Mixed Crew

The Mixed Crew "race"

A "Mixed" crew classification on an Alien Sub means that its crew consists of an unusual mix of alien races, including many different Terror Units. Up to six different races may be encountered in a single Mixed crew mission.

In game terms, Mixed crews are treated as the fifth alien "race", with a very unusual way of assigning ranks. The basic Soldiers and Squad Leaders are Tasoths, while the other ranks are filled with a mixture of Aquatoids and various Terror Units.

To summarize, mixed crews comprise:

1. Tasoth Soldiers: these are always present, and are the most common alien except on Battleships

2. Tasoth Squad Leaders: present on all alien subs except Survey Ships, but only one or two are usually encountered.

3. Aquatoid Soldiers: one or two will appear on the largest alien subs.

4. Aquatoid Squad Leaders: interestingly, these are slightly more common than the Soldiers.

5. Tentaculats: Present on Battleships (in large numbers) and Dreadnoughts (lower numbers, possibly none on lower difficulty settings) if X-COM downs and assaults them.

6. Hallucinoids: Also present on Battleships (only one) and Dreadnoughts (a few) if X-COM downs and assaults them.

7. Random mixture of Bio-Drones and Triscenes: replace Tentaculats on land.

8. Random mixture of Xarquids and Calcinites: replace Hallucinoids on land.

Mixed crews normally perform only Alien Surface Attack (terror) missions, but may also launch Floating Base Attacks if X-COM provokes them by downing their subs. As Mixed crew missions tend to show up late into the game, they can be a backpath to obtaining a Calcinite if X-COM failed to capture one during the early months.

Other appearances of Mixed crews

Mixed crews also man certain key Alien sites. These are described below.

Mix of races in Alien Colonies

The way alien colonies are crewed in TFTD differs slightly from UFO. Where UFO bases will be manned and supplied by the same species as the construction crew, in TFTD colonies are always guarded by the same a mixture of alien types, regardless of which race does the supply runs:

• The topside (1st stage) of an Alien Colony is always manned by the Mixed crew "race", meaning a mixture of Tasoths and Aquatoids accompanied by Tentaculats and Hallucinoids.
• The interior (2nd stage) of an Alien colony is always manned by the Lobster Men and their usual underwater Terror Units, the Tentaculats.

The crew of the Fleet Supply Cruisers will be the same as the crew of the aliens that established the colony. For example, if Gillmen do the scouting and construction of the colony, they will also be responsible for the supply runs.

Mix of races in Artefact Sites

Both stages of an Artefact Site feature the Mixed Crew "race", i.e. a mixture of Tasoths and Aquatoids accompanied by Tentaculats and Hallucinoids. Note that, due to an insufficient number of spawn points, Hallucinoids, Tentaculats, and occasionally even Aquatoids may fail to spawn on first stage of the mission.

Mix of races in T'leth

T'leth is manned by a unique crew:

• The 1st stage is manned by Aquatoids and their usual underwater associates, the Hallucinoids.
• The 2nd and 3rd stages are manned by a unique set of aliens, which is different than the usual Mixed "race" and is detailed in the article on that mission.

Note: in some online sources, as well as in older versions of the article, you will find reference to the existence of two different types of Mixed Crew "races", where the other consists of Lobster Men accompanied by Aquatoids and various terrorists. This second Mixed "race" is used only for generating the aliens on the lower levels of T'leth and does not feature in any missions before then.