General > Tactics

How To Start: Build, Research and Equipment At The Beginning

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Machiavegli:
Total newb here.  What is the best build/research/buy/equip order starting off in the beginning of the game?  I have found more general for newbs in these forums but I'm looking for what to build, buy and equip and do right out of the gate.  What buildings do I build first? Another lab? Another interceptor bay? What do I do with production and research teams? (Especially production: there doesn't seem to be much to do because everything can be bought.)  How do I fill the ten extra beds I'm given at the beginning of the game?  What attributes do I pick for my starting attack group, and how do I equip them?  What should I buy?  How should I equip my first interceptor and transport?  I see a lot of threads address these more generally, but I haven't found anything that talks about how to start off the game on the right foot.  Thanks for any advice you can provide.  (Assume I'm starting off in standard mode.)

Namerutan:

--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---Total newb here.  What is the best build/research/buy/equip order starting off in the beginning of the game?  I have found more general for newbs in these forums but I'm looking for what to build, buy and equip and do right out of the gate.
--- End quote ---

It depends a lot on your way of playing; I could give some general advices, but then your possibilities would be directed to the way I play.  ;)
Best thing I can tell you is: try different things, explore the possibilities of the game by starting new campaigns after trying some things, then you will get the fun from discovering stuff yourself.
Anyway, I'll try to answer some of your questions below.



--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---What buildings do I build first? Another lab? Another interceptor bay?
--- End quote ---
You start with a balanced base, with buildings of each type, so it does not mind much what do you do at first (at least in standard/easy levels). Once you have played several campaigns, you will know some buildings need more time to be built (workshop, lab, antimatter containment), and cost more cash; so these need some more planning. You will not need workshops in the first month, and cannot build antimatter containment yet, so just care to plan for labs, while can build other stuff with less planning.

However, a must is to build in first day an Ufo yard; you need to store recovered ufos to study them, then dissassemble to get components (and research them) to get new technologies for your own ships.

After several campaigns, you will notice one more thing: the base layout is important to better defend from base attacks.
You could play with a single base (at least on lower difficulties), but it is much more reasonable (and fun) to build more bases; I think 3 bases is the lower amount for me, while 4-5 gives much more fun (and helps more in hardest difficulties, but it cost a lot to get cash enough).
I usually start the second base also in day 1 (in all difficulties). There are 2 required buildings that needs a bunch of days, and you cannot build in not connected tiles, so it will take some time before your new bases start being operative.


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---What do I do with production and research teams? (Especially production: there doesn't seem to be much to do because everything can be bought.)
--- End quote ---
After you have researched some new technologies, your workshop will start being low to maintain your needs, but on first month you can simply ignore them. I think month 3 is my start to use workshops, so I start building these in my second base in month 2.



--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---How do I fill the ten extra beds I'm given at the beginning of the game?
--- End quote ---
When you play on hardest difficulties, you will have severe restrictions on the staff you can hire, so that will set what to do with your extra room in living quarters. On easier difficulties I would use it for more soldiers and/or scientists.



--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---What attributes do I pick for my starting attack group, and how do I equip them?  What should I buy?
--- End quote ---
This is the area of the game where you can get more fun; explore the different possibilities in different campaigns, try different approachs: use more close combat units, or more snipers, or more assault, or balance all them... Try every possible weapon, to discover strengths and weaknesses, and what gives you better results while using some tactics/strategies.
As a starting point, I suggest you to use a balanced team, 2 with pistols, 1 with assault rifles, 1 with machine gun, 1 with sniper rifle, 1 with grenade launcher, 1 with rocket launcher, 1 with flamethrower; most them with support equipment: medikit, glasses, and a few grenades (of all types), and with ammunition to reload weapons.



--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---How should I equip my first interceptor and transport?
--- End quote ---
In easier difficulties, you would like to use several interceptors in each base (2-3), so you can deal with ufos. Try every possible equipment for your crafts, then chose what best suits your needs. Tip: there is a weapon with longer range than any ufo weapon.



--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 19, 2017, 02:56:12 am ---(Assume I'm starting off in standard mode.)

--- End quote ---
I recommend you to play the campaign several times in each difficulty, starting with the easiest one.
You will discover that some strategies are not good for different difficulties.

Machiavegli:
Best thing I can tell you is: try different things, explore the possibilities of the game by starting new campaigns after trying some things, then you will get the fun from discovering stuff yourself.

*******

[Battlescape] is the area of the game where you can get more fun; explore the different possibilities in different campaigns, try different approachs: use more close combat units, or more snipers, or more assault, or balance all them... Try every possible weapon, to discover strengths and weaknesses, and what gives you better results while using some tactics/strategies.

I spent several hours trying to set up a "balanced" ground assault team in skirmish mode.  Two-thirds of the squad died on the ramp of the plane on the first turn.  Then I saw something about smoke grenades being important, and  I spent a few more hours trying to re-balance my team with more smoke grenades. I lost half my squad in just three turns (and more wounded), with only two aliens killed.  I think there should be some simple weapon and loadout combinatitons that work. I just want to know the basic stuff. Now I know know smoke grenades are good.  How about frag/flashbang/incendiary greandes? How many of each should I be carrying? What are the best basic guns? How much extra ammo? What are the best alternate ammos, especially sabot v. flechette for the shotgun?  You said to try pistols: which one(s)?  I'm just trying to get a survivable ground team and get through a ground mission, so I know I'm competent enough to (maybe) get through the whole game.  Please help me do that. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Namerutan:

--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---I spent several hours trying to set up a "balanced" ground assault team in skirmish mode.  Two-thirds of the squad died on the ramp of the plane on the first turn.
--- End quote ---

I think skirmish can be good some times to try things, but you can get very hard games in skirmish mode; for example, you can start with very bad combinations of equipment, while the enemies got nice ones.


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---Then I saw something about smoke grenades being important, and  I spent a few more hours trying to re-balance my team with more smoke grenades.
--- End quote ---
All grenades requires few Time Units to be used, so you can use a smoke grenade to hide your troops before the visible enemy can shoot at you; then you got time to re-position your troops as needed.


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---I lost half my squad in just three turns (and more wounded), with only two aliens killed.  I think there should be some simple weapon and loadout combinatitons that work. I just want to know the basic stuff.
--- End quote ---
Basic stuff: reaction fire is deadly, especially if the enemy uses advanced weapons (like it can be in skirmish) and good armours (so you deal very low damage to them with basic weapons). In campaign (not in skirmish), aliens start using kerrblades (a big knife) and plasma pistols. Plasma pistol requires 6 Time Units for the faster shoot type, so you can use a few soldiers with pistols (the small one), that requires just 4 Time Units for a fast shoot; if the alien is not wearing some armour (at the star of the campaign) with 2 or maybe 3 shoots you can kill an alien, so you have chances to survive. Back to your base, your wounded soldier will use the hospital to fast recover health, and as a bonus, the max health value will get a good increase. While in the battlescape, use another soldier with a medikit to treat the wounds, so there is no more health lost due to bleeding.


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---Now I know know smoke grenades are good.  How about frag/flashbang/incendiary greandes? How many of each should I be carrying?
--- End quote ---
All grenades are good, as these requires low amount of Time Units, so you can use them without triggering the reaction fire from the enemy. Flashbang, if thrown near an enemy facing to the spot where you throw it, will deplete its remaining Time Units, so no reaction fire this round (and you are safe to shoot that alien with the same or with other soldiers); also will deplete the Time Units for the next round. Beware, there is no visible sign to know in advance if the enemy got stun (blind by the light from the flashbang) or not (for example if was facing to another direction).


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---What are the best basic guns? How much extra ammo?
--- End quote ---
It is a matter of taste, each player prefer different ones. I personally start using 3 soldiers with pistols, 3 with assault rifles, 1 with sniper rifle and 1 with grenade launcher. After I get some plasma pistols from previous battles, I research them fast (pausing other research) to replace my pistols. Laser pistol is also faster than plasma pistols, while deal more damage than a normal pistol (laser better than bullets).
About extra ammo, it depends on the type of weapon: low weight allow you to use more clips, but for rockets or grenade launcher you will be able to carry a lot less ammo. For rifles (all kind) I usually go with 2 extra clips (each soldier); for pistols I go with 4 extra clips (less weight, and less time units each shot, so you can shoot much more times).


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---What are the best alternate ammos, especially sabot v. flechette for the shotgun?
--- End quote ---
I saw a lot players that get fun using shotguns, but I personally do not use these. As I said, try yourself and chose what gives you more fun. I played the first 3 months of the campaign like 50 times :-D  testing different things, before I played a full campaign.


--- Quote from: Machiavegli on March 20, 2017, 01:18:27 am ---You said to try pistols: which one(s)?  I'm just trying to get a survivable ground team and get through a ground mission, so I know I'm competent enough to (maybe) get through the whole game.
--- End quote ---
All pistols are good enough, but I prefer the small one, as it requires less time units. It is enough to kill the aliens in first missions, especially if you spot one using a kerrblade and from certain distance. If the enemy uses plasma pistols, after I depleted the enemy's reaction fire shooting with my pistols, I am safe to use (other soldiers with) weapons that can deal more damage (sniper/assault rifles).
But you can try different tactics:
Use smoke to get cover, then use a single soldier to move outside the smoke: all soldiers can shoot at the visible enemies, without any reaction fire: they cannot see where are the shooters, just the guy outside the smoke.
Use flashbangs to deplete the enemy's time units.
Use sniper rifles to shoot through thin objects (trees, windows, even thin walls) so the enemy have much less chances to hit you.
Try to move around houses or small obstacles to shoot from rear side: if the enemy does not see you, you are safe.

Norby:
There are good advices in ufopaedia.org, although my fist working strategy was completely different so pobably you will find another also.

Some advices:
- You should learn everything about reaction fire. The effect is cumulative if you keep your soliders together in a line.
- Use radar ("r" key) and even a ruler on the monitor before fire to detemine if an enemy see your solider.
- Accuracy is very important. Even rookies could be effective with Sniper Rifle just do not forget to crouch first.
- Scientists can work on a task only in one base at once so better if you fill up a base with labors and another with workshops.
- Always keep enough soliders at home, base attacks sometimes comes out of the air. Well not exacty just looks like, due to radars need some time to detect an ufo so if it is appear near the base then sometimes arrive sooner than detected.
- In skimrish you can safely reduce the number of enemies a bit lower from the default 30. :)
- Use IR Googles to X-ray buildings, ideally in all turns. To learn the size of the scanned area once put one into a hand and "fire" to scan.
- A big decision is a bit later than whether you go to the all missions with the same 8 soliders to improve them as fast as possible or use 2 teams to cover the whole planet and catch more ufos. The first way probably need more reloads due to unwanted lost of an experrienced team member, second is fit better if you like to restrict reloads, so depends on your playstyle.
- Read through the tip of days, FAQ, wiki, and ask again. ;)

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