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Hi there, just got done with phase 1 on normal - thought I should share my experiences and provide some insightful feedback. Thanks for the mod! So; this is how the game has gone for me thus far; A weak start for the airgame, though I'm gradually catching up (I've downed almost 30 alien fighters at this point.) {note: I'm using Easy Airgame since my reflexes are poor.} I defended Athens from the first terror mission (which was androns {note: oh god, the bullet sponge roboreaper from hell,}) AND got both the caesan and seb early terror operators (Division Shotguns and Snipers FTW, also; I'm embarrassed to say it took 17 tries, five map rerolls and multiple TPKs). -- I soon realized this was a massive victory for only losing 4 Lt. and a Defender tank; I mean, seriously: andron corpses give me armour and cores, live terror operatives give me antimatter weaponry so I can assault alien bases before phase 2, then I can gain massive loot from the alien bases thanks to the high mitigation incendiary damage. I lost a firebase to alien attack, then reclaimed it within the 48 hour time limit (thank the heavens for those antimatter snipers, miniguns, defender tank, fox and wolf armour). It took me a few tries before I realized the telepad room is the second to first place I should go through. Managed to build a Shrike dropship a month before phase 2 began (I'm in love with these massively reduced time constraints.) Defended Madrid on Oct.31st from a caesan terror op, but neglected a terror attack in Europe during December 3rd (I wanted to destroy the last standing alien base before it could flip.) I strategically sold datacores in order to ensure I was breaking even for the first few months (the weak airgame on my end was making base maintenance rather costly.) I've managed to train 8 rookies up to the rank of Lt. (it would've been 11 had 3 not died from my sleep-deprived mistakes.) I've currently engaged in 39 [grounded] U-FO assaults, 2 [landed] U-FO assaults, 1 Base Defense, 2-of-3 Terror sites, and 2 Base Assaults. My main base is currently situated in Armenia, with bases at Yellowstone, Vladivostok, and the East Amazon. Australasia and Greenland are currently undefended sections of earth. The policy on encounters w/ new aliens (aka use the Div-2 Shotgun on em' about 13 times) has had a resounding success with wraiths, xenomorphs, and sebs. Toxin grenades and shotgun-through-the-door methods have proven massive success against organics (the AI really likes sitting on the door tiles, and xenomorphs run through multiple gassed tiles before reaching a waiting shotgunner. As for AI; Xenomorphs express Hit-N-Run + Wolfpack Tactics w/ Queens expressing some form of frontline command role. Caesans are best to engage during the first half of Phase 1 due to their frailty and steady movement patterns (don't underestimate them because you can O-HKO them, they've got decent Defense-in-Depth & Flanking tactics + a lucky Officer might win the RNG for mind-controlling one of your people.) Buzzard Armour renders most Phase 1 reapers null since you can spot them from the comfort of roofs and treetops (don't let seb flamers get close though; they'll melt you into scrap.) Sebs aren't big on flanking, so I walk past them and perform Hit-n-Runs as to trick the AI into making a mistake. Harridans... Harridans use a "Feinting Retreat" style of fighting, in order to beat them; you need to follow them carefully and keep them suppressed - make one mistake and someone dies - advance too quickly and a reaper or flamer-seb will ambush your people. Overall; I find ground-combat extremely enjoyable with base-type missions and terror missions acting as difficult puzzles to solve. As for the strategic layer; I enjoy the difficult decisions and choices I have to make in order to stay slightly ahead of the curve, with finances taking a minor preference over resources, and rewards for a successful gc gambit having tremendous effect on my successes. In conclusion, all I can say is this: Move with caution, be persistent, press the advantage, don't make any given mistake twice, and peel the enemy like an onion. That's all and I hope everyone is having as much fun as I am! Good day~