XCOM: Better to go slow?

[Louis XXIV]

So I've poked at XCOM a few times, but I'm finally taking a shot at finishing the story all the way through. I'm at the point of the base assault. However, I feel I need to build up my troops (and hire some more troops) as well as get some important research done. On the other hand, the missions seem to keep getting harder and panic is obviously increasing.

So my question is this. Is it better to just advance in the story and hope the pieces fall where they may or should I take a time out from the story and just run some missions so I can be stronger when the time comes?

 

[Loppan Torkel]

I've only played it thorough once, in normal difficulty, and I didn't pay any attention to when I reached the base. Maybe I just did it at the right time... I'm not being a great help here, I guess..

The difficulty level you're playing on is probably of pretty large importance to your question.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Yeah, I was able to make it through normal with minimal losses, but when I upped it to classical I failed twice in a row.

And those failures I think were due to the fact that I didn't move fast enough, and the aliens became too tough even for my vets to take care of (damn Mutons).

 

[Disgustipated]

Are you talking about the new xcom? Take your time. It's not like they will attack your base (as in the original).

 

[Louis XXIV]

At least until the expansion...

Yeah, I'm talking about the new game. Lack of base assault is one threat I won't have to worry about, but there are others.

 

[Sonereal]

I find that there's a sweet spot in when you should act. If you wait too long because you don't feel strong enough, Mutons start popping up and you definitely don't want to do Base Assault when you're still adjusting for Mutons.

 

[coanda]

Alien Base should be done as early as you feel confident in handling it - global panic reduction lets you save a couple countries that month, and the resources you salvage from it are worth a ton.

The actual difficulty of the mission tracks pretty steadily with the ordinary missions, so... if you find your team having an easy time with random missions, you'll probably have an easy time with the alien base. If you're having a hard time with random missions, the alien base will be hard.

Personally, I always launch alien base the instant it becomes an option. The whole game gets significantly easier after you've wrapped that up.

You will unlock a specific structure later on in the storyline that you do not want to build while still relying on basic interceptors though; just advance warning.

 

[sherbz]

I think the best time to attack the alien base is when you have fully equipped all of your troops with carapace armour and laser weapons (you can leave your squad sight sniper without armour if you so wish, just keep him out of the way). You also really want to have an officer training school along with the two squad upgrades available. Dont wait until you have as that is too late and you really need the alloys and elerium you get from the alien base.

I think its possible to get it out of the way in month 3, which is optimal (you will have some mutons in month 3, but not too many, and with laser weapons they shouldnt pose too much problem). You can do it in month 2 though. The main reason to get it out of the way early is that you unlock

Spoiler :

psionic troops

. If you wait until plasma weapons,

Spoiler :

titan armour

etc then you will have a tough time getting

Spoiler :

mind control

up and ready in preparation for some of the tougher aliens

Spoiler :

(Muton elites)

. The

Spoiler :

mind damaging ability

for council missions against thin men also makes those missions a lot easier.

 

[Sonereal]

The actual difficulty of the mission tracks pretty steadily with the ordinary missions, so... if you find your team having an easy time with random missions, you'll probably have an easy time with the alien base. If you're having a hard time with random missions, the alien base will be hard.

The first I did Alien Base, the moment it became an option, I was introduced to a rather new enemy.

They were called Chryssalids and I instantly regretted doing the mission.

 

[coanda]

The first I did Alien Base, the moment it became an option, I was introduced to a rather new enemy.

They were called Chryssalids and I instantly regretted doing the mission.

Unless you unlock Alien Base in month 1 (which is actually quite hard to do; you need a healthy share of luck), it shouldn't make a big difference. Chrysallids show up at the first terror mission (late in month 2); alternatively, you can get them in the alien base mission (somewhere in month 2 or potentially 3).

They're a huge pain, but you should be seeing them about the same time either way.

 

[sherbz]

Unless you unlock Alien Base in month 1 (which is actually quite hard to do; you need a healthy share of luck), it shouldn't make a big difference. Chrysallids show up at the first terror mission (late in month 2); alternatively, you can get them in the alien base mission (somewhere in month 2 or potentially 3).

They're a huge pain, but you should be seeing them about the same time either way.

Not sure how many chryssalids you get in the alien base assuming you do it month 2, but im guessing you get at least 3. Its better to try and have at the very least laser rifles up and running by the time you encounter them (you should have these by the end of month 2). In the terror mission you usually only get 2 to deal with, which is doable with conventional weapons.

In terms of tech, ignore things like experimental warfare and most autopsies until much later (try and get the continent bonus for SA before you start researching corpses and captured aliens). Thats why i think taking the alien base in month 3 is optimal, because by then you should have nearly all laser weaponry and carapace armour. Tech priorities should be - Alien Materials and weapon fragments, followed by either xeno biology + sectoid autopsy (for the aim upgrade, which can help ensure you down the bigger ufo in month 2), then you want carapace armour and all of the laser weapons. the game becomes much easier then (about month 3). So really you want to take advantage of that and take out the base, which gives you a ton of cash + resources, which are ready in time for beefier weapons and everything else.

 

[Sonereal]

Unless you unlock Alien Base in month 1 (which is actually quite hard to do; you need a healthy share of luck), it shouldn't make a big difference. Chrysallids show up at the first terror mission (late in month 2); alternatively, you can get them in the alien base mission (somewhere in month 2 or potentially 3).

My first terror mission happened after the Base Mission though, which is why the Chrysallids caught me so unaware that time.

 

[BvBPL]

I'm replaying this in anticipation of the DLC.

I think there's an interesting flow to the game. At a point, there will be sufficient terror across the globe that you benefit from doing the base mission to reduce terror worldwide. For me, that point changes from nearly losing multiple countries from the council to sitting in the catbird seat, at least for a little while.

If you can push back that critical point then you have the chance to do more research and such. However, I'm not sure how necessary that is. You can do the base with laser rifles and carapace armor which comes up pretty early. More important, I think, is a well trained squad.