X-COM #1: Base Building

Now, on to the first installment in the adventures of X-COM. I don't have much experience in X-COM at all, but I figure that I don't have much time to accomplish what I plan to accomplish. So, I decide to start without gaining much prior experience, much of what I know is from the Battle Report mentioned in the first post. I have some battle experience, but later research is a total unknown for me, and so I can't guarantee any new alien weapons; we'll probably end up with slingshots and spit wad shooters by the end of the game.

But enough intro. The first decision I have to make after starting the game is the difficulty. I tried out lvl. 2, Experienced, and had one alien kill everyone on the ship, demonstrating my lack of experience. So, I start on the Beginner difficulty, even though on my original game it is only April and I haven't seen more than 2 alien types. But killing everyone in two missions would be depressing, so I just settle for easy. Once that's decided, the game asks where you would like to locate your first base. Building your first base costs money, differing based on where the base is located. Apparently the land still has to be paid for, despite the necessity of the base for human survival. As the base is built, let's go into some X-COM background.

Basically, aliens are roaming the skies unhindered, and the nations of the world have met to decide on a course of action. The decision is the creation of an Extraterrestrial Defense Force, or X-COM. The force brings together world class scientists, engineers, pilots, radar operators, and hairdressers. Instead of pure commandos, a bunch of recruits are apparently pulled off the streets and thrust into the secret alien fighting organization. Now, you only get 10 scientists, 8 troops, and 10 engineers to begin with. (as well as infinite hair spray) Instead of using the combined might of all the nations of the world, X-COM, with a meager 5 million dollar per-month budget starts up to battle the alien hordes. Sure, the game is set in 1999, but 5 mil. is still pretty cheap, considering the 16 or so nations that are funding the project.

Anyway, I decide to put the base on the norther tip of Africa, because many of the nations are European, but you save 250,000 dollars by building in North Africa rather than in the middle of Europe. Besides, I'd rather not be neighbors with the French.

On the side of this picture you can see the buttons for various things, usually you use Intercept to attack UFOs and Bases to do base related stuff. Also, you can see the GMT clock, and the time controls, all very useful. You spend most time watching the shadow move around the Geoscape, waiting for aliens. But right now we have to shape up the base, so I go check out what I can do with it.

First, I recruit two more soldiers and 20 more scientists, as I want to rush tech and quickly get to personal armor. Now that my living quarters are full, I build more structures. One large radar, next to the small radar, another Laboratory where my scientists do research on various types of alien pudding, an Alien Containment, where I can keep some aliens I capture so as to fatten them up for the end of November. Finally, I start another living quarters as the current one is full. I order another 2 soldiers as well as a Heavy Weapons Platform. HWPs are remote controlled tanks. The one I'm getting shoots rockets, but I usually don't use them. I do use them for their reconnaissance abilities. As they roll off the aircraft first, they can take any incoming fire and scout about for my soldiers. Since the platforms don't get any better, I only fight with them if we're in trouble. Which could readily happen. Also, the missiles cost 3 grand, much to expensive to use to save some soldier's life.

After spending all my money (I have $5,300 left) I sell a couple things, then go into the soldier section and start the fun part of naming my troopers. I check out their stats. I've decided to name the top four soldiers, and leave the other four as "meatshields." They will be used to jump through the alien door first, and draw fire, etc. Other soldiers that I hire with bad enough stats will also be used as cannon fodder, or as walking bombs, used to jump through the alien door, get shot, then blow up the aliens.

The top four troops are named thus: Kevin D.; NealTheFerrin; Tyson A.; and Jesse P. I decide to give the other four names as well, but these names are the names of the boys that come over with my sister. Now, it's not very nice, but let me explain! These guys are really obnoxious. Like, if I decide to, on the first mission I'll write in the same way these guys talk. I wouldn't have thought it if they hadn't come over, and then I had to leave my sister with those playas. Anyway, they have been drafted to fill my lower four spots. Here's the stats for my brave soldiers....

But first a word on stats. There are 8 stats available at the first of the game: Time Units, Stamina, Health, Bravery, Reactions, Firing Accuracy, Throwing Accuracy, and Strength.
Time Units are used every time your soldier does an action. The combat stage is turn based, so you move your pieces and then the aliens move theirs. Time Units are of moderate importance, but first time rookies have very similar TUs, between 50 and 60. Stamina is a continuation of TUs. It runs out slower, but when it gets to 0 you cannot move until you rest, ala wait for the next turn. But this usually only happens if the game has gone for a lot of turns, and you don't leave any TUs for the soldier, which usually isn't done.
Health is the damage you can take before dying. This doesn't matter much unless you're lucky, or you have fatal wounds, which we'll talk about if it comes up. Not important until you at least have armor; most hits result in death.
Bravery is the likelihood of panic, or randomly shooting at walls and such. Though just because bravery is low doesn't mean the soldier will lose his cool. But sometimes, especially when under mental attack, it can help the soldier stay alive.
Reactions are very important. They basically balance out who goes first if you run into an alien on your turn, or vice versa. If you leave TUs over, then they may automatically be used in a "reaction shot" on the opponent's turn. So, if an alien pokes his head out, you might shoot him. Or, more likely, when you leap through the doors of a UFO the aliens will blast you before you get to shoot even though it's your turn. Which is quite annoying....
Firing Accuracy is also important, though bad accuracy doesn't destroy a player. Naturally, hitting the aliens with bullets is the first step to killing them, and poor accuracy plagues rookies.
Throwing Accuracy is how close you can get what you throw to your target, but everything that I've ever thrown has landed right on the mark, so it's sorta useless.
Finally, Strength is how much you can lift. High strength means you don't loose TUs when you carry heavier things. If you have high strength, you'll probably carry a rocket launcher. Strength goes up almost every mission for everyone, so those with little strength will likely be fine. Considering they survive, of course.

Those stats said, here are everyones, in the same order as above. There are also classes put into their names.
Tyson A. B,G:51;70;34;40;44;59;66;28--Pretty good accuracy, great stamina, and decent reactions. Low strength and TUs though. Graded B.
Kyle C,MS:51;40;26;50;48;47;76;37--Strength alone can't redeem the bad accuracy and low TU/Stamina count. Still, C is an accurate grade.
Brad C+,MS:52;68;27;40;44;53;67;36--Strength is pretty high, but reactions and accuracy aren't that great. C+ isn't that bad though.
Kevin D. A,S:50;42;34;20;60;67;63;38--Great accuracy, reactions, and strength; the three big ones. A little low on the TUs, but that goes up fast too.
Tanner D+,MS:60;48;39;50;44;41;62;36--He's really brave...
Mijo D-,MS:51;54;32;30;34;40;64;29--Ummm, yeah...D-
NealTheFerrin B+,S:56;40;38;10;57;62;58;28--Great accuracy and reactions. Slightly low stamina, but not too bad. Not quite the guy to take a bullet for you, though.
Jesse P. B-,G:56;68;37;50;45;57;78;26--Stamina and TUs, decent on everything else. Beastly throwing accuracy, which does fit. Low strength, though.

That's everyone. Now, about the extra tags. For example, my character is named Tyson A. His tags are B,G. B is a letter grade, based on the average for rookies, right now, anyway. Soon it'll be relative, but not right off. A 'B' grade is better than average, but not really great. Having letter grades helps me choose who to send on hard missions, when they come. The letter after the comma is the soldiers class. G means grunt, with nothing outstanding, but decently well rounded. S means sniper, probably the coveted classification, one with high accuracy. R is for high reactions, usually the high 50s. H is for someone with base strength, they get rockets. Lastly, MS is for meat-shield, and you know what that means.(If not, you probably are one.)These classifications help me decide who gets what weapons when we're suiting up.


Alright, I think I'm ready. Lastly, I start research on Laser Weapons. Medi-Kits were also available, and while I'm all for saving lives, most troops get fully baked by plasma when it hits them, especially without armor. The 10 engineers get paid to lay around and be lazy. Now I go back to the Geoscape and wait.

A few days later, additional scientists and soldiers with equipment arrive. I put the scientists into the pudding plant, and throw the equipment, with the HWP, on the aircraft that transports my troops, the Skyranger-1. I check out my two new troops, who I hadn't expected to add in this post. But they're here so, here goes.

I've decided to name my troops after friends, either on MySpace or Facebook. Facebook has a nice little feature where 6 random friends pop up, as well as a fairly plentiful supply of friends. After I run out of friends to add, I will either start with the MCXC team, or adding friends of my friends....or a million copies of myself. I decide to name these two from MySpace: Zen Halen and Courtney J.
Zen Halen B-,H:56;49;40;20;46;56;55;39--High strength and decently elsewhere. Our first H class.
Courtney J. A-,S:60;69;40;10;43;69;60;40--Great TUs, accuracy, and strength. Reactions aren't too bad either.
Here's the average stats for rookies, from my first 12 troops on another game:
Average C+:54;53;32;35;44;53;61;30--Accuracy might be a little off, but oh well.

I wait for the rest of the week, and no aliens rear their ugly heads. Research on Laser Pistols finishes with my extra scientists, and since I haven't done a mission I research Laser Rifles. I decide to get off after one week, figuring that I have enough, and anxious for the performance of the troops in the first battle. Hopefully we'll be safe...but it almost seems I get at least 1 casualty per mission. But hey, you've only got a 1 in 10 chance, not too bad.

I'll try to put up another post, maybe as soon as tomorrow, we'll see.