
So you should stay in high cover unless you're out of combat or flanking.
Always use high cover : depending on the alien's aim, they have around 50% to hit you in low cover, and around 25% to hit you in high cover. So you are risking their panic levels to rise again and losing them if you don't wait until the last possible day before assigning them. Don't assign satellites until 1D before the monthly meetup: Assigning a satellite reduces panic immediately on a country, but you only get the added bonuses and money until the end of the month.
Satellites are always the priority: Always be building satellites or satellite uplinks, ALWAYS! until you have covered everyone on the map.
When you build the officer training school, be sure to get Wet Work and Iron Will relatively soon, as they will increase the rate at which your dudes levelup and how much will they earn per level (increases psionic potential, and less panicking). You really only need a workshop or two tops to finish the game. Europe seemed like a good choice at first, but I went through my whole game without making any labs (until the end when I was raking in the big bucks), you only need more scientists, and you can get those from satellites on any country, or from mission rewards. Don't start in Africa because it only takes 3 satellites to cover Africa and the bonus isn't as good in the first couple of months, it takes 4 to cover Asia so its worth having the perk right off the bat.
Consider starting in Asia: Then get Africa, and then North America if you can. Please share stuff you have learned along the way too, specially if you've finished above normal difficulty. I lost three dudes on the last mission, but otherwise I think i'm ready to move to Impossible, here I'll share some tips and tactics to improve your game, hope it helps someone! Finally beat the game on Classic Ironman!