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X-COM: Apocalypse cheats / X-COM: Apocalypse hints / X-COM: Apocalypse faqs / X-COM: Apocalypse solutions X-COM: Apocalypse faqs and solutions The X-COM Apocalypse Internet FAQ v0.99 September 27, 1997 Copyright 1997 Roger Wong. All Rights Reserved. xcom3@bigfoot.com Visit the website: http://www.khan.org/~roger/games/xcom3 DISCLAIMER The purpose of this strategy guide is to aid the public with strategies and tactics for use in the game X-COM Apocalypse, by Mythos Games Ltd., and MicroProse Ltd. In no way should this strategy guide promote your killing yourself, killing others, or killing in any other fashion. Roger Wong claims NO responsibility regarding any illegal activity concerning this strategy guide, or indirectly related to this strategy guide. TRADEMARK INFORMATION X-COM and X-COM Apocalypse are trademarks of MicroProse Ltd., and are so acknowledged. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. COPYRIGHT NOTICE This article is Copyright 1997 by Roger Wong. All rights reserved. You are granted the following rights: I. To make copies of this work in original form, so long as (a) the copies are exact and complete; (b) the copies include the copyright notice and these paragraphs in their entirety; (c) the copies give obvious credit to the author, Roger Wong; (d) the copies are in electronic form. II. To distribute this work, or copies made under the provisions above, so long as (a) this is the original work and not a derivative form; (b) you do not charge a fee for copying or for distribution; (c) you ensure that the distributed form includes the copyright notice, this paragraph, the disclaimer of warranty in their entirety and credit to the author; (d) the distributed form is not in an electronic magazine or within computer software (prior explicit permission may be obtained from Roger Wong); (e) the distributed form is the NEWEST version of the article to the best of the knowledge of the distributor; (f) the distributed form is electronic. You may not distribute this work by any non-electronic media, including but not limited to books, newsletters, magazines, manuals, catalogs, and speech. You may not distribute this work in electronic magazines or within computer software without prior written explicit permission. These rights are temporary and revocable upon written, oral, or other notice by Roger Wong. This copyright notice shall be governed by the laws of the state of Texas. If you would like additional rights beyond those granted above, write to the author at "rogerw@bigfoot.com" on the Internet. Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 FOREWORD 1.2 ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE FAQ 1.3 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 1.4 GETTING THE APOCALYPSE FAQ 1.4.1 Email 1.4.2 World-wide Web 1.4.3 Usenet Newsgroups 1.5 NOTIFICATION OF UPDATES AND REVISIONS 1.6 CONTRIBUTING TO THE APOCALYPSE FAQ 1.7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS 1.8 ACCURATE INFORMATION 2. QUICK HELP 2.1 X-COM APOCALYPSE IS ALL ABOUT SEX 2.2 QUICK AND DIRTY CITYSCAPE SOLUTIONS 2.2.1 Help, I want the cheat keys! 2.2.2 Help, It's the first week and I don't know what to do! 2.2.3 Help, I want more money! 2.2.4 Help, I want more ammo! 2.2.5 Help, I can't research X, Y, or Z! 2.2.6 Help, I failed to research UFO type XYZ and now I'm stuck! 2.2.7 Help, the aliens are spreading all over my city! 2.2.8 Help, my bases keep getting raided! 2.3 QUICK AND DIRTY VEHICLE COMBAT SOLUTIONS 2.3.1 Help, I'm clueless when fighting UFOs! 2.3.2 Help, I can only launch two vehicles at a time! 2.3.3 Help, I can't capture any UFOs! 2.3.4 Help, my ships get destroyed in the alien dimension! 2.3.5 Help, my armored tank blew up with only one shot! 2.4 QUICK AND DIRTY TACTICAL COMBAT SOLUTIONS 2.4.1 Help, my Agents can't survive a single battle! 2.4.2 Help, my Agents are doing their own thing! 2.4.3 Help, my medi-kits don't work! 2.4.4 Help, my armor keeps melting! 2.4.5 Help, I can't capture any cargo or aliens! 2.4.6 Help, I want to capture a live XYZ for bio-research! 2.4.7 Help, poppers and brainsuckers in turn-based combat kill me! 2.4.8 Help, my combat keeps slowing to a crawl! 2.4.9 Help, there are too many aliens in the alien dimension buildings! 2.5 QUICK AND DIRTY DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS 2.5.1 Help, XYZ Corp is so hostile, they think aliens are their friends! 2.5.2 Help, I don't want to read all 200 pages of the manual! 2.5.3 Help, Transtellar refuses to ferry my scientists! 2.6 OTHER QUICK AND DIRTY SOLUTIONS 2.6.1 Help, my base storage is filled up with 65536 widgets! 3. MONEY AND POLITICS 3.1 THE COMMODITIES MARKET 3.1.1 Pricing and Availability 3.2 FUNDING 3.3 CORPORATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS 3.3.1 Bribes 3.3.2 Drawbacks of Hostilities 3.3.3 Advantages of Alliances 4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 4.1 QUANTUM PHYSICS RESEARCH TREE 4.1.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them 4.1.2 Things You Can Make Out Of LEGO(tm) 4.1.3 Things That Make Scientists Earn Their Pay 4.2 BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH TREE 4.2.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them 4.2.2 Things That Stink Up the Lab for Days 4.2.3 Things They Don't Teach in High School (And Probably Never Will) 5. CITYSCAPE COMBAT 5.1 DESTROYING BUILDINGS 5.1.1 Manual Control 5.2 DESTROYING VEHICLES 5.2.1 Swarm Combat 5.2.2 Attacking UFOs 5.2.3 Attacking Mega-Primus vehicles 5.3 EFFECTS OF VEHICLE EQUIPMENT 5.3.1 Disruptor Shields 5.3.2 Cloaking Field 5.3.3 Teleporter 6. TACTICAL COMBAT 6.1 REAL-TIME COMBAT TACTICS 6.1.1 When to Use RT Combat 6.1.2 Agent Equipment 6.1.3 Combat Maneuvers 6.2 TURN-BASED COMBAT TACTICS 6.2.1 When to Use TB Combat 6.2.2 Agent Equipment 6.2.3 Combat Maneuvers 7. X-COM BASE LOGISTICS 7.1 MULTIPLE BASES 7.1.1 Choosing a Base 7.1.2 Internal Layout 7.2 DEFENSE 7.2.1 Against Hostile Agents 7.2.2 Against Air Attack 8. THE ALIEN DIMENSION 8.1 HOW TO ENTER ALIEN BUILDINGS 8.2 GENERAL RULES IN THE ALIEN BUILDINGS 9. AGENTS GUIDE 9.1 X-COM AGENTS 9.1.1 Humans 9.1.2 Sectoid Hybrids 9.1.3 Androids 9.2 HOSTILE AGENTS 9.2.1 Anthropods 9.2.2 Brainsuckers 9.2.3 Hyperworms 9.2.4 Megaspawns 9.2.5 Micronoids 9.2.6 Multiworms 9.2.7 Poppers 9.2.8 Psimorphs 9.2.9 Queenspawn 9.2.10 Skeletoids 9.2.11 Spitters 9.2.12 Megapol Officers 9.2.13 Cult Members 9.2.14 Gang Members 9.2.15 Rent-a-Cops 10. VEHICLE GUIDE 10.1 X-COM VEHICLES 10.1.1 Phoenix Hovercar 10.1.2 Hoverbike 10.1.3 Valkyrie Interceptor 10.1.4 Hawk Air Warrior 10.1.5 Dimension Probe 10.1.6 Biotrans 10.1.7 Explorer 10.1.8 Retaliator 10.1.9 Annihilator 10.1.10 Stormdog 10.1.11 Wolfhound APC 10.1.12 Blazer Turbo Bike 10.1.13 Griffon AFV 10.2 ALIEN VEHICLES 10.2.1 Alien Probe 10.2.2 Alien Scout 10.2.3 Alien Transporter 10.2.4 Alien Fast Attack Ship 10.2.5 Alien Destroyer 10.2.6 Alien Assault Ship 10.2.7 Alien Bomber 10.2.8 Alien Escort 10.2.9 Alien Battleship 10.2.10 Alien Mothership 11. EQUIPMENT GUIDE 11.1 VEHICLE WEAPONS 11.1.1 Bolter 4000 Laser Gun 11.1.2 Lancer 7000 Laser Gun 11.1.3 Rendor Plasma Gun 11.1.4 Lineage Plasma Cannon 11.1.5 Plasma Multi-System 11.1.6 Light Disruptor Beam 11.1.7 Medium Disruptor Beam 11.1.8 Heavy Disruptor Beam 11.1.9 40mm Auto Cannon 11.1.10 Janitor Missile Array 11.1.11 Justice Missile Launcher 11.1.12 Prophet Missile Array 11.1.13 Retribution Missile Launcher 11.1.14 Disruptor Bomb Launcher 11.1.15 Stasis Bomb Launcher 11.1.16 Disruptor Multi-Bomb Launcher 11.1.17 Laser Defense Array 11.1.18 Plasma Defense Array 11.1.19 40mm Auto Cannon Turret 11.1.20 Airguard Anti-Air Cannon 11.1.21 GLM Array 11.1.22 Plasma Turret Cannon 11.1.23 GLM Air Defense 11.1.24 Rumble Cannon 11.2 VEHICLE ENGINES 11.2.1 SD Standard 11.2.2 SD Deluxe 11.2.3 SD Sports 11.2.4 SD Turbo 11.2.5 SD Elite 11.2.6 SD Special 11.2.7 Metro Roadhog 11.2.8 Metro Roadgrav 11.2.9 Metro Turbograv 11.2.10 Metro Powergrav 11.2.11 Metro Multipower Plus 11.3 VEHICLE EQUIPMENT 11.3.1 Light Weapons Control 11.3.2 Medium Weapons Control 11.3.3 Heavy Weapons Control 11.3.4 Cargo Module 11.3.5 Passenger Module 11.3.6 Bio-Transport Module 11.3.7 Missile Evasion Matrix 11.3.8 Small Disruption Shield 11.3.9 Large Disruption Shield 11.3.10 Cloaking Field 11.3.11 Teleporter 11.4 PERSONAL WEAPONS 11.4.1 Megapol Lawpistol 11.4.2 Megapol Plasma Gun 11.4.3 Marsec M4000 Machine Gun 11.4.4 Megapol Laser Sniper Gun 11.4.5 Megapol Auto Cannon 11.4.6 Marsec Heavy Launcher 11.4.7 Marsec MiniLauncher 11.4.8 Toxigun 11.4.9 Disruptor Gun 11.4.10 Devastator Cannon 11.4.11 Brainsucker Launcher 11.4.12 Entropy Launcher 11.4.13 Dimension Missile Launcher 11.4.14 Power Sword 11.4.15 Mind Bender 11.4.16 Megapol Stun Grapple 11.4.17 Megapol AP Grenade 11.4.18 Megapol Stun Grenade 11.4.19 Megapol Smoke Grenade 11.4.20 Diablo Incendiary Grenade 11.4.21 Marsec Proximity Mine 11.4.22 Marsec High Explosive 11.4.23 Boomeroid 11.4.24 Vortex Mine 11.4.25 Alien Gas Grenade 11.5 PERSONAL EQUIPMENT 11.5.1 Personal Disruptor Shield 11.5.2 Personal Teleporter 11.5.3 Personal Cloaking Field 11.5.4 Medi-kit 11.5.5 Motion Scanner 11.5.6 Psiclone 11.5.7 Elerium Pod 11.5.8 Megapol Armor 11.5.9 Marsec Armor 11.5.10 X-COM Armor 11.6 ALIEN BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS 11.6.1 Megaspawn Disruptor 11.6.2 Megaspawn Launcher 11.6.3 Spitter Vomit 11.6.4 Multiworm Vomit 11.6.5 Alien Egg Vomit 11.6.6 Hyperworm Bite 11.6.7 Queenspawn Vomit 11.6.8 Popper Bomb 12. INTERNAL GAMEPLAY MECHANICS 12.1 EFFECTS OF DIFFICULTY LEVELS 12.2 VEHICULAR COMBAT 12.3 TACTICAL COMBAT 12.3.1 Map Generation 12.3.2 Weapons Accuracy 12.3.3 Grenade Accuracy 12.3.4 Damage 12.3.4.1 Bullets/Energy Beams 12.3.4.2 Stun Weapons 12.3.4.3 Explosives 12.3.5 Psionic Skills 12.4 AGENTS 12.4.1 Stats & Improvements 12.4.2 Promotions and Medals 12.4.3 Healing 12.4.4 Morale 12.4.5 Encumbrance 12.4.6 Movement 12.5 SCORING 12.6 FUNDING 13. BUGS, UPDATES, AND PATCHES 14. THIRD PARTY SUPPORT 14.1 INTERNET WEBSITES 14.2 UTILITIES AND PROGRAMS 15. CLOSING STATEMENT 16. APPENDICES 16.1 TABLES 16.1.1 Agent Weapons 16.1.2 Vehicle Weapons 16.1.3 UFOs 16.1.4 UFO Crew Complements 16.1.5 Aliens Beamed Down by UFOs 16.1.6 Aliens in Alien Buildings 16.1.7 Hostile Unit Statistics 16.1.8 Workshop Profit Ratings 16.1.9 Complete Commodities Market Pricing Guide 17. REFERENCES 18. REVISION HISTORY 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 FOREWORD The Apocalypse FAQ started out as a few pages of game notes hurriedly scribbled into a small, green, spiral-bound notebook. Later additions include the answers to questions asked by the Internet's newsgroup community. This FAQ represents a significant investment of effort that could probably have been put to better use elsewhere. I only ask that you treat it with respect. Please don't cannibalize parts for your web page or charge money for other people to view it. If you are a publisher or editor, I implore you to take the time to arrange for reprints or translation rights. Now, let the FAQ begin! 1.2 ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE FAQ Welcome to v1.0 of the X-COM Apocalypse Internet FAQ. Version 1.0 is a first release. X-COM Apocalypse is the name of the game. Internet is the method of distribution. FAQs are (F)requently (A)sked (Q)uestions. For legal reasons, I wish to make it absolutely clear that the X-Com Apocalypse Internet FAQ is not supported by or associated with Mythos Games and Microprose. 1.3 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Roger Wong is a freelance writer and computer consultant. With an honors degree in computer engineering from Brunel University in England, his computer interests include security & privacy, electronic payment protocols, computer graphics, website design, game design, and electronic music. In his time away from dandruff-causing computer screens, Roger is an avid cyclist, a budding watercolor artist, and a frequent traveler. He enjoys photographing the landscape gardens of England, and often invites gorgeous Norwegian women over for nude picnics. Other Internet strategy guides by Roger Wong include The Unofficial C&C Strategy FAQ and The Red Alert Internet Strategy Guide. Away from his native home of Ft. Worth, Texas, Roger lives in the hilly countryside outside Oxford, England. He has no children, no wife, no mortgage and tries very hard to keep it that way. 1.4 GETTING THE APOCALYPSE FAQ 1.4.1 Email To receive the latest plain text version of this guide via email, send an email message to NerveGas-xcom3faq@inconnect.com. This service is completely automated. If you subscribe to an email provider such as Juno that restricts you from receiving large email messages, you may be unable to use this service. Please try the world-wide web. 1.4.2 World-wide Web For the latest plain text, HTML, and Microsoft Word versions of this FAQ, visit: http://www.khan.org/~roger/games/xcom3 1.4.3 Usenet Newsgroups This FAQ is posted to comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic at irregular intervals. 1.5 NOTIFICATION OF UPDATES AND REVISIONS To be notified of updates to this FAQ, send an email message to xcom3@bigfoot.com and place the following phrase in your subject header: XCOM3 Update 1.6 CONTRIBUTING TO THE APOCALYPSE FAQ If you have something to add to the FAQ, please send email to xcom3@bigfoot.com, explaining what your addition is. It will be reviewed, and if accepted, added to the next FAQ version. In the email, please supply your name and email address. Please note that all submissions to the FAQ become property of the author (Roger Wong) and that they may or may not be acknowledged. By submitting to the FAQ, you grant permission for use of your submission in any future publications of the FAQ in any media. The author reserves the right to omit information from a submission or delete the submission entirely. 1.7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS I want to thank game designer Julian Gollop. He graciously provided the data structures and algorithms upon which much of this FAQ is based. The editors of Gamespot and PC Gamer UK deserve credit for funding my X-COM Apocalypse research. You, my readers, make it worth my while. My sister, Sherry, provided me with a steady stream of food and clean laundry during her summer break from college. Heaven knows I can't take care of myself. Finally, my deepest thanks goes to my mom, without whom I would not be possible. 1.8 ACCURATE INFORMATION All attempts have been made to make the information in this strategy guide as accurate as possible. If any information in this strategy guide is incorrect, please let me know at xcom3@bigfoot.com. Future updates, add-ons, bug fixes, and Internet address changes may render parts of this strategy guide obsolete. The information in this strategy guide is accurate as of version 1.00 of X-COM Apocalypse. I have duplicated some information in the different sections as a reading aid. I hope it reduces the time you spend flipping back and forth between pages. If you have further time-saving suggestions, please send them to xcom3@bigfoot.com. 2. QUICK HELP 2.1 X-COM APOCALYPSE IS ALL ABOUT SEX Many of the answers to your game play questions are listed below. Skim through the headings to see if any of them fit your circumstances. If your question is not listed here, or if you wish for more information, please see the remaining chapters of this FAQ for detailed explanations of these concepts. 2.2 QUICK AND DIRTY CITYSCAPE SOLUTIONS 2.2.1 Help, I want the cheat keys! There aren't any. If you really want to cheat, search the Internet for a game editor. 2.2.2 Help, It's the first week and I don't know what to do! There isn't one correct way to begin, but the following worked for me: Try building the following: an extra set of physics and biology labs, living quarters for your scientists. And then buy the following: as many hoverbikes as you can, janitor missile launchers for your hoverbikes. Equip them. To succesfully attack UFOs: Scramble all your hoverbikes and hovercars at once. With this combined force, attack each UFO one by one, starting with the UFO closest to you. To prevent aliens from infiltrating in your city: When you spot UFOs hovering and beaming aliens into a building, send five or six agents in a vehicle to that building and investigate. Equip your agents with the following: 1 medi-kit 2 stun grenades 2 AP grenades 2 machineguns, law pistols, or autocannons In combat, do the following: Play in real-time so you can fire two weapons at once, Use snap-shots or aimed shots. Never use auto-fire, Kneel, or better yet, crawl to improve your accuracy, Stay in front of a corridor or doorway and wait for the aliens to walk into your line of fire. When out of combat: research any alien-equipment-you-have-but-you-don't-know-what-it-is, research alien bodies and corpses. (Note: If you don't bring back any alien bodies or equipment from combat, check the vehicle in which you sent your agents. To bring back equipment, the vehicle must be equipped with a Cargo Module. To bring back alien bodies, it must be equipped with a Bio-Transport Module. If you do not have a Bio-Transport Module, you must research and manufacture one yourself.) 2.2.3 Help, I want more money! To increase your government funding: score lots of points at the end of the week, avoid purposefully destroying parts of the city. To increase your raw funds: sell vehicles for which you have no use, sell items for which you have no use, raid Cult of Sirius temples for psiclone over and over again, sell the psiclone you capture from the temple raids, manufacture and sell items from your workshops. 2.2.4 Help, I want more ammo! Since ammunition can be tight during the first few weeks of the game, you should follow a few short rules: don't use auto-fire, avoid long-range firefights, research ammunition-free weapons as soon as possible, arm your agents with weapons such as the machine gun and plasma pistols that have high bullet counts per clip. 2.2.5 Help, I can't research X, Y, or Z! Whether or not you can research a particular item depends on both finding a particular object and upon previous research done in a related field. Check the research tree for more details. 2.2.6 Help, I failed to research UFO type XYZ and now I'm stuck! After the first few weeks have passed, the aliens stop sending their smaller UFOs. If this happens before you've had a chance to capture one of the small UFO types, you may wait weeks without ever seeing one again. Since X-COM vehicle research depends entirely upon the capture of alien UFO technology, a missing link in the chain can really set you back. When all is said and done, the best course of action is to restart the game and make it a point to capture all the UFO types the second time around. If you choose to wait it out, you could spend several game weeks waiting for a UFO type that may never come again. 2.2.7 Help, the aliens are spreading all over my city! When you spot UFOs hovering and beaming aliens into a building, send your agents to that building and investigate. By the time you receive an official alert, the aliens will have already established themselves. Destroy UFOs in the air before they beam any aliens down. 2.2.8 Help, my bases keep getting raided! Be nicer to your neighbors. Install security stations around your entry portal and vehicle repair bay. Buy bases with entrances you can easily cover with security stations. 2.3 QUICK AND DIRTY VEHICLE COMBAT SOLUTIONS 2.3.1 Help, I'm clueless when fighting UFOs! Scramble all your hoverbikes and hovercars at once. With this combined force, attack each UFO one by one. Some UFOs contain troops, while others are just escorts. Go for the troop carriers first. They are usually slower and less numerous than the escort ships. Missile launchers are only useful against the slower UFOs. Against faster UFOs, missiles will run out of fuel before they hit. Use beam weapons against the fast UFO types. 2.3.2 Help, I can only launch two vehicles at a time! This is because your base only has two vehicle launching bays. You could buy a new base with more bays, but it will cost money. Better yet, place all your fighting vehicles in the Transtellar spaceport. There are so many vehicle bays there that once you send the scramble command, they will all launch at once. 2.3.3 Help, I can't capture any UFOs! Only a crewed flying vehicle can capture a UFO. To capture large UFOs, you must first defeat the shipwrecked alien crew. 2.3.4 Help, my ships get destroyed in the alien dimension! The Dimension Probe is only meant as an experiment. Send it back home as soon as it reaches the alien dimension. There are a few things that you can do to prevent alien UFOs from destroying your troop carrying ships in the alien dimension. On the way in, escort your troop carrier with a couple of Retaliator or Annihilator craft. Your escorts will force the aliens to divide their fire. Use a disruptor shield-laden Biotrans as a troop carrier. The X-COM Biotrans craft is both fast and durable. On the way out, wait for a clean flight path before leaving the destroyed alien building. If you wish, switch to overhead mode and manually select flight waypoints that will steer your craft clear of enemy UFOs. To solve all your entry and exit problems forever, send a flotilla of advanced X-COM craft and destroy every last UFO in the alien dimension. 2.3.5 Help, my armored tank blew up with only one shot! It is unfortunate that the road is not as heavily armored as your tank. All road vehicles, tanks included, will blow up if the road underneath is destroyed. 2.4 QUICK AND DIRTY TACTICAL COMBAT SOLUTIONS 2.4.1 Help, my Agents can't survive a single battle! Take it easy. A laid-back approach to combat may work better for you. Wear armor. Keep your agents together so they can cover one another. If you wait in one spot long enough, the aliens will come to you. Stake out a door or corridor through which the aliens absolutely have to come through. Lying prone or kneeling will increase your bullet accuracy while making you a harder target for the aliens to hit. 2.4.2 Help, my Agents are doing their own thing! If you put your agents into aggressive attack mode, they will stand still even when under fire. 2.4.3 Help, my medi-kits don't work! Medi-kits can only be used to heal the agents carrying them. They can't be used to heal other agents or aliens. To use a medi-kit, place it into the hand of an agent, click on it, and select the body part that's lit up in red. 2.4.4 Help, my armor keeps melting! You've been hit by the dread entropy gun. The entropy enzyme will consume your armor, your equipment, and if any is still left, your agent. Personal shields will absorb 100% of the enzyme damage. However, if you don't have personal shields and you're playing in real-time, there is still hope. Try the following advice from Scott Silvey: "If you see a missile on the way and your guy isn't right next to cover, hit pause. Drop all your good equipment except armor and wait for the missile to hit. Wait a moment, then pause again. Strip off all the armor, drop it, and get your guy the hell out of there. By stripping your armor and dropping the equipment, you save them. Sometimes when you strip the armor, the entropy enzyme will chew on your agent instead -- but sometimes it doesn't, and you can get away with little or no damage." 2.4.5 Help, I can't capture any cargo or aliens! Check your agent-carrying vehicle. Only vehicles equipped with cargo or bio- transport modules may carry cargo or aliens back to base. Agents sent without vehicles can not carry cargo or aliens back to base. 2.4.6 Help, I want to capture a live XYZ for bio-research! Anthropods, Brainsuckers, Hyperworms, Multiworms, Skeletoids, and Spitters can be stunned with a single stun gas grenade. Megaspawn and Psimorphs are difficult to stun because of their vast amount of health. Knock their health down with a few shots of regular ordnance to make them easier to stun with either gas and grapple. Queenspawn: It is difficult to approach the Queenspawn without being injured, so throw stun grenades at a distance. Wait until the gas from one begins to dissipate before throwing the next. Micronoid Aggregate: Micronoids are completely immune to stun gas. Use the stun grappler instead. 2.4.7 Help, poppers and brainsuckers in turn-based combat kill me! Pick up brainsucker pods and put them into your backpack to prevent them from hatching. Wear flying suits to lift your units off the ground. Poppers can only track ground-based units. Use real-time combat for popper and brainsucker rich combat environments. 2.4.8 Help, my combat keeps slowing to a crawl! When the game draws a lot of transparent items such as smoke, fire, or explosions, the CPU will be bogged with calculations. To speed the game again, you merely need to reduce the required calculations. You may either wait for the smoke and fire to subside, or you can tell the computer to only show you a "slice" of the display. To do this, click the button on the left side of the screen to toggle your display between the full-level views and the single-level view. 2.4.9 Help, there are too many aliens in the alien dimension buildings! Alien buildings receive reinforcements at a rate of about one every 20 seconds. If you have the means, destroy the orange reinforcement pads with copious amounts of alien explosives. Otherwise, finish your objectives quickly and don't loiter. 2.5 QUICK AND DIRTY DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS 2.5.1 Help, XYZ Corp is so hostile, they think aliens are their friends! Kind words seem to have more effect when you back them up with a big stick. If you attack the buildings of uncooperative organizations, they will sometimes see the light and come forth with a peace settlement. Pay what they ask to restore relations to neutral. 2.5.2 Help, I don't want to read all 200 pages of the manual! Much of the information in the manual is duplicated in the FAQ. So, if you did not read the manual, and you missed such tidbits as right-clicking on grenades makes them explode on contact, vehicles can be controlled manually, what happens when corporations get angry, don't worry, because you'll learn about them as you read this FAQ. 2.5.3 Help, Transtellar refuses to ferry my scientists! There's no way around this. If you're not on friendly terms with Transtellar, you will never be able to move scientists around the city. 2.6 OTHER QUICK AND DIRTY SOLUTIONS 2.6.1 Help, my base storage is filled up with 65536 widgets! This is the "65536 widgets" bug. Others have reported it, but no one is exactly sure what causes it. I myself have not witnessed it, but Rob Fermier has, and this is his advice: "I had the 65536 problem too, and found a work around. Mine occurred when Transtellar went hostile to me as a result of a mission. The problem went away when I reloaded to a previous save game and gave money to Transtellar before the battle." 3. MONEY AND POLITICS 3.1 THE COMMODITIES MARKET When a corporation wishes to buy or sell items, it does so on the commodities market. Refer to the Appendix for a full list of market items. 3.1.1 Pricing and Availability The commodities market always contains a stock level for each item. When you buy and sell items, the stock levels will naturally rise and fall. At the beginning of each week, the stock levels and prices of the items undergo adjustments as follows: a. Mega-Primus Produced Items Stock Levels The new stock levels are determined by the formula below. However, the stock level will never rise or fall beyond the maximum and minimum stock levels given for each item. Refer to the Appendix for a full list of these minimum and maximum stock levels. Average_Stock_Level = (Min_Stock + Max_Stock) / 2 New_Stock_Level = Random (Average_Stock_Level + Current_Stock_Level) Pricing If the new stock levels are higher than the average stock level, the current price will fall by up to 3%. If the new stock levels are lower, the current price can rise by up to 3%. A price will never fall lower than half, or rise more than double the original market price. Refer to the Appendix for the original market price of an items. b. X-COM and Alien Produced Items Stock Levels At the start of each new week, it may appear as if the X-COM or alien produced items you sell have been bought up by other organizations. How much inventory disappears is determined as follows: 40% chance of nothing being bought. 30% chance of 1/5th the stock being bought. 30% chance of 1/3rd the stock being bought. Pricing The price of X-COM or alien produced items can only fall. How much a price falls depends on how much you sell. According to the game code, the price drops are calculated as follows: If more than half of Max_Stock is sold, the price falls 3% to 5%. If more than Max_Stock is sold, the price falls 5% to 10%. If more than twice Max_Stock is sold, the price falls 5% to 15%. Under no circumstances will the price fall past 50% of an item's original market price. Please refer to the appendix for the Max_Stock values and original market prices of X-COM and alien produced items. 3.2 FUNDING Your initial starting funds are determined by the difficulty level you choose at the beginning of the game. Difficulty Weekly Level Funds Income Novice 140000 92000 Beginner 130000 89000 Medium 120000 86000 Hard 110000 83000 Superhuman 100000 80000 If you do well enough during the week to have a high score, the government increases your income. Weekly Income Score Increase 401 5.00% 801 6.25% 1601 8.33% 3201 12.50% 6401 20.00% 12801 25.00% However, if you do poorly, your income can be reduced, or even terminated. X-COM funding will also be terminated if the government becomes hostile for any reason. The decision to terminate is irrevocable. Weekly Income Score Decrease -1 6.66% -401 10.00% -801 20.00% -1600 25.00% -2401 terminate The government itself earns money each week from income tax. Every building you destroy puts people out of jobs, and reduces the government's income. If the government is low on funds, it will never give more than half its current balance to X-COM as income. 3.3 CORPORATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS All your neighbors expect a bit of consideration for their property. If you want to keep them civil, you'll have to refrain from executing any Hollywood-style demolition exercises inside other peoples' buildings. Aim high instead of low when firing at UFOs. As you increase the difficulty level of your game, you will find it more difficult to hold stable diplomatic relations with your neighbors. 3.3.1 Bribes There's nothing wrong with a bribe now and again to keep an organization off your back. In face of such benevolence, most organizations will become more friendly towards X-COM. The amount you have to pay depends on the size of the organization you are bribing, and the difficulty level at which you are playing. If you've pissed an organization off to such a degree that it refuses your bribes, getting back on good terms will require some iron-fisted management. You'll have to beat them into submission by raiding and destroying their buildings. Eventually, they'll offer a settlement. Organizations that have been infiltrated by aliens will refuse to have anything to do with you. Check the UFOpeadia to see whether an organization is under the influence of aliens or just being plain stubborn. 3.3.2 Drawbacks of Hostilities Aside from the frequent raids on X-COM property, hostilities with Mega- Primus organizations have additional ill-effects: Organization Consequence Any manufacturer You will be unable to buy their goods. Megapol Police patrol vehicles will attack you. Mutant Alliance You will be unable to recruit Hybrids. S.E.L.F. You will be unable to recruit Androids. Senate Funding will be terminated. Transtellar You will be unable to transport goods or any new scientists that you hire. 3.3.3 Advantages of Alliances Allying is a good way of keeping important organizations friendly. On the whole, allied organizations are more tolerant of your activities and are less likely to take offense if you accidentally level their new corporate headquarters. Apart from this, allying has little other effect on the game. Any improvements you may think you see in such things as the recruitment pool or the commodities market are coincidence. 4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 4.1 QUANTUM PHYSICS RESEARCH TREE 4.1.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them All UFO types Alien Control System Alien Energy Source Alien Propulsion System Boomeroid Dimension Launcher Dimension Launcher Missile Disruptor Gun Light Disruptor Beam Personal Cloaking Field Personal Shield Personal Teleporter Vortex Mine 4.1.2 Things You Can Make Out Of LEGO(tm) Advanced Quantum Lab - Energy Source or Control System or Propulsion System Advanced Workshop - Dimension Probe Advanced Control System - Disruptor Bomb Cloaking Field - Large Disruption Shield Devastator Cannon - Disruptor Gun Disruptor Bomb - Light Disruptor Beam Disruptor Multi-Bomb - Light Disruptor Beam Heavy Disruptor Beam - Medium Disruptor Beam Large Disruption Shield - Heavy Disruptor Beam Medium Disruptor Beam - Light Disruptor Beam Small Disruption Shield - Medium Disruptor Beam Stasis Bomb - Light Disruptor Beam Teleporter - Light Disruptor Beam 4.1.3 Things That Make Scientists Earn Their Pay Advanced Security System - Disruptor Bomb & Medium Disruptor Beam Annihilator - Retaliator & UFO Type 9 Bio Transport - Dimension Probe & UFO Type 3 Dimension Probe - Energy Source & Control System & Propulsion System Explorer - Biotrans & UFO Type 5 Retaliator - Explorer & UFO Type 6 X-COM Armor - Disruptor Gun & Small Disruption Shield & Personal Shield 4.2 BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH TREE 4.2.1 Things You Can Research By Just Finding Them Any Alien Brainsucker Launcher Entropy Launcher Entropy Pod 4.2.2 Things That Stink Up the Lab for Days Advanced Biolab - Any Alien The Alien Genetic Structure - Multiworm Egg Autopsy, Multiworm Autopsy, Hyperworm Autopsy The Alien Life Cycle - Brainsucker Pods, Brainsucker, Brainsucker Autopsy, Multiworm Egg, Multiworm, Hyperworm, Chrysalis, Chrysalis Autopsy The Real Alien Threat - Anthropod & Anthropod Autopsy & Spitter & Spitter Autopsy & Skeletoid & Skeletoid Autopsy & Popper & Popper Autopsy & Megaspawn & Megaspawn Autopsy & Micronoid & Micronoid Autopsy & Psimorph & Psimorph Autopsy 4.2.3 Things They Don't Teach in High School (And Probably Never Will) Biological Warfare - The Alien Genetic Structure Toxin B - Biological Warfare & The Alien Life Cycle Toxin C - Toxin B & The Real Alien Threat Alien Gas - Toxin C & Queenspawn & Queenspawn Autopsy 5. CITYSCAPE COMBAT 5.1 DESTROYING BUILDINGS Every city block you deliberately destroy will hurt your score. If you need to teach a hostile organization a lesson, however, you may have no other choice. Some structurally weak buildings collapse after a single shot. Others may take longer to destroy. 5.1.1 Manual Control Manual control is the best way to destroy a building. With full control of the weapons, you can aim at the supporting structures and quickly level a building. On manual control, you can also open fire outside of the organizations patrol range, and fire away without fear of retaliation from any defending vehicles. To invoke manual control, select the vehicle you wish to control and press "M". "PAGE UP" and "PAGE DOWN" control your speed, "HOME" and "END" control your altitude. To fire your weapons at a spot you target with your cursor, press the left mouse button. The right mouse button will adjust your heading. 5.2 DESTROYING VEHICLES 5.2.1 Swarm Combat Hovercars and hoverbikes are cost-efficient fighters. Since they cost so little, you can deploy them in large numbers. Because they weigh next to nothing, they are very maneuverable and can survive from one battle to the next. Plasma cannons, lasers, and janitor missiles are very effective when deployed in large numbers. Go with the janitor missiles and lasers when fighting slow vehicles and small UFOs, but switch to plasma cannons if you're going after fast vehicles or heavily armored UFOs. 5.2.2 Attacking UFOs The weapons you choose depend on the UFO type. The larger UFOs have thick armor that are impervious to some of the wimpy XCOM weapons. The minimum strength guns you should use to shoot down these chaps are the plasma cannons. Other, smaller UFOs can outrun missiles. Beam weapons are a good choice for these swift opponents. 5.2.3 Attacking Mega-Primus vehicles Hoverbikes are tough customers. They never stand still long enough to give them a good smacking. Even your Hovercar will feel like King Kong swatting at little model airplanes. If you want satisfaction against enemy bikers, use your own hoverbikes to take them down. The other vehicles are easily destroyed by your regular swarm tactics. 5.3 EFFECTS OF VEHICLE EQUIPMENT 5.3.1 Disruptor Shields Shields absorb damage that would otherwise strike the vehicles armor. Small shields can absorb 200 points of damage while large shields absorb 400 points. Shields can be added together for more protection. However, when the last point of shielding is gone, all the shields will disintegrate. 5.3.2 Cloaking Field Cloaking fields make a vehicle both more difficult to see, and a more difficult target to hit. 5.3.3 Teleporter A vehicle with a teleporter can instantly transport itself to a random part of the map. 6. TACTICAL COMBAT 6.1 REAL-TIME COMBAT TACTICS 6.1.1 When to Use RT Combat During base defense missions to make best use of your security stations. During combat missions where you want the firepower advantage of shooting two weapons at the same time. 6.1.2 Agent Equipment 6.1.3 Combat Maneuvers 6.2 TURN-BASED COMBAT TACTICS 6.2.1 When to Use TB Combat During XCOM raids in which you wish to capture psiclone. 6.2.2 Agent Equipment 6.2.3 Combat Maneuvers 7. X-COM BASE LOGISTICS 7.1 MULTIPLE BASES 7.1.1 Choosing a Base If you're worried about money, choose a base according to its internal layout, not by its cover. The large buildings come with large price tags that don't necessarily translate into square footage. If you're worried about base attacks, you're better off with a warehouse than a slum. If you're lucky enough to grab a base with three or four vehicle ports, grab it - they'll come in handy when you respond to UFO threats. 7.1.2 Internal Layout Many people choose to divide their workload amongst different bases. For example, they put their workshops into one base, and their labs into another. If you're going to use security stations, situate them by the entry portal so they can shoot the bad guys as soon as they invade. Vehicle repair bays are also a type of entry portal. If you have any repair bays, place them by the entry portal and cordon off that section of base with a string of security stations. 7.2 DEFENSE 7.2.1 Against Hostile Agents Let security stations rip them to shreds. Situate them by the entry portal so they can shoot the bad guys as soon as they invade. Vehicle repair bays are also a type of entry portal. If you have any repair bays, place them by the entry portal and cordon off that section of base with a string of security stations. 7.2.2 Against Air Attack Every base has a single grid square with a stick figure in it. This figure represents your agents. If the roof collapses on this stick figure during an attack, all your agents and scientists inside will die. So, what can you do about this? For starters, you can house your men inside a hardened building such as a two-story warehouse. They can absorb more damage than slum housing. Slums are prone to catastrophic collapse. You'll lose ALL your base that way. The best thing to do is kill the UFOs before they reach your X-COM base. But if you can't get there in time, see above. 8. THE ALIEN DIMENSION 8.1 HOW TO ENTER ALIEN BUILDINGS You can not enter an alien building until you've researched it back at the lab. Escort your main troop vessel with other vehicles to draw UFO fire away from your men. Retaliators are good for this. Once you destroy an alien building, don't launch back home immediately. Wait for a lull in the UFO patrol pattern to make your escape. 8.2 GENERAL RULES IN THE ALIEN BUILDINGS Don't loiter! New aliens arrive through orange teleporter gates every 10 seconds or so. Get in and get out. When asked to destroy objects, you don't have to destroy all the itty- bitty pods and mushrooms. Only the largest objects are marked for X-COM destruction. The exception is the Alien farm, in which all the white cubes must be destroyed. You can destroy the orange teleporters with vortex bombs. 9. AGENTS GUIDE 9.1 X-COM AGENTS 9.1.1 Humans Humans seem wimpy, but their physical skills improve quickly through combat and training. The have little psionic ability to speak of. Choose your human recruits from those with the highest amounts of strength and speed. All human attributes have a base value to which a random value is added. The random value will vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum stated below. Time Units: 70 + 15 Health: 40 + 10 Stamina: 80 + 40 Accuracy: 65 + 20 Reactions: 10 + 30 Strength: 40 + 15 Bravery: 20 + 50 Psi-energy: 5 + 15 Psi-attack: 5 + 15 Psi-defense: 15 + 15 9.1.2 Sectoid Hybrids Hybrids have great psionic talents, but are not as strong or fast as humans. Their psi-abilities improve through both combat and training. Their physical abilities, however, improve better through combat. Choose the hybrid recruits with the highest speed, strength, psi-power, and psi-attack, in that order. All hybrid attributes have a base value to which a random value is added. This random value will vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum stated below. Time Units: 60 + 15 Health: 30 + 10 Stamina: 70 + 30 Accuracy: 60 + 20 Reactions: 15 + 30 Strength: 30 + 10 Bravery: 20 + 30 Psi-energy: 30 + 15 Psi-attack: 25 + 15 Psi-defense: 25 + 15 If the Mutant Alliance organization is angry with you, you will be unable to recruit Sectoid Hybrids. 9.1.3 Androids Androids have great physical attributes, but are limited by their programming. Unlike their human or hybrid counterparts, their accuracy and reactions improve only in minuscule increments. Furthermore, only through combat will they ever show improvement; it is impossible to train an android. Because Androids are unable to train, from the outset you should recruit the androids with the highest accuracy and reactions. All android attributes have a base value to which a random value is added. This random value will vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum stated below. Time Units: 60 + 20 Health: 70 + 20 Stamina: 120 + 50 Accuracy: 50 + 20 Reactions: 15 + 25 Strength: 55 + 30 Bravery: 60 + 40 Psi-energy: 0 + 0 Psi-attack: 0 + 0 Psi-defense: 100 + 0 If the S.E.L.F. organization is angry with you, you will be unable to recruit Androids. 9.2 HOSTILE AGENTS The threat rating is a subjective measure of how likely an alien is to maim or kill an X-COM agent. 9.2.1 Anthropods Threat: Very Dangerous Nickname: Barney Common foot soldiers for the aliens, they carry a wide variety of weapons. In the early missions, the majority will be armed with brainsucker launchers. As the alien forces gain more technology, they will come packing boomeroids, devastator cannons, vortex bombs, and other advanced weaponry. They make "Growl" noises. 9.2.2 Brainsuckers Threat: Medium (TB) Mostly Harmless (RT) The brainsucker will try to attach itself to the face of the nearest X-COM agent. After a window of about three seconds, the brainsucker will proceed to suck the brains out of its victim, replacing it with an alien organism that takes over the body of the X-COM agent. Regrettably, the brainsucking process is irreversible. In real-time combat, if there is no one available that can shoot the brainsucker off of an agent, prime and drop a gas grenade. If none are available, drop an explosive grenade. In turn-based combat, you will have to depend on your agents' reaction fire to protect yourself from brainsuckers. Brainsuckers have been known to leap 50 feet in the air just to suck on an X-COM agent's face. 9.2.3 Hyperworms Threat: Dangerous Hyperworms are agile, land-based piranhas that emerge from the bellies of multiworms. They can not fly. Due to the unusual softness of their bodies, explosives do double the normal damage. They make "slither, slither" noises. 9.2.4 Megaspawns Threat: Very Dangerous Megaspawns are large, hairy beasts armed with disruptor cannon and missile launchers. Fortunately, they will not fire their missiles if they are within their own blast radius. They make "ker-thump, ker-thump" and "ROOOAAARR" noises. 9.2.5 Micronoids Threat: Medium Since Micronoids are just puddles of ooze, projectile weapons aren't nearly as effective as you expect them to be. They are absolutely immune to stun grenades, so use stun grapples if you want to take one alive. Micronoids have no weapons, but have psi-ability, and will try to mind control your agents when they can. The Micronoids don't seem to make any kind of noise at all. 9.2.6 Multiworms Threat: Mostly Harmless Slow and ungainly, each Multiworm carries inside it a brood of five hyperworms. Like the human cockroach, it will give birth to these hyperworms during its throes of death. It spits a green, acidic ooze. 9.2.7 Poppers Nickname: Purple Chickens Threat: Very Dangerous(TB) Dangerous (RT) Poppers are suicide squads. Though fast, they lack finesse and will happily charge straight into a group of X-COM agents. Once one or two squares away, they explode. In turn-based combat, for the most part, you will depend on your agents' reaction fire to protect yourself from poppers. Some TB players use cleverly-placed proximity mines to kill poppers that would otherwise charge down a corridor. In real-time combat, you can simply direct all your weapons fire at the incoming poppers as they runs toward you. They can make "pitter patter" noises, but they usually just go "BOOM". 9.2.8 Psimorphs Nickname: Marshmallow Puffs Threat: Medium Psimorphs have psionic skills that surpass those of your agents. Once you find them, however, it's not too difficult to fill their balloon-like bodies with lead. We think they make "banshee wailing" noises. 9.2.9 Queenspawn Threat: Mostly Harmless There is only one Queenspawn in the game. She fires an extremely strong acid ooze that your agents would do well to avoid. Fortunately for them, the Queenspawn has lost the ability to move. Capture the Queenspawn with a string stun gas grenades, throwing one as soon as the other begins to dissipate. 9.2.10 Skeletoids Threat: Dangerous The aliens use Skeletoids as elite troopers. They are more heavily armored than Anthropods, and can fly to boot. They too carry a wide variety of weaponry. They make "rattling bone" noises. 9.2.11 Spitters Threat: Harmless Dressed in pink with no where to go, these headless wonders wander around spitting green acid ooze at your agents. They make "phlegm-filled throat" noises. 9.2.12 Megapol Officers Threat: Dangerous Just two things. One, they are as heavily armed as you. Two, do you really want to piss off Megapol? 9.2.13 Cult Members Threat: Dangerous Every temple is stocked with rocket launchers and autocannons. Could be worse -- they don't sell you flowers at the spaceport. 9.2.14 Gang Members Threat: Dangerous Gang members sleep with their rocket launchers. 9.2.15 Rent-a-Cops Threat: You Gotta Be Joking The in-house security for places like Sanctuary Clinic and the Electric Company, these guys aren't paid enough to risk their lives. 10. VEHICLE GUIDE 10.1 X-COM VEHICLES 10.1.1 Phoenix Hovercar Top Speed: Engine Health: 70 Armor: 24 Passengers: 4 Cost: $12,000 Use the hovercars for UFO combat once you've researched and installed small shields. 10.1.2 Hoverbike Top Speed: Engine + 4 Health: 25 Armor: 6 Passengers: 2 Cost: $5,000 A great vehicle for intercepting the slower UFOs, hoverbikes only cost $5000 each. Buy as many as you can, and fit them with janitor missiles, lasers, or plasma cannons. 10.1.3 Valkyrie Interceptor Top Speed: Engine Health: 280 Armor: 36 Passengers: 8 Cost: $75,000 The Valkyrie costs over 70,000, yet only offers the same number of weapon bays as the phoenix hovercar. It does withstand more punishment in battle, but at the same time, it also makes a big, juicy target. If you wish, sell your original Valkyrie to buy hovercars. 10.1.4 Hawk Air Warrior Top Speed: Engine Health: 460 Armor: 46 Passengers: 10 Cost: $100,000 10.1.5 Dimension Probe Top Speed: 19 Health: 80 Armor: 48 Passengers: 0 You'll build this once, and never ever use it again. 10.1.6 Biotrans Top Speed: 15 Health: 600 Armor: 47 Passengers: 4 A versatile craft that can hold an enormous amount of equipment. Strip its normal complement of cargo and containment bays and refit the Biotrans with shielding. It's also has one of the highest profit ratios of any X-COM produced item. Make them in your workshop and sell them for loads of dosh. 10.1.7 Explorer Top Speed: 16 Health: 400 Armor: 50 Passengers: 8 The Biotrans does it better. 10.1.8 Retaliator Top Speed: 15 Health: 450 Armor: 66 Passengers: 4 A serious shift in philosophy. This is where you get to use all that nifty out-of-this-world gear you've been researching for the past several days. 10.1.9 Annihilator Top Speed: 18 Health: 700 Armor: 78 Passengers: 8 Each has enough room for two mediums and one heavy disruptor beam. Awesome firepower. 10.1.10 Stormdog Top Speed: Engine Health: 45 Armor: 18 Passengers: 4 Cost: $6,000 Slow and ungainly, it's useless. If you have it, ditch it. 10.1.11 Wolfhound APC Top Speed: Engine Health: 550 Armor: 168 Passengers: 14 Cost: $9,000 Nope. This one isn't worth much either. Sell it. 10.1.12 Blazer Turbo Bike Top Speed: Engine + 4 Health: 20 Armor: 6 Passengers: 1 Cost: $2,000 Hoverbikes will take your further. 10.1.13 Griffon AFV Top Speed: Engine Health: 700 Armor: 192 Passengers: 4 Cost: $16,000 Fun for a short-while. You see, it's huge armor protects the tank, not the road. If the road goes poof, so does the vehicle. Might have been very useful if it weren't for the brain-dead combat routine. 10.2 ALIEN VEHICLES 10.2.1 Alien Probe Top Speed: 14 Health: 80 Armor: 12 Score: 50 10.2.2 Alien Scout Top Speed: 12 Health: 120 Armor: 27 Score: 100 10.2.3 Alien Transporter Top Speed: 8 Health: 400 Armor: 36 Score: 150 This is an important ship you must CAPTURE for research. 10.2.4 Alien Fast Attack Ship Top Speed: 20 Health: 80 Armor: 57 Score: 200 10.2.5 Alien Destroyer Top Speed: 12 Health: 600 Armor: 84 Score: 250 This is an important ship you must CAPTURE for research. 10.2.6 Alien Assault Ship Top Speed: 8 Health: 850 Armor: 48 Score: 300 This is an important ship you must CAPTURE for research. 10.2.7 Alien Bomber Top Speed: 14 Health: 700 Armor: 83 Score: 300 10.2.8 Alien Escort Top Speed: 16 Health: 500 Armor: 120 Score: 250 10.2.9 Alien Battleship Top Speed: 12 Health: 80 Armor: 102 Score: 500 This is an important ship you must CAPTURE for research. 10.2.10 Alien Mothership Top Speed: 8 Health: 2800 Armor: 85 Score: 700 11. EQUIPMENT GUIDE 11.1 VEHICLE WEAPONS 11.1.1 Bolter 4000 Laser Gun 11.1.2 Lancer 7000 Laser Gun 11.1.3 Rendor Plasma Gun 11.1.4 Lineage Plasma Cannon The best weapon against UFOs, but its huge elerium chamber will really drain your reserves. This makes it a valuable weapon you should put into vehicles that won't be easily destroyed. 11.1.5 Plasma Multi-System 11.1.6 Light Disruptor Beam 11.1.7 Medium Disruptor Beam 11.1.8 Heavy Disruptor Beam 11.1.9 40mm Auto Cannon Ditch it. Lasers are better. 11.1.10 Janitor Missile Array A good early weapon for hoverbikes and hovercars. 11.1.11 Justice Missile Launcher 11.1.12 Prophet Missile Array Suffers from ammo shortages. Another good weapon for hoverbikes and hovercars. 11.1.13 Retribution Missile Launcher 11.1.14 Disruptor Bomb Launcher 11.1.15 Stasis Bomb Launcher 11.1.16 Disruptor Multi-Bomb Launcher 11.1.17 Laser Defense Array Utterly useless. 11.1.18 Plasma Defense Array More expensive than the laser defense array, but still utterly useless. 11.1.19 40mm Auto Cannon Turret 11.1.20 Airguard Anti-Air Cannon 11.1.21 GLM Array 11.1.22 Plasma Turret Cannon 11.1.23 GLM Air Defense 11.1.24 Rumble Cannon Unlimited ammo. Great weapon. Shame about the tank. 11.2 VEHICLE ENGINES 11.2.1 SD Standard 11.2.2 SD Deluxe 11.2.3 SD Sports 11.2.4 SD Turbo 11.2.5 SD Elite 11.2.6 SD Special 11.2.7 Metro Roadhog 11.2.8 Metro Roadgrav 11.2.9 Metro Turbograv 11.2.10 Metro Powergrav 11.2.11 Metro Multipower Plus 11.3 VEHICLE EQUIPMENT 11.3.1 Light Weapons Control Doesn't make that much of a difference. If your target moves, it doesn't matter HOW accurately you hit thin air. 11.3.2 Medium Weapons Control Doesn't make that much of a difference. If your target moves, it doesn't matter HOW accurately you hit thin air. 11.3.3 Heavy Weapons Control Doesn't make that much of a difference. If your target moves, it doesn't matter HOW accurately you hit thin air. 11.3.4 Cargo Module 11.3.5 Passenger Module 11.3.6 Bio-Transport Module 11.3.7 Missile Evasion Matrix 11.3.8 Small Disruption Shield Load up on these! They really prolong the life of your combat vehicles. Shields absorb damage that would otherwise strike the vehicles armor. Small shields can absorb 200 points of damage. Shields can be added together for more protection. However, when the last point of shielding is gone, all the shields will disintegrate. 11.3.9 Large Disruption Shield Load up on these! They really prolong the life of your combat vehicles. Shields absorb damage that would otherwise strike the vehicles armor. Large shields can absorb 400 points of damage. Shields can be added together for more protection. However, when the last point of shielding is gone, all the shields will disintegrate. 11.3.10 Cloaking Field 11.3.11 Teleporter 11.4 PERSONAL WEAPONS 11.4.1 Megapol Lawpistol 11.4.2 Megapol Plasma Gun The plasma gun is an ace weapon. It has a high damage rating, a large ammo clip, and a fast firing rate. Suffers from ammo shortage, but the only weapons that come close in terms of effectiveness are the devastator cannon and toxigun. 11.4.3 Marsec M4000 Machine Gun 11.4.4 Megapol Laser Sniper Gun 11.4.5 Megapol Auto Cannon At lower skill levels, you'll get more mileage from the lighter weapons. However, its one of the few X-COM weapons that can punch through the tough armor you'll encounter at the hard skill levels. 11.4.6 Marsec Heavy Launcher Launcher rockets have built in homing devices. 11.4.7 Marsec MiniLauncher Minilauncher rockets have built in homing devices. 11.4.8 Toxigun Toxiguns can circumvent alien shields, making them the best tools to rid the world of the alien scourge. Toxi-B is good, Toxi-C is even better. 11.4.9 Disruptor Gun It has a slow rate of fire and is rather inaccurate. Like the autocannon, it comes in handy against the heavily armored aliens. 11.4.10 Devastator Cannon This is the most powerful beam weapon in the game. Fairly accurate even on full auto. 11.4.11 Brainsucker Launcher 11.4.12 Entropy Launcher 11.4.13 Dimension Missile Launcher 11.4.14 Power Sword 11.4.15 Mind Bender 11.4.16 Megapol Stun Grapple 11.4.17 Megapol AP Grenade 11.4.18 Megapol Stun Grenade 11.4.19 Megapol Smoke Grenade 11.4.20 Diablo Incendiary Grenade 11.4.21 Marsec Proximity Mine 11.4.22 Marsec High Explosive 11.4.23 Boomeroid 11.4.24 Vortex Mine 11.4.25 Alien Gas Grenade 11.5 PERSONAL EQUIPMENT 11.5.1 Personal Disruptor Shield Will protect your agent from explosive decompression and the other nasty side effects of getting shot. You don't have to hold them in your hands; placing them into your backpack is good enough. 11.5.2 Personal Teleporter These have to be held in the hand to do any good. Try carrying two. Use one to pop into an alien concentration, and use the other to pop out once they fire explosives at you. The aliens will end up killing themselves. 11.5.3 Personal Cloaking Field Carried in the hand, it will make your agents *much* harder to hit and to see. 11.5.4 Medi-kit Medi-kits can not be used to heal other agents or aliens. Only the holder can use a medi-kit. 11.5.5 Motion Scanner 11.5.6 Psiclone Sell it. 11.5.7 Elerium Pod Sell it. 11.5.8 Megapol Armor 11.5.9 Marsec Armor The torso unit has an integral flight control system. No other armor piece is required to fly. 11.5.10 X-COM Armor Good stuff. 11.6 ALIEN BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS 11.6.1 Megaspawn Disruptor 11.6.2 Megaspawn Launcher 11.6.3 Spitter Vomit 11.6.4 Multiworm Vomit 11.6.5 Alien Egg Vomit 11.6.6 Hyperworm Bite 11.6.7 Queenspawn Vomit 11.6.8 Popper Bomb 12. INTERNAL GAMEPLAY MECHANICS 12.1 EFFECTS OF DIFFICULTY LEVELS The harder the difficulty: the higher an organization is infiltrated when aliens are left in a building, the more money it takes to bribe organizations, the sooner the aliens get better weapons and equipment, the tougher enemy units become in combat, the less money you receive at the start of the game, the less frequently alerts are generated. 12.2 VEHICULAR COMBAT When a vehicle is hit by a weapon: (1) Subtract the weapon damage from the shields. If shields fall to zero, apply the remaining damage to (2) (2) Divide the vehicle armor by 6. (3) Subtract the weapon damage from the armor value. (4) Apply the remaining damage to the vehicle's constitution. Note: No damage is ever done to the vehicle's armor. 12.3 TACTICAL COMBAT 12.3.1 Map Generation Mega-Primus buildings are built to randomly selected patterns every mission. UFO map layouts are the same for each mission. Buildings in the Alien Dimension are completely random apart from the critical areas. Each tactical map square is 1.5 meters on each side. 12.3.2 Weapons Accuracy A unit's basic accuracy is adjusted by the modifiers below, then added together with the weapons accuracy to give a final rating. Modifier Adjustment Unit is stationary +20% unit accuracy Unit is walking -25% unit accuracy Unit is kneeling +20% unit accuracy Unit is prone +40% unit accuracy Unit is flying -15% unit accuracy Weapon on full-auto -50% unit accuracy Weapon on aimed-shot +100% unit accuracy Critical hits in either arm will severely affect shooting accuracy. 12.3.3 Grenade Accuracy The unit's accuracy rating is adjusted by the modifiers below. Modifier Adjustment Unit is stationary +10% unit accuracy Unit is walking -12.5% unit accuracy Critical hits in either arm will severely affect throwing accuracy. 12.3.4 Damage When a unit is hit by a weapon: (1) Subtract the weapon damage from the shields. If shields fall to zero, apply the remaining damage to (2) (2) Find out what part of the body is hit (3) Adjust the damage according to the damage matrix table. (4) Absorb as many points of damage as there are armor points for that part of the body. Apply the remaining damage to (6) (aliens have the same armor value all over). (5) Damage the armor. If armor rating falls to zero, destroy armor. Armor damage = (weapon damage * 3) / armor points (6) Subtract the remaining damage from the unit's health. (7) If the damage down is greater than 1/8 of maximum health, test for a critical wound. Percent chance of a critical wound is: (100 * damage) / maximum health 12.3.4.1 Bullets/Energy Beams The damage of these weapons can vary by up to 50% of the written damage rating. Thus, a bullet from a machine gun can be worth anywhere from 11-32 points of damage. 12.3.4.2 Stun Weapons If the stun damage from a weapon exceeds the health of a unit, the unit will become unconscious. Stun damage does not hurt armor. A stunned unit recovers one point of stun damage each second. 12.3.4.3 Explosives An explosion does full damage only at its center. Its strength decreases linearly as you move away from the center until it hits zero strength at the edge of the blast radius. 1/8th of explosive damage is applied as stun damage. 12.3.5 Psionic Skills The success of a psionic attack is a percentage calculated as follows: 100*attack*(100-defense) success rate = -------------------------------------- attack*(100-defense) + 100*defense psiattack rating * 40 attack = --------------------------- initiation cost of action defense = psidefense rating Mind control costs 32 psi to initiate, stun costs 16 psi, panic costs 10 psi, and probe costs 8 psi. All of these psionic attacks place a further drain on a unit's psi- energy in the form of a maintenance cost. 12.4 AGENTS 12.4.1 Stats & Improvements Only human and hybrid units can improve stats through training. Every four hours, an agent has some chance of improving some physical stats by one point. This percentage is equal to (100 - value of stat). Thus, it becomes increasingly difficult to improve high stats through training. Every four hours, an agent has some chance of improving some psionic stats. However, an agent can only increase psionic stats to three times their original levels. Furthermore, the amount of improvement depends on the unit's psi-energy. Humans that start with low psi-energy will therefore show almost no improvement even after hundreds of hours. The chance that a skill will increase is a percentage calculated as: 100 - (3 * current_value - starting_value) Psi-attack will increase by 1/20th of psi-energy. Psi-defense will increase by 1/20th of psi-energy. Psi-energy will increase by 1 point. 12.4.2 Promotions and Medals Promotion Eligibility: Rank Prerequisite Rookie None Squaddie Must earn over 8 combat rating points Squad Leader (Rookies + Squaddies) / (Squad Leaders + 1) is more than 4 Sergeant Squad leaders / (Sergeant + 1) is more than 2 Captain Sergeants / (Captains + 1) is more than 2 Colonel Captains / (Colonels + 1) is more than 2 Commander No commander, and more than one Colonel Up to five units may be promoted after any given mission. The units with the highest combat rating are selected for promotion. Rank isn't just for fun. It actually affects the morale of units. 12.4.3 Healing Medi-kits will Other X-COM: Apocalypse cheats hints faqs solutions: 1. X-COM: Apocalypse cheat codes 2. X-COM: Apocalypse cheat codes 1. X-COM: Apocalypse hints |