Skybound Tactics is often decided in the first few missions. Here is a repeatable opening that keeps your squad flexible on any map.
Skybound Tactics rewards tempo, and the opening missions set the ceiling for everything that follows. The goal is not to grab ground but to keep your options open while denying your opponent theirs.
Secure the high ground first, keep one unit in reserve rather than committing everyone forward, and read the elevation before you move. A flexible opening beats an aggressive one nine times out of ten above the default difficulty.