After Action Report for the Demo on Classic difficulty. It's...about as hard as the original X-Com. If your guys hit, you win! If they can't hit the broad side of a barn, you lose!
Here's the actual report, from two sessions, because my rookies can't shoot worth a damn the first time we go through.
Sniper - Nabil -Saudi Arabia
Heavy - Perez - Argentina
Assault - Pavlona - Russia
Support - King - Australia
Two girls this time, Pavlona and King, which shows that the troops are actually randomly generated each time. Well, except the guy from the tutorial one, anyway. Although I did notice that his stats and name were different this time around.
So, start the mission, moved Assault and Heavy as instructed. We flush out the aliens, and I wonder how well this is going to go now that I'm on classical.
Sniper took out the first sectoid with a head shot, which is a good start. I move my Support up to a spot with high cover in preparation for flanking them.
This was a bad idea, as she took a weak shot from the remaining sectoid. The Heavy and Assault moved up a bit and took pot shots at it, but both missed. The Assault made it flanked for the Support, who got her revenge. Nice!
I have King heal herself and we press on.
We move up cautiously, everyone on overwatch as much as possible.
We flush out the Floaters, with the Assault taking out the first one with a single shot. So far, things are going pretty well.
It gets worse from there. The second floats up above the canisters, and all three of my other troops miss their overwatch shots. The floater takes out Pavlona (Assault) with a single blast from above.
I've hit the Invincible Floater from Hell. Bastard dodges every shot we fire at him, with every shot having a 55% or better chance. Even throwing up a smoke screen doesn't save my Heavy and Support from getting gunned down. The Heavy running out of ammo didn't help any. That and the floater can always go where my cover won't help. Bastard.
My sniper, all alone now and out of ammo for his rifle, manages to take him out with a combination of grenade and pistol, but he's hit in the process and down to a single hit point.
Victory...doesn't seem too likely at this point. But I press on anyway.
My sniper comes up the side of the building and finds the Slender Men. He hurts one, but it turns around and ices him.
So...yeah, that was way harder than it was on Easy.
I restart the mission.
Ok, same basic start. Move the guys where they say, have the sniper take out the first sectoid. That works well again. I'm pleased that my sniper continues to be able to hit things. Good Sniper!
I decide to keep my support lady back this time, since I don't want her getting smacked again. The Heavy gets hit instead, after the sectoid retreats a bit. That's different, he didn't bother moving last time. I have my heavy high-tail it back to the support to get healed up.
My Assault throws a grenade and blasts the Sectoid to bits despite his cover. Not necessary, but safe and effective. Also, exploding boxes is fun!
My sniper takes up position on the roof, and I go to flush out the Floaters. Hopefully without getting everyone killed off this time.
For kicks I have my Heavy blow up some shipping containers with his rocket. I figured it might give us some better lines of sight. It did, and it was a very satisfying explosion. Also, seeing the flames spread and blow up small bits of stuff was neat.
My Assualt moved up and saw the Floaters from a distance. She only had a 30% chance to hit, so I had her go on Overwatch and the Support threw the Smoke grenade towards her to give her cover. My sniper sat on the roof and readied his rifle.
Turns out my Assault hadn't been spotted, so it wasn't until my Heavy moved up and saw them (through the exploded containers) that they activated. He shot one and injured it, which my Assault finished off. The support and Sniper stayed on overwatch, and the sniper managed to take it the last one when it moved in one shot this time.
Whew, no uber Floaters this time! And I hit them with much worse odds. Go figure.
We advance along and carefully take on the building with the Slender Men. Or whatever they're called. Thin Men?
My support goes around the right, my Assault inside, and my Heavy and Sniper along the Left.
The Support sees them first, and manages to wound one of them. The heavy takes that one out and my Sniper head shots the last.
Cakewalk, this time.