X-COM: A Military Analysis - Revision history

Hobbes at 18:13, 4 October 2009

2009-10-04T18:13:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:13, 4 October 2009
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	X-COM thus had a specific mission and used SF forces and Intelligence processes (scientific research, interrogations, etc.), while also developing its own equipment (like the SOE did).		X-COM thus had a specific mission and used SF forces and Intelligence processes (scientific research, interrogations, etc.), while also developing its own equipment (like the SOE did).

			[[Category: Fiction]]

Hobbes: /* The Research and Development Division */

2009-09-29T23:22:44Z

The Research and Development Division

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:22, 29 September 2009
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	===The Research and Development Division===		===The Research and Development Division===

	The role and importance of the Research and Development (R&D) Division on the war rivals with the Combat Operations Division. At the end of the conflict X-COM troops were almost exclusively equipped with the latest [[Weapons\|weapons]], [[Armour\|armor]] and [[Craft\|craft]], all designed by the Science Division based upon knowledge derived from research on alien technology. And the end the [[Cydonia\|aliens' defeat]] was only possible due to the knowledge learned and applied ~~by R&D.~~		The role and importance of the Research and Development (R&D) Division on the war rivals with the Combat Operations Division. At the end of the conflict X-COM troops were almost exclusively equipped with the latest [[Weapons\|weapons]], [[Armour\|armor]] and [[Craft\|craft]], all designed by the Science Division based upon knowledge derived from research on alien technology. And the end the [[Cydonia\|aliens' defeat]] was only possible due to the knowledge learned and applied by the R&D Division.

	The [[Research]] effort involved several hundred scientists spread out through X-COM's bases equipped with a [[Laboratory]]. To coordinate this effort the scientists created an online database which was quickly named the [[UFOPaedia]] as a collection of all knowledge learned by X-COM. After the war its files were declassified and available to the public, although researchers have pointed out that there are references to at least one [[Alien_Reproduction\|subject]] that were not released and that raise the possibility that some materials were kept a secret from the X-COM Commander by the R&D.

	If proven, these claims add up to the other known clashes between the R&D and the Commander concerning the direction of the research. While scientists were keen to understand first the larger picture, the military were more interested in pratical battlefield applications.

			The [[Research]] effort involved several hundred scientists spread out through X-COM's bases equipped with [[Laboratory\|laboratories]]. To coordinate this effort the scientists created an online database which was quickly named the [[UFOPaedia]] as a collection of all knowledge learned by X-COM. After the war its files were declassified and available to the public, although researchers have pointed out that there are references to at least one [[Alien_Reproduction\|subject]] that were not released and that raise the possibility that some materials were kept secret from the X-COM Commander by the R&D for reasons unknown.

			If proven, these claims simply add up to the other known clashes between the R&D and the Commander concerning the direction of the research. While scientists were keen to understand first the larger picture, the military were more interested in pratical battlefield applications.

	===Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency?===		===Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency?===

Hobbes: /* Combat Units and Personnel */ wip

2009-07-01T16:49:05Z

Combat Units and Personnel: wip

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 1 July 2009
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	And the Skyranger became the craft associated by the public with X-COM due to its role in the war.		And the Skyranger became the craft associated by the public with X-COM due to its role in the war.

	===~~Combat Units and Personnel~~===		===Ground Operations===

	====Ranks====		====Personnel and Ranks====

	Ranks in X-COM were very simple when compared to the military of nearly, if not all, countries. While regular militaries have more than 20 ranks (from the lowest private to a 5 star general), X-COM only had 6, [Rookie], Squaddie, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel and [[Commander]], each corresponding to the usual classifications of rank (Enlisted ~~(Privates and NCOs)~~; Company Officer; Staff Officer; General).		Ranks in X-COM were very simple when compared to the military of nearly, if not all, countries. Initially there were no provisions regarding the rank structure of combat personnel, with all recruits being named 'Rookie', much to the chagrin of the soldiers, who soon started unofficially to establish more ranks in order to reflect battlefield requirements and were later adopted by the force.
	~~Since such a simpler system was adopted each officer rank (NCO~~ and ~~commissioned) should also correspond~~ to a ~~similar level on X-COM's combat organization~~. ~~Taking the rate of promotions the most likely organization would be:~~		While regular militaries have more than 20 ranks (from the lowest private to a 5 star general), X-COM only had 6, [Rookie], Squaddie, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel and [[Commander]], each corresponding to the usual classifications of rank : Enlisted; Non-Commissioned Officers; Company Officer; Staff Officer; and General Officer. In order to cap the number of officers present and to reflect the more usual combat deployments a [[Rank\|set ratio]] of officers to enlisted personnel was established.

	*Level 1 (Combat ~~team) - 4 soldiers + Sergeant~~ = ~~5 soldiers~~		====Combat Units====
	*Level 2 (Combat squad) - 2 Level 1 + Captain = ~~11 soldiers~~
	*Level 3 (Combat unit) - 2 Level 2 + Colonel = ~~23 soldiers~~
	*HQ - Commander + 6 soldiers = ~~7 soldiers~~

	~~Then~~ the force organization of X-COM ~~consists~~ on the HQ plus a number of ~~Level 3~~ units.		It took even longer for X-COM to standardize its combat units due the haste of the war, the differences in personnel assignment to bases and the ever changing mission requirements. Combat units would be composed on a ad hoc basis and split once they were back to base because of the high ratio of casualties.

			There was an attempt to create some measurement of standardization on the late stages of war, using the existing rank structure. However, in many cases operational conditions prevented those units to deploy according to their tables of organization and equipment and it was kept only as a measure of administrative organization.

			The simpler system was adopted each officer rank (NCO and commissioned) also corresponded to a similar level on X-COM's combat organization.

			*Combat Section - 4 Rookies/Squaddies + Sergeant = 5 soldiers
			*Combat Team - 2 Level 1 + Captain = 11 soldiers
			*Combat Unit - 2 Level 2 + Colonel = 23 soldiers
			*HQ - Commander + 2 Sergeants + 4 Rookies/Squaddies = 7 soldiers

			On paper, the force organization of X-COM consisted on the HQ plus a number of Combat units, each base having at least 1 unit assigned to it. But in reality most bases had Teams or even Sections and some outposts had no combat personnel at all.

	====Deployment====		====Deployment====

	~~Classic~~ deployment modes ~~include~~:		Typical deployment modes included:

	Skyranger		Skyranger

	1 ~~Squad~~ + 1 HWP		1 Team + 1 HWP (less 1 soldier)

	1 ~~Squad~~ + 3 soldiers		1 Team + 3 soldiers

	1 Team + 2 HWP + 1 soldier		1 Team + 2 HWP + 1 soldier

Hobbes: /* The Nature of X-COM */ WiP

2009-06-22T22:39:49Z

The Nature of X-COM: WiP

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 ==The Nature of X-COM==
-===Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency?===
+===A Planetary Operation===
-"An intelligence agency is a governmental organization that for the purposes of national security is devoted to the gathering of information (known in the context as "intelligence") by means of espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public sources."
+===Operating Bases===
-But, while an IA is more close to match X-COM's mission, there is a major point that is not covered by this definition, its specific mission, to 'defeat the alien threat'. IAs do not have such specific proposes: they are large bureaucratic institutions made with more generic proposes and with a logic of continued existence.
+As the first X-COM base became operational plans had already been made to expand the force to increase its coverage of the planet, although the original schedule was quickly discarded due to lack of funding.
 ===The Combat Operations Division===
-===The Science Division===
+The Combat Operations Division consisted of all military personnel and equipment assigned to each base and further divided itself into two elements, Aerospace and Ground Operations.
-The role and importance of the Science Division (SD) on the war rivals with the Combat Operations Division. At the end of the conflict X-COM troops were almost exclusively equipped with the latest [[Weapons|weapons]], [[Armour|armor]] and [[Craft|craft]], all designed by the Science Division based upon knowledge derived from research on alien technology. And the end the [[Cydonia|aliens'  defeat]] was only possible due to the intelligence learned by the SD.
+Initially it was equipped with [[Interceptor]] and [[Skyranger]] aircraft, which were new designs that were just starting to come from the production lines and hadn't proven themselves in combat. The Interceptor initially was capable of downing small and medium UFOs but could be quickly outrun and outgunned, even after being reequiped with the lastest [[Laser_Cannon|Laser Cannons]] and [[Plasma Beam|Plasma Beams]] and eventually was replaced by the [[Firestorm]] and [[Avenger]].
-The [[Research]] effort involved several hundred scientists spread out through X-COM's bases equipped with a [[Laboratory]]. To coordinate this effort the scientists created an online database which was quickly named the [[UFOPaedia]] as a collection of all knowledge learned by X-COM. After the war its files were declassified and available to the public, although researchers have pointed out that there are references to at least one [[Alien_Reproduction|subject]] that were not released and that raise the possibility that some materials were kept a secret from the X-COM Commander by the SD.
+And the Skyranger became the craft associated by the public with X-COM due to its role in the war.
 ===Combat Units and Personnel===
@@ Line 103: / Line 87: @@
 Squad + 3 HWP + 3 soldiers

Hobbes: /* Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency? */

2009-06-22T22:04:25Z

Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency?

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:04, 22 June 2009
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	* Serve as the core of a resistance movement in Britain in the possible event of an Axis invasion		* Serve as the core of a resistance movement in Britain in the possible event of an Axis invasion

	X-COM thus ~~has~~ a specific mission and ~~uses~~ SF forces and Intelligence processes (scientific research, interrogations, etc.) ~~and~~ also ~~develops~~ its own equipment (like the SOE did).		X-COM thus had a specific mission and used SF forces and Intelligence processes (scientific research, interrogations, etc.), while also developing its own equipment (like the SOE did).

	===The Combat Operations Division===		===The Combat Operations Division===

Hobbes: /* The Science Division */

2009-06-22T12:30:33Z

The Science Division

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:30, 22 June 2009
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	===The Science Division===		===The Science Division===

	The role and importance of the Science Division (SD) on the war rivals with the Combat Operations Division. At the end of the conflict X-COM troops were almost exclusively equipped with the latest [[Weapons\|weapons]], [[Armour\|armor]] and [[Craft\|craft]], all designed by the Science Division based upon knowledge derived from research on alien technology. And the end the [[Cydonia\|aliens]' defeat] was only possible due to the intelligence learned by the SD.		The role and importance of the Science Division (SD) on the war rivals with the Combat Operations Division. At the end of the conflict X-COM troops were almost exclusively equipped with the latest [[Weapons\|weapons]], [[Armour\|armor]] and [[Craft\|craft]], all designed by the Science Division based upon knowledge derived from research on alien technology. And the end the [[Cydonia\|aliens' defeat]] was only possible due to the intelligence learned by the SD.

	The [[Research]] effort involved several hundred scientists spread out through X-COM's bases equipped with a [[Laboratory]]. To coordinate this effort the scientists created an online database which was quickly named the [[UFOPaedia]] as a collection of all knowledge learned by X-COM. After the war its files were declassified and available to the public, although researchers have pointed out that there are references to at least one [[Alien_Reproduction\|subject]] that were not released and that raise the possibility that some materials were kept a secret from the X-COM Commander by the SD.		The [[Research]] effort involved several hundred scientists spread out through X-COM's bases equipped with a [[Laboratory]]. To coordinate this effort the scientists created an online database which was quickly named the [[UFOPaedia]] as a collection of all knowledge learned by X-COM. After the war its files were declassified and available to the public, although researchers have pointed out that there are references to at least one [[Alien_Reproduction\|subject]] that were not released and that raise the possibility that some materials were kept a secret from the X-COM Commander by the SD.

	If proven, these claims add up to the other known clashes between the SD and the Commander concerning the direction of the research. While scientists were keen to understand first the larger picture, the military were more interested in pratical battlefield applications.		If proven, these claims add up to the other known clashes between the SD and the Commander concerning the direction of the research. While scientists were keen to understand first the larger picture, the military were more interested in pratical battlefield applications.

	===Combat Units and Personnel===		===Combat Units and Personnel===

Hobbes: Reverted edits by Jasonred (Talk); changed back to last version by Hobbes

2009-06-22T12:26:24Z

Reverted edits by Jasonred (Talk); changed back to last version by Hobbes

Show changes

Jasonred at 06:46, 22 June 2009

2009-06-22T06:46:53Z

Show changes

Hobbes at 16:13, 21 June 2009

2009-06-21T16:13:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:13, 21 June 2009
Line 103:		Line 103:

	1 Squad + 3 HWP + 3 soldiers		1 Squad + 3 HWP + 3 soldiers

	~~== Nature of the beast ==~~

	~~Good question. For me, the template and probably the inspiration for the X-COM organisation is S.H.A.D.O., but I know you are sticking to the canon here.~~

	I would compare X-COM to the paramilitary arm of an intelligence agency such as the CIA or the wartime OSS. These organisations have a strategic goal, and include intelligence, scientific, special manufacturing and aircraft-using roles as well as a paramilitary function. X-COM is similar. We can assume that X-COM has personnel other that the scientists, soldiers and engineers in its secret, hardened bases. Apart from the pilots (who seem to sleep in their planes and whose salary is paid by some other organisation, possibly the aerospace forces of the funding nations) there are known to be X-COM "agents" and there are probably administrative, analytic and managerial staff - perhaps tucked away in an HQ facility in a non-descript (but highly secure) building in the UN complex in Geneva.

	It is curious that X-COM never fields more than about 250 each of soldiers, scientists or engineers - any many fewer pilots. Possibly this is a constitutional limitation. Concerns about international law, jurisdictional issues with national militaries, a desire to keep X-COM under control, preservation of secrecy, or not provoking the aliens - all are possible reasons for keeping the organisation small. Perhaps the total staff is limited to 1000, with a decision to break this down as 250 each for military/scientific/technical/admin? Speculation.

	Still it means the entire military forces of X-COM are only company-strength, and never operationally deployed in more than platoon strength. (Even in an attack on a heavily populated training base, X-COM will put into the field at most a reinforced platoon, under cover of which the remaining personnel will withdraw).

	X-COM initially lacks any officers. Possibly in its early stages it is supervised by senior officers of the funding nations, attached to X-COM as advisors but not formally part of the X-COM complement (an old geopolitical trick!). Perhaps the difficulty of establishing precedence of ranks between soldiers of different nations led to this decision not to differentiate between soldiers. A 'team' approach may have prevailed in the early days. However, as in any situation, natural leaders soon emerge and are recognised with ranks. While drawn from existing elite units, humanity's finest soldiers, the capability to cope with the alien threat and handle the exotic technology does not become apparent until after live operations against the aliens. After a short time, X-COM developed a full rank structure appropriate to the small size and specialised nature of its paramilitary group. A good parallel to the X-COM paramilitary group is a Special Forces company, split operationally into small teams, sections, flights, etc. Another (perhaps better) parallel is the paramilitary teams inside agencies such as the CIA, KGB (in 1999), Mossad MI6 or the various French secret services.

	The term X-COM, while shrouded in some mystery, is sometimes glossed as "EXtra-Terrestrial COMbat force". Does X-COM then refer only to the paramilitary division, relatively more visible, of an even more shadowy organisation whose very name is unknown? Or is "Combat" to be understood in the strategic sense of combatting the alien threat by all means?

	:Yeah, I didn't have time to continue my line of thinking but my idea is that X-COM is more akin to the OSS for a number of reasons. The CIA, KGB, etc. are also possibilities although their military component is significantly less than the OSS.
	The 255 limit you mention only applies to individual bases IIRC, so the actual limit would be 255*8 (the number of possible bases), which leads into some 2000 and something maximum soldiers. And then there's also the Agents, support staff, etc.
	~~More into this article later.~~

	:The 255-per-base limit applies to Engineers and Scientists, but SOLDIER.DAT, which stores troop stats, has only 250 entries in it. This limits X-COM to only possessing 250 standing ground forces at any one time(which is probably a constitutional restriction, since given the equipment X-COM has access to, they could make a viable world domination bid with more. One soldier in a Flying Suit with Heavy Plasma would be practically invulnerable to most military forces in 1999.) [[User:Arrow Quivershaft\|Arrow Quivershaft]] 11:14, 17 March 2008 (PDT)

	::Thanks for the clearup regarding the 250 soldiers issue. And yes, 1 such soldier equipped would be invulnerable to most military forces, but eventually exhaustion would take its toll against thousands of opponents with bullets. [[User:Hobbes\|Hobbes]] 11:29, 17 March 2008 (PDT)

	::: Er... no. Such soldiers would be impervious to small arms fire, but I think they could eventually be brought down by Anti-Vehicle class weapons, anti-tank missiles, and a Fuel Air Bomb would probably be able to take down an entire division in one shot. An Avalanche missile seems to be more powerful than a Blaster Bomb. And those craft mounted cannons are strong enough to penetrate UFO exterior hulls. ... The real threat is probably those Avengers armed with Plasma Cannons, I think one of those would be unstoppable unless you managed to take out it's resupply and repair base. [[User:Jasonred\|Jasonred]] [[User:Jasonred\|Jasonred]] 13:20, 25 February 2009 (CST)

	~~== Force limit ==~~

	~~I just checked and there is a hard global limit in the game of 250 X-COM soldiers in total across all bases.~~

	~~The error message is~~

	~~"NO MORE SOLDIERS ALLOWED~~
	~~You have already recruited the maximum number of soldiers."~~

	~~So I think what you are saying about 255*8 limit may apply to scientists and engineers, but not soldiers. Probably due to the size of SOLDIER.DAT. Or something.~~


	Also there are 3 bugs: you still get charged for Soldiers you purchase above this limit, or above the transfer limit, and the error message for hiring too many soldiers loops once for each soldier over the limit, ie up to 250 times. [[User:Spike\|Spike]] 11:38, 17 March 2008 (PDT)

	:It is exactly because of the size of SOLDIER.DAT. And I know you can hire a large number of engineers and scientists at different bases, because once I get well into the game, every base has at least 40 engineers on staff, and many have 90 or 140. Or possibly even more. [[User:Arrow Quivershaft\|Arrow Quivershaft]] 12:53, 17 March 2008 (PDT)

Hobbes: more work in progress

2009-06-21T16:12:32Z

more work in progress

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:12, 21 June 2009
Line 34:		Line 34:
	The first personnel and equipment roster of X-COM can be consulted [[Starting_Assets\|here]] and it reflects what was considered the minimum required by the CFN.		The first personnel and equipment roster of X-COM can be consulted [[Starting_Assets\|here]] and it reflects what was considered the minimum required by the CFN.


			==The Nature of X-COM==

	===Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency?===		===Special Forces Unit or Intelligence Agency?===

	The first question regarding X-COM ~~is as to~~ its nature. Usually the force is ~~considered~~ as 'Special Forces'(SF), which can be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Forces defined] as:		The first question regarding X-COM concerns its nature. Usually the force is general known as 'Special Forces'(SF), which can be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Forces defined] as:

	"Special operations are highly-trained military units that conduct specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions".		"Special operations are highly-trained military units that conduct specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions".

	However, this definition clearly does not fully correspond to the ~~ingame~~ definition of X-COM's roles, which also include 'investigation' and 'defeat' (giving it a more strategic role than the one played by an SF unit, with a specific objective - defeat the alien threat).		However, this definition clearly does not fully correspond to the definition of X-COM's roles, which also include 'investigation' and 'defeat' (giving it a more strategic role than the one played by an SF unit, with a specific objective - defeat the alien threat).

	The other possible model to apply to X-COM is the 'Intelligence Agency' (IA), [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_agencies defined] as:		The other possible model to apply to X-COM is the 'Intelligence Agency' (IA), [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_agencies defined] as:
Line 55:		Line 57:

	X-COM thus has a specific mission and uses SF forces and Intelligence processes (scientific research, interrogations, etc.) and also develops its own equipment (like the SOE did).		X-COM thus has a specific mission and uses SF forces and Intelligence processes (scientific research, interrogations, etc.) and also develops its own equipment (like the SOE did).

			===The Combat Operations Division===

			===The Science Division===

			The role and importance of the Science Division (SD) on the war rivals with the Combat Operations Division. At the end of the conflict X-COM troops were almost exclusively equipped with the latest [[Weapons\|weapons]], [[Armour\|armor]] and [[Craft\|craft]], all designed by the Science Division based upon knowledge derived from research on alien technology. And the end the [[Cydonia\|aliens]' defeat] was only possible due to the intelligence learned by the SD.

			The [[Research]] effort involved several hundred scientists spread out through X-COM's bases equipped with a [[Laboratory]]. To coordinate this effort the scientists created an online database which was quickly named the [[UFOPaedia]] as a collection of all knowledge learned by X-COM. After the war its files were declassified and available to the public, although researchers have pointed out that there are references to at least one [[Alien_Reproduction\|subject]] that were not released and that raise the possibility that some materials were kept a secret from the X-COM Commander by the SD.

			If proven, these claims add up to the other known clashes between the SD and the Commander concerning the direction of the research. While scientists were keen to understand first the larger picture, the military were more interested in pratical battlefield applications.

	===Combat Units and Personnel===		===Combat Units and Personnel===
Line 60:		Line 72:
	====Ranks====		====Ranks====

	Ranks in X-COM ~~are~~ very simple when compared to the military of nearly, if not all, countries. While regular militaries have more than 20 ranks (from the lowest private to a 5 star general), X-COM only ~~has~~ 6, [Rookie], Squaddie, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel and [[Commander]], each corresponding to the usual classifications of rank (Enlisted (Privates and NCOs); Company Officer; Staff Officer; General).		Ranks in X-COM were very simple when compared to the military of nearly, if not all, countries. While regular militaries have more than 20 ranks (from the lowest private to a 5 star general), X-COM only had 6, [Rookie], Squaddie, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel and [[Commander]], each corresponding to the usual classifications of rank (Enlisted (Privates and NCOs); Company Officer; Staff Officer; General).
	Since such a simpler system was adopted each officer rank (NCO and commissioned) should also correspond to a similar level on X-COM's combat organization. Taking the rate of promotions the most likely organization would be:		Since such a simpler system was adopted each officer rank (NCO and commissioned) should also correspond to a similar level on X-COM's combat organization. Taking the rate of promotions the most likely organization would be: