Additional Info
Hard drive space
Full download: 0.04 GB
Initial download: 0.04 GB
Download time
| Kb/s | 20 MB | 8 MB | 512 KB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 0mn | 0mn | 2mn |
System Requirements
- Operating System: 2000/XP,
currently Vista testing - OS: Windows
Copyright
© 1994 MicroProse, Inc. All rights reserved. X-COM and MICROPROSE are U.S. registered trademarks and X-COM: Interceptor is a trademark of Microprose, Inc. or its affillated companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
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Overview
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Instructions & Tips
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Screenshots & Video
Basics
As commander of the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, it is your task to build secret bases, locate and shoot down alien craft, deploy soldiers to round up aliens on the ground and hire experts to research the artifacts you discover. It also wouldn't hurt to figure out what the aliens are doing here in the first place. Nothing's free, though. You have a finite amount of cash with which to save the planet -- and your backers have very limited tolerance for failure.
Bases
You begin by placing a base somewhere on Earth. Thereafter you can build additional bases and add on to ones you already have by buying and placing new facilities. Money is tight early on, so it's wise not to grow too fast. Also, never forget that the Council is watching, and base placement is a political minefield. Your bases house all your troops, scientists, engineers and weaponry. The aliens will find them sooner or later, so be sure to invest in some defenses as well.
Geoscape
The Geoscape is a strategic Earth view that reveals your bases, places of interest on the ground, and activity in the skies. Base-bound radar systems locate UFOs, which stay visible so long as they're in range, allowing you to order your Interceptors to shoot them down. You can also zoom or rotate the globe and control time, moving it forward in increments of five seconds to a day at a time. Also visible in this interface is the toolbar that grants you access to all base functions and personnel.
Tactics
Assign troops to your Skyranger aircraft and deploy them to crash sites or other alien-occupied areas, controlling them in a turn-based environment. You must hire and equip troops first, then you can send them anywhere in the world. The controls along the bottom of the screen allow you to issue specific orders, access inventory and attack the enemy using weapons you've equipped. Troops have a limited number of move points (the green bar) to do stuff; then end your turn and let the aliens go.
Tip: Base Placement
Your big contributors -- the U.S., Europe and China -- will want to see bases in their territory and lots of patrols in their skies. Otherwise they might cut their funding or -- worse -- quit the Council and side with the aliens.
Tip: Open Doors
Aliens don't close doors behind them (maybe they were raised in barns). If you encounter a building with an open door and you know none of your people opened it, you can be sure that an alien is inside or lurking nearby.
Tip: Reserving Moves
Try to leave some action points in reserve -- there are buttons on the tactical interface for this -- and always order your soldiers to duck. It makes them harder to hit and increases their chance of hitting an alien they spot.
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