Localisation of your bases

[falcon]

Hi everyone,

 

I restarted a game with UFO after a break of more than one year... In my game, I've actuaclly 4 bases :

- "X-Com Origin" located in Europa to cover a large number of country (Europa and North Africa)

- "X-Com America" located in Cuba to cover North and South America (but I feared that this base doesn't detect a lot of UFO's)

- "X-Com Asia" located in China to cover Asia and Russia

- "X-Com Secret", a manufacturing and research base located in South Pole dedicated to the manufacturing of armour and to the research on aliens technology.

 

I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to build 2 others bases : one in South of Perou and another one in South Africa (only country that have reached the aliens side). Do you a good idea to build those 2 others bases knowing that I'm beginning to win against aliens (already 4 aliens bases destroy including one in South Africa)? What is your base plan ? How many bases do you build ?

[Bomb Bloke]

I myself tend to build only two bases over the course of a campaign - the starter base, in which I do all my R&D, and a secondary base to cover the other side of the globe (supplied with equipment from the first). I'm not overly concerned about radar coverage, if a craft runs through my scanners I can always try to pick them up again with the radar my craft are equiped with.

 

Different nations will give you different ratings at the end of the month, depending on how well you covered their territory. If a country defects, however, it stops paying you and it doesn't come back. This means you shouldn't be wasting resources on those particular areas of the globe - Sure, your scrore will be higher, but the nations you're patroling still won't give you any cash for it.

 

Furthermore, some countries simply aren't rich enough to give you a decent paycheck no matter how well you defend them. If memory serves, America and France are your best sources of income.

 

The one time I'd consider building an extra base is if I found a floater base in hospitable terratory (such as snow or desert terrain). If you plonk a base down next to that, you'll easily be able to intercept the supply ships as they land, giving you a very healthy supply of elerium.

 

Hence in your case, I'd simply start sinking money into more research and equipment, as opposed to more real estate.

[NKF]

Bomb Bloke: You know, you are in a very good position to make use of decoy bases. Why not use up the rest of the base slots and position empty bases all around your main base. This way should the aliens retaliate, it'll probably be against a base consisting of a single lift and nothing much else. Easy to replace, and not too costly if you keep your heavy plasma harvesting up.

 

I once tried to split off the interceptors into a separate but nearby launch base (basically two bases within very close proximity). An interesting idea that worked quite well, but it at the loss of one base slot.

 

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As for myself, I like to go with a two/three major base approach and use the rest of the bases up as intercept/listening posts. I use an armada of interceptors armed with plasma beams, so this is quite an ideal setup for me, as it allows me to have an interceptor or two within close distance to any UFO destination on the globe.

 

My base placement starts off with the first two major bases placed in Europe and America. Minor bases are scattered all over the place in strategic locations covering good land, and the manufacturing/psi screening facility ends up on the polar cap.

 

Simple and uninteresting.

 

- NKF

[Jman4117]

Europe: Main strike base. It does R&D and some weapons construction.

 

Central US: It has my secondary strike force and main production facilities.

 

Australia/SE Asia: Training base. Has 2 hangars, a radar, and the rest stores and living quarters.

 

Pickets: Brazil, Siberia, Central Africa, Hawaii, Antarctica

[Bomb Bloke]

I'm not too concerned about aliens attacking my bases. Because each of them is manned with a squad, anything that attacks is just asking for a good kicking. The only alien ground battle I'd want to avoid is one against Etherals, but by the time they're coming after me I usually have a Blaster Launcher or two in my stores.

 

Hence I always keep a couple of units at home, along with a tank or two spare - Though it's very uncommon that I'd be attacked while my main strike force was otherwise engaged. The only real reason I keep the extra units around is so my craft can be re-manned with minimal delay should I take casualties out in the field.

[uriaheep]

Europe: Main strike base. It does R&D and some weapons construction.

 

Central US: It has my secondary strike force and main production facilities.

 

Australia/SE Asia: Training base. Has 2 hangars, a radar, and the rest stores and living quarters.

 

Pickets: Brazil, Siberia, Central Africa, Hawaii, Antarctica

That just about sums me up too. I keep a crack team in Antarctica for base attacks only.

[Zombie]

I'm one of the few individuals who is concerned (probably overly) about protecting countries. True, all countries may eventually fall to the aliens in the end, but I still want to keep them happy. (May be a bit of gallantry in my blood, who knows).

 

The strategy I employ for base building is rather straightforward: build first in the higher funding areas and then add bases in other areas with lower funding. A Europe base is first on my list as there are many countries paying good money for protection, as well as the land is cheaper to build on first rather than later. Next up is a base in the US somewhere (a nice central location works well). Then it's on to SE Asia, usually in Japan. If I can get these bases up and running soon, I'm a happy camper.

 

Later on when I have some cash to spend, I'll plop a base in Africa, S. America, Australia, somewhere in the North Pacific (Bearing Straight location) and one in India. These later bases are usually Psi-Training facilities as well as radar detection.

 

This strategy does hinge on nabbing a live alien engineer to get the Hyperwave Decoder. I'd never consider building a new base without 3 things:

1. Enough money to build and maintain the base.
   
2. Hyperwave Decoder for the ultimate in radar coverage.
   
3. A group of soldiers to defend it in case of attack.
   

I usually opt for a hangar or two for interceptions but only when I have the Avenger.

 

- Zombie