climbs, shuffles over furniture on the same level if it is quicker (a shortcut).
+* Any unit with bi-pedal legs may jump over a one-cell hole, if running, if the other side is on the same level.
+* A human (specifically not an Alien lifeform) may jump across a two-cell hole on the same level, if running in a straight line and of high speed, falling unconscious briefly when landing on the other side.
+* Jumping down one level is not an option when an X-Com unit optimises their movement automatically, however, all others (except X-Com) may do so if faced with an enemy, as a means of escape.
+* When jumping off a building onto the ground below, the unit usually drifts away from the building one cell 'further' per five levels dropped. The emcumbrance or the movement setting is irrelevant.<br>
+'''Falling'''
+* Entities may [[Input_Device_Reference_(Apocalypse)|jump]] off anything if forced to, disregarding their own safety. Any railing will be vaulted over if present.
+* Chest armor protects against falling damage, not legs.
+* Injury may result when landing if any X-Com agent has jumped off from a height of more then three levels difference.
+* Fatal injury or death is common when landing, if the height difference is typically five or more levels.
+* Removing Marsec Armor chest piece when an agent is airbourne will cause the agent to fall to the ground.<br>
+:Note: Manipulating the chest armor for <u>any reason</u> in the equip screen will cause the airbourne user to fall (when returning the battlescape screen). Nothing can change this outcome.
+* Stun (gas, grapple, smoke or mind-games) may disable a flying the unit, which then falls to the ground.
+* [[Personal_Disruptor_Shield|Shielded]] units may jump off full height structures (being nine levels maximum) without injury.
+* Mind controlled units will obey!
+* Any entity will be knocked unconscious briefly if they landed onto, or fallen into, the space occupied by another unit. No injury will result to either!
+:Note: Jumping off, or out of, a building irrelevant of height and landing on another is a quick and very easy way to escape. Moving the other unit off the unconscisous entity will allow the 'jumper' to awaken, without injury!
-The selected agents will move to the next waypoint and stop in a chequered formation. They will attempt to move at their best possible speed depending on how tired they are and what movement modes have been set. This can cause faster soldiers to outdistance slower soldiers.
+===Throwing===
+All items on the battlescape may be thrown. Distance only depends on the thrower's strength.
-This is the default setting and most players never switch away from this mode.
+* Size of the item is irrelevant, only weight matters.
+* Any object readied to be thrown does not need to 'targeted at the impact zone' since it may be thrown just by LMB clicking in the air somewhere above and beyond the agent. The impact zone does not need to be in-view, or even known, but accuracy may suffer due to these 'blind' throws.
+* Accuracy of the throw will be improved if the impact zone is known and 'targeted' by placing the impact point exactly where the thrown object should impact.
+* Grenades with an active, but short, timer may air-burst before impact.
+* Thrown active mines will not activate their proximity trigger or timer until impact with something (not necessarily the ground).
+* The furthest distance which any object may be thrown not only depends on its weight and the thrower's strength, but the height difference of the thrower to the ground. The optimal height for long distance is <u>at</u> level seven with items landing at level one.
+Note: Trajectory will limit distance if thrown from a battlescape height higher than level seven due to an invisible ceiling at level nine <sup>'''*'''</sup>.
+* Any explosive device may be thrown to explode-on-impact by RMB clicking on the image in the agent's hand.
+'''*''' Battlescape levels are ten levels maximum but only nine levels are accessible, [[Alien_Assault_Ship_(Apocalypse)|usually]].
+=Formations=
+The two [[Battlescape_Overview_(Apocalypse)#Tactical_Screen|Formations]] control how groups of agents move in the battlescape.
+===Group Formation===
+The default selection. Agents will move to new destination and position themselves in a chequer-board formation.
+* Agents move their maximum allowable speed.
+* Automatically spaced apart relevant to the obstructions at the destination.
 ===Single File===
+''Note: single file does not work well.'' See [[Talk:Controls_(Apocalypse)|discussion]] page.
+* Agents used in single file formation do not have any icon to denote that they are a member of such grouping.
+* If another unit that was not part of the orginal single-file formation is selected, the button remains 'on' and will confuse that group that was supposed to stay as single-file.
+* Single file grouping does not deferentiate between 'yellow border' leader and 'orange border' passive members as it does with [[Alien_Ship_Combat_(Apocalypse)|vehicle groups]]. The member who is closest to the destination when moving becomes the 'leader'.
+* Single file formation will try maintain a four-cell distance between agents when moving. If the moving ceases, the agents will try to keep a one-cell distance from each other.<br>
+* Dynamic adjustment of speed of the 'leader' to obey the four-cell distance (from a very slow walk to bursts of speed faster than "Run") completely ignores the selected movement command for any member of that grouping.<br>
+<br>
+''...however, this works.''
+* Small target cross-section when moving forwards.
+* A group moving at an angle (flanking) to a hostile will allow all agents to fire without accidently shooting the one directly in front.
-The group of selected agents will dynamically form a chain, no matter how jumbled up they are, and the unit closest to the waypoint will form the lead unit. This is a very clever manouvre that can show you how coordinated your agents can be.
+=Shooting Style=
+Armed X-Com agents have one of four [[Battlescape_Overview_(Apocalypse)|shot types]] available. Any firing mode can be used for any weapon!<br>
-The biggest failure of this mode is that agents will move awkwardly at varying speeds, from sluggish crawls to quick sprints for no apparent reason, so the run and walk settings may not have much effect on these agents. Some players ignore this mode completely simply because of this.
+Note: All weapons have different firing ranges and rates of fire. An agent's own attributes (Accuracy) wll determine a successful hit. Use the best weapon for the task. (eg: a [[Megapol_Lawpistol|Law Pistol]] is useless at very long range).<br>
+Weapons which track their target disregard the accuracy skill of the firing unit.<br>
-Note that once a group has been formed (after ordering a selected group to move), the chain will remain even after the group is unselected. If you select the leading agent, all units that are behind the lead will automatically follow without having to be given orders to do so.
+Weapons which track will be fired more often if using less accurate fire modes.
+====None====
-You can break the chain in the middle by selecting an agent in the chain and then moving it off. In a way, this can be used to create mini chains of single-file squads. See the next section for a more practical use.
+Weapons are "Hold Fire". Prevents the agent from firing any weapon:
+* Prevent injury to alien lifeforms which are to be [[Bio-Transport_Module_(Apocalypse)|captured]].
-This mode fails because of the awkward movement, but is a great way of micromanaging small groups. You can use it to make an agent from a different squad follow a member from another squad automatically. By walking and using aggressive, these units can walk around and automatically use reaction fire on any enemies attacking the leading unit.
+* Unloaded weapons in the agent's hands will be 'safe' after picking up its ammunition.
+* No [[Known_Bugs_(Apocalypse)#Psychotic_Agents|firing of weapons]] other than when allowed, via [[Input_Device_Reference_(Apocalypse)#Hold_Fire_Forced_Fire|forced fire]].
-===Combining Single File and Formation Mode===
+====Aimed-Shot====
+The slowest and most accurate of the Shot Types. When using this, units will (take a longer time to) aim carefully at the selected target to have the best chance to hit. Aimed-Shot is typically used from long distance to the target with a suitable weapon. (eg: [[Megapol_Laser_Sniper_Gun|laser]])
-By using single file mode, you can link agents from any group with agents with another. For example, you can get six agents from another squad individually attach themselves to members of the main squad of six agents by making the agents in the first squad the lead unit in mini single-file formations.
+====Snap-Shot====
+The standard Shot Type. The middle ground between Aimed Shot and Auto-Shot in regards to the agent's time-to-aim before firing the weapon.
-Once the units are attached, you can select your main squad and then go back to formation mode. Your main squad will now be able to move about in formation, and the soldiers in the other squad will automatically follow the main squad and basically hover around the primary squad. Note however that because the soldiers are made up of mini single-file formations, your leading units may have their speed affected as if they were in single file.
+Snap-Shot is usually used at medium distance to a target when using a suitable weapon (eg: [[Megapol_Auto_Cannon|autocannon]])
+====Auto-Shot====
-You can also make longer mini-chains, however this can lead to a big mass agents getting in each others' way.
+The least time-to-aim and least accurate of the Shot Types. When using this, units will shoot almost constantly at the target to deliver the most impacts from a preferably shorter range (eg: [[Marsec_M4000_Machine_Gun|M4000]]).
- to be continued...
+[[Engaging_the_Enemy_(Apocalypse)|'''Next''']]
+[[Starting_a_Mission_(Apocalypse)|'''Previous''']]
+[[Tactics_(Apocalypse)|Return to Start]]
 [[Category: Apocalypse]]

Difference between revisions of "Controls (Apocalypse)"