My tactics

[Kaleh]

First off all, I would like to say this game rules.Im playing it from the first apearance and i can say im allways comming back after some time of not playing it.
Now for the main part: Tactics i use.
As i said earlier im playing this for a long time, but i never finished it.I noticed in 2.5 that i need to realy change my aproach on aliens.
I used to equip every soldier with a gun, some ammo, armor, medikit and IR goggles, but never gave them grenades (and now i see smokes can be realy usefull).I also noticed new weight affecting TU.So most people say snipers dont need to carry armor, but i still give them because in later game i use Coilgun (in hands of expert 1 shot kills blodspider).
I first tend to get lasers, but until then i use plasma weaponry (Mostly rifle).Also i rarely use rockets (not the weapon of my choice) and flame thrower.But grenade launcher is a must.
I try to let aliens come to me, and i try to prepare a ambush for them (allways 2-3 guys waiting for them).Maybe tats why i have my starting team still alive 
For the base layout, I use 4 labs, 2 laser abtteries, 1 rocket, 2 small hangars and 1 large, 2-3 living quarters.For base deffenses i allways leave 3 guys in the control room (one with camera room)-2 to watch the hallway from workshop and one inside.Rest i send on the main entrance but from 2 directions.With 4 labs i manage to researyh everything in short period of time, and when i dont have anything else to research i sell them and use them for antimatter storage and 1 extra workshop.
When im using that aproach, all my countries are happy or atleast neutral, and i can take down lot of UFos if placed in eaurope.Also when i see a harvester aproaching the base, i send out one interceptor to lure him away (but to stay in the base deffense range) and send the other one to help.
If this helped someone, please tell me and if you have any advices for me, let me know.Im still trying to find a way to deal with armored Ortnoks (my greatest threat).

[ShipIt]

Ortnoks can take a punch or two, but are quite slow. For killing them, Plasma Blade or EP-rounds are best imo.

[Kaleh]

Ortnoks can take a punch or two, but are quite slow. For killing them, Plasma Blade or EP-rounds are best imo.

Ill try that imidiately.

[Kaleh]

Yes, thats seems to do the trick, but only one problem: It requiers the CC soldier, and i dont like that.

[anonymissimus]

if you flashbang them, you can spread the necessary damage, respectively time units, over 2, or even more, turns, when flashbanged again.

[Kaleh]

if you flashbang them, you can spread the necessary damage, respectively time units, over 2, or even more, turns, when flashbanged again.

Will try that too.

[TBeholder]

Yes, thats seems to do the trick, but only one problem: It requiers the CC soldier, and i dont like that.

EP ammo is available for LMG and AR, right? So, heavies and scout/support.
Either way, of course it's better to use long-range RF - but not always possible, and not always enough. Close range is not what you want... it's what you sometimes need. I try to place them behind corners and combine with long-range support who can at least wound the attackers.
Since charging in with a short-range weapon is very unhealthy, use those in RF and to finish off melee units. Shotgun allows to carry grenades for longer range and indirect attacks. Flamethrower forces narrow specialization, however.

[Kaleh]

EP ammo is available for LMG and AR, right? So, heavies and scout/support.
Either way, of course it's better to use long-range RF - but not always possible, and not always enough. Close range is not what you want... it's what you sometimes need. I try to place them behind corners and combine with long-range support who can at least wound the attackers.
Since charging in with a short-range weapon is very unhealthy, use those in RF and to finish off melee units. Shotgun allows to carry grenades for longer range and indirect attacks. Flamethrower forces narrow specialization, however.

Well, i loose all my CC units when i try to aproach, and i have the support ones.My current team has nanos-laser rifles,machineguns,electromagnetic-medikit,2-4grenades,IR,and 2 extra magazines.Also i noticed that laser and MGs can stun the enemy, but will die in 1-4 turns.Now upgrading my elecromagnetic rifles to coilguns (have 3 sniper-1-2 shot kills)

[Kaleh]

Im using 2 saves: 1 for testing your proposals-tips here and one where i play and on testing i lost over 30 units and on real i lost 2-3 (Where i dont have CC units)
Also i found my first alien base (yay  )So if anyone can tell me the behaviour of the aliens in there and whats  the goal (dont want to attack it until im ready).

[anonymissimus]

So if anyone can tell me the behaviour of the aliens in there and whats  the goal (dont want to attack it until im ready).

Will be about 20-24 aliens (IIRC). Herakles dropship, lots of smoke grenades (more than normal lengthy missions), extra ammunition (2 replacement packs for everyone, 3 or more for fast-consuming weapons such as coilgun). At the very least, 3 hours of real time. In 2.6. nanocomposite armor for everyone because of suffocation. No particular weaponry required, if you can beat them in other missions, you can beat them there as well. No civilians on the map. Their behavior and the goal is same as everywhere
The windows at both sides of the entrance ramp cannot be destroyed. Base attacks yield lots of battlefield loot (probably more than 100000 credits if aliens have the medium armor) and are useful for training fresh recruits.

[Kaleh]

Will be about 20-24 aliens (IIRC). Herakles dropship, lots of smoke grenades (more than normal lengthy missions), extra ammunition (2 replacement packs for everyone, 3 or more for fast-consuming weapons such as coilgun). At the very least, 3 hours of real time. In 2.6. nanocomposite armor for everyone because of suffocation. No particular weaponry required, if you can beat them in other missions, you can beat them there as well. No civilians on the map. Their behavior and the goal is same as everywhere
The windows at both sides of the entrance ramp cannot be destroyed. Base attacks yield lots of battlefield loot (probably more than 100000 credits if aliens have the medium armor) and are useful for training fresh recruits.

While i waited the reply, i found the second one.Now i can train my American teams (Have 2 heracles in America with fresh recruits).Also i found out that coilguns are extremly usefull in base defence (2-3 shots trough wall to kill sheveer)

[Kaleh]

Planing to make a new start, with a goal of ultimate gameplay (and as low losses i can) but il use old save for testing stuff (old save gives me loading of 10 minutes).ill probably post my progress to get more of advices (i am an old player, but i think i have much more to learn and just geting used to new features).Ill also put the saves for everyone.

[TBeholder]

My early squad is - 2 teams, both with AR (scout), LMG and sniper rifle, one with grenade launcher (must-have in case an alien is on the roof or behind cover, but leaves no short-range firepower) another with shotgun (flamethrower is better at point-blank, but got shorter range and doesn't leave weight allowance for grenades) for more cramped areas. The snipers mostly hang back and shoot aliens that pop up on their turn, double as observers (especially on a roof) and serve as RF bait (they score kills or near-kills at a range too great to hit with plasma pistols anything smaller than a windmill - aliens rarely land one lucky hit, and an armored soldier survives this much).