UFOpaedia - User contributions [en]

Murphy's Laws (X-COM)

2015-08-21T22:58:38Z

CHiMer: Apoc section cleanup w/ admittedly subjective interpretation of good humo(u)r

==[[Battlescape|Battlescape (UFO Defense)]]==
===[[Soldiers]]===
*If a soldier can miss, he will.
**If a soldier can hit another soldier while missing, he will.
*If a soldier has a high explosive, then he will have to commit suicide for the group to win.
*If a soldier can panic, he will.
**If he is holding a primed [[Proximity Grenade]], he will drop it and start running.
**If he is holding any other primed explosive, he will drop it and stay right there.
**If he is holding something else, he will drop it and run right next to an alien.
*The probability of a soldier getting MCed is proportional to the lethality of the weapons he is carrying.
*The probability of a soldier going berserk is proportional to the number of friendly units he can hit from where he's standing.
*Your troops invariably display better accuracy and reactions when mind controlled than they do under your own orders.
**The opposite is true when you mind control an alien.
*The soldier you gave your shiny new heavy weapon to will turn out to have shitty Psi Strength and/or Morale. You will discover this the hard way.
*If a soldier has a [[Rocket Launcher]], he will get MCed while still in the craft.
*Your first unit out is always shot down.
**Your first unit out is always your commander.
*A wounded soldier will always die just before you find the last alien.
*As soon as you get better armor, the aliens get better weapons.
*[[Electroflare|Flares]] will always land where they cannot be picked up.
*If your base is attacked, you will always get [[Electroflare|flares]] instead of [[Heavy Plasma|Heavy Plasmas]].
*You will always end up short 1 TU for the action you wanted to do.
*If there is a single square where an alien grenade can hit all your soldiers at once, that is the square it will land in.
*The soldiers with the worst stats will always be the first to get promoted.
**When you build the [[Psi Lab]], you will always discover that your highly-trained officers are psi weaklings.
*On [[Ethereal]] [[Terror_Mission|Terror Missions]], you will always get the maximum number of [[Sectopod|Sectopods]] possible.
*When you have finally perfected the art of UFO assaults - [[Initial_Deployment|safe initial deployment]], proper [[Scouting|scout]] and [[Sweeping_the_Battlescape|sweep]] tactics, [[UFO_Ground_Assault#Breaching_UFOs|correct breaching methods]] - that will be the mission an enemy commander shows up with a [[Blaster_Launcher|Blaster Launcher]] and nukes your entire team while it's still on the [[Skyranger]]
*The only thing your soldiers are good for is warning each other about the Blaster Launching-wielding alien right around the corner.
**Considering the laws above, it's pretty easy to guess exactly how they warn the rest of your squad about said Blaster Launcher.
***They warn your squad with an explosion, followed by a scream.
*If a proximity grenade can land on a soldier, it will.
*A soldier with pockets full of pre-primed grenades will fall unconscious right next to your Commander.
*That point-blank reaction shot can be guaranteed by giving the guy a Rocket Launcher.

===[[Civilian|Civilians]]===
*If a civilian sees a fire, he will run into it.
*If a civilian sees an alien, he will move right next to it.
*If a civilian can block your line of fire on an alien, he will do so.
*Civilians are attracted by armed proximity grenades.
*Civilians inevitably block the doorway you need to use right before you get there.
*If a civilian is near an alien, any attempt to save him by shooting the alien will hit the civilian instead.
*Civilians will go out of their way to get shot in a Terror Mission.

===[[Alien Life Forms|Aliens]]===
*If an alien can hit, it will.
*If an alien tries to MC you, it will always succeed.
*Alien commanders will always kill themselves (with their [[Blaster_Launcher|Blaster Launchers]]) when you're on track to capture them .
*If there are [[Chryssalid|Chryssalids]], you will get at least one zombified soldier.
**You never want to know the answer to "Why did the Chryssalid cross the road?".
*If a dying [[Cyberdisc]] can blow up one of your men, it will.
*Unconscious aliens with melee attacks will wake up when you least expect them to.
*If you open a door and turn left, the aliens will all be on the right.
*Aliens are smarter than they look.
*This one is universal for all of the series:
**"Gaahh! Come back here and let me stun/melee you, you little shit!"
*Aliens can smell proximity grenades.

==[[Geoscape|Geoscape (UFO Defense)]]==
*When you need money the most, your funders will sign treaties with the aliens.
**The first country to drop funding is always the one that gave the most money.
*As soon as you get a new base built, it will be attacked.
**As soon as you get a new base fully equipped and operational, UFO activity in that area will drop to zero.
*If your fully developed base with 12 [[Missile_Defences|Missile Defences]] is successfully weathering a [[Alien_Retaliation|retaliation mission]] every couple days, the 1-in-30 battleship that makes it through will inevitably do so when all your experienced soldiers are out on missions.
*The more money you've saved, the higher the chance the aliens will do something that forces you to waste it.
**The amount of money you lose is proportional to how badly you need whatever you were saving up for.
*[[Alien Terror|Terror sites]] always appear at night.
**Or at noon, located conveniently so that night falls the second you arrive.
*If there is one tiny lake in the middle of 100 km of dry land, your [[Interceptor|Interceptors]] will inevitably shoot the UFO down over that exact spot.
*The chance that a crashed UFO's [[Elerium]] survived is proportional to how much you already have stockpiled.
*Landed UFO's will always take off before you can get to them.
**Unless they're filled with a species of alien you aren't equipped to deal with, in which case they will stick around forever.
***And when you finally get the equipment to deal with them, they fly away, never to be seen again.
****Until you have none of that equipment left to deal with them, because the base closest to them was destroyed.
*UFO's will always arrive while your [[Skyranger]] is refueling from a two day patrol.
*If you have forgotten to save the game for at least 3 missions, the game will crash.
**The game will always crash when it is the least convenient.
*If your craft is carrying no [[Electroflare|flares]] whatsoever, it will inevitably arrive five minutes after nightfall.
**If you've wasted half your [[Managing_the_Item_Limit|80-item limit]] on [[Electroflare|flares]] and incendiary ammo, you will arrive at high noon.
*[[Small Scout|Alien UFO scouts]] will always outrun your [[Interceptor|Interceptors]].
*Building a new base where there is heavy UFO activity? Seems like a good time for the Aliens to stop all activity in that area, and move it to a new area.
**That new area consists of the highest-funding countries.
*It's always exciting downing a UFO on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Too bad it's always an Ethereal-filled Battleship.

==[[Cityscape (Apocalypse)]]==
*If you're almost broke after buying a new flagship for your fleet, it will be destroyed in the next UFO incursion.
*The pride of your fleet is always stuck in alien dimension when you get attacked by a Mothership.
*UFOs carrying infiltrators always spawn at the gate you don't have covered.
*Griffon AFV is tough. The road under it is not. The tracks are just for show.
*There are only two types of vehicles that are always in abundance on the market: Blazer bikes and Stormdogs.
*While en route to a building, your craft will shoot at a Cult civilian car and demolish half of the city trying to hit it. However, the car will survive.
*Megapol is useless.
**Transtellar is annoying.
***Everyone else is both annoying and useless.
*Government's weekly paycheck will buy you a Lawpistol clip. Maybe two.
*If your base is in a slum, a single stray shot from a light disruptor will destroy it all.
**If your base is in a warehouse, said stray shot will still hit the tile with your agents.
*A hoverbike swarm is a good idea. Too bad they'll all get shot down anyway because of sheer dumb luck on the aliens' part.
*Research will always be completed right after when you needed it the most.
*After a firefight in the city, the only one to be blamed for the devastation will be you, even if it was an Overspawn that did it.
*The Overspawn will coincidentally be dropped right at your doorstep.
*The Overspawn will never, ''ever'' get hurt from falling debris. Unless you drop the said debris and level half of the city with it.
*People Tubes can collapse from an angry glare.
*You're the only one who has a problem with the aliens. Every other corp gets along with them fine.
**Transtellar in particular will always be dying for a chance to jump in bed with the aliens.
*Subversion attacks ''will'' succeed, 100%.
*Your carefully built Dimension Probe will be welcomed by a volley of Heavy Disruptor Guns.
*Your very first invasion of the Alien Dimension will require an hour's savescumming to get it right without being reduced to scrap metal.
*You ''will'' forget to not to move the X-COM craft when you succeed in destroying an alien building, killing everyone in the process.

==[[Battlescape Overview (Apocalypse)|Battlescape (Apocalypse)]]==
*If your base is raided, there will be as few of your agents spawning as possible.
**Said agents will spawn as far away from the access lift as possible.
***Guess where the scientists will appear.
*If you're raiding a building, there will always be a trigger-happy retard with a heavy launcher.
**Despite your best efforts, he will manage to fire at least one missile.
***And he will do so even if you're breathing in his face.
****There is no way to avoid the missile and injuries or casualties from it.
*****Even if you somehow actually manage to avoid the missile, it'll bring down the building on you.
*Live explosives are seemingly attracted to large concentrations of dead cultist bodies with all the loot you came here for.
*If an agent in a squad gets attacked by a brainsucker, the rest of the squad won't hit it at point blank range.
**Or they'll fire a missile launcher. Guess the results.
*If you turn around the corner where you think that last alien is hiding, it'll turn out to be half a dozen of Anthropods. All armed to the teeth.
*A berserking agent will cause more chaos and destruction than all of your other agents put together. And it won't be directed at the enemy.
*If someone throws a Boomeroid at an agent, he'll try to run away from it.
**Because it will always turn out that you forgot to set him to aggressive mode.
*If you try to capture a Megaspawn, it'll die before you can stun it.
**As will half the agents trying to stun the damn thing in the first place.
*You'd wish you gave that mind controlled agent a Toxigun instead of a Dimension Missile Launcher.
*You'll encounter cloaked and flying Skeletoids much more often than you'd like to.
**Cloaking never works for you. Neither does flying, actually.
*Good stuff always comes too late.
**Personal teleporters do not exist.
*Psi attacks are only successful when they're not necessary.
*Dynamic music always ignores what you're actually doing.
*That agent you sent to scout ahead will always be the one without a motion scanner.
*Every raid is a horrible decision between causing property damage and greed. Either way, you lose.
*The agent with a Mind Bender won't see the enemy <s>until he's standing right next to it</s> at all. Period.
*You will forget to capture a live Micronoid aggregate.
*Toxigun ammo, Vortex mines and Personal Shields come in only two varieties: "not enough" and "none".

==[[Enemy_Unknown_(EU2012)|Strategic (Enemy Unknown)]]==
*When you need §§§ the most, the US and Russia (which you have satellite coverage over) will pull out of the XCOM project.
*Your satellites will always be available one day too late to prevent a country from withdrawing.
**Even if it shows up before "Council Report" on the event list.
*When you do have satellites available, you will never have enough Satellite Uplink/Nexus space for them.
*When you do have Satellite Uplink/Nexus, you will never have enough satellites.
*If you have one more satellite to go before getting a continent's bonus, that last country will pull out of the XCOM project.
**The one continent's bonus you don't want to get? The aliens will ignore that continent.
*You will always be at least §1 short of buying the next level of armor/weapons for all your troops.
*If a Colonel can be checked for having the Psi gift, he won't have it.
*If a Rookie can be checked for having the Psi gift, he will.
*Your interceptor will always lose contact 0.1 seconds before the enemy UFO is destroyed.
*Your interceptor will blow up one round of fire exchange after you press the Abort button.
*Your interceptor will miss every shot.
**The UFO will have perfect aim and land every single hit.
***After an interceptor lands a few hits on a Supply Barge it's shot down. So you sortie another interceptor and it's shot down/loses contact without hitting the damaged UFO even once.
*Just a bit more than a day from getting your Colonel out of the medbay? Time for a Terror Mission!
*Just a bit less than a day from getting your Colonel out of the medbay? Time for a Terror Mission!
**Fast forwarding will result in the Terror Mission succeeding for the aliens before you can react to your Colonel getting out of the medbay.
*Just a bit more than a day before your latest and greatest research completes? Time for a Terror Mission!
*Any other time it's inconvenient? Time for a Terror Mission!
**Followed by abductions less than 24 hours later.
***Followed by a council mission less than 24 hours later.
****Followed by a Battleship coming to destroy your satellite less than 24 hours later.
*****Oh, you recently finished the Hyperwave Uplink? Here, have the Overseer UFO, 12 hours after that battleship.
******On the same continent as your surely-damaged Firestorm.
*******And once you lose ''that''... Time for a Terror Mission!
*Steam vents will be placed in inconvenient locations.
**Second floor steam vents will block your 2x2 Satellite Uplink block.
***The remaining steam vents will be on the 4th floor.
****In the corner.
*****Behind 3 solid squares of rock.
******The vent's spot is also solid rock.
*Research or Foundry upgrades will be completed one day after a critical mission appears.
*The only way you can afford the next item or facility you need, is to sell materials on the grey market.
**Specifically, just enough to not have the materials left to build it.
*When the option to start researching the various Plasma Weapons becomes available, you will not have enough Weapon Fragments.
**Heavy Floaters will also start appearing on your next mission.
**You'll also be trying to research the Firestorm.
*You will forget to equip your shiny new weapon.
**If not, your save (or at least when you last saved) may forget for you.
* .......................... Time for a Terror Mission!
*Oh, three steam vents all set up for awesome adjacency bonus! Too bad that two of them are directly underneath the Satellite Uplink!
*The only time you miss-click when accusing a country of hosting the EXALT Base, is when that country provided the most money.
**It is also the eighth country to leave!
***On Impossible difficulty.
****Ironman Mode was also on.
*****And you decided that right after you destroy the EXALT Base, you would go right on ahead and assault the Temple Ship!
******Not that you would have survived, anyways, everybody was panicking!
*Special: If you're trying to test something for this very 'paedia, the situation you're after will never occur.
**Instead, something else will happen that will give you another idea to test. Guess what will happen then.

==[[Enemy_Unknown_(EU2012)|Tactical (Enemy Unknown)]]==
*If a soldier's chance to hit is <99%, he will miss.
**Especially if the target is at 1 HP.
***Doubly so if that's your last action for the turn.
****Exponentially so, proportional to how dangerous the target is. Like a Sectopod that's now flanking several soldiers.
*If a soldier's chance to hit is 100%, he won't do enough damage to kill the alien.
**If a soldier's chance to hit is 100%, the game will glitch and turn that full-face Alloy Cannon blast into a spray of harmless confetti.
*The left mouse button is context sensitive; it will always do exactly what you didn't want it to.
*If a soldier's a heavy, he/she is going to have terrible accuracy.
**The range and blast radius of a heavy's rocket launcher will be a few tiles away from the nearest alien.
***Your heavy will never be in range to fire off a rocket.
*If a soldier's a sniper, he/she is going to have terrible accuracy FOR MOST OF THE GAME.
**A sniper will have squad sight on either a heavily wooded UFO crash/landing sight or a Terror Mission with one or two buildings that cover the entire map.
*If a soldier's an assault, he/she is going to have terrible accuracy EVEN AT POINT BLANK RANGE.
**If you activate Rapid Fire, both shots will miss a point blank Sectopod (Who has only eight health bars left) despite the second shot's hit chance being 85%.
*If a soldier's a support, he/she is going to have terrible accuracy WITH ANYTHING BUT A S.C.O.P.E. AND A LIGHT PLASMA RIFLE.
*If an alien's chance to hit is >1%, he will hit.
**If an alien's chance to hit is <1%, he will destroy your full cover.
*If an alien's mind control chance is >1%, it will work.
*When aiming at an Ethereal with the last shot of your turn, it will reflect it.
**''Especially'' if that soldier has only 1 HP.
*If the vehicle that your soldier is dashing to for cover can be set on fire, it will be.
**That is, if the soldier survives the alien Overwatch shot that will set the vehicle on fire.
***If so, then the vehicle's explosion will finish him/her off.
*Your soldier will always have the exact amount of health for a vehicle to blow him up.
*You will always reveal new enemies on your last move of the turn.
**Who will then take up flanking positions behind anyone who dashed.
*The more soldiers who perform an Overwatch reaction shot against a single alien, the more likely they will all miss.
**Soldiers who hit the alien will barely kill the alien.
***The alien, in turn, will kill your highest-ranking soldier.
****After killing the highest-ranking soldier, the other aliens will come in and mop everyone else up.
*When you have your whole squad on overwatch they will all shoot one floater.
**And then all die to his Chryssalid buddy.
*Your Revive spec medic will always be the one critically wounded.
*When trying to capture a commander with one stunner, he will be the one MCed,
*Aliens will always hit soldier's hunkering down behind high cover.
**The alien will do just enough damage to not kill him, but to cause him to panic.
***The panicking soldier will kill a soldier and start a panic chain.
*Panicking soldiers will always have 100% to hit.
*Smoke grenades will always improve alien accuracy.
**Mutons and Floaters will always throw grenades into smoke.
*If a soldier can panic, it will.
**Soldiers that panic will aim for the highest ranking officer he can see.
***Even behind high cover, on a higher elevation, and covered by a smoke grenade, a panicking rookie will still be able to kill the "protected" Colonel.
*Rockets will always fly off target.
**ESPECIALLY when you squad is surrounded by explosive vehicles and forklifts.
***At a gas station
****Then everything will explode
***** Then everything will explode and everyone will panic
******Even your SHIVs
*******And they will shoot your highest-ranked soldier
********And he will die
*********He will also have the psionic gift
**********He also has one of the highest starting and leveling Will/Aim scores you ever got, in any playthrough.
***********And he/she will also be named after you.
*Aliens will position themselves right outside the radius of a grenade throw.
**If a grenade can clip through and explode harmlessly under ground while you are trying to aim it, it will.
*When it is time to face Sectopods or Cyberdiscs, your HEAT ammo heavies will not be with you.
**When it is time to face Sectopods or Cyberdiscs, your HEAT ammo heavies will miss every shot.
*When it is time to face Muton Elites, your psionics will not be with you.
*Your soldiers are always one grid point away from moving to safely flank an alien.
*When a large UFO lands and you assault with your elite squad you will fight 3 Floaters, 3 Sectoids and a Sectoid Commander.
*When a moderate alien abduction comes up and you assault with a squad comprised of your Col. Sniper, squaddies, and rookies for training purposes, you will fight 9 Mutons (who will each throw their grenades asap), a Cyberdisc, and 2 Drones you just can't seem to hit.
*Even when you use the rookie to scout ahead, he will always stumble on no less than every enemy on the map on a single turn, who will then, with most of the laws stated above, wipe your elite squad before you can say Jenkins.
*You decide to research offensive tech first and the Arc Thrower later only to find that Sectoids have been removed from the alien roster. But after killing 7 Mutons on a map you decide to zap the last two for their weapons only to have the last group be a trio of Sectoids.
*The Overseer will only appear when you have no Firestorms.
**When you build your firestorm with dodge matrix, fusion lance, and uplink targeting, the Overseer will appear in the continent your new Firestorm is NOT stationed in
*Your MCed alien will always run out of usable turns before they can bust the asses off of some of their little alien friends.
**ALWAYS
***Especially on the final mission of the entire game.
*MCed aliens will always activate no less than two squads that were just behind them.
*Your sniper with Snap Shot will never be useful for anything, ever.
*Your sniper with Squadsight will never be in a good position.
**And when he is, a tree will block his line of sight to finish off that one alien flanking your soldiers.
*The alien with a grenade will go first. He will toss the grenade , without moving, negating any troopers on Overwatch, and removing cover from you forward trooper.
**Next alien will kill your now-exposed trooper.
***You will then have to wait 2-3 minutes for the other 9 or so Aliens to take their turn and batter your remaining troops.
****Also, it's been 5 rounds since you last saved.
*The range for a soldier flying with Archangel Armor will always be "One less than it takes to get into cover, or out of range."
*On a Battleship raid, there will always be one alien that runs away, forcing you to have to chase them down.
**Backwards.
*The game has no problem sending and activating every alien squad in an Abductor or Supply Barge at you in 1 turn.
**If not, that's because the high-level alien squad somehow noticed you from the other side of the ship.
*The council mission reward will always be either what you don't need, or not enough of what you do.
*When fighting Thin Men, you will always activate 2 squads at a time.
*When fighting Floaters, they will always Launch to flank just tiles away from your Sniper. No soldier will be close enough to help her.
*When fighting Mutons, you will activate a squad ''after'' you have finished moving at least two soldiers. Who you placed right next to each other.
**If you think two soldiers were just far enough apart to not both be hit by 1 grenade: turns out they weren't.
***Both of their cover is now gone, fyi.
*When fighting Chryssalids, they will always be at least close enough to hit your soldiers from a diagonal tile, if not closer.
*When fighting Cyberdiscs, when they are open, your hardest-hitting soldier will not be able to attack them.
**Because it opened up to kill said soldier in the previous turn.
*When fighting Sectopods, the answer to "Which soldier are they going to fire at?" The answer is always "the one taking cover behind something explosive."
**On the rare chance that it's Chest Cannon misses, the shot will still hit something explosive.
***Specifically, something that another soldier is taking cover behind.
****Whom it will then fire upon.
*When fighting a Sectopod, after your two troops have been battered by both Chest Cannon blasts despite being behind full cover and in the middle of a smoke grenade cloud, one moves and triggers a Reaction Shot.
*When fighting an Ethereal, it will either:
**Be in a different room than usual.
**Become activated when you pass within 10 feet of the door.
**Become activated when your last turn is to MC an Elite Muton or Heavy Floater that would be flanking it's buddies.
***Which it will then immediately kill.
*Your first shot with a shiny new weapon will miss.
*Despite kickstands being visible on several weapons, your soldiers do not seem to recognise their existence for steadying and making more accurate shots.
*Your Support with Sprint and a Skeleton Suit or Ghost Armor will always be one movement short of saving a civilian.
*Your soldier will make a crazy-ass, low-percentage, gun-pointing-the-wrong-way-for-some-reason Overwatch shot with your currently-most powerful weapon.... on a wounded Sectoid.
*At the point in the game when you have all continents armed with Firestorms all with Fusion Lances (Highly unlikely, especially considering the laws above) that is the only time when the Aliens give up on sending the big UFOs and start sending small scouts
*On a Battleship raid, you send in a rookie to investigate the main room, thus activating all 20+ Aliens who just "happened" to spawn in there. They will then all hide, and when you think yourself so clever for taking up positions for multi-pronged attack on the main room, it turns out, they were all on Overwatch.
**And yes, each Alien is just so positioned so that each one of your soldiers will have a chance to get shot at.
***This will occur more often on Ironman Mode.
****On Impossible Difficulty.
*****It turns out, this was also supposed to be the day that you got the only Psionic Soldier you ever found got strong enough to become the volunteer.
******Afterwards, the game will glitch so that you will never find another Psionic Soldier in your whole playthrough
*******Not that it matters, your entire elite squad got wiped out, when they had all their fancy armor and weapons.
*"Don't shoot the Elerium, don't shoot the Elerium---- shit."
**"Don't blow up the power source, don't blow up the power source ---- crap."
***"Blow power source! Blow! Blow! ---- come on!"
*Your soldier will miss the alien and shoot the meld instead.
**Especially if you have them flanked.
*When your favorite soldier gets critically injured, you clear out the Muton Elite that hurt him. Too bad there is a group of sectoids all the way across the map.
**It will take a full turn of dashing for your Sprinter support in a Skeleton Suit to reach them
***They will all proceed to hide behind full cover just out of your sight.
****When you finally see them for your Squadsight Sniper with Double Tap will hit two of them, however, there are three sectoids
*****Not that it matters, they were all on overwatch, and considering the laws above, they will all get critical shots on your soldier, and kill her
******That is, IF you find them.
*Have Frag Grenades? Any aliens in range will have four HP left.
**Alien Grenades or Mind Fray? Six.
***And it will be your only viable action: any attempts at firing a gun will miss.
****C'mon: it's not even out yet, but you just ''know'' that the only time you'll have the Needle Grenade with you, aliens WILL take cover in such a way that only ONE would be affected by it at any time.
*Speaking of Enemy Within: you shall soon become familiar with the sound of exploding Meld canisters.
**Which is Dr. Vahlen annoying voiceover.
*Two words: naughty tentacles.
*Alien: "You brought a soldier with a Med-kit, I'll just Critically wound him then..."
*"Ooh look, the last meld canister.. and..... that's a group of Muton Elites... And a Cyberdisc... or three"
*Need 5 more Meld? Check out that Heavy Floater with only one health left!
**Looks like it's running away, no biggie, you'll just follow it.
***And activate its Mechtoid Buddies!
*While you are almost finished with Confounding Light, you have one turn left to activate the train, too bad the only soldier that can make it is being Overwatch-camped by that Muton who was just air-dropped.
**Even though that move would have required a dash!
***He was also an assault that was gonna get promoted that mission. Guess which Rank.
*The mission where your Squaddie Sniper levels up is alaways the mission that Sqaud Sight would have been supremely useful for.
*Don't EVER pick favorites, they'll just die anyways
*"Ok, gene mod do-- mission, ok, reload to get my soldier. OK, mission done, now to gene mo-- damnit, 'nother mission... ok, done, finally. Allright---- oh come the fuck on, Council, I'm busy here! Now what do you waaa'''AAAHHFUCKCHRYSSALIDS!!'''"
*Yes, Meld Canisters provide full cover. If you're actually using them for that, you have only yourself to blame.
*Enemy Within. Because Sectopods really needed the ability to outright ignore half of all incoming damage.
**AND be able to freely and deliberatley target your cover: "That'ssssssssssssssssssss a nice wall you got there~!"
*Your Heavy will never be in a good spot to launch a mission/life-saving rocket.
**Eventually, you'll fire it, because "might as well."
***'''Then''', and only then, on the ''next'' turn, will they be in the perfect situation to fire that shot you just wasted.
*Training Roulette:
**You'll either get abilites that're near-useless to that class, or
**You'll get high-tier abilities on the same Ranking, forcing you to choose between them.
***Doubly so if they're abilites that would otherwise work well together.
****The game will also pick the most useless skill for that soldier when he gets promoted to Major, like close combat specialist on your sniper.
*Damage Roulette:
**Any time you need to do ''just enough'' damage to weaken an alien so that you have the maximum capture chance, you'll kill it instead. Maybe even crit it.
**Any time you need to ''very definitely'' kill an alien (like the Chryssalid that wants to eat your Medic) you'll knock it down to 1hp.
***The chance of this occurring increases significantly if this is the last action of your turn.
**Any time the aliens shoot at your soldiers they'll do the maximum possible damage, especially if they're in cover and not flanked.
**Any time the aliens shoot at your SHIVs they'll do the minimum possible damage... unless that SHIV is being used '''as''' cover.
*Hey, see that high-ground, full cover spot right over there? That looks like a ''great'' place to attack those aliens from. Go on over, pal.
**Whoops, now they're out of line-of-sight. Tough break there, buddy.
*If you find yourself needing Revive, you're doing something wrong. Too bad you always need it thanks to all of the laws stated above.
*After spending some 3-5 rounds setting up a nice blitzkreig for the bridge of a UFO, ''just'' when you're ready to open the door, the alien CO pod will 'teleport' either halfway across the map, or in the perfect spot to counterattack.
**This includes any other escorting pods, after the CO pod takes the Alien turn to open every door, revealing every soldier.
*The soldier with the arc-thrower will always be in the opposite direction that an alien you're trying to capture decides to run in.
**Followed by spending the rest of the mission chasing the alien like the LAPD. Benny Hill theme optional, but recommended.
*The international symbol of the red cross on med kits is apparently the Inter''galatic'' symbol for "Shoot me first."
*Any UFO that crashes into the ocean will be in a heavily forested area.
*The last alien alive will be a cloaked Seeker, that is now panicked and running away, in a large map. Good #&@%ing luck finding it.
**Or hasn't panicked, but it's a Terror Mission and the lone Seeker's AI has decided to kill as many civilians as possible before going after your agents. But if you split the team up to rescue more at once...
*If an alien hides behind something explosive, one of several things will keep you from taking advantage of it:
**Either you don't want to blow up the object,
**Or a soldier is in the blast zone,
***Especially if they're out of move, or there's no other safe place to move to.
**Or you don't want to destroy it's equipment/fragments.
**Or two of the above.
**Or all three.
*The farther and more obtusely placed a Meld canister is, the more likely it is that stray fire will destroy it from the other end of the map.
*Trying to overwatch-spam to let Adaptive Bone Marrow heal non-armor HP? Here, have a crit to the face.
**Courtesy of that wounded Sectoid that either only took 1 step into your POV, or didn't move at all.

==[[Long_War|Long War]]==
*You will always learn the hard way what new perks and Gene Mods the dev team has given the aliens.
**To wit: Jumping Berserkers.
*Even if you did have the muscle to take down Abductors, their flight path will only be long enough to send one interceptor against them.
**If at all.
*If you feel you're doing well: your confidence is ill-deserved.
**The alien pod with two Mechtoids, a Sectopod, several drones, and a Sectoid Commander on the other side of that door will gladly demonstrate this.
***Followed by the mixed Muton pack that just came up behind you.
****And then by those cyberdiscs that decided to say hi.
*The first two shots in Air Combat will always be critical hits.... on your interceptor.
*There are, essentially, three results to Air Combat: the UFO crash lands, it DOAs, or your interceptor is KIA.
**The result that ''will'' happen will be one of the two that you don't want.
*The first alien base will always appear (and remove a Council country from) the continent who's bonus you were hoping to get next.
*When you need meld the most, the game will glitch out and think you are doing good for some reason... so you will only get 3 meld per canister.

==[[The_Bureau:_XCOM_Declassified|Combat (The Bureau)]]==
*The agent you sent forward to flank one alien will then be fired upon by EVERY alien.
**Any agent sent forward will be flanked. Twice.
*Any attempt to make a Sectopod turn around (so you can hit it's weak point) will fail to make it turn sufficiently, if at all.
*You'll run out of ammuntion at the worst possible time.
**That includes just reloading, and flat-out running out of bullets alltogether.
*Even if you're replaying, you'll fail to notice the new weapon, or ammo sachel, that would have been really useful in the skirmish you just barely won a few seconds ago.
*There are the best kinds of weapon for a job, when entering a new skirmish. You will not be carrying it.
*You forgot to check a side-path, and just passed a checkpoint: and now you can't go back to check for ammo or backpack schematics.
**By the way, you'll need that ammo in about 5 seconds.
*Even though Battle Focus slows down time, and it's just one click, it still won't be enough time to finish hitting Heal and save an agent from dying.
**That goes double if the Agent in question is Carter.
*Like any other XCOM: An alien's location is ''always'' equal to: grenade toss range, plus explosion area, plus "just enough to not get caught in the blast."
**Meanwhile, aliens toss like they pitch for the Dodgers.
*When attepting to interact with something, the θ of the angle that will allow you to do so is inverse to how ugently you need to do it.
*The agent ability you need right now? You still need to wait for it to reload.
**When it does load, the only aliens left on the field are Sectoids and low-level Zudjari.
***When, out of frustration, you use the ability to finish off the weakling: that's when the second wave of aliens shows up.
**** They are led by a Commander, or Muton (Elite), or Sectopod, or Gunship.
*When attempting to snipe, the alien will always move at the last second.
*The distance between an agent and a Muton will aways be less than the length of it's arm.
*Alien shields and heals ''will'' go up in the span of time between firing a kill shot, and when it would've hit.
*God help you if you have a wireless keyboard/mouse, and haven't charged the battery in the last 24 hours.

[[Category:Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense]]
[[Category:TFTD]]
[[Category: Apocalypse]]
[[Category: Enemy Unknown (2012)]]
[[Category: Bureau (2013)]]

Sightings in other fandoms

2012-01-26T21:45:11Z

CHiMer:

{{tocright}}

Anything referring to X-Com or has elements from a X-com in another game, or fandom, go here!

== Sound In Pokemon? ==
I was watching some old skool pokemon the other day, and while watching episode 22 "Abra and The Psychic Pokemon" I heard a sound from x-com as the kids go through the gym doors! To hear fpr yourself go here: http://www.animegiant.com/pokemon-series/ then click on playlist at the bottom. Scroll along till you find the aforementioned episode, Then at 7:10 and roughly 7:14 or 7:15, listen as they go through the doors! I can't desribe the sound, and I have no idea what game its from, but I instantly though X-Com when I heard it!

: Actually, X-Com uses a lot of stock industry sound effects. For example, in UFO: the hovertank uses the siren from the Inspector Gadget opening theme. The plasma beam sounds like the Doom series BFG9000 (along with one of the deathscreams pre v1.4 that sounds like the death scream of one of the tougher Doom enemies). Some door opening sounds and energy weapon blasts can be heard in big budget movies and TV series like Star Wars and Star Trek. Millions of cartoons not-withstanding. Also check out a few of the stock sound effect packs that come with some early version of Windows - they've got a lot of the menu sound effects that are used in TFTD. Still, it's much fun spotting these wherever you can. - [[User:NKF|NKF]] 14:29, 15 June 2008 (PDT)

There was a thread somewhere on SC which covered this, but try as I might I can't find it. - [[User:Bomb Bloke|Bomb Bloke]] 04:22, 16 June 2008 (PDT)

== In Civilization ==

In Civ II the Sectoid made it into one of the short videos associated with one of the wonders. Don't ask me which, can't remember, I think it was the SETI one. Only certain versions of the game included the videos on the disc.

There was also an expansion pack, ''Fantastic Worlds'', which included an entire X-COM scenario called 'X-COM: Assault'. More information about it can be consulted [http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Civilization_II:_Fantastic_Worlds/X-COM:_Assault here]
:I'll be damned. I did a paid review of Civ2: Fantastic Worlds for Computer Gaming World (hardcopy then) when it came out in 1997, but at the time, I suppose XCOM was just another of its fantastic worlds to me - and only on having read this, does it register. I'll be damned. -[[User:MikeTheRed|MikeTheRed]] 00:07, 10 September 2011 (EDT)

Civ IV included (will include?) a homage in the form of ''Afterworld'', included with the ''Beyond the Sword'' expansion.

The expanded version of Civ II (not the expansion - if that makes sense) called 'Test of Time' has a very cool remix of the 'losing' theme from UFO as part of its soundtrack. <br>
[[Media:UFOLose.zip]]

:You sure it was a Sectoid specifically? I mean, they're pretty much just Greys, and Greys have been around for decades. [[User:Phasma Felis|Phasma Felis]] 23:04, 16 June 2008 (PDT)

It was the Sectoid UFOpedia image specifically. Gave me quite a surprise when it flashed up on my screen.

Part of the reason why so much X-Com stuff ended up in Civ is because they're owned by the same rights holders, so it's quite legal for Firaxis to use that media commercially. There was even a rumour for a short time that Sid would be working on his own X-Com game, but that never came about.

Awesome track by the way Tifi, surprised I didn't spot that myself. I'm pretty sure I have both versions of the game. I guess I just never lost. :D

- [[User:Bomb Bloke|Bomb Bloke]] 23:25, 16 June 2008 (PDT)

:Pretty sure this end... (Look closely.)
:[[Image:CivUFO.gif]]
:[[User:Tifi|Tifi]] 10:29, 17 June 2008 (PDT)

Whoops, I don't recognise that one. Guess it got more then one cameo!

- [[User:Bomb Bloke|Bomb Bloke]] 17:56, 17 June 2008 (PDT)

: Got bored enough this evening to dig out the disc. Here's a screenshot from the Civ II SETI vid.

: Compare to the [[Sectoid]] article.

: [[Image:CivIISETI.jpg]]

: - [[User:Bomb Bloke|Bomb Bloke]] 09:20, 19 August 2008 (PDT)

== X-Gum ==

According to [http://xcom.strategyplanet.gamespy.com/wxs.shtml XCommand], this stuff was actually sold by Uniconfis Corporation (See link for higher resolution originals).

[[image:wxs1x1_small.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Front]][[image:wxs1x2_small.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Back]]

<br clear="all">

==On Valve's Steam==
Valve recently uploaded the entire X-Com series to their online store/community, steam.

http://store.steampowered.com

All games are $4.99 and can be bought in a complete pack for $14.99.

==Transport Tycoon UFOs==
In Transport Tycoon (and Deluxe) there was a couple of UFO disasters. Here is a picture of one of them (the Large UFO disaster):
[[Image:XCominTTD.png]]

(The [[Harvester]] is on the left side, nestling on the tracks and the [[Skyranger]] is to the right, in the air ready to bomb the UFO.)
There was also a small UFO disaster, which only destroyed buses, that used the [[Small_Scout|Small Scout]]. Also, one of the premade scenarios has a "town" which says X:COM HQ. Both games were made by Microprose, so I think it was free advertising in an otherwise rather realistic (generally) game.

==Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abbadon==
In ''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abbadon'' "[[Elerium-115|Element 115]]" is one of the items used in crafting.

== Silent Storm ==

In 2003 tactical RPG Silent Storm there's a hugely overpowered weapon hidden in a very rare random encounter. It's a rather obvious homage to the [[Laser Rifle]].
[[Image:Silent_Storm_easter_egg.jpg|thumb|right|500px|That's some fancy tech for 1943]]

File:Silent Storm easter egg.jpg

2012-01-26T21:36:20Z

CHiMer: X-COM laser rifle making a cameo in Operation Silent Storm.

X-COM laser rifle making a cameo in Operation Silent Storm.

Alien Transporter (Apocalypse)

2010-01-01T15:20:35Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Apoc_transporter_pedia.png|Alien Transporter UFOPedia picture|right|100 px]]

== General Information ==
[[Image:Apoc_ufo3_icon.png|left|50 px|]]
The Alien Transporter (UFO Type 3) is probably the most important alien ship in the game. Without capturing one of these, you will never be able to research any of the craft that come after the [[Dimension Probe]] ([[Explorer]], [[Bio-Trans]], [[Retaliator]], [[Annihilator]]), thus you will never be able to invade the alien dimension. Any post-Transporter vessel will unlock the three "Core" systems - the [[Alien Control System (Apocalypse)|Alien Control System]], [[Alien Energy Source (Apocalypse)|Alien Energy Source ]] and [[Alien Propulsion System (Apocalypse)|Alien Propulsion System]].

== [[Cityscape (Apocalypse)|Cityscape]] Information ==
[[Image:Ufo-03.gif|left|50 px|Transporter]]
The Transporter itself is lightly armed and does not present significant danger to [[X-Com (Apocalypse)|X-COM]]. The problems come from its escorts – fast and dangerous [[Alien Fast-Attack Ship (Apocalypse)|Fast-Attack Ships]]. The Transporter will ignore your vehicles, as its only purpose is to give you a headache by sending a large infiltration force into a building. Its slow speed is compensated by heavy armor, so it might take some time to bring it down. It is also the first manned Alien ship that you will meet.

== [[Battlescape Overview (Apocalypse)|Battlescape]] Information ==
[[Image:Ufo-03mapi.gif|frame|The Tactical combat map of the Transporter.]]
Tactical combat is fairly easy, since there are only two entrances – facing north and south – and neither of them is cloaked in smoke from the crash. A single [[Megapol]] [[Megapol AP Grenade|AP Grenade]] thrown to the door should lure the most of the aliens out. After the trickle of aliens disappears, head inside from both directions and use the central elevator to reach the upper levels. By then, your opposition will probably consist of a few Spitters.

Note that some of the crew can perish in the crash. The infiltration force always dies completely if the ship is shot down before it could beam the force into a building.

==Other Notes==

'''Q:''' Help! The aliens are long past the Transporter stage and I'm having to kill Battleships and Motherships with Valkyries and Hawk Air Warriors! What should I do? <br>
'''A:''' This isn't actually that hard a situation as long as you've captured alien ships post-transporter (for example the fast attack ship, bomber, assault ship, etc.) as in those situations you should have discovered vehicle shields and disruptor beams. <br>
'''Q:''' Wait, what? <br>
'''A:''' Using plasma cannons, missiles and medium disruptor beams, you can whittle capital ships down through sheer virtue of number and firepower. Their guns fire very slowly, and aren't all that accurate, and even if your vehicles do get damaged you can just retreat them. <br>
'''Q:''' Okay, but that sounds really hard and dangerous! <br>
'''A:''' Danger is what X-COM personnel live for. Don't give up! Keep destroying all the alien ships that show up in the City, and eventually decimate their armada until they're forced to start using Transporters again, and then you'll be able to strike back.

==Statistics==
<table {{StdCenterTable}}>
<tr {{StdDescTable_Heading}}><th align="left">Statistics</th>
<th>Value</th></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Armor</td><td>38</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Constitution</td><td>400</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Top Speed</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Weapons</td><td>[[Light Disruptor Beam (Apocalypse)|Light Disruptor Beam]]</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Weapon Power</td><td>20</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Weapon Range</td><td>150</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Equipment</td><td>[[Small Disruption Shield (Apocalypse)|Small Disruption Shield]]</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Score points</td><td>150</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Crew</td><td>2 [[Multiworm Egg (Apocalypse)|Multiworm Eggs]], 4 [[Anthropod (Apocalypse)|Anthropod]], 2 [[Hyperworm]]s, 2 [[Chrysalis]]es, 1 [[Popper]], 4 [[Spitter]]s
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="left">Infiltration Force</td><td>5 [[Anthropod (Apocalypse)|Anthropods]], 5 [[Multiworm Egg (Apocalypse)|Multiworm Eggs]], 3 [[Brainsucker]]s, 3 [[Multiworm]]s, 1 [[Popper]], 3 [[Spitter]]s</td></tr>
</table><br />

==See Also==
* [[Alien Ships (Apocalypse)|Alien Ships]]
* [[UFO Incursions (Apocalypse)|UFO Incursions]]
<br clear="all">

{{Vehicles (Apocalypse) Navbar}}
[[Category: UFOs (Apocalypse)]]
[[Category: Research (Apocalypse)]]

Entropy Launcher

2009-01-03T10:51:20Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Entropy_Launcher.jpg|thumb|right|The Entropy Launcher, image from the UFOpaedia]]
The most horrible anti-XCOM weapon of the game. It is basically an organic launcher for a sentient form of living missile which erupts in acid and enzymes upon exploding on target. The result is often a dissolved heap of flesh of an agent with no equipment, with the only form of defense being the personal shield of aliens. The accuracy of the weapon is its frustrating effect, as it ALWAYS hits an agent on open ground, making the combat a matter of hiding and seeking unless the agent is cannon fodder.

While X-Com engineers cannot reproduce this weapon, it is a strangely effective weapon when used against aliens and enemy guards. Keep in mind that the whole purpose of this weapon is to cause damage through object destruction. This means it's useless when you want to gather equipment. But if destruction is your whole objective, go for it!

'''''Official Entry:''''' "This weapon is essentially an organism that is genetically engineered to launch a living missile which flies directly towards its chosen target. The missile then erupts and a foul smelling sticky goo smothers the unfortunate victim. The substance is a combination of enzymes and acids that can erode metallic or organic compounds. Unfortunately this weapon is not very effective against Aliens and we cannot replicate it."

== Weapon Operation ==

An entropy launcher is simply a launcher. All launchers have a homing ability, so your agent's firing accuracy is irrelevant. However this launcher's homing ability borders ridiculous. Its missiles have been known to make 180-degree turns to hit its target, so if one is fired at you, it WILL hit you. React accordingly.

The missile will only directly damage your agents' health through impact damage. Impact damage against disrupter shields saps 1/3rd of the shield battery per missile, and if it destroys the shield, the target will be covered in enzyme! So even if you do not use the missiles for the enzyme effect, the launchers are useful for rapid destruction of enemy shields.

The major damaging effects of the entropy missile is done through the enzyme. This works by destroying the durability of all of your carried items. Once the enzyme has eaten through the objects, they are destroyed. It's pretty obvious what would happen when an explosive or weapon is eaten through. It explodes. This is what really kills units covered in enzyme.

Because the enzyme only targets objects, the only way to survive an entropy missile attack is to drop everything and strip off your armour. When your agent stops smoking after a few seconds, the enzyme will have worn off. This method of saving your soldier is by far the most effective, but it also puts your agent in an incredibly vulnerable position.

Escaping the combat zone is also a way of saving your agent, but you lose the agent's services for the rest of the battle.

Another resort would be using the Personal Teleporter, and not just using it, but teleporting the targeted agent behind a wall or other impregnable obstacle.

It's plainly obvious that any unit that's not carrying any weapons will not be too greatly affected by the enzyme. If used against the aliens, they are only useful against Anthropods and Skeletoids.

The only known objects to have any chance of surviving one coating of enzyme would be X-Com disrupter armour parts. Note however that the armour will be severely damaged, and further damage could destroy some of the segments. Take care.

==See Also==
* [[Alien Artifacts (Apocalypse)|Alien Artifacts]]
* [[Biochemistry]]

Biological Warfare (Apocalypse)

2009-01-03T10:45:31Z

CHiMer:

Biological Warfare can be considered the ultimate human-designed weapon to fight the aliens. Either this or the Devastator Cannon can be considered your "standard issue" alien-slaying weapon in the mid-to-late game.

== Stats ==
[[Image:Toxigun (UFOpaedia).png|frame|X-COM Toxigun]]
=== Toxigun ===
The Toxigun is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, available upon the completion of Biological Warfare research. Not only do the toxins specifically target alien biologies, but Toxigun shots can pass through Personal Disrupter Shields without destroying them. Note, however, that the toxins are relatively harmless to human adversaries.
<table><tr><td>[[Image:Toxigun.png|left]]</td><td>
* Size: 1 × 2
* Weight: 5
* ROF: 4.50 r/s
* Accuracy: 40%
* Manufacturer: X-COM
* Manufacturing Price: $1,200
* Base Sale Price: $2,780
* Maximum Weekly Stock: 8
* Battlescape Score: 4</td></tr></table>

"An X-COM weapon designed to shoot high powered projectiles containing anti-Alien toxic fluids. It is designed to cause minimal harm to other targets and is not very good at penetrating armor."

== Ammunition ==
[[Image:Toxin A (UFOpaedia).png|frame|Toxin A]]
=== Toxigun A-Clip ===
With the Toxigun comes Toxin A. While it is weak, it does have the ability to bypass (and thus capture) shields. Nevertheless, Toxin B is usually available right after researching Toxin A and is much more potent.
<table><tr><td>[[Image:Toxin A.png|left]]</td><td>
* Size: 1 × 1
* Weight: 1
* Power: 50
* Damage Type: Toxin A
* Ammo: 16
* Range: 50m
* Manufacturer: X-COM
* Manufacturing Price: $200
* Base Sale Price: $500
* Maximum Weekly Stock: 16
* Battlescape Score: 2</td></tr></table>

"Ammunition for Toxigun. It contains a lethal fast acting poison designed to target Alien life forms. It is not so effective against the more advanced bipedal Alien types."
----
[[Image:Toxin B (UFOpaedia).png|frame|Toxin B]]
=== Toxigun B-Clip ===
Toxin B is a step up from Toxin A, but still not as potent as Toxin C. Takes 1-2 shots to kill Skeletoids or Anthropods.
<table><tr><td>[[Image:Toxin B.png|left]]</td><td>
* Size: 1 × 1
* Weight: 1
* Power: 65
* Damage Type: Toxin B
* Ammo: 16
* Range: 50m
* Manufacturer: X-COM
* Manufacturing Price: $300
* Base Sale Price: $700
* Maximum Weekly Stock: 16
* Battlescape Score: 2</td></tr></table>

"Ammunition for Toxigun. It contains a lethal fast acting poison designed to target Alien lifeforms. It effectively renders the earlier A-type toxin obsolete because it is more powerful and more effective against the higher Alien life forms."
----
[[Image:Toxin C (UFOpaedia).png|frame|Toxin C]]
=== Toxigun C-Clip ===
Toxin C. This is the pinnacle of anti-alien warfare. A couple of shots will render even the hardiest Megaspawn dead at your feet. A great weapon, to be sure, but still lacks the ability to recharge. I use Devastator Cannons more often than this, but it is a good weapon nonetheless. NEVER use this weapon if you cannot mass-manufacture Toxin C. Otherwise your troops will end up without ammunition, which tends to put a damper on your success in battles.
<table><tr><td>[[Image:Toxin C.png|left]]</td><td>
* Size: 1 × 1
* Weight: 1
* Power: 85
* Damage Type: Toxin C
* Ammo: 16
* Range: 50m
* Manufacturer: X-COM
* Manufacturing Price: $400
* Base Sale Price: $900
* Maximum Weekly Stock: 16
* Battlescape Score: 2</td></tr></table>

"Ammunition for Toxigun. A fast acting poison which targets all Alien life forms with equally devastating effects. This toxin effectively supersedes the A or B types."

==Comparison with the Devastator Cannon==
Advantages for the Toxigun:
#High rate of fire. A four-man squad dual-wielding these can unleash a fog of bullets.
#*Note: When paired in real-time combat and firing on full-auto, the rate of fire is so great that the secondary weapon barely gets used. An agent that does not have maxed firing accuracy should consider switching to a slower but more accurate firing mode. You will still enjoy the rapid rate of fire, but with much improved accuracy. This is less important for agents with maxed accuracy where firing accuracy is the same across the different firing modes.
#Small and one-handed. There is no loss in accuracy when dual-wielded.
#Ignores enemy shields (without damaging them! You'll never need to manufacture shields.)
#Hurts humans less than a machine gun... will pratically never penetrate Disruptor Armor. Thus, toxigun-equipped squads are your best choice for taking down Psimorphs and Micronoids. Even if the agents get mind controlled, they won't cause any serious damage to each other with a toxigun.
#Hurts humans almost as much as a machine gun... you can bring this on raids against COS, and get as many free Personal Shields as you want! Note that toxin-A does around the same damage as Toxin-B against humans.

Disadvantages compared to the Devastator Cannon:
#Requires ammo; costs money to fire, and bring plenty of extra clips for long missions.
##Fortunately, you can manufacture the ammunition. No more worrying about Marsec or MegaPol running out!
##Unfortunately, you must manufacture the ammunition. One small workshop working full-time should produce more ammo than you use once you've built up your stocks.
#Less accurate

== See Also ==

* [[Biochemistry]]

* [[Agents Equipment (Apocalypse)|Agents Equipment]]

Mega-Primus

2008-07-04T23:21:39Z

CHiMer:

= A Tourist's Guide To Megaprimus =

Our Greetings to you, Visitor:

The City which you are about to enter, Mega Primus, is the primary Bastion of Mankind after emerging victorious from three seemingly hopeless wars against a despicable race of gene-manipulating, sinister Alien Empire. Yet hope survives, and mercy flourishes in its wake as well. We have extended our mercy and friendship to those who chose to side with us, and as you see, you will encounter these integrated citizens resembling Sectoids of the First Alien War.

The city features the finest technology and comfort throughout the Sol System, salvaged from the ancient Alien Empire who also seems to have begotten Our species, and the treacherous alien pirates who misused and looted their ruins to wage war on Us. The result is that We are finally sitting on the zenith of our history, seeing the entire contents of Our mysterious past in the blink of an eye. We travel around floating on the efficient and safe People Tubes. With the courtesy of the Transtellar corporation, who profit profoundly from the bountiful trading routes of our home, we revel in our Nanotechnological luxuries and Sensovision, students let school information flow into their minds freely and without effort, all adapted from the psychic coding and nanotech-construction technology of our enemies, we can even fly on hover vehicles we could not have dreamt of 40 years before! Obviously, Earth-born technology was insufficent to apply mass-hover project, so We justly claimed it from the filth who dared touch our blood and earth. And Our thanks go to the glorious soldiers of X-Com, men and women of legends unmatched even in Our dank and filthy Middle Ages. Men and Women who rose amongst the pile of skulls of the dead, Men and Women who carried the Illuminating light of Freedom, Justice and Equality to the masses, Enlightening Us through war, deceit, and heroism.

We do not wish to bore you with Our glorious history, as the Space Liner approaches the Space Port, and a massive Jungle of grass, glass and gleaming metal with its limitless bounties, pleasures and power awaits you.

Once again, Welcome!

The Thirteen Most Enlightened Senators of Mega-Primus of ''Novus Ordo Seclorum''

== Trade ==

Various Corporations have their industries in monopoly, and thus make humongous profits surpassing the power of the Government. Mega-Primus industry produces extremely high-quality products and exports them in high prices, whereas cheaply buying elerium from mining colonies of Mars, the Asteroid Belt and even the far-away Frontier, and exploiting them doubly by selling expensive materials, an Imperialist's finest dream-city.

== Firms, Companies, Collectives ==

Mega-Primus, formerly known as Toronto, is a completely self-sustaining, locked entity, and probably the only completely safe place on Earth in the wake of the destruction of T'leth. Nothing is wasted here. Every piece of scrap, every waste product is recycled and put back to good use. Of course, there is a trade with colonies on Mars and beyond, where Mega-Primus sells high quality goods in exchange for raw materials and Elerium.

Most of the city is maintained by various corporations and organizations. A good X-COM commander should familiarize himself with these entities, as they, unlike the general populace, are well aware of X-COM's presence in the city, and aren't held back by laws or moral obligations. It is possible to have both friends and foes among denizens of the city - but it is impossible to keep up good relations with everyone. However, all of them must be watched for signs of alien infiltration - and some are more susceptible to it than others.

Below is a list of these corporations, along with short descriptions and suggestions.

* Aliens

Not an organization per se, the new Alien threat to the city is vastly different from what we have faced before. They are once again technologically superior to us. They've been proven aggressive when their infiltration attempts were discovered, and as such X-COM is allowed to and is obligated to eliminate this new threat by any means neccessary.

* Cult of Sirius

A cult of Alien-worshipping freaks, these zealots have built up a surprisingly strong presence in the city. While the size and power of the Cult has apparently diminished since 2040s, they are still hostile to X-COM, and have reportedly amassed a small army, as well as a stockpile of top-notch weaponry in the city to assist their Alien "friends" in their nefarious deeds. Raiding their temples can both cripple their influence and provide X-COM with nice equipment.

* Cyberweb
* Diablo

A fanatical and violent gang with a base of operations in the slums outside the city limits. They've pioneered the use of crude yet efficient incendiary grenades, and are feuding with Psyke. Their trust is however easy to earn by attacking Psyke.

* Energen
* Evonet
* Extropians
* General Metro

General Metro is the manufacturer of the engines for city's road vehicles, as well as Fusion PowerFuel. Obviously, it's a good idea to have them as friends, else your mighty fleets will turn into scrap metal.

* Government

While it may seem somewhat odd and shadowy to us, the Government is still the highest authority in the city. Protecting it from Alien inflitration and attacks is a top priority for us. The Government maintains hope that X-COM will be able to deal with the alien threat quietly and before the next election, and as such given it powers comparable to that of Megapol. However, abusing those powers is highly unrecommended, as Government will also be X-COM's primary sponsor - and any questionable actions will reduce the size of that paycheck at the end of the week.

* Grav Ball League
* Lifetree
* Marsec

A megacorporation that stretches from Earth to the Frontier, MARs SECurity is a powerful manufacturer of the best of today's military equipment. Although they have some competition in the inferior-but-cheaper Megapol products, Marsec still outweighs its competitor by holding virtual monopoly on powerful combat vehicles, plasma, psionic and heavy weaponry, as well as Elerium-powered flying armor. It is a very bad idea to mess with Marsec.

* Megapol

MEGA-Primus POLice is more than just a security force. It is also a goverment-sponsored arms manufacturer. Megapol makes its own equipment and vehicles, and sustains itself by exporting some of it. Megapol has its hands full with the rampant crime syndicates in the city, and as such is able to provide only token support to X-COM, however Megapol patrol vehicles won't hesitate to assist X-COM in dealing with the alien ships. Megapol's market presence includes laser weaponry, heavy body armor, grenades and small arms. Megapol stations are extremely well-defended and the police troops are well-trained and heavily armed, so getting into their bad books will probably be mean the end of X-COM.

* Mutant Alliance

A semi-legal political entity that is fighting against the prejudice against the human/sectoid hybrids, relics from the First Alien War. Supporting the Mutant Alliance can bring X-COM psionically gifted recruits.

* Nanotech
* Nutrivend
* Osiron

The wealthiest crime syndicate in the city, Osiron is something in between a gang and a legitimate corporation. Osiron is significantly better equipped and organized that other criminal organizations, and can be a formidable opponent.

* Psyke

A declining criminal gang, Psyke is still a major thorn in Government's side due to their development of illegal, addictive and highly dangerous Psiclone implant. They are at constant war with Diablo, and attacking one will win you friendship of another. And you didn't see it here, but psiclones are worth quite a lot on the black market...

* S.E.L.F.

The Sentient Engine Liberation Front is a political entity, much alike to the Mutant Alliance, which fights for the rights of the outlawed androids. Androids can be highly efficient shock troops, so good relations with S.E.L.F. are a huge bonus.
* Sanctuary Clinic
* Sensovision
* Solmine
* Superdynamics

Superdynamics is an engine manufacturer, specializing in engines for flyers. Since flyers get to see most of the action, it would be wise to outfit them with the best stuff there is - a reason enough to try to keep Superdynamics friendly.
* Synthemesh
* Technocrats
* Transtellar

An interstellar shipping corporation. Don't let their space liners fool you - they also have the monopoly on all transport inside the city. Transtellar is very susceptible to Alien infiltration (according to Megapol), and is very nervous about any military activity in its borders. It will probably be the hardest corporation to keep happy, but not doing so can cripple X-COM's market activity - and that equals bankruptcy.

* X-Com

That's us. A shadowy paramilitary organization that in the breaks between taking over the city should also try to chase off the aliens.

== Base Locations ==

The Government offers X-Com discreet locations such as abandoned warehouses and slums, and provided the base is in latter location, it is unlikely that the base is going to be attacked by Alien forces easily (Although the structural integrity of these badly undermaintained structures is very questionable).

The bases have preset corridors, and facilities can be constructed into these empty spaces, and it is forbidden to fund additional excavations.

When needed, the Government can be contacted to give an additional base, provided the funds are at your disposal.

The newest development in base facilities are base defenses: Security Stations, riddled with plasma turrets. A few of those at important chokepoints will be enough to cripple any assault on your base, Alien or human alike.

Mega-Primus

2008-07-04T23:21:05Z

CHiMer: Did some of the corporation section, tried to do it in a "in-universe" style

= A Tourist's Guide To Megaprimus =

Our Greetings to you, Visitor:

The City which you are about to enter, Mega Primus, is the primary Bastion of Mankind after emerging victorious from three seemingly hopeless wars against a despicable race of gene-manipulating, sinister Alien Empire. Yet hope survives, and mercy flourishes in its wake as well. We have extended our mercy and friendship to those who chose to side with us, and as you see, you will encounter these integrated citizens resembling Sectoids of the First Alien War.

The city features the finest technology and comfort throughout the Sol System, salvaged from the ancient Alien Empire who also seems to have begotten Our species, and the treacherous alien pirates who misused and looted their ruins to wage war on Us. The result is that We are finally sitting on the zenith of our history, seeing the entire contents of Our mysterious past in the blink of an eye. We travel around floating on the efficient and safe People Tubes. With the courtesy of the Transtellar corporation, who profit profoundly from the bountiful trading routes of our home, we revel in our Nanotechnological luxuries and Sensovision, students let school information flow into their minds freely and without effort, all adapted from the psychic coding and nanotech-construction technology of our enemies, we can even fly on hover vehicles we could not have dreamt of 40 years before! Obviously, Earth-born technology was insufficent to apply mass-hover project, so We justly claimed it from the filth who dared touch our blood and earth. And Our thanks go to the glorious soldiers of X-Com, men and women of legends unmatched even in Our dank and filthy Middle Ages. Men and Women who rose amongst the pile of skulls of the dead, Men and Women who carried the Illuminating light of Freedom, Justice and Equality to the masses, Enlightening Us through war, deceit, and heroism.

We do not wish to bore you with Our glorious history, as the Space Liner approaches the Space Port, and a massive Jungle of grass, glass and gleaming metal with its limitless bounties, pleasures and power awaits you.

Once again, Welcome!

The Thirteen Most Enlightened Senators of Mega-Primus of ''Novus Ordo Seclorum''

== Trade ==

Various Corporations have their industries in monopoly, and thus make humongous profits surpassing the power of the Government. Mega-Primus industry produces extremely high-quality products and exports them in high prices, whereas cheaply buying elerium from mining colonies of Mars, the Asteroid Belt and even the far-away Frontier, and exploiting them doubly by selling expensive materials, an Imperialist's finest dream-city.

== Firms, Companies, Collectives ==

Mega-Primus, formerly known as Toronto, is a completely self-sustaining, locked entity, and probably the only completely safe place on Earth in the wake of the destruction of T'leth. Nothing is wasted here. Every piece of scrap, every waste product is recycled and put back to good use. Of course, there is a trade with colonies on Mars and beyond, where Mega-Primus sells high quality goods in exchange for raw materials and Elerium.

Most of the city is maintained by various corporations and organizations. A good X-COM commander should familiarize himself with these entities, as they, unlike the general populace, are well aware of X-COM's presence in the city, and aren't held back by laws or moral obligations. It is possible to have both friends and foes among denizens of the city - but it is impossible to keep up good relations with everyone. However, all of them must be watched for signs of alien infiltration - and some are more susceptible to it than others.

Below is a list of these corporations, along with short descriptions and suggestions.

* Aliens

Not an organization per se, the new Alien threat to the city is vastly different from what we have faced before. They are once again technologically superior to us. They've been proven aggressive when their infiltration attempts were discovered, and as such X-COM is allowed to and is obligated to eliminate this new threat by any means neccessary.

* Cult of Sirius

A cult of Alien-worshipping freaks, these zealots have built up a surprisingly strong presence in the city. While the size and power of the Cult has apparently diminished since 2040s, they are still hostile to X-COM, and have reportedly amassed a small army, as well as a stockpile of top-notch weaponry in the city to assist their Alien "friends" in their nefarious deeds. Raiding their temples can both cripple their influence and provide X-COM with nice equipment.

* Cyberweb
* Diablo

A fanatical and violent gang with a base of operations in the slums outside the city limits. They've pioneered the use of crude yet efficient incendiary grenades, and are feuding with Psyke. Their trust is however easy to earn by attacking Psyke.

* Energen
* Evonet
* Extropians
* General Metro

General Metro is the manufacturer of the engines for city's road vehicles, as well as Fusion PowerFuel. Obviously, it's a good idea to have them as friends, else your mighty fleets will turn into scrap metal.

* Government

While it may seem somewhat odd and shadowy to us, the Government is still the highest authority in the city. Protecting it from Alien inflitration and attacks is a top priority for us. The Government maintains hope that X-COM will be able to deal with the alien threat quietly and before the next election, and as such given it powers comparable to that of Megapol. However, abusing those powers is highly unrecommended, as Government will also be X-COM's primary sponsor - and any questionable actions will reduce the size of that paycheck at the end of the week.

* Grav Ball League
* Lifetree
* Marsec

A megacorporation that stretches from Earth to the Frontier, MARs SECurity is a powerful manufacturer of the best of today's military equipment. Although they have some competition in the inferior-but-cheaper Megapol products, Marsec still outweighs its competitor by holding virtual monopoly on powerful combat vehicles, plasma, psionic and heavy weaponry, as well as Elerium-powered flying armor. It is a very bad idea to mess with Marsec.

* Megapol

MEGA-Primus POLice is more than just a security force. It is also a goverment-sponsored arms manufacturer. Megapol makes its own equipment and vehicles, and sustains itself by exporting some of it. Megapol has its hands full with the rampant crime syndicates in the city, and as such is able to provide only token support to X-COM, however Megapol patrol vehicles won't hesitate to assist X-COM in dealing with the alien ships. Megapol's market presence includes laser weaponry, heavy body armor, grenades and small arms. Megapol stations are extremely well-defended and the police troops are well-trained and heavily armed, so getting into their bad books will probably be mean the end of X-COM.

* Mutant Alliance

A semi-legal political entity that is fighting against the prejudice against the human/sectoid hybrids, relics from the First Alien War. Supporting the Mutant Alliance can bring X-COM psionically gifted recruits.

* Nanotech
* Nutrivend
* Osiron

The wealthiest crime syndicate in the city, Osiron is something in between a gang and a legitimate corporation. Osiron is significantly better equipped and organized that other criminal organizations, and can be a formidable opponent.

* Psyke

A declining criminal gang, Psyke is still a major thorn in Government's side due to their development of illegal, addictive and highly dangerous Psiclone implant. They are at constant war with Diablo, and attacking one will win you friendship of another. And you didn't see it here, but psiclones are worth quite a lot on the black market...

* S.E.L.F.

The Sentient Engine Liberation Front is a political entity, much alike to the Mutant Alliance, which fights for the rights of the outlawed androids. Androids can be highly efficient shock troops, so good relations with S.E.L.F. are a huge bonus.
* Sanctuary Clinic
* Sensovision
* Solmine
* Superdynamics

Superdynamics is an engine manufacturer, specializing in engines for flyers. Since flyers get to see most of the action, it would be wise to outfit them with the best stuff there is - a reason enough to try to keep Superdynamics friendly.
* Synthemesh
* Technocrats
* Transtellar

An interstellar shipping corporation. Don't let their space liners fool you - they also have the monopoly on all transport inside the city. Transtellar is very susceptible to Alien infiltration (according to Megapol), and is very nervous about any military activity in its borders. It will probably be the hardest corporation to keep happy, but not doing so can cripple X-COM's market activity - and that equals bankruptcy.

* X-Com

That's us. A shadowy paramilitary organization that in the breaks between taking over the city should also try to chase off the aliens.
(Insert briefs about the companies themselves.)

== Base Locations ==

The Government offers X-Com discreet locations such as abandoned warehouses and slums, and provided the base is in latter location, it is unlikely that the base is going to be attacked by Alien forces easily (Although the structural integrity of these badly undermaintained structures is very questionable).

The bases have preset corridors, and facilities can be constructed into these empty spaces, and it is forbidden to fund additional excavations.

When needed, the Government can be contacted to give an additional base, provided the funds are at your disposal.

The newest development in base facilities are base defenses: Security Stations, riddled with plasma turrets. A few of those at important chokepoints will be enough to cripple any assault on your base, Alien or human alike.

Alien Transporter (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T19:14:35Z

CHiMer: some spacing to please the eye

[[Image:Ufo-03.gif|right|Transporter]]
[[Image:Ufo-03mapi.gif|thumb|right|The Tactical combat map of the Transporter.]]
Alien Transporter (UFO-3) is probably the most important Alien ship in the game. Without capturing one of these, you won't be able to research alien propulsion, energy and control systems, preventing you from gaining access to interdimensional travel.

The Transporter lives up to its name, is lightly armed and does not present significant danger to X-COM. The problems come from its escorts - fast and dangerous [[Alien Fast Attack Ship (Apocalypse)|Fast Attack Ships]]. The Transporter will ignore your vehicles, as its only purpose is to give you a headache by sending in a large infiltration force into the building. Its slow speed is compensated by heavy armor, so it might take some time to bring it down. It is also the first manned Alien ship you'll meet.

Tactical combat is fairly easy, since there are only 2 entrances from north and south respectively, and neither of them is cloaked in smoke from the crash. A single AP grenade thrown to the door should lure the most of the aliens out.

Note that some of the crew can perish in the crash. The infiltration force always dies completely if the ship is shot down before it could beam the force into a building.

Stats:
Top Speed: 8
Health: 400
Armor: 36
Score: 150
Equipment: Light Disruptor Beam
+ Small Disruption Shield (Late in game)
Crew: 2 Alien Eggs, 4 Anthropods, 2 Hyperworms, 2 Chrysalises, 1 Popper, 4 Spitters
Infiltration force: 5 Anthropods, 5 Alien Eggs, 3 Brainsuckers, 3 Multiworms, 1 Popper, 3 Spitters
Research components: (aside from the ship itself): Alien Propulsion System, Alien Energy Source,
Alien Control System, Light Disruptor Beam, Small Disruption Shield

Alien Scout Ship (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T19:08:50Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Ufo-02.gif|right|Scout Ship]]
[[Image:Landing1.gif|thumb|right|The Scout Ship drops the aliens into the building.]]
As with [[Alien Probe (Apocalypse)|Alien Probe]], the Alien Scout Ship is an unmanned and relatively harmless vessel that does not have any serious impact on the research. However, one major difference is that Scout Ship can and will drop alien raiders into the city buildings. Though it would be a good idea to destroy them before they do so, you might want to let them drop the troops so you can capture them and their equipment. The raiding party apparently dies a slow (or fast), horrible and incredibly painful death if the Scout Ship is shot down, so you don't have to fight for the wreck.
Stats:
Top Speed: 12
Health: 120
Armor: 27
Score: 100
Eqipment: Light Disruptor Beam
+ Small Disruption Shield (Late game)
Infiltration force: 3 Alien Eggs, 1 Anthropod, 2 Brainsuckers, 2 Multiworms, 5 Spitters

Alien Transporter (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T19:05:11Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Ufo-03.gif|right|Transporter]]
[[Image:Ufo-03mapi.gif|thumb|right|The Tactical combat map of the Transporter.]]
Alien Transporter (UFO-3) is probably the most important Alien ship in the game. Without it, you will NOT be able to finish the game.
The Transporter lives up to its name, is lightly armed and does not present significant danger to X-COM. The problems come from its escorts - fast and dangerous [[Alien Fast Attack Ship (Apocalypse)|Fast Attack Ships]]. The Transporter will ignore your vehicles, as its only purpose is to give you a headache by sending in a large infiltration force into the building. Its slow speed is compensated by heavy armor, so it might take some time to bring it down. It is also the first manned Alien ship you'll meet.
Tactical combat is fairly easy, since there are only 2 entrances from north and south respectively, and neither of them is cloaked in smoke from the crash. A single AP grenade thrown to the door should lure the most of the aliens out. Note that some of the crew can perish in the crash. The infiltration force always dies completely if the ship is shot down before it could beam the force into a building.

Stats:
Top Speed: 8
Health: 400
Armor: 36
Score: 150
Equipment: Light Disruptor Beam
+ Small Disruptor Shield (Late in game)
Crew: 2 Alien Eggs, 4 Anthropods, 2 Hyperworms, 2 Chrysalises, 1 Popper, 4 Spitters
Infiltration force: 5 Anthropods, 5 Alien Eggs, 3 Brainsuckers, 3 Multiworms, 1 Popper, 3 Spitters
Research components: (aside from the ship itself): Alien Propulsion System, Alien Energy Source,
Alien Control System, Light Disruptor Beam, Small Disruption Shield

File:Ufo-03mapi.gif

2007-04-30T18:50:05Z

CHiMer: Transporter tactical combat map.

Transporter tactical combat map.

File:Ufo-03.gif

2007-04-30T18:43:40Z

CHiMer: Alien Transporter

Alien Transporter

Alien Scout Ship (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T17:45:32Z

CHiMer:

File:Landing1.gif

2007-04-30T17:40:47Z

CHiMer: Alien Scout Ship sends in the infiltrators.

Alien Scout Ship sends in the infiltrators.

File:Ufo-02.gif

2007-04-30T17:35:26Z

CHiMer: Alien Scout Ship

Alien Scout Ship

Alien Probe (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T17:31:19Z

CHiMer: oopsie...

[[Image:Ufo-01.gif|right|Alien Probe]]
The Alien Probe (UFO-1) is the unmanned basic ship of the Aliens in X-COM3. It is more of a nuisance than a real threat, as it is lightly armed with [[Light Disruptor Beam]] and does not transport troops or have any crew. It is very fragile and easily destroyed even early in the game, so salvaging one of these can be tricky.
The Probe usually accompanies Alien Scout Ships on their raids. It disappears late in the game.
Aside from itself, the Probe does not provide any research material, so capturing it is not a priority.

Stats:
Top Speed: 14
Health: 80
Armor: 12
Score: 50
Equipment: Light Disruptor Beam

Alien Probe (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T17:31:13Z

CHiMer: oopsie...

Alien Probe (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T17:24:24Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Ufo-01.gif|right|Alien Probe]]
The Alien Probe (UFO-1) is the unmanned basic ship of the Aliens in X-COM3. It is more of a nuisance than a real threat, as it is lightly armed with [[Small Disruptor Beam]] and does not transport troops or have any crew. It is very fragile and easily destroyed even early in the game, so salvaging one of these can be tricky.
The Probe usually accompanies Alien Scout Ships on their raids. It disappears late in the game.
Aside from itself, the Probe does not provide any research material, so capturing it is not a priority.

Stats:
Top Speed: 14
Health: 80
Armor: 12
Score: 50

Alien Probe (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T17:14:00Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Ufo-01.gif|right|Alien Probe]]
The Alien Probe (UFO-1) is the unmanned basic ship of the Aliens in X-COM3. It is more of a nuisance than a real threat, as it is lightly armed with [[Small Disruptor Beam]] and does not transport troops or have any crew. It is very fragile and easily destroyed even early in the game, so salvaging one of these can be tricky.
The Probe usually accompanies Alien Scout Ships on their raids. It disappears late in the game.
Aside from itself, the Probe does not provide any research material, so capturing it is not a priority.
Stats:
Top Speed: 14
Health: 80
Armor: 12
Score: 50

Alien Probe (Apocalypse)

2007-04-30T13:26:00Z

CHiMer:

[[Image:Ufo-01.gif|right|Alien Probe]]
The Alien Probe (UFO-1) is the unmanned basic ship of the Aliens in X-COM3. It is more of a nuisance than a real threat, as it is lightly armed with [[Small Disruptor Beam]] and does not transport troops or have any crew. It is very fragile and easily destroyed even early in the game, so salvaging one of these can be tricky.
The Probe usually accompanies Alien Scout Ships on their raids. It disappears late in the game.
Aside from itself, the Probe does not provide any research material, so capturing it is not a priority.

File:Ufo-01.gif

2007-04-30T13:20:02Z

CHiMer: Alien Probe.

Alien Probe.

Laser Rifle

2006-11-27T19:44:15Z

CHiMer: /* Stats */

Arguably the best weapon in the game, the Laser Rifle is the next step up from the [[Laser Pistol]], and leads on to the [[Heavy Laser]]. Good accuracy, long range, no ammo needed, burst fire... This gun has it all. It does a LOT less damage than the [[Heavy Plasma]], but that's about it. The [[Rifle|conventional rifle]] reaches its limits with floaters and snakemen, but the laser rifle, once developed, is useful for the rest of the game.

Note that its shots will quite consistently destroy trees, brick walls, and other obstacles, but not reinforced metal like bases or ships. See [[Destroying Terrain]] for more details.

The only thing that really withstands a point blank burst from this would be the [[Sectopod]].

== Stats ==
<table><tr><td>[[Image:BIGOBS00.GIF|left|64 px]]</td><td>
*Power: 60 Laser
*Size: 3 high x 1 wide
*Weight: 10
*TUs:
**Auto: 34% (Accuracy 46%)
**Snap: 25% (Accuracy 65%)
**Aimed: 50% (Accuracy 100%)
*[[Buying/Selling/Transferring#Manufacturable_Prices|Manufacturing]]: $20,000 for parts, 400 Engineer Hours
*Sell Price: $36,900</td></tr></table>

Note with the additional bonus from kneeling, an aimed shot provides 115% * soldier base accuracy - A sharpshooter's dream. Too bad you can't specify head shots...

[[Category:Equipment (UFO Defense)]]

== Trivia ==

Interesting fact is that Laser Rifle was "reborn" in award-winning TBS "Silent Storm" under name "Prototype 8M1". Even more interesting is that it was found in an extremely rare encounter that also exhibited a crash-landed UFO. The weapon itself was the only way to actually win the battle, as there were 6 Panzerkleins (primitive yet very powerful powered armors) on the map.

Prototype 8M1 is probably the best weapon in the game, as it has a large clip, excellent firing range, burst fire, good accuracy and what it's UFO prototype doesn't have, high damage. And it has ''exactly the same'' looks as Laser Rifle.

Silent Storm takes place in 1943 and has a "what-if" storyline. Wikipedia has an article about it. Unfortunately the game failed to sell in US due to copy protection system problems and marketing problems... like all good russian games.