Help for beginner

[kracken]

You should strenuously avoid the auto-mission button.  The important thing about going on missions is that your soldiers earn experience to make them better.  Auto-mission == no experience.

And no alien items collected either.

[EchizenR]

I've concentrated my research on armour and am presently doing nano-composite armour. After that, could someone recommend an alien weapon to research as I've got quite a few. Plasma beam rifle, plasma pistol, plasma cannon, and more that I can't remember. In addition, I've also got several blades waiting for lab time.

I''ve ignored the alien autopsies for the time being. Dont see the importance of it, or capturing aliens. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Another question is do soldiers gradually get increases in stats, for instance speed? What does the mind attribute do? Also, I'm rather confused about heavy and explosive weapons. Which category does the GP fit in?

[DanielOR]

after armor, I would do laser rifle, maybe heavy laser.

do not ignore alien autopsy - do at least one!  it gives you the options of reasearching stun rods.

then breathing apparatus (I think) + live captured alien will give you gas grenades that quite rock the house. 

[EchizenR]

Laser's the one that uses the DF cartridges right? Is it better than plasma or particle beam-based weapons?

Also, I am able to equip a particle beam rifle after getting the accelerator. Is it good?

[DanielOR]

Laser is indeed the one using the DF cartridges.  It has a distinct advantage on not relying on alien tech, i.e. being available right away.  In my view, plasma weapons are no good as they are short range.  I prefer to fight from the outside if possible.  Particle beams are good, but you do not get them very early and you need to research the rifle itself, and, I think, one more weapon to get "man portable particle beams" - then you get to load the ammo for particle rifles.  I do believe particle rifles are better than lasers, though lasers are unsurpassed for low spread, i.e. accuracy at high ranges.

Dan

[EchizenR]

And what category are particle-beam and lasers under? Heavy or assault?

[DanielOR]

One of each: laser rifle and heavy laser.  Particle beam rifle hits at 150, while particle cannon only at 50 (typo?)

final selection, IMHO, i particle beam rifle and heavy laser. 

[EchizenR]

I'm still confused, so particle beam rifle is an assault weapon while heavy laser is a heavy weapon?

[Nevasith]

exactly
Laser Rifle- Assault
Particle beam- assault
Heavy laser- heavy weapon
Particle Canon - heavy

Both lasers use DF cartridges
Particle need specific ammo for each weapon and you cant manufacture the clips- you must capture them on aliens.
Personally i like PLasma canons, or the powerfull short range burst, but high TU need usage limits its usage

[EchizenR]

May I know how does moral factor in during combat, for soldiers as well for aliens (if they have)?

Also, does getting more workshops/workers decrease production time? The same question could be applied to hospitals/medics.

[stevenjackson]

In hospitals, medics only increase the solider capacity of that hospital.  Once a soldier is added to the hospital he will heal at a higher set rate that if he was not in the hospital.

Steve

[DanielOR]

your troups: wounded or nearly-stunned soldiers may do dumb stuff, like run away or even kill team mates (happened to me on one ocasion).  Not a frequent event.  On one ocasion soldier paniced for 2-3 turns, than got control of himself and went back to the usual business of killing.

Aliens: after some (most) have been killed an isolated alien will/may drop his weapon and crouch in a corner, looking all upset.  If you keep firing in his genral direction, he will stay that way longer.  If left alone, he will eventually recover, pull out his side arm and may very well still cause some damage.

[EchizenR]

Production?

[DanielOR]

yes?  you can do that...

[EchizenR]

So getting 2 workshops and more workers shorten production time?