ADVENT: Analysis Report

Naval Analysis of the Greater Hive Commanders Fleet

"Many think a race as physically feeble as the Sectoids need not be feared. Those who believe such have not seen their fleet in open combat."

- V'Thrask, Andromedon Advisor to XCOM

ADVENT Fleet Report 0001

Authors: Acting Director of ADVENT Intelligence Ian Powell, Chief of ADVENT Engineering and Development Feng Mercado, Head of ADVENT Fleet Development and Design Matilda Beck, Head of ADVENT Deep-Space Observation Dr. Catherine Bowmann

Subject: Collective Naval Analysis - Sectoid Contribution

As we are all aware, the war on Earth has only reached the first phase. If we want to have any chance at all of controlling Earth and later remaining independent in the face of the Ethereal Collective, we must control not just our orbit, but our entire system and beyond. The Collective eclipses us technologically, numerically, and logistically. To address this, we must begin preparing for this new phase of the war as soon as possible, especially as we grow rapidly closer to a conclusion.

The Collective navy, as it stands, consists primarily of Sectoid and Andromedon spacecraft, with the former providing a majority of the total number. According to information provided by XCOM, while the Vitakara have a small navy numerically, they are in possession of a dreadnought-class vessel, which has been integrated into the Collective navy as a flagship. Additionally, the Imperator guides the Collective from his Temple Ship, though its location and capabilities are largely unknown.

This report will break down the Sectoid contributions, beginning with an overview of Collective munitions and armaments.

Turreted Weapons: The Collective employs scaled-up versions of their standard infantry weaponry as armaments for their naval vessels. These come in the same three varieties we have encountered on the battlefield thus far: gauss weapons, laser weapons, and plasma weapons. Each of these is used largely within a defined niche - gauss weapons are used primarily on smaller craft and strike craft, laser weapons are used primarily as point defence, and plasma weapons are used primarily as capital ship-sized weapons, or in an anti-capital ship role.

Most commonly seen on strike craft or in an anti-strike craft role, the gauss cannon fills a role roughly akin to the high-calibre rotary machine guns on our fighters. Capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute with great accuracy for extended periods of time, these weapons are fed by a cylinder of ammo, from which small pieces are cut. Often, the limiting factor on the volume of fire put out by these weapons is an internal build-up of heat, which forces a short cooling period, during which the weapon is inoperable.

It should be noted that, on strike craft, these weapons are not turreted, but are instead on fixed mounts. However, this is compensated for by mounting these weapons with limited gimballing capabilities and mounting several, equally spaced cannons, allowing the Sectoid strike craft to attack from any direction by making use of their omnidirectional thrusters. Due to its versatility and reliability, this particular weapon is likely to be seen on most, if not all, Collective spacecraft.

The laser turret is not traditionally used in an offensive capacity, instead, the Collective utilises the near-instant travel time of lasers as a point-defence mechanism. Because of this, computational load is significantly reduced, allowing the Collective CODEX to better coordinate the myriad of point-defence emplacements on various ships. Like the gauss cannons, these turrets must cool down periodically, as the short-wavelength lasers used in Collective point-defence cannons generate immense amounts of heat.

The Collective has compensated for this by simply adding massive numbers of these emplacements to any ship which uses them. The end result of this is extremely dense and complex point-defence networks, none of which are known to have significant, exploitable "blind spots" when operating at standard capacity. It should be noted that these weapons experience a significant increase in damage output in space, as, unlike in a planetary atmosphere, there is nothing to absorb and scatter the laser beam.

Finally, the Collective uses a scaled-up plasma cannon as their heavy weaponry. Generally only found on larger vessels or dedicated anti-capital ship craft, this cannon can deal a high amount of damage to any target, though this is offset by the projectile's relatively slow speed. Though deadly to any size of vessel, this weapon is significantly less effective against smaller craft, which are better capable of evading its projectiles. Against larger vessels, however, this weapon excels, as its corrosive properties give it unparalleled armor-damaging capabilities, and the projectile speed is offset by an inability for the larger craft to dodge effectively.

Missile Armaments: The standard Collective warhead is plasma-based, a scaled-up version of the plasma explosives (typically grenades) our infantry are familiar with. This weapon creates a short-lived cloud of plasma, severely burning or melting any material in the blast radius. This particular variation of the plasma explosive is capable of dealing significant damage even to our Flak Towers.

For larger targets, the Collective is thought to employ fusion warheads. This is, in concept, no different to conventional nuclear fusion projectiles, though the Collective's variety is likely to use direct nuclear fusion, rather than our boosted fusion warheads. It should be noted that this weapon has not yet seen use in the field, and its existence is only corroborated by various defectors and Sectoid captives.

Finally, the Collective has, on some occasions, employed counter-missiles. These are small missiles, designed to act as countermeasures to destroy larger missiles. Typically much smaller and lighter than the standard armaments, counter-missiles feature a small conventional explosive warhead, designed to detonate when in the vicinity of a larger projectile. Typically deployed in swarms, they make for a potent, if somewhat odd, point-defence weapon. This oddness is further amplified by the fact that these missiles emit a broad spectrum signal designed to attract enemy missiles and divert them from their targets. This signal is emitted by a light on the nose of the projectile, one that rapidly shifts in wavelength, and thus shifts in colour, earning this weapon the nickname "Rudolph" among our soldiers.

Additionally, the Collective has been known to deploy two types of specialty explosives: "Blaster Bombs" and nanite warheads.

The so-called "Blaster Bomb" is a large, (relatively) slow-moving, self-propelled explosive of extremely high yield. When given a target, the Blaster Bomb will slowly navigate towards it, even around obstacles, before releasing a massive explosion, capable of destroying a fully-functional Flak Tower. Slow-moving though it may be, the Blaster Bomb is not to be taken lightly, and the projectile cannot be easily shot down or destroyed.

Lastly, the nanite warhead is one that requires no introduction. This weapon has been rarely seen on the battlefield, primarily during the Battle of Florida, and its potency cannot be overstated. This warhead does not explode, rather, upon reaching proximity to their designated target, the nanites within are activated, and begin consuming the missile and replicating.

Once the casing of the missile is breached, either because it has impacted a target or because it has been consumed by its payload, the nanites within spill out and begin to replicate using surrounding materials. Thus far, these nanites have been observed to only replicate a limited number of times, preventing any potential "Grey Goo" scenario, but there is no reason why these weapons could not be reprogrammed to reproduce endlessly, especially in orbital battles, where the possibility of contaminating a planetary body is significantly lower. The nanites themselves seem to be similar to the Collective Spectre unit, albeit without the ability to form any sort of cohesive "body", limiting their use to destructive consumption and replication.

This concludes analysis of the mainstay Collective Weaponry. For more in-depth reports and capabilities of each weapon, see the attached documents.

Strike Craft: The Sectoid navy, similarly to their initial ground invasion force, revolves almost entirely around a doctrine of overwhelming force. By the standards of the rest of the Collective, the Sectoid fleet is largely composed of supposedly cheap and disposable units which are deployed en mass to swarm the enemy, supplemented by a small number of more specialised craft. Additionally, the fact they make up a majority of the navy leads to the classic view of the Collective using "traditional" UFO-type vessels. In this case, the Sectoids make use of 3 variants of the same basic UFO platform.

The Scout is what was used in the initial stages of the invasion, and is the lightest of the fighter-class vessels. Just large enough to carry a small ground team, the Scout has been stripped of many of the weapons and much of the armor seen in its larger siblings, rendering it weaker and easier to take down, but also faster and more difficult to detect. This has led to the scout being used primarily as a light reconnaissance craft, a role which has been gradually phased out as the war continues.

However, Sectoid scouts are still sometimes seen in action, more often over areas that have not yet been hit by the war as an intelligence-gathering platform. In addition to its capabilities as a light troop transport, the Scout is equipped with an upgraded all-spectrum sensor package, allowing it to function as an advanced spy-plane, flying over enemy territory and compiling high-fidelity data on fortifications, army composition, and other relevant details, all of which are likely sent to the Zararch or Collective military officials.

The Fighter is the Sectoids' primary strike craft within and beyond the atmosphere, and is the primary vessel our air force encounters in combat. Utilising the same platform as the Scout, the Fighter significantly lowers the amount of internal space available, instead opting for significantly thicker armor, more weaponry, and stronger engines, all of which are powered by a larger Elerium power plant. The Fighter-class UFOs mount scaled-up Collective plasma weapons (which bear a strong resemblance to the weapons used by Generation 1 Sectopods) around the ship on every side, effectively giving it a 360° firing arc.

In addition, they sport a basic laser-based point-defence net, revealing their use as both offensive and defensive craft by the Sectoids. As this is the primary assault strike craft used by the sectoids, its capabilities in the sky are well-known. However, despite the increased durability compared to the scout, the Fighter is still not incredibly durable, being vulnerable to direct missile impact or projectile/laser/plasma weapons.

Additionally, though it is capable of turning on a dime, high-impact maneuvers place great strain on the pilot drones, and the superstructure itself, especially considering the high speeds these craft tend to fly at, though it should be noted that it, along with all other Sectoid fighter craft, will likely have significantly increased maneuverability when in vacuum.

The Bomber is the heaviest of the Sectoids' standard strike craft, and the one which should be treated as the highest priority on the battlefield. The Bomber is the logical extreme in terms of progression from the Scout, in that it boasts the thickest armor of the primary strike craft, while also being the least mobile. Additionally, though it is technically the most heavily armed, the Bomber does not fulfill the same role as the fighter, instead being designed as a long-ranged support vessel/force multiplier, allowing a Sectoid battle group to take on targets that would otherwise significantly outgun them.

The Bomber, like the Fighter, cannot carry a ground team, but, unlike its twin brethren, carries only a small point-defence net and completely eschews plasma weaponry in favor of being armed to the teeth with a variety of missiles. Most commonly seen with standard plasma-warhead missiles, they have also been observed to fire Blaster Bombs and, on at least one occasion, nanite warheads.

In addition to this, they make a potent counter-fighter platform, as they are also capable of firing dozens of anti-fighter and counter-missiles in a short span of time. Corresponding to their abilities as dangerous force-multipliers, a Bomber-class UFO is almost never seen without an escort of at least 4 and up to 6 Fighters. Finally, the Bomber is capable of hovering in mid-air (an ability also displayed by the previous two craft, though much less commonly) while firing its payload, usually taking such a position far away from anti-aircraft defences.

Any Bomber-class vessel is expected to carry at least several dozen of every missile-type weapon the Collective produces, specific details of which are documented in a prior section of this report, and references to their full technical breakdowns are attached to this report.

Finally, it should be noted that the Overseer-class UFO, the personal transports of the Ethereals, are modified sectoid Fighters. Though their capabilities are not as extensively documented, it is known that they are significantly faster, better armed, and more heavily armored.

Medium Size Vessels: The Sectoid navy, in keeping with established doctrine, does not typically use many mid-sized vessels. Thus, these can be compared to the Sectoid Vanguards on the battlefield. They are more powerful than their smaller counterparts, but also highly specialised, limited in number, and should be treated as high priority targets.

The Labship, as it has been dubbed, is not, by nature, a combat vessel. The most notable feature of this vessel is that it sharply departs from the "classic UFO" design, being far more rectangular in shape, with only a single-engine unit at the rear. This vessel is fairly heavily armored for its size, rendering it rather slow and difficult to maneuver, which is part of the reason this ship does not see combat, outside of extraordinary scenarios.

Its nature as a non-combat vessel is also exacerbated by the weapon loadout of the Labship: its offensive capabilities consist purely of a dense, highly advanced laser point-defence net. In most cases, this is used to protect the vessels from asteroids and other space debris, but it also makes it a death trap for any nearby enemy fighters and renders the vessel nigh-on impervious to most missile attacks.

Internally, while the Labship can carry a ground team, the vessel is only rarely used in this capacity. Instead, the internals are used to house cages, laboratories, sampling equipment, and stasis pods. This vessel is what the Sectoids used to perform their initial experiments, abducting humans, various plants and animals, and anything else they deemed necessary, and subjecting them to all manner of (presumably cruel and inhumane) tests and procedures. This unit is only rarely seen in direct combat zones, but it is not unlikely the Sectoids would use the Labship, or a similar vessel based on its defence net, as a dedicated picket ship, and its nature as such makes it a high priority target if fighters are on the field.

The Transport Ship is the only other mid-sized vessel the Sectoids field. This vessel's description begins and ends at its name. It exists to carry infantry forces, and is heavily armored to facilitate such. Based on a similar platform to the labship, it also offers a counterpoint to the round shape of the Sectoid strike craft, being rectangular with only a single engine at the rear. Troop deployment vectors are concentrated at the front, with additional exits on the sides.

It should also be noted that transport ships seem to have a number of personnel "pods" mounted along their hull, which are likely used to launch a small number of troops in an attempt to breach the hull of an enemy vessel in orbital combat, facilitating boarding maneuvers.

While the Transport Ships were initially entirely unarmed, as the war progressed, most have since been upgraded with advanced laser point-defence networks. Additionally, based on a number of intelligence reports, there is some evidence to suggest that Sectoid engineers are attempting to integrate psionic defences into this ship's frame, though it is not yet clear what form these would take.

The reports suggest this would involve an Aegii-based system for rapidly deploying barriers to reduce damage and potentially cut off invaders. In keeping with its role in facilitating rapid orbit-to-surface troop deployment, the Transport Ship also sports higher-than-normal heat resistance, allowing it to perform extremely aggressive deorbiting maneuvers, while also giving it some resistance to the ablative properties of lasers.

The Hiveship: This is the final ship class used by the Sectoids, and their only super-capital vessel type that we know of, one which has also yet to formally participate in the conflict itself. Please note that all information on this vessel is the result of intelligence reports from a variety of reliable sources, but this class of vessel has not been formally observed in combat or otherwise.

The Hiveships are the flagships of the Hive Commanders; every Hive Commander will have at least one of these vessels under their direct control, putting their number at around one thousand vessels. As mentioned earlier, there are currently no Hiveships in our solar system, a fact which, for reasons which will become abundantly clear in the following paragraphs, we should all be grateful for.

The Hiveship is a mothership in every sense of the word. Capable of functioning as the first wave of an invasion entirely on its own, a Hiveship carries hundreds of fighters, tens of thousands of sectoid drones, and ample supplies to repair, replace, and maintain anything it carries.

While it lacks any sort of primary weapon, a Hiveship is armed with hundreds of gauss, laser, and plasma weapon emplacements, along with hundreds of missile tubes. In addition, it sports a robust point-defence network, of similar complexity and capability to that of the Labship, albeit massively scaled up to accommodate the Hiveship's 10-kilometer wide bulk.

The Hiveship's outer hull is, at minimum, 10 meters of hardened alloy armor, further protected and augmented by Aegii-based psionic technology, projected by specialised drones and the Hive Commander himself. Finally, this gargantuan vessel, like the Sectoid strike craft, is propelled by 8 engine emplacements placed with regular spacing around the hull, giving it omnidirectional maneuvering capabilities. These engines are the main focus of the aegii shielding, as a Hiveship without functioning engines or a skilled teleporter is totally stranded, due to their inability to fit through Gateways.

A naval assault on this type of vessel would be completely untenable for the foreseeable future. In addition to the army of Sectoid drones of all kinds, the Hive Commander would be able to exert their psionic influence at all times, constantly harassing any would-be attackers, be they on board or within the vicinity of the Hiveship.

The Hiveship is the manifestation of the Sectoid Hive Commanders' power and influence and, especially with their sheer number, will be a major threat once we leave our system.

This concludes the general analysis of the Sectoid contribution to the Collective navy.

Threat Classification and Weakness Documentation:

Having concluded the naval overview of the Sectoid fleet, this section aims to document specific weaknesses identified in their designs and how they can be exploited. Ships will be classified as follows:

A unit classified as low threat is one that can be safely engaged by most, if not all fleet compositions.

A unit classified as medium threat is one that requires some specific fleet composition to engage without taking unnecessary losses.

A unit classified as high threat is one that should only be engaged with a specific fleet composition, or not at all. If encountered without such a composition, retreat is recommended.

Low Threat:

Scout: Lightly armed and armored, and carrying no significant infantry detachments, this vessel poses little to no direct threat in open combat, diminished even further in-atmosphere. However, the greatest threat this craft poses is in its reconnaissance capabilities.

Small, fast, and difficult to detect, the Scout is a phenomenal intelligence-gathering tool, while also posing a great threat to our space-based infrastructure, despite its limited armament, and we must be constantly vigilant in order to negate its advantages. Constant aerial patrols and research into more advanced detection technologies will keep them from watching over us with impunity, while even a Raven can destroy one of these vessels without too much difficulty.

Recommendation: Increase aerial patrols and research improved detection methods to mitigate intelligence-gathering efforts. Consideration should be given to improving base or Flak Tower detection equipment to identify and neutralize Scout craft.

Labship: The Labship is a special case, in that, despite being an exceedingly low threat-level vessel, it is rather dangerous in combat. Due to this vessel's role, it is very rare to see it in the open, and rarer still to see it in combat. It should be noted that the Labship is propelled by a single engine cluster at the rear, meaning such vessels can be rendered effectively impotent with precision targeting.

However, due to their scientific value, the Labship is almost always escorted by other craft, and its point-defence net makes it very difficult to destroy with missiles and strike craft. Attempting to board the Labship before the point-defence system has been neutralised should also be avoided, as any such craft would likely be shot down before they reach the craft.

It should also be noted that, due to its unique role, the labship is one of the few vessels in this report that may come into contact with ground-based anti-aircraft emplacements, such as Flak Towers. Such emplacements do pose a threat to this vessel, and a single Flak Tower has been documented to pose enough of a threat to deter a Labship from landing, making them a potent check on any covert intelligence-gathering operation the Collective attempts to undertake.

Recommendation: Withdraw strike craft and refrain from missile attacks. Very little defence against non-missile weapons - laser, kinetic, and plasma weapons should be primarily used when engaging this craft. Priority target if using a strike craft or missile-heavy doctrine. If found to have entered the atmosphere, any Flak Towers near the Labship's projected flight path should be placed on alert and reinforced.

Should a Labship be found to have landed in ADVENT territory, nearby areas should be reinforced as soon as possible, to prevent the enemy from gaining intelligence they would otherwise lack. If at all possible, this should be followed by a raid on the Labship, as the internal computer systems and personnel will likely carry valuable intelligence.

Transport Ship: Like the Labship, the Transport Ship is not a classically dangerous vessel in direct ship-to-ship combat. The fact that many of them are still unarmed means that, in actuality, they pose very little threat to our forces. Like the Labship, Transport Ships are propelled only by a single engine cluster at the rear, which should be disabled if possible, as it prevents the vessel from deploying its ground forces.

However, the only time such a vessel would be sighted on the battlefield is if an infantry or ground armor contingent is required. In such an event, this implies the Sectoids are preparing for a ground invasion of a nearby target or are attempting to board an Advent vessel. In either case, so as to minimise casualties,

Transport ships should be treated as high-priority targets. It should also be noted that newer models of this ship sport a point-defence net similar to that of a Labship, meaning missiles and strike craft are significantly less viable attack vectors against these targets. Finally, boarding this ship in-flight should not be considered, as the point-defence system would make such attacks difficult at best, and any surviving forces would be forced to contend with a small army on board the ship itself.

As with the Labship, the Transport Ship is vulnerable to attack by ground-based AA defences, such as the Flak Tower, though its thicker armor does a great deal to mitigate such tactics. If possible, Flak Towers within range should engage the Transport, though nearby ground forces should be kept on alert in case the Transport successfully lands.

Recommendation: Withdraw strike craft, refrain from missile attacks, and do not attempt boarding action. Ideally, this class of ship should be engaged with capital ship-sized weapons and destroyed as quickly as possible, though heavy missile bombardment by strike craft could prove moderately effective. In atmosphere, nearby Flak Towers should make all attempts to engage Should this ship land successfully, all efforts should be made to mitigate the spread of its ground forces.

Medium Threat:

Fighter: Plentiful, fast, and extremely agile, the Sectoid Fighter is the main spacecraft the Collective will deploy to counter our own strike craft. With its omnidirectional propulsion systems and firing arc, the Fighter is a potent enemy, capable of engaging and evading multiple targets at once, while also acting as a potent anti-missile screen.

However, the Fighter is equipped with comparatively thin armor, meaning a well-placed missile or burst from a point-defence cannon should be able to neutralise such a vessel. The greatest threat, however, comes from the sheer number of these craft. Piloted by Drones (referred to by XCOM as "Sectoid Pilots"), they can be flown by newly-cloned Sectoids taught in-vitro, meaning the Collective has no shortage or limit of pilots, and their lightly-armored nature means they are cheap, compared to the rest of Collective vessels.

Recommendation: Thin armor vulnerable to missile attacks, deploy strike craft with missile armaments, supported by specialised "picket" point-defence craft to minimise the effectiveness of overwhelming numbers.

Bomber: The Bomber is the big brother to the Sectoid Fighter, slower, less agile, more heavily armed and armored, and capable of posing a threat even to capital ships. While it retains the omnidirectional propulsion capabilities of the Fighter, the Bomber is notably slower, less agile, and tougher, seen to withstand sometimes up to 3 direct hits from surface-to-air missiles.

Additionally, they have a potent point-defence counter-missile system, defending them even further from such attacks. Finally, their versatile missile armaments make them dangerous in almost every situation, especially if armed with nanite warheads. There is a notable weakness in the design, however: the oversized Elerium power plant within, if damaged, is likely to incinerate the entire craft. Such tactics would be best attempted with compact fusion warheads, plasma explosives, or, if available, small antimatter payloads.

Recommendation: Concentrated kinetic, laser, or plasma attack to pierce armor. Can be forced into a battle of attrition if forced to expend counter-missiles. Large Elerium power plant can be brought to overload with sufficient damage, more readily with high-energy particle or radiation-based weaponry. Priority target if capital ships or other large infrastructure is on the field. Treat as a high-threat target if nanite warheads in use.

High Threat:

Hiveship: One cannot overstate the danger even a single one of these vessels poses. Even a single one would pose an immense threat to any fleet action undertaken, and, unless we assemble a fleet large enough, or designedspecifically designed to neutralise and destroy them, attempting to engage these vessels with anything other than overwhelming force is a suicidal venture.

The only other potential method of defeating such a vessel is attrition. While the Hiveships do keep large amounts of mechanical and other replacement parts on hand, they are not, to our knowledge, equipped with cloning facilities, meaning that the Hiveship can be defeated by targeted elimination of its crew, though this is extremely difficult for non-psions. It should also be noted that this ship is too large to fit through most Gateways, meaning it either must travel with the Collective's low-speed FTL or be psionically teleported, a skill which the Sectoids have, to our knowledge, not developed.

Recommendation: The Hiveship is an invasion force all on its own. Designed to function as a mothership, there are few ways to defeat such a vessel. As such, a fleet should be assembled with the express purpose of engaging this class of vessel. This fleet should be composed primarily of large capital ships with long-range, high-speed weapons (e.g. railguns). Missile or strike craft-based attacks are unlikely to succeed, due to the incredibly dense point-defence net and aegii-based shielding technology. Extensive nanite bombardment is a potentially viable strategy, provided a sufficient payload can be delivered. It is highly recommended that any vessels engaging a Hiveship stay at long range to mitigate its offensive capabilities.

Additionally, any such vessel should have dedicated anti-telepathy psions stationed aboard, to protect against the Hive Commander aboard. In a scenario where the crew can be removed in a targeted fashion, such measures should be undertaken, so as to force the vessel into a war of attrition, otherwise do not engage without overwhelming numbers.

Finally, large, non-missile-based surface-to-orbit weapon emplacements should be developed, in order to deal as much damage to this craft as possible from as long a range as possible.

Sectoid Fleet Doctrine:

While the Collective Invasion, thus far, has not seen a consistent overall fleet doctrine, there are certain patterns which have been extensively documented, and others we are capable of extrapolating based on recorded data, witnesses, and intelligence reports.

Doctrines will be grouped by the core of the formation, and those which have not yet been seen will be marked as such. It should be noted that, due to the Sectoids' natural affinity for telepathy, most, if not all, of the craft in such a fleet pattern will form a telepathic network, allowing them to communicate near-instantaneously and collaborate with deadly efficiency. However, a skilled psion can gain access to this network, both to discover the size of the group and to disrupt its function. Thus, it is recommended that all Human vessels have telepathy-trained psions stationed aboard or nearby.

Reconnaissance Flight - Documented:

The Reconnaissance Flight is among the simplest of Sectoid fleet patterns, consisting of between 3 and 9 Scout-class UFOs. This group exists to gather intelligence over as large an area as possible as quickly as possible, with more UFOs being assigned for larger areas. Although the largest of such groups that has been sighted is 9 Scouts, there is no reason why this number must be the upper limit, and with the partial stealth capabilities of the Scouts, it is possible larger groups have gone partly or entirely undetected.

The largest such group sighted was prior to the Hamburg attack, and it is theorised they were able to accurately map an area roughly 450km in diameter in just under 18 hours.

Fighter Wing - Documented:

The Fighter Wing is an air-superiority fleet pattern, consisting of at least 9 Sectoid Fighters, with the largest group seen thus far having consisted of no less than 36 such craft. The Sectoids' telepathic network gives them an unparalleled edge in coordinating their forces, meaning these groups are incredibly dangerous even when outnumbered, and they have been known to emerge victorious even when facing 2:1 odds.

Support Wing - Documented:

The Support Wing is one of the smaller patterns employed by the Collective, consisting of 1-6 Scouts and between 3 and 9 Sectoid Fighters. This group does not, typically, engage in direct combat, instead fulfilling a support role for ground forces. The Scouts will make use of their partial stealth and constantly provide reports on the state of the battlefield to the commander of the battle, usually the regional Sargon, while the fighters act both as a protective measure for the Scouts and as light air support for ground forces, targeting specific encampments as directed by battlefield command.

Some variant of this pattern has been observed at every ground engagement thus far, and mitigation of its intelligence-gathering capabilities is paramount to denying the enemy an advantage in ground battles. It should also be noted that there are often multiple such patterns of various sizes present at any given time, further augmenting the Collective's intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Bomber Group - Documented:

The Bomber Group functions as a combination heavy artillery and heavy air support. This pattern is unique in that it has thus far only been documented in one size, consisting of 1 Sectoid Bomber, 6 Sectoid Fighters, and 1 Scout. Typical tactics for this pattern involve the Bomber taking a hovering position high up and behind enemy lines, while the Fighters remain in tight formation nearby, defending the Bomber from any attempted assault.

The Scout is used to better coordinate missile targeting with ground forces, and is also often protected by one Fighter. This pattern is particularly dangerous, as the Bomber's loadout varies considerably based on a number of factors, including ground battle progress, composition of enemy and friendly forces, battlefield terrain, and others. On rare occasions, the Bomber has also been observed to deploy nanite-loaded missiles, further exacerbating the threat level of this pattern.

Extended/Heavy Reconnaissance Flight - Documented:

This pattern is one that was significantly more common in the early stages of the war, consisting of between 6 and 18 Scouts and 1-3 Labships. Designed primarily to stealthily abduct Humans and gain intelligence, the scouts in this case often carried small infantry detachments, including Outsiders, Sectoid Drones, and Mutons. As the war has progressed, this flight has become all but extinct, as the Collective seems to have acquired all the data it requires on our species or has otherwise deemed such operations too risky to continue performing.

Ground Invasion Force - Documented:

The Ground Invasion Force is a very common collective assault pattern, designed to reinforce existing forces or open up new fronts in sparsely-defended areas of the globe. This pattern consists of 3 to 6 Transport Ships, escorted by 9 Fighters and a Bomber each, with an additional 3 to 6 Scouts providing battlefield reconnaissance, analysis, and observation. While common in the early battles of the war, especially under the command of Caelior and the Battlemaster, this pattern has been largely supplanted by the use of Gateways in moving Collective forces around and to our planet. However, this pattern will likely see a resurgence in space combat, especially if we develop large Capital Ships, as the Collective will likely attempt boarding actions on such, and Transport Ships, heavily armored as they are, are the prime candidate for such an attempt.

Comprehensive Invasion Force - Undocumented:

The Comprehensive Invasion Force is the name given to a theoretical fleet pattern designed to open a new front in central Advent territory. This is a pattern which would consist of between 16 and 48 Transport Ships, supported by several dozen Bomber Groups and Fighter Wings, with the express purpose of beginning a ground invasion on non-coastal territory that has yet to see sustained fighting.

This pattern would be used to begin new invasions and open new fronts suddenly and with a decisive victory, for instance, if the Collective were to attempt an invasion of central Europe, the Middle East, or southern Russia.

Hiveship Fleet - Undocumented:

A Hiveship Fleet is the name given to any fleet composition which contains a Sectoid Hiveship. The sighting of such a pattern at this stage of the war would signal a paradigm shift, as the Collective would be bringing overwhelming force to bear.

It is not known precisely what this fleet would consist of, though it is theorised that the Hiveship, alone, would carry dozens of Fighter Wings, Bomber Groups, and Ground Invasion Forces, in addition to any vessels supporting it, which would likely consist of more Fighter Wings and Bomber Groups. As with the Hiveship itself, engaging any such fleet without a fleet of our own designed expressly to counter it is an incredibly foolish decision and is not recommended.

Hiveship Armada - Undocumented:

A Hiveship Armada is a theoretical fleet pattern that contains more than one Sectoid Hiveship. As it stands, such a force entering the war at this point would likely end the war for the Collective in a matter of months.

XCOM Interview File 2401

Transcript of interview with Andromedon V'Thrask - The Sectoid Hiveship

Interview performed by: Agent Aria Kettani, XCOM Intelligence Interviewer

Aria Kettani: V'Thrask, this will likely be the final interview session for you, but we have a few questions related to the Federation as a whole that we'd like to ask you.

V'Thrask: I will answer to the best of my abilities, as I have done before.

AK: Thank you. Just for the record, the Andromedon Federation considers the Sectoids its greatest threat, correct?

V: Correct.

AK: Now, with all due respect, we have encountered much of the Sectoid fleet, and while we understand the strength of overwhelming numbers, such a simple strategy cannot be what makes them such a threat to the Unions.

V: This is also correct. The Federation considers the Sectoids a threat for a number of reasons, chief among them being their psionics. We do not exhibit psionic tendencies, and we have yet to discover a technological countermeasure to such interference. As such, the Sectoids have the capability to render a majority of our ground forces ineffective. The other primary reason is precisely because of their fleets. Tell me, Agent Kettani, what do you know of the Sectoid Hiveship?

AK: We are...familiar with such a vessel. Many Sectoid pilot drones have knowledge of its systems implanted as part of their cloning process.

V: But you have not encountered one.

AK: No.

V: Such is evident, as a Hiveship taking part in the conflict would swiftly bring an end to the war in the Collective's favor.

AK: That is quite a statement. You may be underestimating our-

V: No, Human, it is you who underestimate. The Hiveship bears no similarity to any other piece of Sectoid technology or doctrine you have encountered. It is a significant reason the Unions treat the Sectoids as an existential threat. You would do well to not let your recent successes against the Collective translate into arrogance. Even a single Hiveship would conclusively end the conflict within days. You cannot hope to stand against one and win with your current defenses.

AK: Prophecies of doom are all well and good, but you haven't actually mentioned what a Hiveship is.

V: I will ensure schematics are transferred to your engineers, but a Hiveship is the single largest vessel the Sectoids are capable of fielding. It is, in broad terms, a mobile Sectoid Hive.

AK: A Sectoid capital ship?

V: A reductive term, but that is what it is, in its simplest form. Every Hiveship functions as a command and control centre, Sectoid laboratory, massive weapons platform, and force-projection vessel. They are the Hive Commanders' will made manifest.

AK: How large is one of these Hiveships? More importantly, how many of them are there?

V: They are roughly 10 of your kilometers in diameter, and, as far as we know, every Hive Commander has at least one.

AK: Then there are...thousands.

V: Yes.

AK: ...I see. This is a worrying development. What are the capabilities of these vessels?

V: Hiveships are, most notably, massive carrier vessels. They are capable of carrying and maintaining hundreds of strike craft, with limited on-board manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, the entire vessel is covered in weapon emplacements, missile tubes, and point defence cannons, to the point where a single such ship is capable of engaging and destroying entire fleets. Its role as a command platform is filled by the Sectoid Commander aboard, and said commander also determines what scientific equipment is aboard.

AK: And there is a Hive Commander aboard each one?

V: To the best of our knowledge, yes. No Hiveship goes anywhere without a Commander aboard.

AK: I see. Thank you for this information, V'Thrask. Now, what plans does the Federation have to counter Sectoid aggression?

TRANSCRIPT ENDS

Author's Note: This piece was not written by Xabiar, though it was reviewed by him and the Editing Team. I am mooloor, one of Xabiar's guest contributors, mainly focusing on spaceships and naval doctrine. All things going well, this won't be the last you've seen of me.

Xabiar's Note: A while back Mooloor expressed an interest in expanding some of the naval doctrines of the various species and factions, and this was something I definitely welcomed. I think he's done an excellent job for the Sectoids, and I'm looking forward to working with him for future installments.