Beginner's guide

[lstewart4]

I was wondering if any one has a beginner's guide on how to play, what to priorities and such. I played X-com when i was very young and mostly just played around with it and never really understood the game. I have been playing UFO, just messing around with it and i am looking for a little guidance.

[Sarin]

Well, I don't think that there's anything like that. So I will drop a few hints I got.

Your first research and manufacturing priority should be lasers. Their accuracy helps your soldiers a lot, but I found no real use for laser cannons/base defense lasers. Electromagnetic rifle (bolter) is quite useless, just needed to research for coilguns.

Pay attention to "mind" stat of soldiers you hire. It determines their ability to improve. Also, from time to time, a "supersoldier" comes available for hire, so check new recruits every month.

Interception is hard until you get alien weaponry and new fighters. Ignore anything bigger than fighters, and swarm those with multiple interceptors.

Get one UFO yard up as soon as possible, but you need just one scout and one fighter. Fill the rest with undamaged harvesters you get from terrors, they'll be your only source of antimatter. I never start disassembling UFOs on main base, instead I build, when I have enough money, second base just with 5 workshops and supporting buildings right next to UFO yard.

[lstewart4]

If i was to look at guides for x-com, how messed up would i be? what is different?

[Sarin]

In short, everything. UFO: AI is completely different game, inspired by original X-com series.

[lstewart4]

Well any one what to outline a basic guide on what to do in the game, like when to build a second base and where, what to produce in your base, what buildings to build, what weapons to give units what to research and such?

[Chriswriter90]

I build my second base at the start of the second month when I have the cash to expand.

[Legendman3]

Second Base? HA! I only build a second base when my research is getting low or when i need to produce alot of things. My tips are generaly research as much as you can as fast as you can and dont underestimate soldiers using the rpg

[Hertzila]

Sadly RPGs damage doesn't ouweight the fact that you can't really shoot more than once in two turns, it's inaccurate at long range and in the accurate range grenade launcher is more effective. For explosive support you should get a GL-soldier and use air-burst mode. For "one shot, one kill" tactic, it's sniper rifle and then coilgun.

And forget about grenades indoors, manly because your soldiers are worse throwers/shooters than guys with no arms. Out in the open their inaccuracy isn't as dangerous but indoors I've more than once ordered my troops to throw a grenade somewhere, only for it to end up in their legs.

[Legendman3]

Well all thats true but a rpg man can take out multiply enemies at once(In 2.2.1 as far as i know maybe in 2.3). I usually see ortnoks and bloodspiders together so ya for me

[Chriswriter90]

By the end of the second month I have 2 or 3 bases depending on the difficulty level.

I don't use rockets anymore, just grenade launchers.

[Specialist290]

And forget about grenades indoors, manly because your soldiers are worse throwers/shooters than guys with no arms. Out in the open their inaccuracy isn't as dangerous but indoors I've more than once ordered my troops to throw a grenade somewhere, only for it to end up in their legs.

Personally, I've wondered about the merits of frag grenades vs. flashbangs.  (Do the latter actually work like they're supposed to?  I know the smoke grenades don't work from searching the forums...)  I've been thinking of switching to a full-out flashbang load for my CQC soldiers as opposed to the half-and-half load of grenades my soldiers are currently carrying; any merit to that?

[Sarin]

Well, AFAIK there is no problem with flashbangs. Difference is that flashbang, when misfired, have less drastic consequences, but unlike using normal (or preferably plasma) grenade, you will still need to go in and actually kill that alien.

[homunculus]

Well, I don't think that there's anything like that. So I will drop a few hints I got.

Your first research and manufacturing priority should be lasers. Their accuracy helps your soldiers a lot, but I found no real use for laser cannons/base defense lasers.

at very hard difficulty, the research took so long that i started to think that i should have researched ufo theory or alien armor instead, as the human weapons are quite ok imho.
i could not try out starting with ufo theory research though, because of technical problems with computer, is anyone doing it like that?

Electromagnetic rifle (bolter) is quite useless, just needed to research for coilguns.

last time i tried to go for coilgun asap, i didn't find coilgun in research topics after researching the bolter.
is it still in the game?

Pay attention to "mind" stat of soldiers you hire. It determines their ability to improve.

is this true?
i have read it before quite some time ago in the forum, but the game does not say anything about mind stat affecting anything.
can anyone confirm this?

[Edi]

My soldiers with higher mind scores seem to improve much faster than the ones with low mind scores. In other words, they gain experience toward the various skills faster.

Mind score is also a prerequisite for promotions. Along with kill count and number of friendlies or civilians killed, because killing anything other than aliens gets your promotion options curtailed real fast.

Coilgun needs something else besides the electromagnetic rifle to research, but I don't know what it is yet.

Alien armor should be #1 priority as soon as you get it, because it allows you to get nanocomposite armor, which drastically improves the survivability of soldiers.

If you play very hard campaigns, you need to focus on certain things or you will be in a world of hurt very soon. Namely, the nanocomposite armor, then it's a good idea to go for laser weapons.

[homunculus]

My soldiers with higher mind scores seem to improve much faster than the ones with low mind scores. In other words, they gain experience toward the various skills faster.[...]

well, wiki page seems to claim different.
also, i can't seem to find coilgun in the research tree in the wiki.

it looks like mind is intended to make the soldier less likely to panic rather than to make him a fast learner.