One of the best aspects of the XCOM games, going back to the first title, is the ability to salvage and examine alien technology. Advancing through the research tree not only unlocks newer weapons, armor, base facilities, and tools, it was also the vehicle through which players advanced the st

Wretches are a more volatile class that, while still weak in terms of hits they can take, they will rush friendly units and attack with melee attacks. Overwatch is best used against these enemies as they will never attack from far off and will always try to get as close to the player as possi

Whithermoore’s Girdle (Belt): find Whithermoore’s Soul Jar inside the Fort Joy keep and destroy it. Go into the Elf Cave and head to the basement (need either high Wits or have a Dwarf to enter the hole). The belt has free Me

The side missions in Tactics aren't inherently a bad thing. Many of them give players a chance to strengthen their squad and get a little bloody in the process. Simple objectives like defending central points from enem

For starting stats go with +3 in either Strength or Finesse, +1 Warfare, +1 Scoundrel, and a Civil Ability that fits your character, like Thievery for Fane or Persuasion for Red Prince. Initial skills should include Crippling Blow for strong close-range damage, Battle Stomp to clear out areas and knockdown enemies, and Adrenaline to get bonus AP on your first action. Because the main Knight weapon is two-handed, they will have access to All In, which deals additional damage for 3 AP. If playing a human Knight, use Encourage at the start of a turn before attacks, not after as a means of spending unused AP. The same should be done for elf Knights and Flesh Sacrif

Weapons in the XCOM games are odd in that they are important, but also don’t really add anything to the game. They have names that reflect their purpose; Sniper Rifle, Grenade Launcher, and Sword are just a few examples. The weapons in Gears Tactics have names with a little more flare to them, like the Hammer of Dawn weapon that calls down a strike from a satellite. Gears Tactics has fewer weapons, but the weapons have more variety via the game’s modding system. Armor can be modded in Gears Tactics also- unlike in the XCOM ga

Overwatch is a term used in similar tactical games to describe when a player looks out from cover during the enemy's turn in hopes that an enemy will walk into the player's line of sight . If this happens the player will have the opportunity to attack the enemy during the enemy's turn. In other strategy games, this can be useful, but it is especially useful in tactics because of the number of enemies a player faces in a single round. While players do have a variety of moves at their disposal each round its crucial to deal as much damage as possible while also staying out of harm's

One of the most surprisingly helpful skills early in the Scout tree is sprint. Though limited to straight lines, the ability to dash up to three full movements with a single action point can put the scout into unorthodox places, stretching out the battlefield in a way that can play havoc with enemy lines. Additionally, the Regenerative Healing skill pairs excellently with the default Cloak ability of the Scout. Getting health when and hiding in a single breath is more or less an escape rope - get healthy and get out before they even see

When players start an XCOM game they only have a handful of fresh soldiers who feel unprepared for the mission ahead of them. As a player progresses through the game it seems like every advance in technology or newly available resource is countered by some new weapon in the alien’s arse

The character-driven queen myrrah Story in Gears Tactics is more compelling, and allows for voiced characters whose banter is amusing at times. For a player’s first play-through, this method of storytelling allows for a more interesting narrative, but the player will already know the story on subsequent play-throughs. In XCOM , each game is different. The soldiers will be different, the player can build their base in a different country, and the locations under attack will be different. Additionally, a player could focus on different avenues of research and technology (or psionics) than in previous playthroughs. This makes XCOM infinitely more replaya

In addition to these universal options, players can effectively use skills to boost and stretch skill points. Each of the five classes have skills that add much-needed action points. For example, the Sniper's chain Shot skill will award the shooter AP for hits; the Support can use Empower to grant bonus points to a squad-mate get their own points for reviving a friend with the Encourage passive ability; and the Vanguard's Breach skill gives a point to any soldier canny enough to bring down a breached enemy. Spend some time exploring the skill trees to suss out what options will generate the most action points without costing on combat skills, and think about this when setting up team composition - it may be worth having a Support who, while not a damage dealer on their own, can keep every other soldier firing that bit longer with bonus AP. More points means more gunfire - keep the heat up and the battle is the player's to