September 27, 1997
Copyright 1997 Roger Wong. All Rights Reserved.
xcom3@bigfoot.com
Visit the website:
http://www.khan.org/~roger/games/xcom3
DISCLAIMER
The purpose of this strategy guide is to aid the public with strategies and
tactics for use in the game X-COM Apocalypse, by Mythos Games Ltd., and
MicroProse Ltd. In no way should this strategy guide promote your killing
yourself, killing others, or killing in any other fashion.
Roger Wong claims NO responsibility regarding any illegal activity
concerning this strategy guide, or indirectly related to this strategy
guide.
TRADEMARK INFORMATION
X-COM and X-COM Apocalypse are trademarks of MicroProse Ltd., and are so
acknowledged. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
holders.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This article is Copyright 1997 by Roger Wong. All rights reserved.
You are granted the following rights:
I. To make copies of this work in original form, so long as
(a) the copies are exact and complete;
(b) the copies include the copyright notice and these paragraphs
in their entirety;
(c) the copies give obvious credit to the author, Roger Wong;
(d) the copies are in electronic form.
II. To distribute this work, or copies made under the provisions
above, so long as
(a) this is the original work and not a derivative form;
(b) you do not charge a fee for copying or for distribution;
(c) you ensure that the distributed form includes the copyright
notice, this paragraph, the disclaimer of warranty in
their entirety and credit to the author;
(d) the distributed form is not in an electronic magazine or
within computer software (prior explicit permission may be
obtained from Roger Wong);
(e) the distributed form is the NEWEST version of the article to
the best of the knowledge of the distributor;
(f) the distributed form is electronic.
You may not distribute this work by any non-electronic media,
including but not limited to books, newsletters, magazines, manuals,
catalogs, and speech. You may not distribute this work in electronic
magazines or within computer software without prior written explicit
permission. These rights are temporary and revocable upon written, oral,
or other notice by Roger Wong. This copyright notice shall be governed by
the laws of the state of Texas.
If you would like additional rights beyond those granted above,
write to the author at "rogerw@bigfoot.com" on the Internet.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 FOREWORD
1.2 ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE FAQ
1.3 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
1.4 GETTING THE APOCALYPSE FAQ
1.4.1 Email
1.4.2 World-wide Web
1.4.3 Usenet Newsgroups
1.5 NOTIFICATION OF UPDATES AND REVISIONS
1.6 CONTRIBUTING TO THE APOCALYPSE FAQ
1.7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS
1.8 ACCURATE INFORMATION
2. QUICK HELP
2.1 X-COM APOCALYPSE IS ALL ABOUT SEX
2.2 QUICK AND DIRTY CITYSCAPE SOLUTIONS
2.2.1 Help, I want the cheat keys!
2.2.2 Help, It's the first week and I don't know what to do!
2.2.3 Help, I want more money!
2.2.4 Help, I want more ammo!
2.2.5 Help, I can't research X, Y, or Z!
2.2.6 Help, I failed to research UFO type XYZ and now I'm stuck!
2.2.7 Help, the aliens are spreading all over my city!
2.2.8 Help, my bases keep getting raided!
2.3 QUICK AND DIRTY VEHICLE COMBAT SOLUTIONS
2.3.1 Help, I'm clueless when fighting UFOs!
2.3.2 Help, I can only launch two vehicles at a time!
2.3.3 Help, I can't capture any UFOs!
2.3.4 Help, my ships get destroyed in the alien dimension!
2.3.5 Help, my armored tank blew up with only one shot!
2.4 QUICK AND DIRTY TACTICAL COMBAT SOLUTIONS
2.4.1 Help, my Agents can't survive a single battle!
2.4.2 Help, my Agents are doing their own thing!
2.4.3 Help, my medi-kits don't work!
2.4.4 Help, my armor keeps melting!
2.4.5 Help, I can't capture any cargo or aliens!
2.4.6 Help, I want to capture a live XYZ for bio-research!
2.4.7 Help, poppers and brainsuckers in turn-based combat kill me!
2.4.8 Help, my combat keeps slowing to a crawl!
2.4.9 Help, there are too many aliens in the alien dimension buildings!
2.5 QUICK AND DIRTY DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS
2.5.1 Help, XYZ Corp is so hostile, they think aliens are their
friends!
2.5.2 Help, I don't want to read all 200 pages of the manual!
2.5.3 Help, Transtellar refuses to ferry my scientists!
2.6 OTHER QUICK AND DIRTY SOLUTIONS
2.6.1 Help, my base storage is filled up with 65536 widgets!
3. MONEY AND POLITICS
3.1 THE COMMODITIES MARKET
3.1.1 Pricing and Availability
3.2 FUNDING
3.3 CORPORATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
3.3.1 Bribes
3.3.2 Drawbacks of Hostilities
3.3.3 Advantages of Alliances
4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
4.1 QUANTUM PHYSICS RESEARCH TREE
4.1.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them
4.1.2 Things You Can Make Out Of LEGO(tm)
4.1.3 Things That Make Scientists Earn Their Pay
4.2 BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH TREE
4.2.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them
4.2.2 Things That Stink Up the Lab for Days
4.2.3 Things They Don't Teach in High School (And Probably Never Will)
6. TACTICAL COMBAT
6.1 REAL-TIME COMBAT TACTICS
6.1.1 When to Use RT Combat
6.1.2 Agent Equipment
6.1.3 Combat Maneuvers
6.2 TURN-BASED COMBAT TACTICS
6.2.1 When to Use TB Combat
6.2.2 Agent Equipment
6.2.3 Combat Maneuvers
7. X-COM BASE LOGISTICS
7.1 MULTIPLE BASES
7.1.1 Choosing a Base
7.1.2 Internal Layout
7.2 DEFENSE
7.2.1 Against Hostile Agents
7.2.2 Against Air Attack
8. THE ALIEN DIMENSION
8.1 HOW TO ENTER ALIEN BUILDINGS
8.2 GENERAL RULES IN THE ALIEN BUILDINGS
1.1 FOREWORD
The Apocalypse FAQ started out as a few pages of game notes hurriedly
scribbled into a small, green, spiral-bound notebook. Later additions
include the answers to questions asked by the Internet's newsgroup
community.
This FAQ represents a significant investment of effort that could
probably have been put to better use elsewhere. I only ask that you treat
it with respect. Please don't cannibalize parts for your web page or charge
money for other people to view it. If you are a publisher or editor, I
implore you to take the time to arrange for reprints or translation rights.
Now, let the FAQ begin!
1.2 ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE FAQ
Welcome to v1.0 of the X-COM Apocalypse Internet FAQ. Version 1.0 is a
first release. X-COM Apocalypse is the name of the game. Internet is the
method of distribution. FAQs are (F)requently (A)sked (Q)uestions. For
legal reasons, I wish to make it absolutely clear that the X-Com Apocalypse
Internet FAQ is not supported by or associated with Mythos Games and
Microprose.
1.3 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Roger Wong is a freelance writer and computer consultant. With an honors
degree in computer engineering from Brunel University in England, his
computer interests include security & privacy, electronic payment
protocols, computer graphics, website design, game design, and electronic
music.
In his time away from dandruff-causing computer screens, Roger is an
avid cyclist, a budding watercolor artist, and a frequent traveler. He
enjoys photographing the landscape gardens of England, and often invites
gorgeous Norwegian women over for nude picnics.
Other Internet strategy guides by Roger Wong include The Unofficial
C&C Strategy FAQ and The Red Alert Internet Strategy Guide.
Away from his native home of Ft. Worth, Texas, Roger lives in the
hilly countryside outside Oxford, England. He has no children, no wife, no
mortgage and tries very hard to keep it that way.
1.4 GETTING THE APOCALYPSE FAQ
1.4.1 Email
To receive the latest plain text version of this guide via email, send an
email message to NerveGas-xcom3faq@inconnect.com.
This service is completely automated.
If you subscribe to an email provider such as Juno that restricts you
from receiving large email messages, you may be unable to use this service.
Please try the world-wide web.
1.4.2 World-wide Web
For the latest plain text, HTML, and Microsoft Word versions of this FAQ,
visit:
http://www.khan.org/~roger/games/xcom3
1.4.3 Usenet Newsgroups
This FAQ is posted to comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic at irregular
intervals.
1.5 NOTIFICATION OF UPDATES AND REVISIONS
To be notified of updates to this FAQ, send an email message to
xcom3@bigfoot.com and place the following phrase in your subject header:
XCOM3 Update
1.6 CONTRIBUTING TO THE APOCALYPSE FAQ
If you have something to add to the FAQ, please send email to
xcom3@bigfoot.com, explaining what your addition is. It will be reviewed,
and if accepted, added to the next FAQ version. In the email, please
supply your name and email address.
Please note that all submissions to the FAQ become property of the
author (Roger Wong) and that they may or may not be acknowledged. By
submitting to the FAQ, you grant permission for use of your submission in
any future publications of the FAQ in any media. The author reserves the
right to omit information from a submission or delete the submission
entirely.
1.7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS
I want to thank game designer Julian Gollop. He graciously provided the
data structures and algorithms upon which much of this FAQ is based. The
editors of Gamespot and PC Gamer UK deserve credit for funding my X-COM
Apocalypse research. You, my readers, make it worth my while. My sister,
Sherry, provided me with a steady stream of food and clean laundry during
her summer break from college. Heaven knows I can't take care of myself.
Finally, my deepest thanks goes to my mom, without whom I would not be
possible.
1.8 ACCURATE INFORMATION
All attempts have been made to make the information in this strategy guide
as accurate as possible. If any information in this strategy guide is
incorrect, please let me know at xcom3@bigfoot.com.
Future updates, add-ons, bug fixes, and Internet address changes may
render parts of this strategy guide obsolete. The information in this
strategy guide is accurate as of version 1.00 of X-COM Apocalypse.
I have duplicated some information in the different sections as a
reading aid. I hope it reduces the time you spend flipping back and forth
between pages. If you have further time-saving suggestions, please send
them to xcom3@bigfoot.com.
2. QUICK HELP
2.1 X-COM APOCALYPSE IS ALL ABOUT SEX
Many of the answers to your game play questions are listed below. Skim
through the headings to see if any of them fit your circumstances.
If your question is not listed here, or if you wish for more
information, please see the remaining chapters of this FAQ for detailed
explanations of these concepts.
2.2 QUICK AND DIRTY CITYSCAPE SOLUTIONS
2.2.1 Help, I want the cheat keys!
There aren't any. If you really want to cheat, search the Internet for a
game editor.
2.2.2 Help, It's the first week and I don't know what to do!
There isn't one correct way to begin, but the following worked for me:
Try building the following:
an extra set of physics and biology labs,
living quarters for your scientists.
And then buy the following:
as many hoverbikes as you can,
janitor missile launchers for your hoverbikes. Equip them.
To succesfully attack UFOs:
Scramble all your hoverbikes and hovercars at once. With this combined
force, attack each UFO one by one, starting with the UFO closest to you.
To prevent aliens from infiltrating in your city:
When you spot UFOs hovering and beaming aliens into a building, send five
or six agents in a vehicle to that building and investigate.
Equip your agents with the following:
1 medi-kit
2 stun grenades
2 AP grenades
2 machineguns, law pistols, or autocannons
In combat, do the following:
Play in real-time so you can fire two weapons at once,
Use snap-shots or aimed shots. Never use auto-fire,
Kneel, or better yet, crawl to improve your accuracy,
Stay in front of a corridor or doorway and wait for the aliens to walk
into your line of fire.
When out of combat:
research any alien-equipment-you-have-but-you-don't-know-what-it-is,
research alien bodies and corpses.
(Note: If you don't bring back any alien bodies or equipment from
combat, check the vehicle in which you sent your agents. To bring back
equipment, the vehicle must be equipped with a Cargo Module. To bring back
alien bodies, it must be equipped with a Bio-Transport Module. If you do
not have a Bio-Transport Module, you must research and manufacture one
yourself.)
2.2.3 Help, I want more money!
To increase your government funding:
score lots of points at the end of the week,
avoid purposefully destroying parts of the city.
To increase your raw funds:
sell vehicles for which you have no use,
sell items for which you have no use,
raid Cult of Sirius temples for psiclone over and over again,
sell the psiclone you capture from the temple raids,
manufacture and sell items from your workshops.
2.2.4 Help, I want more ammo!
Since ammunition can be tight during the first few weeks of the game, you
should follow a few short rules:
don't use auto-fire,
avoid long-range firefights,
research ammunition-free weapons as soon as possible,
arm your agents with weapons such as the machine gun and plasma
pistols that have high bullet counts per clip.
2.2.5 Help, I can't research X, Y, or Z!
Whether or not you can research a particular item depends on both finding a
particular object and upon previous research done in a related field. Check
the research tree for more details.
2.2.6 Help, I failed to research UFO type XYZ and now I'm stuck!
After the first few weeks have passed, the aliens stop sending their
smaller UFOs. If this happens before you've had a chance to capture one of
the small UFO types, you may wait weeks without ever seeing one again.
Since X-COM vehicle research depends entirely upon the capture of
alien UFO technology, a missing link in the chain can really set you back.
When all is said and done, the best course of action is to restart the
game and make it a point to capture all the UFO types the second time
around.
If you choose to wait it out, you could spend several game weeks
waiting for a UFO type that may never come again.
2.2.7 Help, the aliens are spreading all over my city!
When you spot UFOs hovering and beaming aliens into a building, send your
agents to that building and investigate. By the time you receive an
official alert, the aliens will have already established themselves.
Destroy UFOs in the air before they beam any aliens down.
2.2.8 Help, my bases keep getting raided!
Be nicer to your neighbors. Install security stations around your entry
portal and vehicle repair bay. Buy bases with entrances you can easily
cover with security stations.
2.3 QUICK AND DIRTY VEHICLE COMBAT SOLUTIONS
2.3.1 Help, I'm clueless when fighting UFOs!
Scramble all your hoverbikes and hovercars at once. With this combined
force, attack each UFO one by one.
Some UFOs contain troops, while others are just escorts. Go for the
troop carriers first. They are usually slower and less numerous than the
escort ships.
Missile launchers are only useful against the slower UFOs. Against
faster UFOs, missiles will run out of fuel before they hit. Use beam
weapons against the fast UFO types.
2.3.2 Help, I can only launch two vehicles at a time!
This is because your base only has two vehicle launching bays. You could
buy a new base with more bays, but it will cost money.
Better yet, place all your fighting vehicles in the Transtellar
spaceport. There are so many vehicle bays there that once you send the
scramble command, they will all launch at once.
2.3.3 Help, I can't capture any UFOs!
Only a crewed flying vehicle can capture a UFO. To capture large UFOs, you
must first defeat the shipwrecked alien crew.
2.3.4 Help, my ships get destroyed in the alien dimension!
The Dimension Probe is only meant as an experiment. Send it back home as
soon as it reaches the alien dimension.
There are a few things that you can do to prevent alien UFOs from
destroying your troop carrying ships in the alien dimension.
On the way in, escort your troop carrier with a couple of Retaliator
or Annihilator craft. Your escorts will force the aliens to divide their
fire. Use a disruptor shield-laden Biotrans as a troop carrier. The X-COM
Biotrans craft is both fast and durable.
On the way out, wait for a clean flight path before leaving the
destroyed alien building. If you wish, switch to overhead mode and manually
select flight waypoints that will steer your craft clear of enemy UFOs.
To solve all your entry and exit problems forever, send a flotilla of
advanced X-COM craft and destroy every last UFO in the alien dimension.
2.3.5 Help, my armored tank blew up with only one shot!
It is unfortunate that the road is not as heavily armored as your tank. All
road vehicles, tanks included, will blow up if the road underneath is
destroyed.
2.4 QUICK AND DIRTY TACTICAL COMBAT SOLUTIONS
2.4.1 Help, my Agents can't survive a single battle!
Take it easy. A laid-back approach to combat may work better for you.
Wear armor. Keep your agents together so they can cover one another.
If you wait in one spot long enough, the aliens will come to you. Stake out
a door or corridor through which the aliens absolutely have to come
through. Lying prone or kneeling will increase your bullet accuracy while
making you a harder target for the aliens to hit.
2.4.2 Help, my Agents are doing their own thing!
If you put your agents into aggressive attack mode, they will stand still
even when under fire.
2.4.3 Help, my medi-kits don't work!
Medi-kits can only be used to heal the agents carrying them. They can't be
used to heal other agents or aliens.
To use a medi-kit, place it into the hand of an agent, click on it, and
select the body part that's lit up in red.
2.4.4 Help, my armor keeps melting!
You've been hit by the dread entropy gun. The entropy enzyme will consume
your armor, your equipment, and if any is still left, your agent.
Personal shields will absorb 100% of the enzyme damage. However, if
you don't have personal shields and you're playing in real-time, there is
still hope. Try the following advice from Scott Silvey:
"If you see a missile on the way and your guy isn't right
next to cover, hit pause. Drop all your good equipment
except armor and wait for the missile to hit. Wait a
moment, then pause again. Strip off all the armor, drop
it, and get your guy the hell out of there.
By stripping your armor and dropping the equipment, you
save them. Sometimes when you strip the armor, the entropy
enzyme will chew on your agent instead -- but sometimes it
doesn't, and you can get away with little or no damage."
2.4.5 Help, I can't capture any cargo or aliens!
Check your agent-carrying vehicle. Only vehicles equipped with cargo or bio-
transport modules may carry cargo or aliens back to base. Agents sent
without vehicles can not carry cargo or aliens back to base.
2.4.6 Help, I want to capture a live XYZ for bio-research!
Anthropods, Brainsuckers, Hyperworms, Multiworms, Skeletoids, and Spitters
can be stunned with a single stun gas grenade.
Megaspawn and Psimorphs are difficult to stun because of their vast
amount of health. Knock their health down with a few shots of regular
ordnance to make them easier to stun with either gas and grapple.
Queenspawn: It is difficult to approach the Queenspawn without being
injured, so throw stun grenades at a distance. Wait until the gas from one
begins to dissipate before throwing the next.
Micronoid Aggregate: Micronoids are completely immune to stun gas. Use
the stun grappler instead.
2.4.7 Help, poppers and brainsuckers in turn-based combat kill me!
Pick up brainsucker pods and put them into your backpack to prevent them
from hatching.
Wear flying suits to lift your units off the ground. Poppers can only
track ground-based units.
Use real-time combat for popper and brainsucker rich combat
environments.
2.4.8 Help, my combat keeps slowing to a crawl!
When the game draws a lot of transparent items such as smoke, fire, or
explosions, the CPU will be bogged with calculations. To speed the game
again, you merely need to reduce the required calculations.
You may either wait for the smoke and fire to subside, or you can tell
the computer to only show you a "slice" of the display. To do this, click
the button on the left side of the screen to toggle your display between
the full-level views and the single-level view.
2.4.9 Help, there are too many aliens in the alien dimension buildings!
Alien buildings receive reinforcements at a rate of about one every 20
seconds. If you have the means, destroy the orange reinforcement pads with
copious amounts of alien explosives. Otherwise, finish your objectives
quickly and don't loiter.
2.5 QUICK AND DIRTY DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS
2.5.1 Help, XYZ Corp is so hostile, they think aliens are their
friends!
Kind words seem to have more effect when you back them up with a big stick.
If you attack the buildings of uncooperative organizations, they will
sometimes see the light and come forth with a peace settlement. Pay what
they ask to restore relations to neutral.
2.5.2 Help, I don't want to read all 200 pages of the manual!
Much of the information in the manual is duplicated in the FAQ. So, if you
did not read the manual, and you missed such tidbits as
right-clicking on grenades makes them explode on contact,
vehicles can be controlled manually,
what happens when corporations get angry,
don't worry, because you'll learn about them as you read this FAQ.
2.5.3 Help, Transtellar refuses to ferry my scientists!
There's no way around this. If you're not on friendly terms with
Transtellar, you will never be able to move scientists around the city.
2.6 OTHER QUICK AND DIRTY SOLUTIONS
2.6.1 Help, my base storage is filled up with 65536 widgets!
This is the "65536 widgets" bug. Others have reported it, but no one is
exactly sure what causes it. I myself have not witnessed it, but Rob
Fermier has, and this is his advice:
"I had the 65536 problem too, and found a work around.
Mine occurred when Transtellar went hostile to me as
a result of a mission. The problem went away when I
reloaded to a previous save game and gave money to
Transtellar before the battle."
3. MONEY AND POLITICS
3.1 THE COMMODITIES MARKET
When a corporation wishes to buy or sell items, it does so on the
commodities market. Refer to the Appendix for a full list of market items.
3.1.1 Pricing and Availability
The commodities market always contains a stock level for each item. When
you buy and sell items, the stock levels will naturally rise and fall.
At the beginning of each week, the stock levels and prices of the
items undergo adjustments as follows:
a. Mega-Primus Produced Items
Stock Levels
The new stock levels are determined by the formula below. However, the
stock level will never rise or fall beyond the maximum and minimum stock
levels given for each item. Refer to the Appendix for a full list of these
minimum and maximum stock levels.
Pricing
If the new stock levels are higher than the average stock level, the
current price will fall by up to 3%. If the new stock levels are lower, the
current price can rise by up to 3%.
A price will never fall lower than half, or rise more than double the
original market price. Refer to the Appendix for the original market price
of an items.
b. X-COM and Alien Produced Items
Stock Levels
At the start of each new week, it may appear as if the X-COM or alien
produced items you sell have been bought up by other organizations. How
much inventory disappears is determined as follows:
40% chance of nothing being bought.
30% chance of 1/5th the stock being bought.
30% chance of 1/3rd the stock being bought.
Pricing
The price of X-COM or alien produced items can only fall. How much a price
falls depends on how much you sell. According to the game code, the price
drops are calculated as follows:
If more than half of Max_Stock is sold, the price falls 3% to 5%.
If more than Max_Stock is sold, the price falls 5% to 10%.
If more than twice Max_Stock is sold, the price falls 5% to 15%.
Under no circumstances will the price fall past 50% of an item's
original market price. Please refer to the appendix for the Max_Stock
values and original market prices of X-COM and alien produced items.
3.2 FUNDING
Your initial starting funds are determined by the difficulty level you
choose at the beginning of the game.
Difficulty Weekly
Level Funds Income
Novice 140000 92000
Beginner 130000 89000
Medium 120000 86000
Hard 110000 83000
Superhuman 100000 80000
If you do well enough during the week to have a high score, the
government increases your income.
However, if you do poorly, your income can be reduced, or even
terminated. X-COM funding will also be terminated if the government becomes
hostile for any reason. The decision to terminate is irrevocable.
The government itself earns money each week from income tax. Every
building you destroy puts people out of jobs, and reduces the government's
income. If the government is low on funds, it will never give more than
half its current balance to X-COM as income.
3.3 CORPORATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
All your neighbors expect a bit of consideration for their property. If you
want to keep them civil, you'll have to refrain from executing any
Hollywood-style demolition exercises inside other peoples' buildings. Aim
high instead of low when firing at UFOs.
As you increase the difficulty level of your game, you will find it
more difficult to hold stable diplomatic relations with your neighbors.
3.3.1 Bribes
There's nothing wrong with a bribe now and again to keep an organization
off your back. In face of such benevolence, most organizations will become
more friendly towards X-COM. The amount you have to pay depends on the size
of the organization you are bribing, and the difficulty level at which you
are playing.
If you've pissed an organization off to such a degree that it refuses
your bribes, getting back on good terms will require some iron-fisted
management. You'll have to beat them into submission by raiding and
destroying their buildings. Eventually, they'll offer a settlement.
Organizations that have been infiltrated by aliens will refuse to have
anything to do with you. Check the UFOpeadia to see whether an organization
is under the influence of aliens or just being plain stubborn.
3.3.2 Drawbacks of Hostilities
Aside from the frequent raids on X-COM property, hostilities with Mega-
Primus organizations have additional ill-effects:
Organization Consequence
Any manufacturer You will be unable to buy their goods.
Megapol Police patrol vehicles will attack you.
Mutant Alliance You will be unable to recruit Hybrids.
S.E.L.F. You will be unable to recruit Androids.
Senate Funding will be terminated.
Transtellar You will be unable to transport goods or any new
scientists that you hire.
3.3.3 Advantages of Alliances
Allying is a good way of keeping important organizations friendly. On the
whole, allied organizations are more tolerant of your activities and are
less likely to take offense if you accidentally level their new corporate
headquarters.
Apart from this, allying has little other effect on the game. Any
improvements you may think you see in such things as the recruitment pool
or the commodities market are coincidence.
4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
4.1 QUANTUM PHYSICS RESEARCH TREE
4.1.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them
All UFO types
Alien Control System
Alien Energy Source
Alien Propulsion System
Boomeroid
Dimension Launcher
Dimension Launcher Missile
Disruptor Gun
Light Disruptor Beam
Personal Cloaking Field
Personal Shield
Personal Teleporter
Vortex Mine
4.1.2 Things You Can Make Out Of LEGO(tm)
Advanced Quantum Lab - Energy Source or Control System or Propulsion System
Advanced Workshop - Dimension Probe
Advanced Control System - Disruptor Bomb
Cloaking Field - Large Disruption Shield
Devastator Cannon - Disruptor Gun
Disruptor Bomb - Light Disruptor Beam
Disruptor Multi-Bomb - Light Disruptor Beam
Heavy Disruptor Beam - Medium Disruptor Beam
Large Disruption Shield - Heavy Disruptor Beam
Medium Disruptor Beam - Light Disruptor Beam
Small Disruption Shield - Medium Disruptor Beam
Stasis Bomb - Light Disruptor Beam
Teleporter - Light Disruptor Beam
4.1.3 Things That Make Scientists Earn Their Pay
Advanced Security System - Disruptor Bomb & Medium Disruptor Beam
Annihilator - Retaliator & UFO Type 9
Bio Transport - Dimension Probe & UFO Type 3
Dimension Probe - Energy Source & Control System & Propulsion System
Explorer - Biotrans & UFO Type 5
Retaliator - Explorer & UFO Type 6
X-COM Armor - Disruptor Gun & Small Disruption Shield & Personal Shield
4.2 BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH TREE
4.2.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them
Any Alien
Brainsucker Launcher
Entropy Launcher
Entropy Pod
4.2.2 Things That Stink Up the Lab for Days
Advanced Biolab - Any Alien
4.2.3 Things They Don't Teach in High School (And Probably Never Will)
Biological Warfare - The Alien Genetic Structure
Toxin B - Biological Warfare & The Alien Life Cycle
Toxin C - Toxin B & The Real Alien Threat
Alien Gas - Toxin C & Queenspawn & Queenspawn Autopsy
5. CITYSCAPE COMBAT
5.1 DESTROYING BUILDINGS
Every city block you deliberately destroy will hurt your score. If you need
to teach a hostile organization a lesson, however, you may have no other
choice.
Some structurally weak buildings collapse after a single shot. Others
may take longer to destroy.
5.1.1 Manual Control
Manual control is the best way to destroy a building. With full control of
the weapons, you can aim at the supporting structures and quickly level a
building. On manual control, you can also open fire outside of the
organizations patrol range, and fire away without fear of retaliation from
any defending vehicles.
To invoke manual control, select the vehicle you wish to control and
press "M". "PAGE UP" and "PAGE DOWN" control your speed, "HOME" and "END"
control your altitude. To fire your weapons at a spot you target with your
cursor, press the left mouse button. The right mouse button will adjust
your heading.
5.2 DESTROYING VEHICLES
5.2.1 Swarm Combat
Hovercars and hoverbikes are cost-efficient fighters. Since they cost so
little, you can deploy them in large numbers. Because they weigh next to
nothing, they are very maneuverable and can survive from one battle to the
next.
Plasma cannons, lasers, and janitor missiles are very effective when
deployed in large numbers. Go with the janitor missiles and lasers when
fighting slow vehicles and small UFOs, but switch to plasma cannons if
you're going after fast vehicles or heavily armored UFOs.
5.2.2 Attacking UFOs
The weapons you choose depend on the UFO type. The larger UFOs have thick
armor that are impervious to some of the wimpy XCOM weapons. The minimum
strength guns you should use to shoot down these chaps are the plasma
cannons.
Other, smaller UFOs can outrun missiles. Beam weapons are a good
choice for these swift opponents.
5.2.3 Attacking Mega-Primus vehicles
Hoverbikes are tough customers. They never stand still long enough to give
them a good smacking. Even your Hovercar will feel like King Kong swatting
at little model airplanes. If you want satisfaction against enemy bikers,
use your own hoverbikes to take them down.
The other vehicles are easily destroyed by your regular swarm tactics.
5.3 EFFECTS OF VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
5.3.1 Disruptor Shields
Shields absorb damage that would otherwise strike the vehicles armor. Small
shields can absorb 200 points of damage while large shields absorb 400
points. Shields can be added together for more protection. However, when
the last point of shielding is gone, all the shields will disintegrate.
5.3.2 Cloaking Field
Cloaking fields make a vehicle both more difficult to see, and a more
difficult target to hit.
5.3.3 Teleporter
A vehicle with a teleporter can instantly transport itself to a random part
of the map.
6. TACTICAL COMBAT
6.1 REAL-TIME COMBAT TACTICS
6.1.1 When to Use RT Combat
During base defense missions to make best use of your security stations.
During combat missions where you want the firepower advantage of shooting
two weapons at the same time.
6.1.2 Agent Equipment
6.1.3 Combat Maneuvers
6.2 TURN-BASED COMBAT TACTICS
6.2.1 When to Use TB Combat
During XCOM raids in which you wish to capture psiclone.
6.2.2 Agent Equipment
6.2.3 Combat Maneuvers
7. X-COM BASE LOGISTICS
7.1 MULTIPLE BASES
7.1.1 Choosing a Base
If you're worried about money, choose a base according to its internal
layout, not by its cover. The large buildings come with large price tags
that don't necessarily translate into square footage.
If you're worried about base attacks, you're better off with a
warehouse than a slum. If you're lucky enough to grab a base with three or
four vehicle ports, grab it - they'll come in handy when you respond to UFO
threats.
7.1.2 Internal Layout
Many people choose to divide their workload amongst different bases. For
example, they put their workshops into one base, and their labs into
another.
If you're going to use security stations, situate them by the entry
portal so they can shoot the bad guys as soon as they invade. Vehicle
repair bays are also a type of entry portal. If you have any repair bays,
place them by the entry portal and cordon off that section of base with a
string of security stations.
7.2 DEFENSE
7.2.1 Against Hostile Agents
Let security stations rip them to shreds. Situate them by the entry portal
so they can shoot the bad guys as soon as they invade. Vehicle repair bays
are also a type of entry portal. If you have any repair bays, place them by
the entry portal and cordon off that section of base with a string of
security stations.
7.2.2 Against Air Attack
Every base has a single grid square with a stick figure in it. This figure
represents your agents. If the roof collapses on this stick figure during
an attack, all your agents and scientists inside will die.
So, what can you do about this? For starters, you can house your men
inside a hardened building such as a two-story warehouse. They can absorb
more damage than slum housing. Slums are prone to catastrophic collapse.
You'll lose ALL your base that way.
The best thing to do is kill the UFOs before they reach your X-COM
base. But if you can't get there in time, see above.
8. THE ALIEN DIMENSION
8.1 HOW TO ENTER ALIEN BUILDINGS
You can not enter an alien building until you've researched it back at the
lab.
Escort your main troop vessel with other vehicles to draw UFO fire
away from your men. Retaliators are good for this.
Once you destroy an alien building, don't launch back home
immediately. Wait for a lull in the UFO patrol pattern to make your escape.
8.2 GENERAL RULES IN THE ALIEN BUILDINGS
Don't loiter! New aliens arrive through orange teleporter gates every 10
seconds or so. Get in and get out.
When asked to destroy objects, you don't have to destroy all the itty-
bitty pods and mushrooms. Only the largest objects are marked for X-COM
destruction. The exception is the Alien farm, in which all the white cubes
must be destroyed.
You can destroy the orange teleporters with vortex bombs.
9. AGENTS GUIDE
9.1 X-COM AGENTS
9.1.1 Humans
Humans seem wimpy, but their physical skills improve quickly through combat
and training. The have little psionic ability to speak of.
Choose your human recruits from those with the highest amounts of strength
and speed.
All human attributes have a base value to which a random value is added.
The random value will vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum stated below.
9.1.2 Sectoid Hybrids
Hybrids have great psionic talents, but are not as strong or fast as
humans. Their psi-abilities improve through both combat and training. Their
physical abilities, however, improve better through combat.
Choose the hybrid recruits with the highest speed, strength, psi-power, and
psi-attack, in that order.
All hybrid attributes have a base value to which a random value is added.
This random value will vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum stated below.
If the Mutant Alliance organization is angry with you, you will be unable
to recruit Sectoid Hybrids.
9.1.3 Androids
Androids have great physical attributes, but are limited by their
programming. Unlike their human or hybrid counterparts, their accuracy and
reactions improve only in minuscule increments. Furthermore, only through
combat will they ever show improvement; it is impossible to train an
android.
Because Androids are unable to train, from the outset you should recruit
the androids with the highest accuracy and reactions.
All android attributes have a base value to which a random value is added.
This random value will vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum stated below.
If the S.E.L.F. organization is angry with you, you will be unable to
recruit Androids.
9.2 HOSTILE AGENTS
The threat rating is a subjective measure of how likely an alien is to maim
or kill an X-COM agent.
9.2.1 Anthropods
Threat: Very Dangerous
Nickname: Barney
Common foot soldiers for the aliens, they carry a wide variety of weapons.
In the early missions, the majority will be armed with brainsucker
launchers. As the alien forces gain more technology, they will come packing
boomeroids, devastator cannons, vortex bombs, and other advanced weaponry.
They make "Growl" noises.
9.2.2 Brainsuckers
Threat: Medium (TB) Mostly Harmless (RT)
The brainsucker will try to attach itself to the face of the nearest X-COM
agent. After a window of about three seconds, the brainsucker will proceed
to suck the brains out of its victim, replacing it with an alien organism
that takes over the body of the X-COM agent. Regrettably, the brainsucking
process is irreversible.
In real-time combat, if there is no one available that can shoot the
brainsucker off of an agent, prime and drop a gas grenade. If none are
available, drop an explosive grenade.
In turn-based combat, you will have to depend on your agents' reaction fire
to protect yourself from brainsuckers.
Brainsuckers have been known to leap 50 feet in the air just to suck on an
X-COM agent's face.
9.2.3 Hyperworms
Threat: Dangerous
Hyperworms are agile, land-based piranhas that emerge from the bellies of
multiworms. They can not fly. Due to the unusual softness of their bodies,
explosives do double the normal damage.
They make "slither, slither" noises.
9.2.4 Megaspawns
Threat: Very Dangerous
Megaspawns are large, hairy beasts armed with disruptor cannon and missile
launchers. Fortunately, they will not fire their missiles if they are
within their own blast radius.
They make "ker-thump, ker-thump" and "ROOOAAARR" noises.
9.2.5 Micronoids
Threat: Medium
Since Micronoids are just puddles of ooze, projectile weapons aren't nearly
as effective as you expect them to be. They are absolutely immune to stun
grenades, so use stun grapples if you want to take one alive.
Micronoids have no weapons, but have psi-ability, and will try to mind
control your agents when they can.
The Micronoids don't seem to make any kind of noise at all.
9.2.6 Multiworms
Threat: Mostly Harmless
Slow and ungainly, each Multiworm carries inside it a brood of five
hyperworms. Like the human cockroach, it will give birth to these
hyperworms during its throes of death. It spits a green, acidic ooze.
9.2.7 Poppers
Nickname: Purple Chickens
Threat: Very Dangerous(TB) Dangerous (RT)
Poppers are suicide squads. Though fast, they lack finesse and will happily
charge straight into a group of X-COM agents. Once one or two squares away,
they explode.
In turn-based combat, for the most part, you will depend on your agents'
reaction fire to protect yourself from poppers. Some TB players use
cleverly-placed proximity mines to kill poppers that would otherwise charge
down a corridor.
In real-time combat, you can simply direct all your weapons fire at the
incoming poppers as they runs toward you.
They can make "pitter patter" noises, but they usually just go "BOOM".
9.2.8 Psimorphs
Nickname: Marshmallow Puffs
Threat: Medium
Psimorphs have psionic skills that surpass those of your agents. Once you
find them, however, it's not too difficult to fill their balloon-like
bodies with lead.
We think they make "banshee wailing" noises.
9.2.9 Queenspawn
Threat: Mostly Harmless
There is only one Queenspawn in the game. She fires an extremely strong
acid ooze that your agents would do well to avoid. Fortunately for them,
the Queenspawn has lost the ability to move.
Capture the Queenspawn with a string stun gas grenades, throwing one as
soon as the other begins to dissipate.
9.2.10 Skeletoids
Threat: Dangerous
The aliens use Skeletoids as elite troopers. They are more heavily armored
than Anthropods, and can fly to boot. They too carry a wide variety of
weaponry.
They make "rattling bone" noises.
9.2.11 Spitters
Threat: Harmless
Dressed in pink with no where to go, these headless wonders wander around
spitting green acid ooze at your agents.
They make "phlegm-filled throat" noises.
9.2.12 Megapol Officers
Threat: Dangerous
Just two things. One, they are as heavily armed as you. Two, do you really
want to piss off Megapol?
9.2.13 Cult Members
Threat: Dangerous
Every temple is stocked with rocket launchers and autocannons. Could be
worse -- they don't sell you flowers at the spaceport.
9.2.14 Gang Members
Threat: Dangerous
Gang members sleep with their rocket launchers.
9.2.15 Rent-a-Cops
Threat: You Gotta Be Joking
The in-house security for places like Sanctuary Clinic and the Electric
Company, these guys aren't paid enough to risk their lives.
10. VEHICLE GUIDE
10.1 X-COM VEHICLES
10.1.1 Phoenix Hovercar
Top Speed: Engine
Health: 70
Armor: 24
Passengers: 4
Cost: $12,000
Use the hovercars for UFO combat once you've researched and installed
small shields.
10.1.2 Hoverbike
Top Speed: Engine + 4
Health: 25
Armor: 6
Passengers: 2
Cost: $5,000
A great vehicle for intercepting the slower UFOs, hoverbikes only cost
$5000 each. Buy as many as you can, and fit them with janitor missiles,
lasers, or plasma cannons.
10.1.3 Valkyrie Interceptor
Top Speed: Engine
Health: 280
Armor: 36
Passengers: 8
Cost: $75,000
The Valkyrie costs over 70,000, yet only offers the same number of
weapon bays as the phoenix hovercar. It does withstand more punishment in
battle, but at the same time, it also makes a big, juicy target. If you
wish, sell your original Valkyrie to buy hovercars.
10.1.4 Hawk Air Warrior
Top Speed: Engine
Health: 460
Armor: 46
Passengers: 10
Cost: $100,000
10.1.5 Dimension Probe
Top Speed: 19
Health: 80
Armor: 48
Passengers: 0
You'll build this once, and never ever use it again.
10.1.6 Biotrans
Top Speed: 15
Health: 600
Armor: 47
Passengers: 4
A versatile craft that can hold an enormous amount of equipment. Strip
its normal complement of cargo and containment bays and refit the Biotrans
with shielding. It's also has one of the highest profit ratios of any X-COM
produced item. Make them in your workshop and sell them for loads of dosh.
10.1.7 Explorer
Top Speed: 16
Health: 400
Armor: 50
Passengers: 8
The Biotrans does it better.
10.1.8 Retaliator
Top Speed: 15
Health: 450
Armor: 66
Passengers: 4
A serious shift in philosophy. This is where you get to use all that
nifty out-of-this-world gear you've been researching for the past several
days.
10.1.9 Annihilator
Top Speed: 18
Health: 700
Armor: 78
Passengers: 8
Each has enough room for two mediums and one heavy disruptor beam.
Awesome firepower.
10.1.10 Stormdog
Top Speed: Engine
Health: 45
Armor: 18
Passengers: 4
Cost: $6,000
Slow and ungainly, it's useless. If you have it, ditch it.
10.1.11 Wolfhound APC
Top Speed: Engine
Health: 550
Armor: 168
Passengers: 14
Cost: $9,000
Nope. This one isn't worth much either. Sell it.
10.1.12 Blazer Turbo Bike
Top Speed: Engine + 4
Health: 20
Armor: 6
Passengers: 1
Cost: $2,000
Hoverbikes will take your further.
10.1.13 Griffon AFV
Top Speed: Engine
Health: 700
Armor: 192
Passengers: 4
Cost: $16,000
Fun for a short-while. You see, it's huge armor protects the tank, not
the road. If the road goes poof, so does the vehicle. Might have been very
useful if it weren't for the brain-dead combat routine.
11.1.4 Lineage Plasma Cannon
The best weapon against UFOs, but its huge elerium chamber will really
drain your reserves. This makes it a valuable weapon you should put into
vehicles that won't be easily destroyed.
11.1.5 Plasma Multi-System
11.1.6 Light Disruptor Beam
11.1.7 Medium Disruptor Beam
11.1.8 Heavy Disruptor Beam
11.1.9 40mm Auto Cannon
Ditch it. Lasers are better.
11.1.10 Janitor Missile Array
A good early weapon for hoverbikes and hovercars.
11.1.11 Justice Missile Launcher
11.1.12 Prophet Missile Array
Suffers from ammo shortages. Another good weapon for hoverbikes and
hovercars.
11.1.13 Retribution Missile Launcher
11.1.14 Disruptor Bomb Launcher
11.1.15 Stasis Bomb Launcher
11.1.16 Disruptor Multi-Bomb Launcher
11.1.17 Laser Defense Array
Utterly useless.
11.1.18 Plasma Defense Array
More expensive than the laser defense array, but still utterly useless.
11.1.19 40mm Auto Cannon Turret
11.1.20 Airguard Anti-Air Cannon
11.1.21 GLM Array
11.1.22 Plasma Turret Cannon
11.1.23 GLM Air Defense
11.1.24 Rumble Cannon
Unlimited ammo. Great weapon. Shame about the tank.
11.2 VEHICLE ENGINES
11.2.1 SD Standard
11.2.2 SD Deluxe
11.2.3 SD Sports
11.2.4 SD Turbo
11.2.5 SD Elite
11.2.6 SD Special
11.2.7 Metro Roadhog
11.2.8 Metro Roadgrav
11.2.9 Metro Turbograv
11.2.10 Metro Powergrav
11.2.11 Metro Multipower Plus
11.3 VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
11.3.1 Light Weapons Control
Doesn't make that much of a difference. If your target moves, it doesn't
matter HOW accurately you hit thin air.
11.3.2 Medium Weapons Control
Doesn't make that much of a difference. If your target moves, it doesn't
matter HOW accurately you hit thin air.
11.3.3 Heavy Weapons Control
Doesn't make that much of a difference. If your target moves, it doesn't
matter HOW accurately you hit thin air.
11.3.4 Cargo Module
11.3.5 Passenger Module
11.3.6 Bio-Transport Module
11.3.7 Missile Evasion Matrix
11.3.8 Small Disruption Shield
Load up on these! They really prolong the life of your combat vehicles.
Shields absorb damage that would otherwise strike the vehicles armor. Small
shields can absorb 200 points of damage. Shields can be added together for
more protection. However, when the last point of shielding is gone, all the
shields will disintegrate.
11.3.9 Large Disruption Shield
Load up on these! They really prolong the life of your combat vehicles.
Shields absorb damage that would otherwise strike the vehicles armor. Large
shields can absorb 400 points of damage. Shields can be added together for
more protection. However, when the last point of shielding is gone, all the
shields will disintegrate.
11.3.10 Cloaking Field
11.3.11 Teleporter
11.4 PERSONAL WEAPONS
11.4.1 Megapol Lawpistol
11.4.2 Megapol Plasma Gun
The plasma gun is an ace weapon. It has a high damage rating, a large ammo
clip, and a fast firing rate. Suffers from ammo shortage, but the only
weapons that come close in terms of effectiveness are the devastator cannon
and toxigun.
11.4.3 Marsec M4000 Machine Gun
11.4.4 Megapol Laser Sniper Gun
11.4.5 Megapol Auto Cannon
At lower skill levels, you'll get more mileage from the lighter weapons.
However, its one of the few X-COM weapons that can punch through the tough
armor you'll encounter at the hard skill levels.
11.4.6 Marsec Heavy Launcher
Launcher rockets have built in homing devices.
11.4.7 Marsec MiniLauncher
Minilauncher rockets have built in homing devices.
11.4.8 Toxigun
Toxiguns can circumvent alien shields, making them the best tools to rid
the world of the alien scourge. Toxi-B is good, Toxi-C is even better.
11.4.9 Disruptor Gun
It has a slow rate of fire and is rather inaccurate. Like the autocannon,
it comes in handy against the heavily armored aliens.
11.4.10 Devastator Cannon
This is the most powerful beam weapon in the game. Fairly accurate even on
full auto.
11.4.11 Brainsucker Launcher
11.4.12 Entropy Launcher
11.4.13 Dimension Missile Launcher
11.4.14 Power Sword
11.4.15 Mind Bender
11.4.16 Megapol Stun Grapple
11.4.17 Megapol AP Grenade
11.4.18 Megapol Stun Grenade
11.4.19 Megapol Smoke Grenade
11.4.20 Diablo Incendiary Grenade
11.4.21 Marsec Proximity Mine
11.4.22 Marsec High Explosive
11.4.23 Boomeroid
11.4.24 Vortex Mine
11.4.25 Alien Gas Grenade
11.5 PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
11.5.1 Personal Disruptor Shield
Will protect your agent from explosive decompression and the other nasty
side effects of getting shot. You don't have to hold them in your hands;
placing them into your backpack is good enough.
11.5.2 Personal Teleporter
These have to be held in the hand to do any good. Try carrying two. Use one
to pop into an alien concentration, and use the other to pop out once they
fire explosives at you. The aliens will end up killing themselves.
11.5.3 Personal Cloaking Field
Carried in the hand, it will make your agents *much* harder to hit and to
see.
11.5.4 Medi-kit
Medi-kits can not be used to heal other agents or aliens. Only the holder
can use a medi-kit.
11.5.5 Motion Scanner
11.5.6 Psiclone
Sell it.
11.5.7 Elerium Pod
Sell it.
11.5.8 Megapol Armor
11.5.9 Marsec Armor
The torso unit has an integral flight control system. No other armor piece
is required to fly.
11.5.10 X-COM Armor
Good stuff.
11.6 ALIEN BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
11.6.1 Megaspawn Disruptor
11.6.2 Megaspawn Launcher
11.6.3 Spitter Vomit
11.6.4 Multiworm Vomit
11.6.5 Alien Egg Vomit
11.6.6 Hyperworm Bite
11.6.7 Queenspawn Vomit
11.6.8 Popper Bomb
12. INTERNAL GAMEPLAY MECHANICS
12.1 EFFECTS OF DIFFICULTY LEVELS
The harder the difficulty:
the higher an organization is infiltrated when aliens are left in a
building,
the more money it takes to bribe organizations,
the sooner the aliens get better weapons and equipment,
the tougher enemy units become in combat,
the less money you receive at the start of the game,
the less frequently alerts are generated.
12.2 VEHICULAR COMBAT
When a vehicle is hit by a weapon:
(1) Subtract the weapon damage from the shields. If shields fall to
zero, apply the remaining damage to (2)
(2) Divide the vehicle armor by 6.
(3) Subtract the weapon damage from the armor value.
(4) Apply the remaining damage to the vehicle's constitution.
Note: No damage is ever done to the vehicle's armor.
12.3 TACTICAL COMBAT
12.3.1 Map Generation
Mega-Primus buildings are built to randomly selected patterns every
mission. UFO map layouts are the same for each mission. Buildings in the
Alien Dimension are completely random apart from the critical areas.
Each tactical map square is 1.5 meters on each side.
12.3.2 Weapons Accuracy
A unit's basic accuracy is adjusted by the modifiers below, then added
together with the weapons accuracy to give a final rating.
Modifier Adjustment
Unit is stationary +20% unit accuracy
Unit is walking -25% unit accuracy
Unit is kneeling +20% unit accuracy
Unit is prone +40% unit accuracy
Unit is flying -15% unit accuracy
Weapon on full-auto -50% unit accuracy
Weapon on aimed-shot +100% unit accuracy
Critical hits in either arm will severely affect shooting accuracy.
12.3.3 Grenade Accuracy
The unit's accuracy rating is adjusted by the modifiers below.
Modifier Adjustment
Unit is stationary +10% unit accuracy
Unit is walking -12.5% unit accuracy
Critical hits in either arm will severely affect throwing accuracy.
12.3.4 Damage
When a unit is hit by a weapon:
(1) Subtract the weapon damage from the shields. If shields fall to
zero, apply the remaining damage to (2)
(2) Find out what part of the body is hit
(3) Adjust the damage according to the damage matrix table.
(4) Absorb as many points of damage as there are armor points for that
part of the body. Apply the remaining damage to (6) (aliens have
the same armor value all over).
(5) Damage the armor. If armor rating falls to zero, destroy armor.
Armor damage = (weapon damage * 3) / armor points
(6) Subtract the remaining damage from the unit's health.
(7) If the damage down is greater than 1/8 of maximum health, test for
a critical wound. Percent chance of a critical wound is:
(100 * damage) / maximum health
12.3.4.1 Bullets/Energy Beams
The damage of these weapons can vary by up to 50% of the written damage
rating. Thus, a bullet from a machine gun can be worth anywhere from 11-32
points of damage.
12.3.4.2 Stun Weapons
If the stun damage from a weapon exceeds the health of a unit, the unit
will become unconscious. Stun damage does not hurt armor. A stunned unit
recovers one point of stun damage each second.
12.3.4.3 Explosives
An explosion does full damage only at its center. Its strength decreases
linearly as you move away from the center until it hits zero strength at
the edge of the blast radius.
1/8th of explosive damage is applied as stun damage.
12.3.5 Psionic Skills
The success of a psionic attack is a percentage calculated as follows:
Mind control costs 32 psi to initiate, stun costs 16 psi, panic costs 10
psi, and probe costs 8 psi.
All of these psionic attacks place a further drain on a unit's psi-
energy in the form of a maintenance cost.
12.4 AGENTS
12.4.1 Stats & Improvements
Only human and hybrid units can improve stats through training.
Every four hours, an agent has some chance of improving some physical
stats by one point. This percentage is equal to (100 - value of stat).
Thus, it becomes increasingly difficult to improve high stats through
training.
Every four hours, an agent has some chance of improving some psionic
stats. However, an agent can only increase psionic stats to three times
their original levels. Furthermore, the amount of improvement depends on
the unit's psi-energy. Humans that start with low psi-energy will therefore
show almost no improvement even after hundreds of hours.
The chance that a skill will increase is a percentage calculated as:
100 - (3 * current_value - starting_value)
Psi-attack will increase by 1/20th of psi-energy. Psi-defense will
increase by 1/20th of psi-energy. Psi-energy will increase by 1 point.
12.4.2 Promotions and Medals
Promotion Eligibility:
Rank Prerequisite
Rookie None
Squaddie Must earn over 8 combat rating points
Squad Leader (Rookies + Squaddies) / (Squad Leaders + 1) is more than 4
Sergeant Squad leaders / (Sergeant + 1) is more than 2
Captain Sergeants / (Captains + 1) is more than 2
Colonel Captains / (Colonels + 1) is more than 2
Commander No commander, and more than one Colonel
Up to five units may be promoted after any given mission. The units with
the highest combat rating are selected for promotion.
Rank isn't just for fun. It actually affects the morale of units.
12.4.3 Healing
Medi-kits will heal critical wounds and add 5 to the health of a unit. Back
at the base, medical bays will restore 0.8 health points every hour, but
only after the patients get a good night's rest.
12.4.4 Morale
A unit's morale goes up when bad guys die, and goes down when the good guys
die, or if it is injured itself. The blow to a unit's morale score is
cushioned by a high bravery score. Morale is affected more by the death of
a highly ranked unit than it is by a lower ranked unit.
Highly ranked units aren't affected by morale as badly as the lower
ranked units.
When hurt, a unit's morale will decrease according to this formula:
If a unit has less than 30 morale points left, he/she/it may panic. A
panicked unit will either run away, freeze, or go completely bezerk.
12.4.5 Encumbrance
It's possible for a unit to carry weight up to four times its strength.
However, as a unit becomes more encumbered, it will lose time units and
speed at an ever-increasing rate.
12.4.6 Movement
In real-time games, movement is measured by its speed rating. Each frame of
the game is 1/36 of a second. In that time, a unit can move as many steps
as its speed. Each square is divided into 80 steps, so a unit with a speed
of 10 would take 8 frames (8/36ths of a second) to cross a square.
Running takes place at full speed, walking at half speed, and crawling
at 1/3rd speed.
Turning 45 degrees requires one frame. (1/36th of a second)
Changing posture from kneeling to standing requires 8 frames.
Throwing takes 22 frames.
Aiming takes 6 frames.
Firing takes 4 frames.
Reloading depends on the firing rate of the weapon.
Doors open in 12 frames.
In turn-based games, movement ability is dictated by a unit's remaining
time units.
Movement Type TU Cost
Running 2
Walking 4
Crawling 6
Changing Posture 10% of maximum TUs
Turning 45 degrees 1
Firing:
Aimed (36/Fire Rate)% of maximum TUs
Snap Shot (18/Fire Rate)% of maximum TUs
Automatic (9/Fire Rate)% of maximum TUs
Picking up object 10% of maximum TUs
Using motion scanner 10% of maximum TUs
Throwing 20% of maximum TUs
Psionic attack 10% of maximum TUs
Using medi-kit 37.5% of maximum TUs
Teleporting 55% of maximum TUs
12.5 SCORING
In combat, you gain points for killing enemy units and finding equipment
and lose points for losing agents and X-COM equipment.
Enemy units each have a point value listed in the appendix. You don't
get credit for kills caused by bleeding.
You lose double the points from your Combat Rating for getting an
agent brainsucked. Its points are added to your Casualty Penalty. Getting
killed the normal way just adds points (10 per agent) to your Casualty
Penalty.
Leadership bonus is (100 - Casualty penalty * 3)% of (Combat rating -
freindly fire + stunned hostiles).
Your total score is Combat Rating + Leadership Bonus - Casualty
Penalty + Live Aliens Captured + Equipment Captured - Equipment Lost
In the cityscape, you get points for completing research, shooting down
UFOs, and destroying alien buildings. You lose 30 points for each alien
alert in the city, points equal to 1/4 the value of any UFO that escapes
through a dimension gate, the point value of any X-COM craft that is
destroyed, and up to 20 points for a deliberately destroyed city block.
Your cityscape and combat scores are tallied at the end of the week to
determine the adjustments that are made to your funding.
13. BUGS, UPDATES, AND PATCHES
None yet!
14. THIRD PARTY SUPPORT
14.1 INTERNET WEBSITES
Apocalypse Central
Maintainer: Leo Radvinsky
URL: http://www.gametemple.com/x-com/
Message boards, on-line UFOpedia, cheating programs.
Roger's X-COM Apocalypse FAQ Distribution Center
Maintainer: Roger Wong
URL: http://www.khan.org/~roger/games/xcom3/
The home of this FAQ.
Gamespot's Guide to X-COM Apocalypse
Maintainer: Spotmedia Communications
URL: http://www.gamespot.com/features/xcom
A shortened, HTML version of this FAQ with illustrations and diagrams.
14.2 UTILITIES AND PROGRAMS
APOCUTIL
for MS-DOS
Author: Scott Jones
URL: http://members.aol.com/stones/xcomutil/
Randomizes the effects of each weapon on each alien to make the game more
difficult and more interesting.
XeD
For MS-DOS
Author: Larze & Fds0ft
URL: http://www.gametemple.com/x-com/
Edits agent statistics, equipment stores, internal base layouts, funds,
graphics, etc.
15. CLOSING STATEMENT
That's that. Read a good book every now and again, and don't get hurt!
16. APPENDICES
16.1 TABLES
16.1.1 Agent Weapons
Accuracy
--------
Grenade accuracy depends on the accuracy of the unit.
The accuracy of guided weapons such as missile launchers are misleading.
If the target is equipped with a personal cloaking device, accuracy is
reduced by an unknown, but significant, amount.
Ammo
----
Weapons that recharge over time have a + sign next to their ammunition
counter.
Blast Radius
------------
Explosion damage decreases linearly until it reaches 0 at the very edge of
the blast radius. i.e.- To an object three squares away, a Vortex Mine will
do 85 points of damage according to the formula:
[Damage - ((Damage / Blast_Radius ) * Distance)].
Score
-----
When two scores are listed, the first score refers to the weapon, and the
second refers to the ammunition clip.
16.1.2 Vehicle Weapons
Accuracy
--------
Refers to the probability of hitting a target spot. If a target moves out
of a targeted spot, it's not the weapon's fault.
Range
-----
Weapons fire will fizzle after covering the given range in meters. One city
square is equal to 16 meters.
Firing Arc
----------
Vehicle-mounted weapons point forward. The firing arc is in degrees.
Turn Rate
---------
Weapons with a turn rate home in on their targets.
16.1.3 UFOs
Armor
-----
The stated rating is an overall value. It is divided equally between the
six sides of the vehicle (top, bottom, left, right, front, back).
Weapons
-------
Items with a + sign denote optional devices that only appear at advanced
game stages.
16.1.5 Aliens Beamed Down by UFOs
Due to the alien life cycle, the nature of an alien infestation will change
over time. Aliens may spread to other buildings, new aliens may hatch from
eggs and chrysalises, or the aliens may simply die of old age.
16.1.6 Aliens in Alien Buildings
Anthropods, skeletoids, and spitters are beamed into each building as
reinforcements. The type selection is random, but the timing is precise.
Labor Cost
----------
Engineers are paid $4.76 an hour. Labor costs assume an average engineer
rating of 85. Labor cost is calculated as ((LaborHours / 85) * $4.76).
To reduce the cost of labor, hire engineers with the highest ratings.
Total Cost
----------
The total cost of each item includes costs for both labor and for
manufacture.
Market Price
------------
This is the initial market price. The price will drop as more items of this
type are sold.
Profit hours
------------
The most profitable items have the highest Profit Hour ratings. These
include the Stasis Bomb, Biotrans, Toxigun, and X-COM Body Shield.
Metro Roadhog 400 4 12 1 General Metro
Metro Roadgrav 600 3 11 1 General Metro
Metro Turbograv 900 2 10 1 General Metro
Metro Powergrav 1200 2 9 1 General Metro
Metro Multipower Plus 1600 2 8 1 General Metro
Cargo Module 300 4 12 1 Superdynamics
Passenger Module 400 4 12 1 General Metro
Bio-Transport Module 950 - 4 - X-COM
Light Weapons Control 1000 3 5 1 Cyberweb
Medium Weapons Control 3000 2 4 1 Cyberweb
Heavy Weapons Control 6000 1 2 3 Cyberweb
Advanced Control System 8000 - 6 - X-COM
Missile Evasion Matrix 4000 2 4 2 Cyberweb
Small Disruption Shield 12500 - 10 - X-COM
Large Disruption Shield 19800 - 15 - X-COM
Cloaking Field 16450 - 17 - X-COM
Teleporter 27700 - 20 - X-COM
AP Grenade 70 20 50 1 Megapol
Stun Grenade 50 20 60 1 Megapol
Smoke Grenade 30 25 60 1 Megapol
Incendiary Grenade 60 10 30 1 Diablo
Proximity Mine 300 10 30 2 Marsec
High Explosive 800 8 16 1 Marsec
Lawpistol 300 15 50 1 Megapol
Lawpistol Clip 10 20 80 1 Megapol
M4000 Machine Gun 800 9 24 1 Marsec
M4000 Machine Gun Clip 20 40 70 1 Marsec
Laser Sniper Gun 900 5 15 1 Megapol
Laser Pod 40 30 55 1 Megapol
Autocannon 1200 3 8 1 Megapol
Autocannon AP Clip 30 20 40 1 Megapol
Autocannon HE Clip 40 20 40 1 Megapol
Autocannon IN Clip 30 20 40 1 Megapol
Plasma Gun 1600 3 6 2 Megapol
Plasma Gun Pod 50 15 40 2 Megapol
Heavy Launcher 800 2 4 2 Marsec
Heavy Launcher HE Missile 40 5 20 2 Marsec
Heavy Launcher IN Missile 40 5 20 2 Marsec
Heavy Launcher AG Missile 700 - 15 - Marsec
Minilauncher 900 2 6 3 Marsec
Minilauncher HE Missile 35 10 30 3 Marsec
Minilauncher IN Missile 35 10 30 3 Marsec
Minilauncher AG Missile 900 - 30 - Marsec
Stun Grapple 400 5 20 1 Megapol
Powersword 400 1 5 3 Marsec
Mind Bender 1200 3 12 1 Marsec
Medi-kit 250 4 14 1 Nanotech
Motion Scanner 900 2 6 1 Marsec
Alien Gas Grenade 600 - 15 - X-COM
Toxigun 2780 - 8 - X-COM
Toxigun A-Clip 500 - 16 - X-COM
Toxigun B-Clip 700 - 16 - X-COM
Toxigun C-Clip 900 - 16 - X-COM
Disruptor Gun 2100 - 10 - X-COM
Devastator Cannon 4500 - 20 - X-COM
Boomeroid 840 - 15 - X-COM
Brainsucker Launcher 200 - 6 - X-COM
Brainsucker Pod 200 - 4 - X-COM
Entropy Launcher 300 - 4 - X-COM
Entropy Pod 100 - 10 - X-COM
Dimension Missile Launcher 3100 - 25 - X-COM
Dimension Missile 1300 - 30 - X-COM
Vortex Mine 1130 - 25 - X-COM
Personal Disruptor Shield 5770 - 30 - X-COM
Personal Teleporter 18200 - 40 - X-COM
Personal Cloaking field 8300 - 30 - X-COM
Megapol Leg Armor 400 8 24 1 Megapol
Megapol Body Armor 400 8 24 1 Megapol
Megapol Left Arm Armor 300 8 24 1 Megapol
Megapol Right Arm Armor 300 8 24 1 Megapol
Megapol Helmet 400 8 24 1 Megapol
Marsec Leg Unit 600 2 15 2 Marsec
Marsec Body Unit 1200 2 15 2 Marsec
Marsec Left Arm Unit 600 2 15 2 Marsec
Marsec Right Arm Unit 600 2 15 2 Marsec
Marsec Head Unit 700 2 15 2 Marsec
X-COM Leg Shield 2830 - 20 - X-COM
X-COM Body Shield 3480 - 20 - X-COM
X-COM Left Arm Shield 2830 - 20 - X-COM
X-COM Right Arm Shield 2830 - 20 - X-COM
X-COM Head Shield 3480 - 20 - X-COM
Psiclone 4500 - 40 - Psyke
Elerium Pod 3000 - 40 - Solmine
17. REFERENCES
Fermier, R. XCOM3 storage problems. Usenet posts. July, 1997.
Tokumura, C. Contact explosives. Usenet posts. July, 1997.
Sens. Early vehicle combat. Usenet posts. August, 1997.
Sens. Weapons comparisons. Usenet posts. August, 1997.
Sens. Cult raid tactics. Usenet posts. July, 1997.
Sens. Weapons control systems. Usenet posts. July, 1997.
Silvey, S. Ineffective weapons systems. Usenet posts. August, 1997.
Silvey, S. Entropy avoidance. Usenet posts. August, 1997.
Wilhelm, S. Early base defense. Usenet posts. August, 1997
18. REVISION HISTORY
A. version 0.99. September 27, 1997. First release.
Editor von J'ordos für Infanterie, Ausrüstung, Fahrzeuge, Forschung, Produktion, UFOs und Aliens, Basislayouts und -einrichtungen, Art und Anzahl der Gegner auf Missionen, etc., etc. Sogar die Stadt oder Missionsgebäude lassen sich umbauen, da sich auc
