X-COM: Apocalypse

While X-COM: Apocalypse is not exactly a hard game, it can quickly become hard if you let your position slip. This guide is intended for new players that have never played the game before, and will therefore only contain a few spoilers. Note that this guide only deals with the real time aspect of the game.

Agents
There is three sort of agents you can hire.

Humans
The standard. Most of yours staff will be human. They are average for all things.

Mutants

 * Less health than human
 * Less strength than human
 * More Psi energy, attack and defense than human.

Good psychers, nothing else.

Androids

 * More health than human
 * More strength than human
 * More accuracy than human

More for all, plus total immunity to psy attack. Just two weakness:


 * Can't make psy attack
 * Can't progress!

Tactical Combat
In the first week, ammunition is scarce. There should however be enough to go around unless you waste it. However if you decide to take the guns blazing full auto approach don't expect ammunition to last. Take every opportunity to conserve ammunition possible. A few explosive grenades would be a good idea to use when appropriate. After a bio-transport module has been created fit it on a craft and try to capture live aliens. The way to do this is to attack a live specimen with a stun grenade or stun grappler until it falls unconscious, and then finish the mission before it wakes up. Throwing more stun grenades will keep it unconscious for longer.

Strategical
Put some effort in bringing down at least one of every type of UFO that appear. Also, finish the bio-transport module as soon possible and put it on a craft, the better you can start bringing in live aliens for research the better.

Strategical Combat
This early on UFOs are easy to shoot down, why can't it stay this way? Scatter your vehicles over the city so they'll have a greater chance of being close to an UFO incursion, one or two hoverbikes each should be sufficient for the early UFOs.