Firing and Maneuvering (UFO2000)

Firing and maneuvering are techniques mean to ensure kills and to properly position your units. By combining the two together you are using tactics. Bringing 15 Auto Cannons and blasting a map can be a fun firing exercise but it won't work if the player doesn't maneuver them to make sure the cannons are going to hit targets.

Fire and Maneuvering basically consists of a set of movements made by your units each turn.

1. Acquire enemy targets.
2. Neutralize them.
3. Move forward/back to support the advance/cover from enemy fire.

The factor to be retained is that this movement must be done by the squad as a whole, not all by every single unit. One basic example of that situation is this, considering a 4 unit squad:

• Scout moves and spots enemy unit.
• Rifleman and Heavy Weapons kill it.
• Grenadier tosses a grenade to cover Scout with smoke, Scout keeps moving forward.
• Rifleman uses remaining TUs to move forward and to reach a better firing position, taking advantage of the smoke.

Some other considerations are necessary:

• Is the unit's firing position safe from any threats on the next turn? Can it reach cover?
• Is it really necessary to fire with all units to kill a particular enemy unit with no effect, instead of moving to a better defensive/offensive position and/or engaging more important targets?
• Which areas will have to be targeted on the next turns? Is it necessary to move soldiers to a position where they can fire at them more effectively?