This shows tips and tricks for campaign, base screen and battles in Xenonauts 2.
Early Gameplay / Helpful Tips
Campaign
Starting your base in a geographic-centric area will allow your team to respond to events quicker on average. You can build more bases as funding allows deeper into your campaign – response time is crucial in the beginning.
It may seem like there are times where there is nothing to do on the campaign map. Use these “slow” times to focus on refining your soldier’s kits, determining research, and expanding your base. On lower difficulties you have a great deal of money to invest – use it to build early in preparation for the incoming alien invasion.
Base Screens
While you are free to build anything you want in your base, there are some optimal starting buildings:
- Medical Facility – Boost recovery your rate for soldiers and get them back on the battlefield quicker.
- Barracks – You’ll need space to house extra personnel, and barracks will allow you to accomplish that need.
- Generator – Extra modules will soak up power fast, and a generator will help future-proof your base’s expansion.
- When deciding base layout, consider adjacency bonuses for certain modules. Many modules will boost the base stats greatly if they are adjacent to similar modules.
Battles
The biggest consideration during battles are your Time Units – the ability to perform an action. Everything your soldier does consumes Time Units – including moving, shooting, using items, and even turning to face a certain direction. Being aware of your Time Units will help you plan a soldier’s actions.
Kneeling in cover only costs 4 Time Units and further reduces the chance of getting hit by 20%. Always try to end your turn in cover.
All units have an inventory – including the enemy. Pillage the enemy’s inventory after killing them or retrieve items from a friendly soldier.
If space allows, you can even carry the bodies of enemies and friendlies although this will increase the Time Units required to move.
Grenades are unlimited in your armory, so use them liberally throughout your battles.
However, be aware that completely destroyed corpses and objects cannot be looted.
Aliens on the battlefield do not wait for you to see them before becoming active, so be careful and move tactically as soldiers are fragile at the start of your campaign.
Barring time-sensitive missions, move your soldiers slowly to reveal line-of-sight down corridors, between buildings, or around corners – It will reduce the chance of running straight into the enemy.
Buildings and most objects are destructible, and satchel charges can destroy a large area with a single throw.
Friendly fire IS a thing. There is a chance indicator should a soldier be in the line of fire. Go for a MARS unit early since it is the best soldier in the early game.