Experience
A soldier earns experience during combat. After the mission, the soldier will then earn a random amount of stat increases based on what experience the soldier acquired during combat.
Experience
The list of experience that a soldier can earn during combat are:
- General Hits
- Melee Hits
- Number of psionic attacks
- Number of times a unit panicked
- Number of times reaction fire was used
- Number of times objects were thrown
General Hits
General hits take count of how many times you hit an enemy target with any shot or any area effect weapon such as rockets, grenades and stun bombs. General hits make up the bulk of your stat improvements.
The more hits, regardless of shot type, the better. (If an auto-burst hits three times, it counts as three hits.) Therefore the power of your weapon is inversely proportional to how many hits you can earn. To improve your accuracy faster, fight with weaker weapons.
Note: Only hits on enemy units count. Scenery, civilians, and friendlies (including mind-controlled aliens) do not count. So firing at random into your nigh indestructable troop transport's wall or at innocent trees do not count.
Influences: Time Units, Energy, Health, Strength and Firing Accuracy.
Melee hits
This covers how many times a melee attack (e.g. Stun Rod) succeeded against an enemy target. For Terror From The Deep, this also includes Vibroblades, Thermic Lances and Heavy Thermic Lances.
Influences: Time Units, Energy, Health, Strength and Melee. Melee is a "hidden" variable. You don't see it in the statistics screen, but it does increase when melee is done.
Number of Psionic attacks
The number of times a psionic attack was used on an enemy target. It doesn't matter if it's a panic or a mind control attack, nor does the success of the attempt matter. The Mind Probe will not raise this counter because it is not an offensive tool.
Influences: Time Units, Energy, Health, Strength and Psi Skill
Number of times Unit has Panicked
How many times the unit suffered from severe morale loss (i.e. panicking or going beserk when Morale < 50%). +10 is awarded if a soldier loses control due to heavy morale loss. If your Bravery is improving, it can be due to several reasons. On the one hand, it could mean you're not doing very well and you're losing so many soldiers that the others are panicking. Getting hurt also drops morale. Or it could mean that the soldier isn't good at resisting psi attacks.
Influences Time Units, Energy, Health, Strength and Bravery.
Number of times Opportunity fire was used
How many times a soldier performed a reaction shot. This not only influences Time Units, Energy, Health, Strength and Reactions, the shot, if it hits, is counted as a successful general hit. Basically this stat has the potential to do double the work.
Influences: Time Units, Energy, Health, Strength and Reactions
Number of times objects were thrown
This experience counter is the simplest of the lot. It counts how many times the soldier has thrown an object. It does not have to be a grenade, and can be any object that can be picked up.
Influences: Throwing Accuracy only
Regarding Strength
A soldier CANNOT increase strength by being overly encumbered. It can only increase through the above listed methods. You will only receive the encumberance penalty on start of turn replenishment of time units.
Regarding Kills
A soldier does not necessarily get more experience from the number of kills that are made. A soldier with 16 one-shot kills will have the potential to earn just as much experience as a soldier who killed one alien with 16 shots.
This is a very good reason to hang on to weaker weapons such as Pistols and Laser Pistols, if only for training purposes. If it takes a lot of weak hits to bring an alien down, you're getting credit for each of them. It's hits that count toward stats, not kills per se.
How Experience Points Are Applied
Soldier stats can be divided into two areas, primary and secondary stats.
Primary Stats
- Primary stats only increase when particular actions are performed. These stats are:
- The number of primary skill points you earn at the end of a combat mission relies solely on the number of primary actions you perform during combat. Your current skill level doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you have the lowest recruit value, or you're one point below the cap.
- Points assigned have a stairstep function, corresponding to a range within which points are rolled. The range increases as more actions are performed:
Primary Roll Average
Actions* Range Increase *Successful Psi actions count as 3 actions - see below
1-2 0-1 0.5
3-5 1-3 2.0
6-10 1-4 2.5
11+ 2-6 4.0
- Performing more than 11 actions doesn't cause any more increase. This was tested out to 200 actions. Once you reach 11, you get a 2-6 roll, and that's that.
- As you can see, there are distinct breakpoints at 3 actions and 11 actions, corresponding to an average increase of 2 and 4 skill points, respectively. Three actions are the best "bang for the buck", if you have a limited number to spread across your squad (a.k.a., a limited number of aliens to kill). It's not an issue with psi or throwing (which you can do all you want), but is for other primaries. Then again, letting your soldiers throw 3 times just before ending a mission maximizes Throwing Accuracy growth vs. your personal time spent. That is, if you give a damn about Throwing.
- A 0 roll is not possible for primary skills, if you perform 3 or more actions. See ranges (above). Conversely, one or two actions do not guarantee a skill increase, and your second action can even be seen as a waste, because it soaks up an action without increasing the roll range. If someone's done one or two actions, try to get them to three, if you can.
- Psi actions are a special case. Successful panic or mind control (MC) attempts cause the psi experience counter to go up by three actions. Thus, you only need to do 4 successful MCs or panics to get all the psi skill points you're going to (4x3=an experience count of 12). But unsuccessful attempts only cause the counter to go up by one. So you need 11 failed attempts to get to the 2-6 roll range, just like for all other primary stats.
- When you think about it, Ye Olde Programmers Of Yore made a simple and robust system where all squaddies are expected to participate, and hopefully each of them get to make a few primary actions that increase their score some real amount each combat mission. (And only fools test out to 200 actions - Ed.)
- It is possible to get +6 skill points if you did 11+ actions when at Cap -1, which means that an 'overflow' maximum stat value (on last mission before going over cap) of Cap+5 (but no more) is possible. See Regarding Caps. Few of your soldiers will ever achieve Cap+5, however. First, you have to catch the fact that one of your soldiers is right at Cap-1 and be sure to do 11+ actions next combat. Then, there's only a 20% chance of rolling a 6 (with range 2-6). Finally, you do have to be right at Cap-1, without having overflowed to some lower Cap+ value previously. So probably only a few percent of soldiers will ever see Cap+5 - except for Psi Skill, which has no true cap. (And Psi skill is probably the only primary stat you'll get to cap anyway, unless you're into real marathon games!)
Secondary Stats
- Secondary stats increase when one or more primary actions are performed (except for throwing). Secondary skills are:
- TUs
- Stamina
- Health
- Strength
- Secondary skill points work the exact opposite way of primary skills: It does not matter how many primary actions are taken; all that matters is that you did one primary action - and your secondaries increase all that they're gonna. It also doesn't matter if you did more than one kind of primary skill.
- Also opposite to primaries, current stat level does matter for secondaries. An easy way to visualize it is that, if secondary stat levels were at 0 (via hacking), you'd get an average of 4 points (range 0-8) per combat. This slopes evenly down to getting an average of 1 point (range 0-2) per combat at the cap for each stat.
- Viewed as an even slope, Stamina has the "farthest to go" to max out. A table can be composed of how many combats are needed to max out each secondary stat, on average:
TIME UNITS STAMINA (ENERGY) STRENGTH HEALTH
Level Inc. CMs Level Inc. CMs Level Inc. CMs Level Inc. CMs
R_Min 50 2.20 40 4.00 20 6.00 25 3.80
R_Max 60 1.67 6 70 1.86 12 40 2.50 6 40 2.00 6
Cap 80 1.00 15 100 1.00 22 70 1.00 19 60 1.00 14
Total 21 34 25 20
- This table shows Recruit Min and Max levels, and the Cap for each stat. Then it shows the average Increase per combat mission at each of these three levels. For example, you get +2.20 TU skill point increase per combat, on average, when at TUs=50. Then "CMs" shows the number of Combat Missions to go from e.g. TU Recruit Min to Recruit Max (takes 6 CMs), on the average, where you are successively adding a little less points each CM. The next CMs entry is number of combats to go from Recruit Max to Cap. Finally, "Total" shows the total average CMs to go from Recruit Min to Cap. Of course, the actual number of points assigned is highly variable (it's rolled randomly within the range of points possible), so you may get real lucky (or unlucky) in any one stat. These are only averages.
- As stated, Stamina has the "farthest to go" (34 turns in total from Recruit Minimum to Cap). So if you're aiming to have soldiers that hit their caps across the board a.s.a.p., favor a high recruit Stamina over other secondary stats.
- Note that even if a primary skill is over its cap, you can still increase (non-capped) secondaries by performing a capped primary action.
- As stated, all secondaries have "slowed" to getting only 0-2 points when at Cap-1. Thus, you can only have an 'overflow' (on last combat mission when you go over the cap value) of Cap+1 for secondaries. Considering the probabilities involved, soldiers have a 25% chance of getting Cap+1.
Exceptions
- Bravery is unlike other skills. +10 Bravery might be awarded if a soldier loses control due to heavy morale loss. For more info, see Bravery. How can it be increased without sacrificing lots of soldiers (or tanks) or failing psi attacks? Neither prospect is favourable. It's perhaps best to treat Bravery increases as a reward for living through a very bad experience and not seek to actively increase it.
- Throwing is also an oddball. While it follows the rules for primaries (above), it only increases your Throwing Accuracy. It does not trigger secondaries to increase. (It would've been too easy to increase stats, otherwise! Actually, Psi is even easier, but at least it takes a while to research psi.)
- The game also tracks a Melee Accuracy primary stat, a.k.a. Close Combat Accuracy, although it's not shown in any game displays (SOLDIER.DAT bytes 50 & 61). Using the stun rod causes this stat to increase and triggers secondaries as well, and it has a cap of 120. However, stun-rodding aliens is liable to knock them so far out that even lots of medkit stimming won't wake them, so you can then shoot the pitiful wretches - and most players would rather increase firing and reaction stats instead of this obscure one. Thus, Melee is not a very useful primary. But if you do need to bag some bad guys for the research boys, it's nice to know you get secondary skillpoint increases for it. Note: In other games with melee skills (TFTD?), this stat might be more important.
Putting It All Together
- Your brain probably focused on the averages stated above, but the actual points assigned are highly variable. The range is the best indicator of what to expect for any one soldier on any one combat mission. This follows the usual XCOM approach of defining a range and rolling randomly within it.
- Do your best to get every soldier you are interested in developing, to get at least one primary action (not including throwing). This makes sure their secondaries grow. Then try to shoot for the big breakpoints of 3 or 11 primary actions. Doing more than 11 actions does not increase a particular primary stat any more, so spread the actions around if somebody has already done that many.
- Any soldier can (and will!) ultimately become a maxed-out superman. The worse a secondary stat is, the quicker it will rise. And you can try to target who performs which primary actions. Along these lines, knowing the breakpoints of 3 and 11 can help you manage potential skill increases (a.k.a. targets) as effectively as possible. That said,
- Early in the game, don't spend much time or money fretting over stats. Any soldier is liable to come up snakes with their Psi strength. And every soldier can otherwise eventually become a superman.
- As many sages have said, one of the best ways to max experience - once you have psi on board - is to 1) mind control aliens, 2) line them up for a firing squad, 3) put a couple of laser pistols in their hands (once everybody has powered or flying armor), then 4) reaction fire with standard-issue pistols. This increases your psi, firing, reaction, and secondary skills. Note that standard pistols hold 12 rounds, so if someone has reaction-shot a full clip, they have already maxxed their possible reaction skillpoint increase (it doesn't matter if they hit, just that they reacted). However, they may not have maxxed their firing skillpoint increase, because not all shots may have hit. You might then let low Firing Accuracy guys take planned shots (so you can make sure they get 3 or 11 hits).
- The truly devious might want to keep a pet Muton base (once you have psi ability). Drop in, kill them down to one Mutie, and withdraw. Milk those thick-skinned greenies til you're maxxed! - Tip from Zombie
- In the endgame (when you have tons of cash), if you're a micromanager role-playing to make soldiers who are maxxed across the board, it's arguably more important to pick recruits who are not anomalousy low in any one stat, rather than ones who are high in a few things. In other words, if your goal is 100% stats, one really bad stat may slow you down more than e.g. being a particularly good newbie shooter. Firing accuracy, reactions, and stamina have the biggest span between recruit values and work needed to max them out. Related to this: Reactions are easier to increase with firing squads than Firing Accuracy (reaction shots count even if they miss, but only hits count for Firing Accuracy; however, a Reaction level of below 50 or especially 40 can be crippling, because everybody else will fire first and kill the targets). Anomalously low stats can also be the basis for throwing out soldiers who "aren't performing" - if one of their stats is much farther from the maximum than the rest.
Another thing to keep in mind is that rank is only window dressing. The only thing it affects in the game, is his or her "soldier value" - the morale hit to your other soldiers, if that soldier dies. Rank doesn't cause your stats to increase faster, shots to hit better, or affect anything else.
Regarding Caps
Every soldier statistic has a maximum allowed value, as shown in the table below. Your soldier will eventually have a value equal to or slightly greater than the cap. It is allowed to go over the cap, the very last time you have a combat while it is still under the cap. For example, the maximum Firing Accuracy is 120. If you go into a combat at 119, do lots of shooting, and get a +5 roll, you will walk away with 124 Firing Accuracy - but it will never increase again. (Unless you like to hack... heh heh heh.)
Primary skills can overflow their cap by 5, and secondary skills can overflow their cap by 1, as shown here:
Primary Stat Min Cap Max Cap Psi Skill 100 105+* Firing Accuracy 120 125 Reactions 100 105 Throwing Accuracy 120 125 Melee Accuracy 120 125 Secondary Stat Min Cap Max Cap Time Units 80 81 Stamina 100 101 Health 60 61 Strength 70 71
*Psi Skill is the only exception to the cap rule. Combat will operate normally - you'll never see an increase from combat once you're 100+ Psi Skill - but Psi Lab training will continue to add 1-3 points each month.
Misc Notes
- With the exception of Psi Skill training in the Psi Lab, all stats can only be trained through combat experience.
- Any combat experience earned will influence promotions. The soldier with the highest amount of experience in total will have the best chance of being promoted to the next rank. Yes, panicking counts towards a promotion as well.
Determining Promotions
Who gets what promotion depends entirely on the existing ranks and whether there is room for promotion. Promotion to squaddie for a new recruit is automatic as long as the soldier acquires some combat experience (shooting or psi) in battle. Ranks beyond this have specific criteria that need to be met before they are offered - namely, having a certain number of suboordinates of the previous rank.
In an equal environment, say all you have are new recruits, the soldier that obtains the most experience in battle will be in the best position to be take on the best available promotion above squaddie that is up for grabs. Every action a soldier performs in battle that is recorded will be tallied at the end of the battle and the one with the highest gets the best promotion, the next highest the second best promotion and so on.
If there is one position available but two eligible soldiers have an identical amount of performance, the game will randomly pick between the two.
It is unfortunate to note that panicking does indeed count towards this tally. It is also unfortunate that once a soldier has been handed a rank, they can continue to rise in the ranks even if they do nothing and are surpassed by other soldiers. First come, first serve, as they say.