A few questions I wish to ask before starting.

[Rosebourne]

Alright So i'm about to start playing xenonauts for the first time and i'm wondering a couple things.

1. I'm not sure whether to start on normal or veteran. I want to always feel like i'm on the edge of losing but I don't want the game to feel cheap either.

2. what are some general tips for playing the game?

3. should I use any mods my first time playing the game? I saw a UFO breaching mod which looked cool and some map mods I dunno whether I should save them for a replay or just go in with the mods? is there a repeat to the maps or is there enough?

thank you for taking the time to look at or even reply to this post

[skaianDestiny]

1. Normal's a good place to start. If you feel like it's too easy it's fine to bump it up a level.

2. Don't neglect the air. It's your number 1 source of funding. Make getting aircraft and weapons a priority, and try to maintain air superiority. That said don't completely forget about the ground, as that's where you get your technologies.

Remember, in the early-mid game Condors are for air superiority (killing alien fighters) and Foxtrots are for the larger ships. As long as you keep your weapon research up 1-2 Foxtrots are all you need for any alien craft.

Get a second base running sometime in the transition between the 1st and 2nd months. You'll need the radar coverage.

Shields are a lifesaver in the beginning.

Experiment with your load outs, and remember you can change the default load outs of the different classes as well as create your own.

3. Regardless of whether you get mods or not, I recommend getting Xenonauts: Community Edition as it has some extra little features that enhance the game. For your first run I'd keep to the mods that focus on cosmetics. For example, Skitso's Megamix Map Pack adds much-needed variety, Jsleezy's Real Armors adds gorgeous new inventory sprites for the various armors (spoilers on what you get though, unless you don't really care). He also has a photorealistic mod that adds hundreds of new faces, although Khall has more vanilla-style ones too. Skitso's Oppressive UI mod also does wonders for the mood.

Once you're familiar with the game, say 2/3rds of the way through your first run, that's when I recommend getting some game play mods.

[Dead Dread]

You will find maps repeating themselves, adding a map pack is highly recommended. The game plays very differently when you are on a brand new map with no idea what is where compared to a well worn map where you know exactly where cover is, where aliens usually spawn and where the alien craft is.