Missions (Hardmode)
UFO Landed Assault
Some Alien UFO missions involve landings. Observing a UFOs speed and height can help in determining if a UFO is in the process of attempting a landing, however in some circumstances the UFO may be merely conducting a low level sweep and will not land.
A UFO that lands is far more difficult to assault, but the UFO will suffer no loss of onboard equipment or resources, thus offering a far greater reward than a crashed UFO.
Furthermore, the entire crew compliment will be alive and healthy, ergo they will offer greater resistance. Furthermore a UFO may land during the night, further enhancing the difficulty of the mission. In addition a landed UFO will only remain on the ground for a short duration, making it risky to attempt to wait for the landing site to reach morning.
UFO Crash Site Assault
Whenever a UFO is shot down, assuming it is not destroyed outright due to overdamage, a crash site assault becomes available.
A UFO brought down will suffer a variable amount of damage to onboard equipment and crew numbers in addition to possible structural damage to the craft, which may make assaults on it easier. This represents a double edged sword as a crashed UFO is relatively easier to secure than a landed one, but it will offer less recoverable resources.
Be wary that shooting down UFO's has a chance to trigger a future alien retaliation mission. Avoid shooting down craft near bases you do not want to be attacked.
Alien Base Assault
TBA
Terror Mission
TBA
X-COM Base Defence
TBA
Cydonia or Bust
TBA