A new player looking for some help.

[TunsstenFox]

Hi everyone, it's nice to be here. I've enjoyed X-Com every since my first PC back in 1993. It's a game that's been reinstalled on every computer I've owned. I'm so happy to see there's a modding community for this game. I'm new to OpenXcom and Xpiratez is the first mod I've played.

I've been playing a few weeks and have restarted numerous times, learning more each time I go. There are still a few things I'm not sure about and have had trouble finding in the Bootypedia or online. I hope these questions aren't annoying but I really couldn't find the answers.

1)When I right click on a left or right weapon in the battlescape interface a little white dot appears in the weapon's box. What is that doing?

2)Resistances on clothing are confusing me. The Durathread Bra says RF: Charm 85/30; Cold 90/50; Cut 95/30. How do I read those numbers? Is RF "resistance factor"?

3)Weapon Skill. The Suppressed Pistol has a power of 10. My Gal who is using one right now is doing 0-68 damage with it. The skill says 0.5*Firing + 0.5*Reactions. What does skill do?

4)Weapon PWR++ says 0.25*Reactions. If her Reactions is 100 does that mean she adds 25 flat damage to the weapon?

6)Symbols. Sometimes a weapon PWR++ stat has a UP arrow next to it. What is this telling me about that stat?

I'll have more questions I'm sure, thanks for taking the time to read. I dropped DIOXINE a paypal donation, this is a wonderful product.

[Ultimoos]

1. By right clicking a weapon you make game prioritize it in case of reaction fire. By default game will use the weapon that costs least amount of time units to use. So you can force it use a different one.
2. Resistances modify weapons damage against that unit. You can stack those resistances with other wearable items. First number modifies rolled damage. So, if incoming damage is 50 and your resistance that type is 80%, than you are hit by 40 damage, which is then deducted from armor value. Second number informs you of a percentage limit this particular item can modify that resistance. 80/50 means, this item modifies damage by 80% but no lower than to 50%. There is a formula and it's a bit complicated.
3. Skill is the attribute that determines chance to hit. By default it is 100% of your accuracy for a weapon. But some weapons have special modifiers and can use more attributes at different value to determine accuracy. For example Ball bat. It's skill is 65 + 35% of your melee accuracy stat. This weapon is very easier to use by units with very low melee stat. A peasant has 35 melee accuracy, but with this weapon it's 65 + 35% of 35, so 77. There are weapons that can have damage modified by units stats, like 95% of melee weapons. Again Ball bat. It has a power of 25 + 0,3 of this units strength stat. With ranged weapons power modifiers are usually on ammunition, not weapons themselves.
4. Yes.
6. Up arrow is "to the power of 2" symbol.

[TunsstenFox]

Thank you so much! That's very helpful.

Are there any items that are "safe" to sell? I've noticed this game seems to have an enormous crafting and research list and almost every item I've found so far seems to have multiple uses later. Right now I'm always short on cash at the end of each month. Which items in my vault are 'safe' to sell without hamstringing me too much later?

[Ultimoos]

The short answer is, all of them except drill, menacing hull and codex.
Any item you get, you can get more of, so I'm just keeping a couple of key craft components. I would not sell any armor items. I'm just keeping around 50 of "food" items, like bananas and redcaps. I'm keeping no more than 20 of each sack. They take a lot of space. I'm not selling any money cheeps because Casino needs them to build. I'm keeping all money purses and bags for the same reason, unless I really need money. I'm keeping like 300 of each building material, like scraps and chemicals. Hellerium is important later, but you can make it if needed, so if you need room don't hold to it too much. All weapons I do not use right now, I probably will never use later, so those go. I still do not know how important cultural wealth is, so I'm keeping antique items.

[Psyentific]

Thank you so much! That's very helpful.

Are there any items that are "safe" to sell? I've noticed this game seems to have an enormous crafting and research list and almost every item I've found so far seems to have multiple uses later. Right now I'm always short on cash at the end of each month. Which items in my vault are 'safe' to sell without hamstringing me too much later?

In the early game you can make a good amount of money by selling Small Ship Engines (from civilian craft) and Ship Engines (from faction craft) as well as the Hellerium and Plastasteel. You can sell civilian-tier guns that you probably won't use (ex. rusty niners, small revolvers, sprayguns, ramshackle rifles, bandit smg etc.) as well as credit chips and most live hostages (engineers and medics being the exception). If it's not too much trouble you can try to capture less-dangerous mobs like Hoes, Sharp Guys, Tough Guys etc. alive and then sell them for money. In terms of production, X-Grog and Chateau de la Mort are your biggest cash manufactures in the early to midgame.

[TunsstenFox]

A few more early game questions (cause I have not survived into the mid game yet)

Gal to Peasant ratio?
I was playing with the Gals I could rescue and using Peasants for the rest of the crew. I also only had 10 Loknar which I used for the cave/underground missions.

Best early pistol?
I've enjoyed the Confederate Eagle and the Handcannon but they are heavy for Peasants. Best Peasant handgun?

Best early SMG/Rifle?
My peasants are usually too weak to carry a decent shotgun in the early game so I stick them with an SMG or a Rifle. Assault SMG might be my favorite. Linux SMG for the Gals or the peasants that can carry it.

Best early Throwable bomb?
I only embraced the Black Powder Bomb a few playthroughs in but I really like it now on almost everyone who can fit one on their loadout. Better grenade choices?

[Amoebka]

Even a crap shotgun is better than a good SMG. Just accept the TU penalty.

[Psyentific]

For peasants I usually use a military shotgun, and for a light pistol usually a shiny niner or assault pistol. in terms of SMGs i get a lot out of the tommy gun, and for grenades i really like the stick bombs.

[JustTheDude/CABSHEP]

Gal to Peasant ratio?
I was playing with the Gals I could rescue and using Peasants for the rest of the crew. I also only had 10 Loknar which I used for the cave/underground missions.

There is no "golden" ratio. It depends on your transport craft, your choosen path, your playstyle and stuff like that. If you rely on Peasants then you should only use gals as melee warriors and heavy weapon carriers and maybe as a shock troop, or two, so at least x3.
I don't know if you are far enough to know about "paths", because there will be a research where you can decide to go full on Peasant Revolution, focus on Gals, or go with a male touch.

Best early pistol?
I've enjoyed the Confederate Eagle and the Handcannon but they are heavy for Peasants. Best Peasant handgun?

That would probably be blackmarsh pistol, later shiny niner. But the beauty of this game that there is so many handguns that you can decide what works best for you and your playstyle. For a inexperienced megamod players, which I assume you are, blackmarsh pistol seems like the best choice, fairly big mag, low TU to shoot, decent accuracy, fairly light.

Best early SMG/Rifle?
My peasants are usually too weak to carry a decent shotgun in the early game so I stick them with an SMG or a Rifle. Assault SMG might be my favorite. Linux SMG for the Gals or the peasants that can carry it.

UAC carbine if you can get your hands on it, fairly good "sniping" SMG, but only if it is a decently trained peasant. Otherwise it should be a shotgun, for me I usually run coach gun as a main peasant weaponry. Longer effective range than most shotguns, ability to load phoenix shells, inbuilt melee.

Best early Throwable bomb?
I only embraced the Black Powder Bomb a few playthroughs in but I really like it now on almost everyone who can fit one on their loadout. Better grenade choices?

Black Powder Bomb is like the only available thrown explosive early game, so there isn't much choice to make. Molotov I would say is a different category, being a thrown incendiary, serving a different purpose than BPB. Next in line are HE and frag nades looted from enemies and stick nades if you get humanist soldier captive and a bit of research.

[TunsstenFox]

There is no "golden" ratio. It depends on your transport craft, your choosen path, your playstyle and stuff like that. If you rely on Peasants then you should only use gals as melee warriors and heavy weapon carriers and maybe as a shock troop, or two, so at least x3.
I don't know if you are far enough to know about "paths", because there will be a research where you can decide to go full on Peasant Revolution, focus on Gals, or go with a male touch. 

Speaking of Paths I've restarted a few games now and I've tried all 4 Codex colors(red, green, grey, gold). Do these change the endings? I've noticed some research options become red if I've gone down a certain Codex path.

That would probably be blackmarsh pistol, later shiny niner. But the beauty of this game that there is so many handguns that you can decide what works best for you and your playstyle. For a inexperienced megamod players, which I assume you are, blackmarsh pistol seems like the best choice, fairly big mag, low TU to shoot, decent accuracy, fairly light.

I've enjoyed all the blackmarsh weapons so far. I've had a decent amount of success with the SMG as well.

UAC carbine if you can get your hands on it, fairly good "sniping" SMG, but only if it is a decently trained peasant. Otherwise it should be a shotgun, for me I usually run coach gun as a main peasant weaponry. Longer effective range than most shotguns, ability to load phoenix shells, inbuilt melee.

How do you deal with better armored enemies like the Ninja Gals and Osiron Security? The weaker shotguns seem to bounce right off them.

Black Powder Bomb is like the only available thrown explosive early game, so there isn't much choice to make. Molotov I would say is a different category, being a thrown incendiary, serving a different purpose than BPB. Next in line are HE and frag nades looted from enemies and stick nades if you get humanist soldier captive and a bit of research.

What am I missing about the robots in the Warehouse missions and the Watchtower missions? They're just there to shoot? They don't seem to do anything in my games.

[BlorkTheOrk]

I did complete the game once on lower difficulty, so I want to share some thoughts and hints:

My preferable playstyle is just give everyone the harder hitting short range weapon and human-wave everything. So, It is obviously not the best, but rather best-enough point of view.

So, my very personal hint: you may pre-stun your troops by various ways, so they drop before they die.

Gal to Peasant ratio?
If you have patience and discipline you can go 100% Peasants. Just explore the game, find all the options it gives, try all the damage types, etc. It is probably the most strategically and economically comfortable way, cause peasants are cheap and low upkeep and are capable to do anything sooner or later. Yet, I personally did 100% Gals because melee everything-throw bombs are fun. And there is no shame in being poor.

Best early pistol/SMG/Rifle, especially for peasants:
I believe pistols pistols are bad because you can not reliably down an enemy short range in one shot, while smg or small shotguns are great at it. Also at longer ranges you better fire a volley of fire with 0% to hit rather than a "precise" shot with average peasant accuracy, cause 0% to hit is actually like 5%. So I really like to use the Uzi-looking thing or small shotguns as sidearm/main weapon for peasants.

Best early SMG/Rifle?
Pretty much any rifle I have from loot, preferably harder hitting - If I have time and patience I will form a line with peasant not-so-snipers to shoot anything from out of visual range with World War I weapons. Any short to midrange situation is for sidearm shotguns/smgs/axes/dogs. I really hate UAC-carbines - it is like the lowest damage output option in the game.

Best early Throwable bomb?
I believe, for peasants there is no really good throwable option, because peasants are weak and clumsy - they can not throw far, precise or survive friendly fire. I would reccomend try bows or primed grenade personal delivery instead.
Black powder bombs are great early game, but they are not so great against an armored opponent. Molotovs are good for making them panick. I really love to make axe-centric compositions, so those two are my favourite skirmishing weapons early on, when my Gals can not get close and personal in one turn.

[TunsstenFox]

I did complete the game once on lower difficulty, so I want to share some thoughts and hints:

My preferable playstyle is just give everyone the harder hitting short range weapon and human-wave everything. So, It is obviously not the best, but rather best-enough point of view.

So, my very personal hint: you may pre-stun your troops by various ways, so they drop before they die.

Gal to Peasant ratio?
If you have patience and discipline you can go 100% Peasants. Just explore the game, find all the options it gives, try all the damage types, etc. It is probably the most strategically and economically comfortable way, cause peasants are cheap and low upkeep and are capable to do anything sooner or later. Yet, I personally did 100% Gals because melee everything-throw bombs are fun. And there is no shame in being poor.

Best early pistol/SMG/Rifle, especially for peasants:
I believe pistols pistols are bad because you can not reliably down an enemy short range in one shot, while smg or small shotguns are great at it. Also at longer ranges you better fire a volley of fire with 0% to hit rather than a "precise" shot with average peasant accuracy, cause 0% to hit is actually like 5%. So I really like to use the Uzi-looking thing or small shotguns as sidearm/main weapon for peasants.

Best early SMG/Rifle?
Pretty much any rifle I have from loot, preferably harder hitting - If I have time and patience I will form a line with peasant not-so-snipers to shoot anything from out of visual range with World War I weapons. Any short to midrange situation is for sidearm shotguns/smgs/axes/dogs. I really hate UAC-carbines - it is like the lowest damage output option in the game.

Best early Throwable bomb?
I believe, for peasants there is no really good throwable option, because peasants are weak and clumsy - they can not throw far, precise or survive friendly fire. I would reccomend try bows or primed grenade personal delivery instead.
Black powder bombs are great early game, but they are not so great against an armored opponent. Molotovs are good for making them panick. I really love to make axe-centric compositions, so those two are my favourite skirmishing weapons early on, when my Gals can not get close and personal in one turn.

That's great advice, thank you! Do you have a favorite Codex? I saw the forums mention the Red Codex gave them chainmail armor but when I started my latest playthrough and went Red I got some Gothic rayguns and Aggressor armor.

[JustTheDude/CABSHEP]

Speaking of Paths I've restarted a few games now and I've tried all 4 Codex colors(red, green, grey, gold). Do these change the endings? I've noticed some research options become red if I've gone down a certain Codex path.

Well, Codex are different to Paths and I don't think they change the endings. Choosing a codex simply locks you from things that other codexes would give you, but still gives you unique things. That is mostly armors, weapons, crafts and such.

How do you deal with better armored enemies like the Ninja Gals and Osiron Security? The weaker shotguns seem to bounce right off them.

You deal with them with more experienced troops who can handle to aim accurately a hardhitting weapon, melee, or something thrown like javelins. 40 "Firing" and 15 "Strengh" Peasant has little to no chance against a Ninja Gal, or Osiron Sec. 

What am I missing about the robots in the Warehouse missions and the Watchtower missions? They're just there to shoot? They don't seem to do anything in my games.

In Warehouse missions they do nothing, while in Watchtower they block the entrenance, they are a map prop, not a unit.

[BlorkTheOrk]

How do you deal with better armored enemies like the Ninja Gals and Osiron Security? The weaker shotguns seem to bounce right off them.

The first turn is when enemy have all of their AP intact, while later on they move, shoot, etc on their turn - so no AP left. If you absolutely want to face retaliation fire ready enemy, you can deal with such by carefully moving your soldiers while in danger of retaliation - every time  you get a snap shot from them - change the control from one soldier to another one. They can not retailiate all the time. Also, you will get transports with a lot of space pretty early, so just a firing line armed with anything is good enough to pick one after another during a mission. Or rather a bunch of soldiers hiding behind a solid cover will do. Out of visual range shots and throws also do the job. I believe even the worst of shotguns can scratch or wound them a bit, so, again, 0% shots will do the job. Just be carefull with blobbing - you may get grenaded if your  peasants spotted standing together.

As for codex choice - I like red for few goofy hard hitting things, but you do not really need them at all - Reject The Power is an option. Also, codex mostly affect the early game, not the late game - with gear and some quests. But you still get a LOT of stuff without them.