Difference between revisions of "XCOM (EU2012)"
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[[File:Blue badge XCOM EU.png|center|thumb|XCOM insignia]] | [[File:Blue badge XCOM EU.png|center|thumb|XCOM insignia]] | ||
− | + | ''Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying - Arthur C. Clarke'' | |
In the beginning of the 21st century the number of [[UFOs (EU2012)|UFO]] sightings grew throughout the world, until the reports couldn't be ignored anymore by Earth's political and military leaders. Deciding to pool their resources together, a group of the world's sixteen most powerful countries activated the ''''XCOM''' Project'. A covert international agency was established, called XCOM and was tasked with the role of investigating and stopping the [[Alien Missions (EU2012)|growing alien threat]], while operating out of [[XCOM Headquarters (EU2012)|XCOM Headquarters]], a hidden subterranean base staffed with the best personnel and most advanced equipment from the nations of Earth. | In the beginning of the 21st century the number of [[UFOs (EU2012)|UFO]] sightings grew throughout the world, until the reports couldn't be ignored anymore by Earth's political and military leaders. Deciding to pool their resources together, a group of the world's sixteen most powerful countries activated the ''''XCOM''' Project'. A covert international agency was established, called XCOM and was tasked with the role of investigating and stopping the [[Alien Missions (EU2012)|growing alien threat]], while operating out of [[XCOM Headquarters (EU2012)|XCOM Headquarters]], a hidden subterranean base staffed with the best personnel and most advanced equipment from the nations of Earth. | ||
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In order for Earth to win the war, XCOM will have to follow a strategy that allows it to complete both goals. If XCOM fails to achieve both goals Earth will be powerless to stop the alien invasion and humanity will have to surrender its fate to its new masters. | In order for Earth to win the war, XCOM will have to follow a strategy that allows it to complete both goals. If XCOM fails to achieve both goals Earth will be powerless to stop the alien invasion and humanity will have to surrender its fate to its new masters. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Operational Priorities=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | To achieve the two goals, the XCOM commander will have to coordinate its seven operational areas and decide where to invest its spare resources. Each area has different missions and priorities, as well as tasks required, as listed on the table below. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {| class="wikitable" width="100%" | ||
+ | |+ Missions/Priorities | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! width="20%" align="center" | Area | ||
+ | ! width="35%" align="center" | Priority | ||
+ | ! width="45%" align="center" | Tasks | ||
+ | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Headquarters''' || ''Increase base abilites and efficiency'' ||Build additional/upgraded facilities<br>Satisfy power needs for expansion<br>Increase building space<br>Maximize facility bonuses<br>Acquire required credits/materials for construction | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Mission Control''' || ''Detect and stop UFOs/alien attacks<br>Recover alien specimens and technology<br>Perform any additional combat missions'' || Expand and defend satellite network<br>Intercept and shoot down UFOs on missions<br>Assault and capture crashed/landed UFOs<br>Stop alien ground attacks and missions | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Situation Room''' || ''Secure/increase funding and resources<br>Prevent countries from leaving XCOM<br>Complete victory objectives'' || Improve XCOM's performance<br>Manage panic levels<br>Sell advanced tech on the Gray Market<br>Expand satellite network for country/continent bonuses<br>Perform Council missions for additional rewards<br>Complete the required game objectives for victory | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Aircraft''' || ''Expand Interceptor deployment<br>Defend satellite network'' || Acquire sufficient Interceptors<br>Equip Interceptors with technological upgrades | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Soldiers''' || ''Provide mission capable squads'' || Hire soldiers and upgrade their equipment<br>Retain a pool of experienced soldiers <br>Minimize casualties and recovery time<br>Maximize promotions and combat training<br>Built the Officer Training School for additional abilities | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Research''' || ''Investigate the aliens and their intentions<br>Examine their advanced technology<br>Develop applications of alien technology'' ||Examine recovered alien artifacts and perform autopsies<br>Conduct interrogations on captured aliens<br>Expand laboratory capacity and keep labs fully staffed | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | align="center" | '''Engineering''' || ''Develop and manufacture tech upgrades<br>Provide engineers to build and operate facilities'' || Build the Foundry for advanced weapons projects<br>Enlarge and maximize workshop capacity<br>Have enough engineers for all required projects | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | Due to lack of enough resources it will be impossible to be able to prioritize all those areas, so when elaborating his/her strategy, the XCOM commander will have to carefully consider what initial investments to make and be prepared for the consequences of any shortcomings. | ||
[[File:MissionControl EU.jpg|600px|center|thumb|XCOM soldiers pass by the Geoscape on Mission Control on their way to the Hangar bays]] | [[File:MissionControl EU.jpg|600px|center|thumb|XCOM soldiers pass by the Geoscape on Mission Control on their way to the Hangar bays]] | ||
− | + | ''We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet - Stephen Hawking'' | |
===See Also=== | ===See Also=== |
Revision as of 23:49, 6 October 2012
Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying - Arthur C. Clarke
In the beginning of the 21st century the number of UFO sightings grew throughout the world, until the reports couldn't be ignored anymore by Earth's political and military leaders. Deciding to pool their resources together, a group of the world's sixteen most powerful countries activated the 'XCOM Project'. A covert international agency was established, called XCOM and was tasked with the role of investigating and stopping the growing alien threat, while operating out of XCOM Headquarters, a hidden subterranean base staffed with the best personnel and most advanced equipment from the nations of Earth.
Headquarters
In order to execute the orders issued by the Funding Council, the XCOM (or eXtraterrestrial COMmand) Commander has at his/her disposal XCOM's base and its resources to develop and implement a strategy to defeat the Aliens. The player will have to skillfully coordinate all its aspects of operations in order to achieve the victory conditions. XCOM HQ's operations against the extraterrestrial life forms are divided into seven core areas:
- Headquarters - Base Facilities' management and expansion to maximize and augment HQ's capacities regarding the other core areas.
- Mission Control - Led by Officer Bradford, responsible for detecting and intercepting UFOs through XCOM's satellite network and Interceptors, and to launch and Skyranger transport craft carrying squads on combat missions against the extraterrestrial invaders.
- Situation Room - Where the Commander may manage Finances, receive monthly reports and special missions from the Funding Council, manage Panic levels, launch built satellites and sell advanced technology at the Grey Market, as well as keep track of XCOM's objectives.
- Hangar - For maintenance and repair of aircraft, it houses the Skyranger transport craft and Interceptors and allows to purchase, equip and deploy Interceptors throughout the world's continents to engage the UFOs.
- Barracks - Everything related with the ground troops that will fight and ultimately defeat the aliens on the ground, including hiring/sacking, equipping, promotions/training and recovery.
- Research - Under the supervision of Chief Scientist Dr. Vahlen, in charge of all projects being pursued at the Science Lab and Laboratories regarding the alien life forms and the development of new technologies developed from artifacts recovered during combat missions.
- Engineering - Led by Chief Engineer Dr. Shen, his engineers are responsible for all projects at the Workshops and Foundry that reverse engineer the Aliens' advanced technologies and puts them in XCOM use.
Strategic Goals
In order for Earth to win the war against the Aliens the XCOM Commander will have to use and manage wisely XCOM's resources in order to achieve two goals:
- To discover and stop the invaders' agenda - by capturing live aliens and recovering alien artifacts in order to study and use their advanced technology to discover and stop their intentions. In order to achieve this XCOM will have to achieve a number of specific objectives that will be outlined on the Situation Room.
- To prevent the closure of the XCOM project - by maintaining a satisfactory performance to the Funding Council and preventing that high panic levels cause a total of eight Earth nations to leave the project sign pacts with the Aliens, which will automatically end XCOM.
In order for Earth to win the war, XCOM will have to follow a strategy that allows it to complete both goals. If XCOM fails to achieve both goals Earth will be powerless to stop the alien invasion and humanity will have to surrender its fate to its new masters.
Operational Priorities
To achieve the two goals, the XCOM commander will have to coordinate its seven operational areas and decide where to invest its spare resources. Each area has different missions and priorities, as well as tasks required, as listed on the table below.
Area | Priority | Tasks |
---|---|---|
Headquarters | Increase base abilites and efficiency | Build additional/upgraded facilities Satisfy power needs for expansion Increase building space Maximize facility bonuses Acquire required credits/materials for construction |
Mission Control | Detect and stop UFOs/alien attacks Recover alien specimens and technology Perform any additional combat missions |
Expand and defend satellite network Intercept and shoot down UFOs on missions Assault and capture crashed/landed UFOs Stop alien ground attacks and missions |
Situation Room | Secure/increase funding and resources Prevent countries from leaving XCOM Complete victory objectives |
Improve XCOM's performance Manage panic levels Sell advanced tech on the Gray Market Expand satellite network for country/continent bonuses Perform Council missions for additional rewards Complete the required game objectives for victory |
Aircraft | Expand Interceptor deployment Defend satellite network |
Acquire sufficient Interceptors Equip Interceptors with technological upgrades |
Soldiers | Provide mission capable squads | Hire soldiers and upgrade their equipment Retain a pool of experienced soldiers Minimize casualties and recovery time Maximize promotions and combat training Built the Officer Training School for additional abilities |
Research | Investigate the aliens and their intentions Examine their advanced technology Develop applications of alien technology |
Examine recovered alien artifacts and perform autopsies Conduct interrogations on captured aliens Expand laboratory capacity and keep labs fully staffed |
Engineering | Develop and manufacture tech upgrades Provide engineers to build and operate facilities |
Build the Foundry for advanced weapons projects Enlarge and maximize workshop capacity Have enough engineers for all required projects |
Due to lack of enough resources it will be impossible to be able to prioritize all those areas, so when elaborating his/her strategy, the XCOM commander will have to carefully consider what initial investments to make and be prepared for the consequences of any shortcomings.
We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet - Stephen Hawking