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Winning strategy?

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Flyshberg:
Hello,

I've read much about tactics, but I'm interested in an overall winning strategy, not in battle tactics. I won the game with version 2.2, but in version 2.3 I stopped playing when I lost South America despite of winning all of my battles. Now I'm looking for a winning strategy.

Here are some hints what a winning strategy might include:

- where to build the main and the minor bases (base extensions)
- how to develop the bases (which sections to build and how many of them)
- focus on research (order of research)
- base defense
- organization of air combat (number and types of aircraft)
- prevent countries from surrendering
- production
...

I just like to have a feasible solution.

Best regards,

Flyshberg

geisthund:
- where to build the main and the minor bases (base extensions)

I started out in india with a multifunctional base, then to north america with another multifunctional base. these were where alien activity appeared to be highest for me. (In between I planted radar coverage as diffusely as I could)

third base was in south america for r&d, where alien activity appeared to be low.

fourth and fifth bases were in australia (low activity) clustered with 3 shipyards, so that I can strip down ships fast and build new ones concurrently, or else just strip down two ships at the same time. they are purely manufacturing bases

sixth base in africa, between north america and india as a platform for staging responses since activity appeared highest here at this point.

seventh base in the south pole

eighth base on a tiny island between africa and america, simply to complete radar coverage


- how to develop the bases (which sections to build and how many of them)

each was different. the first two bases were mixed bases with elements of everything in them - manufacturing, research and response. this was necessary at the start to build momentum.

the subsequent bases were specialized, to provide support to the first two, except for my africa base which is purely a reponse platform since i noticed so much activity there. (and subsequently found an alien base)

- focus on research (order of research)

primarily on alien weapons and armour so i would always have the edge in combat, and then later on the alien backstory, and lastly the human weapons, most of which were pretty awful (lasers? seriously??) except for the coilgun, except that has such a large cartridge with only 2 shots (eh?) its utility is hampered.

- base defense

i rarely ever get base attacks for some reason. each base is pretty heavily defended with air cover and 3 laser turrets. when it does happen its kinda fun. In another thread users talk about organizing the layout of their bases to cluster incoming aliens. I didn't think of this so my aliens come from multiple directions. generally i get all my troops to go to a hanger, and the aliens are usually there.

- organization of air combat (number and types of aircraft)

initially the two mixed bases had a firebird and two stilettos each, changing to a firebird and two saracans each.

the extra bases as they came up generally just had 1 saracan. fitted with alien armour and particle guns they still pack a punch, although sometimes they run out of ammo.

towards the later part of the game i replaced my firebirds with herakles just to see what difference they made. the answer is almost none.
I did not ever build any advanced hybrid fighters because the requirements in terms of alien materials are just too much, and i have better things to do with them like turn out weapons.

one thing i missed from x com was being able to manufacture certain things cheap and sell them for a big profit - to help boost my economy.

there were instances when my cash fell as low as $20k.

with the above strategy, eventually i wound up with a steady state income balance of 1.4 million, including all the salvaging and resale of weapons that i generate from intercepting all UFOs. It is slowly creeping up now that the corrupters have appeared on the scene.

- prevent countries from surrendering

I never faced this problem for some reason :\
I guess the best way is to just shoot down every last UFO and kill every alien by hand. I don't use autocomplete because more civvies die that way, although I've read that your soldiers level faster?

also i don't lose missions and soldiers. initially for the largest part of the game this was simply because they were better armed and armoured than the aliens

towards the end now the aliens have weapons that really pack a punch, but i can't bear to see my lieutenants or warrant officers die so either i heal them in combat (all carry medpacks) or else I reload if any fall in 1 shot.
I guess that's why the countries are happy with me.

the final alien base mission is hard, because of the number of aliens and they way they flow. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but the aliens are setup in "zones", and after clearing one zone, stepping into another results in aliens coming at you from two directions. they tend to focus on 1 character at a time, so its difficult to survive with a full team. still trying to do that, for my ego - otherwise i've won the game multiple times losing 1 soldier out of 8. I really wish there were mines in this game that I could chuck into the corridors...

Sarin:
My usual:

HQ-Cyprus or somewhere around there. Interceptor/dropship/research oriented. First workshop base right next to it, as well as UFO yard. Workshop and offbase defences provide cover against enemies.

Second base, north of Gulf of Mexico. Interceptor/dropship base with integrated defense, workshop base next to it.

Third interceptor/dropship base at southeast Asia, same setting as second.

Radar 1: South Africa, 3x SAM site next to it.
Radar 2: East Siberia, same defense.
Radar 3: South America, same defense.

All three bases with interceptors have 1x Stiletto, later upgraded to Stingray, and 1x Saracen (this is for knocking down scouts/fighters, with two PB cannons it's enough, so I don't waste AM).

Team equipment: 2x snipers, 2x explosive/special guys (GL, RL later changed to another special weapon), 2x machine gunners, 2x close/assault specialists (flamer and assault rifle, later upgraded to plasma rifle). Everyone carries a IR goggles, medikit, couple on grenades, secondary weapon with two reloads, and at least two reloads for main weapon. Assaults also get flashbangs, and if there is space troops also get knife or later monomolecular blade.

geisthund:
is there any advantage of the monomolecular over the plasma?

kurja:

--- Quote from: geisthund on May 27, 2012, 08:11:55 pm ---is there any advantage of the monomolecular over the plasma?

--- End quote ---

monomolecular knife over the plasma blade? plasma blade is a single use item.

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