Cover and flanking guide
Cover protects a position, but it is not permanent safety. The squad can go around it, shoot from elevation, or destroy some pieces outright.
Read both sides of the firing line
Before confirming movement, inspect the shield marker at the destination: the interface distinguishes partial and full cover. Then open the Chance-to-Hit breakdown for the planned attack and check how range, cover, flank, and elevation changed the result. A strong shot is still a bad trade if the shooter ends exposed during the enemy phase.
Remove cover when the route is too expensive
Destructible cover lets explosive or cover-breaking attacks improve every later shot. Spend the setup action early enough that the rest of the squad can use the opening in the same turn.
Treat elevation as an objective
High ground improves hit chance and can preserve long-range sightlines. Claim it before committing a Sharpshooter to repeated attacks, but do not climb into an isolated position that the front line cannot protect.
Compare the shot before spending the setup action
Select the target from the current position, note the hit preview, then preview the flank or destroyed-cover state. Commit only when the improved shot is worth the movement, explosive, or displacement cost. This prevents spending two actions to create a small percentage change that the squad cannot exploit.
Sources used 2
- OfficialEA gameplay overview
- EditorialDantics complete starting guide