You know, as much as it pains me to say this, it's the missions that go bad that end up being the most fun--if I can recover. The tension and sheer tactics at play are remarkable stuff, times where everything matters.
Like losing an entire team in a blacksite mission and having one guy limp to the finish, being fired at on all sides. Or a guerilla raid gone wrong where half of my elites are slaughtered, and it becomes a desperate struggle to survive. Or even a VIP escort mission where I'm revealed at the very worst time, lose 4/6 of my squad, and still manage to limp to the finish like, VIP in tow. It's some of the most intense gaming I've had and I can't get enough of it.
XCOM's mastery of randomness is a beautiful thing.
Specialists are absolutely invaluable. It's why losing all of them has been so heartbreaking to me; they always die saving everyone else. (see above)
XCOM pls
There's a continent bonus reducing the cost from 25 to 10, I think. I wish I had it... so bad.