GET YOUR BEARINGS
Plan your next Xenonauts session
Our independent guide offers deeper observations of Xenonauts’ core systems, helping you compare approaches and refine decisions without promising hidden shortcuts or exclusive rewards.
01 / THE GUIDE
Combat Positioning
Run two identical battles, one focusing on high ground and the other on dense cover. Note how destructible terrain changes line of sight and whether enemy AI adapts to new obstacles.
- Observe enemy movement before committing fire; the asymmetry often rewards cautious positioning.
- Use terrain destruction to create fresh cover or block alien lines of sight.
02 / THE GUIDE
Funding Allocation
Shift budget from research to interceptor upgrades over several turns. Record changes in UFO interception rates and subsequent mission difficulty to see the impact of financial priorities.
- Track nation‑specific funding trends to anticipate budget shortfalls.
- Prioritise interceptor upgrades early to reduce incoming UFO pressure.
03 / THE GUIDE
Research Prioritisation
Choose two divergent research paths—weapon technology versus vehicle upgrades—and document how each influences success against specific alien variants in later missions.
- Focus on projects that unlock new weapon types when facing unfamiliar alien variants.
- Balance research spending with immediate combat needs to avoid resource bottlenecks.
04 / THE GUIDE
Soldier Development
Rotate a veteran squad with rookies across three missions, tracking experience gain versus casualty risk, and evaluate the effect on overall mission efficiency.
- Rotate veterans with rookies to preserve experience while mitigating risk.
- Assign higher‑risk tasks to newer soldiers to protect seasoned operatives.
05 / THE GUIDE
Environmental Effects
Run the same mission under day and night conditions. Observe sight‑range reductions at night and how they affect enemy engagement strategies.
- Experiment with different interceptor launch times to see how mission contexts shift.
- Observe how darkness reduces enemy visibility and alters engagement tactics.
