Reaction Tactics (UFO2000)

Reactions dynamics

• Reaction fire works when a unit ends its turn with enough points to fire its weapon and spots an enemy during the opponent's turn. But the unit will fire only if it has more TUs and reaction skill that the enemy and on units upon his field of vision.
• One basic warning: if the reaction unit is spotted before it can fire, it is a sitting duck on the water for enemy units outside his vision.
• Because of the factor of dealing with a human opponent, reaction fire can be very different from X-COM. Some tricks still work while others will only get your soldiers killed. And even having 80 TUs and 80 reactions might not be enough to get the first shot.
• To use reaction (and remember there is always the risk that it might not work) the unit must be protected from view or covered from fire from other enemy units.
• TUs count a lot for reaction fire. It is best to put snipers on positions that the enemy will have to spend some TUs to get there on the open. It is also best to avoid spending any TUs by the reaction unit.
• Finally, Sniper units can be left with their full TUs on one turn, something that only happened on the original game while you were disembarking from the Skyranger. If the Sniper isn't killed after it is spotted, it can fire several accurate shots as the enemy units step into his field of vision. If the player isn't careful he can lose up to 3 units as they advance into the Sniper's sight.
• The less units present on the battlefield, the more useful snipers are, because it makes it harder to respond to their fire.
• In reaction fire exchanges between only 2 units (without any other capable of interfering on the fight) the unit with more armor has an advantage.

Counter-reaction tactics

• To prevent enemy units from reaction firing at you while you are moving, you can always create some smoke to conceal them.
• If you are moving forward and spot a unit that looks as it is a Sniper, STOP immediately! Use units that can't be seen by the sniper to fire at him (to prevent counter fire).
• If you can't take it out with another unit and if you have been moving in a line, take back 1 step before firing. That way you will be able to fire at the Sniper and not risk losing your unit to its counter fire.
• If your units find themselves in sight several enemy Snipers, plan carefully who will fire first. Usually use the more distanced units to fire first, thus drawing the Sniper's fire away (or use smoke first to cover them). Then, after they don't have points to fire anymore use the closer units to kill them at point blank range.

Reactions Do's

• Leave your soldier on a position where the enemy will have to spend TUs before it comes into the sniper's vision.
• If the enemy is going to advance from a certain direction set smoke in front of the sniper. The moment the enemy unit clears the smoke (and spends TUs doing it), ZAP!
• If facing unarmored units set the shots for Snap/Aimed to ensure kills. At close range always set it for Auto.
• Expect your Sniper to be killed (player's don't like hostile units firing at them) sounds stupid but if he can be expendable then his likely loss won't make a big difference, if you still keep the position covered.
• Give them the most powerful weapon available to ensure first shot kills (if they are possible, which depends on the other player's armor).

Reactions Don’ts

• Don't leave a sniper's flanks uncovered. If an enemy unit moves by the side and spots him, the sniper is as good as dead.
• Don't spend ANY of the Sniper's TUs (easier said than done).
• Don't leave any of your units in front of the sniper or they might be killed by accident.
• Don't leave Snipers out on the open, as a general rule (with exceptions, of course).
• Don't expect an enemy Sniper to have run out of TUs after firing only once.
• Don't expect first shot kills when facing power suits and above. If the other player has a lot of armored units, it will be impossible to kill them with a first shot at long range.