Overview
While playing through XCOM EU on Ironman Mode at Classic Difficulty, I failed. A lot of times. But instead of looking up guides on the net, I did something different. I opened up a notepad and wrote down things that I’ve learned from each of my defeats and shortcomings. And this is what this guide is about. It was a guide I made for myself. And now, after finishing the game in Classic Difficulty Ironman Mode, I’m here to share it with you all.This guide is intended only for XCOM EU because I’ve yet to tackle XCOM EW and I’m not sure how effective it will be on Ironman Impossible mode either.
Preface
While playing through XCOM EU on Ironman Mode at Classic Difficulty, I failed. A lot of times. But instead of looking up guides on the net, I did something different. I opened up a notepad and wrote down things that I’ve learned from each of my defeats and shortcomings. And this is what this guide is about. It was a guide I made for myself. And now, after finishing the game in Classic Difficulty Ironman Mode, I’m here to share it with you all.
However, do take note of the following things:
- This guide is intended only for XCOM Enemy Unknown because I’ve yet to tackle XCOM Enemy Within.
- I’m not sure how effective it will be on Impossible Ironman mode because I have only beaten it on Classic Ironman mode.
- This is a guide that I made for myself so I don’t know how effective it will be for other people. But if it helped me succeed, then I’m sure it should be of some help.
- I also recommend playing the game in Ironman Mode on Classic/Impossible Difficulty with no guides or just make your own like I did. It’s more fun to learn from your mistakes. But it does require a ton of patience so be warned.
- The tips found in this guide are very basic. But sometimes we need to be reminded of the obvious because we tend to panic and forget in the face of overwhelming odds. So don’t expect anything truly groundbreaking.
Classic Ironman Mode Guide & Tips
1) At first glance, X-Com Enemy Unknown seems like a game based on luck. To some, it might be.
But it’s not. It’s a game about chance, which is different from luck. This is why one needs good strategy to win the game. And not luck. Luck is for losers.
2) ALWAYS EXPECT THE WORST. Don’t get in over your head. Don’t get cocky. One wrong move can lead to a domino effect. Sure, you can still correct your mistakes but it’s better if you didn’t make those mistakes in the first place.
3) As long as the chance to hit is NOT 100%, then DON’T expect it to hit. Trust me, even a 95% chance to hit can miss. And this is talking from experience.
4) ALWAYS have a plan B. When ♥♥♥♥ hits the fan, you should always have a back-up plan.
5) Engineers and Scientists are important. So is Money. A good balance of the 3 is great but
if one is to prioritize them, then it should be: Engineers > Money > Scientists OR Money > Engineer > Scientists.
6) Thin Men explode into poison gas when killed. Cyberdisks and Ethereals also explode and deal flat damage after they are destroyed/killed. Don’t forget. Forgetting can lead you into awkward situations. Especially when you make one explode right in front of your unit/units.
7) OVERWATCH. Sure, the aim penalty sucks, but Overwatch is great for getting a preemptive strike if you do manage to hit your enemies before they even discover you. It also makes the enemy not move when they know you are on Overwatch (most of the time). Just remember, they can still shoot you with no worries (unless you have the Support’s Covering Fire skill).
8) Never go YOLO. Don’t send your Shotgun Assault Unit deep into enemy territory unless you are 100% sure that he/she is not gonna get melted in the next turn.
9) SLOWLY BUT SURELY WINS THE RACE. Don’t rush. EVER. The faster you live, the faster you will die.
10) You have all the time in the world to make your moves so don’t rush and be patient. Even
if that bomb is going to explode in a couple of turns, it won’t start counting down until you start ending your turns.
11) ALWAYS HIDE BEHIND COVERS. If possible, always have a full cover. If you are in a half cover, it’s preferable to just Hunker Down. Use it at your own discretion. Half Cover is better than
No Cover. But Full Cover is even better.
12) DISCRETION IS THE BETTER PART OF VALOR. Retreat if you don’t feel confident in your position or if you don’t think you can complete the mission without a lot of casualties. It’s not cowardly, it’s a strategy.
13) OBJECTS ARE DESTRUCTIBLE. ALWAYS BE WARY OF CARS THAT ARE ON FIRE. Also, be careful about your cover because it might get destroyed by an enemy and you’ll be a sitting duck when that happens.
14) GIVE IT SOME MORE THOUGHT. Before you click on the mouse to give an order, always give it another thought. Think twice or you might regret it.
15) USING EXPLOSIVES ARE OKAY. Especially if you can kill 2 or more enemies with it. There will be a consequence when it comes to research but…just like real life, lives are more important. Right?
16) AVOID MISCLICKS. Misclicks can determine if that grenade is going to kill 2 enemies, or kill your own men.
