🚀 go-pugleaf

Was playing X-Com last night, and decided to take out a remote Alien
base in Australia.  (I'm using Xcomutil if it matters.)  Upon the
tactical battle loading, I found my entire force encased in a solid
wall.  I could turn units in place, but nobody could move as they were
surrounded by dirt.  I didn't try to press the "Down" key, so I don't
know if that would have worked or not.  I saved the game and reloaded,
but the results were the same.  So, I aborted and reloaded a save
prior to sending off the strike force.  I took the same exact steps,
but things were different this time.  My force was no longer embedded
in the earth, but was instead suspended in mid-air in an other-wise
normal alien base.  Having just said that, I didn't actually check
elsewhere to see if lvl 2 existed at all, but the ground level of the
base seemed OK, and I successfully concluded the battle.  I was able
to lower each man to the ground using the "Down" arrow regardless of
whether there was a grav shaft below the soldier or not.

Anyone else seen weirdness like this for alien base attacks?  Any idea
what causes it or how to prevent it for the future?  Does Xcomutil
have something to do with it?  I haven't altered any map files or
messed with anything that I would think would have an effect on it.  I
haven't played XCom in ages, so I can't say whether this is a regular
or rare occurance, but I do recall seeing something similar before,
though I forget the details at this point.

Thanks for any help.

Warren