Xcom, very late to the party

[Quillan]

I had one mission late in the game when I sent a tank down the ramp first, and an alien took a reaction shot, launched a blaster into the ship.

[Lord Avalon]

That happened to me once, only I don't think it was late in the game.

[El_Cid]

No my version definitely wasn't on beginner.

And Civ2 deity was the easiest of them all.

Not sure when the amiga versions were made, so they might have had this PC bug fixed? I did play on Veteran mostly on the amiga, on PC that level is pretty nails - you loose a lot of guys most missions.

Really re Civ2? I found it a monster ICS spawner that would just crush me through sheer weight of numbers(often)? In Civ4 atleast the ICS is controlled, so it comes down to units types(and it does ok with that mostly) and tech advantages - I find that much easier to contain than Civ2's ICS.

Anyway, after i've completed my current game of 'experienced' Xcom i will try a short(obviously) one on Superhuman.

Blaster bombs and Crysalids were the things that worried me, no matter what tech level i was running my troops at. those things could completely change a mission.

[RGBVideo]

Final version (page 3):

That's not nice to defend. This is better:

H: Hangar
A: Access Lift
L: Living Quarters
G: General Stores
_: Empty Space
X: Whatever you want it to be.

HHHHHH
HHHHHH
__A___
X_L_XX
XXLGXX
XXLGXX


Camp behind the access lift, but don't be too close to each other that AI start to use blaster bombs.

[RGBVideo]

And yeah, if you're short of Elerium, have a hyper-wave decoder so you'll find out when scouts are on a harmless (not infiltration, maybe not terror) mission, let the scouts be alone, and wait for a larger ship to arrive. If you leave battleships alone, they should wait and rest on ground when the night comes. When they ground, time to strike.

Base building missions usually net you plenty of battleships. I think you'll get something like 150 elerium out of an intact one (or was it 250).

[Lord Avalon]

That base was changed in game (new hangars built up top, old ones deleted once new ones built, etc). If you're not using an editor or mod to change your first base (so the access lift is on the side, and you can make a long corridor), what you suggest is a bit more difficult and costly. So is it really worth it?

[RGBVideo]

That base was changed in game (new hangars built up top, old ones deleted once new ones built, etc). If you're not using an editor or mod to change your first base (so the access lift is on the side, and you can make a long corridor), what you suggest is a bit more difficult and costly. So is it really worth it?

I'd say yes, but not immediately. The main point is to build a new general store building immediately and build up a living quarters in place of the old GS when you need more living space for your scientists on the first month. When you get the first income bonus at the start of February, start building the new hangars. Scrap small radar station when you've built a large one, it eats up maintenance cost and you'll have a hyper-wave decoder once the UFOs are so active that you really need to spot them.

You should end up with the new layout at the start of March, around the same time when you should've saved enough to start building new bases around the globe.

When you're defending your base, the long, narrow corridor from your soldiers to hangars will be very nice, nice enough to spend the 800k for me at least. It forces the enemy to come up to you in large chunks --> grenades and blaster bombs for the win.

[RGBVideo]

PS: oh god does terror from the deep suck

[Main_Brain]

True, not only are the Graphics worse also the Ship Missions are no fun at all

[DrSpike]

And the difficulty curve was a 'bit out of whack'.

[El_Cid]

All true re Terror from the Deep.

I really liked the setting though, hidden under the sea(a good place to hide), lots of potential for an 'abyss' horror story. Shame it just wasn't as good as the first game.

[Dry]

I wonder if anyone can actually beat the hardest level. I should do it for a laugh. Has anyone even beaten civ4 on the hardest level? I'm not sure which is harder. Probably Xcom.

I remember having seen a report from a hard core gamer who finally won the game at highest difficulty level without saving.
Took him years to finally win it.

I tried to find the link, but I cannot find it back.

[BeBMan]

My, playing years without saving, that's really something

[DrSpike]

Really stupid I'd say.

[Docfeelgood]

I spent many a day playing this game.

Here is some of my tactics.

The auto cannon will give light with the fire ammo for the dark missions.

Reasearch the hover suits so you can hover above the downed ufos.
Use the blaster guns to shoot a hole in the top. Send your troops down the hole for a suprise attack.Gets the aliens every time.

Those (cant remember the name) big one shot launchers. Shoot straight up to the sky first; it will clear all obsticals. then shoot it over to the downed ufo, point down to the top of the ufo and it will make a big hole without destroying the the ufo.

I got so good all I needed was four men for recovering downed ufos.

To make things more intresting prime your grenaids before leaving your ship so none of your men can be taken alive.OR never leave a man behind.