How goes your fight against the aliens?

I've been having a blast with this game, and it's on the fast track to being GOTY for me. I got through on normal without TOO many difficulties. I played a ton of Valkyria Chronicles, so many of my tactics and ideas from there helped get me started in XCOM.

The worst mission I've ever had so far was a lategame terror mission (the ones where you have to evacuate civilians). Until then terror missions were actually my favorite mission type, because they forced you to step out of your comfort zone and act a bit reckless in the interest of preserving time. I make decisions during terror missions that I would NEVER even consider in most other missions, like sending a support off by herself to scoop up civilians because she can travel farther then the rest of my team.

But this terror mission I ran into late in the game was different. For the first time, I had to deal with a Sectopod and accompanying drones alongside the normal contingent of Heavy Floaters, Mutons, Elite Mutons, Berserkers, and Crysallids; all while trying to keep civilian casualties to a minimum. Seeing as Heavy Floaters and Sectopods are pretty much my greatest enemies, I felt like it was specifically tailored to be my worst nightmare. The team I sent in was totally decked out; plasma weapons, psionics, Titan Armor, Archangel Armor, the works. They were all Colonels, they had seen some shit and then some. Yet, that mission did not go well. No, not well at all. There's just no way to keep a brisk pace when you have a friggin Sectopod on the loose.

After that mission I wasn't sure that I liked terror missions anymore. =X

So, let's talk about XCOM. Favorite classes? Most hated enemies? Best/Worst moments? Nicknames? I want to see your soldiers too!