Help for beginner

[DanielOR]

of course.  10 workers per shop, I believe. 

My preference is to take the production off the main base.  The "factory" has 3 workshops.

[Nevasith]

same as the research facility - 3-4 labs contamination, UFO big and small for disassembly and research and a missile pod- just in case. When the base attack is implemented ill probably put some security soldiers in

[DanielOR]

Nevasith,

this is an interesting question: to leave the labs at the main base, or to have a dedicated research facility.  I found that:
1. With all production at a dedicated "factory", I had plenty of room left at HQ to build three labs (plenty) plus room for everythin else I needed - so far.
2. having research done outside of HQ (tried that too) created the need to shuttle samples of alien tech over there, made me duplicate the alien containmner and UFO disassembly facilites - since it only checks facilties at HQ upon capture, I believe.  So, the HQ was a transportation hub, anyway. 

[Nevasith]

well i think perspectively-you need some antimatter storage (though it doesnt do anything now) more storage space, missile batery,  some living space,  and hangars for dropship, and two interceptors (could be avoided but i cant imagine a base without a proper defence system)

Also it serves some cosmetic purposes- I wouldnt risk to hold aliens in my HQ- especially after odd behaviour research. While examining the alien technology you dont know what you are facing - it would be wise to keep the research and disassembly away from the headquarters and your best soldiers- in case of some antimatter explosion(extreme would blow the earth anyway, but...) destroying plasma clips or particle weapons

[DanielOR]

makes sense.  So, a dedicated lab, a dedicated fab, and a dedicated hub

[Nevasith]

yes- the rest just small outposts with only the needed stuff- AAsam, some interceptors and a radar (and needed structures for them)

[EchizenR]

But since we are able to build 7 bases, almost one on each continent, I thought I would build 3 'main bases', in that they would have the basic production, alien facility, 2 storages, 1-2 labs, 2 living quarters, 1 team room, 1 large hangar and UFO hangar, and always 1 SAM plus the basics, to be able to respond to threats across the map without having to travel far, that way the Firebird is at less risk. Then the other bases, I'm considering making into dedicated production bases with a minimum batch of soldiers and AA def. As for research, after a certain point, it becomes useless right?

And what about this base attack thing? Also, I would like to ask if the random UFO is a threat to my bases. If for instance, I see an UFO approaching, do I assume it'll be game over if it reaches my base? Do they function for any other purposes than just to train soldiers, since the crashed UFO would be too damaged to be salvaged.

[Nevasith]

I prefer to have one base with assault team- That way soldiers progress much faster- and other bases only for radar, fighters and SAM.
That way you can allways make one of them a dedicated factory, another lab.
This way there is almost no place for an UFO to hide, and absolutely no way to attack a firebird by surprise as the radars will warn me and give me some time to send closest interceptors or even activate SAM

[Doctor J]

But since we are able to build 7 bases, almost one on each continent, I thought I would build 3 'main bases', in that they would have the basic production, alien facility, 2 storages, 1-2 labs, 2 living quarters, 1 team room, 1 large hangar and UFO hangar, and always 1 SAM plus the basics, to be able to respond to threats across the map without having to travel far, that way the Firebird is at less risk.

Minor quibbles here:

1) Alien Containment would only ever be needed at your research base.  Since there are issues involved in transferring scientists, there is a built-in incentive to do all or most of your research at one location.

2) For Living Quarters i figure one per every two Workshops/Laboratories, plus an extra for your squad.  more on this later

3) I'm mystified as to why the Team Room is already in the game, as it currently does nothing.  There are plans for it but i feel it should have been left out until those plans become reality.

4) One building you didn't mention is the Hospital.  It is not required, but very handy, to have one wherever your soldiers live.

5) I'm with Nevasith on the proliferation of squads.  The more squads you have, the less experience each squad can accumulate.  A single Firebird with two fuel tanks can reach anywhere in the world.  The chance of it getting jumped by a Harvester are almost nil after you get all your radar sites working.  Before that, it's going to be a crap shoot regardless.  The only reason i can think of to use more than one squad is the tendency of the game to give you a Harvester to down right around the same time it gives you a new terror mission.  In those cases, it is handy to have a 'B' squad to handle the Harvester while the 'A' squad deals with the terror mission.  Even then, you would want to keep both squads at the same base.  It makes logistics much simpler to only have to supply weapons and such to a single location, and you can exploit the way the game tracks these goods.  Since these items are not kept by the soldier, but rather kept in base storage, you only need to buy/manufacture enough goods to supply one squad [with a reasonable amount of spares to cover battlefield losses].

And what about this base attack thing? Also, I would like to ask if the random UFO is a threat to my bases

As Nevasith has hinted, the game does not yet allow for Alien Invasion of your bases.  Also there is no bombing, missile attacks, or anything like that.  I believe the aliens will take 'interest' in a base when they fly directly over it.  I don't know if the shooting down of that UFO stops 'the word' from getting around.

[stevenjackson]

With regard to number of squads, i start with 1 and once they have some experience split it into two and always have half elite/half new soldiers so i always have some expendable troops to send in first.

Steve