Cydonia
A two part mission. Note that this is a DO OR DIE mission. If you fail or hit abort at any time, the entire campaign ends, you lose. To have this mission available, you must research "Cydonia or Bust", and access it by launching an avenger. It'll either give the option to go to intercept or to Cydonia. The "Cydonia" button is at the top of the screen if you have an Avenger selected in the Geoscape.
Mars: Cydonia Landing
Briefing
Your Avenger craft has landed in the region of Cydonia on the surface of Mars. Our information indicates that one of the pyramid constructions contains a green access lift to an underground complex. Once you have assembled all your soldiers in the lift area, continue to the next stage…
Description
First part is on the surface of Mars. Lots of Pyramid structures, some with aliens inside, some empty. Only one has the entrance to the aliens HQ, the entrance being an area with glowing green floor. Now, this floor has, I forget how many squares, 4x4 area? Anyhow, you can step onto that with as many people as possible, hit abort, and it'll bring them and whatever they're carrying to part 2. OR, you can just kill everything on the stage and everyone will go to part 2.
The surface is filled with many many Sectoids and Cyberdisks. Much Commanders and leaders methinks, as there's Psi all around. I find this mission hilarious when I shoot a cyberdisk, it blows up, and the chain reaction kills over 5 other cyberdisks. Plus many many sectoids. It then turns into Pyramid hunting.
[ NKF: I think the easiest way to look at it is that this mission is basically a Sectoid Battleship/Base crew in a one-of-a-kind map with a choice of two different winning conditions]
Tips & Tricks
HWP's can follow you onto the lift and the next level if you use the tools at your disposal to widen the doorway for them.
Mars: The Final Assault
Briefing
The pyramid lift takes your battle weary soldiers deep below the planet's surface. They arrive in the heart of a large complex of tunnels and chambers. The alien brain is hidden somewhere in the labyrinth. It must be destroyed if the earth is to be saved from alien enslavement.
Description
Second part is almost like a alien base assault. It's filled with all manner of creatures, if I remember correctly. Ethereals, Sectopods and Chryssalids, if I'm not mistaken. Anyhow, you only need to destroy one portion of a 4 part alien brain to win the mission. There's a whole bunch of heavily armed ethereals defending the Brain Room. Of course, either a blaster bomb, or plain mind controlling one of them to shoot the brain ends the mission easily... to be true to storyline, kill all opposition, then shoot the brain pointblank with a plasma based weapon.
[ NKF : This is UFO's only mixed crew mission. It's mainly an Ethereal crew with a few extras, mainly terror units, from the other races. This mission only really needs a blaster launcher, and with luck, if you locate the command theatre right away, will be over in less than a few turns.]
Tips & Tricks
Go armed for bear. Best agents, best weapons, and Hovertank/Launchers. Psi experts and Blaster Bombs are great, Laser Rifles and Heavy Plasma are good. Flying suits are nice to have. Don't bring psi-weaklings. Spread out a little so Blaster Bombs don't wipe everyone out. If all else fails, 5 psi-experts and 10 jokers carrying Blaster Launchers and 4 bombs each can send 20 BBs flying around Stage 1 and 20 demolishing stage 2. If for some reason you haven't got many psi strong soldiers, 1 psi resistant soldier and 5 hovertank launchers should work...
and for the macho-ist (cough cough try this) Total loadout.... 1 psiamp & 1 soldier