The Dire Consequences of Ignoring a Retaliation Mission in XCOM 2

Ignoring a Retaliation Mission in XCOM 2 is a critical mistake that can severely hamper your campaign. The immediate consequence is the scattering of the Resistance in the targeted region. This results in a cascade of negative effects, ultimately hindering your efforts to liberate Earth. Specifically, you will lose contact with the region, any radio relays you had established will be destroyed, and most devastatingly, the region’s income will be permanently reduced. Let’s delve deeper into why this happens and what it means for your fight against ADVENT.

Why Retaliation Missions Matter

Retaliation Missions are not just another side quest; they represent a crucial element of maintaining your foothold and momentum in the resistance effort. These missions see ADVENT forces attempting to crush the local resistance haven in a specific region. If you fail to respond, the consequences are far-reaching and significantly detrimental.

Immediate Loss of Contact

The first major consequence of ignoring a Retaliation Mission is the loss of contact with the affected region. This means you no longer have access to the intelligence, resources, and potential recruits that were being generated by the haven. This isolation can make it harder to expand your network, gather resources, and prepare for future battles. Re-establishing contact will take time and resources, which could have been better used elsewhere.

Destruction of Radio Relays

Radio Relays are crucial for maintaining contact across different regions of the globe. If the resistance in a region is crushed, any radio relay you had established in that area is destroyed. This can lead to gaps in your communication network and make it more challenging to respond to threats in other parts of the world. Restoring these relays will cost both time and resources, further straining your already limited supply.

Permanent Reduction in Income

Perhaps the most crippling consequence of ignoring a Retaliation Mission is the permanent reduction in the income you receive from the affected region. This income is essential for purchasing upgrades, recruiting soldiers, and funding your overall resistance efforts. Losing even a single region’s income can significantly hamper your progress, making each subsequent mission more difficult and prolonging the war against the aliens.

Long-Term Impacts of Neglecting Retaliation Missions

The ramifications of ignoring these missions extend beyond the immediate consequences. Losing regions and resources has a snowball effect, making it more challenging to manage your global campaign.

Weakened Resistance Network

A weakened resistance network means fewer potential recruits, slower progress in contacting new regions, and reduced intelligence gathering capabilities. This can leave you ill-prepared for future ADVENT offensives.

Slowed Down Technological Progress

Reduced income translates to fewer opportunities for research and development. This can result in a slower pace of tech upgrades, leaving your soldiers with outdated equipment and tactics.

Increased Difficulty Across the Board

Ultimately, ignoring Retaliation Missions makes the entire game more difficult. Fewer resources, fewer recruits, and inferior technology can significantly decrease your chances of successfully completing the campaign. These missions are more than just battles, they are key to your economic, political, and strategic stability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What types of missions can I ignore without penalties in XCOM 2?

You can generally ignore Guerrilla Ops without any negative impact on your overall campaign progress. These are generally optional missions that provide extra rewards but don’t have consequences for skipping them.

2. What happens if I ignore a Council Mission in XCOM 2?

Ignoring a Council Mission has the same negative consequences as failing a Retaliation Mission. You will lose contact with the corresponding resistance region, lose any radio relays in the region and suffer a permanent reduction to the region’s income.

3. How long do I have to accept and act on a Council Mission?

Council Missions have a very short window of acceptance, typically only a couple of days. If you wait too long, the mission will disappear, leading to the same penalties.

4. How long do Retaliation Missions typically last?

Retaliation Missions usually have a window of about 22 hours, although you need to factor in travel time to the location which further shortens the time available to complete it.

5. What happens if I fail a mission in XCOM 2?

Failing a standard mission means a team wipeout where you lose all soldiers who were not evacuated plus the loot carried by them. Additionally, you suffer any specific consequences related to that mission. You do not lose regions for failing standard missions.

6. Can I beat XCOM 2 without losing a country?

Yes, it is possible, but requires careful planning, resource allocation, and perhaps a bit of luck with which regions are targeted. Focus on establishing satellites quickly to reduce panic, choose the most strategically viable regions, and prioritize intel gathering to anticipate possible alien actions.

7. Can I keep playing XCOM 2 after completing the campaign?

Yes, you can continue playing. Once the main campaign is complete, you can start a new game with the “Ironman” mode enabled, which adds an extra layer of challenge.

8. Is there an infinite play aspect in XCOM 2?

Yes, the game allows you to play indefinitely. You are not forced to immediately start the final mission. You can continue to undertake guerilla ops and develop technology indefinitely. The avatar project will continue to advance until the final mission is done, but it will also spawn new facilities for you to destroy.

9. Can I permanently lose Chosen weapons?

Yes, Chosen weapons are unique and cannot be replaced. If a soldier carrying a Chosen weapon dies and is not evacuated, you will permanently lose that weapon.

10. How do I identify Faceless units in XCOM 2?

Battle Scanners and GREMLIN Scanning Protocols will reveal all Faceless units in an area. They are sometimes identified by how the aliens and Advent forces treat them, a civilian that aliens do not shoot at is highly likely a Faceless.

11. What is the “final mission glitch” in XCOM 2?

This refers to a bug where killing the first Avatar in stealth without simultaneously triggering other packs can prevent the other avatars from spawning, locking you in the final mission. This can be resolved by loading an earlier save or using the console command to restart the mission.

12. Should I ever skip a mission in XCOM 2?

While it’s generally important to complete missions, sometimes it’s better to evacuate and cut your losses to avoid losing your best soldiers. A few wounded soldiers is better than the whole squad wiped out with no loot.

13. How long do Resistance missions last?

Resistance missions, such as rescuing VIPs or attacking convoys, typically have a 24-hour expiration window.

14. What are good enemies to mind control in XCOM 2?

Mutons, Heavy Floaters, and Muton Elites are excellent targets for Mind Control due to their low Will and high damage potential. You can use them to attack their former allies effectively.

15. What should I prioritize in XCOM 2?

Prioritizing Intel, Scientists, and Engineers is crucial for progress. Intel is used for purchasing upgrades and revealing Dark Events. Scientists speed up research, while Engineers enhance the efficiency of your base.