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step_by_step_tutorial [2022/02/03 17:47]
admin
step_by_step_tutorial [2022/02/03 20:52] (current)
admin [2. Creating a squad]
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 2.2. You can create as many squads as you want, but once you've come up with a fairly good basic setup and done your customizations, it's very recommended to //save your squad// by pressing "Save" on the bottom bar and specifying a squad filename. Then you can use this squad for other missions, achieving //squad progress//. (If you don't save your squad or aren't using an existing one, your progress won't be saved.) To use an existing squad, just click //"Load"// and select the file. You can save a squad with different filenames, but only the most recent save will store the progress you achieve in your next mission. Generally, you should only use one squad file and maybe another one for occasional backuping or "documenting". //You can always change your squad loadout and even the unit skills without losing squad progress!// However, you can only deploy a squad one instance per mission. For 2 or 3 squad missions, you'll need multiple //unique// squads! 2.2. You can create as many squads as you want, but once you've come up with a fairly good basic setup and done your customizations, it's very recommended to //save your squad// by pressing "Save" on the bottom bar and specifying a squad filename. Then you can use this squad for other missions, achieving //squad progress//. (If you don't save your squad or aren't using an existing one, your progress won't be saved.) To use an existing squad, just click //"Load"// and select the file. You can save a squad with different filenames, but only the most recent save will store the progress you achieve in your next mission. Generally, you should only use one squad file and maybe another one for occasional backuping or "documenting". //You can always change your squad loadout and even the unit skills without losing squad progress!// However, you can only deploy a squad one instance per mission. For 2 or 3 squad missions, you'll need multiple //unique// squads!
-//Squad progress// in Single Mission mode means the //crafting materials//, //prototypes// and //statistics//. Units don't advance or get promoted in this mode. But via crafting, you can achieve quite good development and become strong enough to storm Ativarna and ULTIMATE difficulties!+//Squad progress// in Single Mission mode means the //crafting materials//, //prototypes// and //statistics//. Units don't advance or get promoted in this mode. But via crafting, you can achieve quite good development and become strong enough to storm Extreme and ULTIMATE difficulties!
  
 2.3. Assembling a squad is a complex task. You have to //distribute your units' skill points// (e.g. train them) and //buy// (and later also craft) //the weapons and equipment// according to your units' abilities and your chosen tactics. Your main resource is your //Credits//. You have to spend it wisely to have both enough firepower and survivability. 2.3. Assembling a squad is a complex task. You have to //distribute your units' skill points// (e.g. train them) and //buy// (and later also craft) //the weapons and equipment// according to your units' abilities and your chosen tactics. Your main resource is your //Credits//. You have to spend it wisely to have both enough firepower and survivability.
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 3.11. Additional controls are explained in detail in the Controls section. Combat controls will be explained below shortly. 3.11. Additional controls are explained in detail in the Controls section. Combat controls will be explained below shortly.
 +
 +3.12. When all your units are out of Action Points, or you just want to end the turn for any other reason, click the //"End turn"// button.
 +
 +3.13. Invoke the //In-game Menu// by clicking the //"Menu"// button on the minimap's upper panel, or by pressing [ESC]. Here you can save the game or load one, access miscellaneous A.T.A.C. options, or exit to the Main Menu.
 +
 +[[#Top|Back to top]] ↑
 +
 +===== 4. Combat =====
 +
 +{{:tutorial_4.jpg?1000|}}
 +
 +4.1. Combat is generally performed by selecting (activating) an //attack mode//, and then a //target// in the tactical view. Every weapon has at least one //weapon mode//, and each weapon mode has at least one //attack mode//. Attack modes tied to a specific weapon mode share ammo type and Critical Threshold. All other properties of attack modes may vary. The A.T.A.C. always shows the most vital information.
 +
 +4.2. Below the icon of the current weapon, there are three main areas, showing data. The //top one// displays info about the current //weapon mode//, and damage info about the current attack mode. If the weapon has more than one weapon mode, you can switch mode by either left or right-clicking anywhere in the top display area, or by pressing //[CTRL]//. On the image above, the rifle has only one weapon mode, "Shoot", that's why you don't see a //> > >// icon in the top right corner.
 +
 +4.3. The //middle// display area shows the currently selected //attack mode// (in the picture, "Full burst"). A //> > >// icon in the top right corner indicates that there are more available attack modes. You can switch attack mode by //left-clicking// anywhere in the area, or by pressing //[SHIFT]//. But, having an attack mode as current or selected doesn't automatically mean you're ready to attack. You have to //ready the weapon//. This can be done very simply, by //right-clicking// in the area or by pressing //[SPACE]//. When the attack mode is thus activated, the area will have a green background and on the tactical view, the line of fire/target indicators will be visible (see picture).
 +
 +4.4. When the attack mode is active, hover the cursor above any //valid target// marked by a //reddish// overlay on the tactical view to see basic targeting info: the status of the target and hit probability. A purple area will also appear to show the damage area (note that this area info will not take natural covers into account, e.g. if a target is behind a wall it won't be affected). If you're ready to attack, //left-click// on the target, and the attack will commence.
 +
 +4.5. You will either //hit// or //miss//, based on many factors, see the Combat section for a lot of details. If you miss with a ranged attack, a random nearby unit or object may get hit instead. If you hit, you may //damage// the target. The damage done will be displayed in floating messages and will be registered in the combat log. Most attacks will do damage to //Health// if they get through the armor (red text). Armor-piercing attacks may also degrade the target's armor (yellow), while attacks with a high impact force may knock back the target and/or cause Action Points loss (for the next turn; green). Many attacks will also cause tranquilization (magenta).
 +
 +4.6. Most attack modes use //ammo//. If there's not enough ammo left in the clip, you'll have to //reload// the weapon in order to use that attack mode. This can be either done by pressing //[R]//, by selecting the "Reload" option in the third (bottom) display area (instead of Defense mode) and activating it, by opening the inventory and placing the ammo in the current weapon, or--for your ease!--by simply re-activating the attack mode, which will automatically reload the weapon if there's enough ammo AND you have enough Action Points (the attack AP cost in this case will be displayed in magenta and will include the reload AP cost).
 +
 +4.7. As different attack modes use a different amount of ammo, keep in mind that any damage bonus a special ammo may have is taken into account //per ammo used// by that attack mode! So attacks with a high ammo consumption benefit more!
 +
 +4.8. While the attack mode is active, you may also move--one step at a time--by clicking on the grids marked with the blueish arrow icons. Selecting a farther movement destination will deactivate the attack mode.
 +
 +4.9. //Deactive// the current attack mode exactly the same way it has been activated. While it is active, you can still switch attack mode without deactivating the weapon.
 +
 +4.10. One last key element to good tactics is the use of //Defense mode//. It means reserving the current Action Points for either blocking attacks (melee defense mode) in the enemy's turn, or for taking "opportunity shots" when the enemy moves (ranged defense mode). Defense mode always lasts until the next turn. To enter defense mode, a unit must have at least //5 Action Points// and a //Morale of 20!// For melee weapons, any surplus APs will mean more Defense Rating. For ranged weapons, the amount of Action Points reserved for defense mode will be equal to the APs that can be spent on opportunity attacks, e.g. entering defense mode with 10 APs and an attack mode of 3 APs will mean that the unit can fire three times during its defense. It is //REALLY STRONGLY ADVISED// to always have a unit with a melee capable weapon and use it in melee defense mode to block/control alien swarm attempts, protecting the other units. Activate defense mode by //right-clicking// the bottom data area or by pressing //[D]//.
 +
 +4.11. This concludes the very basics of combat in USC. Refer to the other parts of the Game Guide (especially [[combat|Combat]]) for details!
 +
 +[[#Top|Back to top]] ↑
 +
 +===== 5. Special actions =====
 +
 +5.1. //Unloading a weapon.// Sometimes you may want/need to completely unload your weapon (before selling, for example). You can either choose the "Unload" option in the third ATAC display area or select the weapon in your inventory and then click the "Unload" button. Unloading requires loading/2 APs.
 +
 +5.2. Every unit has a built-in //scanner// that can be used to reveal nearby, otherwise unseen units (and if Fog of War is enabled, structures) in a 5-grid base radius. This costs //3 Action Points// and can be performed anytime by pressing the "Scan" button on the main ATAC panel or the key //[S]//. The scanner will not work if you're facing a moveable object. Beware, scan-revealing alien eggs will "disturb" them and start their hatching process. Use a //scanner booster// to enhance the range of the scanner and get rid of this "side-effect". Cloaked enemy units (in PvP) can also only be revealed by a boosted scanner.
 +
 +5.3. Many map elements, such as crates, barrels, vending machines, and databanks can be //moved//--either pulled or pushed--if there's enough space. To move an object, you must face it. Then the "Pull" and "Push" buttons will replace "Lights" and "Scan" on the ATAC. Moving an object costs //3 Action Points//, with the exception of pushing it while running, which may be 2 or 1 depending on unit speed. These objects can be used to build defenses, block passages, build better covers.
 +
 +5.4. Some objects can be //interacted// with: vending machines, special crates, barrels, databanks, door locks, switches, sewer doors, etc. This is done by simply left-clicking on them as a movement destination. You'll need the required amount of APs, of course.
 +
 +5.5. Items in your //inventory// also often need to be //used/activated// to fulfil their purpose. Read the [[inventory|Inventory section]] of the Game Guide for complete instructions on this. Medikits, grenades, armor mods, weapon upgrades, and many other special stuff need this attention.
 +
 +5.6. You can toggle the unit's headlights on/off by pressing the "Lights" button on ATAC or the key //[L]//. This can be mostly useful in PvP.
 +
 +5.7. You can //harvest crafting materials// by destroying crates (standard crates may drop screws, blue crates may also drop screwdrivers and wire cutters), crystals, and salvaging databanks. The model RD-1 Rubber Ducky is also a very important crafting material, it can be obtained from equipment crates by luck and by killing zhe Wunderwurmz (apparently, they're attracted to the duckies' cute appearance and tend to chew on them). Crafting materials can be then used to craft special equipment and prototype weapons //off-budget//, and is thus very important if you want to move onto higher difficulty levels (and in the Campaign, of course). For further info, see the Crafting section!
 +
 +5.8. //Door locks// often control the entrance of special rooms. Unless you break through the door or have a circuit cracker in your inventory, you'll have to manually override these. Information about this is found here.
 +
 +[[#Top|Back to top]] ↑
 +
 +===== 6. Mission evaluation =====
 +
 +6.1. In the "Single Mission" mode (and the current version of USC), only //successful PvE missions// (one or two squads in alliance against one or two alien teams) are evaluated, that is, can receive score and make it to the Hall of Fame. Only successful missions add the collected crafting materials to the team's resources!
 +
 +6.2. You'll get a //mission score// based on map layout, player strength, and main mission difficulty settings AND your general performance (enemies killed, units lost, time taken to complete the mission, etc.).
 +
 +6.3. You'll also get a //merit score// (and possibly a merit) based on the above and many other factors.
 +
 +6.4. It is possible to have a high mission score and a low merit score, or vice versa. While mission score generally measures your combat skills during the action, merit score takes humane factors more into account.
 +
 +//NOTE:// as development continues, we plan to add more sophisticated and varied statistics and benchmarks to the game.
 +
 +[[#Top|Back to top]] ↑
 +
 +----
 +← Previous: [[weapons | Weapons]]
 +
 +→ Next: [[the_squad | The Squad]]
 +
 +← [[ultimate_space_commando_steam_2015|Back to Main page]]
 +
step_by_step_tutorial.1643906838.txt.gz · Last modified: 2022/02/03 17:47 by admin