User:Hobbes/Sandbox page
Tactics
User:Hobbes/Sandbox_page/Tactics
Soldier Management
- Use the first 3 missions to bring all the 12 initial soldiers and reveal their classes.
- The focus is on building a poll of soldiers - it should be around 10-12 soldiers being rotated on missions, plus a number of replacements.
- A basic setup is to have 2-3 officers of each class, depending on personal preferences - your favorite build(s) for that class and his/her replacement, plus an alternative build for more specialized missions.
- To get the Squad Size increase, you can get later a Sergeant as a reward in an abduction mission.
- Try to get as soldiers as rewards during Abduction missions (although you may lose countries) - money and resources are easy to get, high rank soldiers take a lot of time to build up. Even if you have already 2 officers from that class
- Usually the distribution of classes will not be balanced. Use Abduction missions to make up with any shortfalls.
1) Maps 2) Type and number of aliens.
The first criteria is if XCOM or the aliens are capable of killing their opponents with 1 shot. At the beginning the aliens will have the upper hand, specially in Classic/Impossible but that will keep changing back and forward as XCOM deploys new tech and the aliens bring more races. There's something of a ratio: if you're facing 3 lesser opponents or 2 similar ones or 1 superior alien you're outnumbered and your soldiers can be severely injured or killed.
With this in mind you may face three types of scenarios everytime you'll go on an Abduction/Terror/UFO missions. Council missions are predictable since you'll be facing always Sectoids or Thin Men.
Class Builds
Class/Type | Corporal | Sergeant | Lieutenant | Captain | Colonel | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Support (Medic) | Sprinter Covering Fire |
Field Medic | Revive | Dense Smoke Combat Drugs |
Savior | |
Support (Scout) | Sprinter | Smoke and Mirrors | Rifle Suppression | Dense Smoke | Sentinel | |
Support (Rifleman) | Covering Fire | Field Medic Smoke and Mirrors |
Rifle Suppression | Dense Smoke Combat Drugs |
Sentinel | |
Assault (Charger) | Aggression | Close and Personal | Rapid Fire | Bring 'Em On | Killer Instinct | |
Assault (Flanker) | Tactical Sense | Lightning Reflexes | Rapid Fire Flush |
Close Combat Specialist | Resilience | |
Assault (Rifleman) | Tactical Sense | Lightning Reflexes Close And Personal |
Rapid Fire Flush |
Bring 'Em On | Resilience | |
Sniper | Squad Sight | Gunslinger Damn Good Ground |
Disabling Shot | Opportunist | Double Tap In The Zone |
|
Sniper (Scout) | Snap Shot | Gunslinger Damn Good Ground |
Battle Scanner | Executioner | Double Tap In The Zone |
|
Heavy (Support) | Holo-Targeting | Shredder Rocket | HEAT Ammo | Grenadier | Rocketeer | Demolition/Squad Support |
Heavy (Rifleman) | Bullet Swarm | Suppression | Rapid Reaction | Danger Zone | Mayhem | Requires a lot of ammo. |
Heavy (Antiarmor) | Bullet Swarm | Shredder Rocket | HEAT Ammo | Danger Zone | Rocketeer | |
Heavy (Grenadier) | Bullet Swarm | Shredder Rocket | HEAT Ammo | Grenadier | Mayhem | |
' |
Normal Weapons Kill Table
Weapon | Base Damage | Crit Damage | Critical Chance | Maximum Damage (Base + Crit)? | Sectoid Thin Man Outsider Drone |
Floater | Muton Chryssalid |
Zombie Sectoid Commander |
Heavy Floater | Muton Elite | Cyberdisk | Bezerker Ethereal |
Sectopod |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 30 | |||||
Pistol | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
Laser Pistol Laser Pistol (I) |
2 | 3 | 10 30 |
5 | CRIT | CRIT | |||||||
Laser Pistol (I & III) | 3 | 3 | 30 | 6 | BASE | CRIT | |||||||
Plasma Pistol Assault Rifle Plasma Pistol (I) |
3 | 4 | 0 10 20 |
7 | BASE | CRIT | |||||||
Plasma Pistol (I & III) | 4 | 4 | 20 | 8 | BASE | BASE | CRIT | ||||||
LMG Sniper Rifle Shotgun |
4 | 6 | 0 25 20 |
10 | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | |||||
Laser Rifle Plasma Light Rifle |
5 | 7 | 10 | 12 | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | ||||
Heavy Laser Laser Sniper Rifle Laser Scatter |
6 | 9 | 10 30 20 |
15 | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | |||
Plasma Rifle | 7 | 10 | 10 | 17 | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | ||
Heavy Plasma Plasma Sniper Rifle Alloy Cannon |
9 | 13 | 10 35 20 |
22 | BASE | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT |
Classic Weapons Kill Table
Weapon | Base Damage | Crit Damage | Critical Chance | Maximum Damage (Base + Crit)? | Sectoid | Thin Man Floater |
Outsider Drone |
Chryssalid | Muton Zombie |
Heavy Floater Muton Elite Sectoid Commander |
Cyberdisk Bezerker Ethereal |
Sectopod |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 30 | |||||
Pistol | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
Laser Pistol Laser Pistol (I) |
2 | 3 | 10 30 |
5 | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | |||||
Laser Pistol (I & III) | 3 | 3 | 30 | 6 | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | |||||
Plasma Pistol Assault Rifle Plasma Pistol (I) |
3 | 4 | 0 10 20 |
7 | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | |||||
Plasma Pistol (I & III) | 4 | 4 | 20 | 8 | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | ||||
LMG Sniper Rifle Shotgun |
4 | 6 | 0 25 20 |
10 | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | |||
Laser Rifle Plasma Light Rifle |
5 | 7 | 10 | 12 | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | |||
Heavy Laser Laser Sniper Rifle Laser Scatter |
6 | 9 | 10 30 20 |
15 | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | |||
Plasma Rifle | 7 | 10 | 10 | 17 | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT | ||
Heavy Plasma Plasma Sniper Rifle Alloy Cannon |
9 | 13 | 10 35 20 |
22 | BASE | BASE | BASE | BASE | CRIT | CRIT | CRIT |
Impossible Weapons Kill Table
Sectoid (E/N/C) Outsider (E/N) Thin Man (E/N) Floater (E) Drone (E/N) |
Sectoid (I) Thin Man (C) Floater (N/C) Seeker (E) |
Outsider (C/I) Drone (C) Seeker (N/C) |
Thin Man (I) Floater (I) Seeker (I) |
Drone (I) | Chryssalid Muton (E/N/C) Sectoid Commander (E/N) |
Zombie (E/N/C) Muton (I) |
Heavy Floater (E/N) | Zombie (I) Sectoid Commander (C/I) Heavy Floater (C) |
Cyberdisc (E/N) Heavy Floater (I) Muton Elite (E/N/C) Mechtoid (E) |
Cyberdisc (C/I) Berserker (E/N/C) Muton Elite (I) Ethereal (E/N/C) Mechtoid (N) |
Berserker (I) Ethereal (I) Uber Ethereal (E/N/C) |
Sectopod | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weapon | Base Damage Crit Damage |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
Pistol | 1-2 2 or 3 |
0% 66% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Laser Pistol | 1-3 3 or 4 |
33% 100% |
0% 33% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Plasma Pistol Assault Rifle |
2-4 4 or 6 |
66% 100% |
33% 100% |
0% 66% |
0% 66% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
LMG Sniper Rifle Shotgun |
3-5 6 or 7 |
KILL | 66% 100% |
33% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 33% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Laser Rifle Plasma Light Rifle Minigun |
4-6 7 or 9 |
KILL | KILL | 66% 100% |
33% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 66% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Heavy Laser Laser Sniper Rifle Laser Scatter |
5-7 9 or 10 |
KILL | KILL | KILL | 66% 100% |
33% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 33% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Plasma Rifle Railgun |
6-8 10 or 12 |
KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | 66% 100% |
33% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 66% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Heavy Plasma Plasma Sniper Rifle Alloy Cannon |
8-10 13 or 15 |
KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | 33% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 66% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Particle Cannon | 9-11 15 or 17 |
KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | KILL | 66% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 100% |
0% 33% |
NO KILL | NO KILL | NO KILL |
Game Files Info
AI Behaviour
Moving vs static packs
- Moving packs will roam the battlefield until spotting XCOM or civilian units.
- Static packs will be hunkered down and waiting for enemy units to be seen.
- Ambush packs are aliens that will appear active but on Overwatch.
- The AI will 'teleport' either type of packs from one map location to the other, if they are still 'unactivated' (haven't seen XCOM units)
Active vs passive aliens
- Active aliens are alerted to XCOM's presence and will take action immediately upon sight.
- Aliens can be activated in 3 ways:
- By spotting XCOM units - the run for cover animation will be played - this requires for the XCOM unit to move into a visible square. However due to Line of Sight mechanics it is possible to spot a group of passive aliens while moving diagonally without activating them.
- By being activated by other already active aliens - the individual alien seems to emit a specific sound that can activate passive packs without the 'run for cover' animation.
- By firing and hitting any of the aliens with indirect fire by using Rocket Launchers, Squad Sight snipers, etc.
Swarming
- The AI seems to respond to scouts by pulling back some units to 'alert' other alien packs and/or 'teleporting' aliens closer to the position of last seen XCOM units. If those aliens are already activated this will result in very nasty surprises for XCOM.
- This can be visible on the amount of packs that are teleported and activated in terror/abduction missions in the first turns.
Tutorial/Council/Temple Ship Missions
- All packs are static or ambush
- Active aliens will not activate passive packs
- No teleporting
Abduction/UFOs/Alien Base Missions
- Moving/Static packs
- Active aliens will not activate passive packs
- Teleporting
Terror Missions
- Moving/Static packs
- Active aliens can activate passive packs
- Teleporting
Classes Tables
Left Side Abilities | Right Side Abilities | Additional Shot | Improves Reaction | Extra Movement | Additional Equipment | Change Unit Aim | Decrease Enemy Aim | Increase Damage Given | Decrease Damage Taken |
Assault
Heavy
Sniper
Support
Action | Aim | Damage | Notes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Squad Roles
There are 3 squad roles that each soldier can assume during a fight to achieve its tactical objectives, regardless of their class and/or abilities. They are:
- Maneuver - the capacity for the squad to move and reach favorable positions during your turn;
- Move/Dash - usual game actions;
- This role involves detecting the enemy (scouting), retreating and/or outflanking it;
- It also involves dislodging enemies from their own positions during your turn.
- Fire - to weaken and/or eliminate enemy targets during your turn;
- Fire/Throw - usual game actions.
- This role also involves removing enemy cover or boosting up a soldier's Aim/Critical Chance stats.
- Security - to prevent enemy actions during your and their turns.
- Cover/Overwatch/Suppress/Hunker Down - usual game actions;
- Security also involves healing wounds since they prevent KIAs.
The 3 roles are tightly interlinked together. A soldier moving to outflank an alien will increase squad security since it may force it to withdrawal from its position.
General vs Specialized Soldiers
Some soldiers are more inclined for specific squad roles than others due to their stats, class/abilities and equipment carried. The trade-off when selecting a soldier is between generality (for instance, a Rookie) and specialization (i.e. a Colonel). The more specialization, the better a soldier will be able to perform that specific role but if it is absent due to injury or incapacitated/killed, then your game play may be affected. In contrast, a more generic soldier will not be as effective in a specific role but it can more easily be replaced.
The choice between both types of soldier also reflects itself on the choice of class abilities at each rank. Each class is designed to favor 1 or more roles and the individual abilities reflect that design. Some abilities may also apply to two roles.
Assault
- Maneuver (Run & Gun, Lightning Reflexes, Flush)
- Security (Tactical Sense, Close Combat Specialist, Extra Conditioning, Resilience)
- Fire (Aggression, Close And Personal, Rapid Fire, Bring 'Em On, Killer Instinct)
Heavy
- Maneuver/Fire (Bullet Swarm)
- Security (Suppression, Rapid Reaction, Will To Survive)
- Security/Fire (Danger Zone, Mayhem)
- Fire (Fire Rocket, Holo-Targeting, Shredder Rocket, HEAT Ammo, Grenadier, Rocketeer)
Sniper
- Maneuver (Snap Shot, Battle Scanner)
- Maneuver/Fire (In The Zone)
- Security (Disabling Shot, Opportunist, Low Profile)
- Security/Fire (Damn Good Ground)
- Fire (Headshot, Squad Sight, Gunslinger, Executioner, Double Tap)
Support
- Maneuver (Sprinter)
- Security (Covering Fire, Field Medic, Revive, Rifle Suppression, Dense Smoke, Sentinel, Savior)
- Security/Fire (Smoke Grenade, Smoke & Mirrors)
- Fire (Combat Drugs)
- All (Deep Pockets)
Items
- Fire/Security (S.C.O.P.E, Mind Shield, Arc Thrower)
- Fire (Frag Grenade, Alien Grenade)
- Maneuver/Security (Combat Stims)
- Security (Nano-Fiber Vest, Chitin Plating, Mind Shield)