Engaging the Enemy (Apocalypse)
when entering the battlescape, it is always best to use real time, except when going for a capture. the tactics you employ may vary widly depending on who you face, but are vastly diffrent from those employed in the first two games. this is divided into early, middle, and late game vs. both aliens and other humans
The diffrence
the main diffrence is in the avaliblity of armor in the early game. Megapol and even Marsec armor is nearly immune to early-game weaponry, a far cry from the instant death plasma of the first game. only hyperworms can easily penetrate armor until the boomeriod is deployed.
early game: aliens
At first, your only worries are multiworms and brainsuckers, though spitters are dangerous in large numbers. multiworms themselves are not dangerous, but it's hard to kill them at range and hyperworms are death in melee. use autocannon and machine guns, preferably two weapons per trooper. upgrade to plasma guns as soon as you can. grenades are only slightly effective, as they are often unable to kill in a single hit or noticeably weaken enemies. stun gas, however, is pretty useful for captures and beating multiworms. Rocket launchers have a tendency to hit your troops at times, so it's best to not rely on them.
early game: humans
This varies widely, as the diffrent groups are armed diffrently, but what you really have to worry about are cultists, gang members, marsec troops, and megapol, as these are the most dangerous.
Cultists wear megapol armor, and have autocannons, grenades, plasma guns, rocket launchers, and bascially everything megapol sells.
Gang members are equipped with a wide array of guns, though plasma guns are somewhat rare. diablo members are equipped with incindary grenades on occasion.
Marsec troops have marsec gear.
megapol troops have megapol's inventory of leathal weaponry.
In all cases your main advantage is that you can employ grenades frequently. explosive autocannon fire is also of great value, as your enemies tend to clump. target rocket launchers first, then shoot whoever is shooting at you. inflict maximum collateral damage, as a bankrupt foe can't counterattack.
mid game: aliens
when you pass 1000 points, things take a change for the lethal. the antropods are now the prime target, behind only charging brainsuckers in threat. claiming disruptor guns slightly evens the odds, but your armor advantage is wiped away. skeletiods appear, and the nightmare of storming UFOs is not much changed from the other two games. when boomeriods appear, things get even worse. gladly, the non-armed aliens are now easy meat for disruptor guns. eventually the devestator cannon is deployed, proving lethal to armored andrioids in two shoots at times. begin phasing out human weaponry as fast as possible. keep your troops far apart when you can.
mid game: humans
this is much easier, as you are now equipped with the most lethal weaponry. in almost any battle, X-com troops will shred any resistance. you must still beware rocket launchers and plasma guns.
To be added: late game, which this editor has yet to fully reach, storming ufos, which this editor has not exactly mastered, and location-specific tactics, which this editor doesn't feel like writing