Supply Ship Smash and Grab

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Supply ships en route established alien base may offer an extremely easy way to earn both elerium and money. Letting the right alien base live, rather then storming it, will result in a steady elerium supply ranging from 150 to 900 elerium/month, and some money.

Race considerations

Floaters are best due to their generally crap stats. Next choice would be Snakemen, then Mutons. Sectoids are dangerous due to the Psionic Sectoid Leader in the bridge if you have not psi-screened your squad yet (though this is a common way to nab a Sectoid Leader if you need one). Ethereals are in general far too dangerous unless your squad is entirely psi-immune.

Terrain considerations

The best choices are flat and level deserts and arctic terrain. Farms are acceptable, though you'll have to deal with the barns and stables. Jungles, forests and mountains are to be avoided.

Know the different appearance of sub types of terrains. Deserts may be flat or hilly. Arctic terrain may be solid or puddly:

Unless you have flying suits, the puddly ice may present serious obstacles.

In farm terrain, remember that opening unexpected holes in buildings can be advantageous, and remember to check orchards thoroughly. Alternatively, you may choose to flatten the entire battlefield. If this is your choice you will gain some extra cash from demolishing the 1st level of buildings before the 2nd, as this will prevent the eradication of items that fell from the 2nd floor.

Playing Pirates vs. Kill'em all

You can have your steady income the pirate way or the military way. The military way is a regular UFO Ground Assault. You can find plenty of good advice for that here.

The pirate way is much easier and less risky, but you will not harvest neither the full score nor the maximum earn.

The pirate way avoids both the deadly second level of the supply ship and its 3rd level. Your elerium is in the ground level, and this is all you care for.

If you already have blaster bombs, I recommend entering the ship with a simultaneous pincer movement on both edges of the ship. This way your risk of casualties is practically non-existent. Getting in through the doors is far more hazardous, but usually you can't avoid that. Again - you will find good advice on entering practices here. Be sure to enter through both doors simultaneously, and tossing grenades inside before you enter is mandatory.

Once inside secure your pirates by tossing Proximity Grenade towards both red elevator shafts. Get your elerium and retreat. Leave proximity grenades near the entrance too - you do not want surprises if you still need to collect some valuables around.

Now it's time to go. get all your merry men into the skyranger and take off. Strangely enough, the supply ship will immediately take off and run, though its fuel is secured in your hand. They must have had a secret stash, the bastards.