If I fire a soldier will he still be found on the pending employees list?

[Ildamos]

If I fire a soldier will he still be found on the pending employees list?

And what happens if a Firebird is on route to or from a terror mission and a UFO lands on my base? Will there be soldiers left to defend it?

Thanks for any helpful replies!

[Lew Yard]

If I fire a soldier will he still be found on the pending employees list?

Yes.  You can even use fire/hire to instantaneously transfer an employee between bases (sans gear, but you can do the same with the gear using the buy/sell mechanics).

And what happens if a Firebird is on route to or from a terror mission and a UFO lands on my base? Will there be soldiers left to defend it?

Thanks for any helpful replies!

Not unless you've got additional soldiers left behind.  No soldiers left + UFO raid = trashed base.

[tctranslation]

Yes.  You can even use fire/hire to instantaneously transfer an employee between bases

This is really good for someone who doesn't want to pay the bills.  

No soldiers left + UFO raid = trashed base.

Well, perhaps that may be something like these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ee0iNWWok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=750jnAj1O24

[Ildamos]

Thanks for the replies and the tip. I'll check the vids when I get home.

Regarding:

Not unless you've got additional soldiers left behind.  No soldiers left + UFO raid = trashed base.

How do you equip your "base defense" squad? Removing them from a Firebird removes their gear. You have to have an extra Firebird? 

[geever]

How do you equip your "base defense" squad? Removing them from a Firebird removes their gear. You have to have an extra Firebird? 

When base attack happen, it leads you to equip screen to equip soldiers for the battle (unless you disabled it).
It is for one battle only. Soldiers still wired to aircraft.

-geever

[Ildamos]

When base attack happen, it leads you to equip screen to equip soldiers for the battle (unless you disabled it).
It is for one battle only. Soldiers still wired to aircraft.

-geever

I mean what if my only Firebird is up in the air? How do you leave a homedefense squad? With a second firebird? Or do you mean that even if a Firebird is up ferrying troops midway between a base and an alien landing zone, those same troops can defend your base?

[tctranslation]

The one-shot gears up and down is a good idea since it's always different when trying to kill and being try to kill-ed. I really understand the feeling, really.

[geever]

I mean what if my only Firebird is up in the air? How do you leave a homedefense squad? With a second firebird? Or do you mean that even if a Firebird is up ferrying troops midway between a base and an alien landing zone, those same troops can defend your base?

No. "Spare soldiers" defend the base.

For example, you hire 10 soldiers, assign 8 to your Firebird, equip them and send to a mission. Your base get attacked, you can equip the remaining two with equipment left on base and fight with them. No need for a second Firebird (or other dropship). If you have more than eight soldiers at base the first eight will be selected (you cannot choose from them ATM).

When I told you soldiers must be assigned to an aircraft to be able to fight, I've been aware about baseattack missions, I didn't lie. It is done via temporary fake-aircraft codewise this case. Of course the plan is to remove this dependency, but it's not an easy job.

-geever

[Ildamos]

For example, you hire 10 soldiers, assign 8 to your Firebird, equip them and send to a mission. Your base get attacked, you can equip the remaining two with equipment left on base and fight with them.

That cleared things up beautifully. Thanks Geever.