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.

Improvement

Firing Accuracy increases depending on how many times you hit an enemy alien. Missed shots, hitting friendlies (including MC'd aliens), shooting scenery, distance to target, rank, etc. - none of these matter or count. Just whether or not you hit a non-MC'd alien. If your one autoburst hits three times, it counts as three hits. Also, if you aim at one alien but hit a different one, it still counts. Area-effect hits with e.g. grenades, stun bombs, and blaster bombs also count. You can rack up many hits with one detonation. (Grenades increase Throwing Accuracy too!)

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.

Kills, per se, do not matter. Only hits.

You can be awarded up to an average of 4 skill points (range 2-6) per combat mission if you make at least 11 hits. The point award does not depend on your current skill level, only on the number of hits. For more particulars on skill-point increases, see Experience.

Maximum Caps

An X-COM soldier's Firing Accuracy is capped at 120. However, because you can get a +6 roll when at 119, a soldier can have up to 125 Firing Accuracy (if they're really lucky!). For more info, see Regarding Caps.

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)

For a full breakdown and example, see:

• The Accuracy formula

See Also

• Reactions
• Accuracy formula
• Damage formula (weapons vs. armor)
• Experience
• Grenades
• Advanced skill increase techniques:
  • Reaction Training (pre-Psi)
  • Laser Pistol Gifts (the basic firing squad technique)
  • Tips on Firing Squads (lots of minutiae)