Games PC X-COM-APOCALYPSE User Manual

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and

X-COM

are registered trademarks and

X-COM APOCALYPSE

is a trademark of

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

X-COM®

Background 2 Game Overview 6 Special Note to Finding Out Where Everything Is 8 Installation And Loading 8 This Manual 9 The Point And Click Interface 9 Game Screens 10

THE GAMEPLAY TUTORIALS 13

Starting A New Game 14

Tutorial One: Using the Cityscape 16

Exploring The City 17 The Central Information Panel 18 Game Time Controls 19 The Alert Screen 20 Tracking

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat 25

Saving Your Game 26 The Tactical Screen 28 Exploring The Tactical Display 29 Selecting Squads 30 Moving Squads 31 Using Split Level Views 34 Selecting Individual Agents 36 Moving Individual Agents 37 The Overhead Map View 37 Searching For Aliens 39 Engaging The Aliens 40 Completing A Tactical Mission 41

Tutorial Three: Tactical Combat

(Advanced Movement) 42

X-COM

Veterans 7

X-COM

Vehicles 23

Running 43 Crawling 44 Kneeling 44

Tutorial Four: Tactical Combat

(Attacking The Enemy) 46

Attack Modes 46 Shot-Types 47 Using Cover And Targeting The Aliens 48 Firing in the Turn-Based Game 50 Using Equipment 52 Retrieving Equipment From The Tactical Area 54 Opportunity Fire (Turn-Based Only) 55 Completing Tactical Combat Missions 56 Debriefing 57

Tutorial Five: Returning To The Cityscape 58

Returning To Base 58 The Bases Screen 59 Buying Equipment 60 Hiring Agents 63 Assigning Research 65 Build New Base Facilities 68 What Happens Next? 71 The End Of The Tutorial 71 Playing Tips 72

REFERENCE GUIDE 75

Main Menu 76 Starting A New Game 77 Loading A Saved Game 78

Cityscape Screen 79

Exploring Mega-Primus 80 Buildings Screen 81 Messages 84

Cityscape Options 87 The UFOpaedia 91 Game Time Display 98 Central Information Panel 99

Bases Tab 101

The Bases Screen 102 Hire/Fire Screen 107 Buying and Selling Items 110 Transfers 112 Alien Containment Screen 115 Buy New Base 115

X-COM

Vehicles Tab 117

Equipping Vehicles 119 Vehicle Location Screen 121

Vehicle Orders 122

Intercepting Hostile Vehicles 125 Vehicle Combat and Tactics 128 Shooting Down UFOs and UFO Missions 129 Some Things to Remember 131

Agent Tab 132

Equip Agent Screen 133 Agent Location Screen 137 Deploying Agents in Mega-Primus 137 Training 142

Biochemistry, Engineering and

Quantum Physics Tabs 144

Research and Manufacture 145

Hostile Vehicles Tab 150 Organisations Tab 151

The Tactical Game 152

Equipping Agents Before a Tactical Mission 153 Briefing Screen 153 Squad Assignment Screen 155 The Tactical Screen 157 Exploring The Tactical Display 158 The Control Panel 160 Selecting Squads 166 Moving Squads 167 Selecting Individual Agents 168 Moving Individual Agents 169 Moving Agents And Setting Waypoints In The Overhead Map View 170 Making An Agent Jump 172 Flying 172 Engaging The Enemy And Winning Tactical Combat Missions 173 Enemy Sighted! 174 Shooting 175 Using Grenades 180 Using Psionic Weapons 182 Encumbrance 185 Exhaustion 185 Morale 185 Wounding 187 Completing Tactical Combat Missions 189 Debriefing 190

Information Screens 193

Weekly Funding Assessment 193 Diplomatic Rift Screen 193 Alien Take-Over Screen 193

APPENDIX A - Keyboard and Mouse Controls 196 CREDITS 198

p.ii

p.iii

Introduction

p.iv

p.1

Introduction

X-COM®

Dear Section Commander

Welcome to tradition that spans back to the late 1990’s. Let me appraise you of activities to date and, more importantly, the activities of the Aliens we have encountered.

Back in the mid 1990s it became evident that “we were not alone”. By 1998, UFOs began to land openly in rural areas; the aim of these early missions was the abduction of local inhabitants and animals. Our first military contact with the Aliens led to the massacre of an entire squad. In November of that year, an emergency meeting was convened at the United Nations. As a result of that meeting, against the Alien menace. Most of this activity occurred in the cities and rural areas of Earth, but eventually it took us to the Aliens’ main Base on Mars (Cydonia).

Our victory at Cydonia saw the defeat of the immediate Alien threat, but, in its turn reawakened a second wave of destruction that counter.

Alien activity began once more in 2039. this time; most of our Bases were decommissioned or converted into Theme

BACKGROUND

X-COM

(Extraterrestrial Combat unit). You are now part of a

X-COM

was established. In the following years,

X-COM

were later enlisted to

X-COM

had only a nominal existence at

X-COM’s

waged war

Parks. The call for the re-institution of numerous ship and aircraft losses at sea. Years of recession and political feuding meant that funding from the world’s governments was not forthcoming; we had to raise the money by alternative corporate means.

From 2041, after the initial recruitment in 2040, the second Alien war was waged under the seas and oceans of the world. The war came to its climax in the battle at the Alien city of T’leth. Buried underwater for 65 million years, the city had the ability to destroy the Earth. Fortunately, we discovered that Alien society was constructed like that of the bees and after killing the Alien ‘Queen’, everything else disintegrated.

T’leth rose from the water only to self-destruct; a sight I don’t think any present at that time will forget. Since then we have had few recorded encounters. and Marsec however, were enlisted in the late 2060’s to fight a territorial war against Aliens in the newly established deep space mining colonies. This conflict

left Earth uncontaminated....that was until a short while ago, when the first

Dimension-Gate appeared; right here in Mega-Primus.

The last war has indeed proven to be an expensive victory. The contamination of Earth’s atmosphere and the devastating climatic changes that ensued, have affected everyone. Whilst many sought to leave Earth and colonise other planets, a self-sufficient, self-contained city was successfully constructed here on Earth and thrived under the hazardous toxic atmosphere that surrounded our home world. Mega-Primus has already become an important historical achievement.

X-COM

was led by the media after

X-COM

p.2

p.3

Introduction

Unfortunately, the last four years have seen this comfortable, low-cost lifestyle rapidly deteriorate. The social and physical fabric of our society has decayed at an alarming rate; sociologists have been, as yet, unable to explain the cause of decay. Statistics clearly demonstrate increases in physical and cyberspace violence, family breakdowns, crime, ethnic unrest and strange cult group involvement.

The frequency and pace at which incidents are occurring, is even more disturbing. The concern of the citizens is evident. Many have already fled the city. The ongoing mass migration increases the concern of all remaining citizens as each day passes. Losses in tax revenue are restricting the city’s ability to deal with incidents and the emergency services are unable to do any more than firefight existing problems.

Unless we deal with the source of the problem, social collapse appears to be a very real possibility! Whilst the Senate remains unconvinced that Alien interference is the source of the problems, they have secretly agreed to fund a

X-COM

covert investigation by

Due to your recent promotion, we have decided that you shall be responsible for this investigation. We will forward existing information to you shortly.

X-COM

Supreme Commander

To: Section Commander From: Tactical Office

X-COM

Subject: Date: March 2084

Congratulations on your recent promotion and good luck in the upcoming battle. We don’t have much to go on but this information should prove useful.

The Aliens are not acting as openly as before. UFOs have been appearing intermittently but no attacks have been made; these appearances have been sporadic and short-lived. In the past we were invaded from other worlds but now, in 2084, the Aliens are travelling from another dimension. The means by which they achieve trans-dimensional travel is unclear, but it is apparent that the UFOs use some form of Dimensional Gateway. The gateways can appear anywhere in Mega-Primus. We would advise beginning the research of Dimension Gates immediately.

You have at your disposal the finest technology Mega-Primus has to offer, to combat the Alien menace. Your Agents will be responsible for investigating any strange events that might reveal Alien activity.

INTELLIGENCE REPORT AND OBJECTIVES SUMMARY

Yours faithfully

J.G Steinbach

p.4

The objective of these investigations is to gather as much information about the Aliens and their technology as possible. To defend Mega-Primus effectively, you will be responsible for research and development based on the results of these investigations.

p.5

Introduction

X-COM

must recover all Alien artefacts and technology from Alien encounters, in order to research and develop new weapons and craft. The results of your investigations will be published in the UFOpaedia, so that both you and your Agents have the most up-to-date information. Without this information we will not know of the Aliens’ intent or, more importantly, a means by which we can defeat them.

X-COM

should retain a covert status as it monitors the situation in the city. Our investigation is secretly funded by the Senate and without this funding, the effectiveness and scope of operations will be severely diminished.

The success of our operation depends on your efforts. The safety of MegaPrimus is in your hands; your task is to command Alien incursion!

X-COM’s

forces to defeat the

GAME OVERVIEW

X-COM ® Apocalypse™

different key elements: Tactical Combat Missions and the Cityscape. In order to protect Mega-Primus successfully from the Alien menace, you must master both of these elements.

Tactical Combat Missions provide the challenge of exploration and tense combat against the Aliens. Missions can take place anywhere in Mega-Primus; your squads of Agents could do battle with the Alien menace in factories, multi-level

is an absorbing strategy game featuring two very

corporate buildings and many other city locations. The Tactical section of

X-COM Apocalypse

strategies and tactics as you hunt down the Aliens. Whatever you do - “Don’t Get Hurt”.

When your Agents are not engaged in close combat you will be in charge of

wider operations in the Cityscape. Here you must develop adept

COM’s

management skills in order to maximise the potential of and the many resources at your disposal. In order to advance in the game, you must recover as many Alien artefacts as you can from your Tactical Combat Missions so that your scientists can carry out research about the Aliens and the Alien threat.

is no arcade blast; you will need to apply a wide range of

X-COM

, its personnel

X-

SPECIAL NOTE TO

X-COM

Although elements of

UFO: ENEMY UNKNOWN

game’s content is new, as is the interface, which has been totally redesigned to incorporate many new functions. It is recommended that participate in the Tutorial Section of the manual to familiarise themselves with the new features available.

Players are also advised to read the

X-COM Apocalypse

understanding of the

VETERANS

X-COM Apocalypse

package, in order to increase your enjoyment and

X-COM

will be familiar to players of

and

X-COM: TERROR FROM THE DEEP

X-COM Rookies’ Guide

world.

, much of the

X-COM

veterans

, provided in your

p.6

p.7

Introduction

FINDING OUT WHERE EVERYTHING IS

The Technical Supplement is where you’ll find detailed information about

late

hardware requirements, installation, start-up instructions and any the game. Since it was written later, this information is more up to date than anything in the manual.

The ReadMe file, that comes on the CD-ROM, provides details of the very latest changes (due to printing and binding time, the manual has to be completed way before the playtesters recommend their final tweaks). This information supersedes even the Technical Supplement.

changes to

INSTALLATION AND LOADING

Install and Load

X-COM Apocalypse

by referring to your Technical Supplement.

THIS MANUAL

This Manual is split into two main sections:-

SECTION 1: THE GAMEPLAY TUTORIALS

Designed to get you playing recommend that those new to on a new campaign.

SECTION 2: THE REFERENCE GUIDE

The

X-COM

veteran may choose to start with the Reference Guide. This section

contains details of the updated interface and additional features in

Apocalypse

X-COM Apocalypse

X-COM

complete each Tutorial before embarking

as quickly as possible. We

X-COM

THE POINT AND CLICK INTERFACE

X-COM Apocalypse

MOUSE CONTROL - ‘CLICKING’

You will often be asked to ‘click’ on a particular area of the screen. Depending on the screen you may be asked to ‘click’ on buttons, icons or text. To do this,

is played using the mouse.

p.8

p.9

Introduction

simply move the cursor over the item and press the Left-Mouse-Button (LMB), unless otherwise stated.

MOUSE CONTROL - ‘DOUBLE CLICKING’

Move the cursor over the item and ‘click’ the LMB twice in quick succession.

MOUSE CONTROL - ‘DRAG AND DROP’

A ‘Drag and Drop’ system is also used in many parts of the game.

• To ‘Drag’ - click and hold the LMB over an item. This item will become

attached to the cursor. You can now move that item around the screen.

• To ‘Drop’ an item - after you have ‘Dragged’ it, simply release the LMB when

the item is over your intended destination.

TOOL TIPS

We have worked very hard to make the interface as ‘user friendly’ as possible. If you are unsure as to the function of any button or icon, just leave the cursor over the option for a second and some help text will appear.

GAME SCREENS

There are two Control Panels that you will use most. These are the:

• Cityscape Control Panel

• Tactical Control Panel

Note: we will cover these in more detail later.

X-COM

Funds

Menu Bar

All other screens in the game are based around a common layout.

• The Menu Bar will always appear down the right-hand edge of any screen.

• The OK button will always appear at the bottom of the Menu Bar. This button will always accept what you have done and close the screen.

•

X-COM’s

funds will always be displayed at the top-right of the screen.

p.10

p.11

THE GAMEPLAY

TUTORIALS

p.12

p.13

The Gameplay Tutorials

Welcome to get into the game with the minimum of fuss. The two main sections of the game are covered here: the Cityscape, where you deploy your Agents to investigate Alien activity; Tactical Combat, where your Agents combat the Alien menace face to face. In the final Tutorial, we will return to the Cityscape to buy equipment, Recruit and Equip Agents.

For extra information on particular game features, please see the Reference Guide later in this manual.

First of all, we will begin a new game.

X-COM Apocalypse

. The following section is designed to help you

STARTING A NEW GAME

After watching the introduction, you will be taken to the Main Menu.

• Move the cursor over the Start Campaign Game button and click the LeftMouse-Button (LMB) to select. You will now be taken to the Select Difficulty Screen.

All of the Tutorials are written assuming that you are playing at Novice level.

• Move the cursor over the Novice button and click the LMB to select. Once you have mastered Novice level, you should choose a harder level for a tougher challenge.

p.14

You will now be taken to the Cityscape Screen.

p.15

TUTORIAL ONE: USING THE CITYSCAPE

In this first Tutorial we will take a look around Mega-Primus, introduce the basic controls of the Cityscape, focus on Alerts and deploying your Agents on Tactical Missions.

Cityscape Display

Control Panel

The Cityscape allows you to manage

X-COM’s

resources and develop your long term strategy. It is split into two areas: the Cityscape Display and the Control Panel. At the beginning of the game the Cityscape Display will be centred on your current Base. Your Base contains the vehicles, equipment and Agents with which you will begin your new campaign.

Central Information Panel

Message Bar

In the Control Panel you will see the Message Bar, a group of Cityscape Options, a display of the Game Time, the Time Controls and the Central Information Panel (more on the use of this later).

EXPLORING THE CITY

Let’s begin by taking a look around Mega-Primus using the Cityscape Display. At the beginning of the game, the Cityscape Display will be an Isometric Map View of the city.

• Move the mouse cursor to the left edge of the screen. The screen will scroll revealing more of the city. Move the cursor to the other edges of the screen and explore more of the city. You will see many of the city’s futuristic buildings, including Corporate HQs, The Astrodome, Police Stations and even the City Slums.

Note: to find out more about each building, simply click on one to open the Buildings Screen. The Buildings Screen provides you with useful information about who owns the building, its function and what Agents and vehicles are at the building.

You can also use the cursor keys on the keyboard to scroll around the Cityscape

Display.

Cityscape Options

p.16

Game Time and

Time Controls

p.17

Tutorial One: Using The Cityscape

THE CENTRAL INFORMATION PANEL

The Central Information Panel is ver y important in the game and it is this that we will look at next.

X-COM

Vehicles Tab

Biochemistry

Engineering TabAgent TabBases Tab

Tab

Hostile Vehicles Tab

Quantum

Physics Tab

Organisations

Tab

The Central Information Panel is split into eight ‘Tabs’. Each ‘Tab’ provides access to further options allowing you to manage all of

X-COM’s

resources

effectively.

At the moment the Bases Tab is selected. Notice that it is coloured Green. Also note that any icon that takes you to a Base related screen, will also be Green. Throughout

X-COM Apocalypse

a colour-coding system is used to help you learn

the interface.

• Click on the

Blue. All functions that relate to

X-COM

Vehicles Tab (to the right of the Bases Tab), it will turn

X-COM

Vehicles are coloured Blue.

• Click on the other Tabs and you will see that they are also colour-coded as

follows:-

X-COM

Agents - Light Green Biochemistry - Purple Engineering - Purple Quantum Physics - Purple Hostile Vehicles - Red Organisations - Orange

Now that you are familiar with the Central Information Panel, we will look at another important feature of the game, the Time Controls.

Note: if you wish to pause time at any stage during the game, simply click

GAME TIME CONTROLS

Game Time

Slow Speed

Double Speed

Normal Speed

Quad Speed

Pause

p.18

Ultra Fast

p.19

Tutorial One: Using The Cityscape

Look at the Game Time. You will see that it is passing at a very slow rate, allowing you time to plan your strategy and look around the city. To control the rate at which time passes, you can click any of the Time Controls.

• Click . Time will pass at an increased rate (as time passes, you will eventually see day change to night).

You can use the Time Controls to speed up the pace of the action.

Note: clicking will advance the time much faster than any of the other Time Controls. Because time passes so fast in this mode, it is easy to miss events in the city; with this in mind, the game will automatically slow to Normal Speed, whenever a key event occurs. The Ultra Fast time option cannot be activated until this event is over (ie Ultra Fast will be disabled whilst a UFO is in the city).

Agent Icons

Investigate

Incident

Equip Agent

Equip

Vehicle

Icons

THE ALERT SCREEN

We will now advance time to the point where you will receive your first Alert (if this has not happened already).

• Click in the Time Controls. Time will pass at the maximum rate. Shortly, the Alert Screen will appear (whilst you are in this screen, time will be suspended until you return to the Cityscape).

p.20

Whenever there is Alien activity in Mega-Primus,

X-COM

will be informed via the

Alert Screen.

To send a squad to the Alert Site, you must first assign them to an

X-COM

vehicle. All unassigned Agents are listed on the left-hand side of the screen; all

X-COM

assigned Agents and

vehicles are listed on the right-hand side.

We will now assign four Agents to Valkyrie Interceptor 1.

p.21

Tutorial One: Using The Cityscape

• Highlight an Agent’s name (from the left-hand list).

• Click and hold the Left-Mouse Button with the cursor over the Agent Icon. ‘Drag’ that Agent (from the left-hand list) to the Valkyrie Interceptor icon and release the LMB. The Agent should now appear underneath it.

The number ‘1’ should appear in the corner of the Valkyrie icon showing that one Agent is now assigned to that vehicle. As you assign more Agents to the Valkyrie Interceptor, this number will increase to indicate the total number of Agents assigned.

We will now assign three more Agents. When assigning multiple Agents there is a short-cut that you can use, instead of dragging them all individually.

• Click on the names

of three more Agents, so that they are highlighted.

• Drag and drop one of these Agents to the Valkyrie Interceptor. You will notice that all of the selected Agents will now be transferred from the left-side of the screen to the Valkyrie Interceptor.

Note: if you click the Agent or Vehicle Icons, you will be taken to the Equip Agent Screen or the Equip Vehicle Screen.

Now that your Agents are assigned, we can deploy them to the Alert Site.

The text

, “Valkyrie Interceptor 1” and the name of the Agents assigned to it, will

now be highlighted.

• Click from the Menu Bar, to send the Valkyrie to the Alert Site.

Note: you can also send Agents without vehicles. Simply select Agents from the left-hand list; these are unassigned Agents. All your Agents are automatically armed at the beginning of each new campaign.

TRACKING

X-COM

VEHICLES

It is often useful (and fun) to follow Vehicles as they move to their destinations. In this example we will follow Valkyrie Interceptor 1 as it proceeds to the Alert Site.

Valkyrie Interceptor

Vehicle List

p.22

p.23

Tutorial One: Using The Cityscape

TUTORIAL TWO: TACTICAL COMBAT

• Click the

X-COM

Vehicles Tab and then select the Valkyrie Interceptor from

the Vehicle List. The icon will highlight and the display will centre on the Interceptor. The display will automatically scroll with the Vehicle as it heads towards the Alert Site.

When your Agents have arrived at the Alert Site, the Commence Investigation ‘window’ will open. This prompts you to confirm whether you wish to investigate or not.

• Click Yes to begin your first Tactical Combat Mission.

You have now learned how to deploy vehicles and Agents to Alert Sites. The next section will guide you through Tactical Combat Missions.

This, the second Tutorial, guides you through Tactical Combat; the section of the game where you fight hostile units face-to-face. You will learn how to save your game, move the Tactical Display, select squads/Agents and issue basic movement orders.

You can play the Tactical Game in two different modes: Real-Time or Turn- Based. In Real-Time you move your Agents around whilst the Aliens move playing in this way requires a greater strategic approach. Players of previous

X-COM

games will be familiar with the Turn-Based game, where

X-COM

and the

Aliens take Turns to move, just like a game of chess.

The Tutorials assume that you are playing the Real-Time game; you can follow the Tutorial playing the Turn-Based game, as the basic functions and controls are the same. Look for the notes explaining where the Turn-Based game differs.

If you followed Tutorial One, you will have already successfully deployed your Agents to an Alert Site. You should now be faced with the Mission Briefing giving you information about your mission objectives. On this screen, you can also select the way in which you will play the Tactical Mission: Turn-Based or Real-Time.

p.24

Start Real-Time Game

Turn-Based Game

Start

p.25

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

• Click to go straight into the Real-Time game.

• Or, click to start a Turn-Based game.

The Squad Assignment Screen will now open. From here you can assign your Agents into different squads. It is possible to have up to six squads each containing up to six Agents (for full details, see Squad Assignment Screen in the Tactical Game section of the Reference Guide).

Note: as the cursor is moved over the Agents, their statistics and the weapons they are carrying, will be displayed in the Information Panel (on the left-side of the screen).

At the moment we will leave your four Agents assigned to Squad One.

• Click OK to start the Tactical Game.

SAVING YOUR GAME

The Tactical Screen will now appear. Whilst the game is paused you should take the opportunity to save your current game. You can reload this saved game to replay the Tactical Mission at a later date; we will also use this saved game for Tutorials Three and Four.

Save Game

• Click the Save Game button.

• Click on any of the 10 empty slots to save your game.

When the cursor appears, type in a name for your saved game using the keyboard and press Return.

You should receive the message “Saving Game” followed by “Save Successful”.

• Click OK to close this screen.

• Click .

p.26

p.27

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

THE TACTICAL SCREEN

Note : if you are playing the Turn-Based game the Time Controls will be replaced by four new buttons. These are used to reserve Time Units for shooting and kneeling (more on this later). There is also an End Turn button.

The Tactical Screen is split into two sections, the Tactical Display and the Control Panel.

The Tactical Display always defaults to the Isometric Map View, this will be centred on your Agents that have been deployed in the Tactical Area.

Isometric Map View

Hands Area

Control Panel

Message Bar

Time Controls

Reserve Aimed-Shot

Reserve Snap-Shot

Reserve Auto-Shot

Reserve Kneel

End Turn

EXPLORING THE TACTICAL DISPLAY

Move the cursor to the edges of the screen. The display will scroll revealing more of the Tactical Combat Area. At the start of each Tactical Mission, time is automatically paused so that you are able to look around and plan your initial moves.

You can also use the cursor keys on the keyboard to scroll the Tactical Display.

p.28

p.29

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

SELECTING SQUADS

Squad Icons

X-COM Apocalypse

, you can control Agents individually or collectively as

Agent Icons

squads. Although we have only one squad at the moment, you may have up to six squads in the Tactical Area at any one time.

The Squad Icons indicate the number of Agents in each squad; in this case we only have one squad and therefore only the first icon is displayed. We have four Agents in our squad so the number four is displayed in the Squad Icon.

the centre of the markers. The Agent’s present state of health is shown by the health bar positioned along the top of the marker. In the lower half of the marker, the Agent’s Attack Mode is indicated by a coloured bar. Blue represents Safe Mode, Green is Cautious Mode and Red indicates Aggressive Mode.

One of the Agent markers will be yellow; this is the Agent whose equipment will appear centrally in the Control Panel. The current Attack Mode, Shot-Type and movement orders, displayed in the Control Panel, also refer to this Agent only.

Note: in the Turn-Based Game, the Agent’s remaining Time Units will be displayed above their marker.

MOVING SQUADS

• Double click on the Squad Icon to select your squad. If you have scrolled the display so that your Agents are ‘Off Screen’, this will re-centre the display on your Agents.

When you select a squad, the Agents will have an orange marker displayed above their heads in the Isometric Map View. The squad number is displayed in

p.30

Group Formation

Single File

p.31

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

After selecting a squad, you can move it in single file, or in a ‘Group’-Formation. Group-Formation is selected as the default movement mode because it allows your Agents to cover a wider area and explore more in a shorter space of time.

In the Tactical Game, the cursor is accompanied by a green box as you move it around the Tactical Display. You may notice that the box turns yellow if you move it over a square occupied by one of your Agents. This box is used to set the destinations for your Agents.

• Move the cursor to a position a short way in front of the squad and click. Four

yellow arrows will appear to mark the destination of your Agents.

In order for your Agents to move, we must set time running.

• Click from the Time Controls. Your Agents will now move to their new

positions. Beware! In the Real-Time game, the Aliens can also move and your Agents may be attacked

The objective of the current Tactical Mission is to find the Aliens and either stun or kill them. Practice moving your squad around the building. Experiment with both types of squad formation.

You will notice as you move around, more of the Tactical Area becomes visible. This is because your Agents can only see what is in their Line Of Sight.

at any time!

Mouse Button (RMB). Your Agents will turn to face the direction of the cursor. This feature is very useful when exploring the Tactical Area.

Note: in the Turn-Based game, if the Agent hasn’t enough Time-Units, or if Time-Units are reser ved for other actions, the Agent will not be able to complete the move until X-COM’s next Turn. If the destination is a long distance away, it may take the Agent several Turns to complete.

Whenever your Agents have run out of Time Units, simply click . After the Aliens have taken their Turn, your Agents will have all of their Time Units returned to them, allowing you to play on.

While you are exploring the Tactical Area, you may well come into contact with Aliens. The game will pause and the Message Panel will inform you of the current situation. It is recommended that you take advantage of this to re-order your Agents to cope with the new situation. Giving your Agents regularly updated orders will keep them alive longer!

• Click to resume the action. Your Agents should open fire. The first Aliens you encounter will be quite easy and your Agents should be able to pick them off with ease. Leaving Agents without cover is not advised though as direct Alien hits can cause serious injuries.

Note: shooting Aliens is covered in more detail in Tutorial Four.

• Move the cursor to a position away from your Agents and press the Right-

p.32

• Click , so that we can look at some other controls without being attacked.

p.33

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

USING SPLIT LEVEL VIEWS

The Tactical Area is built-up of several levels. These may be viewed individually or assembled into a complete 3-D picture. Splitting the Tactical Area into levels allows you to see behind walls and inside rooms (if you have already explored them).

At the moment, the Tactical Area is set to Level Mode 2 (its default setting). This displays the level you are on and any levels below.

• Click and the display will change to Level Mode 1; notice the button will change. This hides everything above and below the currently selected level, this is why some rooms in the building appear to have no roof.

• Click again and the display will change to Level Mode 3. All levels are now displayed at once producing a complete 3-D picture.

Level

Indicator

• Click the button once more to return the display to the original Level Mode 2 setting.

When you are playing the Tactical Game you may often need to switch to the level above or below the one that is currently displayed.

You can change to any level instantly, using the Level Indicator, positioned in the centre of the Control Panel. To change to Level 5, for example, simply click on the number 5.

Alternatively, you can use the buttons to move the display up or down a single level.

• Click on the different levels using the Level Indicator and notice the display changing. Also try moving the levels up and down, using the buttons.

Note: Page Up and Page Down, on your keyboard, can also be used to move up or down a level.

Toggle Map Level Display

p.34

Up/Down

Level

p.35

Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

SELECTING INDIVIDUAL AGENTS

Squad Icons

Agent Icons

There are two ways to select an Agent from the current squad.

• Click on any of the four Agent Icons on the right of the Control Panel; a yellow marker is now displayed above that Agent in the Isometric Map View. To deselect the other Agents, simply right-click on their Agent icons.

• Move the green cursor box over an unselected Agent in the Isometric Map View, the box should change to yellow. Click on the Agent. The marker should disappear from the first Agent and now appear above the second Agent. Clicking on a single Agent in the Isometric Map View automatically causes all other Agents to be deselected

MOVING INDIVIDUAL AGENTS

After selecting an Agent (see above) you are now ready to move that Agent.

• Click on a destination a short way in front of the Agent.

• A single yellow arrow will appear to mark the Agent’s new destination.

• Click .

• The Agent will now move to the new destination.

Note: Aliens or hostile units may be encountered at any time. Beware! Ensure you keep an eye on your Agents!

• To make the selected Agent turn around, move the cursor to a position within the Tactical Display and click the RMB. The Agent will now turn to face in the direction of the cursor.

THE OVERHEAD MAP VIEW

Now that we have started to move Agents around the Tactical Area, we will need to be aware of their position as they continue to move around. For this, we can use the Overhead Map View.

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Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

• Click .

• Click to activate the Overhead Map View.

The Overhead Map View allows you to see more of the Tactical Area on screen. The diamond shape outline, shows the area of the map that will be displayed when you return to the Isometric Map View. As in the Isometric Map View, the

Overhead Map View will only show the areas that your Agents have explored.

Overhead

Map View

Switch Map View

• You can scroll the Overhead Map View in the same way as the Isometric Map View, simply move your cursor to the edge of the screen.

Note: you can also use the cursor keys (on the keyboard) to scroll around the map.

You will see Yellow arrows on the Map; these are

X-COM

Agents. Any Red

arrows are hostile units and any Purple arrows represent neutral personnel.

Solid arrows show units on the present level; large outline arrows show units above the current level; small outline arrows show units below the current level. The direction of the arrow indicates the direction that a unit is facing.

Note: the map will only show the level of the Tactical Area you have currently selected.

• Click on the buttons or the Level Indicator (in the Control Panel) to display other levels.

• Scroll the Overhead Map View until the diamond outline surrounds at least one of your Agents.

• Click again to return to the Isometric Map View.

SEARCHING FOR THE ALIENS

As you continue to move your Agents around the Tactical Area, you will encounter stairs, doors and lifts. To use these, do the following:

• To go through doors, click inside the room.

• To go up stairs, click at the top of the stairs.

• To go down stairs, click at the bottom of the stairs.

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Tutorial Two: Tactical Combat

Grav Lift

• To use a Grav Lift, move your Agents to the Lift. Select the level you wish to move to and then click on this level. Your Agent will move up or down to the selected level using the Grav Lift.

ENGAGING THE ALIENS

When one of your Agents sees an Alien, a small Alien indicator will appear above the icon of that Agent in the Control Panel. Clicking on the ‘Alien Sighted’ Indicators will cause the display to be centred on the relevant Alien.

Agents will open fire automatically on any Aliens sighted. They will also use any cover available (within a one square radius).

Note: if you are playing the Turn-Based Game, you will have to fire on Aliens manually. See Tutorial Four for full details.

COMPLETING A TACTICAL MISSION

If you successfully manage to kill or stun all Aliens in the Tactical Area, or if all of your Agents are killed or stunned, then the Tactical Mission will end and you will be taken to the Debriefing Screen. Here you will be given a score based on how successfully you completed the mission objectives.

Alien Sighted Indicator

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• Click OK to return to the Cityscape.

In Tutorials Three and Four we will use our Saved Game to replay this Tactical Mission. Tutorial Three will introduce more movement options whilst Tutorial Four focuses on weapons and targeting modes. If you are feeling confident and would like to explore the other controls as you play, then you can jump straight to Tutorial Five which covers resource management within the Cityscape.

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TUTORIAL THREE: TACTICAL COMBAT (ADVANCED MOVEMENT)

In this, the Third Tutorial, we will replay the Tactical Mission we started in Tutorial Two. Here we will learn to use some of the more advanced movement options available to you during Tactical Combat Missions.

RUNNING

Firstly you must load the game you saved in Tutorial Two.

• Click Load Game from either the Main Menu or the Options screen. Select

the saved game from the list and the Tactical Mission will be restored.

We have already learnt how to move our Agents around the map, so lets look at the different movement modes they can use.

Crawl

Kneel

Walk

Run

Agent movement is not restricted to walking. Sometimes your Agents will need to cover ground very quickly, when they are retreating or moving into cover. In this instance, you can order your Agents to run.

• Click to start time moving.

• Double click on the Squad Icon to select all Agents in that Squad.

• Click to order the selected Agents to run.

• Click a destination. All of the Agents should run to that destination. Be careful not to make you Agents run too much; running expends more energy than walking - don’t exhaust your Agents!

Note: Agents will not be able to fire at enemy units whilst they are running.

• Click to return your Agents to walking speed.

When squads or multiple Agents are selected, then any movement orders given, will apply to them all. If you want an order to apply specifically to one Agent, then ensure that only that Agent is selected.

Note: in the Turn-Based game, running will expend less Time Units than walking.

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Tutorial Three: Tactical Combat (Advanced Movement)

CRAWLING

X-COM Apocalypse

position and move your Agents strategically within the Tactical Area. Agents can use many features of the Tactical Area for cover, by Crawling to positions and Kneeling behind them.

• Select an Agent.

• Click to order your Agent to assume a crawling position. Crawling makes your Agent a harder target for any hostile units to hit.

• Click on a destination. The Agent will now Crawl to that destination.

, it is essential for Agents to use cover. You must learn to

Note: in the Turn-Based game, crawling will expend more Time Units than walking.

Kneeling functions differently to Walking, Running and Crawling as it is a position that your Agents will adopt once they have reached their destination

• Click to return your Agent to a standing position.

Note: in the Turn-Based game, both kneeling and standing will use an Agent’s Time Units; if you intend to kneel at the end of each move then you must

ve enough Time Units to do so.

reser

KNEELING

If there is any cover close to your Agents, move your Agent to that position.

• Click to make the selected Agent kneel. The advantage of kneeling behind cover is that your Agent is less visible to hostile units and can fire more accurately.

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TUTORIAL FOUR: TACTICAL COMBAT (ATTACKING THE ENEMY)

Tutorial Four continues where Tutorial Three left-off and concentrates on the Attack Modes and Shot-Type controls available to you in Tactical Combat Missions. If you want to reload your Saved Game, you can do so now otherwise you will need to continue walking around the Tactical Area until you encounter some Aliens.

X-COM

In the Real-Time game,

Agents will react automatically when hostile units come into their line of sight; but how they react is dependant on the orders you give them.

ATTACK MODES

Cautious

Safe

Aggressive

Note: in the Turn-Based game, Attack Mode “orders” only have effect in Opportunity Fire (more on this later). If you are playing the Turn-Based game, skip this section and turn to Firing In The Turn-Based Game.

Depending on your objectives or strategy, you may wish to change the Attack Mode that your Agents adopt when exploring the Tactical Area.

• Select an Agent.

• Click . Your Agent will always take the safe option when moving around the Tactical Area (ie the Agent will not be aggressive and will seek cover over confrontation).

• Select a destination for the Agent to move to.

You can order your Agents to be Aggressive or return to Cautious behaviour as, and when, your circumstances change. Experiment with Attack Modes as you move around the Tactical Area.

• Click to return your Agent to a Cautious approach.

SHOT-TYPES

Aimed-Shot

No Shot

Snap-Shot

Auto-Shot

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Tutorial Four: Tactical Combat (Attacking The Enemy)

In conjunction with Attack Mode, you should also give Agents weapon orders.

• Click to make your Agent favour an Aimed-Shot.

The Aimed-Shot is more accurate than the Snap or Auto-Shots but the rate of fire is slower.

• Now, select and give your other Agents different orders. Experiment with different combinations and see what happens.

• Clicking will prevent your Agents from firing. This can be useful if you haven’t much ammo.

Note: the ammo indicator is the vertical bar down the side of each hand in the Control Panel.

As with Attack Modes, these orders affect all selected Agents. When single Agents are being controlled, the other Agents in the squad retain their previous orders.

USING COVER AND TARGETING THE ALIENS

To play

X-COM Apocalypse

Agents as strategically as possible to get the greatest benefit from cover. You should give them the best opportunity to use cover by placing them near to it;

effectively it is recommended that you place your

Agents can then duck in and out of cover or Kneel behind it. For ambushes, try to use areas where Agents can only be attacked from one direction. Also, where possible, use Agents to cover each other.

The game will pause and show a message whenever a hostile unit is sighted by one of your Agents. It is recommended order your Agents to cope with the new situation. Giving your Agents regularly updated orders will keep them alive longer!

Should multiple hostile units appear, it is possible to direct your Agents’ fire on a particular target.

• Move your cursor over the hostile unit - it will now change to a white target cursor.

• Right-click on the hostile unit. A red target cross-hair will now remain on the targeted unit.

that you take advantage of this to re-

Note: you can prevent the game from pausing by switching the Messages Panel off. You can turn messages on or off from the Options Screen. Active Messages are accompanied by a Tick. To switch a message off, click on the Tick, a Cross will appear in its place indicating that the message is now disabled. All messages will still appear in the Message Bar but will not cause the game to pause when they appear.

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Tutorial Four: Tactical Combat (Attacking The Enemy)

FIRING IN THE TURN-BASED GAME

If you encounter a hostile unit, you should use a weapon against it before it gets a chance to fire.

First, select the Shot-Type you wish to use from the three options.

• Click for an Aimed-Shot in the target’s general direction.

Now that we have chosen the Shot-Type, we can fire at the enemy (as long as the Agent is carrying a loaded gun).

• Move the cursor over the hostile unit, a target crosshair will appear.

• Click the RMB to fire.

If you are carrying two weapons and only wish to fire one, you must first select that weapon before firing.

Left Hand

Ammo Type Remaining

Ammo

Right Hand

Accuracy Display

• To select a weapon, click on one of the Agent’s ‘hands’. The cursor will change to a white Target Cursor. Move the Target Cursor over the hostile unit

- it will turn red indicating that it is positioned over a potential target.

Targeted Alien

• Click on the target using the LMB. Your Agent will now fire the weapon at the target.

Now one of three things will happen:

1) The Agent fires a shot and misses. This is unfortunate but is expected initially all of your Agents are Rookies. You will find that your Agents will become more accurate as they fight more battles.

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Tutorial Four: Tactical Combat (Attacking The Enemy)

2) The Agent hits the hostile unit with the shot. Aliens can be very tough, so don’t be surprised if they don’t die from the first hit.

3) The hostile unit fires back. If this happens, pray that it does not hit your Agent and that your next shot kills it.

• You can continue to fire by clicking the Left-Mouse-Button, or cancel firing by clicking the Right-Mouse-Button.

Note: firing in the Turn-Based Game causes Agents to use Time Units.

USING EQUIPMENT

Agents can be equipped with weapons other than guns. You may prefer to attack with a grenade, or use a grenade to clear an area of cover.

• Click from the Control Panel to take you to the Equip Agent Screen.

• Click on a grenade to ‘pick it up’. Keep the Left-Mouse-Button depressed and drag and drop the Megapol AP Grenade to an empty ‘hand’.

• Click OK again to return you to the Isometric Map View.

Note: Turn-Based players! Check your Time Units before you use the grenade, you may not have enough left! If you have run-out, click . When it is your Turn again, all of your Agent’s Time Units will be replenished.

• Click on the grenade to bring up the Prime Grenade ‘window’.

Slider Bar

Cancel Priming The Grenade

• Click and drag the Slider Bar, in the Prime Grenade ‘window’, to the left/right to set the grenade to detonate in “3 secs”.

Note: in the Turn-Based game, slide the Bar left/right until it reads “End of Turn”. This means the grenade will detonate at the end of the X-COM Turn.

• Click the Tick icon to accept the grenade settings.

Note: you can click the Cross icon to cancel priming the grenade.

Each hand is accompanied by two buttons, (throw) and (drop). Because of the three second detonation time (in the Real-Time game), it is better to throw the grenade. You don’t want to blow-up one of your own Agents!

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Tutorial Four: Tactical Combat (Attacking The Enemy)

• Click next to the hand containing the grenade.

• Click a target in the Isometric Map View. The grenade will now be thrown there. After three seconds (or at the end of the Turn, in the Turn-Based Game) it will detonate, clearing whatever is in that area.

If an Agent already has a grenade in his/her hand and you need him/her to throw it quickly, simply select the grenade with the RMB in the Hands Area. Click a target in the Isometric Map View. The grenade will now be thrown at its intended target and explode on contact with the floor.

RETRIEVING EQUIPMENT FROM THE TACTICAL AREA

If you complete a Tactical Combat Mission successfully and kill, or stun, all of the Aliens, then you will automatically retrieve all of the items left by the Aliens.

If, however, you decide to evacuate the Tactical Area before you have killed all of the Aliens, then you will have to pick up Alien Artefacts manually.

• After you have successfully killed an Alien, position an Agent over the equipment dropped near the corpse.

• Click to open the Equip Agent Screen. Any objects that are on the floor will be displayed in the Item Menu at the bottom of the screen. Use the drag and drop method to collect these items. Drop them into any spare carrying space your Agent may have.

It is important to retrieve Alien technology so that you can research it when you return to Base.

OPPORTUNITY FIRE (TURN-BASED GAME ONLY)

Opportunity Fire is a slight exception to the Turn-Based rule. It allows you to end your Turn leaving Agent’s with enough Time Units to fire a shot. Your Agents can automatically fire during the Alien’s turn at any hostile unit who strays into their line of sight.

The way an Agent behaves during Opportunity Fire depends on the Attack Mode you select. You can make the Agent more likely to fire or hide depending on these Attack Modes.

• Click to order your Agents to proceed aggressively. Agents are more confrontational using this Attack Mode and more likely to shoot in

Opportunity Fire.

RESERVING TIME UNITS You must reserve enough Time Units for your Agents, to take full advantage of Opportunity Fire. In this case we will reserve enough for an Aimed-Shot.

• Click Now this is selected, the Agent will always retain enough Time Units to per form an Aimed-Shot in the event of Opportunity Fire.

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Tutorial Four: Tactical Combat (Attacking The Enemy)

• Click to end the Turn.

COMPLETING TACTICAL COMBAT MISSIONS

Now that you are used to ordering your Agents, try moving them around the building to explore some of the rooms and walkways. But beware! You never know what’s lurking around the next corner.

The Tactical Combat Mission will end under any of the following circumstances:

1. All Hostile units are unconscious or dead - You Win.

X-COM

2. All

3. All Hostile units panic and flee the combat area - You Win

4. All Agents leave the Combat Area using Exit Points.

For each building there are several Exit Points, all of which are marked by arrows:

Agents are unconscious or dead - You Lose

Exit Point

If Agents are injured you may well want them to leave the Tactical Area in order to seek medical attention.

• Select the Exit Point as the destination for your Agents and they will walk out of the Tactical Area automatically.

Note: if you leave the Tactical Area without killing all hostile units, or retrieving any Alien artefacts, you will receive a lower score in the Debriefing.

DEBRIEFING

At the end of each Tactical Combat Mission, you will be given a Debriefing. This will inform you if your mission objectives were achieved and calculate a score based on your performance in various areas.

• Click OK to return to the Cityscape Screen.

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TUTORIAL FIVE: RETURNING TO THE CITYSCAPE

In this, the Final Tutorial, you will learn how to Buy Equipment, Hire and Fire Agents and Assign Research. How you manage your Base’s resources will define how well you will be able to deal with the Alien threat. If you are continuing from any of the previous Tutorials and have lost Agents, don’t worry, we will show you how to purchase and recruit right now.

RETURNING TO BASE

After completing any Tactical Combat Mission, you will return to the Cityscape. Your Vehicles and/or Agents will automatically make their way back to their Base.

Bases Tab

Buy New BaseBases ScreenBase

• Click the Bases Tab (if it is not already selected) from the Central Information Panel.

You will notice that eight squares are displayed, the first of which contains an aerial representation of your Base. As you purchase and construct more Bases these will also be displayed. The name of the currently selected Base is displayed in the space beneath these squares.

• Click on the aerial representation of your Base, the Cityscape Display will now centre on your Base. If you have completed this operation quite quickly you may well see your craft return and land at the Base.

THE BASES SCREEN

• Click from the Bases Tab, to take you to the Bases Screen.

The Bases Screen will now appear.

Base List

Information Panel

Menu Bar

Base Display

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

Note: time is paused whilst you are in the Bases Screen. Time will resume only when you return to the Cityscape.

BUYING EQUIPMENT

One important function accessed from the Bases Screen is the buying and selling of items.

• Click from the Bases Screen to take you into the Buy and Sell Screen; it is from here that you buy everything to equip your vehicles and Agents.

Fund Adjustment

Base List

Information Panel

X-COM

Menu Bar

Items Menu

Funds

• The Base List displays all of

X-COM’s

current Bases. When you buy items they are delivered to the selected Base. As you have only one Base at the beginning, it will already be selected. Any items you buy will be delivered here.

You will need to choose the item type from the Menu Bar. For now, we will

X-COM

assume that we want to purchase some weapons for

Agents.

• Click from the Menu Bar. A list of Agent Equipment will appear in the Item Menu.

• Use the Scroll Arrows to find the Marsec M4000 Machine Gun in the Item Menu. You will notice that as you move your cursor over items in the list, their statistics will be displayed in the Information Panel.

Underneath the name there is a Slider Bar. On either side of the Slider Bar there will be two numbers: the one on the left is the number of that item the supplier has in stock. The figure on the right is how many

X-COM

have in their stores, eg 10 and 0. The price of the item is displayed next to the item name; in the case of the M4000, this is $800.

Slider Bar

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

• Drag the Slider Bar to the right until the number ‘4’ is displayed in

X-COM’s

stores. We have now ordered four M4000 machine guns from Marsec. Repeat the same process for the Marsec M4000 Gun Clip, but this time order ‘8’.

Next to the Base List you will see a bar showing you how much storage capacity you have used.

Storage Capacity

Indicator

Whilst you are on the Buy and Sell Screen, you can select to buy (or sell) as many items as you wish, providing you have the funds.

The Total Funds available to you are displayed in the top-right corner of the screen. Fund Adjustments, as a result of buying and selling items, are displayed in the top left corner. A positive figure indicates a profit, whilst a negative figure shows how much you have spent.

Note: you begin your campaign with limited funds. Watch how you spend them! Your weekly funding from the Senate can increase or decrease depending on your performance.

• Click OK when you have finished, to accept all of your choices and return to

the Bases Screen.

HIRING AGENTS

If you’ve suffered any Agent losses during the previous Tutorial, this is where you can recruit new Agents.

• Click from the Bases Screen.

Base List

Information Panel

Civilians List

Agent List

Menu Bar

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

You can select the type of personnel that you wish to hire, from the Menu Bar.

X-COM

We will recruit more

Agents - in your fight against the Aliens, it is likely

that you will sustain casualties.

X-COM

• Click on the different icons in the Menu Bar. Potential

Agents and

scientists will now appear in the Civilians List on the right-side of the screen.

• Click .

• Move your cursor over the Civilians. You can now see the statistics of potential recruits in the Information Panel.

• Click on the Civilians with the best statistics. These will now be transferred to the Agent List (next to the Civilians List).

The bar next to the Base List shows you how much living space you have in use. As you take on new Agents you should keep an eye on this bar. As you run out of living space, you should be thinking about building more Living Quarters.

• Click OK to hire your new recruits and leave this screen.

The

X-COM

Agents will now be recruited.

There is a short delay before new recruits start active service, as they have to travel to your Base. You can use the Time Controls in the Cityscape Screen to speed up the process.

If an Agent is making their way to your Base and you want to check their position, you can select the Agent from the Agent List in the Agent Tab (Cityscape Screen). The words, “Returning to Base” will be displayed until that Agent reaches the Base. The word, ‘Free’ will then be displayed to signal that that Agent is available for duty.

• Click OK in the Bases Screen to take you back to the Cityscape Screen.

ASSIGNING RESEARCH

Next, we will assign

X-COM

Biochemists on a Biochemistry research project. We will begin by researching the Bio-Transport Module. Without this item you will not be able to transport Aliens back from Tactical Combat Missions.

Biochemistry Tab

Research and

Manufacture

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

• Click on the Biochemistry Tab in the Central Information Panel. Clicking any of the Biochemists will reveal their names and the details of any project they are currently working on. As we have yet to assign any of our Biochemists to a project, they will be flagged as ‘Free’.

• Click and you will be taken to the Research and Manufacture Screen.

Note: you can also get to this screen by clicking in the Bases Screen.

Base List

Available Personnel List

Facilities Menu

Information

Panel

Menu Bar

Assigned

Personnel List

The Base List displays your Bases. When a Base is selected, any Labs and Workshops at that Base, are displayed in the Facilities Menu As you have only one Base at the beginning of the game, the labs and workshops at this Base are automatically displayed in the Facilities Menu.

As you have entered the Research Screen via the Biochemists Tab, the Biochemistry Lab will automatically be selected.

• Click on the other labs in the Facilities Menu. You will notice that as you click between the different labs the list of Available Personnel will change.

• Select the Biochemistry laboratory again from the Facilities Menu.

A list of Biochemists will appear in the Available Personnel List, underneath the Base List. “No Project” should now be written in the Information Panel.

• Before you assign scientists, you must first select a project.

• Click to open the Project Screen.

At the beginning of the game, the only project listed on the Project Screen will be the Bio-Transport Module.

• Move the cursor over the text, Bio-Transport Module; a brief project description will appear at the bottom of the screen. Click to highlight the project.

• Click OK to return to the Research and Manufacturing Screen.

The name of the project will now be listed in the Information Panel along with a progress bar.

Next you must assign a project team.

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

• Click all of the scientists in the Available Personnel List to Assign them to the new project. As you select them, they will appear in the Assigned Personnel List (bottom-right of the screen).

Note: clicking on a person in the Assigned Personnel List will release them from their current project assignment. They will now be transferred to the Available Personnel List.

• Click OK to leave the Research and Manufacture Screen once you have finished.

BUILD NEW BASE FACILITIES

As the scope of the size of the facilities available to

X-COM’s

operations increase, so too does the need to increase

X-COM

. Facilities take time to build, so you

will want to plan your needs for the near future, at the beginning of the game.

Note: as the game progresses, you will be able to research better facilities, some of which may be based on Alien technology.

• Click the Bases Tab.

• Click to open the Bases Screen.

facilities. For the moment we will want to build Stores, Living Quarters and another Biochemistry Lab. This way we can accommodate more scientists and have somewhere to store new weapons and equipment.

Base List

Information Panel

Facilities Menu

Base Display

Menu Bar

• Move the cursor to the Facilities Menu at the bottom of the Bases Screen.

• Move the cursor over the facilities; a white box will highlight your selection. Details of that facility will appear in the Information Panel: the Facility Name, Cost to Build, Days to Build and Maintenance Costs.

Located at the foot of the Bases Screen is a scrolling list of available Base

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Dragging a Facility

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

• Drag and drop the Stores to the desired location on your Base Display (in the middle of the screen).

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Note: you can only build a Base facility over an existing corridor.

The new facility will now be shown on the Base Display, displaying the number of construction days remaining before it is completed.

Note: if you wish to abort the ‘build facility’ operation, you must release the mouse button before

you have ‘dragged’ the facility to the Base Display. ‘Dropping’ the Base facility anywhere outside the Base Display will cause the operation to be cancelled.

• Move the cursor back to the facilities list at the bottom of the screen.

• Drag and drop the Living Quarters to the desired location on your Base

Display.

• Repeat the process for the Biochemistry Lab.

Note: you can right-click on any of the facilities in the Facilities Menu to view the UFOpaedia entry. This feature is also available in other areas of the game, such as the Equipping Screens.

• Click OK in the Bases Screen to take you back to the Cityscape Screen.

• Click in the Time Controls. One of three events will now happen:-

1. Another ‘Alert’ may occur. Follow the steps in Tutorial One to deploy your Agents to an Alert Site.

2. UFOs may appear within the City; for full details on intercepting UFOs, refer to

X-COM

Intercepting Hostile Vehicles in the

manual.

3. A report may appear providing feedback on your performance to date. A daily report is supplied as well as a weekly summary.

Other messages may appear to inform you that your research is complete or other events are occurring around the city.

Vehicles Tab section of this

THE END OF THE TUTORIAL

Much of the enjoyment of gathering information about Aliens and combating them through the many different city and Alien locations.

X-COM Apocalypse

is in discovering new technology,

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Tutorial Five - Returning To The Cityscape

These Tutorials form a basic guide to Guide section of this manual for details of specific menu options or game features. There may be further game enhancements documented in the

Technical Supplement. For atmosphere and background, browse through the

X-COM

Rookies’ Guide included in your package.

X-COM Apocalypse

. Use the Reference

PLAYING TIPS

To succeed in the war against the Aliens, you will need to carry out the following:-

1. Establish More Bases Around the City

For quick deployment of Agents to all areas of the city, you will need a wide spread of Bases. The quicker your Agents can reach the site of Alien activity, the more likely they are to catch Aliens and collect Alien artefacts, both of which are

X-COM’s

vital to

It is vital that you select Bases that are going to be big enough for your needs the Base will always be limited by space, so plan for expansion when choosing Base Sites.

2. Build More Base Facilities at your Bases

Experiment with different-sized Bases and also consider different Base functions. You may decide you want six Bases around the city which are solely designed to

success.

deploy Agents - in this case you will need plenty of Stores, Vehicle Repair Bays and Living Quarters or you may want to centralise all of your research of a given type at one Base, so at this site you will have many laboratories and living quarters.

By using tactics, you are more likely to make efficient use of the resources available to you.

3. Develop Powerful Squads

Agents are an expensive and limited resource; it is better to have a number of squads that stay alive, than to have a squad whose members have to be replaced at the end of each Tactical Combat Mission. Don’t allow your Agents to take unnecessary risks on missions, you will find they fight better when they are more experienced. Equip your squad with the best weapons available and avoid exposing your Agents to enemy fire by keeping them in cover.

4. Plan Your Research Carefully

Concentrate research on developing Alien-based technologies and take care that your scientists stay busy. Idle scientists are an expensive commodity - you cannot afford to waste any of your resources, or time.

5. Build New Weapons and Vehicles Based on Alien Technology

If your scientists have researched Alien items, your engineers will be able to

X-COM

reproduce them. on Earth, fighting the Aliens with their own technology!

Good Luck!

will eventually be using the most advanced weaponry

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REFERENCE GUIDE

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Reference Guide

After the Intro Sequence has finished playing, you will be taken to the Main Menu Screen.

MAIN MENU

The Main Menu Screen allows you to select between:

Start Campaign Game Load Game Quit

Position your cursor over the required option and click.

STARTING A NEW GAME

Select Start Campaign Game from the Main Menu Screen. You will be taken to the Select Difficulty Screen.

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Reference Gude

CITYSCAPE SCREEN

This allows you to change the way the game plays to suit your own ability. Difficulty levels range from Novice to Superhuman. It is recommended that you complete the game at one of the lower levels before attempting to play at Superhuman level.

After choosing a difficulty level, you will be taken to the Cityscape Screen (for full details see the Cityscape Screen section of this manual).

LOADING A SAVED GAME

If you have previously saved a game and wish to resume playing, click this option and then click on the game you wish to load. You will be taken to the point at which the game was saved.

The Cityscape Screen allows you to manage

X-COM’s

resources and develop your long term strategy. From here you can buy new Bases, deploy your squads and vehicles to Alert Sites, Intercept UFOs and much more.

Cityscape Display

Control Panel

The Cityscape Screen is split into two areas: the Cityscape Display and the Control Panel. At the beginning of the game the Cityscape Display will be

centred on your current Base.

Cityscape Options

Central Information Panel

Message Bar

Game Time and Time Controls

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Cityscape Screen

In the Control Panel you will see the Message Bar, a group of Cityscape Options, a display of the Game Time, the Time Controls and the Central Information Panel (more on the use of this later).

EXPLORING MEGA-PRIMUS

Mega-Primus is a vast Megalopolis. The Cityscape Display shows only a small area of the city at any one time. To see more of the city, we can scroll this Display:

• Move the mouse cursor to the left edge of the screen. The screen will scroll revealing more of the city. Move the cursor to the other edges of the screen and explore more of the city. You will see many of the city’s futuristic buildings, including Corporate HQ’s, The Astrodome, Police Stations and even the City Slums.

You can also use the cursor keys on the keyboard to scroll the Cityscape Display.

Clicking on any of the buildings in Mega-Primus will open the Buildings Screen.

BUILDINGS SCREEN

Building Information

Agent List

Investigate Building

for Alien Activity

Raid Building

Vehicle List

The Buildings Screen provides you with useful information about who owns the building, its function and what Agents and vehicles are at that building. The Buildings Screen consists of:-

1. Building Information - The building name and function will appear at the top of the screen.

2. Agent List - The left side of the screen gives you information about all the unassigned Agents available in the building.

3. Vehicle List - The right of the screen gives a list of all vehicles at the building and the Agents assigned to them.

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Cityscape Screen

4. Menu Bar - This allows you to select Investigate Building For Alien Activity, Raid Building, Equip Agents and Equip Vehicles.

The Buildings Screen can be used for the following purposes:-

INVESTIGATE BUILDING FOR ALIEN ACTIVITY

When an organisation is at risk from Alien Infiltration, you can send Agents to Investigate For Alien Activity at that organisation’s building. If Aliens are found,

X-COM

or the organisation is hostile to generated.

• Click on the Agent names you wish to select, from the Agent and Vehicle Lists.

, then a Tactical Combat Mission will be

Note: click the Agent names again to deselect them.

• Click to begin the investigation.

RAID BUILDING

X-COM

When Mission against Aliens or security forces. The reasons for sending a squad on a raid are:-

1. Destructive - weaken a hostile organisation by damaging their building and killing personnel.

2. To steal any equipment in the building.

raid a building they will be placed directly into a Tactical Combat

• Click on the Agent names you wish to select, from the Agent and Vehicle Lists.

Note: click the Agent names again to deselect them.

• Click to start your Raid.

ASSIGNING AGENTS TO VEHICLES

X-COM

The majority of Primus. The Buildings Screen allows you to assign and reassign Agents to vehicles.

• Drag and drop Agent Icons to the desired vehicle in the list. The Agent Icon will now appear under the vehicle it is assigned to. You can also drag Agents to the Agent List to leave them in a building (if you want to send your vehicle out to intercept a UFO, without risking any of your Agents).

investigations take place in the buildings of Mega-

Note: ‘Dropping’ the person anywhere outside the Vehicle List (ie letting go of the Left-Mouse-Button) will cause the operation to be cancelled, and the person returned to their previous position.

EQUIPPING AGENTS AND VEHICLES

To equip Agents or Vehicles from the Buildings Screen:

• Click . You will now be taken to the Equip Agent Screen.

• Click . You will now be taken to the Equip Vehicles Screen.

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Cityscape Screen

MESSAGES

Located beneath the Cityscape Display is the Message Bar which informs you of all events in the city.

MESSAGE BAR

Message History Message Bar Centre-On

X-COM

All messages received by

will appear in the Message Bar.

• Click to centre the Cityscape Display on the source of any message that appears in the Message Bar.

All of the messages you receive in the Message Bar are stored in the Message History Screen, should you wish to refer to them at a later date.

This screen contains a list of messages.

• Click to return to the Cityscape Display. The display will now be centred on the source of the selected message.

Note: if the subject of the message no longer exists, then clicking will simply return you to the Cityscape Display.

When you play your first campaign, any messages received by

X-COM

will appear in a larger Message Panel. This will overlay the Message Bar and pause the game.

• Click to take you to the Message History Screen.

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Cityscape Screen

MESSAGE PANEL

Continue

Centre-on Message

The Message Panel allows you to centre on the subject of the message, or continue with the game.

• Click to unpause the game and continue the action.

• Click to centre the display on the subject of the message and pause the game.

If you do not wish the game to pause every time you receive messages, you can deactivate the Message Panel:

• Click the Tick from the Message Panel, a Cross will appear indicating that the Message Panel is now disabled. The game will no longer pause ever y time this particular message arrives (the message will still appear in the Message Bar).

• You can also disable specific messages from the Options Screen (For full details see Options Screen later in this chapter).

CITYSCAPE OPTIONS

On the left of the Control Panel you will see a group of buttons. These are the Cityscape Options which access various other screens and functions.

VIEWING THE ACTION

When you first start your campaign the default Camera Mode causes selected vehicles, Agents and hostile units to be automatically tracked as they move around within the Cityscape Display.

• Click to disable tracking. This allows you to centre the display anywhere. Notice that the icon will change to show you that tracking is disabled.

• Click again to turn tracking back on.

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Cityscape Screen

THE ISOMETRIC AND OVERHEAD MAP VIEWS

The Cityscape Display always defaults to the Isometric Map View. This view

X-COM

shows real life objects within Mega-Primus:

vehicles, Buildings, UFOs

and Dimension Gates.

• Click to change to the Overhead Map View.

The Overhead Map View is an important strategic tool; it allows you to see a larger section of the city. Unlike the Isometric Map View, the Overhead Map View highlights information and keeps you abreast of present activity - you are

X-COM

able to see at a glance the location of hostile units,

units and civilians. It is also used to show the waypoints and destinations of all your vehicles and Agents.

The Overhead Map View uses symbols to represent the following:-

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Agents - Yellow “Stick Man”

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ground craft - Yellow

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airborne craft - Yellow Neutral ground craft - Purple Neutral airborne craft - Purple Hostile ground craft - Red Hostile airborne craft - Red

Note: clicking on X-COM Agents or Vehicles in the Overhead Map View will select the corresponding Agent or Vehicle within the appropriate Tab.

ALIEN INFILTRATION GRAPH SCREEN

Knowing when an organisation has been taken over is helpful, but more useful is knowing which organisations are about to fall under Alien control. The Alien Infiltration Graph allows you to select an organisation and see how far Aliens have infiltrated that organisation.

Graph

Organisations

Key

• Click to take you to the Alien Infiltration Graph Screen

White Diamond box - this outlines the area you will see when you return to the Isometric Map View.

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On this screen, there is a scrolling list of all organisations operating in MegaPrimus.

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Cityscape Screen

• Click the organisation of your choice to see how far it has been infiltrated; the percentage of Alien Infiltration is displayed on the graph. Use the colour Key at the bottom of the screen to see which organisations are displayed on the graph.

If the line rises above the critical level (indicated by a line half way up the graph) then the organisation is at risk from Alien take-over.

X-COM

PERFORMANCE LOG

This screen allows you to review your score and check your finances.

X-COM

• Click to take you to the

• Click from the Menu Bar.

This will give you an appraisal of your current performance in dealing with Alien activity in the city. You are rated in a number of areas and given an overall weekly score and total score.

Performance Log Screen.

Note: at the end of each day you will automatically be given a report of your progress.

• Click from the Menu Bar to open the Finance Screen.

This screen provides you with a breakdown of all know how much you are spending on Scientists, Engineers and Agents. It also lets you see how much money you are spending to maintain your Bases.

X-COM

expenditure. It lets you

• Click OK to exit this screen.

THE UFOPAEDIA

The UFOpaedia acts as an on-line encyclopaedia which contains all the

X-COM

information currently available to all known data.

• Click to take you to the UFOpaedia Screen.

This menu screen displays all of the subjects which may be reviewed.

. Each entry consists of a diagram and

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Cityscape Screen

• Click any of these buttons to access the section you require:-

Organisations - Details on organisations in the city and their role in city affairs.

X-COM

Vehicles Vehicle Equipment - Details on vehicle weaponry, engines and general

equipment. Equipment - Details on guns, grenades, Psionic weapons and general equipment.

Base Facilities - Available facilities which may be added to your Bases. Alien Craft - Information about known Alien craft. Aliens - Information gathered about the Aliens encountered and researched. The Alien Dimension - Information gathered about Alien buildings and their

function. Buildings - Information on all types of building in Mega-Primus.

• Click OK to return to the Cityscape.

, police and any other civilian vehicles.

Note: not all of these categories will contain data at the beginning of the game. As you complete research the UFOpaedia will become more comprehensive.

UFOpaedia Data Screens

When you are viewing a UFOpaedia Data Screen, you will have six other options:-

• Click to open to the UFOpaedia Index Screen. This provides a list of all current entries within the chosen category. Click any item in the list to view the relevant entry.

• Click to move to the next/previous UFOpaedia entry in the current category.

• Click to move to the start of the next/previous UFOpaedia subject category.

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• Click OK to return to the UFOpaedia Screen.

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Cityscape Screen

THE OPTIONS SCREEN The Options Screen allows you to:

• Save Games

• Load Games

• Delete Saved Games

• Abandon Game

X-COM Apocalypse

• Quit

• Set Sound Options

• Set Game Preferences

• Click to take you into the Options Screen.

Master Volume

Music Volume

Sound Effects Volume

Preferences

Panel

Auto-Scroll

Toggle

Saving A Game

• Click Save Game.

• Select any one of the 10 slots to save your current game.

Type in the name for your saved game using the keyboard and press Return. You should receive the message ‘“Saving Game” followed by “Save Successful”.

Loading A Game

• Click Load Game.

• Click the saved game slot of your choice.

Deleting Saved Games

If you want to remove old saved games, you can do this by deleting them.

• Click Delete Saved Games.

• Select the saved game you wish to delete.

You will then be prompted to confirm whether you want to delete the game or not.

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Cityscape Screen

Abandoning Games

• Click Abandon Game to abandon your current game and return to the Main Menu.

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Quit

• Click Quit system.

Sound Options There are three Slider Bars which allow you to set the Master Volume, Music Volume and the Sound Effects Volume.

To change any of these settings, simply drag the Slider Bar left, to decrease volume, or right, to increase it.

There are also three other buttons which allow you to test your Stereo Settings:

• Click Test Left Speaker to ensure that sound is coming from your left speaker, as intended.

• Click Test Right Speaker to ensure that sound is coming from your right speaker, as intended.

• Click Reverse Speakers, if the intended sounds are coming from the wrong speaker, ie sounds intended for the left speaker are coming out of the right speaker.

X-COM Apocalypse

to exit the game and return to your operating

Preferences

Messages

At the top of the Preferences Panel there is a list of messages.

• To switch a message off, click on the Tick, a Cross will appear in its place indicating that the message is now disabled. Disabled messages will only appear in the Message Bar and will not pause the game.

• To switch a message on, click on the Cross, a Tick will appear in its place indicating that the message is now enabled. Any message that is enabled will cause the Message Panel to be displayed and pause the game whenever the message occurs.

Auto-Scroll Toggle

Whenever Auto-Scroll is enabled, the screen will automatically scroll when the cursor is at the edge of the display. If Auto-Scroll is disabled you must click the LMB when the cursor is at the edge of the screen in order to scroll the screen.

• To disable Auto Scroll click on the Tick, a Cross will appear in its place indicating that this feature is now disabled. Simply click on the Cross to enable Auto Scroll again.

Note: some players prefer this method as it prevents them accidentally ‘nudging’ the display when moving around and selecting items.

• Click OK to exit this screen.

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Cityscape Screen

GAME TIME DISPLAY

The advantage of changing the speed of time, is that you can play the game at a rate which suits you. You can also pause the game to evaluate your strategy when Alien activity is frantic.

X-COM Apocalypse

begins at 12.00 noon on the 7th March 2084.

Note: the game clock is a 24 hour clock, meaning that 5.00pm is displayed as

17.00.

Pause

Game Time

Slow Speed

Double Speed

Normal Speed

Quad Speed

Ultra Fast

The current game time is continuously updated in the Game Time Display.

TIME CONTROLS

The Time Controls allow you to adjust the rate at which time passes in the game. There are four time control buttons, ranging from Slow to Quad Speed. You can also Pause the game from here, and set time to pass Ultra Fast.

• Click on any of the Time Controls on the right-hand-side of the Control Panel, to set the rate at which time passes.

Clicking will advance the time much faster than any of the other Time Controls. Because time passes so fast in this mode, it is easy to miss events in the city; with this in mind, the game will slow to Normal Speed, whenever a key event occurs. Ultra Fast cannot be selected again until the event has ended.

Time is suspended when any of the other information screens are accessed.

CENTRAL INFORMATION PANEL

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Vehicles Tab

Biochemistry

Engineering TabAgent TabBases Tab

Tab

Hostile Vehicles Tab

Quantum

Physics Tab

Organisations

Tab

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Cityscape Screen

This panel provides you direct access to all of your resources, allowing you total

X-COM

control over

forces. The panel consists of eight tabs, each containing

further options. The following is a list of the Tabs:-

Bases Tab

X-COM

Vehicles Tab Agent Tab Biochemistry Tab Engineering Tab Quantum Physics Tab Hostile Vehicles Tab Organisations Tab

The following sections of this manual will cover each Tab in turn and detail all of the options available to you. The manual will then cover the Tactical Game.

BASES TAB

X-COM

Bases are built inside the city and are often concealed as inconspicuous office blocks or warehouses. The only access to these Bases is via the parking bays or the lift shaft. Whilst most of the action in

X-COM Apocalypse

takes place in the Cityscape and the Tactical Combat Missions, much of the preparation happens in the Bases Screen. Your Bases serve a variety of functions crucial to your operations in Mega-Primus:-

• Agents sleep, workout, improve Psi and firearms skills.

• Vehicles and Agents are equipped.

• Bio and Quantum Research is carried out.

• New Technology, equipment and vehicles are Manufactured.

• Aliens are contained and interrogated.

X-COM

•

activity is co-ordinated.

• Select the Bases Tab from the Central Information Panel in the Cityscape.

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Bases Tab

Base List

Buy New Base

Bases Screen

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Bases Tab

The Bases Tab contains the following features:

1. Base List - This area shows all

X-COM

Bases. You can buy a maximum of eight Bases. To select a Base, simply click the one you want (click again to centre the display on the selected Base).

2. Base Name - The name of the presently selected Base will be displayed below the Base List.

3. - Click this icon to take you to the Bases Screen.

4. - Click this icon to buy a new Base (for full details see Buy New Base later in this chapter).

THE BASES SCREEN

• Click to access the Bases Screen.

Base List

Information Panel

City Map

Base Display

Menu Bar

The Bases Screen consists of six main areas:

1. The Base Display

2. Base List

3. City Map

4. Information Panel

5. Facilities Menu

6. Menu Bar

THE BASE DISPLAY

The Base Display allows you to see, at a glance, the size of your Bases and their facilities.

Note: to rename your base, click on the existing base name within the Base Display. Type in your new name and press Return on the keyboard.

Initially,

X-COM

will have only one Base. As time progresses, you may have up to eight Bases city-wide. These can be selected from the Base List. Each of these contains a miniature map of a Base layout.

Note: red squares represent facilities under construction.

• Click a Base icon to select a Base. The name of the selected Base is displayed underneath the Base List.

Facilities Menu

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Bases are highlighted orange on the City Map. When you have more than one Base, the currently selected one is highlighted yellow.

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Bases Tab

INFORMATION PANEL Moving the cursor over the Base facilities in the Base Display, or Facilities Menu, will display the name of the facility in the Information Panel, along with

all relevant facility information.

BASE FACILITIES

At the beginning of the game you are given one Base and some facilities to help begin investigations in the city. You will already have many facilities built, however, you can add to this by building new facilities.

Build Facilities

As the scope of the size of the facilities available to its efficiency will be diminished. To begin with, you can only choose to build from the following list:-

Living Quarters Stores Medical Bay Training Area Psi-Gym Security Station Vehicle Repair Bay Bio-lab Quantum lab Alien Containment Workshop

X-COM’s

operations increase, so to does the need to increase

X-COM

- if you over-subscribe a facility then

Note: as the game progresses, you will be able to research new technology that can be incorporated into your Bases. See the on-line UFOpaedia for full details of all Base facilities (See The UFOpaedia in the Cityscape section of the manual for further details).

Located at the foot of the Bases Screen is a scrolling list of available Base facilities. Simply move the cursor to the facility you wish to build; a white box will highlight your selection and provide a list of information about construction cost, construction time and maintenance costs in the Information Panel.

• ‘Drag and Drop’ Base facilities to the desired location on your Base Display, to build the facility.

Note: you can only build a Base facility on top of an existing corridor.

The new facility will now be shown on the Base Display, displaying the number of construction days remaining.

If you wish to abort the build facility operation, ‘Drop’ the Base facility anywhere outside the Base Display.

Note: you can right-click on a facility to view the UFOpaedia entry for that facility.

Destroy Facilities

There will be points in the game where you will wish to destroy some of the

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Bases Tab

existing facilities. There are a range of reasons why you might choose to do this: you no longer have a need for some facilities or, you have completed research into better facilities and you wish to upgrade the existing ones.

Whatever the reason, the demolition process is very simple:

• Click on the facility you wish to destroy, in the Base Display.

You will then be prompted to confirm whether you wish to destroy the facility or not.

MENU BAR

The Menu Bar allows you to access various areas of your Base, so you can see in detail how each of your Bases is currently functioning. From the Menu Bar you can carry out tasks such as arming vehicles, organising research and recruiting staff.

1. - Click this to open the Hire/Fire Screen (For full details see Hire/Fire Screen later in this chapter).

2. - Click on this to open the Buy and Sell Screen (for full details see Buying and Selling Items later in this chapter).

3. - Click on this to open the Transfer Screen (for full details see Transferring Items later in this chapter).

4. - Click this to open the Equip Agent Screen (For full details see Equip Agents Screen in the Agent Tab section of this manual).

5. - Clicking this icon takes you to the Equip Vehicle Screen (For full details

X-COM

see Equip Vehicle Screen in the

Vehicles Tab section of this manual).

6. - Click this to open the Research and Manufacturing Screen (for full details see Research and Manufacturing Screen in the Biochemistr y, Engineering and Quantum Physics Tab section of the manual).

7. - Click this to open the Alien Containment Screen.

HIRE/FIRE SCREEN

X-COM

increases the scope of its operations, it is essential that more Agents and Scientists be recruited to carry out vital research and Tactical Combat Missions.

• Click from the Bases Screen.

Base List

Menu Bar

Information Panel

Civilian List

Agent List

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Bases Tab

The screen contains:-

1. Base List - Click any of the Bases to change your Base selection.

2. Information Panel - Agent stats and information will be displayed here.

3. Civilian List - Displayed on the far right of the screen, this lists available

X-COM

personnel for

4. Agent List - A list of currently employed

5. Menu Bar - You can select and Engineers from here.

HIRING AGENTS

To recruit staff from this screen, select the Base from which you wish to hire new Agents (from the Base List).

• Click the personnel type that you wish to hire (from the Menu Bar). A list of potential recruits will appear in the Civilian List.

• As you highlight each civilian, a list of statistics will appear in the Information Panel.

• Click on the civilian of your choice to hire that person. They will now appear in the Agent List.

The bar next to the Base List shows you how much living space you have used. As you take on new recruits you should keep an eye on this bar. As you begin to run out of space, you should consider building more Living Quarters.

to hire.

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Agents.

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Agents, Biochemists, Quantum Physicists,

• Click OK to hire your chosen personnel and return to the Bases Screen.

Agents come from all over Mega-Primus, so there will be a delay before Agents start active service, as they make their way to your Base.

Note: don’t forget to arm X-COM Agents and assign them to vehicles when they arrive.

FIRING AGENTS

Agents cost money and can be one of your largest out-goings, depending on the

X-COM

number you have employed. You may choose to fire you can no longer afford to keep the amount you have, or where Agents are under-utilised.

Sacking a member of staff is a similar process to recruiting one.

• Go to the Hire/Fire Screen (see above for details).

• Select the Base from which you wish to fire personnel.

• Select the personnel type from the Menu Bar.

• Select the personnel you wish to fire from the Agent List. These Agents will then appear in the Civilian List.

• Click OK to fire your chosen personnel and return to the Bases Screen.

personnel, when

Note: you can sack as many Agents as you wish whilst you are on this screen.

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Bases Tab

BUYING AND SELLING ITEMS

• Click from the Base Display, to open this screen. From here you buy everything to equip your vehicles and Agents.

The Buy and Sell Screen consists of:-

1. Base List - Located on the left of the screen, these icons show all of your Bases.

2. Menu Bar - These buttons allow you to select specific item categories:

• Vehicles

• Agent Equipment

• Airborne Vehicle Equipment

• Road Vehicle Equipment

3. Item Menu - This displays a list of equipment, the number at your Base, the number being bought/sold, the price of the item and a Slider Bar.

4. Information Panel - Located on the left-side of the screen, this panel will display the currently highlighted item (from the Item Menu), and any information about it.

BUYING ITEMS

Before buying or selling items, you must first select the Base from which they will be bought or sold.

• Click on the Base of your choice from the Base List. To change your Base selection, simply click on another Base.

Base List

Menu Bar

Slider Bar Information Panel

Item Menu

The Menu Bar on the right of the screen allows you to choose the type of item you wish to buy or sell (eg. Agent Equipment).

• Click the appropriate button - a list of items of that type will appear in the Item Menu.

• Use the Scroll Arrows to look through the Item Menu.

• To buy an amount of a particular item, move the Slider Bar right until the number you wish to buy is added to the number at your Base.

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• To sell any items, move the Slider Bar left.

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Bases Tab

Next to the Base List you will see a bar showing you how much storage capacity you have used. Watch this bar. As your stores fill-up, you should consider building another Storage Facility.

Base Lists

When you have selected the number you wish to buy and/or sell, click OK to accept your choices and leave the Buy and Sell Screen.

Note: whilst you are on the Buying and Selling Screen you can buy or sell as many items as you wish, providing you have the funds.

TRANSFERS

• Click from the Base Screen, to open the Transfer Screen. It is from here that you can transfer items from one of your Bases to another.

Note: you need more than one Base before you can transfer anything.

Slider Bar

Information Panel

Menu Bar

Item Menu

The Transfer Screen works in the same way as the Buy and Sell Screen. It consists of:-

1. Base List - Unlike other screens, the Transfer Screen has two Base Lists denoting where items are transferred from and to.

2. Menu Bar - These buttons allow you to select specific item categories:

• Agents

• Biochemists

• Quantum Physicists

• Engineers

• Vehicles

• Agent Equipment

• Airborne Vehicle Equipment

• Road Vehicle Equipment

• Aliens

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Bases Tab

3. Item Menu - This displays a list of equipment, the number at each Base and a Slider Bar.

4. Information Panel - Located on the left-side of the screen, this panel will display the currently highlighted item (from the Item Menu), and any information about it.

TRANSFERRING ITEMS

Before transferring items, you must first select the two Bases to transfer goods between.

• Click on the Base of your choice from the left-hand Base List.

• Click another Base from the right-hand Base List.

To change your Base selections, simply click on another Base from either set of Base icons. Once two Bases are selected you will be able to transfer items from either Base.

The Menu Bar on the right of the screen allows you to choose the type of item you wish to transfer (ie Agent Equipment).

• Click the appropriate button - a list of items of that type will appear in the Item Menu.

• Use the Scroll Arrows to look through the Item Menu.

When you have finished, click OK to accept your choices and leave the Transfer Screen.

ALIEN CONTAINMENT SCREEN

This is an information screen which allows you to see at a glance the following:-

• What types of Aliens you have at Base.

• How many of each Alien you have.

• The status of those Aliens (whether they are dead or alive).

• The size of the Alien.

Because you have limited space in your Bases and containment facilities, you need to know what space Aliens take-up and how much is left. The Alien containment screen shows you this information and allows you only to keep the Aliens you need for research.

• Use the Slider Bars to remove Aliens from the containment facility.

BUY NEW BASE

• To transfer an item, use the Scroll Arrows to move the Slider Bar left/right until the number you wish to transfer is added to the number at the other Base.

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As Alien activity increases, you will need more Bases around the city to deploy Agents and vehicles quicker and more efficiently.

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Bases Tab

To buy a new Base you must first go to the Cityscape Screen.

• Click the Bases Tab from the Central Information Panel.

• Click . You will be shown the Overhead Map View of Mega-Primus. Available sites for new Bases will be shown with a flashing white box. Existing Bases will be highlighted with a flashing green box.

• Click on an available building to select a site for your Base; you will be taken to the Buy Base Screen. The Buy Base Screen gives you information on your current funds, the cost of the basement and the name of the building to which it belongs; you will also have a picture of the Base layout.

• Click to buy the building for your Base; you will now be prompted to name your Base - type in your new Base name using the keyboard and press the Return key.

• Click OK to close this screen without buying the building.

Note: not all Bases are the same shape and size. You will get a different set-up depending on the building and its cost. Look around at different options before you make your choice.

X-COM

VEHICLES TAB

During your investigations in and around Mega-Primus you will encounter a variety of vehicles. These range between flying and road-going, Motorbikes, Hover bikes, Cars, Hovercars, Airtaxis, Construction Vehicles, and Interceptors. The ownership of these vehicles varies, but largely fall into these categories:Taxis, Police,

, and Alien.

X-COM

has a full list of vehicles in the on-line

X-COM

UFOpaedia, for your reference.

At the beginning of the game, you will send vehicles out to intercept UFOs or to carry Agents to sites around the city. As the game progresses you will use them to attack buildings and travel into the Alien Dimension.

X-COM

• Select the

Vehicles Tab from the Central Information Panel in the

Cityscape.

Vehicle

List

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Vehicles Tab

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Craft Weapon Display

Set Attack Mode

Set Vehicle

Altitude

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X-COM

The

1. Vehicle List - This shows all of

Vehicles Tab

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Vehicles Tab consists of:-

X-COM’s

vehicles. Use the Scroll Arrows to look through the list of vehicles. Click on a vehicle icon to select that vehicle; click a second time to centre the display on the selected vehicle. You can select more than one vehicle by holding down the Control key (on the keyboard) and clicking on the vehicle icons. Click the vehicle icons with the RMB to deselect them.

Note: when more than one vehicle is selected, all movement and Rules of Engagement orders will apply to all currently selected vehicles. However, the craft weapon display, button and the button will only apply to the highlighted vehicle (shown as a brighter icon).

2. Craft Weapon Display - The three boxes underneath the Vehicle List, display the currently selected vehicle’s weaponry.

3. Set Attack Mode - These four buttons set the vehicle’s behaviour, from evasive flight to aggressive attack.

4. Set Vehicle Altitude - These four buttons select a vehicle’s altitude as it flies over Mega-Primus.

X-COM

5. - Orders an

6. - Orders an

7. - Orders an

vehicle towards a selected building.

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vehicle to a specific map location.

X-COM

vehicle to return to Base.

8. - Click this to take you to the Equip Vehicle Screen.

9. - This button opens the Vehicle Location Screen.

10. - Orders an

11. - Orders an

X-COM

vehicle to intercept another designated vehicle.

X-COM

vehicle to attack a selected building.

For a full explanation of how to select and order vehicles, see Vehicle Orders later in this chapter.

EQUIPPING VEHICLES

Ensure that vehicles are fully equipped before you send them out on missions; remember a vehicle can only be equipped when it is at Base.

X-COM

• Click from the

Vehicles Tab, this will take you to the Equip

Vehicle Screen.

Note: You can also click from the Bases Screen.

EQUIP VEHICLE SCREEN

Information Panel

Vehicle With Arming Areas

Vehicle List

Menu Bar

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Item Menu

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X-COM

Vehicles Tab

The Equip Vehicle Screen consists of these main areas:-

1. Vehicle List

2. Vehicle with Arming Areas

3. Information Panel - Moving the cursor over any of the vehicles in the Vehicle List, or any of the items in the Item Menu, will display corresponding information in this panel.

4. Item Menu - This area lists either: Weapons, Equipment or Engines.

5. Menu Bar - There are three options:

• Weapons

• Engines

• Equipment

Arming Vehicles

• Use the Scroll Arrows to cycle through the Vehicle List (if necessary).

• Highlight the vehicles by placing your cursor over them. When a vehicle is highlighted, its statistics will appear in the Information Panel.

• Click on the vehicle you wish to equip. The vehicle will now appear in the centre of the screen along with its present equipment.

• Click if you wish to arm the vehicle with weapons.

• Click if you wish to fit the vehicle out with engines.

• Click if you wish to load the vehicle with equipment.

• Locate the item of your choice from the Item Menu.

• Drag and drop items from the Item Menu to the equipment area of your choice (on the vehicle).

Note: you can only ‘drop’ items into flashing Arming Areas.

To remove an item from the vehicle, simply drag and drop it to the Item Menu at the bottom of the screen. The item will now be returned to the stores.

• Click OK to leave this screen, when you are happy with your choices.

Note: each time a vehicle returns to Base, after a mission, it will be re-armed or re-fuelled automatically, providing there is enough ammunition or fuel of the correct type to do so.

VEHICLE LOCATION SCREEN

This screen is very similar to the Buildings Screen mentioned in the Cityscape section of the Reference Guide. The screen informs you where your vehicles are and what Agents are assigned to them.

X-COM

• Click from the

Vehicles Tab.

A list of either weapons, equipment, or engines will now appear in the Item List.

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The Vehicle Location Screen consists of an Agent List and a Vehicle List.

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X-COM

Vehicles Tab

This screen allows you to drag and drop Agents to and from vehicles to assign and de-assign them

VEHICLE ORDERS

With your vehicle equipped and ready for action, you can send it out on a mission. To give your vehicles orders, you must be in the Cityscape Screen.

X-COM

• Click on the

Vehicles Tab if it isn’t already displayed. You will now be

in a position to give any of the following orders:-

Attack

Hostile Unit

Attack Building

Go to Building

Go to Map

Return to Base

Point

Equip

Vehicle

Vehicle Location

GO TO BUILDING

Orders a vehicle towards a selected building.

• Use the Vehicle List to choose a vehicle.

• Click on the vehicle to select it.

• Click and select the destination building by clicking on it in the Overhead/Isometric Map View. Your vehicle will make its way towards the building and stop there, waiting for further orders.

GO TO MAP POINT

This orders a vehicle to a location anywhere on the map.

• Use the Vehicle List to choose a vehicle.

• Click on the vehicle to select it.

• Click and select the destination by clicking on it in the Overhead/Isometric Map View. Your vehicle will make its way towards that destination and wait, until you give it further orders.

Note: you must use this order when you want to enter a Dimension Gate. To enter a Dimension Gate you must have developed the appropriate technology.

RETURN TO BASE

This orders a vehicle to return to its Base.

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Vehicles Tab

• Use the Vehicle List to choose a vehicle

• Click on the vehicle to select it

• Click . The vehicle will make its way back to Base where it will wait for further orders.

ATTACK HOSTILE UNIT See Intercepting Hostile Vehicles later in this chapter.

ATTACK BUILDING

When Aliens gain control of an organisation you may want to attack that organisation’s building.

• Use the Vehicle List to choose a vehicle

• Click on the vehicle to select it

• Click and select the target building by clicking it in the Overhead/Isometric Map View. Your vehicle will make its way towards the target and attack.

Remember that attacking a building will provoke hostile actions from the host organisation.

Your vehicle will continue to attack until you give it further orders.

INTERCEPTING HOSTILE VEHICLES

When UFOs appear in the city, you may order

X-COM

Attack Hostile Unit orders an

• Use the Vehicle List to choose a vehicle.

• Click on the vehicle to select it.

• Click and select the target vehicle by clicking on it in the Overhead/Isometric Map View. Your vehicle will now attack that vehicle, until you give it further orders.

craft to intercept a vehicle selected by you.

X-COM

vehicles to intercept them.

Note: if you do not select a target vehicle your craft will attack any hostile vehicle within weapon range, according to the Rules of Engagement. If you target a particular vehicle then the craft will only

If the target vehicle is destroyed then you should order your vehicle to return to Base.

attack the vehicle it is pursuing.

Note: when UFOs appear in the city, you will not be able to select (Ultra Fast) from the Time Controls. To check if the UFO is still in the city, open the Hostile Vehicles Tab (all vehicles currently in the city are listed here).

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Vehicles Tab

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Whenever your vehicles are executing orders in Mega-Primus, you can control their behaviour by setting the Rules of Engagement.

Weapons On/Off

Often your vehicles are armed with an array of weaponry, some of which might be too powerful for the mission in hand. Rather than take these weapons off altogether, you can just prohibit the use of that weapon by clicking on it in the

X-COM

Vehicles Tab.

Altitude

These four buttons select a vehicle’s altitude as it flies over Mega-Primus.

Attack Mode

Aggressive

Standard

Defensive

Evasive

These four buttons set the Attack Mode of your vehicle:

• Evasive - Avoid hostile craft at long range and do not fire on them. The craft will not take a direct route to its destination if it moves close to an enemy craft.

• Defensive - Avoid hostile craft at medium range and only fire in retaliation.

• Standard - Avoid hostile craft at short range and fire on hostile craft if they are in weapon range.

• Aggressive - Do not avoid hostile craft at all, and fire on hostile craft if they are in weapon range.

Waypoints

When you order your vehicles to do anything and deploy them in the city, they will take the most direct route possible, which may not always coincide with your strategy. In

X-COM Apocalypse

you can have more strategic control over your

vehicles, by giving them waypoints to follow.

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X-COM

Vehicles Tab

A waypoint is a fixed map position that a craft will travel through before moving on to the next waypoint or the final destination.

Note: it is best to add waypoints and plan strategy whilst you are in the Overhead Map View.

The procedure for adding waypoints is as follows:

• Select a vehicle, or group of vehicles from the

• Select a vehicle order (ie Attack Hostile Unit).

• To add waypoints, hold down the Control key on the keyboard whilst clicking destination points on the map.

• Release the Control key and select your target (final destination).

Your vehicle will now complete its orders, only after following the route outlined by the waypoints.

X-COM

Vehicles Tab.

VEHICLE COMBAT AND TACTICS

X-COM Apocalypse

section of the game. Because of the dense population of Mega-Primus, you should avoid combat in the city (if possible). Any damage to buildings will upset the owning organisations and the Senate, causing you problems in the future.

allows you more scope to develop strategies in the Cityscape

However, this is not always possible, so here are a few tips for you when you engage UFOs in the city:

• If possible, use multiple attack vehicles. Split these vehicles up and use the waypoint system, so that they can attack from different angles.

• Plan your attacks in the Overhead Map View whilst the game is paused. Use the pause facility to re-evaluate your strategy on a regular basis.

• Disable active weapons until there is a clear path for missiles or beam weapons to fire.

• Using the Aggressive Attack Mode will give you greater control over your vehicles, but you will need to pay careful attention to what is going on.

Occasionally, your craft will need to flee from UFOs. Low altitude flying will allow you to use high buildings for cover. The quickest way to escape from a UFO, is to go to a nearby building and hide. When the coast is clear, you can resume your attack.

Note: experiment with different tactics, vehicles, weapons and equipment.

SHOOTING DOWN UFOS AND UFO MISSIONS

When you are intercepting UFOs in Mega-Primus, it is worth remembering that you are not trying to destroy them - there are larger goals than merely protecting the city in the short term. Your objective is to capture and research as much

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Vehicles Tab

Alien technology as possible and the only way to do that is to capture Aliens, their weapons and their UFO technology. You should therefore aim to down UFOs rather than destroy them.

When a UFO has crash-landed, you should send your Agents out to investigate the crash site, before the Aliens destroy the evidence (to protect the secrets of their technology). In order to investigate a UFO Crash Site you must send a single flying vehicle with Agents:

• Click to order your vehicle.

Note: you can also click .

• Click the crashed UFO to set your vehicle’s destination. Your Vehicle and Agents will now make their way to the Crash Site.

Remember, only by killing and/or stunning the entire Alien crew will you capture the UFO technology.

Note: don’t forget that you will need a cargo module on the recovery craft in order to return the technology to your Base.

SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER

1. Your craft can run out of ammunition and fuel during combat. When this happens you will be given a suitable message. When your craft returns to Base it will automatically be re-armed and refuelled, unless there is not enough fuel or ammunition - in this case you will also be informed.

Note: vehicles will still use fuel even if they are hovering in the city. When a vehicle is low on fuel it will automatically return to Base.

2. When vehicles are damaged in combat, they must be returned to one of the vehicle repair bays. Repair bays can repair several vehicles at a time, but are less efficient when over-loaded. Ideally, you should only have one damaged vehicle in a repair bay, at any one time.

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AGENT TAB

At the beginning of the game,

X-COM

has a small number of Agents capable of carrying out investigations; generally these will be rookies. As the operation expands, these Agents will gain more experience and be promoted.

• Select the Agent Tab from the Central Information Panel in the Cityscape.

Agent Tab Agent List

Agent Name and Orders

This Tab refers to the Agents you have at your disposal. The following is an icon summary:-

1. Agent List - The area across the top of the panel shows all of the Agents at your disposal. Use the Scroll Arrows to look through the list. Click on an icon to select the Agent; click again to centre the display on the Agent. You can select multiple Agents by holding down the Control key (on the keyboard) and clicking on the Agent icons.

2. Agent Name and Orders - This information area shows the presently highlighted Agent’s name and current orders.

X-COM

3. - Orders an

4. - Orders an

Agent towards a selected building.

X-COM

Agent to return to Base.

5. - Click this to take you to the Equip Agent Screen.

6. - This button opens the Agent Location Screen.

7. - Click this to put a selected Agent into Combat Training (For full details see Training later in this chapter).

8. - Click this to put a selected Agent into Psi-training (For full details see Training later in this chapter).

EQUIP AGENT SCREEN

Agents can be equipped anywhere in the city (providing there is enough equipment to equip them with). Your Base will be where all bought equipment is stored, so it is probably better to equip them there.

• Click from the Agent Tab in the Cityscape Screen; to take you to the Equip Agent Screen.

Note: you can also click from the Bases Screen. Alternatively, you can open the Equip Agent Screen by clicking Agent icons in the Alert Screen, the Buildings Screen and the Squad Assignment Screen.

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Agent Tab

EQUIPPING AGENTS

Equipment Areas

Information Panel

Agent List

Menu Bar

Item Menu

The Equip Agent Screen consists of these main areas:-

1. Agent - Centrally located, the Agent’s body diagram is used to fit Armour.

2. Equipment Areas - These relate to areas on the Agent’s body where equipment and weaponry can be carried.

3. Agent List - This area allows you to cycle through all available Agents.

4. Information Panel - The currently selected Agent’s portrait and statistics will be displayed here. Also, clicking the icon in the top-right corner of the panel, allows you to access the Agent’s Service Record.

5. Item Menu - This area lists all available equipment or armour.

6. Menu Bar - You can select to display either Agent’s equipment or armour from here.

• Look through the Agent List using the Scroll Arrows.

Agent Service Record

Agent List

• Click on the Agent you wish to equip. When an Agent is selected, their name and statistics will appear in the Information Panel.

Note: you can rename your Agents by clicking on the existing name in the Information Panel. Type the new name and press Return on the keyboard.

• Click to fit the Agent with armour.

• Click if you wish to give the Agent guns or equipment.

A list of equipment or armour will now appear (depending on which you selected) in the Item Menu.

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Agent Tab

• To locate the desired item, cycle through the Item Menu at the bottom of the screen.

• Drag and drop items from the Item Menu to the Equipment Area of your choice (on the Agent). To remove an item from an Agent, simply drag and drop the item to the Item Menu. The item will now be returned to the stores.

You can equip multiple Agents with the same item to avoid unnecessary time spent in the Equip Agent Screen. To do this:

• Select the Agents you wish to equip by holding down the Control key on the keyboard and click a group of Agent Icons.

The group of Agents will now be highlighted.

• Drag and drop your selected item to an Equipment Area on the current Agent (as above). All Agents will now be equipped with that item.

Agents’ weaponry will be automatically loaded with ammunition of the correct type (if there is some available). However, some weapons have different types of ammunition. To load a weapon with alternative ammunition, drag and drop the ammunition to the appropriate weapon.

When you are happy with your choices, click OK to leave this screen.

However, it is up to you to make sure you equip your Agents with any additional ammunition or equipment.

AGENT LOCATION SCREEN

This screen is very similar to the Buildings Screen mentioned in the Cityscape section of the Reference Guide. The screen informs you where your Agents are and what vehicles they are assigned to.

• Click from the Agent Tab.

The Agent Location Screen consists of an Agent List and a Vehicle List.

The screen allows you to drag and drop Agents to and from vehicles to assign and de-assign them

DEPLOYING AGENTS IN MEGA-PRIMUS

Once your Agents are equipped and ready for action, you can send them out in Mega-Primus.

Note: after returning to Base from a Tactical Combat Mission, Agents will re-arm themselves automatically, providing there is enough equipment to do so.

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• Click the Agent Tab in the Cityscape Screen.

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Agent Tab

• Click to highlight your Agents, then click .

• Select the building you wish to investigate by clicking on it in the Overhead/Isometric Map View.

The Agent(s) will move immediately to that building. If the target building is connected by a ‘People Tube’, then your Agents will use them; they may also choose to use a Taxi or go on foot, to reach their destination.

X-COM

You can also assign Agents to

craft and dispatch the vehicle to the target

building.

Once Agents have reached their destination, an ‘Agent’ icon will appear over that building.

• Click the building to go into it and order your Agents.

Note: for further details see Buildings Screen in the Cityscape section of this manual.

THE ALERT SCREEN

X-COM

Whenever there is an Alert in Mega-Primus,

will be informed via the Alert

Screen. Alerts warn of Alien activity in all its guises.

Alert Information

Menu Bar

Agent List

Vehicle List

The Alert Screen consists of these items:-

1. Alert Information - This area displays the name of the building where the Alert is taking place. It also informs you which organisation owns the building.

2. Agent List - The left of the screen lists all the unassigned Agents you have available to investigate the cause of the Alert and their current location.

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Agent Tab

3. Vehicle List - The right of the screen gives a list of all vehicles, the Agents assigned to them and the vehicle’s present location.

4. Menu Bar - You can select to Investigate Incident, Equip Agent, Equip Vehicle or click OK to ignore the Alert and return to the Cityscape.

Note: click an Agent or Vehicle icon to equip any of your Agents or vehicles.

Investigate an Alert

To deploy a squad from this screen, simply select which Agents and which vehicles you wish to dispatch (make sure you click their names and not the icons). Who and what you send will obviously depend on the type of Alert, and how close they are to it.

If you deploy a vehicle to the Alert Site, then you may have to assign Agents to that vehicle. To do this:

• Drag and drop your Agents to the desired vehicle from the Agent List. The Agent will now appear under the vehicle icon; this is now its vehicle assignment.

Note: Agents already assigned to vehicles will be shown in the Vehicle List.

Now that your squad has been assigned, you will have to send that vehicle to the Alert Site.

Note: you can send more than one vehicle to an Alert Site.

• The vehicle will now be highlighted, as will all Agents assigned to that vehicle.

Note: to send a vehicle with Agents already assigned, simply select the vehicle name. All of the Agent names will be automatically highlighted.

• Click . The vehicle will now proceed to the Alert Site and close the Alert

Screen.

Note: to send Agents only, simply select Agents, without assigning them to a vehicle.

When your Agents have arrived at the Alert Site a ‘window’ will open. The ‘window’ will contain the Incident Type and Site information again; it will also prompt you to confirm whether you wish to investigate or not.

• Click Yes to begin the investigation. You will be taken directly into a Tactical Combat Mission.

• Click No to decline the investigation. You will now be returned to the Cityscape Screen.

Note: the more heavily armed and numerous an X-COM squad is, the more damage they will cause at the Alert Site. Causing mass destruction to a building may make an organisation hostile, although being sent on official Alerts does diminish this possibility.

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Agent Tab

TRAINING

X-COM

Agents, although the best in the city, are still able to improve their abilities. They achieve this through dedicated training at the Base gyms. There are two ways in which an Agent can improve themselves:-

• Combat Training

• Psi-Training

The process for putting an Agent into Psi-Training, is the same as putting one in for Combat Training.

X-COM

TRAINING

From the Cityscape Screen, click the Agent Tab (Central Information Panel) and select an Agent icon by clicking on it.

AGENTS

There are some restrictions which have to be observed before putting an Agent into training. Firstly, any Agent that is injured will be unable to train until they are at full health. Additionally you need the appropriate training facilities before training can begin. In the case of Psi-Training you will need a Psi-Gym, and a Training Facility for Combat Training (For full details on building either of these facilities, see Build Facilities in the Bases section).

Lastly, if any of the facilities are overused then the efficiency of training will be reduced.

The result of training is that some Agent statistics will increase. Agents who have undergone Psi-training, will increase their Psi-statistics. Agents undergoing Combat Training will improve reactions, stamina, max. health and current health. The percentage improvement will also appear in the Agent’s Service Record (see Equip Agent Screen for further details).

• Click to put an Agent into Combat Training.

• Click to put an Agent into Psi-Training.

Whenever you highlight Agents in the Agent Tab, they will be labelled as “Training”. Once they are set to train, Agents will do so whenever they are back at Base; training can only be done whilst at Base. The Agent will, however, remain in active service the whole time.

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BIOCHEMISTRY, ENGINEERING AND QUANTUM PHYSICS TABS

When you first start the game

X-COM

will already have a small number of quantum physicists, biochemists and engineers. You will need these to succeed against the Aliens; only with a dedicated group of scientists and engineers carrying out quantum research, biochemistry research and manufacturing will this be possible.

The Biochemistry, Engineering and Quantum Physics Tabs are essentially the same so we will cover them collectively. They consist of:-

1. Personnel List - This area shows all scientists or engineers at your disposal. Use the Scroll Arrows to look through the list.

2. Name and Project - The name of the currently selected scientist or engineer, and the project they are working on, will be displayed underneath the Personnel List. The percentage of project completion, is also shown.

• Select either the Biochemistry Tab, Engineering Tab or Quantum Physics Tab from the Central Information Panel in the Cityscape.

• The Quantum Physics and Biochemistry Tabs have a icon. Click this to take you to the Research and Manufacture Screen.

• The Engineering Tab has a icon. Click this to take you to the Research and Manufacture Screen.

Note: you can also click in the Bases Screen.

RESEARCH AND MANUFACTURE

As you gather Alien artefacts from your investigations, you will need to research them in order to find out more about the Aliens and their technology.

RESEARCH AND MANUFACTURE SCREEN

Note: you cannot research or manufacture anything without the appropriate facilities (For full details on building facilities, see Build Facilities in the Bases Tab section of this manual) ie if you wish to manufacture something, you must first have an Engineering Workshop.

Menu Bar

Base List

Facilities Menu

Information Panel

Available Personnel List

Assigned

Personnel List

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Agent Tab

The Research and Manufacture Screen consists of these main elements:-

1. Base List - This shows all of your Bases.

2. Menu Bar - There are two options: Assign Project and Stop Project.

3. Facilities Menu - At the top-right of the screen is a list of the labs and workshops at your disposal:

• Biochemistry Lab

• Quantum Physics Lab

• Engineering Workshop

Each will have an accompanying number representing the number of personnel currently assigned to that facility.

4. Information Panel - Project Names and percentage complete will be displayed in this panel. Also, in this section you will be able to designate the number of items to be manufactured, when you assign a manufacturing project.

5. Assigned Personnel List - This is a list of personnel assigned to the selected lab or workshop.

6. Available Personnel List - This is a list of available personnel for the selected lab or workshop.

Assigning Projects

To assign a research/manufacturing project, first select the Base at which the project will be carried out.

• Click on the Base of your choice from the Base List. The research and manufacturing facilities at that Base will be shown in the Facilities Menu. To change your Base selection, simply click on another Base.

From the Facilities Menu, click the laboratory or workshop from which you wish to work. Click the Biochemistry Lab for a Biochemistry project, the Quantum Physics Lab for a Quantum project, or the Engineering Workshop if you wish to pursue a manufacturing project.

A list of personnel icons will appear in the Available Personnel List, underneath the Base List. “No Project” will now be written in the Information Panel if no projects are assigned.

Before you assign scientists, you must first select a project.

• Click to open the Project Screen.

• As you move the cursor over the projects, a brief project description will appear at the bottom of the screen.

• Click to select a project.

• Click OK to start the project and return to the Research and Manufacture Screen.

The project name will now be listed in the Information Panel along with a progress bar.

Note: when you are doing manufacturing projects, a “Number to Build” bar will also appear in the Information Panel. Click and drag the Slider Bar until the number you want to build is shown.

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Biochemistry, Engineering and Quantum Physics Tabs

• Click to assign personnel from the Available Personnel List. They will now be repositioned in the Assigned Personnel List.

Research on this project will now begin.

• Click OK to close this screen.

Stopping Projects

You may wish to reassign personnel to a more important project. In this case, you can temporarily stop one project, in favour of another.

• Go to the Research and Manufacture Screen (see above for details) and select the lab where the project is in progress, from the Facilities Menu, ie Biochemistry, Quantum Physics or manufacture (see above for details).

Note: each lab or engineering workshop can only have one project at a time, so selecting a lab or workshop will automatically select the project being worked on.

• Click . All resources and personnel from that project are now free to be used elsewhere. The progress of the project you have stopped will be retained should staff be reassigned at a later date.

Research Completed

When work has finished on a project, the Research Completed window will appear on the Cityscape Screen. Click No to return to the Cityscape or click Yes to view the result of the research (all research reports are available at any time in the UFOpaedia).

• Click OK to exit from this screen, after reading the results of your research. The Research Screen will now open to allow you to start new research or manufacture projects. Any new research or manufacture projects which are now possible as a result of that research, will appear in the Project Screen.

Manufacture Completed

When manufacture of an item has been completed, the Manufacture Complete window will appear on the Cityscape Screen. This displays both the name of the item and the location at which it has been manufactured.

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HOSTILE VEHICLES TAB ORGANISATIONS TAB

• Select the Hostile Vehicles Tab from the Central Information Panel in the Cityscape.

This Tab contains a scroll list of all hostile vehicles in Mega-Primus. The Hostile Vehicles Tab allows you to select and track hostile vehicles when they appear in

Mega-Primus.

• Double-click on any of the vehicle icons to centre them in the Cityscape Display.

• Select the Organisations Tab from the Central Information Panel in the Cityscape.

The Organisations Tab consists of the following features:

1. A Scroll List of organisations operating in Mega-Primus.

2. Six filter buttons: All, Allied, Friendly, Neutral, Unfriendly and Hostile. These buttons allow you to sort organisations in the Scroll List, according to their

X-COM

relationship with organisations in the Scroll List).

3. Offer Settlement - This button allows you to offer a cash settlement to another organisation in an attempt to patch up diplomatic relations. This is a useful tool, particularly if you upset one of your arms suppliers such as Marsec or Megapol.

(ie clicking Allied will only display Allied

Note: if you are in the Overhead Map View, any buildings owned by the selected organisation will be highlighted. Hostile organisations will be Red, Unfriendly will be Dark Red, Neutral will be Purple, Friendly will be Dark Yellow and Allied will be Bright Yellow.

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THE TACTICAL GAME

X-COM Apocalypse

either of the previous

offers the

X-COM

Commander more scope for action than

games. Tactical combat can be initiated in many

different scenarios.

X-COM

Raids -

Agents can raid buildings, steal equipment, attack security guards and inflict structural damage causing economic difficulties for the owning organisation. Investigate Building - News that Aliens have been sighted at buildings will

X-COM

warrant UFO Crash Site - After UFOs have been downed in the Cityscape,

searching the building for Aliens and Alien artefacts.

X-COM

may

choose to send a squad to investigate.

X-COM

Base Invasion - Hostile organisations and Aliens can, and will, invade

X-COM

your Base in an attempt to shut you down -

Agents must be prepared and equipped to repel any such attempts. Alien World Incursion - When you have developed your information and technological expertise far enough, you will be able to take the battle into the Alien Dimension. On the other side, there will be a host of as yet unknown

X-COM

objectives for the Agents of

to complete.

Any Tactical Combat Mission can also be played in either the Real-Time or TurnBased modes.

EQUIPPING AGENTS BEFORE A TACTICAL MISSION

You can equip your Agents anywhere where there is equipment. It is best for you to kit them out with the appropriate weapons and equipment before sending any

X-COM

of them on a mission (for full details on equipping

Agents, see Equipping

Agents in the Agent Tab section of the manual).

Tip: ensure your Agents have enough guns and ammo to survive any surprise encounters.

BRIEFING SCREEN

Whenever you begin a Tactical Combat Mission you will be given a briefing detailing your objectives.

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Start Real-Time

Game

Start Turn-Based

Game

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The Tactical Game

The Briefing Screen allows you to choose between Real-Time and Turn-Based modes of play.

• Click to start a Real-Time Game. This mode provides a much more realistic simulation of individual combat. It is more challenging than the TurnBased Game.

• Click this to start a Turn-Based Tactical Game.

The Turn-Based system allocates an amount of Time Units to each of your Agents. Every action you perform uses Time Units; this means that your Agents can only move a certain distance before they expend those Time Units. It also means you can only shoot, pick things up, or use equipment if you have enough Time Units to perform that action.

X-COM

Players of previous Based system in

THE DEEP

X-COM Apocalypse

and now features Opportunity Movement as well as Opportunity Fire

games will be familiar with this method. The Turn-

has been improved since

TERROR FROM

(more on this later).

After you have selected your chosen game mode, you will be taken to the Squad Assignment Screen.

SQUAD ASSIGNMENT SCREEN

This screen allows you to assign Agents into squads.

Equip Agent

Information Panel

Agent Icons

Squads

SQUADS AND AGENTS

Your Agents will already be assigned to squads, the game makes default assignments depending on the number of Agents you have deployed to the Tactical Combat Mission.

The six possible squads are displayed in the centre of the screen. Each squad has space for up to six Agents.

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To change an Agent’s current squad assignment, drag and drop them from one squad, to another.

THE TACTICAL SCREEN

Note: you can assign and reassign Agents as much as you wish.

INFORMATION PANEL

As you move the cursor over Agents you will see their statistics displayed in the Information Panel; the boxes below indicate any weapons being carried in the Agents left and right hands.

EQUIP AGENT

• Click , from the Menu Bar, to access the Equip Agent Screen and take a more detailed look at an Agent’s weapons allocation.

Note: you can pass equipment and weapons from one Agent to another by dragging items onto the ‘ground’ for other Agents to pick up.

It is also possible to access the Equip Agent Screen for a particular Agent by clicking with the LMB on an Agent icon.

• Click OK to accept all squad assignments and start the Tactical Combat Mission.

The Tactical Screen is split into two areas: the Tactical Display and the Control

Panel.

Tactical Display

Control Panel

TACTICAL DISPLAY

The Tactical Display always defaults to the Isometric Map View which allows you to view the Tactical Area and control your squads and Agents.

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EXPLORING THE TACTICAL DISPLAY

Moving the cursor to the edges of the screen will cause the display to scroll revealing more of the Tactical Combat Area. At the start of each Tactical Combat Mission, time is automatically paused so that you are able to look around and plan your initial moves.

Note: you can also use the cursor keys (on the keyboard) to scroll the Tactical

Display.

LINE OF SIGHT

The Tactical Display will only show what is within your Agents’ line of sight. You must move cautiously through the Tactical Area, seeking out hostile units and exploring unrevealed terrain.

Note: Agents may be deployed anywhere within the Tactical Area.

OVERHEAD MAP VIEW

• Click to select the Overhead Map View. The Isometric Map View is replaced with the Overhead Map View of the Tactical Area. Again, only the areas that your Agents have explored will be displayed.

To scroll the Overhead Map View, move your cursor to the edge of the screen, the Overhead Map will now scroll in that direction.

Note: you can also use the cursor keys on the keyboard to scroll the map.

Overhead

Map View

The Overhead Map View is an important strategic tool; it allows you to see a larger section of the Tactical Area. Unlike the Isometric Map View, the Overhead Map View highlights information and keeps you abreast of present activity - you

X-COM

are able to see at a glance the location of hostile units,

Agents and civilians. It is also used to show the waypoints and destinations of all your Agents.

The Overhead Map View uses symbols to represent the following:-

X-COM

Agents - Yellow Hostile Units - Red Neutral Units - Purple

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White Diamond box - this outlines the area you will see when you return to the Isometric Map View.

• Click to return to the Isometric Map View.

THE CONTROL PANEL

Agent IconsSquad Icons Message Bar

Formations Time Controls

The Control Panel is located below the Tactical Display; it contains many icons and buttons that allow you to manage your Agents whilst they are on Tactical Combat Missions.

1. Message Bar - Any messages received by

X-COM

during Tactical Combat

Missions will appear in the Message Bar.

- Click this to centre the Tactical Display on the subject of any message

that appears in the Message Bar.

- Click this to take you to the Message History Screen. This screen contains a list of messages you have received. Click to return to the Tactical Display. This display will now be centred on the subject of the selected message.

2. - Click this to toggle the camera mode. Clicking once stops the display tracking units in the Tactical Display. This allows you to centre the display anywhere. Notice that the icon will change to show you that tracking is disabled. Clicking the button a second time enables tracking again. Any selected unit will now be centred on in the Tactical Display.

3. - Click this to toggle between the Overhead Map View and the default Isometric Map View.

4. - Click this to display different levels of your choice.

- Level Mode 1 hides ever ything above and below the currently selected

level, this is why some rooms in the building appear to have no roof.

- Level Mode 2 (the default setting), displays the level you are on and

any levels below.

-Level Mode 3 displays all levels at once producing a complete 3-D

picture.

5. - Click this to review your Mission Briefing.

6. - Click this to take you to the Options Screen.

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7. Double Click the Squad Icons to select and highlight squads. Each icon will display the number of Agents in the squad. To deselect squads, simply click on the icon with the RMB.

8. Formations - There are two squad formations you can use:

- Click this to move your squads in Group-Formation so they cover a wide

area.

- Click this to move your squads in Single-File.

9. Click the Agent Icons to select Agents. Each icon displays that Agent’s health. When hostile units are sighted by an Agent, a small indicator is displayed at the top of the Agent Icon.

10. - This allows you to assign Agents to different squads during Tactical Combat Missions. Select one or more Agents and then click . Now click on a Squad Icon and the selected Agents will be re-assigned to that squad.

11. Time Controls - Four buttons are provided to give you control over the pace of the game.

- Click this to pause the game.

- Click this to make time pass slowly, allowing you more time to react.

- Click this to make time pass at its Normal Speed.

- Click this to make time pass at Double-Speed.

Note : if you are playing the Turn-Based game you will notice that there are an extra four buttons which replace the Time Controls. These are used to reserve

Time Units for Shooting and Kneeling (see Turn Based Tactical Game for details). There is also an End Turn button.

Turn-Based Buttons

Remaining Ammo

Ammo

Type

Hands Area

Accuracy

Display

Level

Indicator

12. Hands Area- There are two ‘hand’ areas displaying the contents of the left and right hands. This area also contains these items:

- Click this to go to the Equip Agent Screen.

Accuracy display - The bar below each hand will show the accuracy of any weapons held in that hand. The bars will become filled towards the centre of the screen to indicate an Agents accuracy with the currently held weapon. The closer the filled bar is to the centre of the screen the better an Agent’s accuracy.

Ammo Type - The box to the left/right of each hand displays the type of ammo that is loaded in the current weapon.

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Remaining Ammo - The vertical bar next to the Agent’s hand, indicates how much ammo is left in the weapon carried in that hand.

- Click on this to throw any item currently held in the associated ‘hand’.

- Click on this to drop any item currently held in the associated ‘hand’.

Level Indicator - Each numbered block in the bar represents a level of the Tactical Area. Click any of these ‘blocks’ to change the level you are currently viewing.

13. - Click these to move the view up/down a level.

Shot-Types

Movement Orders

Attack Modes

14. Movement Orders - There are four movement orders:

- Click this to order your selected Agent to assume a kneeling position when they are not moving. Click the button again, Agents will now return to the position dictated by their current Movement Orders. The advantage of kneeling

is that your Agent is less visible to hostile units and can fire more accurately.

- Click this to order your selected Agent to Crawl. The advantages of crawling are that the Agent is a harder target to hit, and a more accurate shot (when stationary).

- Click this to order your selected Agent to Walk.

- Click this to order your selected Agent to Run.

15. Attack Modes. There are three Attack Modes:

- Safe Mode. Click this to order your Agents to seek safety over

confrontation.

- Cautious Mode. Click this to order your Agents to use cover and engage

the enemy with caution.

- Aggressive Mode. Click this to order your Agents to ignore risks and

aggressively seek confrontation.

16. Shot-Types. The four different Shot Types control how your Agents will use their weapons.

- Click this to prevent your Agents from taking a shot.

- Click this to make your Agent favour an Aimed-Shot. This is more accurate

than Snap or Auto-shots, but the rate of fire is slower.

- Click this to make your Agent favour a Snap-Shot. This is an un-aimed-

shot in the target’s general direction. It is most useful at short range.

- Click this to make your Agent fire a short burst of shots in the target’s

general direction. Again, this is most useful at short ranges.

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SELECTING SQUADS

X-COM Apocalypse

squads. You may have up to six squads in the Tactical Area at any one time. The Squad Icons indicate the number of Agents in each squad; each squad can contain up to six Agents.

• Double-click a Squad Icon to select a squad. To deselect the squad, simply click the icon again with the RMB.

When you select a squad, an orange marker is displayed above each Agent in that squad (in the Isometric Map View). The squad number is displayed in the centre of the markers. The Agent’s present state of health is shown by the Health Bar positioned along the top of the marker. In the lower half of the marker the Agent’s Attack Mode is indicated by a coloured bar. Blue represents Safe Mode, Green is used to show Cautious Mode and Red indicates Aggressive Mode.

One of the Agent markers will be yellow; this is the Agent whose equipment appears centrally in the Hands Area. The currently displayed Attack Mode, Shot- Type and movement orders refer to this unit only.

, you can control Agents individually or collectively as

Note: in the Turn-Based Game the number of Time Units an Agent has is displayed above the marker. As Agents use Time Units this number will diminish. When this number is 0 or too low to perform any actions, you will be told that the Agent has run out of Time Units.

MOVING SQUADS

After selecting a squad, you can move it in Single-File, or in a ‘Group’ Formation. ‘Group’ Formation is selected as the default movement mode because it allows your Agents to cover a wider area, aiding the exploration of unrevealed terrain. In the Tactical Game, the cursor is accompanied by a green box as you move it around the Isometric Map View. You may notice that the box turns yellow if you move it over a square occupied by one of your Agents. This box is used to set the destinations for your Agents.

• Select a squad (as above). Now, move the cursor to a position a short way in front of the squad and click the LMB. Yellow arrows will appear to mark the destination of your Agents.

Note: if you are playing in the Real-Time Game, and your Agents don’t move when you have given them orders, check to see if time is paused. Click if this is the case. Beware! The Aliens can now move and your Agents may be attacked at any time.

• To stop your Agents before they reach their designated destinations, simply click the RMB in the Tactical Display.

• Move the cursor to a position away from your Agents and press the RightMouse Button. Your Agents will turn to face the direction of the cursor. This feature is very useful when exploring the Tactical Areas.

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Note: in the Turn-Based Game, if the Agent hasn’t enough Time Units, or if Time Units are reser ved for other actions, the Agent will not be able to complete

the move until X-COM’s next Turn. If the destination is a long distance away, it may take the Agent several Turns to complete.

Whenever your Agents have run out of Time Units, simply click . After the Aliens have taken their Turn, your Agents will have all of their Time Units returned to them, allowing you to play on. During the Aliens’ Turn The Hidden Movement Screen will appear when Aliens are moving out of sight of X-COM Agents. Although, any Alien units sighted by X-COM Agents will be shown.

Tip: it is best to end your Turn when your Agents are in cover; close to pipes, tables or other large objects.

SELECTING INDIVIDUAL AGENTS

There are two ways to select an Agent from the current squad.

• Click on any of the Agent Icons (faces) on the right of the Control Panel; a yellow marker is displayed above the head of the Agent in the Isometric Map View indicating who is selected. To deselect other Agents, simply right-click on their Agent icons.

disappear from the first Agent and now appear above the second Agent. Clicking on a single Agent in the Isometric Map View automatically causes all other Agents to be deselected

There are also several ways to select groups of multiple Agents:

• Click and hold the LMB and move the Green cursor box over a number of your Agents in the Tactical Display.

• Hold down the Control key on the keyboard and click the Agents of your choice in the Isometric Map View.

• Hold down the Control key on your keyboard and click individual Agent Icons in the Control Panel.

MOVING INDIVIDUAL AGENTS

After selecting an Agent (see above) you are now ready to move them.

• Click on a destination a short way in front of the Agent.

A single yellow arrow will appear to show the Agent’s destination.

• Move the green cursor box over an unselected Agent in the Isometric Map View, the box should change to yellow. Click on the Agent. The marker should

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Note: Aliens or hostile units may be encountered at any time. Beware! Ensure you keep an eye on your squad!

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The Tactical Game

• If you want your Agent to move to a square occupied by another Agent, simply hold down the ALT key on the keyboard and click the destination. If the Agent occupying the square is not moved, then the second Agent will move as close as possible. Only when the first Agent moves, can the second Agent move into that position. This is useful for moving Agents strategically along a corridor.

• To stop Agents before they reach their designated destinations, simply click the RMB in the Tactical Display.

• To make the selected Agent turn around, move the cursor to a position within the Tactical Display and click the RMB. The Agent will now turn to face the direction of the cursor.

Note: doors will open automatically, when you stand next to them.

MOVING AGENTS AND SETTING WAYPOINTS IN THE OVERHEAD MAP VIEW

• Click to enter the Overhead Map View.

• Click any of your

• Click a destination on the map to move the selected Agent. A blue cross will appear at the destination, the yellow line shows the Agents distance left to

X-COM

Agents. They will be highlighted with a yellow box.

travel and the route they are taking. You can change the target destination simply by selecting a new one.

Note: the blue cross will appear as a blue circle if the selected destination is above or below the level currently being viewed.

Agents will take the most direct route to their new destination (depending on their orders), which may not be in line with your strategy. The Overhead Map View allows you to select waypoints for your Agents. A waypoint is a fixed map position that an Agent will travel through before moving on to the next waypoint or the final destination. This allows you to move your Agent to a Destination by your own route.

The procedure for adding waypoints is as follows:

• Select an Agent, or group of Agents.

• To add waypoints, hold down the Control key on the keyboard whilst clicking destination points on the map.

Your Agent will now move to the new destination only after following the route outlined by the waypoints.

Note: you can select multiple Agents by pressing and holding the Control key on the keyboard whilst you click the Agents you wish to select. You can also select Agents by clicking on the Agent Icons in the Control Panel. To deselect Agents, right-click on the Agent Icon(s).

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To move an entire squad, simply select a squad by double-clicking a Squad Icon. A yellow highlighter box will appear around each member of that squad. As before, just click a destination, and the Agents will move towards it.

• Click to return to the Isometric Map View.

MAKING AN AGENT JUMP

If there is a hole in the floor or some other obstruction caused by an explosion, providing it is not huge, the Agent will be able to jump across.

• To order an Agent to jump, hold down “J” on the keyboard and click on the adjacent square. The Agent should now jump.

Note: Use this carefully, as jumping down multiple levels may cause Agents to damage themselves (depending on the armour that they are wearing).

FLYING

If an Agent is equipped with the Marsec Elerium Body Armour they will be able to fly. The Agent will fly if it helps get to a destination more quickly. To make an Agent fly, simply select a destination in the air.

ENGAGING THE ENEMY AND WINNING TACTICAL COMBAT MISSIONS

USING COVER

Using the available cover in the terrain is essential for improving your tactics. The best method is to position your Agents next to a space which provides cover from enemy fire.

The Attack Modes are used to influence the way Agents react to their surroundings. Agents in Cautious Mode will duck in and out of cover automatically, if it is nearby (if they are positioned behind low cover, Agents may kneel down to avoid enemy fire and stand to return fire).

Agents using Aggressive Mode will favour confrontation, regardless of safety.

Agents in Safe Mode will always attempt to find cover.

Tip: set up ambushes for the Aliens; try to use areas where Agents can only be attacked from one direction and use Agents to cover each other.

USING THE MOTION SCANNER

The motion scanner can be used to help you track down enemy units. To use it, make sure that it is in one of your Agent’s hands.

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• Click on the Motion Scanner in the Hands Area. The Motion Scanner Display will appear in the top right corner of the screen.

The Motion Scanner Display shows moving objects as bright white blips. The arrow in the centre of the display shows the current facing of the Agent holding the scanner.

Note: the scanner shows moving objects. It does not discriminate between hostile units and X-COM.

ENEMY SIGHTED!

When a hostile unit is spotted, ‘Alien Sighted’ Indicators will appear above the Agent’s icon in the Control Panel. The number of small circles, represents the number of Aliens spotted by that Agent.

• Click the ‘Alien Sighted’ Indicators to centre the Tactical Display on the relevant Alien.

The game will also pause and the Message Panel will inform you of the current situation. It is recommended Agents to cope with the new situation. Giving your Agents regularly updated orders will keep them alive longer!

that you take advantage of this to re-order your

• Click to pause and centre on the hostile unit.

Note: you can prevent the game from pausing by switching the Message Panel off from the Options Screen. Active messages are accompanied by a Tick. To switch the Message Panel off for that message, click on the Tick, a Cross will appear in its place indicating that the message is now disabled. All messages will still appear in the Message Bar but will not cause the game to pause when they appear.

Hostile units will be spotted if there is no terrain obstructing your Agent’s LineOf-Sight.

Note: smoke may obstruct Line-Of-Sight depending on how thick it is.

SHOOTING

Your Agents will automatically shoot at enemy units if they see them. You must, of course, make sure that there is a loaded weapon in one of the Agent’s hands. The way in which an Agent reacts during engagements is heavily influenced by their currently selected Attack Mode.

If an Agent has more than one potential target, then that Agent will try to select the most appropriate target. To order your Agent to attack a specific target, move the cursor over the hostile unit and click the RMB. To deselect the target, click the RMB on any of your Agents in the Tactical Display.

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Note: to shoot in the Turn-Based Game, simply target a hostile unit and click the RMB (ensure that your Agent is carrying a loaded weapon). To select a specific weapon, when your Agent is carrying two, simply click the LMB on that weapon in the Hands Area. Move the cross-hair cursor over your selected target and click. Alternatively, press and hold the Shift key on the keyboard and click the LMB on the target. Click each time you wish to make a shot.

To shoot at terrain in both the Real-Time and Turn-Based Games, players must use the Shift key method (as above).

OPPORTUNITY FIRE (TURN BASED ONLY)

If you end your Turn, leaving Agent’s with enough Time Units to fire a shot, your Agents can automatically fire during the Alien’s Turn at any hostile unit who strays into their line of sight. This is called Opportunity Fire.

You can set your Agents to reserve Time Units for specific actions:

• Click . As long as this is selected the Agent will always retain enough Time Units to perform an Aimed-Shot in the event of Opportunity Fire.

• Click . As long as this is selected the Agent will always retain enough Time Units to perform a Snap-Shot in the event of Opportunity Fire.

• Click . As long as this is selected the Agent will always retain enough Time Units to perform an Auto-Shot in the event of Opportunity Fire.

In all cases, the Agent will continue to use Time Units in the normal way, however, the Agent will always retain enough for the reserved Shot-Type. If you try to move, when you are in this position, you will be informed that the Time Units are reser ved.

You can also reserve Time Units to make an Agent kneel down at the end of a move. In combat, you may want to leave your Agent in the kneeling position to make them less visible in Hidden Movement.

• Click to reserve enough Time-Units for your Agent to Kneel.

Opportunity Fire can be crucial to mission success. Remember, if you can leave your Agents with enough Time Units at the end of might even be able to take a shot before any Aliens move, if their reactions and Time Units are high enough.

In previous

Fire. In Movement. Agents use Opportunity Movement in accordance with their current Attack Mode. Agents in Aggressive Mode will be trigger-happy and only attempt

to fire (they will not use Opportunity Movement). In Cautious Mode Agents will fire and then use Opportunity Movement to seek cover. Agents in Safe Mode will not fire and always use Opportunity Movement to seek cover.

There may be several exchanges of fire in each Opportunity Fire confrontation.

X-COM

X-COM Apocalypse

games Agents have been unable to move during Opportunity

Agents are able to take advantage of Opportunity

X-COM’s

Turn, your Agents

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SHOOTING FROM THE OVERHEAD MAP

To Shoot from the Overhead Map:

• Click on the target of your choice, whilst holding Shift on the keyboard. Each Agent will fire a shot in that direction.

• Click repeatedly to take more than one shot.

Note: some weapons have guided munitions which will adjust their course as they move towards the target.

REACTIONS

There are some occasions when an Agent does not fire at an enemy even though there is a clear line of sight. There can be several reasons for this:

1. There is a delay between spotting an enemy and being able to shoot at it. This delay depends on the reaction rating of the firing Agent, the firing rate of the weapon and the Agent’s selected Shot-Type. An Agent with good reactions and a quick firing machine gun using Auto-fire, will shoot quicker at a newly spotted Alien than an Agent with poor reactions and a sniper rifle. This delay could be long enough for the hostile unit to take cover again!

Note: once an Agent has fired, there will be no delays for any successive shots.

2. Risk to other Agents. Explosive ammunition will not be fired at a target if the blast radius will affect another Agent (this includes the Agent making the shot). Also, Agents will not fire, if other Agents are too close to the path of the shot, although an Agent in Aggressive Mode will take more risks than an Agent in Cautious Mode.

MAXIMISING ACCURACY

The bar below each hand will show the accuracy of any weapons held in that hand. The bars will become filled towards the centre of the screen to indicate an Agent’s accuracy with the currently held weapon. The closer the filled bar is to the centre of the screen the better an Agent’s accuracy. The following things affect accuracy:

• An Aimed-Shot will increase the accuracy, whereas automatic fire will decrease the accuracy.

• Kneeling Agents will be more accurate.

• A Wounded Agent will be less accurate.

• Using a two-handed weapon (such as a sniper rifle) with an object in the other hand, will reduce accuracy.

• Walking Agents will have reduced accuracy.

Principles that are true to real-life combat also affect accuracy:

• The larger the target the easier it is to hit.

• A stationary target is easier to hit than a moving target.

• The closer the target, the easier it is to hit.

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USING GRENADES

• Click to take you to the Equip Agent Screen.

• Click and Drag a grenade into an empty ‘hand’.

Note: proximity grenades will have an extra Slider Bar for distance setting. Sliding the bar left/right will increase/decrease the grenade’s detection range.

Each hand is accompanied by two icons, (throw) and (drop).

• Click if you wish to drop the grenade.

• Click OK again to return you to the Tactical Screen.

• Click the grenade to open the Prime Grenade ‘window’.

Slider Bar

Cancel Priming The Grenade

• ‘Click and drag’ the Slider Bar, in the Prime Grenade ‘window’, to the left/right to decrease/increase the grenade’s delay time.

• Click Tick to accept the grenade settings, or click the Cross icon to cancel the whole operation.

If you drop a grenade, ensure that you have allowed yourself enough Time Units to move the Agent away from the blast area.

• Click if you wish to throw the grenade.

• Click a target in the Isometric Map View. The grenade will now be thrown in that direction.

Note: if you are unable to throw the grenade for any reason, the cursor will change, to signify that an area cannot be targeted.

Tip: you can pause the game while you prime and throw a grenade. As soon as you restart time the grenade will be thrown.

If an Agent already has a grenade in their hand and you need them to throw it quickly, simply select the grenade with the RMB in the Hands Area. Click a target in the Isometric Map View. The grenade will now be thrown at its intended target and explode on contact with the floor.

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Don’t be surprised if your Agents are not always on target, this is dependent on their accuracy rating. Check that this rating is high in their stats when you are recruiting!

Grenades are not the only object you can throw; other objects can be thrown in the same way. The distance an object can be thrown depends on the weight of the object and strength of the thrower.

Note: once an object has been thrown the throwing icons are deactivated for a short period of time.

USING PSIONIC WEAPONS

In addition to standard guns and grenades, your Agents also have the ability to use Psionic Weapons. These weapons allow you to take over Aliens, panic enemies, probe minds for information or simply stun your Agents’ target.

Before you can perform any of these Psionic attacks you will need to purchase a device called the Mind Bender. Only those Agents with good Psionic powers should attempt to use the Mind Bender. Agents Psionic abilities are measured as follows:

• Psionic Energy - This represents the mental stamina of the Agent. As Psionic powers are used the energy level will fall. If the Agent rests, energy will be

recovered gradually. If Psionic Energy falls to zero then no further Psionic attacks are possible and any attacks currently in progress will stop.

• Psionic Attack - This represents the ability to carry out successful attacks against a particular target.

• Psionic Defence - This represents the ability of the Agent to fend off any Psionic attacks.

Note: if Agents are taken over by an Alien Mind Control Device, you will find that they disappear from your list of available units. If you manage to succeed in your mission, or you kill all of the Aliens, that Agent will return to normal. During the time Agents are under Alien control, they will do anything the Alien wills them to do. The Agent can only regain control when the Alien focuses its attention elsewhere, or if the Alien is killed.

To use the Mind Bender in a Tactical Combat Mission, simply ensure that it is in one of your Agent’s hands. Click on it in the Hands Area of the Control Panel.

Psi-Stats

Panic Unit

Control Body

Stun Unit

Probe Unit

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The Mind Bender window should open in the centre of the Control Panel. There will be four Psi-Attack Buttons for you to use. They are:-

ENCUMBRANCE

• Control Body - After using this attack successfully, you will be able to control the target as though it were one of your Agents (you can make Aliens shoot Aliens!).

• Panic Unit - This makes the target panic, rendering it useless for a short period of time.

• Stun Unit - This stuns the unit so that you can take live Aliens back to your containment facility for Biochemistry research. You can only bring back Aliens (alive or dead) if you have a Bio-Transport Module.

• Probe Unit - Using the ‘Mind Probe’ allows you to find out more information about the selected target.

• Click one of the four Psi-Attack Buttons.

• Click on a target Alien in the Tactical Area. The attack will be launched against that Alien. The effectiveness of the attack will depend on the target’s statistics

- if it has strong Psi-Defence, then the attack may not succeed.

Any attack attempted will drain the attacker’s Psionic energy depending on the power of the attack. If the attack is successful there will also be a continuous drain as the attack takes effect.

Equipping your Agents with a lot of heavy objects will reduce their speed because the Agent is encumbered. An Agent with a high strength rating is able to carry more objects than a weaker Agent without being affected by encumbrance.

EXHAUSTION

If Agents are running they will use up their stamina until they become exhausted. An exhausted Agent will not be able to run, but can still walk and perform other actions. The Agent can rest to regain stamina (ie remain stationary). If an Agent is walking stamina will neither be used nor recovered.

MORALE

At the start of each mission, each Agent’s morale starts at 100%. This will decrease as an Agent is wounded, or if fellow Agents are killed. Morale will recover if an Agent successfully kills hostile units. The decline in morale is lessened by an Agent’s bravery rating.

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EFFECTS OF RANK

High ranking officers help maintain the morale of your Agents. The amount an Agent’s morale is reduced depends on:

WOUNDING

• The rank of the most senior Agent in the Agent’s squad.

• The rank of the most senior Agent in the Tactical Area.

The higher the rank, the less morale is reduced.

Note: if an officer is killed during a mission it will have a worse effect on morale than if a Rookie had been killed.

If things are going badly Agents may Panic or be Wounded.

PANIC

When morale falls, the likelihood of panic increases. The braver an Agent is the less likely they are to panic. When an Agent panics, one of three things can happen:-

• The Agent freezes and can do nothing.

• The Agent runs away, searching for a hiding place.

• The Agent goes berserk and starts firing at random.

The lower an Agent’s morale the longer they will Panic.

If an Agent takes a direct hit they may well receive critical wounds. These afflict parts of the body as follows:-

Head, Left/Right Arm - Each critical wound reduces the Agent’s weapon accuracy.

Torso - Each critical wound reduces the Agent’s rate of energy recovery.

Each critical wound also reduces an Agent’s health gradually, so that it is possible for an Agent to die from a hit received much earlier in the mission. If an Agent does receive a critical wound there are three things you can do to save that person:-

• Use a Medi-kit. The Medi-kit can heal critical wounds.

• Leave the Tactical Area. Arrows represent the areas and direction by which an Agent can leave the Tactical Area. The Agent must return to the base medical facility to heal the wound.

• Kill all hostile units quickly before the Agent dies. If all hostile units are killed then the mission will be completed and the Agents will all leave the Tactical Area automatically. In this situation, the Agents must return to Base to receive treatment for their wounds.

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The Tactical Game

USING THE MEDI-KIT

You can use the Medi-kit to heal critical wounds. In order to use the Medi-kit ensure that it is placed in one of your Agent’s hands.

Medi-Kit Display

Medi-Kit

• Click on the Medi-kit in the Hands Area. The Medi-kit Display will appear in the top corner of the screen. Wounded parts of the body will appear highlighted in red.

• Click on the affected body part in the display and it will change colour to green to indicate that healing has been started.

You must now wait while the Agent’s wound heals, which will take some time. If you move the Agent, the healing process is cancelled and you will have to use the Medi-kit again.

STUNNING

Agents or Aliens can be stunned if hit by a Stunning Weapon, caught in an explosion blast radius, or if suffering from smoke or dust/debris inhalation following an explosion.

COMPLETING TACTICAL COMBAT MISSIONS

The Tactical Combat Mission will end under any of the following circumstances:

• All hostile units are unconscious or dead - You Win.

In this case all equipment and Alien corpses left in the combat zone are

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recovered by

. However, equipment can only be taken back to base if there is a vehicle with a Cargo Module at the building (you must make sure this is the case before a Tactical Combat is initiated). Live Aliens and corpses can only be taken back to Base if there is a vehicle with a Bio-Transport Module at the building.

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• All

Agents are unconscious or dead - You Lose.

Any equipment left in the Tactical Area is lost. Any equipment carried by Agents who have left the Tactical Area is retained.

• All hostile units panic and flee the combat area - You Win.

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The Tactical Game

In this case, all equipment and Alien corpses left in the Tactical Area are

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recovered by

• All Agents leave the Tactical Area using Exit Points.

In this case, unconscious Agents and Agents under mind control are considered killed. Any equipment left in the combat zone is lost. Any equipment carried by Agents who have left the Tactical Area is retained.

• You can press the Esc key on the keyboard to terminate a mission manually. In this case Agents left in the combat zone may be killed depending on the situation. Agents surrounded by Aliens are unlikely to survive. Any Agent close to an Exit Point may sur vive. Equipment and Aliens will not be recovered from the Tactical Area if the mission is terminated in this way.

DEBRIEFING

The debriefing screen is displayed at the end of the Tactical Combat Mission, giving you a breakdown of your performance as follows:

Combat Rating - Total score for enemy units killed. If you kill civilians then your score will be reduced for each one killed.

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Casualty Penalty - A penalty score based on the number of in action.

Agents killed

Leadership Bonus - A bonus attributed for leadership per formance - this bonus will be high if you have killed many Aliens and received few casualties. The bonus will be higher still if no Agents are killed during a mission. Live Aliens Captured - A score for Live Aliens you have captured during a Tactical Combat Mission. Equipment Captured - Displays a score representing the value of artefacts captured from the enemy.

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Equipment Lost - Any equipment/objects not carried by returned if will be lost. This number reflects a penalty for all objects captured by the enemy or destroyed in combat.

Total - The Total Score for the mission, representing your overall performance.

PROMOTIONS

At the end of each mission, subject to their mission performance, Agents may be promoted.

The rank to which the Agent is promoted is dependant on the following:-

Rookie - Each new recruit begins at this level.

Squaddie - In order to be promoted to a Squaddie, a Rookie must have some

combat experience.

Squad Leader - There is one Squad Leader per five Agents. If a position is vacant the best Squaddie is promoted.

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has a Cargo Module fitted to one of their vehicles, otherwise it

will only be

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The Tactical Game

INFORMATION SCREENS

Sergeant - There is one Sergeant per four Squad Leaders. If a position is vacant the best Squad Leader is promoted.

Captain - There is one Captain per three Sergeants. If a position is vacant the best Sergeant is promoted.

Colonel - There is one Colonel per two Captains. If a position is vacant the best Captain is promoted.

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Commander - This is the leader of best Colonel is promoted.

Generally, the higher the rank the better the Agent.

MISSION EXPERIENCE

When Agents return from a mission their abilities may be increased. For a skill to benefit from experience, it must be used during combat as much as possible. For example, if an Agent uses a Laser Rifle many times, then accuracy is likely to improve. Reactions, accuracy, stamina, health, speed, and bravery all benefit from mission experience.

• Click OK to return to the Cityscape Screen.

forces. If the position is vacant the

Note: any artefacts acquired during a Tactical Combat Mission will be available for research when the craft and Agents arrive back at your base.

There are various Information Screens that will appear during your campaign. These include:

• Weekly Funding Assessment

• Diplomatic Rift

• Alien Take-Over

WEEKLY FUNDING ASSESSMENT

At the end of each week, you of your progress. This will comprise the following:-

• A written statement of your progress.

• Your present funding.

• A funding adjustment, in light of your recent performance. Funding can be adjusted upwards as well as downwards.

• Click OK to close this screen.

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will receive a report from the Senate informing

DIPLOMATIC RIFT SCREEN

In Mega-Primus, the

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Commander should be wary of city diplomacy. Your

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actions can both please and upset the other organisations in the city. Be aware of the ways in which you can upset other organisations:

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• If vehicles or with Agents during a Tactical Mission, then that organisation will become less friendly to

• If you investigate a building with no prior Alert, there will be a small diplomatic penalty (organisations are understandably alarmed at a squad of heavily-armed Agents walking around their buildings).

• Raiding an organisation will make that organisation hostile to also possible that you can upset the allies of that organisation. Watch out!

damages buildings belonging to other organisations, either with

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. It is

• You will not be able to buy goods from a hostile organisation.

• You will receive no further funding from the Senate if it becomes hostile.

• You cannot recruit Alien hybrids if the Mutant Alliance is hostile.

• You cannot recruit Androids if the Sentient Engine Liberation Front is hostile.

Note: if an organisation is hostile to X-COM you will have to fight the security forces of a building you investigate as well as any Aliens present.

ALIEN TAKE-OVER SCREEN

The initial state of diplomatic relations in Mega-Primus, can determine which organisations are more likely to become hostile. For a guide to the relationships between organisations at the start of the game, you should examine the descriptions in the UFOpaedia.

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Whenever an organisation becomes unfriendly to hostile), it may cause a Diplomatic Rift. Organisations who feel they have been unfairly treated will ask for money to keep relationships amicable.

The Diplomatic Rift screen allows you the opportunity to pay the organisation, or not. If you refuse to pay the sum the organisation may become hostile towards There are also other penalties for hostility:

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and you may be attacked by that organisation in the future.

(but not actually

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As Alien infiltration into the city escalates, you will find that organisations fall under the control of the Aliens. This screen will warn you when this happens and to which organisation.

Once a corporation is under Alien control, it will attempt to assist the Aliens in whatever way it can. You may decide to destroy some of its buildings to deplete its resources and reduce the possibility of Aliens spreading into nearby buildings.

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