Naves
Hay varias naves disponibles a los comandantes del X-COM, cada una tiene sus pros y sus contras. Hay dos funciones básicas que cualquier nave del X-COM puede cumplir, la habilidad de interceptar UFOs enemigos, que requiere del montaje de Armamento de las naves. La segunda habilidad que puede cumplir es la de transporte de tropas, que requiere espacio de carga para soldados, [[Equipamiento (EU]|Equipamiento]] (especialmente armas) y potencialmente (Plataformas de armas pesadas]]. Un par de naves que pueden ser investigadas pueden cumplir ambas funciones.
Las naves interceptoras son usadas por el X-COM para dar caza y derribar los UFOs mientras se desplazan por la atmósfera terrestre durante la realización de Misiones alienígenas. Necesitan ser lo suficientemente rápidas para alcanzar al UFO, tener suficiente armamento para derribarlo y suficiente capacidad de soportar daños para aguantar lo suficiente en el combate. Nota: Todas las naves dañadas son reparadas a la velocidad de 1 punto de vida/hora.
- Interceptor - El único interceptor inicial que puedes usar, es el mejor que poseen los humanos, pero es comparativamente lento y frágil.
- Firestorm - El primer interceptor con tecnología híbrida aplicada, es una gran mejora con respecto al Interceptor en todo excepto en alcance.
Transporte de tropas
Troop Transporters are used to deliver soldiers to a remote mission location. Ideally they need as high a capacity as possible so that large squads can be sent out where a mission demands it, and sufficient range to get to all potential mission sites. High speed will also help for certain mission profiles, but is of lesser importance for most purposes.
- Skyranger - A solid piece of equipment that gets the job done for most of the conflict, although it is slow when missions are required at all sorts of places around the world.
Multi-Role Interceptor/Transporters
Later research will allow X-COM to field some multi-role craft that can fill both the interceptor and troop transport roles. These craft might supersede the other more specialist craft for general usage, although some commanders may prefer to use them more rigidly in one role or the other, or create entirely new roles that make use of all aspects of these craft.
- Lightning - This design suffers a little from being too small to do both jobs well, but it can be useful in certain roles, mopping up smaller UFOs with it single weapon and then immediately being able to recover the resulting crash site if a small squad is enough.
- Avenger - The ultimate hybrid craft created - although its fuel is limited, its speed means it still retains an impressive range and gets there much faster than the Skyranger leading to faster mission turnarounds. It's only weakness is a very short airtime, like all hybrid craft, making it terrible at detecting alien bases.
Quick Comparison Table
| Craft | Speed (kts) | Range (nm) | Accel. | Fuel | Weapons | Damage | Cargo | HWPs | Cost/Rent ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interceptor | 2,100 | 8,050 | 3 | 1,000 | 2 | 100 | None | None | 600,0001 |
| Firestorm | 4,200 | 7,000 | 9 | 20 | 2 | 500 | None | None | 400,0002 |
| Skyranger | 760 | 13,500 | 2 | 1,500 | None | 150 | 14 | 3 | 500,0001 |
| Lightning | 3,100 | 7,750 | 8 | 30 | 1 | 800 | 12 | None | 600,0002 |
| Avenger | 5,400 | 27,000 | 10 | 60 | 2 | 1,200 | 26 | 4 | 900,0002 |
1 This cost is paid upon ordering, and also at midnight on the first of every month once delivered as a craft rental fee
2 These craft also require a number of Alien Alloys, UFO Navigation and UFO Power Source to build as well as this price, and take a substantial time to manufacture.
The total cost of the Firestorm is 400k (cash) + 500k (labour) + 423k (alloys) + 250k (power) + 80k (navigation) = 1653k The total cost of the Lightning is 600k + 630k + 553k + 250k + 80k = 2113k The total cost of the Avenger is 900k + 1250k + 780k + 500k + 80k = 3500k
This means that manufacturing a Firestorm and selling your Interceptor pays for itself in under 3 months. (an existing interceptor costs 600k a month= 1800k in 3 months) However, if you do not already have an interceptor in the hangar, manufacturing a firestorm would effectively pay for itself in 2 months. (An new interceptor costs 600k+600k the first month, and 600k a month henceforth)
A Lightning arguably pays for itself in 1-2 months (500+600...500+600) since 1 Lightning can more or less do the job of 1 Interceptor + 1 Skyranger.
In short, X-com saves a LOT of money by manufacturing craft. The only drawback is Hybrid craft cost a lot of Elerium... 100 Elerium a month is $500,000 a month. So if your ships are spending a lot of time in the air, an Interceptor might be better than a Firestorm after all.
The time taken to build a Firestorm, Lightning and Avenger are respectively 14000, 18000 and 34000 man hours.
In terms of combat effectiveness, (vs Battleships) an Avenger has exactly the same damage output as a Firestorm, but has almost 2.5 times as much health. The Avenger also costs slightly over twice as much and almost 2.5 times as long to build. In actual combat with a Battleship, on average, 4 Avengers will receive exactly the same amount of damage as 4 Firestorms, aka they are equally effective in combat, when engaging with 4 craft at once. And 4 Firestorms will fare better than 2 Avengers. In effect, this means that dollar for dollar, building 10 Firestorms is cheaper and more effective than building 4 Avengers. However, EACH avenger uses less fuel than 1 Firestorm, due to shorter airtime. Furthermore, 10 firestorms require 10 hangar.
In short, if you have enough resources, the Avenger is the better choice, but if you are short on resources, and for some reason you feel an uncontrollable urge to shoot down battleships (I do not know why you would do so), a fleet of Firestorms is better.
