Tips for beginners?

[ubai]

I have played a lot of XCOM, but the XCOM Files is different enough that I could use some tips to get started. So far it seems like there is no way to keep up with or even reach all the missions that pop up, and that hurts my score (and budget). It also seems like you start late in the month, so you lose points before you even get started. How do you all handle the long distance/slow speed of transport and the lack of agents?

I could also use some tips on map clearing, a lot of the maps are huge and my two (or even 4) agents take forever to finish missions, turning them into a tedious slog. Any suggestions on tactics for the early missions?

Finally, what should I research? I know logistics for the van and personal defense for the vests, but what else are good techs to help get going?


Thanks in advance for any help!
Matt

[Alex_D]

My 2 cents:

When I started playing the mod, I quickly figured out that the best way is to have multiple teams deployed on constant patrol across the globe. Thus three (or more) hangars per base are a must: Two cars away and a third ready to go at a moment's notice. Also build a second base asap, preferable at the opposite side of the globe of the first one. One barracks is enough for a full complement of agents. Manufacturing is not so important until a few months into the game.

I didn't use the van that much, as it was way too slow. I used a private car which travels much faster. I think I tried once the mudranger (later upgraded) but I dropped in favour of more advanced craft that comes much later. The mudranger was in my main base, and I had a weapons template ready to go in case there was a strike needed within its pitifully small range. I also keep multiple weapons template based on the type of mission that gets spawned (beach, labor, sports, etc). However the away team cars have a generic template that can fit any of them.

Not all missions are required to fight. I remember I aborted quite a few when I saw like huge numbers of critters surrounding my two agents, and there was no way to complete the mission. Very often the shooting was directly from the spawning point at each side of the cars.

Bring lots of ammo for the guns used; if you think it's enough bring two more clips per gun. One mission I remember I reloaded a couple of times (mostly to know if it was possible to finish and not to abort) was two agents against a horde of spiders during the night. The only way to beat it was to move to a high ground with a bottleneck for access. At the end I ran out of ammo and one agent was constantly doing ammo runs from the car to the defensive position atop of some ruins.

Also keep (and load into your vehicles) the recovered guns from the human factions, even if not researched, they come in handy very often to your agents.

My favorite missions are the very small maps with concealable only (leather coat is great). Usually they go pretty quick.

[Ves]

As you noticed being able to reach missions is one of the most important things at the beginning. So i used to build another hangar and in the early game you can reach most places and missions using 2 vans and a car, where the car is sent to the far off places.
For research i would try to get biolab early. I think its Medicine --> adcanced Medicine --> Biolab. The additional 5 scientists help to speed things up early on. Then i would keep an eye on promotion I and II with all the techs that lead to them, so you get access to advanced equipment.

First tactic i recommend is to not start the game on superhuman, which i did out of habbit. It's more of a grind than anything else and enemy placement and numbers on most maps are rather wierd, with literally 30 guys standing foot to foot right next to your puny humvee, staring you in the eye. Apart from that pistols are key at the beginning because of their rate of fire. Haven't played much more than the beginning, so this is all i can say.

[ubai]

So far on this playthrough I have started with a base in Europe. I built my second base in the USA, and it has just come online. I have been using vans and timing my missions so I only fight in the day. I also just got kevlar vests, but I am not sure what to research next. I went with non-standard weapons for now. I will try to get biolabs next, thanks for the tip!

So far I have been using Berettas and pump shotguns so far, it seems to work well. The Glocks don't have any stopping power and the Colts seem a bit too slow.

The only mission I have aborted so far was the first one, because I saw seven chupacabras on the first turn of my very first first mission. Screw that!

[Toothless Shark]

So far on this playthrough I have started with a base in Europe. I built my second base in the USA, and it has just come online. I have been using vans and timing my missions so I only fight in the day. I also just got kevlar vests, but I am not sure what to research next. I went with non-standard weapons for now. I will try to get biolabs next, thanks for the tip!

So far I have been using Berettas and pump shotguns so far, it seems to work well. The Glocks don't have any stopping power and the Colts seem a bit too slow.

The only mission I have aborted so far was the first one, because I saw seven chupacabras on the first turn of my very first first mission. Screw that!

I guess that you won't get that first turn wipe like Starving Poet did.
Also, i was using only 1 base and didn't rush another hangar for a while and still did fine (base in Egypt). You don't HAVE to do all the missions that popup, just balance what's worth doing and what's not. Also, you can right click at a tech (in the research screen) to see where it leads to, gives you a nice idea what it gives and where it leads to.

Edit: Maybe it's a mid click, i forgot. 

[HT]

Tips for beginners? Okay, here's one:

Do what I call "aggressive recovery". That is, in any mission where civilians show up, especially those with lunatics since these start of easy, deliberately stun as many civvies as you can to take their stuff. Not only does that ensure they'll survive the conflict since no enemy targets downed units, but you also can profit from the stuff you "recover". Of course, your score will suffer a little, but way less so than it would by having them die. That way you can get medikits for free and some other stuff.

After that, rush to the research that gives you a workshop and Alien Alloys. These can be sold for a lot and, once you can take on aliens, do the same with alien cannons. They're worth a ton.

[ubai]

Thanks for the tips! I discovered the middle click for techs by accident, it's been a big help. I was misled for a while by it though, on interrogations and autopsies I thought I had to have a biolab at first, which slowed me down quite a bit. Once I realized I could do autopsies and stuff without a biolab I did somewhat better.

So far I am doing OK on most missions except chupacabras and spider infestations. Chupacabras = instant abort, there is nothing fun about having your four person squad wiped out by super-fast, super-damaging uber-monsters. Honestly, I am not sure why they are showing up so early unless they are put there to deliberately wipe out your squad. I only have Kevlar vests and regular guns, so I have zero chance against them. That is the one mission I allow myself to reload because it's too ridiculous.

The first half of the spider mission is OK, but I literally can't carry enough ammo and stuff for the second part. Also the combination of color scheme and darkness in the caves make it almost impossible for me to see anything, especially since spiders are tough to spot in the first place. I usually do the first half of these missions then abort on the second half so my score isn't quite so awful.

Right now I am finding a combination of HKs, Magnums, Shotguns, and Tasers to be the most effective loadouts for my 4 person squads, along with medikits and heal sprays. I take every mission I can, but sometimes I can't reach a mission in the van before its timer expires and there is no way I am sending a two person team anywhere anymore. I really hope I get decent transport soon!

I have started interrogating gang members and raided a Cult of Dagon safe house. I am really looking forward to the various story arcs!

[Mitra Lightbringer]

Electric batons (on pistol guys) solve all the problems. As for ammo, I find having 6 (+1 in the gun) spare clips usually enough.

[Alex_D]

I agree with pistols.

I'm on the mid to late game, and the Smart Pistol, with Tritanium ammo is all that is needed to defeat most enemies. Very often my heavy hitting guys (thrasher shotgun, arasaka, rocket launcher, etc) pull the pistol (their sidearm by default) to handle close combats and stuff. Most enemies do not have enough armor to take more than two hits with this gun. A team of 8 of them (in Cyber Armor) plus two laser tanks handled two HQ missions (Black Lotus and Church of Dagon) with only one casualty (one tank).

My rookies, which usually are very weak, are given this pistol plus one spare clip, a motion scanner, and a flash light. And if they can carry, an advanced spray medikit, a smoke grenade (pre-primed), and a stun weapon of some kind.

Is there any other pistol that can perform the same or better (accuracy of damage per TU spent)?