Difficulty (EU2012)

Easy

• Base global panic starts at 0
• Most alien activity only raises panic by 1 in left unchecked
• Your soldiers have 1 bonus hitpoint
• Aliens are dumber, and there aren't as many of them
• Soldiers cost $10

Normal

• Base global panic starts at 0
• Most minor alien activity raises panic by 1 in left unchecked with some events doing up to 3
• Your soldiers have no bonus hitpoints
• Aliens have their AI mostly unshackled
• Soldiers cost $10

Classic

• Base global panic starts at 8 (1 per location)
• If unchecked alien activity causes at least 1 panic, but will often cause 2 or 3
• Your soldiers have -1 hitpoint
• All aliens receive bonuses hit hitpoints, accuracy, critical change and / or damage.
• Alien AI is unshackled
• You receive no officer training school
• There are even more aliens per map
• Soldiers cost $15

Impossible

• Base global panic starts at 16 (2 per location)
• If unchecked alien activity causes at least 2 panic, but will often cause even more
• Your soldiers have -2 hitpoints
• All aliens receive bonuses hit hitpoints, accuracy, critical change and / or damage.
• Alien AI is unshackled
• You receive no officer training school
• There are even more aliens per map
• Soldiers cost $15