Commander, in your role as the newly appointed head of the Xenonauts 2 team, it is crucial that you effectively lead and execute intelligence and combat operations to assess the severity of the impending global extra-terrestrial invasion. Our highly skilled analysts project that the invasion is mere weeks away, emphasizing the urgency of our mission.
To support you in your duties, we have compiled a comprehensive collection of documents and resources. These invaluable assets will serve as essential tools, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies necessary to face this imminent threat.
It is imperative that you familiarize yourself with the following materials, as they will empower you to make informed decisions and devise effective countermeasures against the invading forces. Time is of the essence, and we must act swiftly and decisively to ensure the safety and security of our planet.
Together, with your astute leadership and the valuable resources at your disposal, we are confident in our ability to confront this otherworldly invasion and protect humanity from the imminent danger that looms before us. Good luck, Commander, and may our collective efforts yield victory in the face of this grave challenge.
Guide to Combat, Mission, Invasion, Battle
Menu Breakdown
The Main Menu is where your campaign begins.
- Difficulty Selection – Select the campaign difficulty, from Recruit (for complete beginners) to Commander (brutal campaign) OR customize your settings by referencing Point 2.
- Campaign Settings – Various settings with either predetermined factors based on difficulty, or customizable when selecting “custom” in the Difficulty Section (Point 1).
— - Introduction & Ironman Mode – Selecting Introduction will start you in a tutorial mission to lead you through some basics in combat. Ironman Mode does not allow you to save during your campaign, instead automatically saving at several points. This forces the player to live with mistakes made and only provides one single save slot for the campaign.
- Campaign Name – The name by which save file names will use to distinguish between multiple campaigns. Create your own name or use the generated name.
- Begin Campaign – After selecting all settings above, “Begin Campaign” will start your campaign.
Geoscape Breakdown
The Geoscape or Worldview screen is the top-level User Interface that provides an overview glance of what is happening in the world as time passes. You will be able to access most areas of the game through this top
screen.
- Panic – The Panic Level in each strategic region. Each successful mission will reduce panic, but too much panic can make operations much more difficult.
- Base – Location(s) of your Base(s). Note that multiple bases are possible as the campaign progresses. 3. Screens – Various screens to access parts of your base, the world, or Xenopedia. From left to right: a. Geoscape – Where your defensive operations against aliens are conducted. Alien craft and ground missions will appear on the world map, which you must respond to with interceptors and combat teams. b. Base – View the staff and structures present at each of your Geoscape bases and begin construction on additional structures.
c. Research – Direct the scientific efforts of your organization, discovering the origins of the extraterrestrial threat and unlocking improvements to equipment.
d. Engineering – Construct new battlefield equipment, vehicles, and aircraft to help combat any extraterrestrials.
e. Soldiers – Recruit additional soldiers and view the attributes and assignments of all soldiers already serving your organization.
f. Stores – View all items currently owned by your organization.
g. Armory – Customize your soldiers’ equipment and assign or remove them from dropships.
h. Aircraft – Manage the aircraft operated by your organization.
i. Archives – Classified databanks of the Xenonauts organization (encyclopedia). - Additional Functions – Additional actions only available on the Geoscape Screen
a. Launch Aircraft – Form squadrons of up to three aircraft and order them to head for a target or waypoint.
b. Construct New Base – Place additional bases on the Geoscape screen, expanding your organization across the planet.
c. Funding Report – Preview the Funding Report you will receive at the end of every month, including a breakdown of income and expenses. - Settings & Time – Access game settings, including gameplay, visual, audio, and controls by clicking on the gear button. Time represents the days since starting your campaign and the time of day in real time. 6. Speed Controls – Time does not pause when accessing the Geoscape screen – instead, it moves forward at the slowest speed by default and you can use speed controls to speed time up or slow it down. The fastest speed will fast forward 24 hours in a few seconds, and it is advisable to be aware of your time in the game to best utilize all mechanics.
- Funds Available – These are the funds available to operate your base(s), where you will construct building modules, conduct research, build weapons, and recruit personnel.
Battle Guide
There’s a lot going on during tactical battles. Knowing the status of your soldiers and their capabilities is crucial to winning these engagements.
- Map Controls – Switch view perspectives during a battle to better see enemies or mission related items. Use the mouse scroll to see multiple floors, and press Q and E to rotate the camera. Note that by default the camera rotation is 45 degrees, but that can be switched in the settings.
- Squad Status – Quickly determine the status of your squad using this top bar. Icons at the top denote soldier type, the red bar represents current health, and the green shows their Time Units – the capacity to perform an action in the current turn.
- Soldier Equipment & Weapon Abilities – This section gives a breakdown of a soldier’s equipment, from weapons and gear like shotguns, pistols, and shields, to consumables such as med kits, grenades and other ordinance. The top bar of this section shows the Time Unit cost of weapon abilities, striking a balance between fire rate and accuracy.
- Enemy Units – The alien icon indicates that an enemy is visible to a member of your squad.
- Soldier Status Information – This section gives a detailed breakdown of the status of the selected soldier. This information relays:
Armor Status
Health
Morale
Time Units available
Cost of changing posture for cover
Pay close attention to my squad!
Focus Mind – Restores 30 morale points for 60% of their remaining Time Units
Inventory. - Next Soldier/End Turn – Once you are finished with any action on a current soldier, pressing this button or tapping spacebar will bring you to the next soldier with Time Units still usable. Once you have gone through all your soldiers or you are ready to be finished with your turn, the End Turn button will end the player’s turn.