UFOpaedia - User contributions [en]

T'leth

2015-01-29T17:52:50Z

Markus Ramikin: /* Description */ fitting everyone in at the end of part 2

== General Information ==

T'Leth is the game's final mission where aquanauts must fight through three levels of enemies to reach the leader of the invasion fleet and put an end to it.

Note that this is a do-or-die mission. If you fail or hit abort at any time, the entire campaign is lost. Be sure to take the time to make all the necessary preparations and assemble the finest squad and equipment before launching this mission.

To access T'Leth, you need to have built a [[Leviathan]] sub and complete the "T'leth the alien's city" research topic. Once the research topic is complete, any Leviathan selected in the Geoscape will have an additional '''T'Leth ''' button added beside the launch button.

=Alien City Level 1=

{{Ref Open | title = T'Leth Level 1 Mission Briefing}}
We are entering the unknown, from here on in there could be anything waiting for us. We know there are 2 further levels to the Alien city and your squad must race to the exit on this level to enter the next. Place all aquanauts on the exit and click the 'Abort Mission' icon to advance. Aborting elsewhere will terminate the mission.
{{Ref Close| source = Terror From The Deep T'Leth mission briefing}}

==Description==

This level looks like the second part of an [[Artefact Site]] mission, but the map layout is different and there are only two levels (or "floors"). You must kill all aliens as you move your units to the lift (bright yellow floor) and press the "abort mission" button. Note that this lift is on the upper level (l1).

The map consists of three very large rooms and a multitude of smaller chambers. Most of these are connected to 3-4 other chambers, which makes them good for setting ambushes - watch your back! The large rooms are usually filled alien power generators, hibernation chambers and the like, and are less likely to hold aliens. Instead, most aliens will reside in the smaller rooms, either patrolling around the lower floor or hiding on the upper one. The aliens are not very aggressive; most will hole up and MC your troops.

Because almost all the aliens have [[Disruptor Pulse Launcher]]s and MC ability, it is prudent to use your SWSs for the initial scouting. After that you can use your own MC-capable aquanauts to take control over the Aquatoids and use them for scouting.

Aliens encountered:
*Aquatoids - all armed with Disruptor Pulse Launchers
** On Veteran difficulty: 5 Soldiers, 4 Navigators and 4 Commanders
*Hallucinoids (3 on Veteran difficulty)
Note: This is identical to the number of aliens on the upper level of [[Cydonia]], with Aquatoids standing in for Sectoids, and Hallucinoids for Cyberdisks.

===Complete Layout of T'Leth - Level 1===
[[File:TFTD tleth1-L0.jpg|right|thumb|T'Leth Level 1 L0]]Map of t'Leth Level 1 - L0. 

[[File:TFTD tleth1-L1.jpg|right|thumb|T'Leth Level 1 L1]]Map of t'Leth Level 1 - L1. 

=Alien city level 2=

{{Ref Open | title = T'Leth Level 2 Mission Briefing}}
Further into the unknown, from here on in there could be anything waiting for us. We know there is a further level to the Alien city and your squad must race to the exit on this level to enter the next. Place all aquanauts on the exit and click the 'Abort Mission' icon to advance. Aborting elsewhere will terminate the mission.
{{Ref Close| source = Terror From The Deep T'Leth Mission Briefing Screen}}

(Note that the briefing is almost identical to the previous one)

==Description==

Looks like the the second part of a [[Colony Assault]] mission, but again there's only 2 levels. The map layout is fixed and is always the same from game to game.

Once again, you need to kill all aliens or find the access lift to the third level. This can be difficult, because to do it you must first climb to the upper level, cross to the corner of the map opposite your starting location, and then descend to the ground level. Another problem is that some of the corridors will be too narrow for your SWSs - use Sonic Cannons or Disruptor Pulse Launchers to widen the door and corridors.

This level is a real maze, and it can be time-consuming and frustrating to find the right way. Much of the path is linear, following a counter-clockwise spiral pattern into the central area.

Use Disruptor Pulse Launchers carefully, so as not to make additional routes for the aliens to ambush you. Since the corridors are often narrow, it might not always be practical to use SWSs for scouting. Try to use MC-ed aliens instead. Luckily, none of the aliens on this level are MC-capable.

Note that the exit lift has only room for 25 aquanauts, so if you took Leviathan crewed with 26 men to the mission you must either kill all the aliens or be prepared to leave someone behind. If you take the mission slowly and follow the route that you are meant to follow, and explore the occasional side paths, you should meet every alien there is to meet by the time you reach the exit.

However, if you brought any SWS, room is not a problem, because out of the 4 spaces occupied by the tank the game sees the top one as the tank's location. As long the top of the tank is in the target area, the bottom-left or bottom-right half can stick out, saving you two spaces.

WARNING: You cannot save the game on Level 3. Make sure you save right at the end of Level 2.

Aliens encountered:
*Aquatoid Soldiers (4 on Veteran difficulty), armed with a mix of Disruptor Pulse Launchers and Thermal Shokk Launchers
*Lobster Men Soldiers & Squad Leaders (4 of each on Veteran difficulty), armed with a mix of Disruptor Pulse Launchers and Thermal Shokk Launchers
*Deep Ones (3 on Veteran difficulty)
*Tentaculats (2 on Veteran difficulty)
*Hallucinoids (4 on Veteran difficulty)
*Xarquid (2 on Veteran difficulty)

===Complete Layout of T'Leth - Level 2===
[[File:TFTD tleth2-L0.jpg|right|thumb|T'Leth Level 2 L0]]Map of t'Leth Level 2 - L0. 

[[File:TFTD tleth2-L1.jpg|right|thumb|T'Leth Level 2 L1]]Map of t'Leth Level 2 - L1. 

=Alien city level 3=

{{Ref Open | title = T'Leth Level 3 Mission Briefing}}
The end is in sight, from here on in we are searching for the crypt of the Ultimate Alien. Destroy the 8 power feeds to the tomb to finish off the Alien threat. Don't give up now! Aborting will terminate the mission.
{{Ref Close| source = Terror From The Deep T'Leth Mission Briefing Screen}}

==Description==

The map is roughly a spiral leading to the Ultimate Alien's coffin. Aside from not being able to save, your overhead map will not function properly! You won't be able to see the terrain, only your aquanauts, aliens and dropped items. Also, your SWSs can't move through the doors unless you knock them down with Disruptor Pulse Launchers. You'd need a LOT of ammo to knock down all the doors you need to pass to reach the end.

Fortunately, the map is mostly straightforward, with only a couple of dead-ends. It's also quite large, so your agents will run out of energy if you advance too quickly.

None of the aliens use MC-attacks, so this level is really kind of a pushover. It's certainly a lot easier than the lower level of Cydonia.

When you reach the central chamber, be careful of Tentaculat ambushes. Remember that, unlike in Enemy Unknown, you can't kill the alien mastermind. Instead, destroy the power cylinders around him to win.

Aliens encountered:
*exactly the same as in part 2.

===Complete Layout of T'Leth - Level 3===
[[File:TFTD tleth3-L0.jpg|right|thumb|T'Leth Level 3 L0]]Map of t'Leth Level 3 - L0. 

[[File:TFTD tleth3-L1.jpg|right|thumb|T'Leth Level 3 L1]]Map of t'Leth Level 3 - L1. 

[[File:TFTD_tleth3-destroyed_power_cylinders.jpg|right|thumb|destroyed power cylinders]]Image of destroyed power cylinders around the alien mastermind. 

==Tips==

*It goes without saying, bring the best troops you have. As many as possible should have Mag. Ion Armour. You'll have a much easier time if your Aquanauts have high MC ratings. Because of the 80 item limit, 26 Aquanauts is probably impractical, so it's probably a good idea to take along 2-3 Displacers.

*You can take some MC-weaklings along, as long as you keep them unarmed (or armed with Gauss Pistols) on the first level. The vast majority of your opponents there will be Aquatoids, so you don't need powerful weapons anyway. After the first level there are no more MC-capable aliens, so your MC-weaklings are no longer in danger.

*The aliens are armed exclusively with Disruptor Pulse Launchers and [[Thermal Shok Launcher]]s. This means you can't rely on scavenging Sonic weapons or ammo. So be careful, as your Sonic Cannons may run out of ammo if you don't bring reloads. Instead, grab every Shok launcher and Disrupter Pulse Launcher that you can carry with you as you make your way to the end.

*The 80 item limit really hurts. So make sure you only bring along stuff that's essential. As per the previous note, Disrupter Pulse Launchers and Thermal Shok Launchers are plentiful and can be scavenged off the aliens, so you will not need to bring great quantities of them in. Concentrate on the essentials like MC Disruptors, Medi-Kits, Sonic weapons, ammo and close combat weapons. Additionally, there are few [[Sonic Pulser]]s in the T'Leth levels, so be prepared to bring an extra helping of them if you wish to use them.

*Spread out! Especially on the first level. You don't want a Disruptor Pulse Launcher to take out half your squad, do you?

* There's more light than on Mars's surface, so incendiary ammo is less useful (though not completely useless).

* The level 2 map is always the same layout. If you have enough sonic cannons or disrupter pulse torpedoes, you can cut a short-cut through to the exit of this map. From the entry point, head south and once you reach the first large hallway with the rail on the upper level, head up and cut your way through the rail and through several walls to the east. In time you will arrive at the final stretch that leads to the exit chamber, a large brown room with an open floor and drums spaced evenly along the walls. Note taking this path instantly takes you through the most dangerous part of the map, the area where the tentaculats and deep-ones reside.

* The life support batteries around the coffin in level 3 can not be damaged by melee weapons or thermal shok bombs. Be absolutely sure that you reserve some ammunition or explosives to deal with them or else you will not be able to complete the final mission.

*Tactics to deal with specific enemies:

:Aquatoids: dangerous but very vulnerable. On the first level they all have MC abilities and Disruptor Launchers. Luckily, they almost always die in one hit, and won't survive even on the outskirts of an explosion. On the other two levels they're more of a nuisance, as no longer have MC and most have Thermal Shok Launchers. Still, one or two might be toting a Disruptor Pulse Launcher, so don't ignore them.

:Lobster Men: dangerous and very tough, but no MC ability. They usually survive even a direct hit from a Disruptor Pulse Launcher! Most of them are coincidentally armed with just that, but others wield Thermal Shok Launchers and are therefore less dangerous. Your best bet is to use MC attacks and Melee weapons against them. The Thermal Shok Launchers they carry are also useful at quickly disabling them, consider picking up a few along the way. Don't forget they have a natural melee attack!

:Tentaculats: as dangerous as ever, Tentaculats are surprisingly rare in T'leth. Just like in Colony Assaults, they tend to hide in small rooms and nooks and ambush nearby aquanauts. Particularly in the central area of level 2. Be alert, and let Displacers or MC-ed aliens do the scouting.

:Xarquid: rare on level 2, but feature heavily towards the end of level 3. Xarquids tend to keep their distance and snipe at your men.

:Deep Ones: a weak and common enemy in T'leth from level 2 and 3. Chances are you haven't seen them for a while. Unlike most aliens here, Deep Ones have neither explosives nor a melee attack. They're vulnerable to just about anything you throw at them, so they're unlikely to cause you any problems unless you are visible to them during their turn. Though a weak alien, their electrical attacks are very lethal to humans.

:Hallucinoids: although they have a strong melee attack, Hallucinoids are no more than a nuisance at this point. Just blast them with whatever is at hand. They are particularly vulnerable to area effect weapons.

==See Also==
{{Mission Types Navbar (TFTD)}}
[[Category: TFTD]]

Talk:Statstrings

2015-01-26T12:36:32Z

Markus Ramikin: /* A simple and complete list of available syntax anywhere? */ new section

==Edit for clarity==

The "default configuration" example was literally the default configuration, copied verbatim from the xcomutil.conf file as it comes in the archive. Are you sure that this is valid syntax? Even if the pluses work just as well, I don't think we should present a "default conf" that has already been tampered with... --[[User:Schnobs|Schnobs]] 12:13, 22 October 2007 (PDT)

:I didn't realize that was taken verbatim right out of the code file. If you're looking to have machine-readable examples, or examples right out of the file, feel free to revert it; my apologies. [[User:Arrow Quivershaft|Arrow Quivershaft]] 13:16, 22 October 2007 (PDT)

I tried to come up with an explanation of the syntax, but... Maybe someone whose english is better than mine should try his hand at this.

An entry consists of two parts:
*first, the statstring that will be added to a soldiers' name. It can be anything you like, but should better be short.
*second, the condition to trigger that string (like k:30-59), which itself is made up of two parts: a one-letter handle for the stat (like r for reactions or b for bravery), and the experience range.

Note that these are ''ranges'': lower boundary, dash, upper boundary. Either one can be omitted if the range should be open-end. So 30-50 means "from thirty to fifty", -25 means "anything below 26" (and is equal to 0-25) and 60- means "sixty or higher" (equal to 60-255). 42, unsurprisingly, would mean "a value of exactly 42".

I'm not quite sure how some strings override others.--[[User:Schnobs|Schnobs]]

:I can help with that, it's actually very simple. Single character strings accumulate. But any string with more than one character will end the search right there and no further strings will be added to the name. The strings are parsed in the order they are written in XcomUtil.cfg--[[User:Mannon|Mannon]] 15:42, 1 August 2008 (PDT)

::Here's a related tip. If you really want multi character string that will not end statstrings you can still do it, it's just counterintuitive. You have to split each character of your string. For example if you wanted "Sct" for anybody that had high TU's. You just do each letter individually with the same criteria and keep the lines together in your strings so they won't get other stats between them. I did this with an older version of my StatStrings, but ditched it for character space. (I don't like having to chop down long last names to use my strings.) Example below.--[[User:Mannon|Mannon]] 15:55, 1 August 2008 (PDT)
// Will produce "Sct" for any soldier with 80 or more TU's and will continue to accumulate strings after.
S d:80-
c d:80-
t d:80-

== Useful ==

Very useful article, thanks guys. [[User:Spike|Spike]] 13:35, 1 February 2009 (CST)

== Example ==

I've added another example. Please feel free to alter it if you can improve on the language. [[User:Off the Rails|Off the Rails]] 04:01, 11 October 2012 (EDT)

== XcomUtil.cfg substituted by XcomUtil_Statstrings.rul in OpenXCOM1.0 ? with different sintax? ==
Below are the current contents of XcomUtil_Statstrings.rul

Should we add into this wiki page examples with this sintax as well? (or substitute all exemples to this sintax altogether

# Based on XcomUtil by Scott Jones and BladeFireLight
# See http://ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=Statstrings
# These are the default statStrings from XcomUtil.
statStrings:
- string: "x"
psiStrength: [~, 30]
- string: "P"
psiStrength: [80, ~]
- string: "p"
psiStrength: [60, 79]
- string: "K"
psiSkill: [60, ~]
- string: "k"
psiSkill: [30, 59]
- string: "b"
bravery: [60, ~]
- string: "c"
bravery: [~, 10]
- string: "w"
strength: [~, 25]
- string: "Snpr"
firing: [60, ~]
reactions: [60, ~]
- string: "M"
firing: [70, ~]
- string: "m"
firing: [60, 69]
- string: "Sct"
reactions: [50, ~]
tu: [60, ~]
- string: "R"
reactions: [60, ~]
- string: "r"
reactions: [50, 59]
[[User:WurmD|WurmD]] ([[User talk:WurmD|talk]]) 04:29, 13 September 2014 (EDT)

== A simple and complete list of available syntax anywhere? ==

Maybe I'm blind, but I can't find it either in the readme or on this wiki; this article seems more showing off favourite personal setups than actually documenting the basics. For example, the article never explains what d: stands for. A comprehensive list would be good to have.

Blaster Launcher (EU2012)

2013-02-26T14:52:58Z

Markus Ramikin: /* Description */

==Description==
*'''Research Notes:'''
Although I was skeptical as to the merits of assembling another weapon based on our traditional methods, namely, large rockets carrying heavy payloads of explosives, we have made some interesting discoveries during our testing. Our prototype, the cleverly named "blaster launcher," has been surprisingly effective in penetrating the alien's seemingly unassailable armor plating.

We've also improved on the integrated targeting module by implementing several of the design improvements observed in the alien weapons. As a result, these rockets are capable of guiding themselves, even when fired from an obstructed line of sight. I believe there is still room for us to hone this weapon's capabilities further, but it should be safe to begin manufacturing the current design as you see fit.

*'''Engineering Notes:'''
By integrating components of the advanced alien navigation systems, we can fire self-guided rockets capable of navigating to the intended target without direct line of sight. Damage output has also been signifigantly improved through the use of alien fusion.

==Stats==
{| class="wikitable" width="30%"
|+ '''Item Name'''
|-
! width="30px" align="center" | Property !! Info
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|-
| align="center" | Requires: || align="center" | Guided Fusion Launcher Fusion Core Salvage
|-
| align="center" | Cost: || align="center" |
Cost: §250 
Elerium: 44 
Alloys: 34 
Fusion Core: 1 
UFO Flight Computer: 2 
Min Engineers: 35 
|-
| align="center" | Base Damage || align="center" | ''9''
|-
| align="center" | Base Crit Damage || align="center" | ''13''
|-
| align="center" | Shot Type || align="center" | ''text here''
|-
| align="center" | Terrain Damage || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | Range || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | Radius (Explosives) || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | Critical Chance|| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | Offensive Bonus || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | Abilities || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | Size || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | text here || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | text here || align="center" |
|-
| align="center" | text here || align="center" |
|-
|}

==Notes==
''Any relevant information such as where the item is equipped, how it can be used, or information about damage/abilities. Listing of foundry upgrades have been here as well.''

*Rockets fired by the Blaster Launcher will navigate around obstacles and walls, including closed doors. They will rarely (if at all?) go off target.

==See Also==
''Place here internal links to wiki pages that might be relevant to the topic of the page''

[[Category: Enemy Unknown (2012)]]
[[Category: Equipment (EU2012)]]

Battlescape

2008-12-23T09:56:43Z

Markus Ramikin: /* Battlescape Screen */ A newcomer to the game told me they found this bit unclear.

The '''Battlescape''' is the tactical portion of the game, where all ground combat takes place. This is where [[soldiers]] and aliens live, fight and die. [[Terrain]] and mission objectives vary on the Battlescape, but one rule is paramount - don't allow your men to get killed. Veteran soldiers are an invaluable resource, but only survivors gain [[experience]].

The terrain on the Battlescape depends on the geographical location of the mission. When you intercept a UFO, you can sometimes wait until it is over favorable terrain to shoot it down. Most of the world is covered by farm, forest, or jungle terrain, however, so you will have to make best use of whatever natural and artificial cover is available. Unfortunately, the aliens will also be making use of this cover, so missions on flat, featureless terrain (such as polar tundra) are often the easiest to play, as the aliens have nowhere to hide (except for their UFO). On the other hand, if things start to go wrong, you will have nowhere to hide either.

==The Playing Board==

The battle takes place on a small layered tile map. Maps will have dimensions that range between 40 to 60 tiles in width and height and have either 2 or 4 map layers. Exterior maps always have 4 elevations and can have areas of 40 to 50 square tiles. Interior maps always have 2 elevations and are always played in 60 square tile areas. [[TFTD]] differs slightly in that interior maps use 4 elevations except the maps in the final level, which only use 2 per map.

The map shows all walls, obstructions, ceilings, floors that can are currently in view or have previously been seen seen. The general look of the battlescape is determined by the mission, the aircraft that have landed at the site and the area the mission was initiated.

Everything on the map is static by nature. They do not change until they are damaged by weapons fire.

In addition to physical items shown on the map, it will also show differences in lighting which can affect visibility when on [[Night Missions]]. The parts of the map not visible to your troops will be left black, as the shroud of war.

The lighting in a particular spot or tile consists of an ambient light level to represent the time of the day and any fixed light sources in the vicinity. It also is affected by the light thrown off by moving light sources, which are made up of player controlled units, flares and fires.

The shroud of war, or fog of war, is common in many strategy games to represent areas that have not been seen or visited. In effect, areas of the map are coated in black until a friendly unit looks at it. From then on, the fog is lifted for the rest of mission, although it should be noted that enemy units moving into a previously seen area will not be highlighted, you merely still retain knowledge of the terrain itself. For this reason you should [[Sweeping the Battlescape|sweep]] the combat area in such a way to avoid aliens getting behind your lines, which can both be dangerous and time consuming to locate them at the end of a mission.

It must be noted that gravity in the battlescape does not apply to any map features, except the units and objects that can be picked up by units. This means that the entire lower floor of a building or craft can be destroyed without causing problems for the upper floors.

==The Playing Pieces==

On a map, soldiers, aliens and sometimes civilians interact with each other and the environment. Generally by way of projectiles and explosives.

===General rules for the pieces===

*Only one playing piece or environmental feature can occupy a tile at a time.
*Multiple items may occupy the same tile.
*Each playing piece move onto the same tile as the items, provided that there is no playing piece on that tile.
*Each playing piece is unique with individual variations in their statistics and ranking.
*Each playing piece and environmental feature can be destroyed. Often the playing piece turns into a dead body (another item) drops everything from the inventory to the floor.
*If a playing piece is incapacitated or stunned, it will turn into a body, and can be treated as an item, until the stun points are sufficiently diminished.

===Playing Pieces===
*'''Soldiers''': The principal playing piece of the player, representing an X-COM soldier. Comes in two genders and four different races. His starting inventory can be selected by the player, before the battle, after the arrival of the troop transport. He can equip and utilise any item on the battlefield, including those that are dropped or thrown by the aliens. In addition, he can be equipped with different sorts of body armour at the base, before the mission, which may grant him the hover ability. However, he is susceptible to physical damage, stun damage and fatal injuries that is mainly inflicted by the aliens. Also he may lose morale from squad casualties or panic attacks from the aliens. In worse cases, he can be even mind controlled, at which point the alien gains temporary control. Survival will ensure that that the soldier will experience statistic grow, providing that he took some part in the battle.

*'''Aliens''': The alien's playing piece comes in eleven different races, all with varying statistics and inherit resistances to various types of weapons. Has never been observed picking up items from the floor, nor throwing any other item besides a primed alien grenade. Otherwise, has very similar properties to the Soldier playing piece.

*'''Tanks''':

*'''Civilians''': Carries no weapons and will only run around. Will be targeted by aliens.

===Items===

A list of droppable items, and of course a description on explosives in general

===Environmental Features===

Doors, post box, signs, lamps, walls, stairs should go in here

==Combat Damage Model==
All discussion on how damage is dealt and received by units. Covers damage, armour, explosions.

===Psionics===
Psionics are initially a dangerous facet of facing two of the alien races that can make things very difficult for your squad, especially for those soldiers that turn out to have low [[Psionic Strength]], as they will be targeted constantly by these psionic capable aliens. One you have captured a psionic alien and [[research]]ed it, you will be able to develop psionic soldiers by training them in [[Psionic Laboratory|Psionic Laboratories]] and equipping them with [[Psi-Amp]]s.

Psionics allow the wielder to attempt to either [[panic]] or [[Mind Control]] enemy forces, with the success rate being dependent on relative psionic strength and [[Psionic Skill|skill]] between the attacker and defender, and the range between them. Panicked soldiers can be a problem as they can leave gaps in your lines, but Mind Controlled soldiers are far more serious a problem, as they will turn around and fire on their comrades. A psionic attacks effects will last for one full turn per attempt, including both the users and the following opponents part of the turn, although the morale lost to a successful attack will often mean the soldier will be out of action for longer as they continue to panic or [[berserk]] for a time, even if no further attacks are directed towards them.

==Battlescape Interface==
===Battlescape Screen===

The bulk of the battlescape scenario will take place here. Here, the player can view the areas of the board visible to their pieces and can choose actions for them via the Battlescape Control Bar.

[[Image:taclabel.png]]

The main features of the Battlescape Screen are labeled. Refer to below for an explanation.

# Item carried by the piece's left hand. Left click on that area to use.
# Move up or down. Only usable if the piece is equipped with a flying suit, or if located on an elevator tile.
# View different floors.
# View the map screen.
# Switch between kneeling and standing stance. Kneeling costs 4 TUs, standing costs 8 TUs. Will affect the piece's height, the firing accuracy, and the required TUs to move in the next player phase. Unit will stand automatically upon being given a move command in exchange for 8 TUs
# Switch to the inventory screen.
# Centre the Battlescape Screen onto the currently selected piece.
# Select the next piece.
# Select the next piece, and forget the current one. (Meaning: repeated use of 8. or 9. will no longer select it. You can still select it manually, though.) Use when you won't be moving the current soldier any more in this turn.
# Hide or reveal the roof or ceiling. Useful for viewing inside enclosed areas.
# Open the Battlescreen Options menu. Use this to modify the firing, scrolling, and movement speed. Note that it is only possible to save, not to load, the battlescape scenario. However, the option to load will be available within the Geoscape screen, and the title menu of the game.
# End player turn button. The alien phase will then commence.
# Dust off button. For UFO Crash Recovery, UFO Assault and Terror missions transport ship will then take off, leaving all the pieces not within it's initial deployment area behind. For Alien Base Assault, the pieces in the deployment area will retreat, leaving those elsewhere within the board behind. For Base Defence mission, it will concede the battle and the base to the alien without further loses to the player. Most of the units left behind will be listed as MIA and will be unavailable for the rest of the game.
# Item carried by the piece's right hand. Left click on that area to use.
# Reserve TU buttons. Will stop the piece from taking any action once a certain amount of TUs has been used. Those TUs may be used for reaction shots in the Alien's phase. Top left is to reserve none, Top right is to reserve enough TUs for a snap shot. Bottom left is to reserve for an aimed shot, with the bottom right similarly for auto-shot.
# Indicates the rank of the selected piece. Click to view detailed statistics, including current armour values.
# Information panel detailing the name, and the current status of the piece. The green bar, and the number corresponds to the current TUs available, with the yellow bar and number for the current energy. Likewise with the red bar and number for the current health with the purple bar and number representing the moral level.
# Currently selected piece.
# Mouse cursor and selection box. Left click on the board to move the piece to a specific location, consuming TUs in the process. Move to the edge of the screen to scroll along the board. Right click on the board to have the currently selected piece face that direction. Also used to target areas and pieces for the item to be used on.
# Aliens sighted buttons. Left-click to center the screen on the indexed alien. These buttons are assigned in "increasing order" in terms of the appropriate file. In particular, the numerically highest alien sighted will also be the maximal rank sighted.

===Inventory Screen===

This is accessed by pressing the "Inventory" button on the main battlescape screen and is shown at the very beginning of a tactical mission. This screen shows the equipment where your soldier is

[[Image:Invlabel.png]]

The main features are labeled. Explanations are as follows:

# Soldier portrait. Shows the armor worn by the soldier, and possibly their face(Coveralls and Personal Armor only)
# Soldier name.
# Not on picture.
# Control buttons. "OK" exits inventory(and begins mission if this is a start-of-mission screen). Arrows switch to the next or previous soldier unit.
# "Unload" button. If a weapon is deposited on this button when the soldier has two free hands and 8 Time Units, the clip will be removed from the weapon and placed in the left hand, while the weapon itself will be placed in the right hand.
# Backpack inventory slot. 3x3 space for items.
# Left Hand inventory slot. Any item can be placed here.
# Right Hand inventory slot. Any item can be placed here.
# Right Shoulder inventory slot. 1x2 space for items.
# Left Shoulder inventory slot. 1x2 space for items.
# Belt inventory slot. 6 squares in an upside-down 'u' for items.
# Items on ground. Any item can go here.
# Left Leg inventory slot. 1x2 space for items.
# Right Leg inventory slot. 1x2 space for items.
# "More" button. If items on ground exceed available space, pressing this button will display more items there.

==How to end a mission==
Missions will end if one of the following happens:

# All aliens are killed or knocked [[unconscious]]. All equipment and UFO components will automatically be [[Equipment Recovery|recovered]] from the battlefield. If any X-COM units are under alien [[Mind Control]] when the last alien is defeated, those units will be "MIA", and lost forever.
# All human soldiers are killed or are incapacitated. All soldiers and equipment (including the transport) will be lost.
# Player aborts the mission. All units and equipment in the transport will be recovered; all units and equipment outside the transport will be lost. No UFO components will be recovered. Any unconscious aliens inside the transport will be transferred to [[Alien Containment]], if you have one. If more aliens were killed than X-COM units, you will probably still end the mission with a positive [[score]].

There are several cases where aborting a mission may be a good option:

* If your forces are overwhelmed and likely to be defeated, get as many back to the transport as you can and cut your losses.
* Early [[Terror Mission]]s (especially at [[night]]) can be very difficult. However, not responding to a terror site costs X-COM a lot of [[score|points]] in its monthly evaluation. Fewer points will be lost if you send a transport, even if you abort the mission right away. You may also be able to pick off a few aliens before abandoning the mission.
* [[Alien Base]]s can be raided and looted an unlimited number of times, as long as at least one alien is left behind alive and conscious (these are known as "Smash and Grab" missions).
* Early in the game, capturing a [[psionic]] alien is of a high priority. If you manage to knock out a Sectoid Leader during a dangerous mission, you may choose to grab its body and hightail it back to the base.

==See Also==
* [[Combat]]
* [[Field Manual]]
* [[:Category:Tactics]]
* [[:Category:Terrain]]
[[Category:Tactics]]

Squad Composition and Tactics

2008-12-21T10:16:25Z

Markus Ramikin: /* Armor */ Removing a sentence fragment.

Soldiers in X-COM are flexible generic soldiers with no pre-assigned role or duties attached to them. Despite this, they will eventually fall into a variety of roles depending on tactical needs.

Until soldiers hit super-soldier status where they can do anything, they will generally fall into particular roles specializing in scouting, sniping, heavy weapons, psionic support, rear commander, etc. There is a lot of overlap between many of these roles, so there's a great degree of flexibility available to you.

The choice of role will largely be dependent on the soldiers' initial stats. However, a soldier's role can change and may change several times in the course of a single battle.

== Assigning Roles ==

The following sections describe some common roles that your soldiers will fall under, along with some scenarios and tips for these roles.

=== Scouts ===

After securing the landing zone during deployment (making sure all nearby aliens are killed, and establishing a front line), you should expand the secured zone using scouts (see [[Sweeping the Battlescape]]). Some commanders prefer using trained scouts (high [[Reactions]] and [[TU]]s); others prefer cannon fodder (poor stats). Aliens will often shoot from unseen locations, making high stats irrelevant, and even a soldier with terrible stats can take advantage of the [[Reaction fire triggers#mutual_surprise|mutual surprise rule]].

[[Heavy_Weapons_Platforms|Tanks]] make excellent scouts due to their high mobility (70 or 100 TUs, depending on the type) and relative hardiness. They are also easily replaced, unlike veteran troops. However, in the early part of the game, funds are very limited, and replacing a few rookies is far less expensive than replacing a tank.

In terms of equipment, the key is to keep the scout light but functional, so weapons such as Laser Pistol may come in useful for rapidly clearing terrain on most levels either so the scout can move through it, or check there is nothing behind a wall or hedge. HE and Smoke Grenades also tend to be useful, along with Motion Detectors, but items like heavy weapons and First Aid kits are best left to the troops following up where needed.

The soldiers at the front of the transport must perform scout duties during deployment, which is probably the highest-risk stage of combat. Throwing a [[Smoke Grenade]] at the base of the ramp before deploying helps to reduce this risk (do not deploy until Turn 2, after the grenade has detonated). For soldiers with flight capability, it may be also a good idea to deploy a second smoke grenade on the equipment pile to provide a screen if they don't intend to deploy at ramp level.

If alien(s) are visible from the front of the transport, they should be killed immediately.

The order on the Soldier screen back at base determines the order of troop placement in the transport. It is unfortunate to have a highly-skilled veteran at the front of the craft, where they are most likely to get killed. One strategy to prevent this is to reserve the first 6-8 soldiers on the list for base defense duty. As your front-most troops gain experience, you can assign these reserves to the transport; they will be placed up front.

[[XcomUtil]] can be used to rearrange the order of your troops.

Upon successfully securing the landing zone, the scout will perform recon duties, locating enemy targets so that snipers and heavy weapon specialists can take them down from range.

=== Snipers ===

[[Scouting|Scout/Sniper tactics]] are among the most effective tactics in the entire game. High [[Firing Accuracy]] is the main qualification for a sniper as it only has a small window of opportunity to kill. A recruit can start with a maximum score of 70 in this field, yet even troops with a score of 60 can be trained to be worthy snipers.

Early in the game, the rifle is the most accurate weapon on aimed shot initially aside from the [[Rocket Launcher]]. More often than not, it can hit an enemy from across the map. However it quickly becomes obsolete against tougher foes such as Snakemen and Mutons and one will want to switch to heavier weaponry. The heavy plasma is a suitable weapon for aimed shots, combining exceptional aimed-shot accuracy with a large clip and high damage output. However, plasma is expensive to wield on a large scale and should the sniper be mind-controlled, he will be a major liability. The laser rifle has potential as a sniper weapon on account of a stationary sniper being able to put out 2 Accuracy 100 shots a turn. Finally, XcomUtil can modify the Heavy Laser that it possesses a powerful, highly accurate attack.

=== Heavy weapons ===

A heavy weapon's specialist consists of a soldier with high strength and firing accuracy, allowing the use of heavy weapons like the [[Rocket Launcher]]. Strength is imperative for the heavy weapons user as [[TU#Encumbrance|encumbrance]] penalties affect rate of fire on account of firing costs being calculated from base TUs rather than encumbrance-modified TUs and therefore heavy weapons duty should be restricted to soldiers that have 40+ [[Strength]]. Firing accuracy is important for heavy-cannon users, yet is less important for autocannon, rocket launcher, or blaster launcher users. A loaded [[Rocket Launcher]] with 3 Heavy Rockets weighs 42 units total (see [[TU#Encumbrance|Encumbrance]] and [[Item Weights]]).

Heavy weapons generally involve damage on a wide area of effect. This makes them good for [[Destroying Terrain|clearing terrain]] and for attacking heavily-armored units such as [[Cyberdisc]]s. They are also effective against taking out enemies in cover as even if the shot misses, hitting a terrain piece can result in an indirect hit which still kills.

In the later game, your heavy weapons units will probably carry [[Blaster Launcher]]s. [[Rear Commander]]s make effective Blaster troops.

Although not strictly a "heavy weapon", equipping two or more soldiers with a [[Small Launcher]] during the stage of the game when you are trying to capture an alien Navigator, Leader, or Commander is highly recommended (see [[Research#The Minimum Three]]). It can also be used as an incredibly effective anti-large terror unit weapon on the easier difficulty levels.

In open terrain (desert, tundra, not very densely populated rural areas) it may be a good tactic to equip a soldier with a flying suit, rocket launcher and possibly more rockets than they can normally carry. Once the perimeter outside the ship has been secured, the soldier can drop surplus rockets on the ground, then rise to maximum altitude and be used as extremely efficient sniper for even quite long distances - the downward angle causes that most rockets that miss the target hit the ground within a few squares away, catching the enemy in the explosion. Once the soldier runs out of rockets, he can land, resupply and take off again.

=== Loader ===

The role of the Loader (or sometimes referred to as the Ammo Mule in other articles) is to carry ammunition for a heavy weapons specialist.

Ammunition can be heavy in the case of autocannon or rocket ammunition. Usually armed with little more than a pistol, the loader's role is to provide extra ammunition for a heavy weapon trooper, often by throwing it. This can allow for more sustained anti-tank fire. During a ufo assault, the loader does not find much use among blaster-launcher troops on account of the indirect nature of the blaster launcher allowing its wielder to provide support from the transport (and thus from a steady ammo source). In this case, the loader may end up being transferred to grenadier duty if not killed beforehand.

=== Mind Probe Operators ===

A support role that is commonly performed by reserve troops that are left in the [[Skyranger]]. Any soldier in the safety of the ship can operate a [[Mind Probe]] to read the vital statistics of any alien spotted in the field.

Probe operators are made redundant when well trained psi-troopers are available.

=== Grenadier ===

A variant of the Heavy Weapon specialist, a grenadier is entrusted a large number of grenades than usual (or as many as the grenadier can carry). This role sets out to exploit the grenade's indirect attack ability to its fullest. Strength is the primary stat to consider, as this controls throwing distance and the soldier's ability to carry grenades without being encumbered. A high initial throwing accuracy also helps although this ability levels up very quickly. Finally, a high reactions score will help prevent a grenadier from getting gunned down by unseen enemies while lighting the fuse. A grenadier can still operate with low reactions if kept behind enemy spotters.

This role is very effective for attacking cover in open terrain, or for taking out clustered enemies. In close-quarters, the blast radius of a grenade can be a liability yet the ability to clear ambush points is still highly valued. The ability to use proximity grenades as an area-denial weapon, electro flares to light up dark battlefields, or smoke grenades to provide cover lends extra versatility to the grenadier. Armed with high explosives, they can even be useful in taking out terror units or negating the existence of barns.

In addition to a wide selection of grenades, a grenadier is often armed with a light sidearm like a [[Laser Pistol]] as a fall-back weapon when exhausting all the grenades or for emergencies where a floating enemy cannot be hit by an explosion; however some commanders arm their grenadiers solely with grenades, trusting on the snipers to provide support in the advent of flying enemies. Good protection is also recommended to allow for close range detonations.

Some commanders have their grenadiers arm a set of or all their grenades while in cover and hang on to them for the duration of the battle or until spent. While this makes them exceedingly dangerous to be standing next to (if they are knocked out), it allows grenadiers to rapidly deploy grenades in the middle of firefight without having to waste half of their time setting the grenades. A grenadier could launch a grenade, perform some other action and finally ready the next grenade before the turn ends. A stationary grenadier could deploy up to three grenades at once. While this makes them effective, the initial arming stage puts the grenadier out of the action for a fair number of turns.

=== Medic ===

A medic is a valuable support role for tending to soldiers that are wounded or unconscious.

A medic is generally an additional role than a role of its own. Any soldier that just so happens to be carrying a [[Medi-Kit]] is a field medic, as soldiers cannot use the kit on themselves.

If a soldier is in a critically wounded state and has fallen unconscious, a medic needs to tend to the soldier immediately. If the medic is too far away, and time is not on your side, the medic can employ a variant of the [[Grenade Relay]] to get the kit into the hands of a soldier that is closer to the patient.

=== Anti-Psionic Soldiers ===

Also commonly known as Psi-Sponges or decoys.

Before soldiers can be screened scientifically, they can still be equipped to combat psionics. This applies to soldiers who have not been tested in psionic scenarios or have been shown to be weak against psionic attack. These troops can still be valuable. Anti-psionic soldiers absorb psionic attacks that would otherwise assail stronger minds and eventually panic them, and can even kill the psionic alien themselves if for some reason it loses control over them. This also works best if armor is available for all troops.

If there are '''unarmored soldiers''', only give psi-weak soldiers stun rods and smoke grenades. Alternatively, one or more of these soldiers can operate as a heavy weapons crew, as long as the psi-weak trooper is not holding a weapon with ammo at the end of a turn. Other weapons can be handled in this way, but it reduces squad mobility unless two or more can work together, tossing equipment around to each other.

If everyone has ''at least'' '''personal armor''', only give psi-weak soldiers standard pistols or incendiary ammunition. These weapons are effective against Sectoids. Alternatively, heavier weapons can passed around and dropped at the end of each turn.

If all your soldiers have at least '''power suits''', the psi-weak soldiers can use standard rifles, auto-cannons with HE ammo, and standard grenades with minimal or no risk to other agents. These weapons are highly effective against Sectoids, allowing you to screen a squad against psionics on Medium UFO and Supply Ship raids without taking friendly casualties.

'''Flying suits''' reduce the lethality of laser pistols and rocket launchers with small rockets. Point blank bursts to the rear or undersides of a flying suit can still be lethal, but these weapons provide more firepower for clearing Sectoid bases and battleships. Careful deployment of troops with these weapons can allow them to be used with minimal risk.

When raiding sites with Cyberdiscs, it is necessary to use HWPs or some heavier troops known to be psi-resistant. These troops can be "discovered" in Sectoid Medium UFO raids using the equipment configurations above. Those UFOs have less firepower than bases and Battleships, and only one or two psionic officers (who can be captured with stun rods).

Ethereal sites should only be assaulted by known psi-resistant troops and heavily armored HWPs. A small element of unarmed psi-weaklings could be taken on smaller raids to train their mental resistances, but only as a peripheral exercise, along with a much more resistant element to ensure mission success.

=== Psi soldiers ===

After [[Psionic Laboratory|Psi-training]], any soldiers with high [[Psi Strength]] (ideally 80+) should be given a [[Psi-Amp]], and kept off the front lines. Other units can be used to spot aliens, and your Psi units can safely attack them from a distance. Once your Psi troops gain high [[Psi Skill]] as well, your squad will become nearly invincible. See [[Psionics]] for more details.

=== Super Soldiers ===

Any unit that stays alive and does consistently well in picking up combat experience in ground missions will eventually peak all of his or her attributes.

With high stats across the board - with the possible exception of [[Bravery]] and [[Throwing Accuracy]] - this soldier can do practically anything and can specialize in any role you think of.

== The difference between Veterans and Rookies ==

The better stats a soldier has, the less danger you will want to expose him or her to.

High-ranking soldiers should be left in or near the transport for [[Morale]] reasons (see [[Rear Commander]]). A [[Mind Probe]] or two can be useful in the hands of Rear Commanders.

Soldiers with the poorest stats should be given the most dangerous duty: for instance, they should be the first unit sent into a UFO - both for training and to protect their senior squad members. As weak soldiers learn at a faster pace than veterans, the experience gained from a being thrown into a dangerous situation and surviving will be extremely beneficial to their careers.

== Fireteams ==

There is safety in numbers: soldiers should generally be moved in groups of 2-4. If one soldier spots an alien, the others can act as snipers. Spotting an alien is useless if it kills your scout and you have no troops available to return fire upon the alien.

== Tanks ==

The choice of soldiers vs. HWPs is highly dependent on play style. In the early game, tanks are much more expensive than rookies, and funds are tight. However, for players that prefer a highly mobile form of warfare, the increased TUs, energy, and lack of encumbrance means a HWP is able to spearhead assaults, soak up firepower, and disrupt the enemy before your troops finish it off. Later on, tanks come into their own as highly-mobile expendable scouts. Finally, in the early game when psionics are an unknown threat, the HWP/Rocket Launcher is the safest area-effect weapon in that it cannot be mind controlled whereas a mind-controlled soldier with Rocket Launcher could be devastating to your squad.

If you adopt an all-soldier roster, especially on the [[Avenger]] (26 soldiers!), you will have to work around [[the 80-item limit]]. This will necessitate the use of [[Laser Rifle]]s as your primary squad weapon, as they do not require ammo clips.

== Armor ==
Armor allows troopers to survive longer. However, armor is expensive and can still fail to protect against well-placed heavy plasma shots. Additionally, armor cannot be recovered from dead soldiers. Finally, soldiers are easily replaceable as even a single alien toting a plasma pistol can be sold for a minimum of $104,000 allowing for 2 soldiers and 24,000 to equip them with. Finally, proper use of sniper-spotter tactics, cover, and reaction fire prove a better defense rather than hoping the enemy misses you.

However, such a callous attitude towards your soldiers has its drawbacks. Each soldier lost results in morale penalties to the rest of your troops as well as points lost, which determines the Council's commitment to funding your troops. These penalties will continue to increase as your soldiers gain experience and thus it is imperative your leaders and veteran soldiers be armored to represent the fact.

Early on, one will not have enough resources to armor every soldier and thus priorities must be set. The rear commander should have the best suit available in the advent of an ambush, with remaining suits going to troops in descending order of rank. Rookies and even squaddies can generally go unarmored as their deaths are mitigated against thanks to the commander.

Power Armor will eventually become the de-facto standard for your troops, as elerium stockpiles begin to occur. The Personal Armor that was once standard will eventually find itself being transferred from base to base in an attempt to armor up all garrison troops until 250 power armored suits come about (as well as surpluses in the advent of troop casualties). Flying armor is useful but not cost-efficient to produce in such numbers sadly enough.

Although [[Flying Suit]]s have the highest armor values, a soldier in mid-air is an easy target. Flying soldiers will also fail to benefit from ground-level smoke cover, such as at the base of the transport. Flying Suits may be of greatest benefit to scouts, who need the increased mobility, as well as snipers who can use flight to acquire optimal firing positions. A mix of [[Power Suit]]s and Flying Suits is probably best overall for your squad.

== Soldier Naming Strategies ==

One useful strategy is to rename all your soldiers alphabetically. This allows you to see which soldiers will be placed at the front of the transport (arm them with smoke grenades; arm the second row with heavy weapons). To rename soldiers, click on their names while viewing them via the Soldier screen on base.

Another naming strategy is to add stats to their names. [[TU]]s, [[Reactions]], [[Firing Accuracy]], [[Strength]], and [[Psi Strength]] are the most useful stats to display in this fashion. Keep in mind that soldiers' names will have to be updated when they gain stats from [[experience]]. A less editing intensive method would be to just assign a general role for the unit and stick to it when arming.

[[Category: Soldiers]]
[[Category: Tactics]]