Firing Accuracy

Firing accuracy affects a soldier's ability to hit their target with a ranged weapon.

Starting Values

New recruits will always begin with a value between 40 and 70.

Maximum Caps

An X-COM soldier's Firing Accuracy is capped at 120.

Improvement

Firing Accuracy will increase from 0 to 6 points per combat mission, depending on how many times you hit an enemy alien (scenery, friendlies, and MC'd aliens don't count). Only the number of hits matters - your current skill level does not affect the number of points awarded. With one hit, an average of approx. 1.7 points are awarded (range 0-3). With 9 hits, approx. 4.0 points are awarded (range 2-6). Above approx. 10 hits, very little additional points are awarded. Because you can get a +6 roll when at cap-1 (119) if you have enough hits, it is possible to have a Firing Accuracy of up to 125 (cap+5). For more info, see Soldier Experience.

Missed shots, distance to target, rank, etc. - none of these matter. Just whether or not you hit an alien. Thus, weak weapons like pistols and laser pistols mean the alien won't die as quick, which means more hits, which means more chance of Firing Accuracy improvement. Because their skin is so thick and they have lots of Health, Mutons (and their Silacoid buddies) are best for multiple hits with a weak weapon.

Base Chance To Hit

Each weapon has an accuracy rating of its own, which, when applied to the soldier's firing accuracy, gives the soldier's "base chance to hit".

Formula:

Base Chance To Hit = Firing Accuracy x Weapon Accuracy

Example:

A soldier with a firing accuracy of 50%, using a weapon with an 
accuracy rating of 50%, will have a base chance to hit of 25%.

Influencing Factors

Base Chance To Hit is also affected by other factors:

• +15% when kneeling.
• -20% when holding a two-handed weapon with one hand.
• -10% per wound to the head or gun arm.
• -25% x (max health-current health)/max health)