X-COM: Enemy Unknown

[Panzadolphin56]

Combat: Go slow, use overwatch a lot. It starts off pretty easy but the difficulty quickly ramps up as the game proceeds so always try to deal with whatever enemy is onscreen on your own terms. Also, if you're on your last character of the turn don't push forward, just overwatch.

World Map: Always keep a few satellites in reserve, make sure you don't overspend on anything - try to have an idea of why you're buying what you're buying so you don't get caught short. Try to keep a watch on your soldier pool aswell, having enough to keep playing/how long it'll take the injured to recover.

The challenge on the world map is mostly about balancing your terror, and trying not to have any country drop out, if you think a country's going to drop out at the end of the month (if they're on 5 panic bars) then you can always launch a satellite over them.

[Nihil]

After a couple game overs, I managed to get the hang of panic maintenance and combat. I tried grinding before going on the first base assault, but it's nearly impossible before the 100-day mark with so little funds for satellites.

My go-to strategy for UFO sweeps or abduction missions is alternating sending in an alloy SHIV to spot and run back to the rest of the group as I set them up for the encounter, and otherwise leapfrogging the group to catch up to the SHIV. Zero fatalities every time, even when trying to level up squaddies. It feels cheap, but let's be honest, the shit the AI pulls warrants a systematic raping.

Terror missions are still up in the air, though. I haven't failed one yet, but I always loose at least one guy trying to save as many civilians as possible. The trade-off is a bitch, but I love that it goes there.

Every game I've played has had Ironman mode on, which I kind of regret, now that I'm about to get psionics. I want certain soldiers to have it, but from what I've read, it's almost completely random and rare.

[Stevil]

I used the SHIV once and it's a waste of time.

It takes vital time and resources away from better projects (e.g. radar stations and satellites) and inteferes with potential XP for lower ranked soldiers. You can do without one, unless you're finally taking on Mutons, because Rookies will panic with those guys.

Don't worry too much about not perfecting a terror mission. You'll be walking death machines, later on, but it's easier to hold your ground and let the Cryssalids come to you in the early stages. I know it's tempting to rush in and jump the gun because of the survivors, but it's better to have an Assault class bait the enemy and have everyone back that guy/gal up with Overwatch. Your overall success just lowers the meter more (1-3 blocks) and extra money. Just survive it, that's all that's required.

Screw those people, they shouldn't be in the area that, anyway...That's how my XCOM base sleeps at night.

Also, if you want to grind, remember that the new enemies arrive after you've done a milestone (enemy base, etc.), you can hold off for as long as possible before each one to gain the stuff you might need. It's not like old XCOM, where the enemy advances whether you're ready or not.

[Nihil]

Wait, yeah, it wasn't the base assault mission I tried grinding for, 'cause I did that. I forget which story mission it was I failed miserably to grind before, but it was before the base assault.

I only have one alloy SHIV, I won't bother making another. I know it steals exp, but it aggros and soaks up damage that would otherwise kill anybody else that wasn't a heavy or assault that would wind up in the infirmary for over a week. Plus it has suppression, which, as you know, is super useful. And yeah, the aggro on it is fucking insane. Mutons will shoot it, then come up and USE IT for cover, then get blown away by the closest soldier on the next turn. It's saved me an assload of pain.

Don't worry too much about not perfecting a terror mission. You'll be walking death machines, later on, but it's easier to hold your ground and let the Cryssalids come to you in the early stages. I know it's tempting to rush in and jump the gun because of the survivors, but it's better to have an Assault class bait the enemy and have everyone back that guy/gal up with Overwatch. Your overall success just lowers the meter more (1-3 blocks) and extra money. Just survive it, that's all that's required.

Screw those people, they shouldn't be in the area that, anyway...That's how my XCOM base sleeps at night.

I've thought about that, but my men just don't roll that way.

There was a beautiful moment where Francois Mercier, who was eagerly drafted to the X-COM project not long ago, gently sat down against a bookshelf, amongst the burning rubble of a shopping mall. He picked up one of the books laying next to him on the ground; a compilation of Renoir's finest works. As he opened the book to a random page, he heard the sounds of gunfire and screeching die out, not knowing whether the battle was over, or if it was the poison seeping into his brain.

But his heart knew: the battle was won, and he had helped in saving the lives of innocents. And before slipping into the blackness, he was simply glad, and proud, to be able to die in his country, his home that he loved.

Took out a floater, a chryssalid, and two zombies nearly on his own. Dude was a fucking champ.

[Stevil]

Aw man, now you've reminded me of my one-time top gun - Smokes.

He got that nickname because he used a smoke grenade...once. Never used one after that, but the game decided he was going to be called Smokes. He sort of looked like a beefcake Aaron Eckhart, until he took a well placed plasma blast to the face, by Sectoid Commander on Overwatch.

I still miss him, every day. RIP Smokes.

[Char Aznable]

Just survive it, that's all that's required.

Screw those people, they shouldn't be in the area that, anyway...That's how my XCOM base sleeps at night.

I think I'm going to follow that advice the next time I get into the game. Those cryssalid terror missions were a bitch because I was trying to save as many people as possible.

Fuck 'em, though. Get your civilian ass to an XCOM-approved bunker and contribute to the war effort or we're all dead. You shouldn't be hanging out in a bookstore in the middle of the city when civilization is crumbling.

[Stevil]

You'll only get a shitty score and a slap on the wrist for completely failing a mission or running away, so it's always better to ride it out. I had a horrible time on Impossible with the terror stuff, but even though I saved three people at best, the council always rated me as "Good" because I held in there.

Hey, I got my Perfect Terror Mission Score achievement, I'm not doing it again!