For those unfamiliar with it, "Ironman" mode (accessed through the advanced options when starting a new game) makes a single, critical change that redefines the way XCOM is played. In "Ironman" mode, you have one and only one saved game, which is automatically updated after each significant action takes place. This means that there is no re-loading from a save to fix any mistakes you might make or recover soldiers lost to unexpected or random events during missions.
This is in short a hardcore mode for the game that forces the player to live with the consequences of their actions and the cruel sting of "XCOM logic," which often places you in unfair and or unrealistic situations for the sake of drama.
The hardest part about playing with the "Ironman" option enabled is that it very clearly reveals and emphasizes some of the ways in which the game is occasionally flawed. From enemies that get free movement upon being seen, to enemies that spawn seemingly out of nowhere, to critical aspects of the strategy meta game being obfuscated, to hit percentages that are often laughable given the weapons being used and the supposed capabilities of the soldiers using them– there are plenty of nits to pick with XCOM that are easy to overlook when you can simply re-load to avoid or anticipate them.
Having played through the game successfully with "Ironman" enabled, I'd like to offer the following tips to help others avoid some of the frustration I experienced while doing so. As there is an inherent element of randomness to the game, it would be impossible to predict every possible bump along the way, which is part of the fun of playing in this manner but these tips should help illuminate some of the more consistent and potentially-annoying aspects of the process.
#1 - Satellites, Satellites, Satellites
Satellites are the most important thing in the early stages of the game. Building enough "Satellite Uplinks," "Power Generators" and "Workshops" to provide satellite coverage to all the countries participating in XCOM as quickly as possible is crucial to your success. This is a fact that the game does a terrible job of communicating to new players.
When choosing what to do with your base, you should always first and foremost concentrate on achieving total satellite coverage of the world map. Everything else is secondary and should only be done if it won't interfere with your ability to deploy additional satellites as quickly as possible.
You should launch all the satellites you have prior to each "Council Meeting" so that you reap the maximum possible benefit of having them in play each month. You should also ensure that at least one "Interceptor" aircraft is available in the areas where satellites are being added so that it can thwart any alien attempts to destroy them.
While it may sometimes be necessary to launch a satellite over a particular country to reduce panic, you should generally prioritize their use over countries that will provide more money to XCOM as a result, or to achieve total coverage of an area and gain the benefit of that coverage. The "We Have Ways" perk for example is conferred by full coverage of South America. This only requires two satellites and can be achieved almost immediately after the beginning of the game if your base is located there. This provides very useful "instant" results whenever alien autopsies and interrogations are necessary.
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| The decisions you make when building your base are just as important as the decisions you make on the battlefield. |
#2 - If You Don't Need It, Don't Buy It
This goes hand in hand with #1 as spending money before you need to can severely limit your ability to produce satellites and other essential items when the need for them is great.
Keep in mind that you always have time to buy essential items from "Engineering" before a mission starts, which is another option the game doesn't communicate well. In other words, you can always back out of the soldier select screen prior to launch, go to "Engineering" and buy whatever weapons, armor or accessories you need, then return to the soldier select screen from the "Hologlobe."
The game often makes it seem like you have to go straight into missions but that's not the case– so don't waste time and money trying to anticipate what your soldiers might need for future battles. Just buy gear as you need it.
#3 - Life is Precious– Except When it Isn't
If satellites are the key to the early game, high-level soldiers are the key to the late game. Keeping as mnay of your soldiers alive for as long as possible to benefit from the extra abilities, heartiness and accuracy they wield as a result is critical to your long-term success in the game.
Having said that, you should not always use the same soldiers in every mission. A good rule of thumb is to have one of each rank present so that you get a nice balance of power and upgrade potential across the squad. You should always take at least one "Rookie" or "Corporal" on every mission to give them the opportunity to rank up and give yourself access to a "disposable" unit that can be used to recon enemy positions or undertake more dangerous tasks such as bomb disposal while more experienced soldiers with better aim and abilities cover them.
Along those lines, I recommend having your lowest-ranking soldiers attempt live captures with the "Arc Thrower" when they are necessary as it can be downright brutal when a leveled-up soldier misses with one at point blank range only to be shredded by their would-be target when the alien turn hits.
You should also be sure to unlock perks from the "Officer Training" area of the "Barracks" as soon as they become available. Attaining these perks should be your next priority behind satellites so that you and your soldiers can benefit from them as soon as possible.
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| Dead soldiers can't fight aliens and new recruits will need to get a few missions under their belt before their aim becomes reliable. |
#4 - Use the Gray Market
As you complete missions, you will gain access to a variety of alien items that can be sold for money in the "Situation Room's" "Gray Market." While it's generally possible to make your way through the game only selling items that are "safe to sell," there may come a time when you need to sell a few items that can serve other purposes to get the money you need to build something critical. Do not hesitate to do this if it is your only option. "Excavation," the construction of new facilities and satellites, and other money-driven tasks take time. If for example, selling items on the "Gray Market" is the difference between launching satellites before a council meeting and losing countries to panic, you should absolutely do it.
Beyond such situations, be careful not to overuse the "Gray Market" as the items you sell via it are often difficult to replace and are usually critical to achieving research and production objectives at various points throughout the game. A good idea is to look at the research and production requirements for things you think are likely to become an issue, then try to sell items that aren't related to those projects or items that you have in surplus.
#5 - When in Doubt, Blow it Up
One of the trickiest balancing acts in the game is deciding when to use explosives. The good thing about explosives is that they do a lot of damage to enemies and can often go a long way toward tipping a battle in your soldiers' favor. The bad thing about them is that they destroy many of the items you might otherwise recover from the aliens– especially when used inside ships or bases.
The use of explosives is a very situational thing, so it's hard to generalize it down to a simple rule. In my experience with the game, if explosives will save the life of an experienced soldier, their use is worth the loss of additional alien materials.
Taken as a whole, XCOM is a great game and well worth experiencing– even if you never partake in "Ironman" mode. Its quirks and issues, while at times frustrating and perplexing, are for better or worse parts of it and are ultimately things that I've come to believe make more sense in the context of "Ironman."
Hopefully, the above tips will help those of you considering an "Ironman" playthrough to achieve a more ideal experience than the game would otherwise provide.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown (via Steam)
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