Classic Game Strategy: X-Com Apocalypse

The X-Com series may be the best turn-based squad-combat game group ever produced. The last installment, X-Com: Apocalypse, was the third in the series and included some of the best features. One key factor of success in the game is agent training. Your soldiers start the game pathetically bad in a tussle, but there is a strategy for increasing their skill quickly: The Inquisitorial Crusade.

Within the domed city in which the game is set reside many organizations. Your success in protecting them determines how well they regard X-Com, which in turn determines how much you get paid. Organizations that hate you pay little or demand compensation, causing negative cash flow. There is one exception: the Cult of Sirius (COS).

The COS is a gang of religious fanatics that worship the aliens attacking the city. This group will always hate you and be at war with you. The Inquisitorial Crusade uses the silver lining within that cloud. Simply find one of their heretical temples and raid it incessantly.

X-Com agents gain stat increases through combat. Send in one agent at a time to raid their temples and save the game frequently. The trip from an X-Com base to the local temple and back only takes a few seconds of game-clock time. Within the first hour of your team's first day on the job you can send a single agent into combat dozens of times.

Equip your agent as pictured, with standard X-Com armor, a machine gun with four extra clips, two stun grenades, a medical kit, and as much extra gear as you can stuff in his pack.

Each map has a finite number of game tiles. Once you learn to recognize them you'll know the layout of the temple as soon as you enter it. Sneak up on COS troops and blast them point blank with auto-fire shots. Toss a stun grenade at dense packs of enemies.

Your agent will see drastic increases in accuracy, health, strength, reaction time, and morale with each mission. As an added bonus you keep all the enemy gear after you win (assuming your vehicle has a cargo module.) This lets you outfit your team for free, after which you can sell excess gear for profit.

Before your first mission-day is over you'll have a squad of super-commandoes and be able to fight with confidence. Get out there and start crusading, agent!