Alien Level (LWR): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:38, 22 February 2026

Alien Levels and Alien Research

Aliens increase in Level as the game progresses and by gaining Research. Each additional Research increases Level by approximately 4%. Thus, the aliens gain an additional Level every 25 Research.

Aliens gain Research via a variety of other methods, so under-performing at the strategic or tactical level can accelerate their progression. Alien Level is modified by Difficulty Level.

Research increases and decreases based on factors shown here: Alien Research

The formula for the alien Level of 1 to 15 is:

Level = 1 + 0.02 * (Research + Days Passed) * Difficulty Modifier(0.90/0.95/1.00/1.05/1.10)

On Brutal difficulty the Level accelerates later into the game by the formula:

Level *= 1 + (Level/30)^2

On Impossible and Pain difficulty the Level accelerates later into the game by the formula:

Level *= 1 + (Level/20)^2

Aliens start at Level 1 and can progress to Level 15

Effects of Alien Level

Troop Strength

Alien Level's most notable and significant effect is to increase the strength of alien ground forces. Specifically:

Higher levels allow stronger alien types to be fielded
Higher levels increase the stats of alien ground forces
Higher levels make alien leaders stronger

See Alien Life Forms for more information on the effect of Alien Level on alien ground forces.

Mission Frequency

Terror Missions will occur more frequently (x1.05 ^ AL) each Alien Level.

Decreased Alien Resource Consumption

If Alien Level is 1-7, alien missions cost 100% of their base required resources.
If Alien Level is 8-14, alien missions cost 72% of required resources.
If Alien Level is 15, alien missions cost 40% of required resources.

Meld Rewards

Alien Level helps determine the rewards obtained from Meld Canisters.

UFO Upgrades

All UFOs gain an additional HP every Alien Level. Destroyers gain an additional HP upgrade (from 2400 +50%/lvl to 3000 +50%/lvl) and armor upgrade (from Tier 4 to Tier 5) at AL7. Some UFOs will also gain upgraded weapons over time:

*Weapon Upgrades*
UFO Type	Initial Weapon	Alien Level	Upgraded Weapon
Fighter	1x Single Plasma	6	2x Single Plasma
Raider	1x Single Plasma	11	2x Single Plasma
Destroyer	1x Single Plasma	7	1x Double Plasma
Abductor	1x Double Plasma	8	1x Double Plasma 1x Single Plasma
Terror Ship	1x Double Plasma	8	1x Double Plasma 1x Single Plasma
Assault Carrier	1x Double Plasma 1x Single Plasma	11	2x Double Plasma

Increasing and Decreasing Alien Research

Research starts at 0 and has a chance to increase each day and during certain alien missions.

Increasing Alien Research

Alien research has a chance to increase by 1 each day where x is:

Alien Research Chance = 25 + (2 x Difficulty(0-4)) + Defectors - Alien_Level

The chance is also modified if the players is doing better or worse as far as alien research goes and where they should be

Alien Research Chance Modifier = DaysPassed * [Alien_Research_Chance] / 100 - Alien_Research

+4 for a successful abduction mission (modified by Campaign Length)
+5 for a successful research mission by a landed Scout (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
+6 for a successful research mission by a landed Raider (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
+7 for a successful research mission by a landed Abductor (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
+8 for a successful research mission by a landed Terror Ship (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
+8 for a successful research mission by a landed Assault Carrier (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
+50 per incorrect accusation of a country of harboring the EXALT base

Decreasing Alien Research

-10 per successful assault on an Alien Base

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Alien Levels and Alien Research==
-Aliens increase in '''Level''' as the game progresses and by gaining '''Research'''.
+Aliens increase in '''Level''' as the game progresses and by gaining '''Research'''.  Each additional '''Research''' increases '''Level''' by approximately 4%. Thus, the aliens gain an additional '''Level''' every 25 '''Research'''.
 Aliens gain '''Research''' via a variety of other methods, so under-performing at the strategic or tactical level can accelerate their progression. Alien Level is modified by [[Difficulty (LWR)#Difficulty_Levels|Difficulty Level]].
-'''Research''' is clamped between 10% and 50% of Days Passed and increases and decreases based on factors shown here: [[Alien_Level_(LWR)#Increasing_and_Decreasing_Alien_Research|'''Alien Research''']]
+'''Research''' increases and decreases based on factors shown here: [[Alien_Level_(LWR)#Increasing_and_Decreasing_Alien_Research|'''Alien Research''']]
 The formula for the alien '''Level''' of 1 to 15 is:
-<div style="max-width: 700px;">
+<div style="max-width: 750px;">
-  '''Level''' = 1 + 0.02 * ('''Research''' + '''Days Passed''') * '''Difficulty Modifier'''(0.8/0.9/1.0/1.1/1.2)
+  '''Level''' = 1 + 0.02 * ('''Research''' + '''Days Passed''') * '''Difficulty Modifier'''(0.90/0.95/1.00/1.05/1.10)
 </div>
-Once the aliens reach '''Level 7''' the speed of Level gains is increased to 150%.
+On '''Brutal''' difficulty the '''Level''' accelerates later into the game by the formula:
+<div style="max-width: 750px;">
+ '''Level''' *= 1 + (Level/30)^2
+</div>
-Once the aliens reach '''Level 10''' the speed of Level gains is increased to 200%.
+On '''Impossible''' and '''Pain''' difficulty the '''Level''' accelerates later into the game by the formula:
+<div style="max-width: 750px;">
+ '''Level''' *= 1 + (Level/20)^2
+</div>
 Aliens start at '''Level 1''' and can progress to '''Level 15'''
+[[File:ALProgression - LWR2.00.00.png|left|thumb|800px|'''Alien Level Progression''']]
+<br clear="all" />
 ==Effects of Alien Level==
@@ Line 32: / Line 41: @@
 === Mission Frequency ===
-[[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Terrorize_Populace|'''Terror Missions''']] will occur more frequently (x1.1 ^ AL) each Alien Level.
+[[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Terrorize_Populace|'''Terror Missions''']] will occur more frequently (x1.05 ^ AL) each Alien Level.
-As well, aliens will generate all missions (including terror) at a faster rate starting at Alien Level 10:
-<div style="max-width: 600px;">
-{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
-|-
-! Alien Level
-! Mission Frequency Increase
-|-
-| style="text-align:center;" | 10
-| 15%
-|-
-| style="text-align:center;" | 11
-| 30%
-|-
-| style="text-align:center;" | 12
-| 45%
-|-
-| style="text-align:center;" | 13
-| 60%
-|-
-| style="text-align:center;" | 14
-| 75%
-|-
-| style="text-align:center;" | 15
-| 100%
-|}
 === Decreased Alien Resource Consumption ===
@@ Line 71: / Line 54: @@
 === UFO Upgrades ===
-All UFOs gain a additional HP every Alien Level. Some UFOs will also gain upgraded weapons over time:
+All UFOs gain an additional HP every Alien Level. Destroyers gain an additional HP upgrade (from 2400 +50%/lvl to 3000 +50%/lvl) and armor upgrade (from Tier 4 to Tier 5) at AL7. Some UFOs will also gain upgraded weapons over time:
 <div style="max-width: 600px;">
 {| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align: center;"
@@ Line 82: / Line 65: @@
 | style="height:40px;" | Fighter || 1x Single Plasma
 | style="text-align:center;" | 6
+| 2x Single Plasma
+|-
+| style="height:40px;" | Raider || 1x Single Plasma
+| style="text-align:center;" | 11
 | 2x Single Plasma
 |-
@@ Line 95: / Line 82: @@
 | style="text-align:center;" | 8
 | 1x Double Plasma <br> 1x Single Plasma
-|-
-| style="height:40px;" | Raider || 1x Single Plasma
-| style="text-align:center;" | 11
-| 2x Single Plasma
 |-
 | style="height:40px;" | Assault Carrier || 1x Double Plasma <br> 1x Single Plasma
@@ Line 108: / Line 91: @@
 == Increasing and Decreasing Alien Research ==
-Research starts at 0. It is always clamped between [0.1 * Days Passed] and [0.5 * Days Passed]. Thus, it will always grow by at least 10% of the days passed and can never exceed 50% of the days passed.
+Research starts at 0 and has a chance to increase each day and during certain alien missions.
 === Increasing Alien Research ===
-* +2 x (defected_countries ^ 0.5) each month
+Alien research has a chance to increase by 1 each day where x is:
+ Alien Research Chance = 25 + (2 x Difficulty(0-4)) + Defectors - Alien_Level
+The chance is also modified if the players is doing better or worse as far as alien research goes and where they should be
+ Alien Research Chance Modifier = DaysPassed * [Alien_Research_Chance] / 100 - Alien_Research
 * +4 for a successful [[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Abduction|abduction mission]] (modified by Campaign Length)
 * +5 for a successful [[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Research|research mission]] by a landed [[UFOs_(LWR)#Scout|Scout]] (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
@@ Line 118: / Line 106: @@
 * +7 for a successful [[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Research|research mission]] by a landed [[UFOs_(LWR)#Abductor|Abductor]] (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
 * +8 for a successful [[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Research|research mission]] by a landed [[UFOs_(LWR)#Terror_Ship|Terror Ship]] (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
+* +8 for a successful [[Alien_Missions_(LWR)#Research|research mission]] by a landed [[UFOs_(LWR)#Assault Carrier|Assault Carrier]] (chance modified by Campaign Length) (increases by 5% per month)
 * +50 per incorrect accusation of a country of harboring the EXALT base