Ballistic Pistol

The ballistic pistol is a semi-automatic sidearm that has been in common military use for some years. It is light and accurate over short ranges, and also much faster to aim and fire than other Xenonaut weapons – making it an ideal secondary weapon for snipers or soldiers equipped with heavy weaponry.  However, although it can deal out a lot of damage at close quarters due it its high fire rate, the pistol lacks any appreciable armour penetration and is inaccurate over range.

This is balanced against the fact it only takes a single hand to fire, allowing pistol-equipped soldier can carry a variety of objects in his other hand, such as grenades, medipacks or even a combat shield. It is therefore also an invaluable tool for soldiers in close support roles.

Ballistic Shotgun

Capable of delivering massive firepower in a very short space of time, the shotgun is the perfect weapon for assault troops – whether they be clearing buildings or breaching UFOs. This fearsome firepower must be offset against the limitations of the weapon; it is heavy, holds only six shots and is incapable of burst fire. Most troublesome, however, is that it is almost entirely ineffective other than over short ranges.

Shotguns must therefore be used carefully. Though it will leave its user exposed and vulnerable if caught in the open, it is an enormously powerful weapon when used effectively and thus is a vital part of the Xenonaut tactical arsenal.

Assault Rifle

The assault rifle is a versatile and effective part of the Xenonaut arsenal. With a generous thirty-round magazine and the capacity to both long-range snipe and close-range burst fire, the assault rifle allows a soldier to adapt to changing battlefield conditions and fulfil a variety roles. The cost of this flexibility is that it does not excel at any particular role - indeed, its performance against armour is mediocre at best.

Though less specialised than other weapons, the assault rifle is the main weapon of Xenonaut tactical teams as it is impossible to predict how a battle will unfold. Rifle-armed troops are effective in almost all situations and should form the core of all strike teams.

Precision Rifle

The precision rifle is an excellent long-ranged support weapon, extremely accurate out to long range and large-calibre bullets making it particularly effective against armoured targets. Unfortunately, the weapon takes a long time to aim and fire and cannot burst fire, making it an inefficient weapon at short ranges (where other weapons would be equally accurate).

On the battlefield, snipers are very useful – able to pick off distant enemies without exposing themselves to return fire.  The precision rifle is an excellent tool for open battlefields, allowing Xenonaut strike teams to neutralise aliens without having to stray into range of their superior weaponry.

Flamethrower

As the name implies, the flamethrower sprays a jet of incendiary liquid at its target, causing immense damage to anything caught in the blast. The flamethrower completely ignores cover when calculating damage to its victims and is capable of hitting multiple units with a single shot. This makes it invaluable when clearing fortified positions or ambushing enemy units, where a single flamethrower can turn the tide of the battle in seconds.

Unfortunately, the flamethrower also has some major drawbacks, not least being the fact that the user has to carry pressurised containers of highly-flammable liquid around with them. Flamethrowers also damage indiscriminately, destroying items that could otherwise be recovered. It is also highly dangerous if used carelessly, as the user can easily accidentally douse a comrade (or themselves) in napalm when firing the weapon in an enclosed space.

Ballistic Machinegun

The machinegun is a supremely effective anti-personnel weapon that fires long bursts, causes serious damage to infantry and is capable of punching through extraterrestrial armour with little trouble. However, as a heavy weapon, it suffers a number of inherent limitations. A considerable amount of time is required to shoot or reload the weapon, it is inaccurate when not fired by a stationary user, plus the weight and recoil of the weapon necessitates a strong trooper carry it into battle.

As with all heavy weapons, the machinegun is devastating when used correctly but leaves the soldier operating it vulnerable to enemy attack. The sheer weight of the weapon and the ammunition means that the gunner can only wear light armour into battle, and the significant accuracy penalty for moving in the same turn that the weapon is fired means that it is vulnerable to flanking. Despite this, the fearsome firepower of the machinegun means it is still a remarkably powerful battlefield tool.

 

Rocket Launcher

The rocket launcher is a versatile weapon capable of delivering a variety of warheads to distant parts of the battlefield. By far the most powerful anti-tank weapon in the Xenonaut arsenal when loaded with armour-penetrating rockets, the rocket launcher is also extremely effective at wounding infantry and destroying structures when loaded with high explosive rockets. In both cases, the rocket launcher can be used at relatively long ranges and is good for ‘softening up’ the enemy before the rest of the team attack.

Unfortunately, the weapon suffers from the normal penalties associated with heavy weapons – an accuracy penalty if the soldier has moved during the turn, heavy ammunition and significant time cost to fire. Additionally, the rocket launcher must also be reloaded after every shot. Nevertheless, the rocket launcher is an extremely useful weapon due to its flexibility - and it is virtually mandatory if enemy vehicles are likely to be on the field!

BATTLEFIELD EQUIPMENT

As well as the projectile weaponary available to the Xenonauts, there is also a variety of more specialised battlefield equipment – some of it visible in the image above (and of course more will be unlocked as the game progresses). There are numerous types of grenade in the game, as well as timed demolition charges for breaching buildings or general explosive work.  Electric stun batons are the most basic method of subduing aliens and capturing them alive for interrogation, although they can only be used at melee range.

There are also non-weapon items, such as medikits for healing and stabilising casualties on the battlefield. Another unique item is the combat shield, which is used for soldiers breaching doorways (or UFOs) and provides directional cover in whatever direction the soldier is facing. It is a one-handed object, allowing the soldier to wield a pistol in the other hand. As you can imagine, there’s plenty of options for how to play a combat mission in Xenonauts – it’s just up to you to choose your tactics and what gear you want to use!